In ancient times MYTHOS In the middle, Semele is Cadmus (Cadmus) and Hermonia The daughter of (Harmonia) Zeus In the photo, Hera soon found that Semele had a child of Zeus in her arms, so she became an old woman to help Semele. Semele was not wary of her and told her husband's identity. Hera pretended not to believe her, but said that Semele was cheated by Zeus. Semele was suspicious, so she asked Zeus to prove it to her, Appeared before her in the form of a god. Zeus asked her to withdraw the idea, but the more he asked, the more she insisted. Zeus had to agree sadly. Semele's naked mortal could not bear the image of Zeus's glorious god, so she died at that moment. Hermes (Hermes) saved her Dionysus , sewed the infant Dionysus into his thigh, and a few months later, Dionysus, the child left by Semele, was born. [1] [2]
One of the Twelve Arrows of Eros
A clever little Eros Eros Flapping his wings, he came chaos (Chaos), after he knocked on the gloomy door of the primitive gods, he took twelve sacred arrows of love from the old Kaos. These twelve love arrows are specially designed for Zeus The preparations will make the king of gods fall in love with twelve ordinary women. Eros sharpened the twelve love arrows on rough stones An arrow There is a gold inscription on it: The first is inscribed with "Indulge in the cow Io";
The second one is engraved with "become a bull and abduct Europa （ Europa ）”； The third one is inscribed with "Pluto, the bride of the supreme ruler of Olympus";
The fourth one is engraved with "turning into golden rain Danae (Danae)'s bed companion "; The fifth branch is inscribed with "a flaming marriage with Semele";
The sixth one is engraved with "Becoming an Eagle Abduction" Aegina （Aigina）”； The seventh one is inscribed with "Pretend to be Satyr Antiop （Antiope）”； The eighth branch is inscribed with "The deformed swan occupies Leda";
The ninth branch is engraved with "The deformed noble stallion chases Dia";
The tenth one is inscribed with "Bless Alkmene (Alcmene) three days and three nights "; The eleventh one is inscribed with "Take Laodameia as the bride";
The twelfth branch is engraved with "seduction" Olympias （Olympias）”。
Then Eros took the fifth arrow and wrapped one around it Ivy The twigs are dipped in the bowl containing the wine of grape god, and then the wings are shaken Olympus Holy Mountain In the palace of Zeus, he shot this sacred arrow of love at the king of the gods [3] Zeus' Love
That night, Semele, the princess of Tebai, had a dream. She dreamed that a fruit tree with luxuriant branches in the garden was soaked in the dew of Zeus and was full of immature fruit clusters. Suddenly, a flash of lightning crossed the sky and fell from the sky, knocking down the fruit tree, but did not touch the immature fruit. While the lightning struck fruit tree was burning, a plump winged bird flew in, picked up the immature fruit string and took it to Cronion (Zeus). Zeus sewed the fruit into his thigh and continued to nourish and nurture -- so a baby with horn was formed and born... Somehow, Semele seemed to feel that he was the fruit tree with luxuriant branches Electric fire The whole body is burning violently after being hit by. She struggled desperately, yelling nightmare After he broke free, he was soaked with sweat. She sat up in a trance and leaned against the bed, trying to dispel the mysterious impression left in her mind. She looked out of the window at the dim dawn and recalled the nightmare that had just passed away. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. So she got up quickly, rushed out of the boudoir, came to her father, Cadmus, and told her father the nightmare.
The king was shocked when he heard his daughter's nightmare. He immediately sent someone to send the great prophet of Tebai Tiresias (Teiresias) Come here, tell him about his daughter's dream, and ask him to interpret the dream for his daughter. After hearing the king's story, Tiresias immediately got the inspiration of prophecy, but He did not have. Directly reveal the future predicted by the enigmatic omen, just tell the king to send the princess immediately Temple of Zeus , make a wish to sacrifice a bull to Zeus, the god of thunder. A few days later, the princess Semele came from the city to the altar of Zeus and offered him a bull as she had promised. She stood beside the sacrifice and sprinkled her own body with the blood of the bull. Her hair and clothes were dyed red by the blood of the bull, and she was soaked in the blood of the sacrifice
After the sacrifice, Semele dragged his blood stained robe to the Azopos River deep in the grass, jumped into the river, and washed his blood soaked body and coat.
