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What power does Hera have over Zeus?
Zeus was king of the gods, and his lightening bolt was something of a supreme weapon in the clash with the titans.
And yet, Zeus is often depicted as a hen-pecked husband, fearful of his wife.
What power does Hera have over Zeus?
DukeZhou
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Can the unbreakable lid specifically in the Work and Days version of Pandora be taken as a metaphor?
This excellent question got me thinking about how to understand the perceived ambiguity of the status of "Hope" in the Works and Days version of the Pandora story.
Is there some deeper meaning to the jar lid specifically, and hope's status of…
DukeZhou
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Surely hope being left in Pandora's Box means that there is no true hope in the world?
Because death was released into the world, all hope is denied, so being stuck in the box means there is not hope in the world.
Phil
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Which age do we live in, according to Hesiod?
There are five ages of man according to Hesiod: Golden Age, Silver, Bronze, Iron, and Age of Heroes.
Which one are we currently in as of today?
Cory
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Why did Odin forsake Sigmund?
In the first ten chapters of the of the Saga of the Volsungs, Odin strongly favors the eponymous clan. In chapter 11, however, the Allfather sides with King Lyngi and attacks Sigmund, shattering the same sword he had gifted Volsung's son earlier in…
yannis
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Humans' missing piece myth identification
Does anyone know a myth that refers/explains the feeling of incompleteness that humans have, and which drives us, makes us seekers of a missing something/fulfillment?
Ideally an ancient or primitive myth.
I find creation myths with embedded…
myth art
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Eros Has Two (or More) Mommies. Is there a "right" one?
I had always believed from previous readings that Eros (Cupid), the archer-god of love, was the son of Aphrodite, and his father wasn't mentioned. I now read in Eros's entry on Theoi.com that his parentage is variously ascribed to:
Gaea and…
Lauren-Clear-Monica-Ipsum
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Who is the boatman that took away Sinfjotli's corpse?
In chapter 10 of the Saga of the Völsungs, Sigmund's son Sinfjotli dies. His corpse is presumably carried to the underworld by a mysterious boatman, in a manner reminiscent of the Greek ferryman of Hades, Charon:
So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway…
yannis
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Why was Loki bound, really?
I grew up believing it was all because of Baldur. But murder, especially by proxy, was not quite the capital crime in the age or heroes as it is today. (Not to mention, what's the rationale for "We really love this guy so much and he's…
DukeZhou
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Where do satyrs and fauns come from?
Gods and monsters are (usually) born. What about satyrs and fauns? Were they created? Born?
I'm tagging Greek and Roman mythology, but open to other mythologies as well.
miltonaut
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Where is Sigi from?
In the Saga of the Völsungs, we learn that the patriarch Sigi is exiled from his homeland and eventually becomes a king in the land of the Huns (or France, according to the Prose Edda). However, the name of his homeland in not mentioned.
Do we know…
yannis
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What are the historical sources for the Illuminati mythos?
Does anyone know anything about the sources of the Illuminati mythology?
I've heard that they're a group of people who are secret masterminds and have done some dreadful things, but is it based on real history or prior myths?
Smiley_nrk
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Why was Dionysus, a dying and rising god, called thrice-born?
Of the many epithets used to describe Dionysus in Orphic Hymn XXIX, thrice begotten ("τρίγονον" in the original) stands out:
Bacchus I call, loud-sounding and divine,
Fanatic God, a two-fold shape is thine:
Thy various names and attributes I…
yannis
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Why are poinsettias associated with Christmas?
The site Poinsettia Facts associates the flower with Christmas:
No flower says Christmas like the beautiful poinsettia. Learn a few facts about this traditional Christmas plant.
Today the plant is known in Mexico and Guatemala as ""La Flor de la…
Girsan Virlee
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Why do we call the pentagram a "star"?
First, I apologize if this is asked in the wrong place, but I'm finding it hard placing this question, which is this:
The symbol above is called a "star", but why?
I have read that the symbol predates the telescope, but stars do not look…
Zorawar
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