LEGENDS
CYPRIOT LEGENDS
The Story of Aphrodite’s Rock “I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and beautiful, whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Cyprus. There the moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of the loud-moaning sea in soft foam.”~Homer In ancient times, Cyprus was known as the birthplace of Aphrodite and the center of her worship, though worship of Aphrodite was widely spread throughout the Mediterranean region. Even today, Cyprus is called the island of Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Legend associates the name “Aphrodite” with her birth of the sea-foam as the Greek word (aphros) means “foam.” Hesiod’s description of Aphrodite’s birth begins as follows: Aphrodite was born out of the sea foam when Uranus was cut by a sickle and fell into the sea, attacked by his son Cronus.
The water began bubbling and foaming in the spot where Uranus had plunged into the sea. Suddenly, the most beautiful maiden came up from the foam and appeared on the surface. At first the waves gently carried her toward Cythera but Zephyrus, the western wind, ultimately guided the waves to the shores of Paphos, Cyprus. Story Location Clue: Local tradition claims that the birthplace of Aphrodite is an area near Paphos called Petra tou Romiou, which is Greek for Rock of Romios (the Greek). This area is one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Cyprus. A large, imposing rock accompanied by several smaller rocks, emerge from the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of St. Nicholas of the Cats on the other side of the bay area and southeast of Paphos in the southern part of Cyprus. This location of unique beauty came to be designated as the birthplace of Aphrodite.
The myth of Aphrodite and Adonis Uranus was the father of the sky. He was not happy with the children that Gaia, mother Earth, was giving birth to. Their children were born with no beauty that is why Uranus send his children to the underworld, also known as Tartarus, the darkest part of universe, a planet surrounded by bronze. After giving birth to Titans, Gaia sent her son Cronus to fight against his father Uranus. The blood caused by this battle fell into the sea, on the shores of Paphos. The sea waves and foams turned the blood into love and pleasure so that a beautiful goddess was born. Aphrodite was the goddess of beauty, joy and laughter, queen of all aspects of love, guardian of young girls and governess of the fertility of animals and plants. Her symbols included rabbits, sparrows, goats, pomegranates and apples. Accompanied by Eros and Pothos, she went to claim her place among the assembly of the Gods. At Olympus they named her Aphrodite (born of sea-foam).
Adonis looked and behaved like an immortal. He was the lover of Aphrodite, just like Ares (the god of war). Being jealous, Ares turned himself into a wild boar and terrorized the district of Paphos, killing the inhabitants with such brutality that news of this boar spread all around the island. Adonis being a hunter ignored Aphrodite's warnings against hunting wild animals and set out to stop the beast from killing his countrymen. Ares, as a wild boar, awaited Adonis and ran so fast that he gathered dust around him, blinding the young boy. The boar then attacked, wounding Adonis and left without trying to help the hunter. Aphrodite heard his dying groans and rushed to the scene only to arrive too late. She sprinkled Adonis' blood with nectar and the drops that fell onto the ground turned into anemone flowers, whose life is short and whose petals are easily shaken off by the breeze.
Aphrodite was overcome with grief and eventually begged Zeus for the return of her lover. Zeus promised to ask Persephone, the queen of the underworld, only to realize that she also had fallen in love with the young boy and would not let him go. Zeus therefore decided that Adonis could live where he pleased for four months, provided he divided the rest of his time between the two goddesses. Adonis chose to live four months with Persephone and eight with Aphrodite. In Pafos, the annual festival “Adonia� was held on the 25th and 26th of March, staging the death and resurrection of Adonis. The first day was to mourn the death of the boy, and women would throw flowers, green branches of the myrtle tree and pots of plants in the sea, showing that they shared the grief of Aphrodite. The second day, people celebrated Adonis' resurrection by feasting.
Cinyras In the earliest testimony for this character in ancient Greek literature (the account of Homer), Cinyras was a ruler on Cyprus who gave a corselet to Agamemnon as a guest-gift when he heard that the Greeks were planning to sail to Troy. Eustathius in his commentary on this passage relates that Cinyras promised assistance to Agamemnon, but did not keep his word: having promised to send fifty ships, he actually sent only one, while the rest were sculpted from earth, with figures of men (also made of earth) imitating the crew. He was cursed by Agamemnon and subsequently punished by Apollo, who beat him in a musical contest (similar to that between Apollo and Marsyas, to see who was a better musician with a lyre) and killed him, whereupon Cinyras' fifty daughters threw themselves into the sea and were changed into sea birds.
