Bravery: Leo (July 23-August 22)

Leo is a northern constellation¹ between Cancer and Virgo, containing the star Regulus. Leo is the fifth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters on or about July 22.

Nemean was the son of giant Typhon and monster of a snake. When people and monsters loved each other, Nemean would fall from Moon, which was a gift to them. Nemean was half-human, half-monster. In the daytime, he was a fierce lion with golden fur, and by night he was a young boy with golden hair and blue eyes.

The sister of Nemean was Hydra² who was also a monster of a snake with nine heads. Her upper body was like girl, pretty and charming³, but the other half of her body was like a snake.

Nemean loved Hydra since he was a child. Although they had same parents, Nemean fell from heaven while Hydra was born from their mother.

Unfortunately, the hero Hercules accepted 10 tasks from the King, including killing⁴ Nemean and Hydra. Nemean refused to fight with Hercules but to protect his beloved⁵, Nemean decided⁶ to beat Hercules. Nemean comforted Hydra saying, “Nobody can kill me except you.”

Hydra deeply loved Nemean and decided to fight Hercules herself even if it meant they had to die together. Although she transformed into a snake with nine heads, she could not kill Hercules and he finally defeated her. After that, Hercules dipped his arrows in her blood.

That night, Nemean found out what Hercules did and he became a fierce male lion. He rushed at Hercules. Hercules pulled out his arrow but the fur of lion seemed to resist any weapons. Suddenly, Hercules remembered the arrows dipped with Hydra’s blood. He shot them at Nemean immediately. Nemean escaped from first two arrows but was shot by the third one. The arrow with Hydra’s blood shot through Nemean’s heart. He transformed into the young man and fell on the ground and died.

Zeus allowed Nemean to return back to heaven and transform him into Leo in the sky.

星座起源的美丽传说：狮子的勇敢

尼密阿是巨人堤丰和蛇妖厄格德的儿子。当人与妖相爱的时候，尼密阿就从月亮上掉了下来，是上天赐给这对夫妇一个漂亮的宝贝，家人都叫他阿尼。

阿尼实际上是个半人半妖的怪物。白天他是一头凶猛的狮子，全身的皮毛闪着太阳的颜色；到了晚上，他才变成人形，是一个金发蓝眼的少年。

阿尼的妹妹许德拉是一个九头蛇妖，她的上半身和人一样，而且十分美丽；下半身是蛇，月光一样的银色。

阿尼从小就深深爱着许，他们虽然有同样的父母，但阿尼是从天上掉下来的，而许是母亲厄格德自产的。许一直认为阿尼是天上的某颗星星，终归是要回到天上去的，而阿尼说，在回到天上以前愿意为许做任何事，包括死。他们于是相爱了。

然而幸福的日子很快被厄运撕碎。英雄赫五力按照神谕昭示，接受了国王的十项任务，其中两项就是杀死阿尼和许。阿尼不明白为什么神界的争斗要波及到他们，宙斯犯下的错要他们来承担。阿尼本不愿与赫五力为敌，但为了保护心上人许，他决定将赫五力挡在尼密阿大森林外。许想要阻止他前往，阿尼安慰到：“除了你，没有人能杀死我！你放心吧，我一定可以战胜这个宙斯与凡人的儿子。”说完，他只身前往去会赫五力。

许很爱阿尼，他不会让阿尼去送死，她决定在阿尼之前击退赫五力，哪怕是同归于尽。许来到阿密玛纳泉水旁迎战赫五力。然而，尽管她可以变出九个头形成咄咄逼人之势，但赫五力毕竟是一个伟大的英雄，他勇敢而果断的杀死了蛇妖许，并把随身带的箭全部浸泡在剧毒蛇血里。

傍晚，阿尼也终于找到了赫五力，他现在是一头浴血的雄狮，朝赫五力猛扑过来。赫五力拔剑与狮子战在一处，但狮子的皮毛似乎任何利器也穿不透，赫五力根本没法杀死他。天色渐渐暗了下来，赫五力想到那些浸毒的箭，于是瞄准狮子射了过去。一支、两支没有射中，第三支箭射中了狮子的心脏。那浸着许的毒血的箭一下子射进了阿尼破碎的心。狮子倒在地上变成了人。赫五力惊诧的看着阿尼，而阿尼一句话也没有说就死去了。

后来宙斯让阿尼回到了天上变成了星星，就是那个灿烂如太阳的狮子座。而属于狮子座的人类也被赋予了勇于为爱情而牺牲的性格。