Teiresias

Teiresias or Tiresias, which is pronounced as (ty-reeh-see-us), is a blind prophet and often regarded as the most famous soothsayer or fortuneteller of ancient Greece. Other may prefer to call him "The Blind Prophet". Teiresias is best known for his role in the lives of Oedipus and Odysseus.

=Background= Teiresias is the son of Everes and Chariclo, a nymph. He belongs to the ancient family of Udeaus, who is one of the original Sparti (men who rose up from the earth after Cadmus sowed dragon's teeth into the ground).

=Blindness=

There are many different stories about how Teiresias lost his sense of sight. Here are the three most common versions:

1. Athena and Teiresias
It is written in the poem //Bath of Pallas// by Callimachus that a young Teiresias saw Athena naked while she was bathing. Out of her rage, Athena, without any second thought, struck Teiresias blind much to the dismay of Chariclo, Teiresias' mother and Athena's trusted companion. Athena can't give back Teiresias' sight because no god can take back a god's actions, even if it is his/her own. As a form of compensation, Athena grants him the gift of clairvoyance, longevity, and a staff. ( Here is an excerpt from //Bath of Pallas// by Callimachus)

//[57] Maidens, one nymph of old in Thebes did Athena love much, yea beyond all her companions, even the mother of Teiresias, and was never apart from her. But when she drave her steeds towards ancient Thespiae or towards Coroneia or to Haliartus, passing through the tilled fields of the Boeotians – or toward Coroneia where he fragrant grove and altars are set by the river Coralius – often did the goddess set the nymph upon her car and there was no dalliance of nymphs nor sweet ordering of dance, where Chariclo[|10] did not lead.// //[68] Yet even her did many tears await in the after days, albeit she was a comrade pleasing to the heart of Athena. One day those twain undid the buckles of their robes beside the fair-flowing Fountain of the Horse on Helicon and bathed; and noontide quiet he////ld all the hill. Those two ere bathing and it was the noontide hour and a great quiet held that hill. Only Teiresias, on whose cheek the down was just darkening, still ranged with his hounds the holy place. And, athirst beyond telling, he came unto the flowing fountain, wretched man! And unwillingly saw that which is not lawful to be seen. And Athena was angered, yet said to him: “What god, O son of Everes, led thee on this grievous way? Hence shalt thou never more take back thine eyes!”// //[83] She spake and night seized the eyes of the youth. And he stood there speechless; for pain glued his knees and helplessness stayed his voice. But the nymph cried: “What has thou done to my boy, lady? Is such the friendship of you goddesses? Thou hast taken away the eyes of my son. Foolish child! Thou hast seen the breast and body of Athena, but the sun thou shalt not see again. O me unhappy! O hill, O Helicon, where I may no more come, surely a great price for little has been exacted. Losing a few gazelles and deer, thou hast taken the eyes of my child.”// //[93] Therewith the mother clasped her beloved child in both her arms and, wailing the heavy plain of the mournful nightingale, led him away. And the goddess Athena pitied her comrade and spake to her and said: “Noble lady, take back all the words that thou hast spoken in anger. It is not I that made thy child blind. For no sweet thin is it for Athena to snatch away the eyes of children. But the laws of Cronius [Zeus] order thus: Whosoever shall behold any of the immortals, when the god himself chooses not, at a heavy price shall he behold. Noble lady, the thin that is done can no more be taken back; since thus the thread of the Fates span when thou didst bear him from the first; but now, O son of Everes, take thou the issue which is due to thee. How many burnt offerings shall the daughter of Cadmus[|11] burn in the days to come? How many Aristaeus? – praying that they might see their only son, the young Actaeon,[|12] blind. And yet he shall be companion of the chase to great Artemis. But him neither the chase nor comradeship in archery on the hills shall save in that hour, when, albeit unwillingly, he shall behold the beauteous bath of the goddess. Nay, his own dogs shall then devour their former lord. And his mother shall gather the bones of her son, ranging over all the thickets. Happiest of women shall she call thee and of happy fate, for that thou didst receive thy son home from the hills – blind. Therefore, O comrade, lament not; for to this thy son – for thy sake – shall remain many other honours from me. For I will make him a seer to be sung of men hereafter, yea, more excellent than any other. He shall know the birds – which is of good omen among all the countless birds that fly and what birds are of ill-omened flight. Many oracles shall he utter to the Boeotians and many unto Cadmus, and to the mighty sons of Labdacus in later days. Also will I give him a great staff which shall guide his feet as he hath need, and I will give him a long term of life. And he only,[|13] when he dies, shall walk among the dead having understanding, honoured of the great Leader of Peoples.[|14]”//