Later, in Greek and Roman literature and in the Christian fathers such as Clement of Alexandria, the story of Cinyras is elaborated. They say that on Cyprus, Cinyras was revered as the creator of art and of musical instruments, such as the flute. In one source, he is also noted for his physical beauty.Hesychius says he was a son of Apollo,while Hyginus consistently calls him a son of Paphos (presumably the eponym of Paphos),and a scholiast on Pindar makes him a son of Eurymedon and the nymph Paphia.In other sources he is the husband of Galatea. Cinyras was reported to have fathered a number of children, including Mygdalion (who led his only real ship to Troy). According to Ovid, Cinyras' daughter Myrrha, impelled by an unnatural lust for her own father, slept with him, became pregnant, and asked the gods to change her into something other than human. She became a tree from whose bark myrrh drips.From this incestuous union sprang the child Adonis. Cinyras was said to have committed suicide over the matter. Other authors equate Cinyras and Myrrha with king Theias of Assyria and his daughter Smyrna, and relate the same story of them. Hyginus uses the name Cinyras for the father, but Smyrna for the daughter.
Rock of Digenis Rock of Digenis well known as Petra tou Romiou is one of the most strongest traditions of Cyprus. Like every other myth, ancients used to make up stories to make the myths look realistic and deliver a message. The solitary rock can be found in the north of the Fabrica h 委 ll, on the way to Pafos harbour. Digenis and Rigaina had a relationship and it is said that Rigaina had her house built on top of the hill nearby. As in almost all folk tales, Rigaina would only marry Digenis if he managed to transport water for her from some distant location, which in this case was either Mavrokolympos or Tala. Even though this was a Herculian task, Digenis undertook it, transporting the water through clay conduits, traces of which can still be seen east of Chlorakas village. However, Rigaina did not keep her promise, something which enraged Digenis, who threw a huge rock at her from the Moutallos area, which landed right in front of her house. Rigaina replied with equal rage, throwing her spinning needle, a granite stele, at Digenis, which landed in the fields underneath the Moutallos rise.
ADONIS
Adonis was the son of Kinyras and Mirra. He was also a lover of Aphrodite. When he died mauled by a wild boar the anemones grew of the drop which fell on the ground. Aphrodite found dying Adonis and begged Zeus to bring him back to life. Adonis was spending springs and summers with Aphrodite, autumns and winters with Persephone in Hades. He became a symbol of death and rebirth of nature.
Mosaics with stories I admire the mosaics of which Paphos is renowned. These stone floors are not modern of course, but were built in Roman times. In the former house of an unknown Roman the stone floors can tell us the stories about the lives of his contemporaries, about gods and heroes struggling with adversity. There is also a Narcissus who saw his reflection in the surface of the water and fell in love with it, Ganymede abducted by a donkey, or Daphne fleeing from Apollo who was transformed into a laurel tree. You will find the old cemetery in Paphos, too - more than a hundred tombs carved into the rocks from which the most impressive were called the Royal Tombs.
Pygmalion
Pygmalion - in Greek mythology the king of Cyprus , who was married to Galatee - a ivory statue who Aphrodite morphed into a real woman. According to Ovid he lived lonely life discouraged by the condition of women, particularly crazed harlots called the Proitides. He was an avid sculptor and carved the statue of his ideal of a woman in ivory. The sculpture was perfect, and a person could distinguish it from a real woman only by touching it. Pygmalion lavished her with flowers and gifts, and also dressed it in elegant gowns . Thanks to Aphrodite, who was charmed by the prayers of the king sculpture came to life during his caresses during the spring celebrations of Aphrodite. Pygmalion married a woman and the couple had a daughter together - Paphos. Less sophisticated Greek version of the myth known from the Library (according to Apollodor's set of prose digests of myths), describes Pygmalion as the love-struck king of Cyprus who wanted to marry Aphrodite. She refused but pitying unhappy lover she revived one of his statues. They had two children - son Paphos and daughter Metarme.
