In Ancient Greece, You Could Become Invisible! If You Knew the Right Contact...
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Credit: Jaroslav Devia/Unsplash
While most of us wish we could put a paper bag on our heads to try and become invisible during socially awkward situations, the Ancient Greeks had a far more sophisticated means to disappear in a hurry!
But, before we head there, first comes a titanic myth.
In the beginning, there were the Titans
At the dawn of time, Earth (Gaea) and Heaven (Uranus) had 12 children—the Titans. Hubris and a not-so-small dose of lust prompted a war between children and their parents. This was far worse (read: epic) than your typical family inheritance feud.
The Titan Kronos defeated his father Uranus and became ruler of the rest of the Titans. Peace would not last long—Kronos’s own son Zeus rebelled against him, and a decade-long war followed. Karma, I guess?
Credit: Brandon Morgan/Unsplash
A tale of three
Credit: Daniels Joffe/Unsplash
During the war, the Cyclopes Titans (brothers of Kronos) created three weapons to aid Zeus and his two brothers. We’re perhaps familiar with Zeus’s iconic lightning bolt and Poseidon’s trident, but the lesser known of the triad is Hades’s Helmet of Invisibility. The “Helmet” is also known as a Cap or Helm, and “Invisibility” is also referred to as “Darkness.”
The Helmet conferred invisibility on the wearer. Why a helmet and not a ring or a cloak? With constant warring, sex and convoluted lineages, Ancient Greek mythology is clearly anything but simple. But the Greeks obviously LOVED war—a helmet only makes sense!
Wearing the Helmet, Hades slipped undetected into the Titans’ camp, securing victory for himself and his brothers in their first battle.
Ten years later, the trio had won the war.
Zeus imprisoned the Titans, and thus began his reign as king of the younger gods—the 12 Olympians we’re more familiar with.
So, the Helmet served its purpose. What happened to it next?
The Helmet’s other known users
Throughout mythological history, Hades (now Lord of the Underworld) allowed other gods to use the Helmet in uncharacteristic Greek deity benevolence. They didn’t ask him nicely for it anyway.
While there is no definitive list of users, the Greek poet Hesiod pointed to two other godly users in his writings:
Athena, goddess of wisdom, handicraft and warfare, used the Helmet during the Trojan War (long before the wooden horse) to help Diomedes—a mortal naval commander fighting for the Greeks. Thanks to Athena’s invisible intervention, Diomedes managed to injure Ares, god of war, who fought (at least for this battle) on the Trojan side.
Hermes, messenger of the gods, wore the Helmet to slay the giant Hyppolitus during the Gigantomachy. Yes, another war! However, not much else is known about Hermes’s relationship with the Helmet.
Different mythological traditions, same result
perseus with the head of medusa, benvenuto cellini (1554)
Loggia dei lanzi, florence, italy
Photo by raf n.
The demigod Perseus is the Helmet’s most famous user. How he came to possess the Helmet depends largely on the tradition.
Different traditions point to Hermes, the Nymphs, Athena, or Hades himself giving Perseus the Helmet. Whoever Perseus’s benefactor was, the mission remained largely the same…
Near them their sisters three, the Gorgons, winged
With snakes for hair—hatred of mortal man—
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound
Perseus ventured into Medusa’s lair, but (against common sense, if you ask me) he didn’t avoid her petrifying gaze with the Helmet’s invisibility but rather used it to escape her two (less famous) immortal sisters Stheno and Euryale.
Hades probably took back the Helmet, but at least Perseus made it out of the Gorgons’ lair with one handy trophy…
Read more:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap_of_invisibility
https://greekmythology.wikia.org/wiki/Helm_of_Darkness
https://niftybuckles.wordpress.com/2020/07/30/helm-of-darkness-cap-of-invisibility/
Raf N.
After finishing a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Digital Marketing, Raf ventured into the exciting world of professional writing. Some of Raf’s interest include travel, photography, history, languages, and dogs.
