Tuesday, 18 July 2017
Friday, 30 June 2017
Sunday, 7 May 2017
Pyrrha
In Greek myhtology, Pyrrha was described as the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora and wife of Deucalion.
When Zeus decided to end the Bronze Age with the great deluge, Deucalion and his wife, Pyrrha, were the only survivors. Even though he was imprisoned, Prometheus who could see the future and had foreseen the coming of this flood told his son, Deucalion, to build an ark and, thus, they survived. During the flood, they landed on Mount Parnassus, the only place spared by the flood.
Once the deluge was over and the couple were on land again, Deucalion consulted an oracle of Themis about how to repopulate the earth. He was told to throw the bones of his mother behind his shoulder. Deucalion and Pyrrha understood the "mother" to be Gaia, the mother of all living things, and the "bones" to be rocks. They threw the rocks behind their shoulders, which soon began to lose their hardness and change form. Their mass grew greater, and the beginnings of human form emerged. The parts that were soft and moist became skin, the veins of the rock became people's veins, and the hardest parts of the rocks became bones. The stones thrown by Pyrrha became women; those thrown by Deucalion became men.
Deucalion and Pyrrha had three sons, Hellen, Amphictyon, Orestheus; and three daughters Protogeneia, Pandora 2 and Thyia.
INDEX
 |
| Deucalion and Pyrrha.... |
Once the deluge was over and the couple were on land again, Deucalion consulted an oracle of Themis about how to repopulate the earth. He was told to throw the bones of his mother behind his shoulder. Deucalion and Pyrrha understood the "mother" to be Gaia, the mother of all living things, and the "bones" to be rocks. They threw the rocks behind their shoulders, which soon began to lose their hardness and change form. Their mass grew greater, and the beginnings of human form emerged. The parts that were soft and moist became skin, the veins of the rock became people's veins, and the hardest parts of the rocks became bones. The stones thrown by Pyrrha became women; those thrown by Deucalion became men.
 |
| Deucalion and Pyrrha ....... |
Deucalion and Pyrrha had three sons, Hellen, Amphictyon, Orestheus; and three daughters Protogeneia, Pandora 2 and Thyia.
INDEX
Thursday, 20 April 2017
Pelias
In Greek mythology, Pelias was described as the king of Iolcus, and son of Tyro and sea god, Poseidon. Pelias was either married to Anaxibia, daughter of Bias, or Phylomache, daughter of Amphion. He was the father of Acastus, Pisidice, Alcestis, Pelopia3, Hippothoe, Amphinome, Evadne, Asteropeia, and Antinoe.
According to Greek legend, Tyro loved Enipeus, a river god. She pursued Enipeus, who refused her advances. One day, Poseidon, filled with lust for Tyro, disguised himself as Enipeus and from their union were born Pelias and Neleus, twin boys. Tyro exposed her sons on a mountain to die, but they were found by a herdsman who raised them as his own. In other version, Tyro revealed she was pregnant by the god, her father Salmoneus refused to believe her, instead suspecting his wicked brother Sisyphus was involved. So he commanded her to expose the children as soon as they were born. Tyro later married Cretheus, King of Iolkos, and she bore him three sons (Aison, Amythaon and, Pheres)
When Pelias and Neleus reached adulthood, they found Tyro and sought revenge against Tyro stepmother Sidero, for mistreated their mother. Sidero hid in a temple to Hera but Pelias killed her anyway, causing Hera's undying hatred of Pelias. Pelias was power-hungry and he wished to gain dominion over all of Thessaly. To this end, that he banished Neleus and Pherês, and locked Aeson in the dungeons in Iolcus . While in the dungeons, Aeson married and had several children, most famously, Jason. Aeson sent Jason away from Iolcus in fear that Pelias would kill him as an heir to the throne. Jason grew in the care of Chiron the centaur, on Mount Pelium, to be educated while Pelias, paranoid that he would be overthrown, was warned by an oracle to beware a man wearing one sandal.
When Jason was 20 years old, an oracle ordered him to dress as a Magnesian and head to the Iolcan court. While traveling Jason lost his sandal crossing the muddy Anavros river while helping an old woman (Hera in disguise). Pelias was presiding over a sacrifice to Poseidon with several neighboring kings in attendance. Among the crowd stood a tall youth in leopard skin with only one sandal. Pelias recognized that Jason was his nephew. He could not kill him because prominent kings of the Aeolian family were present. Instead, he asked Jason: "What would you do if an oracle announced that one of your fellow-citizens were destined to kill you?" Jason replied that he would send him to go and fetch the Golden Fleece, not knowing that Hera had put those words in his mouth.