After washing her body, the girl swam to the other side of the river naked with the accompanying maids.
On the water surface, she stretched her beautiful limbs gracefully, stepping on the water with her feet from time to time, so that her head was out of the water and her hair wouldn't get wet.
Her tender skin glowed with rose color in the dark water, which made Nymphs envious. They exclaimed, "The snow-white skin is shining like a moon. Could it be Selene (Selene) Going to Latmus Cave with the beloved shepherd Endymion （ Endymion ）Before the tryst, came here to bathe? Who is it Muse Goddess from nearby helicon (Helicon) Did mountain diving come to our waters? Could it be that Cronos once again castrated his father with a sickle in Cyprus, making the frothy sea water grow a little Aphrodite （Aphrodite）？ Her eyes are so peaceful and pure. Could it be that Athena, the virgin god, came here from heaven? " At this time, Zeus was scanning the earth from high altitude with his eyes of insight, and his eyes fell on the beautiful girl involuntarily. Seeing that the time was ripe, Eros stood aside and quickly pulled out his carved bow, which contained life. Zeus became his target ！ Although Zeus was great, he could not resist the power of Eros' magic arrow. Where the bowstring flashed, the arrow of love was like a meteor, with the newly married whistling sound, straight to the heart of Zeus. Suddenly, Zeus felt a heat surge in his heart, and he was surprised to see the bright eyes, as if he had seen Princess Phoenicia Europa Similarly, the graceful body and irresistible charming appearance made him have uncontrollable passion. He jumped with a start. Although he has a sharp vision of seeing the world, he is never satisfied with seeing from a distance. So he turned into a giant eagle, flew over the river Asopus, and couldn't wait to get a close look at the girl who fascinated him.
The girl's rosy face was full of youth, the eyes of the water spirit were full of innocent childishness, and the bright neck and chest were full of temptation, which made Zeus lost his mind.
At this time, Eros in the sky was adding his love of arrows far away. The king of the gods felt that all arrows pierced his heart, his mouth was dry and his heart was burning. He hides his original form and turns into a fish, following a dreamlike girl. that big flood The operator of the thunderbolt lightning could not resist the soft fire of Paphia (Aphrodite's alias), the sheepskin shield of the god of thunder could not rival Aphrodite's warm belt, and the king of the gods finally became a slave who loved arrows! When Semele boarded the east bank of the Asopus River, he comfortably changed into a new dry suit. At this time, she had left all the horrors brought by that terrible nightmare in the river and shook into the pleasant breeze
Zeus returned restlessly Olympus After repeated reflection, he decided to go to Semele that night. He felt that time had become particularly long. He turned his eyes to the west, hoping that the evening star would come soon. He shouted impatiently:“ Helios You know the madness of love. Why don't you whip the god horse, make the solar car go through the sky quickly, and let the pioneer of love, Hesperos, come early? If I can go to Semele as early as I wish, then you can enjoy yourself as early as possible Clumene ②（Clymene）！ Don't torture me, as long as I want, I will cover you with the mist daughter, then the night will appear in the day, and the stars will shine at noon! Tell me, late night, jealous Dawn Goddess Eos (Eos) When will you leave? Now is the time for you to lift the torch and lead Zeus to his beloved! Get your car, and I ask you, the bright moon, rising on the roof of the lovely Semele, to send out the soft light that makes trees and flowers grow, to illuminate my desire, because this combination will herald what plants cherish Dionysus (Dionysus), for Zeus's pursuit, please make the night more gentle and longer! " At this time, a huge black pine cone jumped out of the earth and rose higher and higher, producing a shadow that covered the whole earth. So Zeus could not wait to cross the starry sky and go to the city of Tebai.
