#daedala

Alalcomenae is a small village, and it lies at the very foot of a mountain of no great height. Its name, some say, is derived from Alalcomenes, an aboriginal [earthborn], by whom Athena was brought up.

—Pausanias 9.33.5

Athena was called Alalcomeneis in the Iliad, possibly as a reference to this! Near the town’s temple of Athena is a river called Triton, which would *also* explain her Homeric epithet of Tritogeneia, if Zeus gave birth to her there, and if its nymphs nursed her in her youth.

For it is said that when Hera was at odds with Zeus, and was no longer willing to consort with him, but hid herself, he was wandering about, utterly perplexed, and fell in with Alalcomenes the earthborn, and was taught by him that, to trick Hera, he must pretend to wed another wife.

So Alalcomenes helped him, and they secretly cut down a tall and beautiful oak, and shaped it and dressed it in bridal array, and called it Daedalá: then the hymeneal bridal song was duly chanted, and the nymphs of Triton brought up lustral water, and Boeotia supplied flutes and festal processions.

But when these performances went on, Hera could bear it no longer, but came down from Cithaeron, followed by the women of Plataea, and from anger and jealousy came running up to Zeus, and when the counterfeit became manifest, she was reconciled to him and with joy and laughter herself, led the bridal procession, and gave additional honour to the statue, and called the festival Daedala, and nevertheless from jealousy burnt the thing, lifeless though it was.

—Plutarch’s On the Daedala fragment

Zeus wandering about, deep in thought, trying to think what he can do to get Hera back with him again is really really cute. Either he finds the guy who raised his daughter or he meets a friend he’ll one day trust enough to raise his daughter.

In the second paragraph I emphasized some important cult details of the festival which Pausanias emphasized about the festival, below. I am curious if “Boeotia provided…” refers to the people of Boeotia or if a nymph-goddess named Boeotia was at the wedding.

Oh!! And !! I love that Hera got to just… laugh. Like the whole scheme was so ridiculous, but their petty squabble was so unimportant that all she could do was laugh about it and reunite with her man. I also love that, implicitly, Hera had been hanging out in Plataea and was comforted by its women. I imagine one of her priestesses feeding her breakup cake and telling Hera that her man didn’t deserve her.

Not far from Alalcomenae is a grove of oaks. Here the trunks of the oaks are the largest in Boeotia. To this grove come the Plataeans and lay out portions of boiled flesh. They keep a strict watch on the crows which flock to them […] They cut down the trunk of the tree on which the crow has settled, and make of it the Daedala; for this is the name that they give to the wooden image also [in addition to calling the wooden image “Plataea” after the daughter of River Asopos].

—Pausanias 9.3.4

💞💞💞

Hera, Athena, and Zeus being a big happy family ahhh. This is just like how Hera, Zeus, and Dionysus are a big happy family in Lesbos, according to Sappho. Or like how Servius recorded Hermes getting angry at anybody who didn’t come to the wedding of Hera and Zeus 💞💞 similar in concept was that vase where Ares and Hermes physically restrained Ixion in the court of Hera, bc he considered himself equal to Zeus and wanted to defile Hera’s chastity. Or that play where Castor and Polydeuces served in Hera’s entourage, protecting her on the way to the Judgement of Paris.

Sadly no, nonny, I don’t celebrate the Daedala because it’s specifically a Boeotian festival.

When I researched it last year I do not remember seeing a hint of a date or season for the festival, no. But I have my own speculation about that.

Through the epithets Nympheuomene, Teleia, and Khera this festival represents the cycle of Hera and women in marriage, in their lifetimes. To me this follows the cycle of the seasons - spring, summer, and winter - and Hera is oft associated with the Horae. Continuing with this idea, it would make sense if the main theme of the festival fell in line with the seasons - namely, the separation and reconciliation of Hera and Zeus representing winter and the inherent fertility of marriage leading to a bountiful spring. The festival is a hieros gamos after all, and in Athens the Theogamia is traditionally held at the height of winter. As the Daedala was held every six years (I’m uncertain if this is inclusive counting) in my theory it’s possible the Daedala may have supplanted Boiotia’s hieros gamos for Hera and Zeus that year, assuming they followed a similar tradition to Athens.

That the festival is conducted with typically khthonian rituals is a whole other problem that I haven’t put much thought into yet. It is also a civic festival of sorts as it was held in celebration of the freedom and coming together of the people of Plataia.

When placing my hieros gamos / Theogamia for Argos I have temporarily stuck with the same date as Athens (27th) to use in the corresponding month in winter. After some divination to confirm, the gods were happy with that unless I found better evidence in the future. You could very well do the same.

I’ll leave you with some references, some I lifted straight from the bibliography of The Hera of Zeus - as they’re in French I haven’t read them myself but some may find use for them.

The Hera of Zeus by Pirenne-Delforge and Pironti, pg 96-107

The Boeotian Festival of the Daedala

Iversen, P. A. 2007. ‘The Small and Great Daidala in Boiotian History’, Historia 56: 381–418.

Prandi, L. 1983. ‘L’Heraion di Platea e la festa di Daidala’, in M. Sordi (ed.), Santuari e politica nel mondo antico. Milan, pp. 82–94.

Stood upon the summit of Mt Kithairon, his back to Boeotian lands, Zeus looked out over Attica and beyond to the distant Argolid, seeking a glimpse of cerulean, a flash of gold, a sliver of his wife’s beauty.

‘You are glum, god of gods.’

A breeze shook the trees and Zeus breathed in the greeting of the mountain. “I am alone in this world.”

A family of pheasants bobbed out from beneath the shrubbery, the strutting cock leading his hen and three chicks. ‘Never alone.’

