The Unbearable Weight of Love—An Alternative Interpretation of Greek Mythological Tragedy

Author: Wang Qi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: But even more interesting is the birth of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Athena is the daughter of Zeus, and before her birth, Zeus received an oracle: "This child's wisdom will surpass yours, and she will be beloved by the gods." Zeus, like his father Cronus before him, was terrified and took the same action as his father, only to exceed it. He opened his mouth and swallowed his wife, because Athena was still in her womb at the time. This act of harming the innocent was something even his father Cronus had never done. Zeus had survived the jaws of his father and defeated his tyrannical father in the name of justice and ethics. He knew the evil of his father better than anyone else, but when faced with the same dilemma, he fell into the same trap as his father. This is the marvelous cycle of history, where there are astonishing similarities. Understanding evil does not mean it won't happen again. As long as the desire to continue the dream persists, this tragedy will keep repeating itself. Those who forcibly hold onto dreams will become cruel, seeking to eliminate every obstacle that hinders the dream from lingering, even at the cost of turning their children into enemies. Only those who understand the necessity of letting go know that it is inevitable; those who possess the fate of ending destiny can turn towards goodness and become wise. Fan Li of the ancient Yue Kingdom was smarter than Wen Zhong and knew to retreat when things were at their peak. After helping King Goujian of Yue restore his kingdom, he withdrew from politics. Legend has it that he traveled the rivers and lakes with the beautiful Xi Shi, both enriching himself and enjoying the company of a stunningly beautiful woman, while also saving his own life. It was a great. Wen Zhong, however, stayed in the court and refused to leave, seemingly still wanting more glory, but ended up with his head and body separated. What a pity! The more you want, the more you lose. This is the curse of the dream of continuation. P10