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Escaping the Labyrinth. Greek Mythology 10/28/08. Cathedral at Chartres, France. Cathedral at Chartres, France. The cathedral of Chartres, France (SW of Paris) 11-circuit labyrinth Built in the 13 th century. The cathedral of Chartres, France (SW of Paris) 11-circuit labyrinth
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Escaping the Labyrinth Greek Mythology 10/28/08
The cathedral of Chartres, France (SW of Paris) 11-circuit labyrinth Built in the 13th century
The cathedral of Chartres, France (SW of Paris) 11-circuit labyrinth Built in the 13th century
Late Roman villa mosaic labyrinthSalzburg, Austria, late 3rd cent. A.D. ????
Coins of Knossos, Crete (of various dates: Classical to early Roman)
The dark heart of Greek myth • In the middle of the generations of heroes • On the great island of Crete in the middle of the Aegean • The subtlest craftsman of Athens built a dark, mysterious maze • To hide the bestial shame of the daughter of great king Minos, son of Zeus and Europa
“Labyrinthus Hic Habitat Minotaurus”Graffito of 7-circuit labyrinth, Pompeii (before 79 A.D.)
Remember Europa… European Council -- Brussels
Europa and Crete • After Zeus turned into a bull and raped Agenor’s daughter Europa, carrying her across the sea to Crete (Ovid Met. Book 2, end) • She marries king of Crete Asterios, has sons by Zeus: Minos, Rhadamanthys, Sarpedon • [READ ACM pp. 45-6, sect. L1-2]
Minos & Pasiphae • Minos becomes king of Crete • Marries Pasiphae, daughter of Helios and Perseis (thus sister of Aietes and Circe) • Among their children: son Androgeos, daughters Ariadne and Phaidra • And Pasiphae’s son, Asterios / Asterion or…
The Cretan Bull • King Minos boasted of his power, prayed that Poseidon send a bull up from the sea, said he would sacrifice it • Poseidon sends the bull, but Minos refused to sacrifice it • Or, Pasiphae neglected sacrifices to Aphrodite • So Minos/Pasiphae are punished: queen lusts for the bull
Daidalos • Pasiphae gets the clever Athenian craftsman Daidalos to help her • He builds a hollow mechanical cow in which Pasiphae mates with the bull • She gets pregnant and has a son Asterios / Asterion – a.k.a. The Bull of Minos “Minotaur”
Daidalos • Minos then has Daidalos build the labyrinth—a maze—in which to hide the shameful monstrous Minotaur • Daidalos and the labyrinth is among the stories which Ovid places in the central book of the Metamorphoses (book 8 of 15)
Pasiphae and baby Minotaur
Minotaur in 20th century art • The 20th century saw a resurgence of the minotaur and Cretan myths as themes in art and literature • Recall Europa = Europe • Minos, Pasiphae, Daidalos, Minotaur, Labyrinth become symbols of crisis of modernity
Minotaur in 20th century art • Daidalos : the artists (enforced?) collusion in creation of false masks and prisons of “civilized” culture • Pasiphae : primal animal passions which bourgeois culture attempts to conceal • Minotaur : modern man (?) the hybrid man-bull monster • Labyrinth : the dark maze of…human psyche (Freud), technological civilization • Symbolic of the barbarities of war/genocide which erupted in “civilized” Europe 1914-1945
Picasso Minotaur “If all the ways I have been along were marked on a map and joined up with a line, it might represent a Minotaur.” (Picasso, when 80 years old)
1937 : Nazis and Italian Fascists bombed Basque town of Guernica, Spain on Apr. 24, 1937 during Spanish Civil War. Painting first displayed at 1937 Paris International Exhibition
Picasso’s Guernica • 1937-1950s : toured world, regularly in exhibitions against war • Until 1981 : at MOMA in NYC, became focus of anti-war vigils during Vietnam War • 1981 : MOMA gave painting to Spain, following death of Franco and establishment of a democratic constitutional monarchy (in accord with Picasso’s wishes) • 1985 : Nelson Rockefeller’s estate bequeaths tapestry copy to UN – it hangs outside Security Council • 2003 : Tapestry draped upon occasion of Secretary of State Colin Powell’s presentation to UN arguing case for war in Iraq
Minotaure designer fragrance • “The Minotaur is a reoccurring theme in Pablo Picasso's work, and this is where his daughter got the name for her only masculine fragrance. Minotaure cologne by Pablo [sic: should read Paloma] Picasso has top notes of citrus and middle notes of Lavender, Geranium, and Jasmine. Minotaure base notes include Sandalwood, Vanilla, and Leather.”
What happens next? • What happens when prince Theseus of Athens is sacrificed to the Minotaur? • How does Minos’ daughter Ariadne become the bride of Dionysos? • How does Theseus escape the murderous wiles of Medea? • Read ACM pp. 54-57, and stay tuned… • What grade did I get on the midterm? • Check Sakai later today