1 ) the king of Cyprus who personally carved the statue of Galatea a woman so beautiful that its author fell in love with the statue. He begged Aphrodite to give him a wife like a statue of woman he had carved. Aphrodite made his wish come true and animated the statue. The myth of Pygmalion is reflected in the literature (G.B. Shaw ) and art. 2 ) In Greek mythology the ruler of the Phoenician city of Tyre who lived in the ninth century BC He was a son of Belus. In order to seize the treasures he killed Sycheos, husband of Dodona - his sister. The murder caused Dodona fled to the Africa where she founded Carthage .
POLISH LEGENDS
BLACK DOG
In 1669 the owner of the Ogrodzieniec castle was Stanislaw Warszycki. Stanisław was a very rich Polish dignitary. Warszycki was recognised as a thrifty host who took care for the development of craft and handicraft. But he had a difficult character and for his servants wasn’t a good lord. He ordered to replace a corner cave in the courtyard of the castle in Ogrodzieniec by a torture chamber called “ Warszycki’s torture chamber “. In this cave, he personally supervised the torture of insubordinate servants. Warszycki didn’t tolerate any opposition. He was cruel even for his wife. One day he ordered to torture his wife. During the torture he was listening to her groans. Warszycki didn’t die with natural death but he was taken by devils to hell. He was changed into a black dog. Since that time he has haunted the castle in Ogrodzieniec (wycie psa). People are afraid! This is not only a legend. People say it is a true story. A motive of the Black dog is used in Ogrodzieniec area in many places. An excellent example of it is a tavern called ‘Black Dog Inn’. Don’t hesitate to visit it and feel the special atmosphere.
The story happened in times when the church in Włodowice was ruled by Polish people. The owner of Włodowice at that time, Mikołaj Firlej, who was also a master at the Ogrodzieniec Castle, sent his most devoted subject to the palace in Włodowice in order to made local people attend heretic mass every Sunday. He accomplished his duties in very cruel way. Together with his servants he guarded the roads that led to Skarżyce and Kromołów which people used to travel to church. He made them go to the church in Włodowice by force. Those of people who resisted were severly beaten. Any complaints sent to Firlej did not have any response, because he was fervent heretic. But the time had come and the days of Włodowice administrator were numbered. He died, and his funeral was prepared with great care put to the details. A few days after his death his wife had a dream in which she saw his husband being taken to hell by demons. The only thing to be left in the coffin was her husband’s shoes. The similar dream occurred 3 days in a row, and scared widow asked for a heretic mass to pray for his husband’s soul.
When the day of the mass came the flock of black birds appeared above the church and scared the locals. Simultaneously, ferocious storm arouse and broke all the windows in the church. Horrified heretic priest ran away together with the crowd. The same scenario followed every time people wanted to conduct the mass. A few days after this event the widow had another dream. She saw a mysterious person who ordered her to open up her husband’s coffin. She obeyed and, after receiving the permission, dug out the coffin. The whole event was observed by all locals together with Mikołaj Firlej. When the coffin was ready to be opened terrible cawing was heard and a flock of black ravens appeared above the gathered people. In a second a strong wind blew up and people heard clanging of some invisible chains. The astonishment of the people, when the coffin was opened could not be measured. The widow’s dream was prophetic – the shoes of the administrator were found instead of his body. Seeing this the widow died and gathered people ran home in panic. This strange incident made Mikołaj Firlej reconvert to Christianity; he banished heretic priest, and returned the church to the Catholics.
How a devil changed into a dragon was disturbing in building of churches
On the high ridge of the Cracow-Częstochowa Upland between Żarki and Jaworznik there are ruins of the St. Stanisław’s church. According to a legend, old town of Żarki was previously there until the great fire ravaged the village making local people move to the valley nearby. The church was built in old Żarki in the past. Simultaneously, the second church was built on the Leśniówka river. Both churches were built by different foreman-carpenter. The carpenter from the church in “old” Żarki lived in the valley, but his colleague building the church on the Leśniówka lived in the old Żarki. So when they finished their work in the afternoon they went back home throught the dense forest which existed there in the past. They always met on the crossing of their paths back home. They told each other what happened during the day, and they continued their way home. One time, when they were chatting they heard the clang of the body armour, dull sounds of iron hitting something hard, and low, harsh grunting, coming up from the ground beneath them. They raised their axes ready to strike and run quickly towards mysterious sounds. When they reached clearing they saw a knight in full armour and his visor down.
