To Double-Cross Zeus for the Greater Good

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torch with flame in the dark

Look around you, wherever you are. What do you see? Pick a few objects that you consider essential for your daily life.

What if I told you that once upon a time, not so long ago, fire was just as essential to humanity?

Fire cooked our food. Fire crafted our weapons, glass and jewellery. Fire kept us warm, lit and safe. And, as long as humans have witnessed its cleansing, purifying, transformative and destructive powers, fire has been present in our mythologies. Simply put, we wouldn’t have made it this far as a species without it, and that is why fire deserves a special place in folklore.

However, this power didn’t come freely. Something as essential, mighty and enduring could only be magical and restricted. For the Ancient Greeks, fire was an entity only worthy of the gods—meagre humans were not learned or civilized enough to wield it.

Today we’ll learn about the hero who gave humanity the gift of fire. Or, in the eyes of Zeus, the trickster thief who stole what wasn’t ever meant for humans to possess.

The Always Benevolent Zeus

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orange lightning on cloudy landscape

Think about cruel and unusual punishment. Would a thief deserve it? According to the Ancient Greek gods, Prometheus certainly did.

Prometheus, one of the Titans, was not involved in the Titanomachy (I discussed this briefly in my first blog post), so Zeus didn’t imprison him in Tartarus. Instead, Zeus tasked Prometheus to craft the first humans from clay. As strange as this sounds, Prometheus succeeded, but he also ended up liking humans. In time, Prometheus felt more at home with mortals than among the gods (I wonder why). Then, he decided to steal Zeus’s fire for humans. Fire had been only accessible to the gods so far.

Not for much longer, however. Prometheus (a very smart titan whose name means “forethought”) provoked a fight over a golden pear in which he attached the message “for the most beautiful goddess of all.” Knowing that Greek deities are as vain as can be, do you see a problem with that message? Don’t think too long about it!

A squabble ensued, and Prometheus took advantage of the distraction to sneak into Hephaestus’s workshop, where he found the fire. He then proceeded to smuggle it out inside a hollowed pumpkin (other myths say it was a hollowed reed or fennel stalk). He brought it to Earth and gifted it to humans.

It didn’t take Zeus long to notice… Worst of all, this wasn’t the first time Prometheus had deceived him. If you think about it, for Greek deities, a single transgression is (often) one too many. Some would say Prometheus would’ve rather been imprisoned in Tartarus from the beginning knowing what awaited him.

The Actual Punishment

source: wikimedia commons, prometheus bound by thomas cole (1847)

painting of prometheus chained to mount caucasus

Zeus didn’t do the dirty work himself. After all, Prometheus didn’t quite steal from Zeus directly. Prometheus had instead stolen from Hephaestus, god of fire. Zeus made Hephaestus craft chains with which to bind Prometheus to Mount Caucasus—at the time viewed as the end of the world. Clearly, Zeus didn’t want Prometheus close to him or his property ever again.

Apparently, chaining someone to a faraway mountain isn’t enough of a punishment, so Zeus sent an eagle to eat Prometheus’s liver for all eternity. As an immortal entity, Prometheus could not die. Instead, he would keep suffering forever as the eagle ate his liver every day, only for it to regenerate every night.

Not All Hope is Lost

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group of lit candles in the dark

You might be relieved to know that there is an eventual end to Prometheus’s suffering. Zeus offered to free him in exchange for information regarding a prophecy about his potential dethronement as king of the gods. Prometheus, true to his conviction, refused to tell Zeus.

It was ultimately Hercules, on his way to complete his Twelve Labours, who killed the eagle one day, freeing Prometheus from his daily torment. Zeus (again) wasn’t happy, but if you can’t beat them…

Zeus granted Prometheus his freedom.

Prometheus’s transgressions against Zeus made him a champion for humanity and the creator of human arts and sciences. Fire isn’t nearly as essential to us today as it was for most of humankind’s history. And, you know, we also have lighters and matches now. Nonetheless, from the lens of Ancient Greek mythology, my ability to write this post, your ability to read it and even our very existence are all thanks to Prometheus.

Here’s to a better 2021.

All hail the fire thief!

Read more:

The Myth of Prometheus - The Thief of Fire

Theft of Fire in Different Mythologies

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Raf N.

After finishing a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Digital Marketing, Raf ventured into the exciting world of professional writing. Some of Raf’s interest include travel, photography, history, languages, and dogs.

