女巫基尔克:起源与嬗变

Witch Kirk:Her Origin and Variation

荷马虽然塑造了一位神通广大的女巫,但他描述的希腊人,即史诗中的'阿卡亚人',似乎对巫术浑然不知。他们好像摆脱了迷信的束缚和无名的恐惧。荷马描绘的阿卡亚人是个思想比较纯净的民族,原始的巫术信仰已经消失殆尽。女巫基尔克其实也不是希腊人,而是海上女仙。首先,基尔克可能是遥远东方的太阳或黎明女神,这从她居住的埃埃亚岛的方位可以得出判断。基尔克的原型邈远难辨,但其女巫形象和神奇的法力,尤其是将人变成动物的情节,显然源自民间巫术信仰和神话传说。这种信仰和传说有其东方异城背景,但从荷马时代起已在希腊民间流行开来,逐渐成为古典世界的社会风俗,偶尔也渗透到古典文学作品中。

Although Kirk in Odyssey was depicted as a magic witch, such a supernatural figure did not still belong to Achaean communities who have no knowledge about the magic power. It seems to us that the Achaean had been freed from the superstitious constraints and nameless fears. So the psyche of the Achaean society Homer represented would be pure and simple according the normal rationality because the primitive religions were in decline. Kirk in Homeric epics, the nymph on the ocean, does not also belong to ancient Greek society. Conversely, Judged on her dwelling-place, perhaps she comes from the distant Orient as the goddess of Sun or goddess of Dawn. Unfortunately the origin of Kirk is not traceable. Her supernatural figure and magic superpower, and her ability of changing man into animals, really indicates that Kirk took her roots in the folklore faith and mythical legends and has an exotic atmosphere from Orient.