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How were titans viewed by ancient Greeks?
Prometheus was a Titan. He helped people several times. But was he praised as a god would be? Gaia was the very mother Earth. Was she loved as any other goddess would be? Atlas held the sky up from crashing down on the earth. Was he respected for…
Nuloen The Seeker
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Are there any dwarf gods in history?
We don't often see gods depicted as dwarves. Rather, most of them are physically depicted as strong and tall.
I have found the Egyptian God Bes, but is there another dwarf god known to him?
zobolob
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What is the oldest known appearance of clairvoyance or telepathy in myth or folklore?
Clairvoyance is the sensing of an event, thought or fact by other means than the five physical senses; telepathy is the deliberate sending of a thought, feeling, knowledge or information using such means. What is the first known time that either is…
user1618
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What is the earliest story of summoning the dead we know of?
This is a followup to: What is the earliest ghost story we know of?
In this question, I am looking for stories involving mortals summoning the spirits of the dead from the underworld. The spirits should be of mortals who have passed, not gods,…
ghost
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What is the story of Madonna Oriente?
I stumbled upon the Wikipedia article on Madonna Oriente, a mysterious religious figure of 14th century Milan:
Madonna Oriente or Signora Oriente (Lady of the East), also known as La Signora del Gioco (The Lady of the Game), are names of an alleged…
yannis
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What do we know about the winged male figures representing the souls of warriors in the weighing of souls?
The pictured black-figured lekythos features Hermes (in his role as a psychopomp), weighing the souls of Achilles and a Trojan warrior (Memnon or Hector):
What I find particularly interesting in the scene is the two winged male figures on the…
yannis
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What are the origin and geographical spread of the belief that a girl or woman should not wash her hair when she is menstruating?
The belief that a girl or woman who is menstruating should not wash her hair has been called an "old wives' tale". Supposed reasons for it have included the idea that at that time of the month her hair will hang limp and not gain body even if…
user1618
5
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If the Trojans had a different language than the Achaeans, does this mean they spoke the same as Queen Dido?
I have previously asked if the Trojans called the gods by their Greek names (Athena, Demeter...) or their Roman names (Minerva, Ceres...). I was told they had their own language and the two sides had trouble communicating, but it was not…
Andrew Johnson
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How were children of Oceanus king and queen?
Before the Titan Kronos and his sister/wife Rhea became rulers of the heavens, Ophion and Eurynome were so. But, how did that occur when Ouranos/Uranus was king? He was only dethroned when Kronos castrated him and replaced him.
Andrew Johnson
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Why doesn't Sisyphus try to escape?
In the myth of Sisyphus, he pushes a boulder up a hill for all eternity because it keeps falling back down. My question is, why doesn't Sisyphus ever break the conditioning and leave?
mcchucklezz
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What does mytheme mean?
What is the meaning of the term mytheme?
When did the term first come into use, and what are some examples of mythemes?
Baldr
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Why does Hector accept Achilles' challenge?
The first time Hector meets Achilles on the battlefield, in Book IX of the Iliad, he is prudent enough to avoid dueling the Myrmidon superhero. However, in Book XXII Hector decides to face Achilles in single combat, a decision that costs him his…
Ouroboros
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Earliest legend of someone being turned into an animal/monster?
What is the earliest legend we know of, that involves someone (named or otherwise) being turned into an animal, or some terrible monster? This includes turning someone's unborn child into a monster, like the legend of the minotaur.
Johnny
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Why did mankind rebel against Ra?
The Book of the Heavenly Cow revolves around mankind's rebellion against Ra:
The central theme of The Book of the Heavenly Cow is mankind's rebellion against the elder sun god, Re, resulting in the punishment of humans by the fiery "eye" of Re in…
yannis
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Benevolent king gives greatest gift: yourself/himself
Story of a benevolent king (or queen?) who disguises himself among peasants and then reveals himself or is revealed as king and then one of the peasants with whom he interacts thanks the king for the greatest gift a king could give: the gift of…
BCLC
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