Pisces horoscope

Myth and constellation

The constellation of Pisces is vast but faint. It depicts two fish joined by a long cord, the knot of which is marked by the star Alrescha, an Arabic name meaning "the cord". From the northern hemisphere, it can be seen in the evening in autumn, below the Great Square of Pegasus. It has an astronomical peculiarity: because of the precession of the equinoxes, the vernal point, where the Sun lies at the spring equinox, is today located in this constellation.

The best-known Greek myth tells that Aphrodite and her son Eros, fleeing the monster Typhon on the banks of the Euphrates, threw themselves into the river and took the form of fish, or were saved by two fish, depending on the version. So as not to be lost in the waters, they are said to have tied themselves to one another, which the cord of the constellation evokes. The two fish already featured in Mesopotamian astronomy.

Element, modality and planet

Pisces combines water, the element of emotions, with the mutable mode, which favours adaptation and flexibility. Its traditional ruler is Jupiter, associated with benevolence and faith; modern astrology also assigns it Neptune, discovered in 1846 and linked to dreams, inspiration and the dissolving of boundaries. From this, tradition draws a sign that is permeable to its surroundings, able to sense what others leave unsaid.

The twelfth and last sign, it closes the zodiacal cycle and symbolically gathers the experience of all the preceding ones before Aries begins again. In the northern hemisphere, its season covers the end of winter, a time of transition when nature quietly prepares for spring. Tradition associates it with the feet, the part of the body that touches the ground and on which the whole edifice rests.

The three decans

From around 19 to 28 February, the first decan is ruled by the sign's own ruler, Jupiter or Neptune depending on the school, following the modern triplicity division that entrusts each decan to a ruler of a water sign. Tradition sees here the most characteristic Pisces: dreamy, compassionate and open to the unseen.

From around 1 to 10 March, the second decan falls under the Moon, ruler of Cancer. It is said to have a sensitivity turned towards home, memory and protecting loved ones. The sign's empathy takes a maternal form here, with a strong need for emotional security and an imagination fed by memories.

From around 11 to 20 March, the third decan is placed under the ruler of Scorpio, Mars or Pluto depending on the school. Tradition attributes to it a more marked emotional intensity, a penetrating intuition and a firmer will than one might imagine. The sign's gentleness is matched here by a capacity to come through hardship and be transformed.

In friendship and family

In friendship, tradition describes Pisces as precious confidants, able to listen for a long time without judging and to sense sorrow before it is voiced. They are said to be very available, to the point of needing to learn to protect their own energy. They would appreciate friendships where emotions, dreams, music or films are shared, and where silence is never awkward.

In the family, the Pisces parent is associated with tenderness and understanding: they welcome their children's emotions and encourage their imagination, and would benefit from setting clear boundaries. The Pisces child is described as dreamy, sensitive to the atmosphere of the home and gifted at make-believe games. Among siblings, they would often be the peacemaker, the one who soothes tensions and comforts.

The rising sign

The ascendant is the sign rising on the horizon at the moment of birth. It changes roughly every two hours, which makes the time and place of birth essential to determine it. According to astrology, it sheds light on how one moves towards the world and how others first perceive us. A Pisces ascendant would, according to tradition, give a gentle gaze, a discreet presence and a very receptive way of forming relationships. It is associated with a great ability to adapt to people and places, sometimes at the cost of a certain vulnerability.