(c) Sergey Pervushin
(i) Ice'Di/Triumph
M E S T A F R O D I T S
What do researchers of ancient myths keep silent about?
Scientists say that the god of the sea is Poseidon
the Greeks inherited from the ancients
Atlanteans, because his sons ruled this
mysterious country. According to one source
Atlantis was located in the ocean beyond
Strait of Gibraltar, on others - on
islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Its center was
Crete It is possible that many who have reached
us the myths of Ancient Greece are the echo of the lost
civilization. Either way they help
understand how the peoples who gave impetus lived
development of all Western culture. Among them
and a colorful story about the amazing
love of Pasiphae, wife of King Minos of Crete, to
white bull. The one who gave birth to the monster -
Minotaur...
Many authors of the 19th and 20th centuries told us about gods and
heroes. The most accessible book in recent times was the book of the professor
N.A. Kuna ~Legends and Myths of Ancient Greece~. It is designed for
teachers and senior schoolchildren, therefore the actions of the celestial beings and
their relations with mortals are ennobled so as not to offend
generally acceptedmoral. About many "immoral plots in it"
it is said so briefly that from their ancient essence it is enough
erotic, not a trace remains. But once we open, for example,
book ~Eros on Olympus~, written by a Polish scientist, the largest
expert on antiquity Jan Prandovsky, - and he will appear before us
a wonderful world of betrayals, quarrels, intrigues of ancient gods, people and
mythical animals.
Here is an example: the great Athenian scientist, sculptor, architect and
the mechanic Daedalus is known as the creator of wings on which
was planning to fly away from Crete with his son Icarus.
But few people know that before this Daedalus built the Labyrinth -
a huge building with many rooms and intricate corridors.
King Minos hid the Minotaur in it. N.A. Kun writes chastely:
"Minos imprisoned in him the son of his wife, Pasiphae, the terrible
Minotaur, a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull..."
Where did this Minotaur come from?
In Knossos, the capital of Crete, in the royal palace I once sat,
surrounded by courtiers, the good queen Pasiphae, whose name
means "shining to all." And it was not named like that by chance -
her father was the luminous god Helios. The queen talked with
relatives about the games with bulls, which he promised to arrange soon
Minos. One of his commanders returned from a campaign in the distant
northerncountry and brought from there many slaves - boys and girls from
beautiful figures, blond hair and blue eyes.
And here the most beautiful ones have been selected. Now they are being trained
handle an angry bull. It requires strength, body flexibility
and dexterity of movement. You need to run and jump on the back of the bull and
put a sharp dart into his neck.
One of the girls showed particular skill in these games with
bull She was so light and graceful that Pasiphae asked Daedalus
capture in the form of a figurine the moment when a girl holding
bull horns, rushes on it around the arena.
The courtiers looked at the queen strangely,
talking about the beauty of her slave. Pasiphae understood everything and
smiled slightly. Now she is quite confident in her husband. Oh no
It's always been like this! Until recently, young Britomartis, favorite of the goddess
Artemis, fleeing the pursuit of Minos, threw herself into the sea...
It was then that for the first and last time Pasiphae
took advantage of the magical power she inherited from her father -
solar god. Pasiphae enchanted King Minos - said
cast a spell, burned the magic herbs, and the witchcraft was fulfilled.
The king could not make love to any other woman except
wives. He tried, but instead of semen, snakes erupted from him,
fell into the female womb and stung the concubinesto death. Only
a jealous wife alone could be a mistress and wife for the king,
she alone could bear him children as beautiful as her daughter
Ariadne.
Queen Pasiphae was proud of her descent from the radiant
God. Even at this moment, listening to the courtiers, she looked at
rays falling into her room from her father’s shining chariot, and thought
that few women on Earth can boast of such
parent. She did not know that it was now that she was least worthy
envy: Helios angered Aphrodite. Of course, no one except Zeus
would not dare to deal with the fire-bearing god. But on Earth
there were his children on whom this revenge could be extended.
In a word, Queen Pasiphae was threatened with the wrath of the great goddess. But what
caused this anger? Aphrodite's husband, the heavenly blacksmith Hephaestus, caught
unfaithful wife in a skillfully tied net during her love games
with Ares, god of war. And gathered the Olympians to disgrace
Aphrodite. But the opinions of the celestials were divided: some did not refuse
would find himself in the place of Ares, others harshly condemned
adulteress. Among them was Helios.
For her father's guilt, Aphrodite decided to take revenge on his daughter. A
The goddess came up with a harsh and unusual punishment: early in the morning,
when Pasiphae leaves her bathroom and goes to
sacred groveshe will meet love along the way - so strange and
ominous, that future generations will be amazed to hear
story about her. And Pasiphae will bring this love upon her family
great shame.
At that time, in the shady valleys of Crete, numerous
royal herds. There was a bull in them of an unusual white color. About him
Let's tell you in more detail. In the past, seeking the Cretan throne,
Minos, to show his power, declared: any of his requests
to the gods will be fulfilled. To prove it, he went to the temple
Poseidon and prayed, asking for a bull to appear from the depths of the sea,
whom he promised to sacrifice to God. Poseidon this
he liked it and sent him a beautiful bull. The Cretans were
amazed by the manifestation of the god's mercy and recognized Minos as their king.
