Seeing Stories

Rua Norberto Araújo: Mythological Lisboa

Lisbon, Land of Serpents, legend says. Oh yes. When Ulysses arrived, the land was populated by the People of the Serpents: great feathered woman-snakes ruled by Ophiussa, the Great Serpent Queen. No man should step on the land journeying through the river, she ordained. This is my kingdom and woe betide who shall venture to step foot on it. But when Ulysses saw the land from afar, he fell in love with it. And Ophiussa... fell in love with him. She tamed her serpents and invited the sailors to taste the treasures of the land. And she took his beloved hero to the top of the hill. Lisbon, Ulisseia, was then formed. But when Ulysses left in his boat back to Troy, Ophiussa, enraged, snaked from up above trying to reach the river and stop him from abandoning her. So come along. Let's follow the snake.