The following stories were received from several sources, therefore their accuracy can not be guaranteed.
From the antiquity it had been told, that in Aegean a goose fell in love with the handsome boy Amphilochus and another was suppose to have been very much in love with the harp-player of the king. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It is written that the philosopher Lacydes of Cyrene, the principal of the Academy of Athens in the year 241 b.C. had a goose as steady companion by day and by night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Even Gaius Plinius Secundos, author and economist, best known as Pliny the Elder, thought that the whole species goose believed to be very smart and supposedly fond of humans.



The white goose was sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Often she was depicted, riding a white goose side-saddle.
In Egyptian mythology, the Earth-God Geb was often shown wearing a crown topped off by a goose. He was also known as the "Great Cackler" and therefore pictured often as a goose and it has been told, that he laid the egg from which the sun hatched. It is believed that he was the third divine king of the world. The royal throne of Egypt, was known as the "Throne of Geb" In honor of his great reign. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The goose is clearly viewed as a sun creature and as such, is still used as a sacrificial offering to the new year in several regions North-Africa's. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In Egypt and China it was believed in antiquity, that the goose was a messenger between heaven and earth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Until this day, in China the geese are still a symbol of wedlock, because of their lifelong monogamy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Gauls associated the geese with war. Surely so, because of their watchfulness and impetuous temperament. It has been said, that war-gods, kept geese as their companions. Remains of geese were found in graves of the warriors.

In the Roman Empire was the Goose the holy animal of the Goddess Juno, the Goddess of light, marriage and birth. Later on, Juno was chosen as the advisor and protector of the nation.

The Roman historian Livicus told the following tale from 390 b.C.:
As the Gauls tried to climb the walls of the citadel in Rome during the night, the tired army didn't notice and even the dogs made no sound. But the watchful, sacred geese of the Goddess Juno started with such a chatter and flapping of their wings to wake the Roman Marcus Manilus and his troops. Therefore the citadel was saved from the invading Gauls. The Romans honored Juno with the name Moneta, out of gratitude for the deed, that her sacred geese had performed.


A century later the Goddess Juno-Moneta was suppose to have helped the Romans once more. This time to defeat the Greek King Pyrrhus of Epirus.



The Romans ritualistically punished the dogs, for not being as vigilant as the sacred geese. The geese on the other hand would be honored, for the help they gave the Romans. August the third would be named: "Supplicia Canum", the - punish the dogs day. One or more dogs would be crucified and were dragged through the town to the temples Iuventus and Summanus and possibly also through the Circus Maximus.
It had to be an atrocious time, so many years ago!
Thank you very much dear Elke from Ulm, for these lovely Graphics!

Thank you for visiting my page!
Please sign my guestbook. Thank you!

Back index
Old Woman's Bay
more coming soon as possible ;-)