Aakuluujjusi The great creator mother among the Inuit people. Aatxe A Basque evil spirit in the form of a bull, but who sometimes also appears in the shape of a human being. At night, especially during stormy weathers, he emerges from his hole. Ab Kin Zoc (Ppiz Hiu Tec) The Mayan god of poetry. He is also known as Ppiz Hiu Tec. Aba The Choctaw creator deity. Abaangui A Native American god who cut off his huge nose. The nose then flew into the sky and became the moon. [Guarani Indian] Abaasy In the mythology of the Yakut tribe, the inhabitants of the underworld. They have teeth of iron and travel in packs of seven. Ababinili by Gerald Musinsky Ababinili ("Sits Above") is the spirit of fire as distinct from that of the Sun. [Southeast Woodlands, Chickasaw] Abaddon by Acharya S. In medieval myth the synonym for Hell and/or the ruler thereof, and in Revelations 9:7-11 it is the Christian angel of Hell. The Hebrew word abaddon means "place of destruction" (Job 26:8 and Psalm 88:11). Prior to its corruption by the Judeo-Christian tradition, "Abaddon" referred to the pit or cave that was used in mystery religions and schools as a rite of passage into the greater mysteries. Often, the experience would entail the use of ritual substances that put the aspirant into an altered state in which he or she could receive divine revelation. Because the experience was sometimes unpleasant, this rite came to be viewed as being "hellish." However, it was considered absolutely necessary so that the seeker may become pure enough to encounter the "mind of God." Abadir "Mighty Father", a Phoenician name for the highest deity. Abandinus A Romano-Celtic god of whom is little known, except for an inscription found in Cambridgeshire, England. Abaris Abaris was a priest of Apollo who, with the help of the god, fled from Scythia (in the Caucasus) to Greece to avoid a plague. Apollo gave him a golden arrow which cured diseases and gave oracles. The arrow also rendered the priest invisible. Abarta "Performer of Feats". An Irish/Celtic god, a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Abathur (Abatur) In old-Iranian mythology, a creature that acts as the judge of the dead. His name means something like 'he with the scales'. He weighs the souls of the departed and/or their deeds and determines accordingly if they are send to heaven or to the underworld. Among the ancient peoples of southern Iraq and southwest Iran, Abathur personifies the 'third life'. Other Similar article Abatur In Gnosticism the father of Demiurgos. Other Similar article Abba Amona Aramaic: "Father, Mother", the supreme divine couple in the Cabala. Abderus He guarded the horses of Diomedes for Heracles but was eaten by them. In honor of his memory Hercules founded Abdera. Abdiel The faithful seraph who withstood Satan when he urged the angels to revolt, according to Milton's Paradise Lost. Abel The second son of Adam and Eve, the first man to sacrifice a lamb to God. It pleased God, so Cain became jealous and killed his brother. Abellio The Gallic god of apple trees. A local deity of the Garonne valley. Abeona The Roman goddess who protects children when they leave the parental house for the first time. Abere A Melanesian demoness. Abgal Seven Sumerian wise men, the attending deities of the god Enki. They emerged from the sweet-water Apsu and are portrayed as fish-men. In Akkadian myth they are called Apkallu. Abhean An Irish/Celtic god, harper of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Abhijit The Hindu goddess of fortune. She is the daughter of Daksha and consort of Chandra. Abinadab A Levite in whose house the ark of the Lord stood for twenty years (I Samuel 7:1). Abnoba The Gallic river and forest goddess, specifically in the region of the Black Forest. From her name, the name of the English river "Avon" is derived. Abora The supreme god of the heavens among the Canary Islanders on the island of Palma. Abracadabra by Ryan Tuccinardi A Cabbalistic charm that was supposed to get rid of any illness if inscribed on an amulet as follows: Abracadabra Abracadabr Abracadab Abracada Abracad Abraca Abrac Abra Abr Ab A This may be from the Hebrew Ab (Father), ben (Son), and ruach acadsch (Holy Spirit). Another possibility is that is from the first few letters of the Phoenician alphabet (A-Bra-Ca-Dabra) or from the name of an old disease demon. It could also be derived from the Aramaic avada kedavra, meaning "may the thing be destroyed." The term is still used by modern-day conjurers. Abu Jahl "Father of Ignorance". His true name was Amr ibn Hisham of Mecca. He had nothing but scorn for Muhammed. (Koran 22:8) Abundantia A minor Roman goddess of abundance, prosperity and good fortune. Her attribute is a cornucopia ("horn of plenty") with which she distributes grain and money. After the Roman occupation of France, she remained in French folklore as Lady Hobunde. Abydos The holy city of Osiris, who was buried there himself, as were many other pharaohs. Ac Yanto The Mayan god of white men. Acacia by Alex Hopson The gods are said to have been born underneath the goddess Saosis' Acacia tree, north of Heliopolis. Horus was supposed to have emerged from the tree, according to the pyramid text 436. The book of the dead refers to the tree as: 'I betook myself to the Acacia Tree of the [divine] Children.' [The Chapter Of] Entering into the Hall Of Maati to praise Osiris Khenti-Amenti. 