The water bubbled, forming a rainbow: from the depths of the water appeared a new triangular land. The three nymphs threw everything they had collected into the ocean. It was here the dance became more beautiful and joyous. One day they arrived in a land which had a beautiful blue sky and a calm sea. As they danced, they gathered with them handfuls of fruits, seeds and earth from the most beautiful and fertile places on the planet. Many years ago, three nymphs danced all over the world. One of our favorite versions of the legend connects – yet again – Sicily and the nymphs… This three-legged symbol of the island may have Middle Eastern roots (as suggested by Nini Radicini in 2006) but we’re more interested in the mythology. There are many versions of how the Trinacia (or the Krinacria in the local dialect, from the Greek triskeles) came to Sicily. Today, just east of Aci Castello, north of Catania, you will find large black stones appearing out of the sea, called the Cyclops Islands. Polyphemus, realizing it was Ulysses who tricked him, throws massive boulders into the sea to prevent his escape. The remaining crew quickly hide themselves underneath the sheep to escape the cave. As soon as the monster falls asleep, Ulysses blinds him in his one good eye. The cyclops opens the cave (returning from the fields) and allows Ulysses to get him sweetly inebriated with the wine given to the hero by a priest of Apollo. One morning as Polyphemus was tending his sheep, Ulysses – trapped in the giant’s cave – finds a large stake and hardens it by the fire. The others he designed to eat over subsequent meals and midnight snacks. The cyclops devoured a few of Ulysses’s crew members as an apéritif. He kept them captive, blocking the cave’s opening with a gigantic stone. The savage monster trapped Ulysses and his men in his cave. According to the famous epic poem by Homer, the mythical one-eyed Cyclops lived under Mount Etna. Here, again, Polyphemus rears his ugly head (all puns intended). And he is a true gift of the gods! Polyphemus and Ulysses To this day the villages at the base of Etna begin with the prefix “Aci” (Acitrezza, Acicastello, Acireale, etc.) Our own “King of Sicily” Paolo Nicolosi, comes from the town of Acitrezza. Neptune – Galatea’s father – turns the dead lover into a river so he can flow to the sea and reunite with his daughter. When Galatea rejects the amorous advances of the jealous Polyphemus, the monstrous cyclops throws a boulder to kill her lover. Galatea was a water nymph in love with Aci, a herdsman on the slopes of Etna. Santa Maria la Scala was the ancient home of the nymphs who retold the love story of the shepherd Aci. Cults like the Ortygian and the Hymerian orders worshiped Neptune’s daughters near fresh water sources. There are many tales of nymphs inhabiting Sicily. Here is a list of our favorite seven most interesting legends and mythologies of Sicily, making it a true playground of the gods: Aci and the Nymphs Although Sicily plays a major role in Homer’s Odyssey, many large compilations of the ancient stories don’t include the local Sicilian lore. They created nymphs in the freshwater springs at Syracuse, monsters in the narrow sea-passage at Messina and gods in the formidable power of Mount Etna. The Greeks found extraordinary natural wonders on the island, inspiring them to invent beautiful legends. As a major part of Magna Grecia, many legends and lore surrounding the capricious gods and their kin took place on the great island. Many of the ancient Greek myths take place in Sicily. The flowers are in bloom, the sun is out, and Persephone has just been released from Hades. Ciclismo Classico‘s spring departure to Sicily is some of our most popular to date. If you haven’t traveled to the Mediterranean’s largest island, spring is a great time to do so. Sicily is a magical and mysterious place.
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