Ashwin Bastiampillai
1004094696
CLAA06
28/3/21
The Aetiological Myth of Sexual Orientation
When Uranus’s genitals were cut off and cast aside into water, a beautiful goddess was born from the remains. Emerging forth from the foam, Aphrodite was created, and would go onto be the well revered goddess of all things love, and sexual. Sex was always something to enjoy for her, just ask Ares, and try to avoid asking Hephaestus about it. Aphrodite was not exactly the forerunner of monogamy. At some point, she even laid with Hermes, the messenger god. She would not exactly say it was her proudest moment, but they had a child together. Born in the caves of Mount Ida, Hermaphroditus was quite the being. He would end up marrying a nymph, who would change his form forever, by merging together in a pool nearby Mount Ida, granting him both sexual organs.
Some time later, a new group of travellers are venturing through Mount Ida. Vigro, the leader of the expedition, a proud man who has been through many adventures, has brought along two other travellers. Resie, his brother, who always joined Virgo, and Shalty, a woman he once met in his childhood, and who was currently carrying Resie’s child in her womb.They continued through the mountain, unsure of what they were searching for. They stopped to rest, and began to search for food and water. Virgo had noticed Shalty was looking quite sad, and lacked motivation in her search.
“What’s bothering you, Shalty?” Virgo asked, to which she responded
“Nothing of importance, let us continue our tasks.”, and so they did, continuing their search for sustenance. Eventually, Shalty wandered further, and stumbled on a cliff. Slipping down, she managed to fall in a pool of water. It was deeply calming and relaxing, and seemed have this effect on her very soul. She closed her eyes, as she felt tears beginning to form, and she heard a voice in her head.
“Dear child, what is bearing down on your soul, to cause such great sadness?” the voice asked. Shalty began to think deeply on this question.
“The man who’s child is within me, I do not love. I have never known love for him. He asked me for a child, and a child is what I gave him. In truth, I have never felt love in my life.” Shalty finally replied.
“My parent was like you. My parent went into this pool a man, and came out both a man and a woman. I empathize with you. I will allow you to experience your true, inner love. Although now it may cloud your mind, if you give me your child, I will allow not only you to clear those clouds, but all humankind henceforth.” the voice whispered into Shalty’s mind. It took no hesitation, and agreed. Shalty exited the pool, and her spirit felt light. She realized she did not love Resie because he was a man. She was still slightly unsure of who she loved, but began to think about all the possibilities of any other humans she might be attracted to.
The Analysis of the Myth
There are many different kinds of myths that can be written and read. This myth has been written as an aetiological myth, and is written in order to explain the origin of sexual orientation. Clark (2002) describes aetiological myths as a myth with the purpose of providing an explanation, an example given being nature myths, as they are aetiological myths that explain natural occurrences. The myth written above is an aetiological myth, used to explain the origin of sexual orientation. There are also a few references to other ancient Greek myths, in order to strengthen the connection between this myth and others, as well as to provide greater insight as to how sexual orientation might have come to be. There are references to Uranus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, Mount Ida, Hermaphroditus, and child sacrificial rituals. These references are made to try to keep the story in line with other ancient Greek myths. They are also made to try to provide an ample setting and backstory in order to allow the myth to make sense.
The first reference is to Uranus, as well as Aphrodite. The birth of Aphrodite from Uranus’ genitals is said to have happened when the genitals were cast into the sea, and foam formed Aphrodite, who was said to be beautiful and divine (Hesiod, Theogony 184-205). Uranus’ genitals themselves are not the important part of this reference, but rather the birth of Aphrodite is an important reference to the aetiological myth that was written. This is because it sets her up as a beautiful goddess who is involved with sexual desires, as well as persuasion (Hesiod, Theogony 184-205), both of which would be important elements later on during the aetiological myth.
The next few references are to Ares and Hephaestus. These references are mostly important as the provide further insight as to the moral character of Aphrodite. Homer is the one to write about Ares (or ‘Mars’) and his adulterous relationship with Aphrodite (or ‘Venus’), who is unfaithful to Hephaestus (or ‘Vulcan’) (Odyssey, VIII). Although Ares and Hephaestus are not actual characters in this myth, the relationship between Ares, Aphrodite, and Hephaestus is important because it showed that Aphrodite was someone who loved sex, and even though she might have morally gone about her love of sex wrong, it showed that she loved sex nonetheless.
The most important references are to Hermes, Mount Ida, and Hermaphroditus. These references are the most important framework for the rest of the myth, and allow for the aetiological myth to provide an explanation for sexual orientation. Hermes, Mount Ida, and Hermaphroditus are all referenced in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Hermes and Aphrodite bear a child in Mount Ida, named Hermaphroditus (Ovid, Metamorphoses IV.274-316). Hermaphroditus would then go on to marry a nymph, and then they would merge together in a pool and form a being with both male and female genitals (Ovid, Metamorphoses IV.317-388). This is directly referenced in the aetiological myth that was written. The pool that Shalty falls into is the same pool on Mount Ida that Hermaphroditus and the nymph merged (Ovid, Metamorphoses IV.346-388), which was already stated by Ovid to have special powers, and made those who enter it feel “weak” (Metamorphoses, IV.274-316), meaning it might have other kinds of special powers as well, being the site that Hermaphroditus became someone with both male and female genitalia. The voice that Shalty heard is a descendant of Hermaphroditus, and seems to be more malevolent, asking for a sacrifice in order to allow Shalty to break free from the societal chains of heterosexuality. In other primary sources, Hermaphroditus, it is unknown if Hermaphroditus bore any children, but in this aetiological myth, he has a descendant who is a spirit of the pool.
Human Sacrifice is referenced a bit as well, as Shalty sacrifices her child in order to give the world sexual clarity. In Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, Agamemnon ends up sacrificing his daughter to Artemis in order to allow his people to continue their war (Agamemnon). Human sacrifice is usually used to appease a god in some way, and in this aetiological myth, it is used in order to trade for the betterment of human society. The reason human sacrifice is used is to give a high cost to something of great value, in order to better humankind. It draws from Hesiod as well, as when Prometheus bestows fire to humans, and pays a very great price for it (Theogeny, 535-569). Fire was such a fundamental element that forever changed mankind, and the clarity of sexual orientation may as well be as fundamental, being something that has potential within every single human being.
Works Cited
Clark, Matthew. Exploring Greek Myth. John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
Hesiod. Theogony. Trans. Gregory Nagy and J. Banks. Harvard: The Center for Hellenic Arts. 2020. Website. https://chs.harvard.edu/primary-source/hesiod-theogony-sb/
Homer. The Odyssey VIII. Trans. Samuel Butler. MIT: The Internet Classic’s Archive. 2009. Website. http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/odyssey.8.viii.html
Ovid. Metamorphoses. Trans. A. S. Kline. University of Virginia: Library. Website. https://ovid.lib.virginia.edu/trans/Metamorph4.htm
Aeschylus. Agamemnon. Trans. E. D. A. Morshead. MIT: The Internet Classic’s Archive. 2009. Website. http://classics.mit.edu/Aeschylus/agamemnon.html