by Jinny Webber | Jun 4, 2024 | Gods and Literature, Myth and Literature, Pre-literate Deities, Transformations
What does the prevalence of rape in Greek mythology signify? These myths give us much to work with. The most striking story of Zeus, chief god of the pantheon, is found in Orphic sources where he rapes his mother, the Titan Rhea. He is also reputed to have raped Hera...
by Jinny Webber | Mar 1, 2024 | Gods and Literature, Myth and Literature
The Egyptian Sphinx predates the Greek. The giant Sphinx at the pyramid of Giza is a majestic figure, its haunches feline and face regal and masculine. The Greek Sphinx, however, is a frightening female monster of disparate parts: the body and tale of a lion (or...
by Jinny Webber | Feb 29, 2024 | Gods and Literature, Myth and Literature, Pre-literate Deities, The Mother Goddess
Greek mythology is full of female monsters: the Sphinx, Medusa, Lamia, Chimera, and more. This wasn’t always the case, however. The Venus of Willendorf, dating back 30,000 to 20,000 years, appears to be a fertility totem with her exaggerated breasts and belly. Other...
