Why horns are a symbol of marital infidelity

2023-10-07 15:29:00, Blog CNA

Why horns are a symbol of marital infidelity

Illustrative photo

It is unclear why horns still remain a symbol of marital infidelity today.

Some suggest that the epithet brinar, in the sense of a man betrayed by his partner, is derived from the goat, whose partner, the female goat, is known for the ease with which she changes her mating partners.

However, in ancient times, horns were a symbol of virility and courage.

Gods were once represented with horns on their heads, and to imitate the rulers of the time, they inserted them as symbols into their diadems that they wore on their heads.

Even warriors adorned their helmets with goat horns. It is not clear why the meaning of this word changed so much over the centuries.

A difficult etymology

Many researchers have tried to understand where and when the expression "to put your horns" and the epithet brinar began to have their current offensive meaning.

According to some, this happened in Constantinople during the time of the emperor Andronicus Komnenos (circa 1120 -1185).

Why horns are a symbol of marital infidelity

It is said that the terrible Byzantine emperor was merciless to his subjects. He imprisoned anyone who opposed him and kidnapped their wives to keep as concubines in his harem. Then he hung the heads of the deer in the houses of the tall men, in the form of a mockery, as a symbol of the captured game.

Kur në vitin 1185 ushtarët e mbretit Uilliam II të Normandisë që ishin drejtuar për në Konstandinopojë (Stambolli i sotëm), mbërritën në Selanik, ata kërkuan shpjegime për kokat me brirë që vareshin në muret e qytetit, duke mësuar edhe historinë e Andronikut.

Why horns are a symbol of marital infidelity

Në këtë mënyrë ata çuan në Siçili shprehjen “t`i vësh brirët”, dhe prej andej shprehja u përhap më pas në të gjithë gadishullin italik.

Origjina mitologjike

Pastaj ekziston edhe një shpjegim tjetër i mundshëm që i ka rrënjët tek mitologjia greke, dhe sidomos tek lindja e Minotaurit. Historia është pak e shumë kjo: mbreti i Kretës, Minos, djali i Zeusit dhe i Evropës, ndërtoi një altar kushtuar perëndisë Poseidon, mbi të cilin supozohej të flijonte një dem të bardhë që i ishte dërguar si dhuratë nga i njëjti Zot.

Fascinated by the majesty of the animal, King Minos preserved it for his flocks by sacrificing another bull. After discovering the trick, Poseidon punished the Cretan king by making his wife Pasiphae fall in love with the bull, who disguised as a heifer had intercourse with the animal and then gave birth to the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull monster. So, aware of the adultery, the Cretans started mockingly showing their horns to King Minos, choosing him... the first horned in history./ Adapted from CNA