So, what exactly is a caduceus? So good that you asked! It is basically a staff decorated with two entwined serpents. I’m guessing you have seen a contemporary version of the caduceus at some point. Say, in a doctor’s office.
This strange symbol originated long ago, and yes, there is a connection to myth. Indeed, the [...]
From the monthly archives:
March 2012
Sappho was an ancient Greek poet who is remembered for her beautiful odes to love and desire. These poems often speak eloquently and poignantly of the suffering that lovers can experience.
In this watercolor, called simply Sappho on the Cliff, Gustave Moreau reveals his ability to capture a moment of intense emotion. The artist has depicted [...]
It’s still March, so let’s have a story about the Roman god Mars to end the month, shall we?
Mars was closely associated with the Greek god of war, Ares, in mythology. For this reason, there are few distinctly Roman tales about this important figure. One of the main exceptions is the story of Mars and [...]
“My soul would sing of metamorphoses.
But since, o gods, you were the source of these
bodies becoming other bodies, breathe
your breath into my book of changes: may
the song I sing be seamless as its way
weaves from the world’s beginning to our day.”
(prologue to the Metamorphoses of Ovid)
You could say that it was love at first read. [...]
This is only the first portion of the Homeric Hymn to Pan, but hopefully it’s enough to give you a sense of the poem.
“Sing to me, O Muse, of Hermes’ dear child,
the goat-footed, two-horned, din-loving one, who roams
over wooded glades together with dance-loving nymphs;
they tread on the peaks of sheer cliffs,
calling upon Pan, the [...]
Artist Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s painting A Dedication to Bacchus is an imaginative and dramatic work inspired by ancient Roman ritual. The subject of the painting is, as the title suggests, a dedication to Bacchus (Bacchus was the Roman god of wine, and rites celebrated in his honor were called Bacchanalia). In this image, a young [...]
For the week of March 19 - 25, 2012
Here is a recap of what I am calling the blog style posts here at Mythography:
In Story of the Selkie, I muse about some compelling chapters from the book The Orphan’s Tales: In The Night Garden.
The this theme is continued in The Satyr and the Selkie, [...]
Did you happen to see the 2010 remake of the movie Clash of the Titans? You know, the version with the shiny special effects and Sam Worthington as Perseus. If so, you may recall that the legendary hero had a rather epic battle with Medusa.
When we first encounter Medusa in that movie, we see a [...]
Ah, the Halcyon Days. Days of tranquility and contentment. You’ve heard of this phrase, haven’t you? Well, it has its origins in (surprise!) Greek mythology. And since it is a lovely Spring day here, I was inspired to discuss the myth behind this expression. I adore Ovid*, so I thought that I would share his [...]
“Winter relaxes its grip. West winds are a pleasant change.The spring’s here.
The windlasses haul down the dry hulls seaward;
Penned in the stable, the beasts grow fretful; the farmer loves his fire less.
The fields no longer shine with morning whiteness.
Queening the dance, with a full moon hanging above, the Cytherean
Leads, and the Nymphs and the comely [...]