The Cain Tradition
Encyclopedia
The Cain Tradition refers to the tale of Cain and Abel
as seen in the Septuagint and the Vulgate
.
Traditions around the two brothers had started to develop already during the Old Testament time, arguing that descendants of Cain had had sexual intercourse with fallen angel
s, producing an offspring of giants
and monsters.
As there came to be certain differences between the two European Bible translations, the Cain tradition developed in different directions in medieval times. While the Greek Septuagint tells of the "sons of God" mating with the "daughters of men", implicitly creating gigantic and monstrous figures, the Latin Vulgate mentions the giants but not their origin. Thus, in Roman Catholic tradition, the Cain offspring were seen only as evil people, gigantic only in deeds, not in physical size. In some instances, where the giants still were seen as real giants, they were explained by the invention that Cain was the son of Eve and the Serpent
(Satan).
There were other, minor traditions concerning Cain and Abel, of both older and newer date. The apocryphal Book of Adam and Eve tells of Eve
having a dream in which Cain drank his brother’s blood. In an attempt to prevent the prophecy from happening the two young men are separated and given different jobs.
In the epic poem Beowulf
, the antagonist
s Grendel
and Grendel's mother
are described as descendants of Cain, which some scholars argue, links them to the Cain Tradition.
Cain and Abel
In the Hebrew Bible, Cain and Abel are two sons of Adam and Eve. The Qur'an mentions the story, calling them the two sons of Adam only....
as seen in the Septuagint and the Vulgate
Vulgate
The Vulgate is a late 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. It was largely the work of St. Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to make a revision of the old Latin translations...
.
Traditions around the two brothers had started to develop already during the Old Testament time, arguing that descendants of Cain had had sexual intercourse with fallen angel
Fallen angel
Fallen angel is a concept developed in Jewish mythology from interpretation of the Book of Enoch. The actual term fallen angel is not found in either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. Christians adopted the concept of fallen angels mainly based on their interpretations of the Book of...
s, producing an offspring of giants
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
and monsters.
As there came to be certain differences between the two European Bible translations, the Cain tradition developed in different directions in medieval times. While the Greek Septuagint tells of the "sons of God" mating with the "daughters of men", implicitly creating gigantic and monstrous figures, the Latin Vulgate mentions the giants but not their origin. Thus, in Roman Catholic tradition, the Cain offspring were seen only as evil people, gigantic only in deeds, not in physical size. In some instances, where the giants still were seen as real giants, they were explained by the invention that Cain was the son of Eve and the Serpent
Serpent seed
The doctrine of Serpent seed, dual seed or two-seedline is a controversial doctrine according to which the serpent in the Garden of Eden mated with Eve, and the offspring of their union was Cain. This belief is still held by some adherents of the Christian Identity theology, who claim that the...
(Satan).
There were other, minor traditions concerning Cain and Abel, of both older and newer date. The apocryphal Book of Adam and Eve tells of Eve
Eve
Eve is the first woman created by God in the Book of Genesis.Eve may also refer to:-People:*Eve , a common given name and surname*Eve , American recording artist and actress-Places:...
having a dream in which Cain drank his brother’s blood. In an attempt to prevent the prophecy from happening the two young men are separated and given different jobs.
In the epic poem Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
, the antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s Grendel
Grendel
Grendel is one of three antagonists, along with Grendel's mother and the dragon, in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf . Grendel is usually depicted as a monster, though this is the subject of scholarly debate. In the poem, Grendel is feared by all but Beowulf.-Story:The poem Beowulf is contained in...
and Grendel's mother
Grendel's mother
Grendel's mother is one of three antagonists in the work of Old English literature of anonymous authorship, Beowulf . She is never given a name in the text....
are described as descendants of Cain, which some scholars argue, links them to the Cain Tradition.