The Cat Who Bites the Strongest

strip of green jungle vegetation

Can you guess which feline has the strongest bite of all? Is it the lion or the cheetah in Africa? The tiger or lynx in Asia? Or Mr. Fluffs purring on your lap as you read this? They’re all beautiful in their own right. But none of the above big (or small) cats have the bite strength of the powerful jaguar—the cat king of the Americas.

The word “jaguar” comes from the Paraguayan Guaraní language and means “he who kills with one blow”.

Many cultures throughout the continent have worshipped the jaguar in different iterations. Most prominently, the jaguar was an important mythological figure in Aztec, Inca and Maya mythology.

Today we’ll explore the jaguar’s role in Mesoamerican mythology.

source: pexels/pixabay

close up of a jaguar’s head in the middle of the jungle

But what is Mesoamerica?

Let’s get this question out of the way first. Mesoamerica refers to the part of the American Continent that stretches from central Mexico to roughly Costa Rica.

This area saw a great flourishing of culture and organized civilization between the 1500s BCE and the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores in the 1500s CE. That’s 3,000 years!

Forget Werewolves. Think Were-Jaguars!

One of the earliest representations of the jaguar in Mesoamerica came from the Olmecs (Mexico, 1200-400 BCE), who portrayed the were-jaguar in statues and figurines as a half-man, half-jaguar entity. Archeologists call this the were-jaguar.

The archaeological evidence found so far doesn’t show the jaguar exclusively as an animal. Instead, Olmec art shows human figures with certain feline characteristics or vice versa. The jaguar remains an enigmatic figure in Olmec mythology because there is no clear answer as to its nature or meaning for these early Mesoamericans.

Later Maya and Aztec accounts talk about the power to become half-jaguar and half-human. Both cultures believed that anyone able to accomplish this could act on their most hidden desires. In other words, they could rid themselves of all cultural restrictions and inhibitions and be free to roam the world.

Credit: j’enrike marrokín/unsplash

stepped pyramid temple of the great jaguar in tikal, guatemala, surrounded by an archeological area

The B’alam

In Maya mythology, the jaguar ruled over the underworld (Xibalbá) and represented the night sun and darkness. Because of this, there are many temples dedicated to the jaguar throughout southern Mexico and Central America. Two notable examples are the Temple of the Great Jaguar in Tikal, Guatemala and the Temple of the Jaguar in Chichén Itzá, Mexico.

High-ranking Maya priests who embodied the jaguar were the only ones allowed to officiate at the most important ceremonies. If these priests or shamans sighted a black jaguar, it was an omen for disaster and catastrophe.

Beyond that, Maya kings often added the word “B’alam” (jaguar in the Mayan language) to their regal name.

The bravest and fiercest Maya soldiers belonged to the order of jaguar warriors. Think of them as the SEALs of Ancient Mesoamerica.

Wearing a jaguar pelt, whether spotted or black, was a symbol of prestige and power reserved only for priests, warriors and kings.

source: wikimedia commons, codex magliabechiano

drawing of an aztec jaguar warrior wearing a jaguar attire and feathers

Tezcatlipoca

Centuries after the Maya, the Aztecs venerated a god called Tezcatlipoca. As one of the main Aztec deities, Tezcatlipoca was the god of the Great Bear constellation (Ursa Major) and the night sky. This god’s animal disguise was the jaguar, whose spotted skin resembled the starry sky at night.

Tezcatlipoca was also a creator god who ruled over the Ocelotl Tonatiuh (Jaguar Sun), which was the first of the four worlds that were created and destroyed before the current universe.  

Like the Maya, the Aztecs also had an elite order of warriors who wore jaguar pelts as their fighting attire. These fearsome warriors had to capture four enemies from battles before they could become a member of the order.

As opposed to the Maya, however, the Aztecs didn’t entirely see the jaguar as a protector or symbol of the elite. Instead, they believed that Tezcatlipoca was the protector of slaves and those who suffered ill-treatment. He rewarded the virtuous with riches and fame while sending sickness or poverty to wrongdoers.

King of the (American) Jungle

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jaguar lying on top of a rock in the middle of the jungle

Many jaguar myths and gods extend far beyond Mesoamerica, from cultures ranging from the southern United States all the way to Argentina.