“Without my queen I am bereft of the will to go on.” Zeus threw his arms wide, eyes closed, to declare, “I would walk the waters of Acheron, I would unseat Hades. For what is earth without her?”

‘What removed her from your side?’

The king tore at tree before him in anger, splitting the trunk wide and sending a shower of leaves into the growing winds. “My own fool actions.”

‘What have you done now? No—‘ Screeching birds took flight and beasts bounded away as the very earth of the mountain rumbled in laughter. ‘I do not need your story.’

“It matters not. I cannot win her back, she will not listen to my words of love!”

‘Words without action.’

Clouds gathering around the summit began to glow blue, threatening thunder and lightning as Zeus’ patience dwindled. “You speak too freely, Kithairon.”

‘Then I will hasten. When were you last united in your love?’

Casting his mind back through wars and labours and human turmoil, Zeus was dismayed. “When we were wed.” It was offhand, an exaggeration, but one that still struck to the core.

‘Then marry.’

“You forget, you old fool. I am already married to the golden-throned Hera.”

‘Not her. Marry again. Ascend my winding paths with your bridal procession for all lands to see. An extravagant parade. Dress a wooden figure from the tree you just destroyed as your bride.’

Zeus watched, intrigued, as his storm clouds shifted and merged until they formed the image of two walking figures arm in arm.

‘Hera would fight all of Greece to keep you.’

A third cloud-figure swooped in and crashed into the couple, scattering the cloudy wisps.

So Zeus declared he would be wed, and immediately stirred the Boeotians to action. The largest cow and ox were chosen to offer in celebration, and garlands and cloth and banners as colourful as Iris’ trail heralded the coming bridal procession.

His wooden bride seated beside him, Zeus and the mortal parade began their ascent of Kithairon. He did not have to wait long.

Like a shrieking harpy the queen of Olympos descended upon the parade, revellers freezing in place or scattering at the fury of the goddess.

But Zeus stood firm beside his wooden ruse, facing his wife unblinking.

Even as she boarded the carriage, murder in her eyes, and tore violently at the fake bride, Zeus watched in silence.

Until Hera saw that beneath the cloth was a daedala, a mere wooden figure, and she fell silent too. Quiet descended in her wake.

Then a giggle. The soft, embarrassed laughter of one who had discovered their mistake. Hera’s mirth grew and grew, peeling laughter ringing out, and the king chuckled at the delight now shining on her face.

“Would you prefer wood to me, then?” Hera tossed the figure off the bridal carriage without waiting for his obvious answer. “You would lose me to a dead tree limb?”

“I lost you a thousand times in a thousand ways without you by my side this past moon.” He cupped her cheek, blind to the mortals cautiously drawing close to watch their reunion. “I lose you every time you doubt the strength of my love and the sincerity of my wedding vow.”

Hera covered his hand with her own, a warmth like no other flooding him with relief at her touch. “Will you vow to me again this day? Shall we continue this ascent and marry atop Kithairon?”

“I will. Let us burn away the memory of this ugliness.”

And so Zeus declared the procession would continue, and the mortals took up their bridal songs and wedding garlands anew, celebrating the mountain climb with a full sacrifice.

Far behind, trailing the procession, one Plataean lifted the daedala aloft, the discarded bride to be burned on the altar.

The Daedala is a Boeotian festival in honour of Hera and her reconciliation with Zeus. It was held every (roughly) 4 years, and a Great Daedala was held every 60 years.

The myth goes that Hera had quarreled with Zeus and escaped to Euboea, the hill and sanctuary in Argolis near where she was hidden and raised after birth. Zeus, unable to reconcile with his wife, begged either the mountain god Kithairon, Kithairon the ruler in Plataia, or the Boeotian hero Alalkomenes, for help. He was advised a deception would win back the affections of his wife, and that he was to dress up a daedala (wooden figure) as a bride and announce his nuptuals. With full grandeur and bridal pompe, he and the procession ascended Mt Kithairon. Hera, hearing the news, rushed to the mountain and tore the clothes from the bride - but upon discovering the wooden figure, she burst into laughter and joyously took the imposter’s place in the procession. The wooden daedala was then burned.

There is one epithet, Hera Khera, that refers to her as a widow and to her separation from Zeus.

It was said that multiple daedala were made by each city in Boeotia, and only one was chosen for the honour of representing Zeus’ bride. Upon the sixtieth year and the Great Daedala, a procession of the daedala as brides and bridesmaids were driven by chariot up to Mt Kithairon. Upon the summit a wooden altar was built and animals were slaughtered - a heifer for Hera and a bull for Zeus. The altar, daedala and sacrifices were then burned in their entirety.

There are many theories on the origins of this festival - a Minoan fire festival, the reconciliation of Plataia and Thebes, a celebration of Boeotian unity, a sacred marriage or heiros gamos, a khthonic festival, a fertility festival - but the daedala as mortal bride and the subsequent burning of the figure always remains.

Sources

Pausanias

Plutarch

The Boeotian Festival of the Daedala

I find it very telling that not only did Zeus have to be shown securing his marriage, it was by trickery, in a grand show, that ended in what can be seen as a hieros gamos. Not only was he cunning and oh-so-clever in winning back his wife, they (potentially) made their vows anew because of it.

And finished the story of the Daedala myth this morning.

Since this festival is about the separation of Zeus and Hera, and their reconciliation, it is deeply personal to me as I thank Hera Khera, the widow or separated woman, for all her guidance, love and support she bestows upon me.

Here’s a list of all the major retailers that you can pre-order The Chronicles of Terlan: Daedala.