First, a few etymologies: Pandemic comes from pandēmos (Greek) = pan ‘all’) + dēmos ‘people’; therefore “all people”, as opposed to epidemic (epi=upon, hence “upon people”). Panacea… Read more “Got Pandemics? We’ve Got Panaceas! Mithridate, Pt. 1”
Category: Comparative Mythology
Inanna Prefers the Farmer: Marriage, Sex and Divorce in Ancient Sumeria
Imagine this: two men, one a farmer, the other a shepherd, attempt to win divine affection. In the end, the deity favors the shepherd. Now, this might… Read more “Inanna Prefers the Farmer: Marriage, Sex and Divorce in Ancient Sumeria”
Love.Eat.Shine: Amaterasu, the Shinto Sun
Characters: Kami: a Sacred Guardian/deity Uke Mochi, also known as Ōgetsu-hime: Sometimes male, often female, and intimately associated with foxes, she is a child of Izanagi and… Read more “Love.Eat.Shine: Amaterasu, the Shinto Sun”
Glücksschwein: Lucky Pig Symbolism
The Glücksschwein; an adorable little piggy, often made of marzipan that is given out in Germany as a symbol of good luck for the coming year –… Read more “Glücksschwein: Lucky Pig Symbolism”
God, the Devil and Job
Where did we come from? This is probably a fair, perfunctory question before the next one: Where are we going? A projectile’s trajectory is, in a fair… Read more “God, the Devil and Job”
The End Is…Nigh?
Not all mythopoetic cycles come with an ending; while the term Judeo-Christianity is commonly used, it’s worth noting that the two traditions have very different accounts of… Read more “The End Is…Nigh?”
Strawberries: The Fruits of Love
Strawberries and Champagne are the quintessential ingredients for any romantic night in. So how did this tiny fruit become a popular love staple? There is an obvious… Read more “Strawberries: The Fruits of Love”
