aja
I’ll have to admit, it took me some time to understand Chiron as The Hierophant, but then as I read more about the myth of Chiron (all I had remembered was that he was a teacher of several heroes) and understood more exactly what the role of a hierophant is, it all made perfect sense.
We’ve already met the High Priestess, the walker between worlds and the keeper of secrets. In contrast to her we have the Hierophant – one who gives knowledge and guidance along a proscribed path. Chiron, half man, half horse, part human, part god was both a tutor and a teacher of medicine. He is an instructor and possessor of knowledge. So here he stands in a cave or other stone enclosure. Light (knowledge) streams in from above and falls on his raised hand – it is as though he is a conduit of this light/knowledge. He clutches a rolled-up paper – some history, perhaps?
Let’s also consider his end – accidentally stabbed in the thigh with a poisoned arrow by Heracles. As he has immortality, he cannot die even though he wishes he could. He eventually agrees to die in Prometheus’ stead (self-sacrifice) and Prometheus brings fire to mankind.
We’ve already met the High Priestess, the walker between worlds and the keeper of secrets. In contrast to her we have the Hierophant – one who gives knowledge and guidance along a proscribed path. Chiron, half man, half horse, part human, part god was both a tutor and a teacher of medicine. He is an instructor and possessor of knowledge. So here he stands in a cave or other stone enclosure. Light (knowledge) streams in from above and falls on his raised hand – it is as though he is a conduit of this light/knowledge. He clutches a rolled-up paper – some history, perhaps?
Let’s also consider his end – accidentally stabbed in the thigh with a poisoned arrow by Heracles. As he has immortality, he cannot die even though he wishes he could. He eventually agrees to die in Prometheus’ stead (self-sacrifice) and Prometheus brings fire to mankind.