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Hephaestus and Medusa had a son named Cacus. How was Hephaestus shielded from being turned to stone?
Hephaestus and Medusa had a son named Cacus.
Cacus was the son of Hephaestus and Medusa. Inheriting the properties of fire from his father and monstrousness from his mother, Cacus was a fire-breathing monster who was sometimes described as a…
user28
21
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2 answers
Is Odin the only being who gained knowledge of the runes?
In order to learn the secrets of the runes (symbols of some of the most powerful forces in the cosmos), Odin hangs himself from Yggdrasil, pierces himself with his own spear, and peers downward to the Well of Urn for nine days. He fasts during this…
Kreann
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21
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What were the five parts of the Egyptian soul?
This is an offshoot of a question asked about the Ba and Ka.
What were the other 3 parts of the Egyptian soul and what did they represent?
user28
21
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1 answer
Why did Dionysus change his mother's name?
Semele was the mortal mother of Zeus' son Dionysus. She was tricked by the jealous Hera and she ends up dying.
Dionysus survived, but when he grew older, he was concerned for his mother and retrieved her from the Underworld:
Dionysus feared for…
logic
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Is there a canonical ending to the story of Antigone?
As I understand it, it was common practice for a playwright to retell a well-known story with the details changed to suit the playwright's needs. A tidy way to avoid a lot of tedious exposition.
In Antigone, this leads to some significantly…
femtoRgon
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21
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What is the relationship between werewolves and vampires in Balkan folklore?
In Balkan folklore, several words that originally meant werewolf (e.g. the Bulgarian vǎrkolak and the Serbian vulkodlak) either ended up being used for both creatures or for vampires alone (e.g the Greek word vrykolakas, a derivative of vǎrkolak).…
yannis
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What kind of god was the Yellow Emperor?
The Yellow Emperor is the legendary first ruler of China and originator of Huaxia Chinese civilisation, reigning during 2698–2598 BC, and as recently as 1920s he was regarded by most Chinese as a real figure. Modern scholars cast doubt on his…
congusbongus
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21
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Why is 12 such a holy number?
In many religions, such as the Greeks, the number 12 is considered holy and sacred for many generations. There are 12 main gods in Greek mythology, Odin had 12 sons in Norse mythology, 12 disicples of Christ in Christinaity, and 12 Imams in the…
Anthony Pham
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Did any Greek mythological hero father a son who surpassed him in fame?
I can't think of any case of a Greek mythological hero having a son who achieved more fame, glory and "heroic status" than him.
Looking the descendency of Perseus, Heracles, Theseus, Jason, Achilles, Odysseus, etc, they all had sons. Some of them…
Rodia
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21
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Does any folklore of Pictish origin survive in Britain or Ireland?
There is a sheep-counting system in northern England, also used for counting stitches in knitting, which derives from a Brythonic Celtic language. Is there any surviving folklore that is known or reasonably hypothesised to derive from the culture of…
user1618
20
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4 answers
Does Odin choose who enters Valhalla?
Ero Sɘnnin's answer in How was it decided which warriors would go to Fólkvangr and which to Valhalla? seems to suggest that Odin gets to choose who enters Valhalla:
Valhalla is presided over by Odin, and to gain entrance to it, one must be chosen…
yannis
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How did the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) go from fictional character to religious icon?
Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, seems to have got his start as a fictional character in the classical novel "Journey to the West" by Wu Cheng'en (though I have read a vague statement somewhere that earlier stories of a monkey assistant to Xuanzang may…
femtoRgon
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Why is rape featured so prominently in Greek mythology?
This question may be a little controversial so try to keep your answers as academically as possible. (take an example from @DukeZhou )
If on the subject general answers are also accepted
I am familiar with the fact that this happened in pretty much…
Tom Sol
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Do Arthurian scholars or other original Arthurian legends agree with Geoffrey of Monmouth's depiction of King Arthur's death?
One of the most popular accounts of the life of King Arthur is that of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who writes that Arthur was killed by his nephew, Mordred. Geoffrey's account is by no means canonical, as there are many folk stories of Arthur. However, I…
HDE 226868
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In the Odyssey, why didn't Penelope simply turn away her suitors?
If I remember the story correctly, Penelope spends over a decade telling her suitors that she will choose one of them as a husband some day, but continues inventing elaborate reasons why she cannot yet make that choice. It seemed clear to the reader…
Ixrec
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