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History and Myth
Sicily is a fantastic land, in which dream and reality became one and everything seems possible. Mito: from the Greek Myth, means a story with an hide philosophical truth. It's used to teach, like a parable. Legend: it's a story derived from an historical event really happened. In the oral tradition the history absorbed imaginary particulars that transformed it. |
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I have found a particular anthropology interpretation of Efesto Myth: "When Efesto born, his father Zeus, doesnt' want he lived in Olymp. Era, his mother, donna want to leave his child. Growing up Efesto became a great goldsmith. One day, while Era and Zeus had a discussion Efesto protecting her mother was throwed down the mountain by Zeus. In the fall he broke his' legs. Efesto, lamed, refused to surrender and die, and he made for himself golden and silver legs. So he became the god of love and mystic reconstruction, the godfather of things and humans broken, with dream or soul in pieces who refused to surrender and die . . ." (Clarissa Pinkola Estés - "Donne che corrono coi lupi")
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In Syracuse historical centre there is a fresh water fountain feeded by an underground river. Aretusa* was a Diana's Nynpha, one day, while she was walking in the wood she has a bath in a river. The river was Alfeo, that immediatly fell in love with her, and changed in a man began to chase her. Aretusa tried to escape from his attention and pried Diana to help her. The goddess transformed her in water, so she can escape most quickly. But Alfeo chased in river managed to reach her and their water mixed together created this enchanted place surrounded by papyrus. Legend was born to explain the presence of a fresh water fountain near the "salt" sea. Maybe the fresh water is generated by a desalination process.
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According the tradition Empedocle, doctor, wizard and greek phiolosopher, lived in a house on the top of Etna Vulcan (in the place called Philosopher Tower. Believing in soul transmigration, one day jumped inside the vulcan, to reach the World of the Best. The legend told that Etna swallowed up the man, but spitted out a sandal, such as refused what was material in him. That's the reason why Etna is told "Philosophy's cradle", becuse holding inside "Philosophy's father". In XVIII century the ruins in Philosopher Tower, according the tradition, were the remains of Empedocle's house. J. Houel, a Grand Tour voyager, painted it. The picture is now exhibited at the Hermitage, in San Pietroburgo.
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The elephant over the fountain in Duomo Square, is the main symbol of Catania town. In the local language isn't called "liofante", but "Liotru". From where come this terms? In VIII century a.C. lived in Catania Eliodoro (which name means "Sun's gift" ) wizard and academic. He'd liked to be Catania Bishop, instead was elected Leone II. So he began to disturb the religious services with his magics, most famous of whom was riding the elephant's lavic stone in front of people. After 13 years, Leone II, tired from his provocations, dragged him into the fire. People came back at religious services, but didn't forget Eliodoro and his elephant, that became "U Liotru", Eliodoro's Horse. In ancient time elephants saved Catania from earthquake and their rests, discovered in the nearness, powered the legend of Polifemo and Cyclops.
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The remains of Roman Amphitheatre are in Stesicoro Square. According the tradition it seems that only the Colosseo was more great. Exdended under the whole Catania historical centre, it was buried from the eruption of 1669. There are many tunnels and galleries inside. It's so difficult pass through it, that the legend tells many years ago a class with his teacher was lost in the underground never found anymore. ... Donna worry, ... it's just a story ! !
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In XVIII century, after the sunshine no one walked in Via Crociferi, because it was told that there was the spirit of a headless knight in the street. One night a boy, bet with his friends, to go to Via Crociferi, in the heart of the night, and put up a big nail in San Benedetto Church's arc. The boy succeded to do that, but he nailed also his cape. He thought to be taken by the ghost and .... he died frightened ! ! ! ! !. Nowaday there is still a big hole in the wall, where there was the big nail.
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Colapesce Legend |
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Colapesce is the most loved and known sicilian legends in the world. Many american and european poets had written story based on its. Colapesce, son of fishing man spent his days swimming in the sea. One day his mother tired for his behaviour throw him a spell. So Cola became half man and half fish and never came back to the land. One day Sicily King, listened his story, wanted to meet him. He went near Messina, where Colapesce lived, and throw in the waves a golden cup. Cola took it from the submarine abyss and told the king what marvellous things he had seen. The king throw in the sea his crown and Cola took it and told that he has seen Sicily surrepted from three columns. One was deleted, the other was in bad condition, just one was good. He also told that in the abyss there was a magical fire. The king didn't believe him and throw, for the third time, his golden ring in sea. Cola, altough exausted, dived again, but he told the king if he had seen legumis went back afloat, meant he had remained in bottom to the sea. After some hours the ring went back, but it was burnt. After a few time also the legumis went back, and they had burned too. Cola had remained in the bottom to the sea, maybe to support the last column. Its sacrifice saved Sicily, and that's why Sicilian people love him so much.
