Blogpost 7: Lilith and Athena

     Mythology is a field where my interests would go and fly on. It served as an ingredient to spice my life. Greeks, Romans, Japanese, Hindu, Mesopotamian and many more; these classifications are just a few of my list of interests. Most of the time, I usually know that owls are known to be Athena’s sacred animal; wherein the title of wisdom was derived from this goddess. This made me realize that wisdom was also the right symbolism for the owl; rather than viewing it alone as death. Looking back, when view things negatively this would result to the imbalance to their nature. Just as what these birds are experiencing right now; they are being slaughtered due to their negative images in a particular society. 

I clearly stated that my original and final claim about the owl was, “Wisdom towards death, considering the rationality that death is impossible to avoid.” True enough, when we consider these birds as wisdom, but that usually lacks the balance to the personification of death. Thus, it is good enough to develop a claim that considers balance and a good image towards the owl. However, there are several things that made me wonder when it comes to unlock their mysteries. At some point their symbolism as death was somehow based on the myth of the Mesopotamian goddess Lilith.

I found this article entitled “Lilith, Mesopotamian Bird Goddess of Fertility” by Tara L. Reynolds from ezinearticles. First of all who is Lilith? She is simply the Mesopotamian dark goddess and even the goddess of demons. The article said that she was portrayed as a woman with dark wings and clawed feet; which somehow looks like a bird woman. The myth itself did not just existed during the Sumerian era, but it already existed during the time of Adam in the Hebrew accounts.

Originally, her myth was based on the Epic of Gilgamesh. Wherein the Sumerian culture identified her as “Inanna’s right hand; at some point I never thought that her role in the early culture was to find men on the streets and lead them to the temple of sacred prostitutes. Seriously, since when did prostitutes become sacred? Going back, the goddess was said to live in a “huluppu tree” in the garden of Inanna.

The most intriguing part was about the Hebrew account with her role as Adam’s first wife. Here a new persona was developed in her image, well, that would be the goddess of sexuality. According to the article sexuality was not viewed as a great deal in the ancient times. Only during the time of Judaism and Christianity; where they look the impression literally as an evil deed. At some point, the main thought that she was regarded as the goddess of sexuality was about her sexual activity with Adam. Wherein she wanted that love giving should be equal, but this was rejected by Adam and ordered her to be submissive to him. Thus, after the even she left the Garden of Eden according to the Hebrew text. Later, the goddess was demonized in the wilderness; which from now on acquired the title as the “succubus” and that also gave her a new role in the myth. The role was described as to sneak into men’s bedrooms and give them wet dreams. I find it difficult to believe that she would do that; still this is just a myth and it would never happen.

Accordingly, the goddess was demonized though the belief of the church, but she was simply represented as women’s strength and confidence. Thus, it also entails to be dominant and disregard women’s submission to men. At some point, this was best described as the goddess of sexuality.

First of all how is this related to my main topic about owls? Simply, the Mesopotamian myth was stating that these birds were associated to Lilith. Thus, this made me think that the root of every personification of the owl as death was the goddess. Try to think of it, it was due to her demonization. From her metamorphosis as the bird lady seems demonic and deathly in such a way. The representation of death was depicted through her new title as the succubus. How would it be identified as death? From my previous discussion about the psychology of death; I mentioned that death will always follow where ever and whenever we go. Never the less, her actions gave me the impression to describe her as the deathly bird lady. 

The owl’s association with the goddess gave contributing information in each culture, when we say that the bird was describes as the “Doomsday Bird”. This would always root in the goddess Lilith. Somehow, the belief was strengthened by each culture, as it they cover it with thick layers of superstitious beliefs that would result to the slaughtering of the birds.

As what he title says; let us go to the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena. I found this article entitled “Athena, Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War” by Tara L. Reynolds from ezinearticles. The article was simply all about Athena. The goddess was simply born from Zeus and Metis; after Zeus found out that his child was a female he was furious and swallowed Athena. At some point Zeus had terrible headaches and eventually ran after Hephaestus to open his head; then there you have it Athena comes out fully gown. 

I was curious about her title as the wisdom goddess, because I thought that she obtained that title due from going out inside Zeus' head. Going back, the article stated that she was imagined with a bronze spear and helmet, a talented goddess, a master weaver and metal works, and the inventor of the trumpet. Another is that her sacred animal was the owl and her mostly loved serpent named Ericthonius.

“… learn how to form our inner strength and make us wiser in the end.”

From that statement it is always true to the owls. Considering the fact that the owl was associated with the goddess Athena; it gives off the impression that it is a symbol for wisdom. Somehow it is true for it to symbolize the bird to what it was associated to, but it still lacks the main point of having it as an archetype for wisdom. To elaborate the statement above, I believe that the owl generates its own understanding in its surroundings. Thus, from its huge eyes many people believe that is wise since it is relatively similar to a scholar’s. Plus, behaviors of owls are cunning and at some point intimidating; which somehow these features are valid enough to generate the impression towards the owl as wise.

Combining the two main thoughts about Lilith and Athena with the association of the owl; it is imply depicted that the bird has two sides, death and wisdom. In reality these two identities have their relation to one another. From my claim about the owl; viewing them as deathly and a wise is a complete thought. At some point it would be balanced if we added the rationality of a human person’s mindset that death is unavoidable. Wherein it would be nice to describe the bird as one as much as possible; for it avoids the imbalance of its persona. 

To conclude, the owl itself was associated with two goddesses named Lilith and Athena. Originally, it was symbolized as wise in the context of its association with Athena and death in the context with Lilith. To sum up my thoughts, we ourselves should not look an object in two ways, but rather view them as much as possible. thus, this would also be contributed to the conservation of these birds and avoid extinction.