Throughout history mankind has lived from one crisis to the next and the symbolism of myths help us to understand the figures and situations that these stories represent. The Ancient Greeks, through their myths, were able to touch on every subject that mankind deals with. They refer to the emotions of the person, his beliefs, but also to nature, to what is around us and how we evolved. The twelve Olympian gods and the minor gods had human qualities that could display great kindness but were also capable of metering out terrible punishments. The Olympian gods represented important ideals and all aspects of human nature such as love, justice, poverty, loyalty, enmity, war, peace, wisdom, music as well as the changing of the seasons, agriculture, fertility and nature.
Today, the climate change that the world is going through can be seen through the myth of Erysichthon, King of Thessaly, who was punished for his violation and for his greed when he cut down the sacred tree of the goddess Demeter to build a new palace.
Erysichton (Greek: Ερυσίχθων, ‘earth-tearer) ordered the trees in the sacred grove of Demeter to be cut down. The grove abounded with every sort of tree, but at its heart was a mighty oak (or poplar) covered with votive wreaths, a symbol of every prayer Demeter had granted. When the workers refused to cut it down, Erysichthon took the axe and cut it down himself, killing a dryad nymph in the process. The nymph’s dying words were a curse on Erysichthon. Demeter responded to the nymph’s curse and punished him by entreating Limos (Greek: Λιμός), the personification of famine or hunger, to place herself in his stomach. Limos was, according to Hesiod’s Theogony, the offspring of Eris (Strife).
Erysichthon became permanently hungry. Food acted like fuel on fire: The more he ate, the hungrier he got. He ate his way through all his fortune to buy food and even sold his daughter, Mestra (Greek: Μήστρα) to get money to buy more food. Mestra, who had been Poseidon’s lover, was able to escape because the god had given her the gift of changing shape into any creature at will. When Erysichthon realised that his daughter could change appearance at will, he decided that he could sell her time and time again for the bride price that would be paid to feed himself. However, no amount of food was enough. His hunger continued to eat him alive until eventually he began to gnaw on his own limbs, trying to satisfy his hunger. Eventually he consumed himself entirely.
Erysichthon Selling his Daughter Mestra
Jan Steen (1625/1626-1679)
Erysichthon’s severe punishment directly reflects his actions. His insatiable hunger mirrored his greed, and his self-consumption was a fitting end for someone who had consumed so much without regard for the sanctity of nature or divine entities. The symbolism of this myth reflects the destruction of nature today. It can be said that those driven by greed are ultimately consumed by it. We have to learn to respect and protect nature so that it continues to give us its fruit. In this way we will never be in need and there will always be sufficient for everyone.