Jason learned later that Pelias was being haunted by the ghost of Phrixus. Phrixus had fled from Orchomenus riding on a divine ram to avoid being sacrificed and took refuge in Colchis where he was later denied proper burial. According to an oracle, Iolcus would never prosper unless his ghost was taken back in a ship, together with the golden ram's fleece. This fleece now hung from a tree in the grove of the Colchian Ares, guarded night and day by a dragon that never slept. Pelias swore before Zeus that he would give up the throne at Jason's return while expecting that Jason's attempt to steal the Golden Fleece would be a fatal enterprise. However,
Jason gathered a party of heroes, collectively called the Argonauts, and they all set sail on Jason's ship, the Argo. They successfully managed to retrieve the Golden Fleece (Goddess Hera acted in Jason's favour during the journey) and bring it back to Pelias. (see The Quest for the Golden Fleece.)
When they returned, Pelias refused to give his throne to Jason, so Medea, the daughter of King Aeetes who fell in love with Jason and followed him, made a plan to have Pelias killed by his daughters. She said she could give the youth back to anyone by cutting them up and boiling them. The daughters believed her after seeing a demonstration with an old ram; excited, they cut their father to pieces and threw him in a pot. Of course, Pelias did not come back to life. According to other version, Medea cut the father of Jason into pieces, and indeed brought him back to life at a much younger age. She then promised she would do the same for Pelias, but after his daughters killed him, she simply ignored them. Because of this, Medea and Jason were banished from Iolcus, as murderers.
INDEX
 |
| Pelias and Jason |
According to Greek legend, Tyro loved Enipeus, a river god. She pursued Enipeus, who refused her advances. One day, Poseidon, filled with lust for Tyro, disguised himself as Enipeus and from their union were born Pelias and Neleus, twin boys. Tyro exposed her sons on a mountain to die, but they were found by a herdsman who raised them as his own. In other version, Tyro revealed she was pregnant by the god, her father Salmoneus refused to believe her, instead suspecting his wicked brother Sisyphus was involved. So he commanded her to expose the children as soon as they were born. Tyro later married Cretheus, King of Iolkos, and she bore him three sons (Aison, Amythaon and, Pheres)
When Pelias and Neleus reached adulthood, they found Tyro and sought revenge against Tyro stepmother Sidero, for mistreated their mother. Sidero hid in a temple to Hera but Pelias killed her anyway, causing Hera's undying hatred of Pelias. Pelias was power-hungry and he wished to gain dominion over all of Thessaly. To this end, that he banished Neleus and Pherês, and locked Aeson in the dungeons in Iolcus . While in the dungeons, Aeson married and had several children, most famously, Jason. Aeson sent Jason away from Iolcus in fear that Pelias would kill him as an heir to the throne. Jason grew in the care of Chiron the centaur, on Mount Pelium, to be educated while Pelias, paranoid that he would be overthrown, was warned by an oracle to beware a man wearing one sandal.
When Jason was 20 years old, an oracle ordered him to dress as a Magnesian and head to the Iolcan court. While traveling Jason lost his sandal crossing the muddy Anavros river while helping an old woman (Hera in disguise). Pelias was presiding over a sacrifice to Poseidon with several neighboring kings in attendance. Among the crowd stood a tall youth in leopard skin with only one sandal. Pelias recognized that Jason was his nephew. He could not kill him because prominent kings of the Aeolian family were present. Instead, he asked Jason: "What would you do if an oracle announced that one of your fellow-citizens were destined to kill you?" Jason replied that he would send him to go and fetch the Golden Fleece, not knowing that Hera had put those words in his mouth.
 |
| Jason (lower right), returning to his hometown, is recognized during a festival by his uncle Pelias |
Jason learned later that Pelias was being haunted by the ghost of Phrixus. Phrixus had fled from Orchomenus riding on a divine ram to avoid being sacrificed and took refuge in Colchis where he was later denied proper burial. According to an oracle, Iolcus would never prosper unless his ghost was taken back in a ship, together with the golden ram's fleece. This fleece now hung from a tree in the grove of the Colchian Ares, guarded night and day by a dragon that never slept. Pelias swore before Zeus that he would give up the throne at Jason's return while expecting that Jason's attempt to steal the Golden Fleece would be a fatal enterprise. However,
Jason gathered a party of heroes, collectively called the Argonauts, and they all set sail on Jason's ship, the Argo. They successfully managed to retrieve the Golden Fleece (Goddess Hera acted in Jason's favour during the journey) and bring it back to Pelias. (see The Quest for the Golden Fleece.)