He was striking with his saber an enormous dragon with 6 pairs of paws, that stood on its two hind legs, and struck the knight back with the rest of his paws. At first glance, it was easy to observe that this fight was uneven, because the knight was not able to hurt the dragon. Carpenters, seeing the man in need, without a hesitation came near the dragon’s rear, cut off his tail and all his paws, and his head. The knight told the carpenters without opening his visor that the monster that they slayed just a few seconds ago was the devil himself. Evil forces didn’t like the idea of building two churches so close to each other, so they sent one of the elder demons in the form of dragon to destroy both buildings. The knight found out about these plans and fought with the monster to prevent him from accomplishing his plans. But he would had been killed if it wasn’t for the immediate help of the carpenters. Astonished carpenters wanted to know who the knight was, but he disappeared in the thin air just before them.
Magic power of Janosik's shoes and belt.
An old highlander Maryna lived on the Giewont Mountain. People believed she was a witch. Rumor was she had contacts with the devil, and that she cured people with magical herbs. Maryna met the devil on the Babia Mountain. Janosik resided in that area and was walking to Lipt贸w from there. Janosik knew Maryna of Orava well. When he was ill he went for advice to Maryna. Maryna was a good witch. She liked robbers because they helped people. She decided to thank Janosik for his kindness. - Janosik, please take this shoes and belt - they are enchanted and have extraordinary power. When in danger, use their powers. These shoes will let you run like a wind, and the belt will give you strength! - the witch said. Janosik thanked Maryna for the received gifts. In a clearing not far from the Maryna's house a tree grew. "Will I bring it down?" Janosik thought. He walked to the tree and and brought it down without too much trouble and threw it a few hundred meters away. Will the shoes give me power? "I must try" - Janosik decided. He stood on the hill above the Dunajec river.
He took a few steps back, ran to the edge of the hill and jumped over the river to the opposite bank with no problem! Janosik was very happy as he returned to the rest of the brigands. On the way he saw two peasants who were trying to get the horse cart from the scarp. Peasants murdered tremendously because the car was loaded with stones. You must first unload the stones - there is no other way to pull the cart from the scarp. - I'll help you - Janosik said. - We know that you are very strong, but even you won't make it the peasants responded. Janosik had tied the belt to the cart and pulled it without much effort. The peasants could believe what they saw and were admiring the incredible power of Janosik. He is stronger than people say - the peasants said. Since then, whenever in trouble Janosik always used the magic power of his shoes and belt.
HERCULES’ CLUB
There is a famous rock called Hercules’ Club standing near the castle. According to different legends it is also known as Krak’s Club, Hawk Rock, Devil’s Rock. According to the oldest legend when Poland was ruled by the prince Krak it was constantly devastated by the dragon which fed on virgins. Irritated prince took his enormous club and slayed the dragon with it. Then, he placed the club on the way to Cracow to warn all those people who came here with bad intentions. According to the other legend, black wizard Twardowski once lived in Poland. He signed the pact with the devil that when Twardowski goes to Rome the devil will make his 3 wishes come true, and he will give the devil his soul. One of the tasks Twardowski ordered devil to do was bringing the enormous rock from Prądnik Valley and placing it with the thinner end down on the ground. The devil managed to do this task and the rock is there up to these days. But there is also another legend which says that the local peasant was sent to prison in the castle. As he was worried about his family he asked guards to set him free. The leader of the guards told him that he would free him only, if he brought him the falcon chick from the top of the rock. Poor peasant was sad, but one night a flock of falcons flew into his prison cell and took him onto the top of the rock. There, they gave him one of their chicks. In this way the peasant regained freedom. Nowadays, the name Hercules Club is used because of the shape of the rock. It is 25 meters high and is one of the most recognizable symbols in Poland.
