Editing Pisces (constellation) (section)

=== Greco-Roman period ===
Pisces is associated with the Greek legend that [[Aphrodite]] and her son [[Eros]] either shape-shifted into forms of fishes to escape, or were rescued by two fishes.

In the Greek version according to [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], Aphrodite and Eros while visiting [[Syria]] fled from the monster [[Typhon]] by leaping into the [[Euphrates River]] and transforming into fishes (''[[Poeticon astronomicon]]'' 2.30, citing Diognetus Erythraeus).{{sfnp|Hard|2015|pp=84–85}} The Roman variant of the story has [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] and [[Cupid]] (counterparts for Aphrodite and Eros) carried away from this danger on the backs of two fishes ([[Ovid]] ''[[Fasti]]'' 2.457ff).{{sfnp|Hard|2015|pp=85–86}}<ref name=ovid-fasti-tr-nagle/>

There is also a different origin tale that Hyginus preserved in another work. According to this, an egg rolled into the Euphrates, and some fishes nudged this to shore, after which the doves sat on the egg until Aphrodite (thereafter called the [[Syrian Goddess]]) hatched out of it. The fishes were then rewarded by being placed in the skies as a constellation (''[[Fabulae]]'' 197).<ref name=rigoglioso/>{{sfnp|Ridpath|1988|p=108}} This story is also recorded by the [[Third Vatican Mythographer]].<ref name=van-berg/>