Zagreus' dismemberment
2 posters
Page 1 of 1
Zagreus' dismemberment
Greetings
In the myth of Zagreus, the Titans tricked and dismembered Him. What does dismemberment actually symbolize in the myth?
Many thanks
In the myth of Zagreus, the Titans tricked and dismembered Him. What does dismemberment actually symbolize in the myth?
Many thanks
Dimitrios65- Junior Member
- Posts : 39
Join date : 2014-10-24
Age : 30
Location : South Africa
Re: Zagreus' dismemberment
Dimitrios65 wrote:Greetings
In the myth of Zagreus, the Titans tricked and dismembered Him. What does dismemberment actually symbolize in the myth?
Many thanks
The story of Zagreus and his dismemberment is specifically an Orphic myth, derived from the Sacred Logos in 24 Rhapsodies, and it's meaning is inherently Orphic because of that, so the theology you're going to read below may differ significantly from what another Olympianist may view as correct.
Zagreus is an efflux of Zeus, a manifestation of Zeus' will on earth. He is born to Zeus and Persephone (Queen of the Earth) and set up on the throne as Zeus' successor. The Titans (who are the agents of division and the shaping of the physical world), who previously rebelled against Ouranos at the instigation of Earth and were subsequently overthrown by the Olympians, lost the Titanomachy and were bitter over this. Instigated by Hera (because of necessity), a manifestation of the cosmogonic Earth but perfectly aligned with Divine will, the Titans dismembered and consumed Zagreus. Athena saved Zagreus' heart and returned it to Zeus (this heart is used to impregnate Selene with Dionysos later) who then blasted the Titans with lightning and reduced them to ash, which here represents the dispersion of the God-essence throughout the lower extremities of the cosmos, the physical world.
Mankind is formed from this ash. This myth explains that there is a component to the soul that is literally divine, of the same essence of Dionysos, son of Zeus. A god-spark, if you will, but it has been separated from it's source and held bound by an element of the soul which also resides in man, that part of the soul which is enamored with division and vice instead of unity and virtue. It is thus man's duty to nurture the Dionysian god-spark and eventually free it, which takes many lifetimes. The Orphic Mysteries were sent to Orpheus as a means to accelerate that process.
Thrasyvoulos- God Member
- Posts : 283
Join date : 2013-04-15
Age : 30
Location : Misery (Missouri)
Re: Zagreus' dismemberment
Thank you very much for the response.
Dimitrios65- Junior Member
- Posts : 39
Join date : 2014-10-24
Age : 30
Location : South Africa
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum