Theseus and Procrustes

In the Greek myth, Procrustes was a son of Poseidon with a stronghold on Mount Korydallos at Erineus, on the sacred way between Athens and Eleusis. 

There he had an iron bed, in which he invited every passer-by to spend the night, and where he set to work on them with his smith's hammer, to stretch them to fit. 

In later tellings, if the guest proved too tall, Procrustes would amputate the excess length; nobody ever fit the bed exactly, because secretly Procrustes had two beds.

Procrustes continued his reign of terror until he was captured by Theseus, travelling to Athens along the sacred way, who "fitted" Procrustes to his own bed:
 
    He killed Damastes, surnamed Procrustes, by compelling him to make his own body fit his bed, as he had been wont to do with those of strangers. And he did this in imitation of Heracles. For that hero punished those who offered him violence in the manner in which they had plotted to serve him.

 

Theseus fighting Prokrustes

Killing Procrustes was Theseus's last adventure on his journey from Troezen to Athens.

THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR

THE MINOTAUROS (or Minotaur) was a bull-headed monster born to Queen Pasiphae of Krete after she had coupled with a bull.

The creature resided in the twisting maze of the labyrinth, where he was offfered a regular sacrifice of youths and maids to satisfy his cannibalistic hunger. He was eventually destroyed by the hero Theseus.

The Minotauros' proper name Asterion, "the starry one," suggests he was associated with the constellation Tauros.

Museum Collection: Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

Theseus grasps the Minotauros by the head as he prepares to slay it with its sword. The bull-headed man is armed with a pair of rocks.

Adjacent images depict Heracles and the Nemean lion (see other image), and Theseus fighting Prokrustes.  Heracles  wrestles the Nemean lion, grasping it by the neck and strangling the beast.

Dionysos

Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology.

Dionysos holding a fruiting grape vine in one hand and a wine jar in the other, stands beside his wife Ariadne (or a Mainas Nymphe) and three Satyroi, bearing wine-skin, lyre and fillets. (Musée du Louvre, Paris, France)

Dionysos stands beside his wife Ariadne who is holding two of their sons, probably Oinopion "Full of WIne" and Staphylos "Bunch of Grapes." They are attended by the god Hermes and a Satyros. Dionysos holds a drinking horn and a fruiting vine. The Satyros has a strand of ivy. (British Museum, London, UK)

Ariadne and Dionysus

ARIADNE was the immortal wife of the wine-god Dionysos

According to this tradition, Ariadne put an end to her own life in despair, or was saved by Dionysus, who in amazement at her beauty made her his wife, raised her among the immortals, and placed the crown which he gave her at his marriage with her, among the stars.
 

Dionysus & Ariadne, Athenian red-figure krater

C5th B.C., Archaeological Museum, Naples 

 Detail of Dionysos and Ariadne sitting on a vineyard hill, from a vase depicting the retinue of the god. ( Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio, USA)

Happy New Year

Did you know the tradition of Father Time with his toga and scythe giving up his place to the Baby New Year is based on the story of Kronos and Zeus.

Rooted in the Titan War story Zeus cut up Kronos with his own scythe when he took over the throne of the heavens. From this we get the image of the old king (Kronos = Old Year) with his scythe getting displaced by the baby (Zeus = New Year Baby).

Cronus is often represented as an old man leaning on a scythe, with an hour-glass in his hand. The hour-glass symbolizes the fast-fleeting moments as they succeed each other unceasingly; the scythe is emblematical of time, which mows down all before it.

Cronus

KRONOS (or Cronus) was the Titan god of time and the ages, especially time where regarded as destructive and all-devouring. He ruled the cosmos during the so-called Golden Age, after castrating and deposing his father Ouranos (the Sky). In fear of a prophecy that he would be in turn be overthrown by his own son, Kronos swallowed each of his children as soon as they were born. Rhea managed to save the youngest, Zeus, by hiding him away on the island of Krete, and fed Kronos a stone wrapped in the swaddling clothes of an infant.

Photo: Cronus & Rhea, Athenian red-figure pelike
C5th B.C., Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Pegasus

Pegasus at the spring, Apulian red-figure vase
C4th B.C., Tampa Museum of Art

Pegasus is one of the best known mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine stallion usually depicted as pure white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing when his mother was decapitated by Perseus. Greco-Roman poets write about his ascent to heaven after his birth and his obeisance to Zeus, king of the gods, who instructed him to bring lightning and thunder from Olympus.

