Historical and mythological records contain many figures whose actions or stories involve the extreme mistreatment of children. In many cases, these narratives were used as cautionary tales, reflections of harsh societal realities, or expressions of the "divine indifference" of ancient gods.[Gemini]
Mythological Figures
In mythology, the mistreatment of children often symbolizes the destruction of the future or the consequences of extreme pride (hubris).
• Cronus (Greek Mythology): To prevent a prophecy that his children would overthrow him, he swallowed his five newborn children (Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon) as soon as they were born.
• Medea (Greek Mythology): In Euripides’ famous tragedy, Medea kills her two sons to punish her husband, Jason, after he abandons her for another woman.
• Tantalus (Greek Mythology): To test the omniscience of the gods, he killed his son Pelops, cooked him into a stew, and served him at a banquet for the Olympians.
• Heracles (Hercules): Driven into a fit of temporary madness by the goddess Hera, the hero killed his own children (and in some versions, his wife Megara).
• La Llorona (Latin American Folklore): A legendary figure who, after being betrayed by her husband, drowns her children in a river and is condemned to wander the earth weeping for them.
________________________________________
Historical Figures
History records individuals whose power or psychological state led to documented atrocities against minors.
• Gilles de Rais (15th Century France): A comrade-in-arms of Joan of Arc, he was later convicted and executed for the abduction, sexual assault, and murder of dozens—possibly hundreds—of children.
• Elizabeth Báthory (16th-17th Century Hungary): Known as the "Blood Countess," she was accused of torturing and killing hundreds of young girls, many of whom were teenagers sent to her castle for servant work or education.
• Amelia Dyer (19th Century UK): A "baby farmer" in Victorian England who was paid to care for infants (often from unwed mothers) but instead murdered them for profit. She is estimated to have killed hundreds.
• The Roman Emperor Tiberius: Historians like Suetonius recorded accounts of Tiberius engaging in horrific sexual abuse of young children and infants during his seclusion on the island of Capri.
• Herod the Great: According to the Gospel of Matthew, he ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents"—the execution of all male children under the age of two in Bethlehem—though the historical scale of this specific event is debated by scholars.
No comments:
Post a Comment