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1500 questions
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What specific shapes does Merlin (or myrddin) assume in the various arthurian legends/stories?
Although many summaries mention that Merlin's shapeshifting was a prominent part of several arthurian stories or myths, the only specific mention of which shapes he assumes is that of a bird (in Perceval en prose), and a vaguer description that he…
user2754
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How much time is a generation in the odyssey and Iliad?
Prompted by the question How old was Nestor is there any reference to how much Homer considered a generation to be?
I cannot seem to find any good reference that is reliable and sourced correctly, most sites in my search results have varying numbers…
Tom Sol
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Is there a binary index of interactions between mythical personages of classical antiquity?
In the context of Greek and Roman mythology, suppose I'm interested in finding whether two prominent mythical personages (deities, heroes or other figures) are related or not by some written narrative, reference to narrative or iconic…
exp8j
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Giant guarding Wada's Keep, other sources for the legend
Eric Knight's short story “Strong In The Arms” (1942 or earlier, I've mostly read it in Hungarian translation from the volume [1]) talks about the legend of a giant guarding Wada's Keep. Let me summarize what we learn from the story.
There's an…
Matt Cloudy-grid
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What is a type of creature that steals souls?
I an writing a book, and I cannot find any soul stealing creatures that still look human! I was wondering if you could give me any examples?
Lemon
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Was Aaru considered part of the Duat (underworld) in ancient Egypt?
The sources I've found don't make a clear statement of whether Aaru was formally considered part of the Duat or distinct from it. I'm trying to understand if the deceased pass through the Duat and then move on to Aaru, or if they remain in the…
crispyduck
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Important 'watchers', 'watchdogs' or 'guardians of a process'
I'm looking for figures of important 'watchers'/'guardians'. Actually I don't know the right word, but it doesn't need to be like a 'security-guardian', who doesn't let someone get through (i.e. not like Kerberos or the like). I am thinking more of…
dingalapadum
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Way to measure the probability a story evolving in a given culture
I am wondering if there exists a way to get a numerical estimate of the probability of whether or not a given society will evolve a story with certain characteristics within a certain amount of time. For example: what is the probability that the…
Certusic
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What is the origin of a tale of hummingbird extinguishing a fire in Mesoamerica or South-America?
There's a so-called story about a hummingbird trying to extinguish a forest fire, supposed to originate from South-America, of which I've been trying to find the origin - in vain.
Someone knows perhaps this story and where it comes from ?
Seb
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Which ancient cults would cut out the hearts of live animals and offer them as sacrifices?
Which ancient cults would cut out the hearts of live animals and offer them as sacrifices? The Mishnah (Avodah Zarah 2:3) mentions a concept called עורות לבובין which Maimonides and other commentators explain refers to the pagan practice of making…
Reb Chaim HaQoton
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Was the historical Hyksos account, the real story behind the biblical exodus narrative?
Hyksos
The Hyksos (/ˈhɪksɒs/; Egyptian ḥqꜣ(w)-ḫꜣswt, Egyptological pronunciation: hekau khasut,[4] "ruler(s) of foreign lands"; Ancient Greek: Ὑκσώς, Ὑξώς) were people of probable Levantine origin,[1][5] who established the Fifteenth Dynasty of…
user7122
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Are there any gods or similar beings other than Nemesis that laid eggs?
Castor and Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra are considered twins, and may or may not have hatched from eggs laid by Nemesis after being impregnated by her father Zeus as swans https://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Nemesis.html . I am having a hard time finding…
DWKraus
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Is there a myth about someone who constantly creates their own demise?
Since this is certainly a common theme, I'm wondering if there is a myth about someone who ignorantly walks themselves repeatedly into ill-fate or their own misery. It would be like Sisyphus, but instead of being cursed to move the boulder, he did…
Matt Weiler
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Ba'al-Pe'or outside of Jewish sources
In the Tanach, Ba'al-Pe'or was a Moabite deity used by the Moabites and Midianites to cause the People of Israel to sin with idolatry and immorality (Numbers 25). Ba'al Pe'or is further mentioned in some other Jewish sources, such as the Talmud and…
Harel13
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Tubal-cain (תּוּבַל קַיִן) and Vulcan
In Hebrew, "B" and "V" are the same letter (ב), so without the "Tu", Tubalcain (תּוּבַל קַיִן) and Vulcan are very similar names.
The French spelling is "Vulcain", which is even closer than the English.
Both are famous for being…
Ray Butterworth
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