'Homage to thee, O Lord of the Acacia Tree, whose Seker Boat is set upon its sledge, who turnest back the Fiend, the Evildoer, and dost cause the Eye of Ra (utchat) to rest upon its seat,' - A hymn of praise to Ra when he riseth upon the horizon, and when he setteth in the land of life. Later legends linked the tree not only with birth but also with death and the afterlife. According to the 'Book of the Dead' some children lead the deceased to the Acacia tree. The coffin texts also refer to the Acacia tree; they state that parts of the Sacred Acacia tree of Saosis 'squashed and bruised' by the deceased. These parts were then said to have a magical healing effect. The Ancient Egyptians put the acacia to many uses. The 'Sont' (Arab name) or 'Acacia Nilotica' (Latin name), was used for: handles of tools, wooden pegs or nails, cramps, idols and small boxes or parts of cabinets for which a hard compact wood was required. The seed pods of the 'Acacia Nilotica' and the bark of the 'Sealeh Acacia' were both used for tanning. Other varieties of Acacia found in the interior or on the confines of the desert were used as the shafts for spears. The Acacia tree also produces a gum. Academus A hero from Attica. An sacred area (northwest of Athens) dedicated to him was called the Academy. In the school that was situated there Plato founded his school. His students where called academics. Acan The god of wine in Mayan mythology. Acanthis The sister of Acanthus. When she cried over the death of her brother the gods turned her into a thistle finch. Acanthus The son of Autonous and Hippoamia. The horses of his father tore him to pieces. Acarnan The son of Alcmaeon. After his father's death he fled to South-Epirus, which was also known as Acarnia, derived from his name. Acat The Mayan god of tatooers. Acca Larentia In Roman myth a loose woman and a mistress of Hercules. She married the wealthy Tarutius and after his death she donated his money to the Roman people. In return, Rome celebrated the festival of the Larentalia (possible a feast of the dead in honor of the goddess Larentia) on December 23. In another version, Acca Larentia is the wife of the shepherd Faustulus who raised the twins Romulus and Remus. Acestes A hero of Trojan origin, who founded Segesta on Sicily. Here he welcomed Aeneas. Achaemenides One of the companions of Odysseus who remained on Sicily with the Cyclopes. When Aeneas arrived on the island he took Achaemenides with him. Achates A loyal friend and companion of Aeneas. Achelous (Acheloüs) In Greek mythology, Achelous is the deity of the river of that name, and ruler of all rivers. He is the eldest son of Oceanus and Tethys. He fought with Heracles for Deianira, a Greek princess. Despite assuming many forms, among which that of a bull, Achelous was eventually vanquished. Heracles broke off one of his horns and nymphs fashioned it into the Cornucopia ("horn of plenty"). Achelous is usually depicted as a bull with the torso of a man and a bearded face (common for river gods, especially on coins), but also as an old, grey man with horns. Achelous is the name of the largest river in Greece (in ancient times called Aspropotamos). The story of Achelous and Hercules, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Acheri According to folk tradition of India, an acheri is the ghost of a little girl, and who comes down at night from her mountain haunts to bring sickness to children in human habitations. A protection against such a molestation would be to wear a bright-red thread around the neck. Acheron The name of one of the five rivers (occasionally also regarded as a lake) that flow through the realm of Hades. The name means "river of woe", and is often metaphorically used for Hades itself. Here the shades are ferried across by Charon. (Virgil VI, 107). Pronunciation {ack-uh-ron} The river is identified with the Epirus river in Greece that flows underground in several places. Achilles (Achilleus) by James Hunter Achilles was the son of the mortal Peleus and the Nereid Thetis. He was the mightiest of the Greeks who fought in the Trojan War, and was the hero of Homer's Iliad. Thetis attempted unsuccessfully to make her son immortal. There are two versions of the story. In the earlier version, Thetis anointed the infant with ambrosia and then placed him upon a fire to burn away his mortal portions; she was interrupted by Peleus, whereupon she abandoned both father and son in a rage. Peleus placed the child in the care of the Centaur Chiron, who raised and educated the boy. In the later version, she held the young Achilles by the heel and dipped him in the river Styx; everything the sacred waters touched became invulnerable, but the heel remained dry and therefore unprotected. When Achilles was a boy, the seer Calchas prophesied that the city of Troy could not be taken without his help. Thetis knew that, if her son went to Troy, he would die an early death, so she sent him to the court of Lycomedes, in Scyros; there he was hidden, disguised as a young girl. During his stay he had an affair with Lycomedes' daughter, Deidameia, and she had a son, Pyrrhus (or Neoptolemus), by him. Achilles' disguise was finally penetrated by Odysseus, who placed arms and armor amidst a display of women's finery and seized upon Achilles when he was the only "maiden" to be fascinated by the swords and shields. Achilles then went willingly with Odysseus to Troy, leading a host of his father's Myrmidons and accompanied by his tutor Phoenix and his close friend Patroclus. At Troy, Achilles distinguished himself as