Probably the worst thing that can happen to a person is a loss of reason. Ancient people were so well aware that it happens to the poor fellow with whom such misfortune happens that they came up with a deity who punishes with madness for violating established laws and customs.
The ancient Greeks are no exception in this regard - the goddess of the Hellenic madness was called Mania. Once, on the way from Arcadia to Messinia, on the spot where Orest, as a punishment for the murder of his mother, was deprived of reason, there was a temple in which the fans of this terrible goddess performed their terrible rites.
Who is Mania
The goddess of insanity among the Greeks embodies all possible forms of frenzy and insanity. According to legend, she sends them to those who accidentally or intentionally dared to cross at least one of the existing laws or customs. The Greek goddess of insanity loves to instill in man tremendous self-confidence along with contempt for other gods and human traditions. Sometimes Mania instills a fierce desire to get something or passion. It is very easy for her to blind a person, and sometimes she can even lead to a mental illness. Because of this, this goddess of madness is somewhat reminiscent of the eumenes - merciless and tireless goddesses of revenge , who pursue their sacrifice not only on earth but also in the underworld.
Origin and analogues of other nationalities
Initially, Mania was considered the goddess of the Etruscans, who inhabited in the 1st millennium BC. e. northwestern part of the
Apennine peninsula. Now in this territory is a region of Italy called Tuscany. In these ancient tribes, the goddess of insanity was one of the most terrible evil rulers and was also a symbol of revenge. It was believed that the man of Mania was the
god Vulcan, and the children were the evil spirits of Mana, who were the personification of the male principle. This circumstance became the reason for the great popularity of the cult, despite the fact that it was bloody and provided for human sacrifices. All this suggests that the loss of reason for the Etruscans was worse than death. By the way, the Etruscans also associated Mania with all narcotic and intoxicating substances, which at that time were usually used in various ritual practices. Among the Hellenes, the goddess of insanity also had a sufficient number of admirers. She was revered, despite the fact that the cult itself was terrifying and rejection to many peoples of the Mediterranean.
The Romans are no exception. They identified Mania with
Medusa Gorgon, and also offered sacrifices to her, waiting in return for protection from dark underground spirits. In order to preserve their home, in Rome above the doors hung her image. An analogue of the goddess of madness was among our ancestors - the ancient Rusichs. The Slavs called it Mana or Magnet and considered it something like an evil ghost, a ghost. According to legends, he appeared in the image of an ugly distraught old woman who killed her son and was forced to search for him all his life. Most likely, the modern psychiatric term “mania” came from this word, as well as all derived words based on it.