Hi there

I am trying to remember the name of a figure i think was in mythology, if it was it was definately Greek. The story was, as far as i remember was about an argument between the gods of Olympus about wether it was better/easier to be a man or a woman. The gods made a mortal man into a woman (for a day>?) and he then reported back to the gods that being a woman was 7 times better than being a man and he was punished by Hera for saying this by being made blind. So the first of my question is what is that mans name?

Secondly i want to know wether another story i have in my head is part of the same one. This was about a man who was punished for some heresy against the gods by being made blind (not sure about this) and was given the power of predicting the future but when he told people they never believed him, as the second part of his punishment. So is this part of the same of the same story or is it a separate one, if its a different story what was his name?


Thanks in advance for any help, muchly appreciated.


PS the reason i need to know is i am planning a talk on IT security for work and i want to use the story/ies to illustrate some points.

Ok, I think I know the tale you're thinking of, but the one I'm thinking is just a bit different (such is life in the world of mythology :lol: )

I believe the character you're looking for is the most famous of blind characters in Greek myth...Tiresias.

The way the story actually goes is Tiresias in his travels came upon two snakes having sex. When he struck the snakes with his cane, he was transformed into a woman. Years later he came upon the two snakes and was changed back to a man. Then at some point, Zeus and Hera were having an argument as to who got more pleasure from sex...a man or a woman. Being that Tiresias experienced both, they consulted him. Tiresias sided with Zeus' position that women receive more pleasure. In anger over this, Hera made Tiresias blind. Zeus then gave him the gift of prophesy for siding with him :)

This of course is only one of many tales as to how he became blind, but it seems to be the closest to what you're looking for.

As for the second question...I'm not sure off hand. It sounds kind of familiar...possibly another tale relating to Tiresias, though in most, his prophecies were believed.

Excllent thanks for the reply it was indeed Tiresias :)

I am gonna have to look into the second Q more then because i definately remeber being told of the man who was blessed with true prophecy but cursed in that no one would ever believe him, if i find out i'll post the info.

Cheers mate

Smallmonkey