an undefeatable warrior. Among his other exploits, he captured twenty-three towns in Trojan territory, including the town of Lyrnessos, where he took the woman Briseis as a war-prize. Later on Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks, was forced by an oracle of Apollo to give up his own war-prize, the woman Chryseis, and took Briseis away from Achilles as compensation for his loss. This action sparked the central plot of the Iliad, for Achilles became enraged and refused to fight for the Greeks any further. The war went badly, and the Greeks offered handsome reparations to their greatest warrior; Achilles still refused to fight in person, but he agreed to allow his friend Patroclus to fight in his place, wearing his armor. The next day Patroclus was killed and stripped of the armor by the Trojan hero Hector, who mistook him for Achilles. Achilles was overwhelmed with grief for his friend and rage at Hector. His mother obtained magnificent new armor for him from Hephaestus, and he returned to the fighting and killed Hector. He desecrated the body, dragging it behind his chariot before the walls of Troy, and refused to allow it to receive funeral rites. When Priam, the king of Troy and Hector's father, came secretly into the Greek camp to plead for the body, Achilles finally relented; in one of the most moving scenes of the Iliad, he received Priam graciously and allowed him to take the body away. After the death of Hector, Achilles' days were numbered. He continued fighting heroically, killing many of the Trojans and their allies, including Memnon and the Amazon warrior Penthesilia. Finally Priam's son Paris (or Alexander), aided by Apollo, wounded Achilles in the heel with an arrow; Achilles died of the wound. After his death, it was decided to award Achilles' divinely-wrought armor to the bravest of the Greeks. Odysseus and Ajax competed for the prize, with each man making a speech explaining why he deserved the honor; Odysseus won, and Ajax then went mad and committed suicide. During his lifetime, Achilles is also said to have had a number of romantic episodes. He reportedly fell in love with Penthesilia, the Amazon maiden whom he killed in battle, and it is claimed that he married Medea. Pronunciation {uh-kil'-eez} Achiyalatopa A celestial giant monster from Zuni mythology with feathers of flint knives. Achor Said by Pliny to be deity invoked by the Cyreneans for the averting ot insect pests. Acidalia An epithet of Aphrodite, named after the spring with the same name in Boeotia, where she used to bathe. Acis A Sicilian shepherd youth, occasionally regarded as a son of Dionysus. He was in love with Galatea but rival, the Cyclops Polyphemus, killed him with a boulder. Galatea turned his blood into the river of the same name. (Ovid XIII, 750) The story of Acis and Galatea, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Acmon A companion of Aeneas. Acolmiztli An Aztec underworld god. Acolnahuacatl Another underworld god from Aztec mythology. Acoran The supreme god of Canary Islanders (the Guanche; a Berber people) on the island of Gran Canaria. Actaeon The legendary huntsman of Greek myth, a grandson of Cadmus. During a hunt, he left the party and wandered alone through the forest when he suddenly came upon a clearing. There he saw the goddess Artemis bathing in a large pool, surrounded by her nymphs. When they noticed the hunter they flew themselves before the goddess, but he had already seen her splendid nakedness. Angered, she turned him into a stag for she refused to let any mortal say that he had seen Artemis naked. Actaeon moved away from the clearing feeling different and confused, not yet realizing what had happened to him. The truth hit him when he saw his own reflection in a river and he knew he was no longer human. In the distance he heard the sound of his own hounds. A brief moment of joy quickly turned into fear when he realized they were hunting him now, not recognizing their former master. He fled but was eventually overrun and torn to pieces. A different version of the myth tells that Artemis turned him into a stag because he boasted of excelling her in hunting. Pronunciation {ak'-tee-uhn} The story of Diana and Actaeon, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Ad A city and its people in southern Arabia. The prophet Hud warned them to convert but they ignored his warnings. God detroyed them all. (Koran 7:63, 89:5). Adaheli A sun-god of Surinam. Adam The first human being, who was created by God on the final day of Creation (Genesis 1-2). He was made in the image of God from the dust od the earth. From his rib, a female, Eve, was later formed and made his wife. Adam and Eve had power over all living things, but as a result of disobedience they were expelled from the Garden of Eden and condemned to work for a living. Adam Beliyya'al' Hebrew: "The evil man". A devil, contrasted with the primordial man Adam Kadmon. Adam Kadmon (Adam Kadman) Hebrew: "The primordial man."The first man of the Jewish Kabbala, who first appeared in 13th century texts. He was the perfect prototype man created by God. The Kabbalists took up the concept using it to describe the divine symbolism of the human body. Later Adam Kadmon came to be identified with the messiah and was contrasted with the devil Adam Beliyya'al'. He is symbolized by the Sephiroth or ten circles of creation. There are some similarities with the Persian Adam Kasia. Adam Kasia (Adam Qadmaia) In Iranian mythology the soul