Part IX | An Armenian Wedding | Zahhak
“They are called the "Tiger's Claw" because hundreds of years ago, they were used to treat the son of an Armenian king known as Tigranes the Great.”
~
Behold Earth Mother Gaia,
Lies the poison of the Black Rose,
The deathless mother. ~
An eclipsed Black Moon
Marks the birth of every new life, but
Beware the deeds of Charlene. [1]
~
An Armenian king known as Tigranes the Great had a son named Artavasdes II [2].
Artavasdes fell in love with a beautiful Icelandic princess and wanted to marry her. However, the princess took advantage of his foolish ways and demanded that Artavasdes kill his own father in order to inherit his kingdom, treasures and Armenian army. On their wedding night, the princess merely asked that Artavasdes allow her to kiss him on both his shoulders. As soon as she kisses him, the princess disappears and Artavasdes discovers that he has been poisoned by his new love. Shortly thereafter, two, black snake-like vines begin to grow – one from each shoulder. Artavasdes is henceforth known as Zahhak Mardoush, or Zahhak, the Snake Shouldered Emperor [3].
~
Notes
[1] Adapted from Netflix's The Witcher ~ Season 2: Episode 2 “Kaer Morhen”
[2] Artavasdes II
By Museum of Fine Arts Boston - https://collections.mfa.org/objects/3015, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122379815
[3] Zahhak
[4] Armenian Princess Tigranuhi, daughter of Orontes I Sakavakyats, before wedding with Ajdahak. Azhdahak is identified as Astyages in Armenian sources.
By Giuliano Zasso - Armenian History in Italian Art - Հայոց Պատմության Էջեր, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103932468