What does the expression “edify horns” mean?

In many films, women's magazines and forums you can hear the phrase "to instruct the horns . " After reading it, an association immediately arises with the betrayal of one spouse by another. In this case, most often the talk about horns is connected precisely with the male sex. It is noteworthy that such husbands are called “cuckolds,” and the horns themselves acquired not only verbal, but also quite real form. For example, men who are victims of their spouse's infidelity can often be hinted at by this event by giving him a deer antler as a present. But is this expression so trite? Where did it come from? And does it have other interpretations?

How the expression appeared: a small digression into history

Despite its great popularity, especially among the fair sex, the phrase "to instruct the horns" has a fairly old origin. Moreover, he is known almost all over the world. Disputes about the reliable date of its occurrence are ongoing in our time. For example, some participants in such a heated discussion argue that this expression appeared during the Vikings.

It is believed that when sending their spouses to war or on a sea ​​voyage, their wives performed a special ritual by putting on their heads a helmet equipped with animal horns on both sides.

Ban on escorting a wife

Other arguing ones answer the question: “Where did the expression“ to instruct the horns ”come from?” Is a slightly different version. In their opinion, this concept came to us from the distant 1472 year. It was then that a decree was issued forbidding men to be in the army or during the battle with their wives. According to the same decree, men who violated this requirement as a punishment had to wear a special hat with horns until the end of their days. Thus, everyone around could learn about people who broke the law.

A peculiar manifestation of the favor of the ruler

The expression "instructed the husband’s horns", according to the third, appeared during the reign of the famous Byzantine emperor Comnenus Andronicus. According to them, this ruler loved to find solace in the company of other people's wives. He was very loving and led a dissolute lifestyle. At the same time, he allowed the husbands whom their wives had changed, to freely hunt in his possessions and granted them special powers.

In turn, deceived men, whose spouses liked the ruler, received deer horns as a gift. They also attached them to the gates of their house in order to confirm the emperor’s location to his person. By the way, such husbands jokingly called "cuckolds." That is why “to instruct the horns” is directly related to the betrayal and actual deception of the husband.

Comparison of a cheated spouse with an animal

A little later, this expression acquired a new meaning. In this case, the deceived husband was compared with a stupid cattle or an animal with horns, because most often he was the last to know about the betrayal of his wife. It was also customary to say about such people that they would rather notice how horns would grow on their foreheads than pay attention to their unfaithful wife. For the same reason, the phraseology “edifying horns” means female or male infidelity.

The expression has antique roots.

Some believe that this expression came to us from a distant ancient era. For example, precisely such an assumption was expressed in his work “On the Lap of the Gods: The Origins of the European Thought of the Soul, Mind, Body, Time, Peace, and Fate” Onianes R. The researcher’s version is connected with the mystical power that the Greeks once attributed to the horns. For example, it was these objects that were used as a peculiar attribute during the sacrifice of animals on the altar.

Later horns began to be depicted over altars and sacred places. They were called "consecration horns" and depicted the divine connection between the sacrificed animal, the bearer himself, and the creator of all earthly beings. Even later, the horn became associated with manhood. And the expression "to be horned" meant male lust and love of lovingness, a desire to find sexual joys with a large number of women. Even later, our notorious “instruct horns” appeared. It’s hard to say where it came from. But there are plenty of versions, as we said. So we can draw certain conclusions.

Medieval poetry and “horned men”

Recall that the horn often had an erotic or sexual connotation. The same confirmation can be found in medieval poetry. According to experts, poetry of the 13th century is especially famous for such comparisons. Most often, it tells that a deceived man has a real horn growing on his forehead.

On the basis of these beliefs in Europe, it has become fashionable to decorate the deceived man’s head with large and branched horns. So there was a crown word form "to instruct horns". Thus, everyone around could understand exactly how his spouse rewarded such a “cuckold”.

Horns in nature and their significance

It is interesting that the horns themselves in nature also have a certain sexual connotation. And the thing is that it is their animals that are often used in the struggle for the female. They also serve as an indicator of the rank that the male occupies in the pack. For example, the more horns he has, the more solid and important his position. Horns are also often used by males when mating and in preliminary games. So, males gently rub the sides of their partners with their tips.

Why exactly antlers?

Most often, the word “cuckold” gives rise to an association with deer horns. It is believed that every year this animal drops its horns. At the same time, until new ones grow, he loses all interest in the opposite sex and does not want to mate.

Giving horns to a deceived husband, neighbors and friends not only wanted to inform him of his wife’s infidelity. With this gesture, they tried to encourage her husband by inspiring him with the thought of his unspent sexual power and attractiveness.

Moreover, deer horns are his pride and dignity. Therefore, by cheating on her husband, the wife humiliates his dignity and even offends his honor. Therefore, when certain rulers and influential personalities wanted to humiliate a man unworthy in their opinion, they gave him deer horns as a mockery.

Where did the expression “to instruct the horns” come from?

In some cultures, horns have been associated with sins. For the same reason, many people claimed that for such sins, horns grew on the head of bad people. Sometimes, sins meant cheating on a spouse who was sexual in nature.

In many nations, the horn was associated with fertility. Therefore, wearing horns testified to the fertility of men. It was an enviable husband and father. In marriage with him, you could have a bunch of children.

In a word, expression came to us from the distant past. It involves a sexual allusion to cheating on her husband. Moreover, despite the differences in the interpretations of some peoples, the presence of horns in a man spoke of his inattention to his woman.