"...the work of the hero is to slay the tenacious aspect of the father (dragon, tester, ogre king) and release from its ban the vital energies that will feed the universe... The hero of yesterday becomes the tyrant of tomorrow, unless he crucifies himself today."
-Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces
(כב) וְצִלָּ֣ה גַם־הִ֗וא יָֽלְדָה֙ אֶת־תּ֣וּבַל קַ֔יִן לֹטֵ֕שׁ כָּל־חֹרֵ֥שׁ נְחֹ֖שֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֑ל וַֽאֲח֥וֹת תּֽוּבַל־קַ֖יִן נַֽעֲמָֽה׃ (כג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קוֹלִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֙גְתִּי֙ לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי׃ (כד) כִּ֥י שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקַּם־קָ֑יִן וְלֶ֖מֶךְ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָֽה׃
(22) As for Tzillah, she bore Tuval-cain, who forged all implements of copper and iron. And the sister of Tuval-cain was Naamah. (23) And Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Tzillah, hear my voice; O wives of Lamech, give ear to my speech. I have slain a man for wounding me, And a lad for bruising me. (24) If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
...(בראשית ד, טו): וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר הִזְרִיחַ לוֹ גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה לְאוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע הָיָה מַזְרִיחַ לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִזְרִיחַ לוֹ הַצָּרַעַת, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות ד, ח): וְהָיָה אִם לֹא יַאֲמִינוּ לָךְ וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ לְקֹל הָאֹת וגו'. רַב אָמַר כֶּלֶב מָסַר לוֹ. אַבָּא יוֹסֵי בֶּן קֵסָרִי אָמַר קֶרֶן הִצְמִיחַ לוֹ. רַב אָמַר עֲשָׂאוֹ אוֹת לְרוֹצְחָנִים. רַבִּי חָנִין אָמַר עֲשָאוֹ אוֹת לְבַעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה...
..."And God gave Cain a sign" (Gen 4:15). Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah disagreed. Rabbi Judah said: ‘God caused the orb of the sun to shine on his account.’ Said Rabbi Nehemiah to him: ‘For this wicked one caused the orb of the sun to shine! Rather, God afflicted him with leprosy.’ Rav said: ‘God gave him a dog.’ Abba Yossi ben Kesari said: ‘He made a horn grow out of his forehead.’ Rav said: 'God made him a sign for murderers'. Rabbi Chanin said 'God made him a sign for those seeking repentance'...
(1) שמען קולי HEAR MY VOICE — For his wives separated from him because he had killed Cain and Tubal-Cain, his own son. Lamech was blind and Tubal-Cain used to lead him. The latter saw Cain and thought him to be an animal. He therefore told his father to draw the bow, and thus Lamech killed him. As soon as he learned that it was his forefather Cain, he smote his hands together, struck his son between them and so killed him too. His wives thereupon separated from him, and he endeavoured to appease them, (2) saying שמען קולי “Hear my voice”— obey me and return to me: for the man I slew — was he slain by my wounding? i. e. did I wound him with premeditation, that the wound should be called by my name; and the child that I slew — was it slain by my blow? Did I not act inadvertently and not with premeditation? This was not my wound, nor was this my blow!