The winged horse Pegasos bursts forth in birth, from the decapitated neck of the Gorgon Medusa. The hero Perseus wings away with her head tucked inside his kibisis sack.
Metropolitan Museum, New York City, USA 

Medusa and Pegasus

Pegasus and Perseus with the head of Medusa - Peter Paul Rubens

     Now she pulled her cowl down again. Her hair writhed with the serpentine undulations. The golden snakes separated from her locks and hissed softly. Perseus stood still, both enthralled and terrified. From her forelock, one strand of hair turned darkest black, red eyes glowing like coals.

     “Do you know who this is, Perseus?”

     “Venpay” he breathed.

     She nodded. “You have seen his children’s work. Venpay has the purest venom in the world. When his fangs sink, my death will be certain, and none can reverse it. He tells me because of my close proximity to him for many months, I will not be spared an instant death. My time will take perhaps a few minutes, and it will be a death of asphyxiation and fear. He advises that it would be a kindness to sever my head." She pointed to the adamant sword. “Using that, it would be instant and painless.”

     He looked away. “I cannot kill the woman I love.”

     She spoke. “I understand the prophesy. Only the man who truly loves me can do this. A strike to me will be a strike to Poseidon himself, and on my behalf.”

     She saw him waver. She walked to him and kissed him gently, softly, then reached and caressed his face, smiling, at peace. “This is the time.”

     She reached back and took the sole black lock from her scalp. She kissed Venpay and stroked his head. She whispered to him, then smiled and spoke to Perseus. “I am thanking him for his gift of his venom. It is a singular honor never before bestowed upon a mortal.”

     She gently took Venpay’s head and held it to her wrist. “Strike at my command, Perseus. Our sons, Cassup, and all within can be saved."

     The ancient serpent god wrapped around her wrist, and then gently sank its fangs into her skin. Even as he watched, stunned, she began to pale and slow.

     “Strike, if you have strength!" The voice was Stheno's.

     “Strike, if you have courage!" The voice was Euryale’s.

     “Strike, if you love me." The voice was Medusa’s, and weakening fast.

     Nearly blinded by tears, he brought the adamant blade in a perfect arc toward her neck. The last mortal words she heard were his cry for forgiveness.

Peter Paul Rubens

 ***

     Her lids closed as she awaited the sword’s blessed release. She had planned for her last moments to be in prayer for the delivery of her children, but as her eyes shut, she found herself detached from her body and back in that of the dream horse. Instead of paralysis, the coursing venom seemed to impart immense strength and vitality.

     She ran with all her strength, boldly and without hesitation toward the cliff. Her front hoofs found the edge and she leapt with joy, reaching for the stars themselves breaking through the evening skies. All fear was banished, replaced by elation.

     In the moment when she was perfectly balanced between the strength of the leap and the pull of gravity, a rippling came from her shoulders. Instinctively she pushed down, then up. Huge wings had unfurled, bedecked in white feathers each longer than a man’s arm. She pulled herself up into the air, striving for the beckoning stars, hoofs catching on the air as if it were turf. She cried out in a shout of delight, the sound swirling the cosmos.

     Stars shattered and scattered and realigned. 

Excerpt - S.D. Hine's Medusa

Chrysaor

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 31. 13 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :

“As Medousa was slain [by Perseus], the neck was delivered of its twin birth, the Horse [Pegasos] and the Boy [Khrysaor] with the golden sword.”

 Chrysaor, son of the Gorgon at the pediment of the Temple of Artemis in Corfu

PERSEUS, MEDUSA & THE GORGONS

From Medusa's dead body the giant Chrysaor and the winged horse Pegasus, her son by Poseidon, sprang forth.  Chrysaor was often depicted as a young man

The hero Perseus flees from the scene of the decapitated Gorgon Medousa. He is depicted as a hero armed with two hunting spears, wearing winged boots, a cap, and the kibisis bag containing the head of Medousa. A second almost identical figure (with chlamys cloak) is the god Hermes. Behind the pair follows Athene with her aigis cloak outstretched. The scene shows all three Gorgones, winged maidens with a pair of serpents sprouting from their waists. The middle sister is the decapitated Medousa, from whom is born the boy Chrysaor and the winged foal Pegasus.