Potnia theron

Potnia theron ( ancient Greek Πότνια θηρῶν, ruler of the Wild ') was a female deity of the ancient world, as mistress of wild animals, but also mythical creatures and hermaphrodite forms, occurred and was responsible for the protection of wild animals. The term occurs for the first time in Homer on, in the 21st book of the Iliad, v. 470, where it is equated with the goddess Artemis.

Iliad

In Homer's Iliad, Artemis turns to her twin brother Apollo, who avoids a fight with Poseidon, which he did not intend to lead the " mortals " sake. Verses 470-477 of the 21 singing loud in the original Greek text and the English translation of Thassilo of Scheffer ( Potnia theron in the original Greek text for clarity in green ):

τὸν δὲ κασιγνήτη μάλα νείκεσε πότνια θηρῶν Ἄρτεμις ἀγροτέρη, καὶ ὀνείδειον φάτο μῦθον · φεύγεις δὴ ἑκάεργε, Ποσειδάωνι δὲ νίκην πᾶσαν ἐπέτρεψας, μέλεον δέ οἱ εὖχος ἔδωκας · νηπύτιε τί νυ τόξον ἔχεις ἀνεμώλιον αὔτως; μή σευ νῦν ἔτι πατρὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἀκούσω εὐχομένου, ὡς τὸ πρὶν ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν, ἄντα Ποσειδάωνος ἐναντίβιον πολεμίζειν.

But since switching him bitter sister, the Lady of the Wild, Artemis, hurried through the floods, and abusive, she began: "Really, o admirable marksman, you flee, and leaves the Poseidon Fully victory and leaves him easily -won honor? Gate, why are you wearing only your bow so useless? That I just do not hear you in the future hall of the Father Prahl ends word as once in the circle of the eternal gods: Poseidon cons you'd brave in battle shalt turn. "

Interpretation

Archaeologists, cultural and religious scientists transferred the concept to a goddess of the Minoan civilization (about 2000 BC to about 1400 BC). From Neupalastzeit ( 1700-1450 BC), necklaces and tiaras with pictures of Potnia theron and octopuses found in Kato Zakros. As the only preserved mural on which the Potnia theron is shown, a fresco from the Bronze Age Akrotiri on Santorini, on which the goddess is accompanied by a monkey and a griffin applies. Other transfers took place on other goddesses who were imaged together with animals and show power over them.

The Potnia theron was equated in Greek mythology the goddess Artemis, the Roman Diana and with the Etruscan with Artumes.

A male equivalent is the Lord of the animals, which occurs in the Minoan culture and in various other and is also identified with the Horned God.

Linear B

The core component of the name Potnia, which means roughly mother goddess; in Knossos and Pylos several panels were discovered in Linear B with various other attributes:

• PO -TI -NI -JA ( = Potnia )
• A- TA -NA PO -TI -NI -JA and DA- PU -RI- TO- JO PO -TI -NI -JA ( = Atana Potnia )
• A- SI - WI -JA ( = Potnia Aswia )
• PO -TI -NI -JA I- QE- YES ( = Potnia Hikkweia or Potnia Hippeia )