Origins of the Planetary Myths in Astrology

In episode 436 astrologer Demetra George joins me to discuss the origins of the myths associated with the planets in astrology, and how the Greek gods were assigned to the planets by the philosopher Plato and his students in the 4th century BCE.

Early in the Greek tradition the planets either didn’t have names or were given descriptive names that matched their appearance, and it wasn’t until later that they were given the names of gods.

It wasn’t until the time of the philosopher Plato and his students in the 4th century BCE that we see that Greek authors begin to give the planets specific names based on the gods of Greek religion and mythology ( i.e. Hermes/Mercury, Aphrodite/Venus, Ares/Mars, Zeus/Jupiter, Kronos/Saturn).

The names first appear in the works of philosophers surrounding Plato’s Academy in Athens: Plato, Philip of Opus, Eudoxus of Cnidus, and Aristotle.

The full set of names seems to first appear in a philosophical text called the Epinomis, which is thought to …