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Why do the Greeks have two different messenger gods?
Hermes was a messenger god. And Iris, with her rainbows, was also a messenger goddess.
Why would the Greeks have two different messenger gods?
bleh
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Are Moirai & Parcae mortal?
What is the fate of Moirai & Parcae (the Fates) in Roman & Greek mythologies? Are they mortal? If they are destined to die when & how it happens?
Max
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Who is the she-demon pasittu?
I was researching the question What demons/fabulous creatures did the Sumerians mention? when I stumbled upon the she-demon pasittu:
Mankind Punished
[iii.45] Enki made ready to speak,
and said to Nintu the birth goddess:
"You, birth goddess,…
yannis
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How did Sindri and Brokkr win the bet with Loki, when Mjölnir is clearly faulty?
I understand that the brothers endured a lot of tough challenges, especially from Loki (who tried to disturb them in the form of a fly).
But still, Mjölnir is clearly faulty, which is supported by this quote from The Prose Edda, translated by Arthur…
Dawny33
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What is the difference between the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda?
Most of what we know of Norse mythology comes from two sources: the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda.
What is the difference between the two?
JohnWDailey
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6
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Ηοw is the pomegranate connected with New Year's celebrations?
I flew to Crete on New Year's Eve, and the flight crew offered all of us a pomegranate and instructed us to break it open at midnight.
What's the story there? How is the pomegranate connected with celebrating the New Year?
yannis
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6
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Why did the gods spare Gilgamesh?
In Tablet VII of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods Anu, Enlil, Ea and Shamash decide that Enkidu should pay with his life for the deaths of Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven:
Enkidu began to speak to Gilgamesh: 'My brother, this night what a dream [I…
yannis
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When did each of the Three Fortunate Concealments and the Three Unfortunate Disclosures happen?
The Welsh Triads lists the Three Fortunate Concealments and the Three Unfortunate Disclosures (see also Bendigeidfran's head was one of the Three Fortunate concealments; what are the other two?):
Three Fortunate Concealments of the Island of…
HDE 226868
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Why is the Oedipus complex named after Oedipus?
What is the relationship between the Oedipus complex and the character Oedipus? Is there any? It is a big jump between someone who answered a riddle to a psychological complex.
bleh
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Was 'Incident 2' invariant for geographical changes?
I have a statement from the belief of Scientology:
75 million years ago Xenu took these thetans to Hawaii and Los Palmas where he subjected them to a kind of brain-washing called "implanting" for 36 days, in which false memories were implanted in…
user867
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6
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Differences in the Greek and Roman portrayals of Cronos/Saturn
I just read a blog post that talks about the Roman feast of Saturnalia:
During the time of the Republic, gambling was prohibited except during the festival of the Saturnalia which was held in December of each year. The Saturnalia was a celebration…
Hello World
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Is there any ancient source that says the Augean Stables hadn't been cleaned for 30 years?
It is commonly stated in books (including Merriam-Webster's dictionary) that the Augean Stables hadn't been cleaned for 30 years prior to the labor of Heracles, yet none of those books list a source for that detail.
Searching on Topostexts I have…
Ben Warner
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6
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Which culture believed in a bird whose flight sustains the universe?
I came across a mythological belief a few weeks ago, I believe in a Sam Kriss piece (1).
It centered around a bird (a swan or goose, I want to say?) that ceaselessly flew (in a primordial void/chaos?) - the universe had started with its flight and…
minnowquick
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6
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What are the "nine fearful curses that plague mankind" of Orcadian folklore, besides the 'Stoor Worm'?
The 'Stoor Worm' of Orcadian folklore is described as one of the nine fearful curses that plague mankind, what are the other curses if there are any?
Islanders were terrified of the serpent; it was described by Traill Dennison, who transcribed its…
Washtun
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5
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Why was the goat Amalthea such a dreaded animal?
Amalthea was the goat that fed Zeus when Rhea wanted to protect him from Cronus, hiding him in a cave in Crete. Other versions say that she was actually a nymph, who was in charge of feeding him with goat's milk.
But in some parts I have found…
David Saiz
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