For the American peoples who came before us, the jaguar symbolized the most desirable traits of bravery, righteousness and protection. Sadly, its habitat is quickly diminishing each year—there are only an estimated 15,000 jaguars left in the wild.

With its robust yet agile body, superb tree-climbing abilities and magnificent spotted golden fur pattern, it’s no wonder that this big cat was a central icon in Indigenous American mythology for millennia.

Today, just as back then, the great jaguar remains the true king of the American jungles.

Let’s keep it that way!

Read more:

Jaguars in Mesoamerican Cultures

Aztec Warriors: Rank and Warrior Societies

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Raf N.

After finishing a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Digital Marketing, Raf ventured into the exciting world of professional writing. Some of Raf’s interest include travel, photography, history, languages, and dogs.

All the Cool Kids Are Doing It: Serpents in Mythology

credit: pixabay

Some are beautiful. Some are scary. Best of all, you can’t escape them because they live everywhere except for the Poles!

Perhaps this is why snakes are one of the oldest and most widely depicted animals in world mythology. For some cultures, snakes represent evil, deceit and temptation. For others, they stand for fertility, rebirth and immortality.

Join me as we tour the world in serpentine fashion!

The Mediterranean and Middle East

You may remember Perseus and Medusa from my previous post. We’ll start with them this time.

The Ancient Greeks believed the gods punished three beautiful women by turning them into monsters with snakes for hair. They called them the Gorgons.

Medusa was the only mortal Gorgon, but both she and her sisters (Stheno and Euryale) could turn unsuspecting victims into stone. Perseus mounted Medusa’s severed head on his shield in order to petrify his enemies in battle. Quite smart if you ask me.

CREDIT: ROBERT THIEMANN/UNSPLASH

Next, we move down the Mediterranean into the Nile, where the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs adorned their heads with golden cobras—symbols of royalty and protection.

However, the snake was a dual force when it came to gods. The cobra goddess Meretseger was the protector of the Valley of the Kings, while the giant serpent god of chaos Apep (or Apophis) tried to devour the world each evening.

Thankfully for the Egyptians, the sun god Ra defeated Apep every night to secure the world’s rebirth at dawn.

A bit further east, the serpent Nachash plays a big role in the Book of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden, it convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. God had warned Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit. Of course, they didn’t listen...

Scholars believe that Nachash is a representation of desire, temptation or even Satan. For their transgression, God banished Adam and Eve from Eden.

So the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.”

Genesis 3:14

CREDIT: PRISCILLA DU PREEZ/UNSPLASH

Up to the North!

According to Norse mythology, the enormous dragon serpent Jörmungandr lived in the ocean around Midgard (Earth). As it grew, its gigantic body encircled Midgard until it was able to put its own tail in its mouth.

During Ragnarok, or the final battle culminating in the destruction of the world, Jörmungandr rose from the sea and wreaked havoc in Midgard. The god Thor slew it with his hammer but later died himself, poisoned by the snake’s venom.

On the Other Side of the Atlantic

CREDIT: ARIAPSA MX/PIXABAY

Mexico and Central America were home to the Aztecs and the Mayas. The first Maya depictions of a serpent god appeared around 100 BCE in the form of snake heads carved on walls. The Maya called this god Kukulkan.

Nobody knows the exact nature of Kukulkan, but the Aztecs copied Maya mythology centuries later. Their feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl was the god of wind, rain, agriculture, learning and a key entity in the creation of the universe.

Further north, member of the Hopi tribe of Arizona have been performing a ritual called the Snake Dance for thousands of years. Just as the Maya and the Aztecs before them, the Hopi believe that snakes represent land fertility. Not much else of the ritual is known because it takes place in underground chambers—outsiders are not allowed to witness it. However, there are some exceptions.

Across the Pacific: To China, India and Beyond

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Ancient Chinese mythology speaks of an underwater snake demon who was able to transform into a human female called Bai Suzhen (Lady White Snake). The legend is said to resemble the yin and yang of Confucianism and Daoism. The white snake represents the yin, or feminine darkness. Her enemy, a Buddhist monk, is the yang, or masculine brightness.

In Buddhism, the Naga are half-human, half-cobra demigods who protect The Buddha.

Hinduism associates them with water, rivers and lakes. The god Brahma tasked them with biting only those who were truly evil or destined to die prematurely.

Our Tour Comes to an End

Sadly, we must conclude our express tour of the world, but many more mythological snakes exist. Maybe you know some examples yourself.

