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What deities did only one city/state recognize?
In research of past questions, I came across Eleos. Eleos is the personified daemon (lesser/inferior god) of piety, mercy, clemency (leniency), and compassion. She was always depicted as a young woman wearing a blue veil or dress. She was only…
Andrew Johnson
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What is the meaning behind Amaterasu-ōmikami meaning what it does?
Amaterasu-ōmikami means "the great august kami (deity) who shines in the heaven." Why is it specifically august? What does the goddess name meaning august mean?
Andrew Johnson
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Does Angela Merkel's use of her distinctive "diamond" hand gesture have any folk-historical or other oral-traditional background?
Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, is known for using a distinctive hand gesture.
Does the Merkel rhombus (Merkel-Raute), which has been heavily used by the Christian Democratic party in its electoral campaigning, have any folk-historical or…
user1618
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Why is Atabey specifically the goddess/spirit of horizontal water?
Atabey, goddess, is one of two supreme (major) gods in Taino Mythology (Caribbean islands). She was worshiped as the goddess of fresh water, though her representation as an Earth Spirit connects her to horizontal water (including the sea, salt…
Andrew Johnson
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Who was Thalia's mother?
I do not mean Thalia the muse/grace/nereid. I speak of Thalia the nymph, daughter of Hephaestus. She has a stub Wikipedia page that says Zeus forced he in the form of an eagle and buried her body to avoid Hera's jealousy. But , it makes no note of…
Andrew Johnson
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What was Apollo's reason for siding with the Trojans?
It doesn't make sense to me. After the rebellion by Poseidon, Hera, Athena and Apollo, Poseidon and Apollo were sent to Troy as mortals to build a wall. When they finished, Troy's king refused to honor them. This caused angst between them. Then,…
Andrew Johnson
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What more is known of Iapyx?
Iapyx is the son of Daedalus, brother to Icarus. Apollo gave him the gift of healing and was with Aeneas as a hand-full of Trojans fled the fallen city. What more is known between/after these snippets of info. Specifically, where was Iapyx when…
Andrew Johnson
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Why is Chhinnamasta called The self-decapitated Goddess?
She is a Mahavidya, a list of Sakta and Buddhist goddesses, and the sixth listed on the Wikipedia page. (I don't know if that's important.) Here, she is described as the 'self-decapitated Goddess.' What is the legend/myth behind this title?
Andrew Johnson
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Which cultures worship boars?
I'm searching for a list of cultures/regions which worshiped/revered boars.
I only know of Hinduism of the Indian Subcontinent, where an avatar of Lord Vishnu, Varaha is worshiped.
Further, I'm only aware of the excavations of idols of Varaha in…
MathGod
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Which gods were Odysseus and Penelope directly descended from?
I once read the Odysseus and Penelope were the grandchildren of two different gods. But I have had no luck finding it again.
One might have been Hermes, although I can't be sure.
Andrew Johnson
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Why thank the person who is cutting out your heart?
So, my grandfather got back from vacation yesterday. As we were looking through his pictures today and explaining them to me (what's he doing/going on...), we came to the part with the Aztec Pyramids. He talked a little about what he learn, such as:…
Andrew Johnson
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In what mythologies other than the Basque are the Sun and Moon both female?
In Basque mythology the Sun goddess, Eki, and the Moon goddess, Ilazki, are sisters.
In what other mythologies are the Sun and Moon both female?
user1618
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Were shaggy dog stories known before they got that name?
A shaggy dog story is a lengthy anecdote that induces an expectation of a surprising, amusing or otherwise memorable conclusion but which ends instead with a punchline that is utterly mundane or even irrelevant to what has just been narrated.
Were…
user1618
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Why was Adonis allowed to leave the Underworld?
Adonis is a Greek hunter who caught the eye of Aphrodite. One day, he was out hunting and wounded a boar. The animal was in so much pain, it killed Adonis. Adonis died, but was allowed to leave the Underworld for part of the year to see Aphrodite.…
Andrew Johnson
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Why would Athena fear Poseidon?
In the end of Book VI of the Odyssey, Odysseus sends up a pray to Athena, the Greek goddess of Wisdom and Warfare. It then says Athena does not openly acknowledge him. The reason being that she feared Poseidon's wrath.
[316] So saying, she smote…
Andrew Johnson
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