of the first man, 'the hidden Adam'. Also called Adam Qadmaia ("the first Adam"). Among the Mandean (south Iraq and south-west Iran) it is the soul of every human. He shows many similarities with the Jewish Adam Kadmon. Adaox by Gerald Musinsky A tale-type with animal spirits in human form concerning origin myths of the world. The concept of animal spirits transforming into humans is widely spread among Native America and linked with certain narrative myths about the "world" before human populations. [Pacific Northwest, Tsimishian] Adar (Adrammelech) The god of the Sepharvites from Assyria, for whose whorship they burnt their children in the fire. (2 Kings 17:31) Adaro In Melanesian belief (San Christoval, Ulawa, southern Mala island), the bad part or soul-substance of a man which remains after death as a ghost. Distinguished from the figona or spirits which were never human. See also Aunga. On the Solomon Islands, an adaro is a malevolent sea-spirits in the shape of a fish-man, a man with tail fins on his feet and gills behind his ears. He has a horn like a shark's back fin and a pike on his head like a sword fish or sawfish. It is believed that the adaro travels along rainbows and kills men by shooting poisenous flying fish at them. Adeona The Roman goddess who guides the child back home, after it has left the parental house for the first time. Adi Putra A Malay saint. His name is probably a corruption of Adi-Buddha, the Eternal Teacher. Adimurti Hindu avatar of Vishnu. Aditi by Stephen Naylor In Hindu mythology, Aditi was the goddess of the boundless sky. Her name means "free from bonds" or "the unfettered" or "Limitless" and the Vedas hint that she was once all-encompassing. She undoubtedly pre-dates them, and was once the goddess of the past and the future, the seven dimensions of the cosmos, the celestial light which permeates all things, and the consciousness of all living things. In later times, she was known better for her children, who were called the Adityas in honor of her. She was named as the consort of Kasyapa or Brahma. She is sometimes depicted in the guise of a cow. She eventually was degraded as a guardian goddess who helped her worshippers find a smooth path to what they were looking for. Other Used sources Aditinggi The god of the volcano Gunung Awu on Siau, Indonesia. Adityas The Adityas are, in Hindu myth, a group of sun gods and the sons of Aditi and Kashyapa. Originally, there were seven or eight of them, but their number was expanded to twelve in the Vedic period. As the twelve sun gods they represent the twelve months of the year. The Adityas protect against various diseases, and belong to the Devas, a generic term for divine beings. They are: Ansa, Aryman, Bhaga, Daksha, Dhatri, Indra, Mitra, Ravi, Savitri, Surya, Varuna, and Yama. Adjassou-Linguetor (Adja, Adha Bosu) A loa who governs spring water. She has protuberant eyes and a really bad temper. Adjinakou The elephant loa on Haiti. Adlet by Gerald Musinsky Adlet are in Eskimo myth (Labrador and Hudson Bay) blood drinking monsters, five of the ten offspring of a woman inter-coupling with a red dog (Dog Husband). Adlivun by Gerald Musinsky The Adlivun are in Eskimo myth (Canada and Arctic) "Those Beneath Us" or those in the underworld or the Underworld. A variant of the Christian Hell. Admete The daughter of Eurystheus. For her Heracles stole the girdle of Hippolyta. Adonai Hebrew word meaning "my lord, my master", from adon, "lord, master". From Hellenistic times onward it was used verbally to replace the written Yahweh. When the tetragrammaton (JHWH) appears in the Biblical text, it is usual to read it out load either as Adonai or as Ha-Shem ("The Name"). Adonis by Morgan Upright Adonis is a complex figure, for the outlines of his tale were fully as a part of the sub-Olympian Greek mythology by Greek and Roman authors, and yet he also retains many deep associations with his Semitic origins. The name "Adonis" is a variation of the Semitic word "Adonai", which means "lord", and which is also one of the names used to refer to YHWH in the Old Testament. At the beginning of his appearance in Greek myth, there is some confusion as to his parentage and his birth. Hesiod considers this Greek hero to be the son of Phoenix and Aephesiboea, while Apollodorus calls him the son of Cinyras and Metharme. The generally accepted version is that Aphrodite compelled Myrrha (or Smyrna) to commit incest with Theias, her father, the king of Assyria. Her nurse helped her with this trickery to become pregnant, and when Theias discovered this he chased her with a knife. To avoid his wrath the gods turned her into a myrrh tree. The tree later burst open, allowing Adonis to emerge. Another version says that after she slept with her father she hid in a forest where Aphrodite changed her into a tree. Theias struck the tree with an arrow, causing the tree to open and Adonis to be born. Yet another version says a wild boar open the tree with its tusks and freed the child; this is considered to be a foreshadowing of his death. Once the child was born Aphrodite was so moved by his beauty that she sheltered him and entrusted him to Persephone. She was also taken by his beauty and refused to give him back. The dispute between the two goddesses, in one version, was settled by Zeus; in others it was settled by Calliope on Zeus' behalf. The decision was that Adonis was to spend one-third of every year with each goddess and the last third wherever he chose. He