 |
| Medea conspired Pelias daughter to kill him |
When they returned, Pelias refused to give his throne to Jason, so Medea, the daughter of King Aeetes who fell in love with Jason and followed him, made a plan to have Pelias killed by his daughters. She said she could give the youth back to anyone by cutting them up and boiling them. The daughters believed her after seeing a demonstration with an old ram; excited, they cut their father to pieces and threw him in a pot. Of course, Pelias did not come back to life. According to other version, Medea cut the father of Jason into pieces, and indeed brought him back to life at a much younger age. She then promised she would do the same for Pelias, but after his daughters killed him, she simply ignored them. Because of this, Medea and Jason were banished from Iolcus, as murderers.
INDEX
Friday, 7 April 2017
Enipeus
In Greek mythology, Enipeus was described as the river god, whose waters were the most beautiful of any that flow on earth. Enipeus was the son of Oceanus and Tethys.
Enipeus was loved by a mortal woman named Tyro, daughter of Salmoneus. Tyro pursued Enipeus, who refused her advances. On day, Poseidon ,the sea god, filled with lust for Tyro, disguised himself as Enipeus and from their union was born Pelias and Neleus, twins boys.
**********
The Enipeas or Enipeus is a river in central Greece, tributary of the Pineios. Its source is in the northern part of Phthiotis, on the plateau of Domokos.
Index
 |
| River God - Enpeus |
Enipeus was loved by a mortal woman named Tyro, daughter of Salmoneus. Tyro pursued Enipeus, who refused her advances. On day, Poseidon ,the sea god, filled with lust for Tyro, disguised himself as Enipeus and from their union was born Pelias and Neleus, twins boys.
**********
The Enipeas or Enipeus is a river in central Greece, tributary of the Pineios. Its source is in the northern part of Phthiotis, on the plateau of Domokos.
 |
It course runs through several of the tetrades of ancient Thessaly, from Achaia Phthiotis in South through Phthia to finally flow into the Pineios in Histiaeotis.
Index
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Midas
In Greek Mythology, Midas was described as a wealthy but effeminate king of Phrygia. Midas was described as the son of Gordius (according to some versions by Cybele). In some versions, Midas wealth was alluded to in a story connected with his childhood, for it was said that while yet a child, ants used to carry grains of wheat into his mouth to indicate that one day he should be the richest of all mortals.
 |
| Midas |
According to some versions, when Dionysus, god of wine, was leading his army into India, his adviser and instructor Silenus wandered astray and came to King Midas, who entertained him generously, and gave him a guide to help him find Dionysus. (In some versions, it was described that Midas captured Silenus by mixing wine to the waters of a spring called the Spring of Midas.)
Because of this favor, Dionysus gave Midas the privilege of asking for whatever he wanted. Midas then asked that whatever he touched should become gold.
Midas was particularly excited with his new power and started turning trees and rocks into gold, on his way back home. When he reached his palace, he asked his servants to prepare a grand feast, but to his despair, he soon realized that the food he touched also turned into gold and would soon die of starvation.
 |
| Midas with his daughter |
Even his daughter turned into gold when she greeted her father. Midas, realising that his wish was actually foolish, prayed to Dionysus, who told him to wash in the river Pactolus; everything he would place in the river after that would also turn back to normal. Midas went straight to the river and felt his powers leave him and flow into the waters. In fact, the sands of the river turned gold, explaining the rich minerals that were found in the river by the ancient inhabitants of the area. Midas, relieved of his bane, decided to deny all riches and retreated to the countryside and became a follower of the god Pan.
According to Greek legend, music contest between Apollo and Pan (Apollo's lyre and Pan's reeds), and the mountain god Tmolus who decided in favor of Apollo. All approved Tmolus' judgement, but Midas called it unjust, and then Apollo punished him in that he would wear the ears of an ass.
 |
| God Apollo and Midas |
Midas, who after suffering such a disgrace was quite concerned about concealing his condition, started to wear a purple turban to cover his new ears. But the slave who trimmed his hair discovered his master's new anatomy; and since he was eager to tell it out, but all the same he did not dare to reveal the embarrassing secret, he dug a hole in the ground and into it he whispered about his master's ears. Then he filled up the hole again, covering the evidence of his voice. But whispering reeds grew up in the spot, and when they came to their full size, they betrayed to the wind the truth about Midas' ears, making it known to the whole world.
Midas is said to have died, after drinking the blood of a bull, at the time of a Cimmerian invasion of Phrygia.
INDEX