When he arrived in front of the Cadmus Palace, the crossbar on the palace gate fell off by itself, and the palace gates opened automatically one by one. He hurried to the boudoir of Princess Semele, and finally the eager bride was firmly held in his irresistible arm
The horned god bent over the bed of mortals and called with a bull like voice, just like the horned Dionysus later. Immediately, he transformed into a panther , a male lion with fluffy neck hair, just as it indicates that the future son is a panther rider and lion's ruler. Then he turned into a snake curler Grape The young groom with leaves and purple ivy wrapped around his head. Later, he turned into a billowing snake, crawling on the trembling bride, licking and kissing her rose colored neck with gentle lips, wrapping her chest and firm breasts, and hissing. He shouted "Euoe", like grapes Juicer The sound indicates the fanatical cry that his future son and his followers love. His crazy kisses, like fragrant honey and delicious wine, made the bedmate who would bring him a son holding the rod of god of wine intoxicated. At this time, a grapewine It grows from the bottom of the bed, sprouts and leaves around Semele's bed, spreads and crawls constantly, and then blooms, producing purple grape clusters The satisfied god king comforted his bride and said, "My wife, I am Cronides, and you should be proud of having such a holy husband! Among mortals, no child is more noble than your future child: Danae is inferior to you; your aunt Europa is inferior to you, and she only has the right to go Crete Your ultimate destination is Olympus! What will you want after entering the starry Olympus? Europa's son Minos Only enjoy the glory of Hades, while your future son Dionysus enjoys the glory of heaven! Happy woman, you have an immortal son, he will make people forget their troubles, because of him, you will also get incomparable happiness and happiness! " After Zeus returned to Olympus, his bride was still on his mind. He felt more passionate in Tebai than in Olympus. Then he summoned the fast footed Goddess of Timing (Seasons), tell them to go to the Cadmus Palace in Tebai City to wait on his beloved bride. When Semele became pregnant with Zeus's child, his abdomen began to grow and his mood changed greatly.
She often Ivy And excitement Corolla As Floral decoration Wear it on your head, just like the female believers in Bassarids later. She prefers the old shepherd Double tube The melodious melody of the shepherd flute prefers the melodious echo of Echo in the countryside. She often wears Corset The coat, running out of the house alone, barefoot Running on the grass covered hills, singing and dancing, he ran into Dugu's woods in the mountains. On the pastures on the hillside, she would sing and dance happily to the music played by Pan. When the cymbals sound, the baby in her belly will also wriggle excitedly with her dance steps. Whenever the broad horn bull's chirp comes from the pasture, she can't help imitating the sound of the bull's chirp Zeus's maidservants, the Goddesses of Timing, always dutifully patrolled the sky, looking after the future young mother. [2]
Hera's plot
The joyful Semele aroused Nemesis （ Nemesis ）The intense jealousy of Psychopathy The jealous goddess was suffering in her heart and had a vicious idea. She became Ares, the god of war, and dipped her hands in the Poisonous flower The fake blood extracted from, pretending to kill the enemy, was scratched by the shield, and made a terrible roar from the throat, like nine thousand people. She came to Hera and Athena In front of him, he provoked the two goddesses with a demagogic rumor. She urged Hera:
"My mother, I found a groom in the sky. Semele stole your husband. He often went to Tebai at the seven city gates to have a tryst with her. He was very happy that his mortal bride had a child! My mother, what's the use of jealousy? Is there nothing you can do about their adultery? You cruel Bullfly Where is it? "The heifer no longer runs away in panic on the sea, and there is no shepherd with eyes Argos Then watch the lecherous Clonides. I don't want to watch my unfortunate mother being robbed of her husband, but what can I count in Olympus? I want to leave my father's heaven and go to my own Trake! My father often abducts Fan girls as brides, and even often uses them to decorate heaven! "I will retaliate