Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



When Lieu is wounded, he utters a loud cry 

 and flies off in the shape of an eagle. 

 Achilleus, like Lieu, is the descendant of Zeus 

 and his sister Hera. Zeus undergoes the 

 couvade, when Typhon uses on Zeus the 

 sickle and cuts out his " tendons." This made 

 Zeus helpless like a woman — the couvade. 

 Here we see in Italy and Wales the traits of 

 eagle and cuckoo blent in one story. Achil- 

 leus is called purisoos " fiery " and ligyron 

 " shrill." The first syllables of his name sug- 

 gest Doric acha, " roar." At the court of 

 Lycomedes on the isle of Scyros, hidden 

 among girls, he was called Pyrrha from his 

 golden locks. He was educated by Phoenix 

 the sun hero, was hot-headed, violent and a 

 terrible fighter ; his sulking in his tent after 

 the death of Patroklos may be the survival of 

 the couvade. The contest with the river 

 Scamander shows his sun origin. Now though 

 Kalev does no deed like this, Kalevipoeg, his 

 reputed son, has a contest with Lake Peipus. 



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