CLASS 40 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Eileithyia, Liminality
Document Summary
Our understanding of the gods and their particular spheres depends on: attributes, epithets, descriptions from mythological narratives (common themes, history (indo-european connections, linear b bronze age) Io playing in a meadow and zeus sees her and is attracted to her. Zeus changes io into a cow so hera will never know. Hera stationed guard (argos) in front of io to keep zeus away. Argos has eyes all over his body; never falls asleep (aition of peacocks) Inachos saves io transformed back into human and has zeus"s child. Europa playing in field (getting ready for marriage) and attracts zeus. Zeus changes self into bull and takes europe to island of crete. Three stages: separation separated from family, liminality taken to unfamiliar place; norms change, reintegration comes back ready for marriage/motherhood. Uncut hair 18 y. o. (age of perfection) Uses bow to kill humans (famine, disease, etc. Apollo throws a discus and wind blows it to hyacinthos and kills him.
