Greek mythology

[Baby-K]

I love mythology in all forms - Norse, Greek, Roman, Celtic, but my favourites are African & especially South African mythology, legends & folklore.

South African mythology originates largely from the black tribal religions, daily practices, war stories etc. They are ususally very closely related to nature and have a strong theme of good & evil, wrong & right and serves as a guide to the people on how to conduct their daily lives. You will also find that African tales are very descriptive & can take a very long time to tell (even if it is just a recount of the daily events).

This is an example of South African (Xhosa) folklore: (some of the beauty & poetry is lost in the translations as African languages often do not have words for specific events / objects but use descriptions to depict what is meant)

STORY OF THE GREAT CHIEF OF THE ANIMALS.

There was once a woman who had occasion to leave her home for a short time, and who left her children in charge of a hare. The place where they lived was close to a path, along which droves of wild animals were accustomed to pass.

Soon after the woman left, the animals appeared, and the hare at sight of them became frightened. So she ran awav to a distance, and stood to watch. Among the animals was one terrible monster, which called to the hare, and demanded to know what children those were. The hare told their names, upon which the animal swallowed them entire.

When the woman returned, the hare told her what had happencd. Then the woman gathered some dry wood, and sharpened two pieces of iron, which she took with her and went along the path.

Now this was the chief of the animals; therefore, when she came on a hill over against him, the woman began to call out that she was looking for her children. The animal replied: "Come nearer, I cannot hear you."

When she went, he swallowed her also. The woman found her children alive, and also many other people, and oxen, and dogs. The children were hungry, so the woman with her pieces of iron cut some pieces of flesh frorn the animal's ribs. She then made a fire and cooked the meat, and the children ate.

The other people said: "We also are hungry, give us to eat."

Then she cut and cooked for them also.

The animal felt uncomfortable under this treatment, and called his councillors together for advice, but they could suggest no remedy. He lay down and rolled in the mud, but that did not help him, and at last he went and put his head in the kraal fence, and died.

His councillors were standing at a distance, afraid to approach him, so they sent a monkey to see how he was. The monkey returned and said: "Those whose home is on the mountains must hasten to the mountains; those whose home is on the plains must hasten to the plains; as for me, I go to the rocks."

Then the animals all dispersed.

By this time the woman had succeeded in cutting a hole through the chief's side, and came forth, followed by her children.

Then an ox came out, and said "Bo! bo! who helped me?"

Then a dogy who said: "Ho! ho! who helped me?

Then a man, who said: "Zo! zo! who helped me?"

Afterwards all the people and cattle came out. They agreed that the woman who helped them should be their chief.

When her children became men, they were out hunting one day, and saw a monstrous cannibal, who was sticking fast in a mud hole. They killed him, and then returned to tell the men of their tribe what they had done. The men went and skinned the cannibal, when a great number of people came out of him also. These joined their deliverers, and so that people became a great nation.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Rána Eressëa
Mostly Greeks who moved.

Um, actually, we're not sure about the Roman origins, so it's a bit of a leap to presume that their origin was Greek.

[Phooka]

I know little of the gods and goddesses in mythology, but I specialise in monsters.

Ever since I was wee I would listen to ghost stories and that lot, and getting older the monsters were what particularly interested me. You could say I'm a bit of a conasour *no clue how to spell it* on monster cinema's.

But the myths, the actual myths that interested me more than any other was of course, the celtic and norse. *see my name*

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Welcome to the Entmoot, Phooka! Hope you have a great time here!

Allow me to display my ignorance: Who (or what) is Phooka?

[Phooka]

Ohhh! Wow! Thank! Now I get to spout of insignificant nonsense!

A phooka or pooka is the name of a water creature in the lore of Ireland. (it's also known as pwca and puca)

The Phooka is described as s horse or a shaggy-haired colt that has chains or water weed hanging about it. The Phooka is said to haunt wild places (edges of lakes; streams) where it will lure young children to ride on its back, if they do it will race off with them and straight into the water or even off a high waterfall.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

O.o

Well that's rude! Is it from Norse or Celtic mythology?

