The stories about the cause of Teiresias’ blindness provide valuable lesson to us. The moral of the stories is to see, hear and speak wisely, or you will need to face the consequences. I wouldn’t say “See no evil; hear no evil; say no evil”, for he spoke only the truth.
According to one of the myths, Teiresias’ was blinded by Athena after seeing her bathing. Another myth recounts how Teiresias came upon a pair of copulating snakes and stared at them for hours until they attacked him. He killed (or some say “wounded”) the female snake in self-defense and was punished to be a woman for seven years. Both stories teach us that we should have the courtesy to look away, when we come upon obscene or unsightly scene.
Another moral lesson that I have learnt in Teiresias’ blindness is to speak with wisdom. In other words, we should think before we say. One of the myths claims that Teiresias was blinded by the gods for revealing their secrets to immortal men. Another myth recounts how Teiresias was blinded by Hera (Zeus’ wife) for giving the unaccepted answer. Hence, both stories advice us that we should know what to speak, how to speak and who to speak to, based on the context – to whom we are speaking to and in what circumstances. The virtue of wise speech has been highly extolled since the olden days. Confucius had once penned, “Make sure words touch wisdom tooth on the way out of your mouth.” Similarly, Ann Landers also supported the importance of producing wise speech by saying, “The trouble with speaking too fast is you may say something you haven’t thought of yet.” Even the old Malay proverb has stressed on this, “Kerana mulut, badan binasa.”
In conclusion, Teiresias unwise actions had caused him trouble, and his imprudence in speech made it double. See not what should not be seen and speak not what should not be spoken. Somehow, it is rather strange to relate the term “unwise” to an old seer, whose wisdom was well-known. As the saying goes, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” Teiresias is a mere human being after all. Wisdom, unlike knowledge, can only be gained through experience, who is the cruelest teacher of all.
According to one of the myths, Teiresias’ was blinded by Athena after seeing her bathing. Another myth recounts how Teiresias came upon a pair of copulating snakes and stared at them for hours until they attacked him. He killed (or some say “wounded”) the female snake in self-defense and was punished to be a woman for seven years. Both stories teach us that we should have the courtesy to look away, when we come upon obscene or unsightly scene.
Another moral lesson that I have learnt in Teiresias’ blindness is to speak with wisdom. In other words, we should think before we say. One of the myths claims that Teiresias was blinded by the gods for revealing their secrets to immortal men. Another myth recounts how Teiresias was blinded by Hera (Zeus’ wife) for giving the unaccepted answer. Hence, both stories advice us that we should know what to speak, how to speak and who to speak to, based on the context – to whom we are speaking to and in what circumstances. The virtue of wise speech has been highly extolled since the olden days. Confucius had once penned, “Make sure words touch wisdom tooth on the way out of your mouth.” Similarly, Ann Landers also supported the importance of producing wise speech by saying, “The trouble with speaking too fast is you may say something you haven’t thought of yet.” Even the old Malay proverb has stressed on this, “Kerana mulut, badan binasa.”
In conclusion, Teiresias unwise actions had caused him trouble, and his imprudence in speech made it double. See not what should not be seen and speak not what should not be spoken. Somehow, it is rather strange to relate the term “unwise” to an old seer, whose wisdom was well-known. As the saying goes, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” Teiresias is a mere human being after all. Wisdom, unlike knowledge, can only be gained through experience, who is the cruelest teacher of all.
“The road to wisdom?
Well, it is plain
And simple to express.
Err,
And err,
And err again.
But less,
And less,
And less. “
Anonymous
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