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Do you know why many towns in Sicily are called Aci? Acitrezza, Acicastello, Acibonaccorsi, Acicatena, Aci San Flippo, .... The legend tells that a little shepherdesses lived near a river between Catania and Capomulini. His name was Aci. He fell in love with the nymph Galatea. She went every day to the beach to listen his lover song. But the giant Polifemo sweetheart of the nymph he too. Polifemo was jealous of the poor Aci so one day, while Aci and Galatea stay together under the warm sun, he hurled a large stone against Aci, killing him. The Gods mercy for him, transformed the little boy in a stream of fresh water. The country crossed from him took his name. The legend has an historic truth. Near Capomulini there was the first human take over of the zone and near the little sea town there is a stream of red water that remembers the blood of the sheperdesses. In greek language Acus means "Fresh Waters.
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Gammazita's well |
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In historical Catania centre, between Zurria and San Calogero Street, in Vela Yard, near Ursino Castle there is Gammazzita Well. The story tells that when Angioini governed the Sicily lived here a girl, called Gammzaita that went every day to reach the water in a sink near her home. A french soldier often annoyed her, but the girl, who loved his boy so much, escaped from the stranger. One day the man became more annoying, and the only thing that Gammazita could do to escape from the soldier was to throw herself in the sink rather then to yield to his proposal. Her neighbours hearing her cries reached the place too late to save the unfortunatly girl. Angries they killed the french aggressor and hunted the Angioini away from Catania. In the bottom of the sink today are still blood spots that remember the sad end of this beautiful and sweetest girl...
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| Villalba
is a country near Caltanissetta. Pizzo Lauro is a place
located on the top of the mountain, in which is buried an incredible
treaure, so great that it could be cover the streets of the whole Sicily.
Much people tried to take it at his own risk, but no one succeded to do it,
losing the life falling in the below ravine. Their souls are condemned to
remain in the place forever, or even if someone will find the treasure,
breaking off the spell. In the stormy nights you can hear their sad songs
crying in the wind.
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San Filippo Siriaco is a Church in Calatabiano country. It has got a mysterious writing in its facede, dated 1482. The legend tells that's the key to conquire the treasure hiden in the forehead hill. In the hill there are an incredible amount of golden money. Only a knight riding a white horse will understand the secret of the write and get hold the treasure.
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Pii Brothers Legend |
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Once upon a time in Etna Valley lived 2 brothers, Anapias andAnphinomos, with their parents. One night in 693 b.c. Etna Vulcan erupted. The only way to save themselves was to run faster than ever, but the old parents couldn't walk. so the 2 brothers with their mummy and dad over the shoulder began to run. But they were to slow, .... and a miracule thing happened: magma decelerated and in the middle of it opened a way for the 2 boys. When the whole family was save the passage closed and lava started again to flow. In honour of the two brothers temples were erected in Sicily and statuaries and moneys. Virgil poet celebrated them in his poem, describing the escapement from Troia of Enea and his father Anchise.
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Scilla And Cariddi is named the Straits between Reggio and Messina. The legend was born to explain the whirpools and the get rough sea that killed the sailors in ancient times. Once upon a time in Calabria lived an enchanted girl called Scilla. Glauco, Posidone's son, fell in love with her, but Circe Sorceress loved the boy too. One day won by jealousy Circe throw a cast against the girl. When she touched the water her legs became two terrible and awful savage dogs that drugged her away, destroying in their insane race the land between Italy and Sicily, that so became and island. From then on Scilla, convicted in a cave, devours the sailors ground in the rocks. Cariddi too was a beautiful girl, who lived in Messina, but she was terribly insatiable, and so one day, after devouring Giove's holy cattle, the god throw her off from the cliff, and condamned her to swallow the water sea, causing the whirpools in which died unfortunate sailors.
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At the foot of Etna Mountain, nearby Nunziata country lived a shepherd called Mascali sweetheart of Rosemarine, a beautiful nimph. Efesto too fell in love with her, but the nimph refused his love. One day the jant blind by jealousy, aroused an awful eruption that buried the two lovers. Nowaday in that place exists a town called Mascali in tribute to the little boy and his pure love.
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Nearby Syracuse there is Spring Ciane. The legend tells, that when Ade Kidnapped Proserpina (Kore, Demetra's daughter), Ciane, Liparo's daughter, tried to hold him up. The pain for the failure she started to cry for. She weeped so much that she grow up a river of transparent water. When Ercole arrived in Sicily, he sacrificed a bull in her water and institued the Coree, to celebrate the go back of Summer, taking by Proserpina on the land.
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| Erice and Afrodite's Temple | |
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Venus Temple rose on Erice fortress. Erice, Venus and Bute's son, built the Temple on the rock, for thanking his mother saving his father from the Syrens. That's the reason why Afrodite became sailors protector. Daily sailors, enemies and friends, from east to west, got to the fortress to gain protection and love from the goddes and her priestesses. In ancient times every year on 15th August men, women and goddess' women priest waved doves' fly which came with Venus in her travel to Cipro Sanctuary and her return in Sicily nine days later. |
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