WHITE LADY IN MIRÓW AND BOBOLICE
One of the legend about two castles say: Long time ago two villages of Bobolice and Mirów were owned by two brothers. Brothers were so similar to each other that even the closest servants had problems with distinguishing who was who. They were very rich and gathered all the goods gained during the wars in the tunnel connecting two castles. This treasure was protected by vicious red-eyed witch and a ghost in the shape of big dog. Brothers understood themselves completely and could do anything for each other. However, their marvelous friendship was put to the test. One of the brothers came back from the war with beautiful girl Agnieszka. He hid her in the tunnel among the treasure as he noticed that the girl caught his brother’s eye. And he was right. One time, when the witch was away on the Sabbath, he caught his brother and the girl together. He killed his brother in anger and ordered to immure the girl in the castle’s dungeons. However, he couldn’t ease his remorse after this crime. He became heavy drinker, and one time when he was drinking his wine the storm occurred.
The only lightning rod that appeared struck and killed him. Unfaithful girl is still being held in the dungeons, and is guarded by the witch that scares off any person who would like to free the girl. The second version of this legend is as follows: A long time ago when the castles in Mirów and Bobolice were complete and mighty two brothers lived in them. One reigned in Mirów, the second one in Bobolice. They loved each other. They hunted together, they looked after their land together, they played and feasted together. They even went for the wars together, and when they came back they shared their loot into. One time the king’s messenger came into the village of Bobolice and ordered the master of the castle to go to war to Russia. His brother was extremely sad and promised to wait for his brother eating only bread and drinking only water. Even all the servants were sad. People say that Bobol fought with Tatars. A few months passed.
Bobol came back with great amount of treasure and with beautiful slave girl. The happiness of the servants and of Bobol’s brother was enormous. According to their habit brothers split the loot. But what about the girl? You can split the treasure but you can’t do the same with the girl. What is more both brothers fell in love with that girl from the first sight. They decided that they will draw straw sticks in order to find out who will marry the girl. Bobol won. His brother couldn’t accept the loss - not when the girl loved him, not Bobol. Brothers didn’t see each other so often starting to hate each other. Mirów’s master now waited for the moment when his brother was away on a trip. Then, Bobol’s wife went down to the basement and to the tunnel that connected both castles. At the same time, Mirów’s owner went to meet her the halfway. They met among the gold, diamonds, and cut diamonds. They loved each other and couldn’t live without each other.
After some time Bobol found out that his brother and his wife see each other secretely. So he made up a trick. One day, he gathered a few of his servants and went to war for a couple of months. But after three days he came back to the castle during the night. He didn’t find his wife in the bedroom. He went down to the dungeons. He found her there with his brother. He killed his brother and ordered to immure her cheating wife in the castle’s dungeon until she dies of a hunger. What has happened with the killer? Some say that he arranged many boisterous plays and feasts to ease the remorse until he was struck and by lightning and died in terrible suffering. The oldest inhabitants of Bobolice say that you can see the white lady at midnight in one of the castle’s towers that faces the Mirów castle. It is a ghost of cheating wife that misses his beloved one, even after death.
Warta River
There is a legend connected with the name of the Warta River. A lot of centuries ago the knight was on his guard. The forest was all around and the heat was unbearable. The knight was thirsty, but there was nothing to drink. The knight being very jaded raised his hands up to pray. Then, the lance he was holding hit the ground. At the very same moment a clear and cool water occurred on the ground with the help of which pleased knight quenched his thirst. So this is the way the name of the river came from.
About beautiful Olympia
Stanisław Bonar had a daughter of the unusual beauty. The young knight Stanisław Kmita fell in love with her. Despite the fact that lady Bonar fell in love with the man as well, her father who came into the social stratum of high class wanted her to marry somebody’s even richer than he was. He found yet another reason not to allow her to marry Stanisław Kmita. He was a protestant follower and he could not allow for the marriage with a catholic believer. Meanwhile the war broke out and Kmita set for it. During the last goodbye before leaving he promised to send to her the messengers with letters. Seweryn got to know this and ordered the maid to bring the every letter being addressed to the daughter. Meanwhile he brought in the new pretender to propose to his daughter. Olympia and her beloved could not understand why they did not get their massages. They did not realise the deceit. The very sad young knight sent the esquire once again to visit his beloved and he was waiting for the answer at the high steep rock. Unfortunately the letter was overtaken by the cruel father and he ordered his landlady to write the letter to the knight allegedly sent by his daughter and saying that as he sees the hopelessness of their love and the obstinacy of the father she decides to marry somebody else.
