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What is the meaning of Ragnarök for the Germanic peoples?
Why did the Germanics believe into Ragnarök? In Christian mythology, the revelation is basically there to fear the people from going against the Christian way and otherwise ending up in hell. But in Germanic mythology, I thought the idea of…
Entrance
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How did Perseus die?
I'd like to know of any myths surrounding Perseus' death (the same Perseus that killed Medusa), but Wikipedia only mentions this line about it:
According to Hyginus, Fabulae 244, Megapenthes eventually killed
Perseus, to avenge the death of his…
Rodia
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If the ox tiger is an unlucky direction, why build an entrance to it?
On the Oni Wikipedia, scrolled down to Demon Gate, it says that in Chinese Taoism and traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology (Onmyōdō), the direction northeast (though the wiki uses northeasterly) is an unlucky direction. On the animal zodiac…
Andrew Johnson
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How did Aphrodite even help the Trojans during the Trojan war?
I am a Latin student, and currently studying the Trojan war myths
How could Aphrodite, being the goddess of love (being almost as far from a war goddess as possible) help Paris and the Trojans during the Trojan war?
Quilavadon
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Gods from different cultures accepted in the same universe?
I was watching God of War, and I began thinking of how to reconcile the existence of multiple myths: e.g., how the Greek mythology could coexist with the Norse one. It is said in the Bible, for example, that "Thou shalt have no other god before…
user31078
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Why 1000 years and not 900 or 800 years for kitsune to ascend to heaven?
After reaching 1,000 years of age gaining its ninth tail, a kitsune turns a golden color, becoming a 'Tenko' (天狐 "heavenly fox"/"celestial fox"), the most powerful form of the kitsune, and then ascends to the heavens.
Kitsune are presumably…
Andrew Johnson
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What is the extent of control over a kitsune?
Kitsune have something called a Hoshi no tama, star ball or kitsune ball. They are white and/or gold orbs. The orb is like a kitsune's life force so they hide it, usually in their mouths or on their tails. If someone manages to get a hold of the…
Andrew Johnson
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Does hubris have an opposite?
Hubris is a Greek term that means excessive/deadly pride or arrogance before the gods. She is also a personified daemon. Soon after one succumbs to Hubris, Nemesis enacts retribution.
Since hubris is such a bad thing, did the Greeks have a term…
Andrew Johnson
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Does anyone else sample the food of the Underworld?
Most of us know the story behind the seasons in Greek Mythology, but just to recap...
Hades kidnapped the daughter of Demeter, Persephone. Demeter went in search for her, lead by Hecate's torches. She let the cosmos (land of humans) waste away…
Andrew Johnson
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Why are the three Judges of the Underworld Zeus's sons?
The Judges of the Dead in Greek Mythology are Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus.
Minos was a tyrant king of Crete. He made war with Athens because his son died there. He demanded 14 virgin youths, 7 girls and 7 boys, be sacrificed every nine (it…
Andrew Johnson
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Japanese god of tea
Is there a Japanese god or goddess of tea?
I’ve read that Inari is a god of various things, such as rice, sake, and tea... But is there a deity that is god of tea in particular?
TeachMe
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Mother Earth or Father Earth?
To explain my title, we humans call the earth 'Mother Earth'. I can trace this back to Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth, Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture and others. But, I remembered that Egyptian Mythology had a male as the god of the…
Andrew Johnson
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Is there a myth were Heracles chooses duty over pleasure?
Last year, I was handed a worksheet. It was an excerpt of an autobiography if I recall correctly.
One part I remember in particular involved Heracles, that he was given a choice between duty and pleasure.
Can anyone recall a myth like this?
Andrew Johnson
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Did tales about a house made of sweets predate Hansel and Gretel?
Having heard the tale of Hansel and Gretel orally, the brothers Grimm published it in 1812. One of its most memorable themes is the witch's house made of sweets. Does such a theme predate this tale? And if so, when did it first appear?
user1618
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Are there any love stories in Greek myth that don't have one or both dying?
Phaedra and Hippolytus:
Phaedra is cursed to love her own stepson Hippolytus, who dies.
Galatea and Acis:
Galatea attracts the love of Polyphemus, who kills her lover Acis.
Hero and Leander live on opposite sides of the Hellespont:
Leander swims to…
Andrew Johnson
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