against him for abducting a girl. If he comes to my country for a girl named Bistonian, I will let him experience his anger Ares I will drive this lecheron out of Telace mercilessly with a deadly Titan's gun! My mother, in the past, you used to torture people who were pregnant with Apollo and Artemis Of Leto (Leto) Why did he become so weak and easily let go of Semele who was pregnant with Dionysus? Hephaestus helped Zeus to give birth to Tritogeneia, but Zeus' disgusting bastard More powerful than Athena, Zeus will no longer need the help of others with an axe. He will be born from his thigh! Dionysus will be put into a comfortable, divine pregnancy bed, separated from the blood of mortals, and become the god of Olympus like Athena. In contrast, motherless Palas (Pallas) looks so pale! "I am ashamed. People will say: 'Zeus is willing to fight against Ares for his son Dionysus.' Well, because the illegitimate son of Zeus Dionysus, I would rather leave heaven and become an exiled god. Let Istrus accept his homeless monarch with cold and turbulent flood. After seeing Semele and Bacchus（ Bacchus ）Before I become a resident of Olympus and the corolla of Ariadne becomes a group of stars, I will follow the movement of Helios and travel with Dawn who is covered with mist. I will stop and watch Perseus Perseus Medusa (Medusa) glaring head, waving machete Kill the sea monster and rescue Andromeda. Zeus arranges her to settle down in Olympus and Athena to turn her into Andromeda ！” After hearing these provocative words, Hera's face changed abruptly. The Goddess of Envy knew that these words had played a role, so she jumped into the sky and disappeared. The enraged Hera put on the Swift Flying Shoes, walked furiously through the starry sky, through countless cities, and came to Crete Dice Dicte looks for Deceit, the deceitful goddess, and asks her to borrow a belt that can make her husband change his mind. After entering the cave of Dechete, she went up to Dechete and said: "Hello, scheming woman, even the cunning and deceitful Hermes can't compare with you Ruiya Lend me the colorful belt tied on my waist to cheat my husband. I didn't want to cheat my husband, but a common woman stole my husband, and my son Ares also left heaven for this! Zeus turned into a golden rain and shared the bed with Danae, resulting in Danae Bedclothes In the box, you will end up drifting around on the sea; Zeus turned into a bull and abducted Europa. As a result, Europa was abandoned on Crete; Io was possessed by Zeus in the dark clouds, and only became Cow , tortured by flies; Even the goddess Leto didn't get a good end. She was there only after a lot of hardships Floating island She had a hard time giving birth. However, this ordinary woman Semele is unusual. For her sake, Zeus no longer goes to Hera's bed! I'm really worried that my husband may exile me from the sky and support her to become the Queen of Olympus for the sake of that ordinary woman! I will be forced to leave heaven, go to the edge of the earth, the extreme of the ocean, and go to the original Tethys family life. Therefore, I have to take effective actions for the sake of my Cronion and my son. If you love Hera more than Zeus, please lend me that charming belt, and let me use the magic of the belt to make my husband change his mind, so that my exiled son can return to the heaven. " After hearing Hera's words, the goddess obediently replied, "Enyalios' mother, the first bride after Zeus ascended the throne, since you and Zeus ruled the gods, I absolutely obey you! I will give you the belt you want and everything you want! This blushing and charming Paphian The belt has extraordinary magic power. If you tie it on your waist, you can not only Okeanos (Oceanos) and Tethys respect and love each other, and can make the supreme Zeus change his mind, leave his secular lover, return to your side, and make your son Ares return to heaven! " Hera borrowed the belt of Paphia and flew straight to the Cadmus Palace in Tebai. When she came to Semele's boudoir, jealousy made her heart beat faster. After trying to calm down her mood, she became an old nurse of Semele and walked into Semele's boudoir.
Semele's old nurse was a kind and lovely old woman who had been indebted to Semele's grandfather Agenor. Agenor treated her like his daughter. Before Semele, the old nurse had raised Cadmus and Europa.