always chose to spend two-thirds of the year with Aphrodite. This went on till his death, where he was fatally wounded by a wild boar, said to be caused by Artemis. In some versions his death was caused not by Artemis, but by Aphrodite's lover, Ares, who was jealous of Adonis. Apollo is also said to be responsible because his son, Erymanthus, had seen Aphrodite naked and she blinded him for it. The story of Adonis provides a basis for the origin of myrrh and the origin of the rose, which grew from each drop of blood that fell. The story of Adonis, despite its variants, is certainly another example of the dying vegetation god (see: Tammuz). The close association with Aphrodite or Persephone also brings his myth into line with the many other mated couples, where the male partener dies and is reborn, that is spread across North Africa and the Near East. Other Used sources The story of Venus and Adonis, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Adramelech One of the superior devils of hell, and the chancellor of Satan. Adramelech was represented as a centaur who would make love to women. Other Similar article Adrasteia (Adrastea) "She whom can escape". Properly an epithet of Rhea Cybele in her attribute of the Mother who punishes human injustice, which is a transgression of the natural right order of things. The Greeks and Romans identified her with Nemesis. Pronunciation {a-dras'-tee-uh} Images Adrasteia Adsullata A Continental Celtic river goddess. Advent The second coming of Christ as prophesied by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:23-8. Adya Houn'tò The loa that mounts the drums by a process known as àdya. Aeacus (Aiakos, Aeacos) Aeacus is the son of Zeus and Aegina. He was the monarch of the island of Aegina, which was named after his mother. When his country was depopulated by the plague, he prayed to Zeus to grant him new subjects. Zeus then provided a new population by changing ants into people. They were called the Myrmidons ("ant-people"), who later took part in the Greek expedition against Troy, led by Achilles. Aeacus was the father of the heroes Telamon and Peleus and the grandfather of Achilles. Aeacus was the favorite of the gods and was so renowned for his piety that after his death he was made one of the judges of the realm of Hades, along with Minos and Rhadamanthys. Pronunciation {ee'-uh-kuhs} Aedon The daughter of Pandareus, and wife of Zethus, king of Thebes. She attempted to kill the eldest son of her sister-in-law Niobe, because she envied her for the number of children, but ended up killing her own child Itylus in stead. She was therefor transformed into a nightingale by Zeus. Aegaeon An Homeric epithet for Briareus. He is also represented as a son of Poseidon, and a marine deity of the Aegean Sea. Aegimius The mythical ancester of the Dorians. He battled with the Lapiths and asked Heracles for help, and with Heracles' help they were victorious. Aegimius tried to reward Heracles with a third of his land, but Heracles graciously declined the offer. Aegimius therefor adopted Heracles' son Hyllus as his own son to show his gratitude. Together with the other two sons of Aegimius, namely Pamphylus and Dymas, Hyllus lend his nbame to the three Dorian tribes: Pamphylii, Dymanes, and Hylles. Aegina Aegina is the daughter of the river god Asopus. The girl was abducted Zeus, who carried her off to the island of Attica (in the Sardonic Gulf), which was later named after her. She gave birth to a son, called Aeacus, and he became the monarch of the island. Aegir Aegir is the god of the sea in Norse mythology. He was both worshipped and feared by sailors, for they believed that Aegir would occasionally appear on the surface to take ships, men and cargo alike, with him to his hall at the bottom of the ocean. Sacrifices were made to appease him. His wife is the sea goddess Ran with whom he has nine daughters, the different kinds of wave. His two faithful servants are Eldir and Fimafeng. The latter was killed by the treacherous god Loki during a banquet the gods held at Aegir's undersea hall near the island of Hler (or Hlesey). Aegir was known for the lavish entertainment he gave to the other gods. Aegis A protective device that was originally associated with Zeus, but also, and later solely, with Athena. It is variously considered to be a bright-edged thundercloud (because when Zeus used it lightning flashed and thunder sounded) fashioned by Hephaestus, or the skin of the divine goat Amaltheia. It is represented as a sort of cloak, sometimes covered with scales and fringed with serpents, and with the head of Medusa fastened in the middle. The Aegis could also serve as a shield and in that fashion Athena wears it upon her breastplate. Aegle One of the Hesperides. Aegyptus (Aegyptos) The son of Belus and twin brother of Danaus. He was the father of fifty sons who, except for one, fell all victim to the fifty daughters of Danaus. He ruled over Egypt, which took its name from him. Aello (Aëllo) by Clarksville Middle School Aello is one of the Greek Harpies who was employed by the gods to make peace and carry out punishments for crimes. Aello was described as a beautiful, winged maiden. Later other writers described her as a winged monster with the face of an ugly old woman, with crooked and sharp talons and claws. She also was described as taking people to the Underworld and torturing them. Aello is known as the Storm Swift of the three. She was also described as a horrid woman