When he looked at the bull, about to sacrifice him,
he seemed so beautiful to him that the king forgot about his
promise and sent the animal to pasture, and sacrificed
another bull. Poseidon was angry, but was in no hurry to
punishment - after all, he, like other inhabitants of Olympus, had the gift
foresight...
The bull was white, as white as milk, with a black spot between
horns. Minos said that he was the only one in the whole world. Tsar
valued the bull very much and ordered him to be looked after with special care
thoroughness.
Pasiphae knew this bull and often stroked his shiny neck.
But that morning I saw him as if for the first time.
Small, pink, curly, but malicious god Eros,
sent by Aphrodite, fluttered nearby. He pierced the heart
Pasiphae with her arrow, and the bull seemed to her a beautiful young
a man. She was overcome by a passionate feeling: she wanted to become
lover of the bull. Forgetting about everything, the queen ran to the handsome man,
to tell him about your love. The bull looked at her with big
with bright eyes and, without answering anything, continued to pinch the juicy
grass Pasiphae looked around the herd and ordered the slaves to
he was taken to a special fenced field: she was jealous of him
every chick.
Now Pasiphae spent whole days next to the bull. Courtiers
the ladies were surprised at her new whim, looking at how with their well-groomed
With white hands the queen cut young
twigs and the best herbs. He was always decorated with a wreath of fresh
flowers.
But not so innocent things also happened. The queen became
indifferent to sacred matters - she was no longer seen in temples.
Minos was surprised and displeased to discover that the door from his
rooms in the wife's apartment are constantly locked: she did not allow
him to himself. The bull defeated Minos in her heart! Golden Arrow
Eros has done her job. Every morning Pasiphaegot up early
bathed in water with incense, braided her hair,
wore the most beautiful dresses with multi-colored inserts. Breasts
according to the fashion of the time, they were naked. Like she's on wings
rushed along the road of jewelry, straightening her hair, like
as if the bull could appreciate it all.
The enchanted woman returned in the evening, tired, with
feet scratched by thorns, in a dress stained with herbs. She
she immediately retired to her room, didn’t want to see anyone, and if
and called the maid, then only to indicate which
a heifer (who came too close to the field where her ox was grazing)
must be slaughtered immediately. Tormented by jealousy and
unsatisfied desires, Pasiphae fell asleep in a heavy sleep,
full of passionate visions. And no one advised her to go to
Achaia, where the wonderful Selemnos river flows; you just need to take a swim
in its waters, and both longing and love suffering will be immediately forgotten.
Perhaps those around her were simply afraid to give her such advice,
remembering the magical power of the queen.
Unable to control her passion, Pasiphae decided
to trust the only person who could help her -
the Athenian Daedalus. Bursting with tears, she informed the sculptor about
their troubles. At first Daedalus could not understand why she was telling him
all this promises gold, threatens punishment, but nothingcan't be solved
explain exactly what he wants. In the end the woman got up
spirit and told him what was required of him. Daedalus was amazed: the queen
I wanted him to make an artificial chick, like this one, inside
which she could climb and stand in the position in which she could
will satisfy her passion.
A few days later everything was ready. Daedalus whittled out
wood cow and covered it with fresh skin so skillfully that the most
an incredulous bull would not be able to suspect deception. There's a cow inside
was hollowed out and arranged as the queen required. Pasiphae
climbed inside and stood there on all fours. The cow was taken out to
meadow and they brought a bull...
The most amazing passion that ever tormented a woman,
was satisfied. Through the wooden walls of the artificial chick
moans of pleasure and pain, rapture and suffering were heard. Revenge
Aphrodite is fulfilled!..
Ancient myths are silent about what happened to the bull. One at a time
from legends, Poseidon, knowing what Aphrodite was up to, waited
moment and possessed the bull. So perhaps it was the god of the seas
guilty of the birth of a man with the head of a bull - the Minotaur,
whose name was actually Asterius, i.e. "star". Minos
placed him in the dungeons of the Labyrinth, there was no way out
impossible.
Every year, the myths say,They sacrificed seven to the Minotaur
boys and girls who were sent by the Athenians as
expiatory gift for the murder of the son of Minos in Attica. But
I think it's a monster that eats human flesh, the Minotaur
turned it only later for the sake of a catchphrase - after all, with such
With a meager diet, he would quickly die of hunger.
So what next? The Athenian hero Theseus was among
intended for sacrifice, but he did not go to Crete then,
to die, but to kill the Minotaur. Fell in love with a young man
princess Ariadne and gave him a ball of thread, with which
Theseus managed to get out of the Labyrinth. Of course, after I killed
Minotaur. The further fate of Ariadne and Theseus is in a different legend.
And Minos ordered Pasiphae to be placed in an underground prison. B
In sadness and despair, the daughter of the Sun God soon died...
Share your thoughts about the article