[7]
Now there was among the Thebans
a soothsayer, Tiresias, son of Everes and a nymph Chariclo, of the family of Udaeus, the
Spartan,1 and he had lost the sight
of his eyes. Different stories are told about his blindness and his power of soothsaying.
For some say that he was blinded by the gods because he revealed their secrets to men.
But Pherecydes says that he was blinded by Athena2; for Chariclo
was dear to Athena ... and Tiresias saw the goddess stark naked, and she covered his
eyes with her hands, and so rendered him sightless. And when Chariclo asked her to restore
his sight, she could not do so, but by cleansing his ears she caused him to understand
every note of birds; and she gave him a staff of cornel-wood,3
wherewith he walked like those who see. But Hesiod says that he beheld snakes
copulating on Cyllene, and that having wounded them he was turned from a man into a woman,
but that on observing the same snakes copulating again, he became a man.4 Hence,
when Hera and Zeus disputed whether the pleasures of love are felt more by
women or by men, they referred to him for a decision. He said that if the pleasures of
love be reckoned at ten, men enjoy one and women nine. Wherefore Hera blinded him, but
Zeus bestowed on him the art of soothsaying.“
The saying of Tiresias to Zeus and Hera.
Of ten parts a man enjoys one only;
But a woman enjoys the full ten parts in her heart.
5 ” He also lived to a great age. So when the Thebans sought counsel of him, he said that they should be victorious if Menoeceus, son of Creon, would offer himself freely as a sacrifice to Ares. On hearing that, Menoeceus, son of Creon, slew himself before the gates.6 But a battle having taken place, the Cadmeans were chased in a crowd as far as the walls, and Capaneus, seizing a ladder, was climbing up it to the walls, when Zeus smote him with a thunderbolt.7
Of ten parts a man enjoys one only;
But a woman enjoys the full ten parts in her heart.
5 ” He also lived to a great age. So when the Thebans sought counsel of him, he said that they should be victorious if Menoeceus, son of Creon, would offer himself freely as a sacrifice to Ares. On hearing that, Menoeceus, son of Creon, slew himself before the gates.6 But a battle having taken place, the Cadmeans were chased in a crowd as far as the walls, and Capaneus, seizing a ladder, was climbing up it to the walls, when Zeus smote him with a thunderbolt.7