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Striker (or Trash, if you like)
Grim
Phooka ('course)
Tages
Margygr
Sirena
Mauthe Dhoog (or Moddley Dhoo)
Nixe

Hope I'm not being annoying, but aside from the Phooka, I don't know what any of these are! If you have a minute, could you fill me in a bit?

[Phooka]

Celtic



It was a mean bogie, I agree

[Phooka]

Grim -Also Black dog
A huge shaggy haired dog (about the size of a calf) with fiery red eyes and are malicious, if you see one, it is said to predict your death but they can also inflict savage wounds and paralysis, they can also be seen guarding hidden treasure.

-Magygr- Just a type of mermaid--hideously ugly and looking for blood...

--Moddley Dhoo--Basically a Grim, but it haunst the Peel Castle, wandering the corridors, to eat and kill *in that order* anyone they come upon.

Nixe--Mermaids again--except they have green motley skin and are from another region. They are remembered for their many teeth.

Skriker--A giant, who is named for the sound he makes when he walks, he too likes lonely travellers.

Sirena--A Siren, A seal who can become a woman on land and whoever has her seal skin can control her.

Tages-- A montrous child, most commonly a boy, who has the legs of snakes, he could tell the future from the entrails of sacrifices.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Sounds like Sirena's the same thing as a selkie.

Thanks for the info!

[Phooka]

*embarrassed* You caught me...I mixed them up...*sigh*

It was one of those S's...

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I thought that was what they were called...Sirens are from Greek mythology, right?

[Phooka]

No I believe...it's medieval European.

But don't take my word, I'm shattered because of the sirens and selkies now!

[Huan]

The sirens are from Greek mythology. In the Odyssey, Odysseus and his men must sail through their territory, and they are warned that they must plug their ears and refrain from hearing the Sirens' song or they will be lost forever, but Odysseus insists that he alone will withstand their song, but he must be tied to the mast of the ship so he won't I dunno jump overboard and try to join them or something, so he hears it but he's tied to the mast so he can't jump ship and fall prey to the Sirens. There's some great ancient artwork produced from that scene, and it's commonly considered Odysseus' "crucifiction" moment.

[Mirahzi]

For clarification: Odysseus orders his men to tie him to the mast, because he wants to hear the Sirens' song, but not be tempted by it.

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Um, actually, we're not sure about the Roman origins, so it's a bit of a leap to presume that their origin was Greek.

Lots of evidence points to Northern Italy and the surrounding areas for the origins of the Romans, of course it is still widely debated, but there are various reasons to believe the Romans came from, obviously the Latins, who settled the area, who later were overthrown by the Etruscans. It is thought that a Rome was really born out of Etruria and the Etruscans...

Like you said though, it's hard to say for a fact, though there were Greek colonies in Italy at the time, however a lot of the info points to the North for the beginnings of Rome, whereas the Greeks were mainly in the South.

Here is some info, from the best online Roman resource:

http://www.roman-empire.net/founding/found-index.html

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Dúnedain
Lots of evidence points to Northern Italy and the surrounding areas for the origins of the Romans, of course it is still widely debated, but there are various reasons to believe the Romans came from, obviously the Latins, who settled the area, who later were overthrown by the Etruscans. It is thought that a Rome was really born out of Etruria and the Etruscans...

I know. I did Ancient History (Greece, Rome, Egypt) for my minor.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by Mirahzi
For clarification: Odysseus orders his men to tie him to the mast, because he wants to hear the Sirens' song, but not be tempted by it.

I thought it was so that he would know when they out of hearing range of the Sirens?

[Elf Girl]

No, I believe he was just curious.

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
I know. I did Ancient History (Greece, Rome, Egypt) for my minor.

Cool! My major was History, with a concentration in Ancient History