Ah! Crazy Roman! Why can't you just use Greek names for Greek gods!!

[ithika]

Why, huh, why? It would make my life so much easier, Ovid, it really would. But hey, who am I to criticise a classical scholar of antiquity. Clearly, I just need to learn about Roman gods, which were, er, the same as the Greek gods, so what I'm really trying to say here is that I just need to know the Roman names for Greek gods. Just like the Greeks re-named the Egyptian gods, I guess.
Did you know Anubis' real, Egyptian name was actually Anpu? I'm guessing most of you didn't. And Horus wasn't called Horus, either, I think it was more like Hor or Hor-ur or something... well, the sound. I actually have no idea, but I do recall that Horus was a Greek name. Osiris, also, is a Greek name for the original Egyptian "Asar" or "Usar"... But I kinda prefer Osiris, mainly because I'm used to it. However... Bleh! Stupid scholars, changing names and prancing around like they're everybody's favourite birdy. Or something.
But those matters of confusion and frustration asside, this has to be the funnest essay ever. I have to - have to - read about Perseus, who was awesome [Heracles too much of a cop-out], and then write about why - or how, sorry, Heroes contribute to cultural memory! It's brilliant, like year ten all over again, except with primary sources and awesome things, like tertiary education. Which is an awesome thing.

For the sake of interest, Horus' Egyptian name, to any who care, was in fact Hor.
Sekhmet is still teh awesome goddess, but Athena is also someone I would not fight.
Anpu, yay.
Oooh, sekhem is a word for power. Hehe. Cool.

Many thanks to armygeek and tattered_pinion for their hospitality and Xena-watching. And food. And goodness of company.

Break time over! Back to essay!

Edit : 12.27PM

"Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Whomsoever quesses that quote first in a comment on this post with something additional and interesting to say about Greek or Egyptian myths will win an impressive but completely immaterial prize. [Praise, maybe]

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Bacchus/Dionysus was a pretty cool guy.

In his book The Birth of Tragedy, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche contrasted Dionysus with the god Apollo as a symbol of the basic, unrestrained life force versus the world of reason, form and beauty represented by the latter.

[reaps.livejournal.com]

wups that was me

[bloodied-aura.livejournal.com]

Hm, that is pretty interesting. Why Apollo though? I don't actually know much about him, admittedly. Dionysus was fairly awesome, yes. Apparantly he once destroyed some stuff, and weeping peasants asked him why he did this terrible thing. He replied "because I can."
Hheeh.

Your reward!:
Reaps, who is mighty and cool, is good at this life thing, cruising and rocking and being metal in nature. Rejoice and be merry in happyness! *throws magical confetti of doominess*

[reaps.livejournal.com]

The traditional, Greek philosopher was said to be 'Apollonian' - the image of Socrates or Plato in a white robe with a big beard lecturing at a symposia or something like that. Nietszche had problems with this idea, obviously.


I AM FUCKING AWESOME

[bloodied-aura.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. Intriguing.
Hm. I don't think I'll ever be able to imagine Socrates or Plato in anything but a white robe with a big beard, though. Heh.