When Hera entered Semele's boudoir, the bed Zeus had gone to immediately caught her eye. She felt the blood rising, turned her back and moved her eyes away. When Semele saw the kind old nurse, he immediately ordered Tyr The maid Peisianassa asked her to sit down in a comfortable chair. Hera sat down near Semele and began to carry out her plot.
She saw that the pregnant girl was not yet full term, and her rosy face was pale. So she pretended to be frightened, white haired Take Wiping false tears on his shoulder, he sighed loudly: "Tell me, my queen, why is your face so pale? Who has taken away the ruddy luster from your lovely face? Where has your beauty gone? Why is your look so depressed? Have you heard people's rumors? The vicious tongue of those women will make your troubles come one after another, making you unable to survive! Don't lie to me. Tell me, who rudely untied your virgin's belt? Which shameless God defiled you and took away your virginity? If Ares marries my girl in private, and if he ignores Aphrodite's bed sharing with Semele, then let him take his spear as evidence of marriage; If it is Hermes Had a happy union with you, and forgot Peitho because of Semele's beauty, then let him take his messenger stick or flying shoes as evidence of marriage, so that you can also be like a queen Hera Put on the golden shoes; If the handsome Apollo came down to be your husband, if he forgot because of Semele daphne (Daphne), let him get off the solar car and pass through The vault of heaven Come to you and take his harp as the evidence of marriage, because Cadmus heard Apollo playing beautiful music with his harp when he married Hermonia; If the woman, Seabluehair, abandons Melanipe and Amymone and forces you, let him use his trident as a gift for the bride, because when Tyro, the princess of Ellis, fell in love with Enipeus, the river god, Poseidon cheated her by turning into Enipeus; If Zeus becomes your groom, let him come to your bed with a thunderbolt to celebrate your wedding happiness with thunder and lightning. In this way, people will say: 'Look, Semel and Hera have lightning!' Hera may be jealous, but she can't hurt you, because your grandfather Ares will never allow her to do so! " At this point, Hera stopped talking and looked at Semele quietly, Then he continued to agitate: "If Zeus is your groom, then I think Europa is luckier than you, because the bull Zeus carried her on his back and ran on the sea without wet feet. Ah, the powerful god has become a love boat. What a miracle! A young woman has the feeling of being the master of Olympus! If Zeus is your groom, then I think Danae is also luckier than you, because Zeus poured gold rain into her arms from the roof, and the passion of love burst into the golden shower in an instant Luxury wedding ！ Blessed brides should have all of their husbands, even if they don't want golden gifts! " After listening to the instigation of the fake nanny, the young Semele's heart rose and fell, his head bowed thoughtfully, and he was silent. When the wily Hera saw this, she was pleased to know that her words had played a role, so she pretended to be mysterious and said to Semele: "My queen, keep a low voice, and don't let these words spread to your father Cadmus!" After that, she got up and said goodbye to Semele. After leaving Tebai, she flew straight back to Mount Olympus.
After returning to the top of Olympus, Hera came to her husband's throne. Zeus was still not there, but his thunderbolt stick was there. Hera walked up to the silent thunderbolt stick and asked sadly, "Dear thunderbolt stick, did Zeus, my cloud gatherer, snub you? Did anyone steal you again like the giant Difeng? Dear Thunderbolt Stick, send out an electric fire to appeal to the madwoman Zeus, to avenge the painful Hera, to wait on Semele with the fiery electric fire, and let this shameful demon be completely destroyed! " [1]
A tragic end
After Hera left, Semele's heart had a strong desire. She longed for Zeus's thunderbolt lightning to become the evidence of their love, and she longed for being as noble as Hera.