with the body of a bird. Aeneas (Aineias) by James Hunter Aeneas was the son of Anchises and Venus. He was a cousin of King Priam of Troy, and was the leader of Troy's Dardanian allies during the Trojan War. After the fall of Troy, he led a band of Trojan refugees to Italy and became the founder of Roman culture (although not of the city of Rome itself). He was the mythical progenitor of the Julian gens through his son Ascanius, or "Iulus," and Virgil made him the hero of his epic, the Aeneid. In the Trojan War, Aeneas was one of the most respected of the Trojan heroes, perhaps second only to Hector. He engaged in abortive single combat with the Greek heroes Diomedes, Idomeneus, and Achilles; twice he was rescued through the intervention of gods. When Troy was sacked by the Greeks, Aeneas fought on until he was ordered by the gods to flee. He finally left the city, carrying his father and the household gods (see Penates) on his shoulders; his wife Creusa was lost in the confusion, but his son Ascanius escaped with him. Aeneas and the Trojan remnant then wandered across the Mediterranean, hounded by the enmity of Juno. In one of the most famous episodes of the Aeneid, they were cast ashore near the north African city of Carthage, where they were hospitably received by Dido, the city's founder and queen. There ensued a love affair between Dido and Aeneas which threatened to distract Aeneas from his destiny in Italy. Mercury was sent to order Aeneas to depart and Aeneas, forced to choose between love and duty, reluctantly sailed away. Dido, mad with grief, committed suicide. When Aeneas later encountered her shade on a trip to the underworld, she turned away from him, still refusing to forgive his desertion of her. In Italy, Aeneas allied himself with King Latinus, and was betrothed to Latinus' daughter, Lavinia. Lavinia's former suitor, Turnus, goaded by jealousy and the machinations of Juno, declared war against the intruder, and a period of bloody fighting (the Italian Wars) followed. Aeneas was victorious, eventually killing Turnus in single combat, and went on to found the city of Lavinium. At the end of his life, Aeneas was deified at the request of his mother, Venus, and became the god Indiges. In the Aeneid, Aeneas' most common epithet is "pius," and Virgil presents him as the exemplar of the Roman virtues of devotion to duty and reverence for the gods. Other Used sources The adventures of Aeneas, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Aeolus (Aeolos, Aiolos) Aeolus is the Greek god of the winds, and a son of Poseidon. The gods gave him dominion over the winds, which he kept in vast caves on the mythical island of Aeolia. As a favorite of the gods, they allowed him to join them at dinner. Aeolus gave Odysseus a bag of winds to help him on his voyage back home, but unfortunately his crew opened the bag and the winds escaped. Pronunciation {ee'-oh-luhs} Aequitas The Roman god of fair dealing. Aera Cura The Roman goddess of the infernal regions. Aericura A Romano-Celtic chthonic underworld god. Aesir In Norse mythology, the Aesir are the warrior gods who live in Asgard, one of the nine worlds. They were formerly opposed by the Vanir, an elder race of gods, but the Vanir were eventually assimilated are often considered to be Aesir. Among the gods and goddesses prominent in the myths are Odin, Frigg, Thor, Balder, Loki, Freya, Forseti, Heimdall, Njord, Vidar, and Ull. Aesir might be derived from the old-Teutonic word Ase, the common word for "god". Old Norse: Æsir Aesma Daeva (Aesma, Aeshma) "Fury". One of the Daevas, Aesma Daeva ("madness") is the demon of lust and anger, wrath and revenge. His wrath is mainly directed towards the cow. He is the personification of violence, a lover of conflict and war. Together with the demon of death, Asto Vidatu, he chases the souls of the deceased when they rise to heaven. The Jewish evil spirit Asmodeus is derived from his image. His eternal opponent is Sraosa. Aeternitas The Roman personification of eternity. He is symbolized a worm or serpent biting its own tail (similar to the Ouroboros) and by a phoenix rising from its ashes. Aether The personification of the pure upper air in which the gods reside, in contrary to the 'aer', the lower air which mortals breathe. In the early Greek cosmologies, Aether is the son of Erebus and Nyx, and the brother of Hemera. He is one of the elements of the cosmos and in the Orphic hymns he is mentioned as the soul of the world from which all life emanates. Aetna A daughter of Uranus and Gaia. She is the personified goddess of Mt. Etna, a volcano on Sicily. Underneath this volcano the giant Typhon lies buried (which explains the volcanic eruptions). When Hephaestus and Demeter were arguing over Sicily, land of volcanoes and corn, Aetna stepped in to act as arbitrator. She is sometimes regarded as the mother of the Palici, the twin Sicilian gods of geysers. Afa The Samoan storm-god. Africus The Roman personification of the south-western wind. Afrit (Afreet) In Muslim theology, the second most powerful of the five classes of Jinn. They are of gigantic stature, malicious and inspiring great dread. Agamemnon by James Hunter Agamemnon was the son of Atreus and the brother of Menelaus. He was the king of either Mycenae (in Homer) or of Argos (in some later accounts), and was the leader of the Greek forces during the Trojan War. He married Clytemnestra after killing her former husband, Tantalus, and had several children by