Tiresias, Film Treatment, 1985

He who delights in signs ...

Robert Graves¹

Introduction

In the archaic legend of Oedipus, Tiresias is introduced as the most renowned Seer in the whole of Greece. We are told that he was very old, he was blind, and could foretell the future because he "could understand the language of birds."

It is Tiresias who reveals to Oedipus the truth of his "hidden" crimes. It is Tiresias who makes Oedipus conscious of what has been only known unconsciously. At first Tiresias resists divulging this secret knowledge, but Oedipus forces him to do so. Tiresias knows that the conscious mind of Oedipus cannot tolerate such truth. It can only drive him to madness.

And so, Oedipus the rationalist, face to face with the images of his past that should have remained forgotten, blinds himself—and is banished from the City of Thebes and the comforts of civilisation forever, to be an outcast and a wanderer.

Why does Oedipus blind himself? Is it a metaphor for going mad?

At the moment Oedipus blinds himself he is of course mad—but is he not in some unconscious way expressing his frustration and anger at not being equal to the power of Tiresias? Is he not showing, unconsciously, his desire to be identical to Tiresias? At this moment especially, would Oedipus not have preferred to have been at some time initiated into the Hermetic powers of Tiresias, to withstand the knowledge that can only otherwise drive him to madness? What is the hidden meaning in this relationship, this sadomasochistic love between Oedipus and Tiresias, the two Blindmen?

How did Tiresias become blind? We are told several different stories by Ovid and other classical writers as to how Tiresias became blind and, related to it, received the power to prophesy the future.

Ovid wrote: "Some say that Athene, who had blinded him for inadvertently seeing her bathing, was moved by his Mother's plea and, taking the serpent Erichthonious gave the order: Cleanse the ears of Tiresias with your tongue that he may understand the language of prophetic birds."²

Others say that once, on Mount Cyllene, Tiresias had seen two serpents in the act of coupling. When both attacked him, he struck at them with his staff, killing the female. Immediately he was turned into a woman, and became a celebrated harlot; but seven years later he happened to see the same sight again at the same spot and regained his manhood by killing the male serpent. Tiresias the Seer—the prophet—the Shaman—is initiated into those "pagan" mysteries that are not revealed to ordinary men. This means "He has seen the Goddess naked"—he has witnessed truth that is more than rational, uninitiated eyes can bear. Only through initiation into the mysteries of the Goddess can he withstand such knowledge without going mad.

It is not surprising to discover also that Tiresias is attributed with the other important feature normally attributed to the Shaman—or primitive magician—bisexuality.

We know from [Mircea] Eliade that the Shamans from the east invariably dressed as women, especially in their states of ecstasy when they are in contact with the highest powers—their dual sexual roles symbolising their dual existence on earth and "heaven," the latter expressed by the wearing of the Robes of the Goddess, symbolising Divine Knowledge.³

Others say that Hera one day began reproaching Zeus for his numerous infidelities. He defended them by arguing that, at any rate, when he did share her couch, she had the more enjoyable time by far. "Women of course derive infinitely greater pleasure from the sexual act than men," he insisted. "What nonsense," cried Hera, "the exact contrary is the case and well you know it." Tiresias, summoned to settle the dispute from his personal experience, answered: "If the parts of love pleasure be counted as ten, Thrice three go to women, only one to men." Hera was so exasperated by Zeus' triumphant grin that she blinded Tiresias: but Zeus...