When Zeus came to the tryst again, Semele begged him: "Europa's horned husband - I dare not call you Semele's husband, because when I saw you, it was just like a dream! Promise me to give me a marriage gift as glorious as Tongdanae. Perseus Your mother is not a woman who gets honor from you. If I can be carried by you to roam on the sea like Europa, and my brother Polydoros can go out to look for his kidnapped sister like Cadmus, then I will also feel the supreme glory. What can I expect except the golden rain in Danae and the bulls in Europa? The gatherer of dark clouds, Zeus of flame, and the groom of Thunderbolt, you take Thunderbolt lightning to Hera's bed, and use the marriage fire to illuminate her wedding room and your bride. The supreme combination enables her to hold her noble head. However, for Semele, you always get on my bed in an ambiguous shadow, silently, without thunder and lightning. I can only hear a bull pretending to be a bull without faith. Hera's honor is my envy. Please give me the same honor as Hera. Dress up my room with your sacred thunderbolt lightning so as to show Agaue and Autonoe next door that they can eavesdrop on the thunder accompanying our sex and tremble for our undisclosed marriage symbol! " After hearing Semele's words, Zeus knew that it was all the scheming Hera who was playing tricks. He cursed the Goddess of Envy, especially pitied Semele who was about to die. So he said to the poor girl, "My dear, it is the jealous Hera who is deceiving you! Do you really think my thunderbolt is gentle? Now that you are pregnant with a child and a pregnant woman, please do not ask me this inappropriate request. When I got Danae's virginity, I didn't bring thunder and lightning. When Europa, the bride of Tyre, joined me, there was no celebration of thunder and lightning. The heifer of Argos had never seen the glory of my thunderbolt, but you, a common girl, were asking me what the goddess Leto had never asked! "
Semele ignored Zeus's objection and insisted: "How pathetic I am, is it because I am a descendant of Ares and Aphrodite that I should not get the thunder and lightning of your marriage? So far, I have only seen a man like husband, but I have never seen the true face of Olympus Clooneon. I have never seen the flash in his eyes, the brilliance on his face, the heroic beard, or the husband as a god. My sisters and attendants slandered me behind my back. I was afraid of those gossiping tongues. I needed thunder and lightning as evidence to answer my father. Our ambiguous relationship has annoyed my father. People are laughing at his daughter for having a sneaky bed mate. He can only stay away from others and sigh in the dark corner alone! In the secular wedding procession, each bride is surrounded by a marriage torch. Therefore, please give me moving thunder and lightning, give me the light of the wedding, let me be happy, let me embrace adore The glory of our marriage! " The short-lived bride hopes to have the same honor as Hera, and to see the gentle and calm thunderbolt flash at her wedding. She pleads with the king of the gods. As it was supposed to be, the god king was silent at last.
After returning to Olympus Mountain, Zeus called Hermes and told him to rescue his newborn son from the destructive electricity in time in the upcoming unfortunate event. Later, he reluctantly took the thunderbolt stick, crossed the sky, and flew to the city of Tebai again.
When Zeus, holding the thunderbolt stick, entered Semele's boudoir, the whole room was suddenly illuminated by dazzling lightning, and with the lightning and thunder, the flame spewed out lit the whole city of Tebai red.
At this time, Semele, who was engulfed by the flame, raised his head and said proudly and contentedly, "I don't need the secular zither harp or the secular pipe flute. This extraordinary rumbling thunder is the most beautiful wedding music! Agaue is just the wife of Echion, and Otunnue is just Aristaios His wife, Ino, is just the wife of Athamas, while I am the wife of Cronion, the king of the gods; Enoic competitor It's just Nephele, and my competitor is the supreme queen Hera! I don't care for secular marriage torches. Look, the flashing thunder and lightning are my sacred marriage torches! " As she said this, she bravely grasped the thunderbolt stick, which was extremely fatal to mortals, and willingly suffered the devastating bombardment. In the celebration of deliberate revenge, death became her wedding and the boudoir became her Crematorium 。 The lightning flickered gently and became a midwife. The compassionate flame engulfed the young mother, and the immature baby was baptized by the flame. Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, took the infant from Semele's belly and gave it to Hermes. Hermes handed over the unharmed baby to Zeus.
Zeus took the baby and silently stared at what was happening before his eyes until thunder and lightning finally turned Semele into ashes. [1]