her, including Orestes, Electra, and Iphigenia. When the Greeks sailed for Troy, their fleet was trapped by unfavorable winds at Aulis. The seer Calchas revealed that their misfortune was due to Agamemnon, who had boasted that he equalled Artemis in hunting; the winds would only change if Agamemnon's daughter Iphigenia was sacrificed. Agamemnon reluctantly agreed to the sacrifice, but Artemis herself whisked Iphigenia away from the altar and substituted a deer in her place. During the seige of Troy, Agamemnon offended the greatest of the Greek warriors, Achilles, when he took the girl Briseis from him. Achilles' anger with Agamemnon furnished the mainspring of the plot in the Iliad. After the sack of Troy, Agamemnon acquired Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam, as his concubine, and took her home with him to Greece. Agamemnon had an unhappy homecoming. He was either blown off course and landed in the country of Aegisthos, or he came home to his own land to find Aegisthos waiting for him. In either case, Aegisthos had become the lover of Clytemnestra, and the two together murdered Agamemnon and Cassandra shortly after their arrival. Aegisthos and Clytemnestra then ruled Agamemnon's kingdom, but were eventually killed by Agamemnon's son, Orestes (or by Orestes and Electra in some accounts). The homecoming of Agamemnon and its aftermath were favorite subjects for Greek tragedy. Pronunciation {ag-uh-mem'-nahn} Images Agamemnon Other Used sources The story of Agamemnon, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Aganippe A nymph, the daughter of the river-deity Ternessus. The resides in the well Aganippe near Thespiae, at the base of the mountain Helicon. The horse Pegasus supposedly created this well with his hooves. The water of this well gave inspiration to poets. Pronunciation {ag'-uh-nip-ee} Agas A Persian demoness of illness, one of the Drugs. She personifies evil that is perceived or performed by the eye (her name means "evil eye"). Agassou (Ati-A-Sou) The guardian loa of the Dahomean traditions. Agastya Hindu protector of the god Rama. Agaures One of the Oriental devils in hell, commander of legions. Agave by Clarksville Middle School In Greek Mythology Agave is the sister of Semele. Agave denied that Zeus was the father of Semeles son Dionysus. She was punished by the gods and became the leader of the Maenads. The Maenads are the loyal servants of Dionysus. The Maenads ripped Agaves son Pertheus to shreds when he spied on their sacred rituals. Agdistis A Phrygian mother goddess sometimes identified with Cybele, the goddess of fertility. Originally hermaphrodite, she was made female by castration. Agenor The king of Tyros and a son of Poseidon. He is the father of Europa and Cadmus. When Europa was abducted by Zeus, he sent his sons in search of her. Aghora Double of the Hindu god Shiva. Agla The ancient Hebrew acronym for the formula that chases evil spirits away. Aglaia The youngest of the three Charites (Graces). Sometimes represented as the wife of Hephaestus. Her name means "the brilliant, splendor, shining one". Aglibol An ancient Syrian (Palmarene) moon-god who forms a powerful triad with Yarhibol and the supreme god Bel. His name means "calf of Bel". He is portrayed with the lunar disk on his forehead, and sometimes on his shoulder. Agloolik A good spirit of the Eskimo. It lives under the ice and helps hunters and fishermen. Agni by Stephen T. Naylor Agni is one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire, the messenger of the gods, the acceptor of sacrifice. Agni is in everyone's hearth; he is the vital spark of life, and so a part of him is in all living things; he is the fire which consumes food in peoples' stomachs, as well as the fire which consumes the offerings to the gods. He is the fire of the sun, in the lightening bolt, and in the smoke column which holds up the heavens. The stars are sparks from his flame. He was so important to the ancient Indians that 200 hymns in the Rig Veda are addressed to him, and eight of its ten books begin with praises dedicated to him. Agni is closely associated with Indra, and is sometimes said to be his twin brother. Thus Dyaus Pita and Prthivi are named as two of his parents. But he has many more. Sometimes Kasyapa and Aditi are his parents; another time he is the son of a queen who keeps his birth secret from her king. He was born, like Indra, in full power and vigor. Agni is also said to be the son of ten mothers who are all sisters; these are the ten fingers of man. Another story tells that he consumed his parents when he was born, as they could not provide for him; this is symbolic of the fire born when two sticks are rubbed together which quickly are burned up by it. Dawn and Night are his sisters, his wife is Svaha, and he is the father of Karttikeya. When Agni is described in anthropomorphic form, he sometimes has two faces which are smeared with butter. He has seven fiery tongues and sharpened, golden teeth. He is red in color, with black eyes and wild, black hair. He has seven arms and three legs, and seven rays of light emanate from his body. He either rides on a ram, or on a chariot, pulled by goats or sometimes parrots. Agni loves all his worshipers equally, and so is loved in turn by all of them. He visits everyone's hearth, no matter if they are rich or poor. He is the mediator between the gods and mankind. He is a great consumer of Soma. When people use fire, they must face it toward the proper direction