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What is the oldest known version of the Thessalonike legend?
Thessalonike was the daughter of Phillip II of Macedon, and a half sister to Alexander III of Macedon. Legend has it that when Alexander died, Thessalonike "became a mermaid passing judgment on mariners":
There exists a popular Greek legend which…
yannis
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Was the development of Greek mythology dynamic or static?
Did Greek mythology develop dynamically or statically? Let me explain a little more what I mean by "dynamic" and "static".
Static: Given the religious element of the stories, I could imagine that they were very "official", implying that they were…
smurf
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What is the significance of Peradur asking about (or not asking about) the bloodied spear?
In the story Peradur in the Mabinogion, Peradur is told by his Uncle not to ask questions if he sees anything strange, unless someone explains the strange thing to him.
Leave, then, the habits and the discourse of thy mother, and I will be thy…
user62
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Where are the three Maels of Meath?
The Tain fairly often specifies specific geographical locations as the settings for its events.
In the final battle of the Tain, Fergus is convinced to turn from the battle and expend his anger on the hills, to spare the men of Ulster.
Thus it was…
femtoRgon
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Significance of Enoch's age in the Hebrew Bible and identification with seventh antediluvian king/sage from Mesopotamian mythology
In the Hebrew Bible, Genesis 5:23 records Enoch's age as 365 years. As far as I can tell based on my review of the BHS and Göttingen LXX apparatus, there are no alternate readings of this number as 354 nor as 364 years.1
Several scholars have noted…
Dan
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How could Cuchulainn yield to Fergus?
This is closely related to a previous question: Why couldn't Cuchulainn yield to Ferdiad (or vice versa)?
It seems clear from the answer there that Cuchulainn would be bound to fight to defend the men of Ulster, regardless of any affection for his…
femtoRgon
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Why did King Kilydd conceal his son from his wife?
In Culhwch and Olwen, King Kilydd's wife, Goleuddydd, dies in childbirth, leaving behind the king's only son. She tells him to go forth and remarry once two briar blossoms bloom on her grave, and he does so when the blossoms appear seven years…
HDE 226868
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Is it possible to build a timeline for Greek mythology?
I have tried to find a timeline for Greek mythology but I either find small, unreferenced lists or timelines of Ancient Greece. Particularly, I would like to build or find one where it explains how different stories are related.
I know there is some…
Marduk Trimegistus
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Were there cooks for the gods on Olympus in Greek(or Roman) Mythology
I am writing a play in which Greek mythology is a worshipful act and wanted to write that the gods decided to eat the humanly harvest rather than the food (ambrosia, the nectar) of Olympus.
Are there any "godly" considered cooks or gods of…
Tom O' Bedlam
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What is the legend of the Knight Tondalo?
I was recently reading Martin Luther's commentary on the Sermon on the Mount (English translation by Charles A. Hay, 1892) and I was intrigued by a reference to "the legend of the Knight Tondalo".
Here is what Luther wrote, when discussing the…
quarkrgb
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Why is it lucky to touch or knock on wood?
According to Project Britain's British Life and Culture it is lucky to touch wood:
Lucky to touch wood. We touch; knock on wood, to make something come true.
Where does this superstition come from?
Bloom
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School in the Sky?
I'm looking for references to schools in the sky. Was there a school that the Greek gods attended? A university frequented by the Norse pantheon? An academy in Tian? I'd love any pointers you've got.
bill frumpterton
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What do we know of the rebellion against Zeus by Poseidon, Hera and Athena?
In the first book of the Iliad Achilles mentions that Thetis, his sea nymph mother, once saved Zeus from a rebellion by Poseidon, Hera and Athena:
Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go to Olympus, and if you have ever done him service…
yannis
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Are there any old religions/mythologies where people would get tattood to get closer to or for their god?
Most religions today condemn the use of tattoos but Are there any old religions/mythologies where people would get tattood to get closer to or for their god?
The majority of Sunni Muslims believe tattooing is a sin, because it involves changing the…
Tom Sol
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Are the Nephilim the demi-gods of the bible?
The Nephilim were not aliens, angels, “Watchers,” or rock monsters; they were literal, physical beings produced from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men.
When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born…
Tom Sol
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