Tyrion and The Smith

[Crowfood's Daughter]

I had previously posted a topic about Lucamore the Lusty highlighted some of the phenomena related to Blacksmiths and Bulls and just wanted to share this.

I have seen several parallels between Tyrion and various Smith Gods. Let’s first take a look at Tyrion compared to the Greek God of Smithing and the forge.

Hephaestus.

• The Greeks frequently placed small dwarf-like statues of Hephaestus near their hearths (fireplaces), and these figures are the oldest of all his representations. http://en.wikipedia....can_(mythology)

  "Oh yes. Even a stunted, twisted, ugly little boy can look down over the world when he seated on a dragon's back." Tyrion pushed the bear skin aside and climbed to his feet. "I used to start fires in the bowels of Casterly Rock and stare at the flames for hours, pretending they were dragonfire. Sometimes I'd imagine my father burning. At other times, my sister." Jon Snow was staring at him, a look equal parts horror and fascination. "

  The Myth of the Minotaur

  Now with that being said, if you have read the Lucamore theory you will know that there should also be some bull references somewhere and it was in the tale of the Minotaur where I had found it.

  Asterion (sound familiar anybody?)

  In the myth of the Minotaur, King Minos prayed to Poseidon for a white bull which was intended for sacrificial purposes to please the Gods. Instead King Minos decided to keep it for himself out of greed. The gods became angered and Aphrodite coerced King Minos' wife Pasiphae to fall in love with the white bull. The result of this unholy union was a monster half man/ half bull with the head of a bull and the body of a man and he was given the name “Asterion”.

  “Plate and scale, I think. The scales gilded bright as the sun, the plate enameled a deep Lannister crimson. I would suggest a demon’s head for a helm, crowned with tall golden horns. When you ride into battle, men will shrink away in fear.”-Tyrion

  “Lannister!” he shouted, slaying. His arm was red to the elbow, glistening in the light off the river. When his horse reared again, he shook his axe at the stars and heard them call out “Halfman! Halfman!” Tyrion felt drunk.”--Tyrion

  When Astrerion had grown up and become a most ferocious animal of incredible strength, King Minos (Asterion's psuedo-father) had him shut up in a prison called the labyrinth. In ASOIAF, Tyrion is imprisoned in the black cells after a trial which was administered by Tywin.

  "Her twin’s face had a haggard look. “The shaft goes down to a chamber where half a dozen tunnels meet. “Whoever did this might still be lurking in the walls. It’s a maze back there, and dark.” She imagined Tyrion creeping between the walls like some monstrous rat. No. You are being silly. The dwarf is in his cell. “Take hammers to the walls. Knock this tower down, if you must. I want them found. Whoever did this. I want them killed.”

  Occasionally in GRRM's writing there will be of hints or foreshadowing in opening sentences and paragraphs of POV chapters. The following excerpts are solely for example of this phenomena:

  • "Eddard Stark had left before dawn, Septa Mordane informed Sansa as they broke their fast. “The king sent for him. Another hunt, I do believe. There are still wild aurochs in these lands, I am told.” “I’ve never seen an aurochs,” Sansa said, feeding a piece of bacon to Lady under the table. The direwolf took it from her hand, as delicate as a queen."-Sansa GOT

  • "Ned and the girls were eight days gone when Maester Luwin came to her one night in Bran’s sickroom, carrying a reading lamp and the books of account. “It is past time that we reviewed the figures , my lady,” he said. “You’ll want to know how much this royal visit cost us.” Cat GOT

  • "The hunt left at dawn. The king wanted wild boar" -Bran GOT

  Now, in the first sentence of Tyrion's first POV chapter in the first book. Is as follows:
  

  "Somewhere in the great stone maze of Winterfell, a wolf howled."--Tyrion

  In both stories, King Minos and Tywin are quite similar in their treatment of and relationship with Asterion and Tyrion. Both are humiliated, embarrassed, fearful and shun their sons with resulting imprisonment. The cause of infidelity in King Minos' wife was her husband's greed in wanting to keep the White Bull for himself. This greed angered to Gods and Asterion was born. Interestingly, the Lannisters are a house closely symbolized with greed and betrayal.

  Going back to Tyrion's battle axe: Labyrinth is a word which the Greeks used for the palace of Knossos in Crete, and it is derived from the Lydian word labrys ("double-edged axe")

  "The Smith, he labors day and night, to put the world of men to right. With hammer, plow, and fire bright, he builds for little children."