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The Aries Myth
There are two myths which epitomize Aries, one an ancient one from Greece, the other, a medieval myth which is still beloved in our own day and continues to give rise to films, television series, and novels. We'll deal with the second one first: the outlaw of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood.
Now, Robin Hood is a perfect Aries character. Consider first the fact that he's an outlaw. In one way or another, Aries tends to take this stance, for he stands for change and progress. So he often comes to blows with established authority in one way or another - sometimes literally, sometimes simply as the exponent of a new set of ideas or a new method of propagating an idea. The bulwarks of society often don't like our Aries, because he makes trouble and keeps them on their toes. So Robin Hood, self-appointed champion of the oppressed poor and enemy of established, corrupt authority, represents our Knight quite well.
Consider also that Robin Hood has a band of Merry Men. He's not a dark, sinister outlaw skulking about in narrow alleyways; he has a damned good time of it. This too is an Arien quality; for Aries, being a fire sign, is determined to enjoy himself. Life, to him, is exhilarating, particularly when there's danger. The greater the danger, the spicier it is. You'd expect Ariens to be quick drivers, a little reckless. Many are. The idea is to be merry in the face of battle.
The whole background in which the Robin Hood myth is embedded is also very Arien. Here is a Good King - Richard Coeur de Lion - who is away fighting a Crusade for the recapture of the Holy City from the Infidel. There is a nasty, vicious younger brother - King John - who has usurped Richard's rightful throne. There are the oppressed poor, and the overweaning and arrogant rich. There is another nasty, vicious figure in the shape of the eternal archetype, the Sherriff of Nottingham, representing authority empty of meaning, a law empty of mercy, class structure empty of rights.
You can see why this whole myth is so Arien. Even the lovely maiden Marian fits into the Arien dream; she always has to be rescued. Many Aries play Robin Hood in one way or another in their lives, shamelessly robbing from the oppressive enemy to succour the underdog. And, of course, at the end of the story, Good King Richard returns. And there's a quirk to this whole tale that is also pretty Arien. For Good King Richard wasn't a particularly good king. That, to Aries, doesn't matter; he often misses the quality of the cause or person he fights for. Joan of Arc perhaps didn't realize that the Dauphin, Charles VII of France, might not have been particularly worth getting burned for either. It's the vision that matters.
Now let's look at the other Arien myth. It's about Jason and the Argonauts, and the capture of the golden fleece. Yes, of course it would be a golden fleece, for the ram is Aries' symbol. You can take it, if you like, as a symbol of the ultimate goal of Aries - whether it's the realization of his own individuality, or the achievement of his quest, or the rescue of the damsel, or whatever. Never mind. Jason, like a true Aries, hears about this fantastic fleece and is delighted to find that it's impossible to find. That only encourages him. So he
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