The Perfect Bull

The Bronze Age is a friendly era if you are an aficionado of mythology. It delivers more stories than Disney could ever dream up. Or have time to produce.

Actually, I don’t want Disney producing any ancient tales. They would take the punch  out of these myths, to turn them into woke balderdash. Or romantic trash. Well, no one owns a copyright on any of these stories. They are open to interpretation. But Disney is known for interpretations by those who want to apply them, theme wise, to today’s fashions. The purpose of the ancient lores and legends is that they are timeless. Thus they make excellent teachers for anyone at any time. Especially when it comes to leadership.

Well, Disney is having its own issues, of late. Leadership issues too. Disney it not infallible.

My newest madness is a book, make that two books, about leadership. They are companion books; Leadership in Literature, the main tome, uses some of the world’s greatest literature to teach a philosophy and the skills needed on taking the lead in life. The second, or companion book, is titled, Leadership in Literature, The Stories. It is a resource book because it is difficult to find many of the myths told in one complete narrative.

For example, let’s take a look at a kid from the ancient kingdom of Troezen. He’s a Bronze Age dude by the name of Theseus, and he is as badass as they come.

Yes, he is the guy who killed the Minotaur.

Most folks don’t know who the Minotaur actually is. And what his purpose is in the story. It is a complex narrative, beginning to end. It is not about some overly muscular guy killing a weird bull. It’s about a young man who has applied himself to his education in all its facets: mind, body and soul. Without having to, or being asked to, the kid from Troezen takes the lead to rid the world of the Minotaur, who represents the results of immoral acts. Theseus slays the Minotaur and thereby, he saves the lives of hundreds of children.

Not bad for a young man under 20.

The Theseus story is both dark and brightly lit up. Theseus is a genuine, solid hero. When the hero’s journey calls, he is ready to hit the road to take on the world. He takes on 5 monsters, or, as I refer to them in the book, the 5 psychopaths. They just as soon kill you as look at you. Indeed, they have set up their kill shops on the road to Athens, via the Isthmus. If the first psycho doesn’t kill you, the next one surely will.

I estimate that Theseus is about 17-18 when he takes the road to Athens. From my studies of this myth, I figure he is 5’9” in height, which is fairly tall for a Bronze Age boy. Average male height back in the day, was 5’5”.  He would need to be taller to impress, and to take on the Minotaur.

Yes, bull dancing was a thing back in Minos’ Crete, circa 1500 BC. The art depicts it, and, you can see that this art form is not dead. Men and some women, continue to practice this defying death by bull act. Are you up for leaping over a bull?

The question that is asked is what brought bull dancing into being? Did Minos force the tribute from Athens just so he could have enough bull dancers to keep the Minotaur satisfied?

I say it was a thing before the Minotaur was born. Because bull leaping is an engaging entertainment. Watching a 180 pound man take on a 3000 pound bull, well, that is a thrill to watch.

Which also informs us that dare devils are as old as humanity itself.

Imagine, however, that you have been forced to learn this art form. Different story, right? And imagine that you are a girl that will be forced to learns how to ride a bull? Yeah, lots of kids will die. Now imagine you are a privileged kid that could ignore the issue if you want to, but you don’t. That you sign up to go with the kids that are forced to go. Because you have heard that the wounded kids get thrown in with a monster that then kills and eats them. That becomes the purpose of going along with those kids. Because you are determined that the evil stops with you.

That is genuine leadership. And Theseus has that spark in him, that fire in his belly, plus the physical training, to carry his plan out to the end, successfully.

How did this evil practice begin?  Listen to the story, The Perfect Bull. Caution to those of you who are sensitive to dark things. The story has some awful moments. But that is how we get to evil, when human beings lie to a god and steal from him. Gods, however, are wont to punish the humans who betray them.

Gods can also have regrets. This one did. Well, listen to the story, and you will understand what happened, and why.

Leadership in Literature will be out early next year.