Hubris and Perversion in Greek Mythology Essay Sample

Both hubris and perversion are broadly defined as a mortal disrupting the natural order.  In cases of hubris, a mortal oversteps their boundaries as a lesser being due to pride, committing an act of folly or ruin, referred to as atë, which is followed closely by punishment for their crime, known as nemesis.  Similarly, perversion is when a mortal deviates from what is considered to be normal or acceptable, allowing chaos to wreak havoc.  Specific examples showcasing the parallels of these two concepts include the myths of Arachne, a young and skilled weaver; Phaethon, a son of Helios; and Tereus, a lustful Thracian king.

The story of Arachne is considered to be a prime example of hubris, leading to both atë and nemesis.  This is because no human or mortal is supposed to surpass the abilities of a god as Arachne did, and to do so was considered by Greeks to be a blatant act of disrespect against the laws of nature.  As a young girl in the town of Lydia, Arachne excelled at the arts, specifically weaving and embroidery.  She was famed for her dexterity and skill, maidens and nymphs traveling across the country to even catch a glimpse of her work.  In her pride, Arachne challenged Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom, to a contest—“Let her contend in art with me; and if her skill prevails, I then will forfeit all!” (Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 6).  Upon hearing this, Athena came to Arachne disguised as a feeble old woman and asked her to take back her challenge and credit the goddess’ art.  Arachne, fuming with anger, refused the request and once again called upon Athena to come there herself and prove her skill.  Shedding the disguise of the old woman, Athena made herself known and agreed to compete against Arachne—and so it began, goddess versus mortal in a battle of the arts.  At this point, Arachne has already committed atë.  In believing that her skill was above that of a god, she has committed the hubristic act that will eventually lead to her downfall.  Both Athena and Arachne wove skillful, beautiful patterns in the competition, but even Athena had to admit, the young girl’s tapestry was superior.  This angered Athena so greatly that she beat Arachne over the head and, upset and offended by such an insult, Arachne was driven to suicide.  The goddess pitied Arachne and saved her life, but, still angry, decided to turn her into a spider so that she may continue living, however doomed to an eternity of weaving webs.  This event marks Arachne’s nemesis, the punishment for her crime.

Another myth that exemplifies hubris is that of Phaethon, also containing distinct occurrences of atë and nemesis.  This story is different from Arachne’s in that Phaethon does not challenge the skill of a god, but instead attempts to act as one.  This once again disrupts and disrespects the natural order, and is deserving of punishment in the eyes of ancient Greeks.  Born to a mortal mother, Phaethon was told all his life of his divine lineage as a child of Helios, the god of the sun.  Phaethon was skeptical however and decided to ask his father himself.  Helios met his son with joy, happily confirming Phaethon’s lineage, even swearing to grant the boy any wish he pleased if it might prove his parentage.  Phaethon requested to command his father’s chariot, which was believed to be the sun itself, for a day, but Helios was hesitant—“It is unsafe to satisfy thy will…for thou art mortal, and thou hast aspired to things immortal.” (Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 2).  Helios explained to Phaethon all the dangers that would come with driving the chariot, but still Phaethon persisted.  This is Phaethon’s atë.  His pride brings him to believe that he possesses the ability of a god, despite his father’s warning, causing him to commit the hubristic act that will ultimately lead to his death.  Giving in to his son’s urging, Helios reluctantly allowed Phaethon to fly the chariot across the sky.  Before Phaethon leaves on his fateful journey, Helios pleaded with him to be careful and to “steer the middle course.” (Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 2).  The “middle course” is also mentioned in other myths of hubris and is in reference to the Greek belief of meden agan—“nothing in excess.” Again, Phaethon ignores Helios’ warning.  Once in the air, it does not take long for Phaethon to lose control of the horses, letting go of the reins in fear and allowing the chariot to fly too close to the land and sky.  The Earth called out to Zeus for help as her cities and forests burned and, hearing Earth’s pleas, Zeus struck Phaethon out of the sky, killing him instantly as he fell from the chariot.  This is considered to be Phaethon’s punishment, the nemesis of his story.

The myth of Tereus, Procne, and Philomela is not one of hubris, but rather one of perversion and chaos.  Similar to hubris, perverse acts are those that go against the established and acceptable norms of Greek society, resulting in more perversion and chaos, sometimes even across generations.  After aiding Athens in battle, Tereus, the king of Thrace, was awarded in marriage to Procne, the Athenian princess.  Together they had a son, Itys.  Years later, Procne wished to see her sister, Philomela, sending Tereus to retrieve her from Athens.  However, Tereus fell madly in love immediately upon laying eyes on Philomela, having no regard for his wife and son back in Thrace.  King Pandion, the father of Procne and Philomela, made Tereus promise to care for and protect his daughter during the journey.  Upon returning to Thrace, Tereus hid Philomela away in an old, abandoned house in the woods, where he would continuously brutalize and rape her, going so far as to even cut off her tongue.  This is the initial act of perversion in this story and will ultimately lead to further deviance and chaos as time goes on—as Philomela says, “...you shall suffer for this grievous wrong and time shall hasten to avenge my wreck.” (Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 6).  Tereus’ acts are perverse in and of themselves, but also in that he failed to uphold his oath to Pandion to protect Philomela.  In Greek culture, violation of oaths was considered to be one of the most unspeakable crimes, on par with even murder.  Over the next year, Philomela would weave a tapestry recounting her peril, sending it to Procne in an attempt to communicate her situation.  This is an example of female wit and cunning, termed metis, which is present across much of Greek mythology.  Procne received the message and quickly rescued Philomela, bringing her back to the palace where they plotted their revenge.  The sisters decided to butcher Tereus’ son, Itys, cooking a royal feast for the king.  The murder and cannabalism of Itys marks the further perversion and chaos following Tereus acts and serves as the ultimate consequence for his abuse of Philomela.

As is evident across all three of these myths, hubris and perversion were thought to be among the worst acts a mortal could commit because they diverged from the natural order that characterized mortals and their inferiority to the gods.  Although they appear to differ slightly in structure, the format of hubris and perversion myths are very similar.  Atë can be equated to the initial perverse act and nemesis equated to chaos.  This furthers the conclusion that overall, both hubris and perversion myths are meant to serve the same purpose—to warn mortals of the consequences of their actions, whether they be based in pride or chaos.