2. The Snakes, Zeus, and Hera
According to a different myth, Teiresias was out walking at the foot of Mount Cithaeron when he saw two snakes mating. Using his staff, he kills the female snakes, and in an unfortunate turn of events, he turns into a woman. There are a lot of claims about what happened during the time he was a woman. Some say that he was a well-renowned prostitute during this time. Anyway, a similar scenario happens again, and he turns back into a man. Somewhere in the Greek pantheon, Zeus and Hera were arguing about the topic of sexual intercourse. And, the debate was, "Who enjoys it more? The man? Or the woman?". Hera stressed on the fact that males enjoy sexual intercourse more than women. Naturally, Zeus opposed. So, they decided to consult Teiresias since he had been in the shoes of both a male and a female. He than answers that it is women who enjoy it more, which apparently, Hera did not like very much, and so she removes his sight. Zeus can't take Hera's actions back due to the same reason mentioned in the previous version, so he grants Teiresias other things instead, namely: foresight and longevity.

3. Birth
Others argue that Teiresias was simply born with the ability of foresight and that the gods, fearing that he might see too much ("too much" of course being something that the gods wanted to conceal), removed his sense of sight.

=Main Roles=

1. Sophocles' tragedy: Oedipus Rex
Teiresias plays an important, albeit small, role in Sophocle's tragedy, Oedipus Rex. In the story, he is described as (using the very words of Oedipus himself):

“. . . seer: student of mysteries, Of all that’s taught and all that no man tells, Secrets of Heaven and secrets of the earth. . . ”

With this statement, it is already and established fact that Teiresias is indeed very wise. At this point in time, he is already very old. He warns Oedipus not to delve deeper into his true identity as this would be nothing but a quest for murder. Although, Oedipus claims to trust Teiresias, he still does not heed Teiresias' warnings. After everything happens, Teiresias is called to Oedipus' hall, and Teiresias reveals that Oedipus is in fact the murderer. Everything in the prophecy happens. Jocasta, Oedipus' mother and wife, hangs herself, and Oedipus impales his eye.

3. The Odyssey
Even in death, Teiresias had his memory and his ability as a prophet remained intact. In the Odyssey, Odysseus was advised to venture forth into the Underworld to speak to the prophet, Teiresias. In their conversation, Teiresias foretold the death of Odysseus, and told him why Poseidon persecutes him.

=Other Myths:= 1. Seven Against Thebes: In the war against Argos, Teiresias tells Creon that Thebes could only win the war if they sacrifice Menoeceus, son of Creon, to the god of war, Ares. Creon refuses, but Menoeceus, upon hearing the prophecy of Teiresias, sacrifices himself on Ares' altar to save Thebes.

2. Dionysius: During the reign of Pentheus, Teiresias believed that Dionysius, the grandson of Cadmus, was a god. Teiresias then warned Pentheus not to oppose the young god. However, Pentheus ignores this warning and ends up being torn apart by his mother and aunts.

3. Birth of Heracles: Teiresias cleared up that Zeus is the father of Heracles. The story goes that Zeus disguised himself as Amphitryton, Alcmene's husband, and mated with her.

=Other information:=

- Teiresias had a daughter, Manto, who was also blessed with the ability of prophecy. - Aside from Oedipus Rex and The Odyssey, Teiresius is also mentioned in a piece of literature part of the English Canon. In Canto XX of Dante Alighieri's The Inferno, he is mentioned. According to The Inferno, Teiresias could be found in the fourth pit of the Eighth Circle of Hell (The Eight Circle is primarily for perpetrators of fraud and the fourth pit being the location for soothsayers or diviners.) Here is an excerpt: 40 "See Tiresias, who changed his likeness: Being a man he then became a woman, Transforming all the members of his body, "Until, a second time, he had to strike The two lovemaking serpents with his staff45 Before he donned again his manly down.

Sources:

http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/wrath.html http://www.theoi.com/Text/CallimachusHymns2.html http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/characters.html http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/oedipus001.html http://www.in2greece.com/english/historymyth/mythology/names/tiresias.htm http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/Tiresias.html http://www.sacredthreads.net/www.sacredthreads.net/teiresias.html

Images: http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/Images/TeiresiasJohannHeinrichFues.jpg http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nmwa80.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gXXH9-3NC24/Sc8hiInbpKI/AAAAAAAAAA0/QC7w8h--tQ0/s320/tiresias.gif http://paleothea.com/Pictures/TeiresiasSnake.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhrU1Z7m5pY