THE MILKY WAY IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
The Creation of the Milky Way in Greek Mythology
The Milky Way is the galaxy in which our own planet and solar system resides. Look out on a clear night, and with no light pollution, and billions of stars form a band of light, which in antiquity was given the name Galaxias by the Ancient Greeks, and Via lactea by educated Romans, both of which have the root in the word “milk”.
In Greek mythology there is a story told of how the Milky Way came into existence, and why it is called the Milky Way; and it is a tale that involves the goddess Hera, and the hero Heracles.
In Greek mythology there is a story told of how the Milky Way came into existence, and why it is called the Milky Way; and it is a tale that involves the goddess Hera, and the hero Heracles.
The Birth of Heracles in Thebes
The story begins in Thebes, where Alcmene had become pregnant by the god Zeus. An indignant Hera then did her best to prevent the birth of her husband's illegitimate son, and the goddess ordered Ilithyia, the Greek goddess of childbirth, was ordered not to allow Alcmene to give birth.
Whilst Hera was absent organising the succession of Eurystheus to the throne of Mycenae, Ilithyia was tricked into allowing Alcmene to give birth, and so came forth two sons on successive days, Alcides, the son of Zeus, and then Iphicles, the son of Amphitryon.
Alcmene and Amphitryon recognised that Hera was angry with them, and so Alcides would be renamed Heracles, meaning “for the glory of Hera”, to attempt to appease the goddess.
Whilst Hera was absent organising the succession of Eurystheus to the throne of Mycenae, Ilithyia was tricked into allowing Alcmene to give birth, and so came forth two sons on successive days, Alcides, the son of Zeus, and then Iphicles, the son of Amphitryon.
Alcmene and Amphitryon recognised that Hera was angry with them, and so Alcides would be renamed Heracles, meaning “for the glory of Hera”, to attempt to appease the goddess.
The Abandonment of HeraclesAlcmene and Amphitryon still feared what an angry Hera might do in retribution for Zeus' actions, and so to save Iphicles, Alcmene made the difficult decision that Heracles must be exposed in a Theban field.
Exposure was a common method of killing unwanted children in Ancient Greece, for if the child died then it must have been the will of the gods. This leads to many cases of exposure in Greek mythology, but of course these children commonly survive, for it was the will of the gods that they did, with stories of Oedipus, as well as Amphion and Zethus being examples. Of course it was the will of Zeus, that his son survive but it was the goddess Athena who intervened upon her half-brother's behalf. The Rescue of HeraclesAthena observed the abandonment of Heracles in the Theban field, and descending from Mount Olympus, took up the new born baby, and returned with him to Mount Olympus.
The mischievous side of Athena then came through, for she went to Hera, to tell of her rescuing this unknown baby; Athena of course knowing full well who she had rescued. |
|
The Creation of the Milky Way
The motherly instincts of Hera kicked in when she saw the baby, and taking the boy from Athena, started to nurse him.
Heracles would happily suckle upon the nipple of Hera, but as he did so, he sucked too hard, and in pain, Hera removed the baby from her nipple. As Hera did so, the motherly milk of Hera sprayed out into the heavens, creating the Milky Way.
Heracles was revitalised by the nourishment he had received, and Athena then returned the baby back to Alcmene and Amphitryon; and the parents of Heracles now realised that it was the god's will that he should grow up with them.
Heracles would happily suckle upon the nipple of Hera, but as he did so, he sucked too hard, and in pain, Hera removed the baby from her nipple. As Hera did so, the motherly milk of Hera sprayed out into the heavens, creating the Milky Way.
Heracles was revitalised by the nourishment he had received, and Athena then returned the baby back to Alcmene and Amphitryon; and the parents of Heracles now realised that it was the god's will that he should grow up with them.
The Birth of the Milky Way -
Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) - PD-art-100
|
|