The first few chapters of the Penguin Book of Mermaids introduced the reader to a variety of myths and stories about the deities and creatures that dwell in the ocean. These myths used these deities and creatures to highlight important values and beliefs of the culture it was being told from. One of the focal points within these stories was the power that knowledge held. This focus is seen in both the story of Oannes and the sirens in the Odyssey. However, these two myths take a different approach to how knowledge can be wielded; knowledge can be a source of creation and destruction.
The tale of Oannes centers on knowledge as a source of creation. Before Oannes imparted knowledge to the people who lived in Chaldea, the author states that they lived like beasts in the field (p.3). By being likened to ‘beasts of the field’ the inhabitants of Chaldea are seen as unknowing and disorganized, living without a set way of life. Oannes taught them farming techniques, political organization, and introduced them to intellectual pursuits such as geometric knowledge. With Oanne’s teachings, this lack of rule and order changed into something more structured and created a society where the people were allowed to truly flourish.
On the other hand, the Sirens and the Odyssey center around knowledge leading to destruction. In our previous class discussion, the professor mentioned that the Greeks believed that listening to celestial music would lead to a person’s undoing. When Odysseus hears the Siren’s music, he asks his crewmates to free him from the mast where he’s been bound. Instead of listening to his demands, his crew rows swiftly away from the area until the siren’s calls no longer affect him (p.11-12). If Odysseus hadn’t been strapped to the mast and if the crew didn’t have wax stuffed in their ears, Odysseus’ journey would have been cut short. Unlike the helpfulness from Oannes, the Sirens wanted to use their knowledge of the future to lead them men to their doom. These myths show that knowledge is a powerful tool that can be used to both uplift humanity and also demolish it.
Works Cited:
Bacchilega, C., & Brown, M. A. (Eds.). (2019). The Penguin book of mermaids. Penguin