Mythology of Thassos
According to the sources of the famous, ancient historian Herodotus, the island is named after Thassos, the son (or grandson) of the Phoenician King Agenor, who arrived on the island in search of his sister Europe as part of an organized, rescue, ship expedition, abducted by Zeus, that he had not found it, settled it permanently, delighted with the climatic conditions and the exuberance of vegetation, and unable to return home without Europe. The scene where Zeus, disguised as a bull, abducts Europe is shown on a memorial plaque in the port of Limenaria. The same scene was immortalized on the Greek coin issue of one euro.
According to another theory, the name Thassos is etymologically derived from the word “drosos” or “freshness”, which has been produced by lush vegetation since ancient times.
Ancient Greek poets called the island “Aeria” (refreshing, summer breeze) or Aethria (clear sky) because of its clean air and characteristic freshness, glorifying the name of its most prominent characteristics.
The myth related to the sirens, who according to the legends were living on Thassos and with their beautiful voices managed to outwit every man who would hear them. It is believed that these sirens enchanted Odysseus on his famous journey and managed to entice him to stay on the island forever.
Like all ancient Greeks and Thassos, people believed in 12 gods from Olympus. The protector saint of the island was the god Heracles, who was believed not to have descended from the Greek demigod Hercules, as would be expected, but from the Phoenician god Melkart. In addition to their father, Heracles, Thassos population also paid special tribute to Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Artemis, the goddess of hunting.
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Jagoda Mileta14.10.2013 17:23:35
Sećam se da sam na svom prvom putovanuj u Grčku, u Solunu kupila ukrasni keramički tanjir sa ovim motivom ali tada nisam znala za ovu legendu. :)
Jagoda Mileta14.10.2013 17:20:09
Evropa je bila ćerka feničanskog kralja Agenora i Telefase.Agenor je bio sin Posejdona, boga okeana. Njegova deca nisu bila sklona svadji ili kovanju zavera protiv svojih najbližih. Nevolja ih je stigla zbog Evrope, Agenorove prelepe ćerke. Usled njene veoma upadljive lepote, zapela je za oko samom Zevsu. Kako se Evropa nikada nije udaljavala od svoje braće, Zevs je odlučio da je progoni mudrom, ali donekle brutalnom silom. Svom sinu Hermesu, naredio je da odvede svu stoku kralja Agenora na polja koja su se graničila sa morem. Kada je Hermes to i učinio, Zevs se dosetio, pretvorio se u prelepog belog bika, najveličanstveniju od svih životinja – ogromnu, a naizgled pitomu. Kada ga je ugledala na poljani, Evropa se nije mogla uzdržati i počela je da miluje bika po glavi, zatim vratu i na kraju ga je hranila cvećem. Kada je konačno bik klekao ispred nje, ona se popela na njegova leđa. Bik, tačnije Zevs je ustao i krenuo [attachment=1236]37853214_JEuropaVase1.jpg[/attachment] preko livade ka moru. Nežno je zagazio u vodu, išavši sve dublje i dublje, da bi na kraju otplivao daleko na pučinu. Kada je Evropa primetila gde se nalazi, bilo je prekasno da pobegne. Zevs je nastavio da pliva sve dok nije stigao na ostrvo Krit. Tamo je uzeo oblik orla, Zevsove ptice, a Evropi je oduzeo nevinost na silu. Posle tog čina ona je rodila tri sina: Minoja, Sarpedona i Radamanta. Kasnije se udala za kritskog kralja Asteriona, koji je othranio Zevsove sinove i ostavio im u nasledstvo vladavinu nad ostrvom, tako da je Minoj postao kralj Krita. Kontinent Evropa nazvan je po ovoj lepotici, dok sazvežđe Bika odaje počast Zevsovom prerušavanju u bika.
Jovan17.03.2012 07:30:59
Herakle i svi mitovi o njemu (mahom tebanski) svakako vuku koren od feničana. stoga ne čudi da je i ovaj put tako. Stp je vise feničanskih tragova- to je mit zasigurno drevniji... :-)