When Kmita got the letter he thrown himself from the rock in an act of despair as he was standing in the full armour and on the horse. In order to commemorate the tragedy the lyrical inscription at the bottom of the rock was carved: Stanisław Kmita, rycerz orężny W boju z Tatarzy szablą potężny Ku Bonarównie serce swe zwrócił I z tej tu skały w przepaść się zwrócił After this event Bonar took his daughter to the castle in Ogrodzieniec. Olympia however did learn about the deceit of her father and the tragic death of her beloved. In a despair she jumped out of the upper window of the south tower. Since then she appears at the midnight in white, she walks along the battlements and she threatens the treasure hunters but some people say that they are long gone as they were completely plundered.
Legend of Wieliczka
According to a legend, the Polish Duke Boleslaw V the Chaste asked for the hand of the Hungarian Princess Kinga. Kinga wished from his father only one treasure - the salt that she wanted to give to her future country. The king of Hungary gave her the richest mine in Transylvania, Maramures (Prajd). When Kinga went into possession of the mine she threw her engagement ring into the deep pit. On the way to the country of her husband she took with her the experienced Hungarian miners. When in Poland she told them to look for salt. They found her ring in the first block of salt which they dug in. When Kinga saw it, she thanked God for it. Kinga is a protagonist of many books.
Enchanted in Rocks
Under the great forested cap of Sokole Góry near Olsztyn there are some impressive rocks. One of them is called Puchacz, the other Sokola yet another Karzełek and Donica. Coming in between these rocks we can see the dark holes of caves and caverns. When we approach them we can feel coolness and humidity. When we, however, overcome the first, negative impression and when we enter inside with a flashlight in the one of the caves we will see the stalactitic formations commonly shaped in an unusual manner. There was a very amorous man living in the nearby castle in Olsztyn, who directed his feelings constantly towards various women. One time he abducted a wife of one of the castle’s knights and hid her in the cave in Sokole Góry, which was prepared to settle sumptuously. He was meeting her there. Finally he got bored with her and being afraid of the fact that somebody will get to know about her being abducted he sentenced her to death by starvation.
One peasant got to know about this and under the shadow of night he brought a cow here which was supposed to feed the miserable woman with its milk. It focused the attention of the Olsztyn castle owner who came by the cave, chased away the cow and punished the woman. At that particular moment they turned into stalactitic rocks. Meanwhile, a husband of the woman got to know about the place where she is kept and was preparing to set her free. When the lord was informed about that he ordered to capture the knight and to chain him to the wall in another cave in Sokole G贸ry and did not give him anything to eat and to drink. After a few days he came there in the flesh by a cart drove by a coachman. He came directly to the vast cave expecting to feast his eyes on the view of a man dying of starvation. However, when he was approaching the place of torment the cart suddenly was turned into a stalactite. Since then in the caves of Sokole G贸ry we can observe - a woman milking the cow and a cart with passengers and a coachman.
Złoczyń – King of Snakes
Apparently, there were many reptiles, vipers and snakes in the old times. Large number of cattle died from snake’s bites, and what is more people weren’t able to eat the meat from dead cattle. One time, when the peasant was burying his dead cow some lonesome traveler asked him why he was doing it. When the peasant told him the traveler asked him if he knew any whistling viper, living in the area nearby. The peasant told the stranger that he didn’t see any viper of that kind. - So I will deal with this viper problem – he said. “He’s some kind of wizard” – the peasant thought to himself and dug the hole in the ground with the special footbridge over it. The wizard stood on the footbridge, raised his hands, whispered a few spells, and all vipers started to go into the gap in the ground. It seemed if the problem was dealt with, but here came the Złoczyń. The traveller became pale and said: - Oh no! It’s the Złoczyń, my death is coming. And he was right, because as the viper came near it whistled and all the vipers rushed towards the wizard. Up to these days the hill just outside Kroczyce is called Żmij Hill. Now it is very difficult to find a single viper on Kraków- Częstochowa Upland. This fact is sadden the ecologists, and disturbs the local ecosystem.