ARIES, ARIETE. Aries, the constellation the Ram and the first sign of the zodiac, is the hot and dry sign and the night house of Mars (Confessio Amantis VII.989-992). It is the starting point of the zodiac, since the sun enters Aries at the spring equinox--March 12 in Chaucer's day, March 21 in modern times--and creates excessive moisture and the rains of spring. It is the exaltation or sign of maximum power of the sun and the depression or sign of minimum power of Saturn (Tetrabiblos I.19). It lies in the northern hemisphere near Taurus, exactly opposite Libra.

Phebus, the sun, is just past his exaltation or point of greatest influence in Aries, the choleric, hot sign, also known as the "mansion" or first face of Mars, on Cambyuskan's birthday, SqT 48-51. It is March 15, three days after March 12, the spring equinox. The magician finds the moon's position by calculating the distance between Alnath in the head or the beginning of Aries in the eighth sphere and the ninth sphere above it, FranklT 1281-1284. Criseyde promises Troilus that she will return before the moon passes out of Aries beyond Leo, Tr IV.1590-1593. The moon passes through Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo in nine days' time. Criseyde thus promises to return on the tenth day. The heads or beginnings of Aries and Libra turn on the equinoctial circle; when the sun enters the heads of Aries and Libra, moving northward, the days and nights are of equal length, Astr I.17.16-28. To calculate the tide on March 12, 1391 (Chaucer's date), the astrolabe is turned over; then the rete or topmost plate is allowed to revolve westward until the first point of Aries is just within the altitude circle marked 25, Astr II.3.23-25. Every degree of Aries is set directly opposite every degree of Libra when one is calculating dawn and twilight in the spring, Astr II.6.14-15. The longitude of a celestial body is measured in the ecliptic, from the beginning of Aries to the end of Pisces, Astr II.17.23-25. The difference between the meridian altitudes of a given degree of any sign of the zodiac and of the first point of Aries is the declination or latitude of that degree, Astr II.20, 22, 25. Aries is a northern sign; since it is also an eastern sign, it is an "obedient" one and obeys Virgo in the west, Astr II.28.27. The sun never rises due east unless it is in the head or beginning of Aries or Libra, Astr II.31.3-6. [Libra: Ram]

Ariete is the Italian form.