 Several legends attested to their unique qualities, such as Aristotle's claim that the sea eagle only raised the young who could look directly at the sun directly without their eyes watering, or Pliny the Elder's claim that they were immune to being struck by lightning, while the "Geoponica" claimed that they protected from hail.They were considered endowed with oracular properties, and a divine bird, as messenger of Zeus and herald of victory.Indeed, Zeus himself is said to have transformed himself into an eagle on occasion.