Regardless of how you feel about snakes, cultures across the world have feared and venerated them for millennia.

What do they mean to you?

Read more:

https://www.history.com/news/snake-symbol-history-mythology

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_in_mythology

http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Sa-Sp/Serpents-and-Snakes.html

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Raf N.

After finishing a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Digital Marketing, Raf ventured into the exciting world of professional writing. Some of Raf’s interest include travel, photography, history, languages, and dogs.

In Ancient Greece, You Could Become Invisible! If You Knew the Right Contact...

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While most of us wish we could put a paper bag on our heads to try and become invisible during socially awkward situations, the Ancient Greeks had a far more sophisticated means to disappear in a hurry!

But, before we head there, first comes a titanic myth.

In the beginning, there were the Titans

At the dawn of time, Earth (Gaea) and Heaven (Uranus) had 12 children—the Titans. Hubris and a not-so-small dose of lust prompted a war between children and their parents. This was far worse (read: epic) than your typical family inheritance feud.

The Titan Kronos defeated his father Uranus and became ruler of the rest of the Titans. Peace would not last long—Kronos’s own son Zeus rebelled against him, and a decade-long war followed. Karma, I guess?

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A tale of three

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During the war, the Cyclopes Titans (brothers of Kronos) created three weapons to aid Zeus and his two brothers. We’re perhaps familiar with Zeus’s iconic lightning bolt and Poseidon’s trident, but the lesser known of the triad is Hades’s Helmet of Invisibility. The “Helmet” is also known as a Cap or Helm, and “Invisibility” is also referred to as “Darkness.”

The Helmet conferred invisibility on the wearer. Why a helmet and not a ring or a cloak? With constant warring, sex and convoluted lineages, Ancient Greek mythology is clearly anything but simple. But the Greeks obviously LOVED war—a helmet only makes sense!

Wearing the Helmet, Hades slipped undetected into the Titans’ camp, securing victory for himself and his brothers in their first battle.

Ten years later, the trio had won the war.

Zeus imprisoned the Titans, and thus began his reign as king of the younger gods—the 12 Olympians we’re more familiar with.

So, the Helmet served its purpose. What happened to it next?

The Helmet’s other known users

Throughout mythological history, Hades (now Lord of the Underworld) allowed other gods to use the Helmet in uncharacteristic Greek deity benevolence. They didn’t ask him nicely for it anyway.

While there is no definitive list of users, the Greek poet Hesiod pointed to two other godly users in his writings:

Athena, goddess of wisdom, handicraft and warfare, used the Helmet during the Trojan War (long before the wooden horse) to help Diomedes—a mortal naval commander fighting for the Greeks. Thanks to Athena’s invisible intervention, Diomedes managed to injure Ares, god of war, who fought (at least for this battle) on the Trojan side.

Hermes, messenger of the gods, wore the Helmet to slay the giant Hyppolitus during the Gigantomachy. Yes, another war! However, not much else is known about Hermes’s relationship with the Helmet.  

Different mythological traditions, same result

perseus with the head of medusa, benvenuto cellini (1554)

Loggia dei lanzi, florence, italy

Photo by raf n.

The demigod Perseus is the Helmet’s most famous user. How he came to possess the Helmet depends largely on the tradition.

Different traditions point to Hermes, the Nymphs, Athena, or Hades himself giving Perseus the Helmet. Whoever Perseus’s benefactor was, the mission remained largely the same…

 Near them their sisters three, the Gorgons, winged
With snakes for hair—hatred of mortal man—

Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound

Perseus ventured into Medusa’s lair, but (against common sense, if you ask me) he didn’t avoid her petrifying gaze with the Helmet’s invisibility but rather used it to escape her two (less famous) immortal sisters Stheno and Euryale.

Hades probably took back the Helmet, but at least Perseus made it out of the Gorgons’ lair with one handy trophy…

Read more:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap_of_invisibility

https://greekmythology.wikia.org/wiki/Helm_of_Darkness

https://niftybuckles.wordpress.com/2020/07/30/helm-of-darkness-cap-of-invisibility/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Titan-Greek-mythology

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Perseus-Greek-mythology

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Raf N.

After finishing a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Digital Marketing, Raf ventured into the exciting world of professional writing. Some of Raf’s interest include travel, photography, history, languages, and dogs.