#ancient heroes
Lizard
A lunar creature; the humid principle; believed to be tongueless and subsist on dew, the lizard was a symbol of silence.
In Egyptian and Greek symbolism, it represented divine wisdom and good fortune and was an attribute of Serapis and Hermes; in Zoroastrianism it was a symbol of Ahriman and evil.
In Christianity it is also evil and the Devil. The lizard is an attribute of Sabazios and usually appears on the hand of Sabazios.
In Roman mythology it was supposed to sleep through the winter and so symbolized death and resurrection. The lizard Tarrotarro is an aboriginal Australian culture hero.
[Source: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols by J.C. Cooper]
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“So Danae endured, the beautiful,
To change the glad daylight for brass-bound walls,
And in that chamber secret as the grave,
She lived a prisoner.
Yet to her came Zeus in the golden rain.”
[Source: Mythology, Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton]
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“Endymion the shepherd,
As his flock he guarded,
She, the Moon, Selene,
Saw him, loved him, sought him,
Coming down from heaven
To the glade on Latmus,
Kissed him, lay beside him.
Blessed is his fortune.
Evermore he slumbers,
Tossing not nor turning,
Endymion the shepherd.”
From the third-century poet Theocritus.
[Source: Mythology, Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton]
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“O Bacchanals, come,
Oh, come!
Sing Dionysus,
Sing to the trimbel,
The deep-voiced trimbel!
Joyfully praise him,
Him who brings joy!
Holy, all holy
Music is calling!
To the hills, to the hills,
Fly, O Bacchanal
Swift of foot!
On, O joyful, be fleet!”
[Source: Mythology, Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton]
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