This Is Why Prometheus Hated Birds So Much (Must-Read) - Bird Gap

Last updated on June 15th, 2022 at 11:15 pm

The Greek god Prometheus is known for many things, including his hatred of birds. So, where does this come from?

Prometheus hated birds so much because they had gifts from the gods that men did not, and he was also cursed with an eagle devouring his flesh daily for eternity. According to legend, Prometheus would regrow his liver every night just for the eagle to eat it out of him again.

Table of Contents

• Two Reasons That Prometheus Hated Birds
  • Birds and the Gifts From the Gods
  • Prometheus and the Caucasian Eagle
    • Other References to the Caucasian Eagle in Greek Mythology
• Why Was Zeus Associated With Eagles?
  • Meaning of the Eagle in the Odyssey
  • Meaning of Eagles in Other Myths and Legends
• Other Birds in Greek Mythology
  • Aphrodite and the Dove
  • Apollo and the Raven
  • Athena and the Owl
• Sources

Two Reasons That Prometheus Hated Birds

Prometheus hated birds for two reasons.

• He felt it unfair that birds had the power of flight and man didn’t.
• An eagle would tear his liver from his flesh every day, eating him alive. It could do this continually because his liver would regenerate each night.

Birds and the Gifts From the Gods

According to Greek mythology, Prometheus had a brother named Epimetheus who granted birds and other animals a myriad of magical gifts, including the gift of flight.

While his brother worked to strengthen the animal world, Prometheus built mankind out of clay.

However, Prometheus felt that his brother had left no magic for mankind and resented his brother.

To make mankind stronger, Prometheus stole fire from the gods at Mount Olympus and taught men to use it to create tools.

He also taught man how to farm crops, use weapons, and survive harsh conditions.

Prometheus and the Caucasian Eagle

When Prometheus stole fire from the gods at Mount Olympus, he faced severe consequences from Zeus.

The myth says that Zeus punished mankind by creating the woman Pandora, who’d tear at the hearts of men and carry the curse of Pandora’s box.

Zeus also cursed Prometheus by chaining him to a mountain and commanding the Caucasian Eagle to eat his flesh daily, devouring his liver.

Because Prometheus is immortal and regenerates flesh, the punishment is one of eternal suffering.

As the story goes, the hero Herakles eventually found Prometheus and freed him from the mountain by taking down the eagle with arrows.

The Caucasian Eagle was later represented as the constellation Aquila and Prometheus, and the arrows were represented as the Kneeler and Saggita.

Other References to the Caucasian Eagle in Greek Mythology

Although the punishment of Prometheus is the most famous appearance of the Caucasian Eagle in Greek mythology, it does make other appearances.

The Caucasian Eagle is the sacred creature of Zeus, and it was also called by the name Aetos Kaukasios.

The Caucasian Eagle is related to the Nemean Lion and the Lernaean Hydra, other mythical creatures born of Echidna and Typon.

According to the writer Hyginus, the bird lived to torment Prometheus for at least 30,000 years and perhaps longer.

Why Was Zeus Associated With Eagles?

Zeus was associated with eagles because he could transform into one and he’d call upon the Caucasian Eagle and other eagles to do his bidding.

Ordinary eagles carried Zeus’s thunderbolts, while the magical Caucasian Eagle would carry out long-term punishments.

This association may have originated from the eagle’s dominance in the animal kingdom and especially in the sky.

The eagle is diurnal and therefore associated with light, like Zeus. And this is just one of many instances in which the eagle is tied to power, fearlessness, and nobility.

Meaning of the Eagle in the Odyssey

In Homer’s The Odyssey, a fortuneteller predicts the coming of Odysseus based on the flight pattern of an eagle flying overhead.

The eagle flies to the right three times while carrying a dead dove, which the seer interprets as a sign that Odysseus is coming and that his wife’s suitors will die.

This part of The Odyssey reflects the Ancient Greek tradition surrounding birds. Seers looked to birds for signs of what was to come, both in mythology and everyday life.

Meaning of Eagles in Other Myths and Legends

Many myths and legends reference eagles as symbols of the powerful.

These include Roman mythology, where eagles are associated with the god Jupiter, and Indian tradition, where the eagle Garuda serves as the goddess Vishnu’s steed.

In Mexico, the eagle is associated with the god of agriculture and all things related to plant life.

Other Birds in Greek Mythology

Many birds have symbolism in Greek mythology, and often they’re associated with a certain god or goddess.

Aphrodite and the Dove

The goddess of fertility and love, Aphrodite, was associated strongly with the dove.

In visual depictions of Aphrodite, you’ll often notice doves surrounding her or resting on her hands.

Because of this association, modern interpretations of the dove often associate the bird with loyalty and love in relationships.

Apollo and the Raven

As the stories go, the raven was originally a white bird until it encountered Apollo’s rage.

The bird had been sent to spy on Apollo’s lover, and when it reported to him that the lover was cheating, he scorched the bird, turning it black all over.

This is but one reference of many in which the raven is portrayed as a messenger of the gods, especially a messenger carrying bad news or ill omen.

Athena and the Owl

Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, was strongly associated with the owl.

Images of her often portray a small owl by her side, which reflects the fact that Athena was believed to have an owl by her side as a companion.

Having an owl by her side allowed her to see in her blind spots and in darkness, a powerful metaphor for wisdom.

This association comes from the owl’s ability to see through the darkness, but it also has to do with the owl’s natural intelligence.

Because of the association between Athena and the owl, the Greek four-drachma coin had Athena’s figure on one side of the coin and an image of an owl on the other.

Owls were very common in Ancient Greece, so much so that the phrase “owls to Athens” was used to refer to giving something to someone that they already had too much of.

Sources

• Theoi Greek Mythology: Aetos Kaukasios(Caucasian Eagle)