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What are the oldest extant influential mythology inspired books (mainly Eastern)?
Sorry if the question sounds confusing, not sure how to ask my question but I was reading an article about how Western literature is built in part on Greek and Roman mythology, on works like Homer's Odyssey for instance. Those earliest works go…
MichaelG
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Zeno's influence on the conception of the Hydra?
I am referring to Zeno of Elia (c.490 –c.430 BCE) and his famous Dichotomy Paradox. This paradox has to do with infinite divisions based on 1/2.
It seems to be that the conception of the Hydra as growing two heads for every one that is severed…
DukeZhou
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What is Clytemnestra's dowry? How does it compare to Helen's?
In other words, what does Agamemnon gain by forcing her into marriage, and to what degree does Agamemnon's status depend on his royal wife?
(Eleanor of Aquitaine as " the most eligible bride in Europe" would be a woman of similar status, who also…
DukeZhou
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Why does Hercules light himself on fire?
I mean, it's a memorable way to go and demonstrates tremendous commitment, but this is something we usually see in religions deriving from India, where Agni is both a god and integral at a fundamental, philosophical, conscious level. (Buddhist…
DukeZhou
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7
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Why does Cuchulainn lash himself to a standing stone with his guts?
I mean it’s totally badass, dying on your feet and still cutting off a man’s hand after you’re dead, but is there more to it than that?
DukeZhou
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How are bears associated with the world of dreams?
I was looking for information on bear cults when I stumbled upon this little gem:
In Native American folklore there are many tales about bears. It is highly respected as the 'keeper of dreams', and 'the keeper of medicine', and is one of the most…
yannis
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How did the ranking system for the Sumerian pantheon work?
According to this source, the gods had some numerical ranks as below:
Anu (ranking #60)
Antu (ranking #55)
Enlil (ranking #50)
Ninlil / Sud (ranking #45)
Enki / EA (ranking #40)
Ninki / Damkina (ranking #35)
Nanna / Nannar / Sin / El (ranking…
kenorb
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7
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Can Thor fly in Norse mythology?
In the Marvel Universe, flight is one of Thor's powers. (It's been a veeeeeeeery long time since I read the comics, but in the recent films he flies by holding onto Mjolnir's strap or handle, and is pulled along into the air by the hammer…
DukeZhou
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Why was Astyanax thrown from the wall?
There are several conflicting accounts of the death of baby Scamandrius (aka Astyanax), son Hector and Andromache, but several important sources, including Pausanias [Descriptions of Greece, 10.25.9], Ovid [Metamorphoses, Book 13, 399-428] and…
DukeZhou
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Did Ragnarök influence the Apocalypse of John?
In my younger days I was convinced the story of Ragnarök was influenced by the New Testament's Armageddon. As I started to learn about the existence of pagan ideas in Christianity, I began to wonder if the direction of this influence may be…
DukeZhou
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How did the Assyrians imagine the underworld?
There's an exhibit of two reconstructed Assyrian graves in the Pergamon Museum.
The description on the display vaguely mentioned the "Mesopotamians" thought the underworld was very similar to the land of the living; vibrant cities where the dead…
yannis
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7
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2 answers
Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?
Why do people kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas?
Where does the tradition come from?
Girsan Virlee
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7
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What is the original creation myth of Hawaiian mythology?
According to what I read in the Internet, there are two variants of the creation myth in Hawaiian mythology. According to the first two websites, the god Kane emerged from Chaos or Po and he creates the world with two other gods who emerge from Po,…
user1385
7
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1 answer
How many Great Gods did the Sumerians have?
How many Great Gods did the Sumerians have?
Was it twelve, as counted on Wikipedia, or it's just a coincidence? Does the number of Great Gods have any meaning?
For example in this article it's suggested:
Department of Oriental Antiquities at the…
kenorb
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Veda, Upanishad and the Physical Universe
I haven't read the Veda or Upanishad (and other Hindu scriptures). But I'm eager to know whether it does offer any account of how the universe came into existence?
SRS
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