Summary
Highlights
The lecture introduces sea deities, spirits, and monsters associated with water, building on previous discussions about flood mythology and the overwhelming force of water. The focus will be on specific gods and their genealogies, particularly Greek deities, and the archetypal motifs connected to the sea from a psychoanalytic perspective.
Oceanus and Tethus are presented as the original Titans of water, with Oceanus embodying the primal ocean encircling the Earth and Tethus representing fresh water. Their numerous offspring, the Oceanids, are water spirits. Pontus, the god of the sea, is the son of Gaia and Aether (or Gaia alone), and his lineage includes Nerius and the 50 graceful Nereids. Other figures include Thaumas, who mates with Electra to produce Iris (goddess of the rainbow) and the Harpies (winged snatchers), and Phorcys and Ceto, parents of monstrous beings like the Greyai, the Gorgons (including the mortal Medusa), and Ladon (the dragon of the Hesperides).
Among the Nereids, Thetis is highlighted for her role as Achilles' mother, whose destined son would be mightier than his father, leading Zeus to marry her to a mortal man, Peleus. Galatea's story involves the cyclops Polyphemus falling in love with her, her rejection, and his subsequent murder of her true love, Akis, who is then transformed into a river god. Amphitrite, Poseidon's wife, initially refused him but was persuaded by Dolphinius, solidifying her place as queen of the sea, albeit in a contentious marriage reflecting that of Zeus and Hera.
Proteus, often called the 'old man of the sea,' is a shape-shifting deity with the power of prophecy. Like Nerius and Triton, he can change forms at will. Homer's Odyssey tells of Menelaus capturing Proteus to learn how to return home, a motif where one must hold onto the shifting figure until he reveals the truth, symbolizing the persistent pursuit of knowledge and the connection between prophecy and the underworld.
Poseidon, known as Neptune in Roman mythology, held significant importance in Mycenaean culture, possibly even more than Zeus, as evidenced by Linear B tablets. He is often associated with horses and the sea, reflecting a potential evolution from an aristocratic horse god to an aquatic deity. His role as 'earth-shaker' highlights his power over earthquakes. A curious episode connects him with Demeter, where he mates with her in the form of a stallion while she is grieving, suggesting an ancient, primal link between the two deities.
Scylla, daughter of Hecate and Phorcys, was transformed from a beautiful nymph into a monstrous creature with multiple heads by Circe, whose love interest was rejected by Scylla. Charybdis, a whirlpool and daughter of Poseidon and Gaia, complements Scylla, creating a deadly strait. These mythical monsters, said to reside in the Strait of Messina, embody the dangers faced by ancient mariners and give rise to the expression 'caught between Scylla and Charybdis' (or 'a rock and a hard place').
Medusa, typically one of the three Gorgons, is uniquely mortal. One version of her myth describes her as a beautiful priestess of Athena who was either raped or willingly mated with Poseidon in Athena's temple. Enraged, Athena transformed Medusa, giving her snakes for hair and the power to turn beholders to stone. When Perseus beheaded her (with divine assistance), her offspring with Poseidon, the winged horse Pegasus and the golden-sworded Chrysaor, sprang forth. Chrysaor and the monster Callirhoe produced the monster Geryon and Echidna, who combined with Typhon to conceive numerous other monsters like Orthrus, the Chimera, the Lernaean Hydra, and Cerberus. Echidna later produced the Theban Sphinx and the Nemean Lion.
The story of Perseus begins with an oracle predicting he would kill his grandfather, Acrisius. This leads to his mother, Danaë, and infant Perseus being cast into the sea. Later, Perseus pledges to bring back Medusa's head. Guided by Hermes and Athena, he acquires magical items like winged sandals, a special bag (kibisus), Hades' helmet of invisibility, and Adamantine sickle. He tricks the Greyai into revealing the location of the nymphs and uses his divine gifts to behead Medusa while avoiding her gaze by looking at her reflection in a shield given by Athena. He later uses Medusa’s head to save Andromeda from a sea monster and to turn his enemies, including King Polydectes, to stone, ultimately fulfilling the prophecy about his grandfather unintentionally.
The lecture transitions to archetypal motifs, beginning with the serpent or snake as a symbol of the river, wisdom, and life/regeneration due to its ability to shed its skin. Ambiguously gendered, snakes are often depicted as female, representing the devouring aspect of the mother, linking to theories of castration anxiety, and are notably revered in non-Western cultures as symbols of good luck and nature. The fish, particularly in Jungian psychology, is an archetype of the 'self,' representing the integration of opposites and the journey of individuation, often appearing in Christian symbolism and Arthurian legends (e.g., the Fisher King and the Holy Grail). The 'vesica piscis,' formed by two intersecting circles, visually represents this union of opposites.
The primal waters symbolize the beginning of creation, a primordial soup from which life emerges, akin to the abyss or the dark waters found in various creation myths. These waters also represent the womb, a watery source of origin, connecting to the Great Mother archetype and the feminine. This is tied to the concept of life's journey as a current, flowing from a small stream (birth) through a 'darkling plain' (life's struggles) into the vast ocean (death and return to the source). The fear of these overwhelming waters reflects the fear of regression and the loss of individual ego back into a collective unconsciousness.
The bull and horse are ancient symbols found in Minoan and Mycenaean artifacts. Horns, often associated with wisdom and fertility, appear on figures like Moses in the Vatican. The bull can symbolize death (e.g., the moon bull in Sumerian mythology, linked to eclipses, representing the 'ever-dying and ever-living God'). Horses, linked to Poseidon's emotional depths, symbolize the unconscious, physical instinct, and passionate emotions, including rage. While wild forces, they can be tamed, representing both destruction and the bringing of civilization, especially in land-based cultures. Both animals are tied to fertility and abundance, often serving as sacrifices or symbols of life connected to water deities.