On
this Valentine’s Day, what better way to celebrate than read a love story? Love
is in the air and mythology is replete with stories of love, passion and
sometimes separation.
This
is a Greek love story of Ceyx and
Alcyone.
Ceyx
was the son of the morning star and the King of Trachis, a Greek city. He was
happily married to Alcyone, the daughter of the King of winds. Once, Ceyx
decided to travel across the seas to consult with the Oracles of Delphi.
Hearing this, Alcyone was worried, as she was witness to many a tragic scenes
of tempest from her father’s castle. She requested Ceyx not to make the
journey, and if had to, then she would accompany him. Ceyx would agree to
neither and decided to go ahead with the journey, leaving his wife sad and
lonely.
No
sooner had the ship gone past Alcyone’s sight, it was caught in turbulent
weather and all in the ship were drowned. Ceyx died with the single thought in
his mind that he had managed to save the life of Alcyone by not letting her accompany
him. Unaware of the tragedy, Alcyone would wait for her love and prayed to
goddess Juno for the safety of Ceyx. Juno was moved by her plight and sent her
messenger to the house of Somnus1, the god of sleep. Juno wanted the god of
sleep to appear in the dreams of Alcyone and inform her of the death of Ceyx.
Somnus
commanded his son, Morpheus2, the god of dreams, to do the needful. Morpheus,
who could change into any form he desired, took the form of Ceyx and appeared
at the bedside of Alcyone, and recounted the gloomy details of his shipwreck
and death. Alcyone woke up in tears and called out for Ceyx.
Next
morning, she went to the seashore and stood all alone in silence. At a distance
she could see something floating towards her. As it came close, she realized it
was the dead body of Ceyx. She rushed towards the body and before she could
drown in the waters, she developed wings and started to fly! She had been
changed into a kingfisher bird (halcyon). When Alcyone, tried to kiss the face
of the dead Ceyx, she could not do so due to the horny beak. The gods took pity
on her and soon Ceyx too was converted into a similar bird and both flew away
together in the horizon.
No
wonder they say that the bonds of true love can never be broken and even gods
are moved by the plight of broken hearts!
It
is said that every winter, for a period of two weeks, Alcyone’s father calms
the winds and the waves, so that Alcyone in the form of Halcyon or the
Kingfisher bird can safely make her nest on the beach and lay her eggs. Hence
the phrase in English – “halcyon days” meaning a period of peace and
tranquility, owes its origin to this beautiful love story!
The
ancient people of the Mediterranean used to believe that Kingfishers built
floating nests made up of fish bones on the sea. Wherever the nest drifted, the
sea would turn calm, thanks to the King of Winds. Mariners in the earlier days
used to carry a dried body of a kingfisher to ward off the evils of lightening.
This
myth has been quoted in literature by Shakespeare and poets like Milton and
Keats recounting the saga of love in different forms.
1 Somnus – The
words, ‘Somnanbulism’ (walking in sleep) and ‘insomnia’ (lack
of sleep) are derived from the
word ‘somnus’
2 Morpheus – ‘Morphine’,
a drug to relieve pain gets its name from Morpheus
On this day of love, if you need
more, please refer to my earlier articles –
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