Erysichthon

Though most of you, at least those that come to class, will hear me recite this sometime this week I thought it would be nice to have a reference to call upon closer to test time. Basically, the story of Erysichthon involves horrible greed and eventual gluttony, something that funny enough we Americans seem to be dealing with as a country. Anyway, Erysichthon goes to a forest one day to cut some trees for his kingdom with a group of men. And, being greedy, Erysichthon finds a tree singled out that is different from the rest. One would think this would be a sign to any religious Greek that something is amiss. However, Erysichthon goes ahead with his plan and strikes the poor tree.

The tree cries out, for it is not merely a tree but a nymph in the care of Demeter. It turns white, every leave and branch, and blood comes pouring from the axe entrance. One man cries out in protest, surely Erysichthon must give up this tree for it is sacred. But Erysichthon is really having none of that. He swiftly cuts off his protesters head and continues to cut the nymph. With her dying breath she curses Erysichthon and calls upon Demeter to avenge her. Demeter does avenge the nymph by sending hunger to reside in Erysichthon's belly forevermore.

Upon waking, Erysichthon finds his hunger to be insatiable. He eats everything in sight, drinks every drop to drink, but nothing can satisfy him. Eating himself nearly out of house and home he has nothing left but one thing to get him food. His daughter, Erysichthon decides, will be the perfect bartering tool to gain him money for more food. His daughter is sold to a man who has despicable things in mind indeed, and prays to Neptune to save her from this horrid fate. Neptune does save her, by giving her the power of metamorphosis and the girl transforms into a man. Her captor, confused, asks what has happened to the maiden standing there not but a minute ago. She replies there was no maiden and goes back to her fathers. (Which why would she want to go back to the man who sold her is beyond me.)

So Erysichthon decides it is a marvelous idea to have his daughter be traded and transform to a new shape to return home allowing for a steady income and a stockpile of food. She agrees to this, (again I must note why Neptune is not outraged by her abuse of his gift) and is traded over and over again to each new unsuspecting customer. Finally, Erysichthon surcumbs to his hunger and devours himself. Sorry, I didn't say it would be a happy ending.But this story can show us a lot especially about our current culture. Are we as American's slowly devouring ourselves with our greed? All that possesses the past possesses the future. I guess we will see.