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: Mythology
The Master of Thieves: Autolycus
Autolycus – roughly translated to lone wolf (self + wolf) was know for his great mastery and theivery. He was the son of the God Hermes, and… Read more “The Master of Thieves: Autolycus”
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”
The Goddess and the Lioness: Tefnut
Feline imagery can be found throughout the mythic world, often associated with Goddesses. Babylonian Inanna, Hindu Durga, Egyptian Sekhmet, even the Strength card in the Tarot… Read more “The Goddess and the Lioness: Tefnut”
Art, Myth and Psyche: How Art Made The World
If you’re interested in the intersection of art, mythology and psychology, a beautiful resource can be found in How Art Made The World, a five part BBC… Read more “Art, Myth and Psyche: How Art Made The World”
Healing Stories: The Magical/Medical Cippi of Horus
The Metternich Stele, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is a stone slab carved with spells and stories which is believed… Read more “Healing Stories: The Magical/Medical Cippi of Horus”
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”
An Account of Ancient Matters: A Shinto Creation Story
Izanagi (He Who Invites) and Izanami (She Who Invites) were the eighth pair of primeval Kami (deities) and were tasked with creating the world. They were given… Read more “An Account of Ancient Matters: A Shinto Creation Story”
The March of the Ants: Indra’s New Palace
Sometime between 1700 and 1100 B.C.E., four massive books, written in Sanskrit, were codified to create the Vedas. These included groupings of various myths, rituals, prayers and… Read more “The March of the Ants: Indra’s New Palace”
Ixion: Bound to a Wheel of Fire
“But I am bound upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears do scald like moulten lead.” – Shakespeare, King Lear, Act IV, Scene VII King… Read more “Ixion: Bound to a Wheel of Fire”
