0 Comments November 14, 2006 at 10:36 am by mahud
An Egyptian myth from the late second millennium B.C, involves Bata, who hid his heart within a pine tree. The Ennead saw that Bata was lonely, and so they created a beautiful wife for him. Bata loved his wife, and fearing for her safety, he warned her never to leave their house, should the sea try and steal her away. One day, when Bata was away hunting, she disobeyed her husband, and just as Bata had feared, the sea attempted to seize her, but only managed to tear out some of her hair. The sea carried it all the way to Egypt where it came into the possession of Pharaoh. Captivated by its beauty and fragrance, he sent envoys to find the owner of the hair, but Bata killed them. Undeterred, Pharaoh sent an old woman accompanied by soldiers, who succeeded in tempting Bata’s wife with fine jewellery. She revealed the secret of her husband’s heart, and the pine tree was cut down. Bata died instantly, and his wife became Queen of Egypt.
Anubis, Bata’s Brother, discovered what had happened, and after many years of searching he finally found his brother’s withered heart. He soaked the heart in a bowl of water, which restored Bata to life, who then transformed himself into a resplendent bull. Anubis took the bull to Egypt and presented it to Pharaoh as a gift. Bata revealed his true identity to the Queen, but she was unmoved, and during a royal feast she asked Pharaoh if she could eat the bull’s liver. Bata was sacrificed, and as the liver was passed to the queen, two droplets of blood fell upon the ground, from which grew two beautiful trees. The Queen ordered that the trees be felled, and as they were chopped down, a splinter of wood flew into the Queen’s mouth and impregnated her. She gave birth to a son, and after the pharaoh had died, the boy proclaimed that he was Bata reborn, and revealed to the people how he had been betrayed by the Queen. Bata was crowned the new Pharaoh, and the Queen, for her treachery was condemned (possibly) to death.
2 Comments November 14, 2006 at 10:31 am by mahud
In Nordic mythology the greatest of all trees is said to be Yggdrasil, the world ash. It’s branches overshadow the nine worlds and extend over the entire universe. The tree is supported by three far reaching roots, and beneath these are situated; 1) Mimir’s well of all wisdom, and Jotunheim, the land of the frost giants; 2) Foggy Niflheim, near the ancient spring of Hvergelmir and the serpent Nidhogg who gnaws (along with other serpents) at Yggdrasil’s roots. And 3) The well of the three female Norns (fates) who mix their water with mud and pour it upon Yggdrasil’s branches to keep it from decay. It is at the center of Yggdrasil where the gods are said to assemble.
An eagle sits upon the tree’s uppermost branches and between his eyes is perched a hawk called Vidofnir. The squirrel Ratatosk daily ascends and descends the great tree, passing insults to the eagle from the serpent nidhogg. Four harts named Dain, Davalin, Durathor, and Duneyr run amongst Yggdrasil’s branches, feeding upon it’s shoots. Yggdrasil is described as enduring unimaginable hardship, being continually under threat from the various forms of life it supports. It’s end , however, was destined to finally come at Ragnarok, but it appears that even then Yggdrasil shall be renewed to support a new creation, ready to be re-populated by Lif ‘life’ and his wife Lifthrasir, the human couple who shall shelter in Yggdrasil and survive the old world’s end.
The All-Father Odin is said to of hung upon Yggdrasil for nine nights while piercing himself with a spear. It appears that he endured this self-sacrifice to gain the wisdom of the runic alphabet.
0 Comments November 14, 2006 at 10:28 am by mahud
It was Aristaeus (the son-in-law of Cadmus and father of Actaeon), who, it is said, attempted to rape Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus, when she blindly stepped on a snake, and died.
Orpheus, whose ability on the lyre had the power to enchant the entire realm of creation, descended into the realm of death, and with sweet music, brought the torments of Hades to a standstill.
He asked that Eurydice be returned to life, a request which Hades granted, on the condition that he must not gaze upon her until they were once again in the land of the living.
As the couple pressed on to wards the light of the sun, Orpheus turned to see if Eurydice was still behind him, and she vanished, reclaimed by the realm of death.
Stricken with grief, Orpheus became a recluse, until he was finally torn apart by a group of maenads (female worshipers of Dionysos), and his severed head was thrown into the Hebrus river. It drifted out into the Aegean sea, and eventually arrived at the isle of Lesbos. The Muses gathered Orpheus’s scattered limbs and buried them in Pieria. The head became a source of prophecy.
0 Comments November 14, 2006 at 10:27 am by mahud
Lycaon was an ancient king of Arcadia, who had fifty sons. One day, Zeus visited Lycaon disguised as a beggar. His sons (and some say Lycaon himself) set before the god a meal mixed with the flesh of a child.
Zeus, in his wrath, overturned the table, and blasted Lycaon and his sons with bolts of lightning. Only one son was said to of survived, Nyctimus, who was also said to be the child who’s flesh was served up before the god.
In another version of the myth it was the flesh of Arcas, The grandson of Lycaon and the son of Zeus himself, which was mixed up in the meal for the god. Zeus restored his son to life but blasted his wicked uncles with thunderbolts, while transforming Lycaon into a wolf.
In consequence to the actions of Lycaon and his sons, Zeus flooded the world to wipe out mankind.
0 Comments November 14, 2006 at 10:24 am by mahud
According to Greek mythology, Hermes (the Roman Mercury) was the divine messenger (the word) of Zeus. He was also known as ‘Psycopompos’, the conductor of souls to the underworld, and, as in the case of Persephone, he could also guide them back out again.
Statues known as ‘Herms’ portrayed Hermes with a large erect phallus, were often set up besides roadways (including crossroads) and outside houses. He is also recognized by his emblematic staff (Greek: ‘Kerykeion’, Latin: ‘Caduceus’) often in the form of two copulating serpents, entwined as one.’