June 3: Pride Month

It’s quite common in Greek mythology for some horrific monster to terrorise a region or a city for an unclear reason. It happened to Thespia, where a giant snake caused havoc. The desperate inhabitants turned to Zeus, but he seemed otherwise engaged. He could have struck it with lightning, instructed one of his son-heroes to fight it, or maybe shapeshift into an attractive reptile himself and calm it down. He did nothing of the sort. He nonchalantly announced the yearly sacrifice of a youth should keep the serpent satisfied. There’s no account of how many youngsters died, but the ordeal ended when a certain Kleostratos was picked. He was the longtime companion of Menestratos, who couldn’t stand the idea of being left behind. So, he created a bronze armour with a fish-hook sticking up on each plate, and took his friend’s place. The monster swallowed him and died in the process, to the endless gratitude of Kleostratos and the people of Thespia. They built a temple and held a yearly festival. To honour Menestratos? No. To honour Zeus.

Fish hook, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Snakes, Lekythos, National Archeological Museum Naples, Italy