Princeps Posted December 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 A good place to read mythology- http://www.pantheon.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted December 27, 2005 Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 It amazes me how the Greeks thought of such monsters, but then one day I saw a history documentary that had strong finds and reasons for such mythical beings. The answer was that the Greek imagination came from the fossils and bones of extinct animals whom roamed the land of Graecus long ago( dinosaurs, prehistoric animals, etc.). The bones of dinosaurs happened to be bountiful in Graecus and many areas had the kind of soft terrain so that bones belong to the dinosaurs became exposed or protrude out of the sound ground and exposed sides of hills resulting from landslides. were a common site. Inevitably, someone's gotta notice it and be perplexed by it. What explanation would they give, thus the creation of mythical beasts. For example, a skull of one extinct organism a had huge nasal cavity, and from it resulted the creation of the cyclopes because they thought the nose are was the eye. There are other explanations for the mythical beasts using the bones of extinct animals. I can't seem to remember the name of the documentary, but it appears on the discovery channel once in awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted December 27, 2005 Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 (edited) I can't seem to remember the name of the documentary, but it appears on the discovery channel once in awhile. It was based on this book: The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times It started with the finding of fossil bones in an excavation of a Greek temple I believe. They used to think these large bones were that of their ancient Heroes. Edited December 27, 2005 by Pantagathus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted December 27, 2005 Report Share Posted December 27, 2005 Ah, I didn't know it came from a book. Well anyways, the person doing the documentary was just re-examining the stuff and trying to legitimize it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emperor Goblinus Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 My favorite is the Hydra which Hercules killed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neos Dionysos Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 You say beast/monster... I am adding creature and saying the "Pegasus". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honorius Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 I would say the Pegasus or Cereberus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 I love pagasai. LW, a necro response just for you... After pouring through fascicule after fascicule in the Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum I have to add one to the list that may (according to some scholars) have a bearing on what (Archaic era) artistic depiction Pegasus may have evolved from: The Hippalektryon! or the "Cock-Horse" They were depicted on archaic Attic black figure ware often enough that they must have had some mythological importance but the ancient sources on mythology are mute. The only person who ever wrote about them was Aristophanes (5th-4th Century BC), but their significance to the by-gone Archaic was lost even to him... "Aye, by the Powers, and full many a sleepless night have spent in anxious thought, because I'd find the tawny Hippalektryon out, what sort of bird it was!" - Frogs, 929 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 What a strange animal!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingsoc Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Medusa, because I just love what she done with her hair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Nephele, For you and your lovely poem: Hippocamus & Rider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 (edited) Nephele, For you and your lovely poem: Hippocamus & Rider Thank you, Pan! The hippocamp really is my favorite beastie, and it's no coincidence that my favorite Nephele from ancient legend is the Nephele of Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book III), an Oceanid and attendant of the goddess Diana. As the Oceanid Nephele, I should have had a hippocamp of my very own to ride. -- Nephele Edited June 27, 2007 by Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 .... Charming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Manicus Posted September 20, 2007 Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 All my faves are actually from Norse mythology ... Fenris Wolf, Midgard Serpent, Garm. For purposes of the topic at hand I'll go with Medusa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.