for different uses. When facing East, the fire should be used for sacrifices to the gods; when facing South, the fire should be used for sacrifices to the Manes or spirits of the dead; a cooking fire should always face toward the West. The proper offering to Agni, and hence all the gods, is ghee, which is clarified butter. Agni also had the power to impart immortality on mortals, as well as remove all sins at the time of one's death. In later times, Agni's worship fell off dramatically. He became an incarnation of either Shiva or Brahma. Eventually he has come only to be called on by lovers, and by men who wish to increase their virility. Other Used sources Agonalia The name for four Roman festivals: January 9, the festival of Janus; March 17, the festival of Mars; May 21, the festival of Veiovis; and one which was observed on December 11 (unknown deity). Agrona The Cltic goddess of strife and slaughter. The river Aeron in Wales is named after her. Agta (Bawa, Ungo) by Ryan Tuccinardi A Filipino creature, the Agta (also known as Bawa and Ungo) are tall, huge black men that live in large trees. They are usually solitary and seen standing alone, frequently helping fishermen. Agta enjoy smoking cigars and, when it is offended, will steal clothes and firewood. The Agta is usually naked. Agwe The Haitian god of fish and sea plants, the patron of fishermen and sailors. Expensive offerings are made to this proud god. Ah Bolom Tzacab (Ah Bolon Dz'acab) The Mayan god of agriculture, the one who controls the rain and thunder. His name means "the leaf-nosed god", and he was portrayed with a leaf in his nose. He is the so-called 'God K'. Ah Cancum The Mayan god of hunting. Ah Chun Caan The Mayan tutelary deity of the city of Merida. Ah Chuy Kak A Mayan war god, known as the Fire Destroyer. Ah Ciliz The Mayan god of solar eclipses. Ah Cun Can A Mayan war god, known as the Serpent Charmer. Ah Cuxtal The god of birth in Mayan mythology. Ah Hulneb The Mayan god of war. Ah Kin (Ah Kinchil) The Mayan sun god who controls drought and disease. His name means "He of the Sun" Ah Kumix Uinicob The Mayan attendant water gods. Ah Mun The Mayan god of maize. Ah Muzencab The Mayan bee gods. Ah Patnar Uinicob The Mayan attendant water gods. Ah Peku The god of thunder in Mayan mythology. Ah Puch (Ahpuch) by Clare Herlihy, Clarksville Middle School Ah Puch was the Mayan god of death and the personification of disaster and darkness. The Mayans were located in the present-day countries of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and also in the Yucatan Peninsula. Their religion stated that the gods would become angry if they did not sacrifice live human flesh. Many people were sacrificed each year at huge festivals. He was considered very important in their religion and culture. Ah Puch, also called Hunahau or Hunhau, rules Mitnal, the ninth and lowest of the underworlds. He is associated with the dog, the symbol of death and access to the afterlife, and he himself is portrayed as a man with the head of an owl, as a skeleton, or as a skull. He is also referred to as 'God A'. Ah Tabai A Mayan hunting god. Ah Toltecat A god of the Toltec in Meso-America. Ah Uincir Dz'acab The Mayan god of healing. Ah Uuc Ticab A Mayan chthonic deity. Ahalya by Clarksville Middle School In Hindu myth, Ahalya is the wife of a devout sage. Indra, a god in Hindu myths, once made love with Ahalya. As a punishment, Ahalya's husband made her invisible. Rama lifted the spell and persuaded her husband to forgive her. Ahau-Kin (Ahau Kin) by Ryan Tuccinardi "Lord of the Sun Face". The Mayan sun god, Ahau-Kin possessed both daytime and nocturnal aspects. In his daytime manifestation, the sun god was often depicted with some jaguar features. However, between sunset and sunrise he actually became the Jaguar god, the Lord of the underworld, as he travelled from west to east through the lower regions of the world. Ahau Chamahez by Ryan Tuccinardi There were two Mayan medicine gods, Ahau Chamahez was one of them. Ahduth In Jewish mysticism the act of union with God, the highest goal. The name means 'unity, concord'. Ahes (Dahut) The beautiful and lascivious daughter of Gralon, king of Ker-Ys. She stole the keys of the sluice-gates from her father and presented them to her lover, who let in the waters of the sea. Her father tried to escape the flood on horseback with Ahes on the crupper behind him, accompanied by St. Guénolé, the kings confessor. When the water tried to engulf them, the confessor bade the king to cast off the she-devil who had caused the mischief. At these words, Ahes fell with a shriek into the waves and disappeared. Her father reached dry land, but Ahes still haunts the seas in the form of a lovely maiden, luring sailors to their doom. The legend of the submerged city of Ker-ys circulated as early as the 16th century and various localized forms. Ahi In Hindu myth, one of the forms of the serpent-god, also identified with Vritra, whom Indra slew with his thunderbolt, releasing the fructifying waters which Ahi withheld and was guarding. Ahimelech The high priest of Israel, executed on Saul's orders for treason. 1 Samuel 22:16 Ahmakiq by Ryan Tuccinardi Ahmakiq is a Mayan god of agriculture. He locks up the wind when it threatens to destroy the crops. Aholi by Ryan Tuccinardi A compatriot of Eototo, Aholi is rare and very beautiful. His cloak has an image of Muyingwa on it, as well as many other colors which represent spring, fertility, brightness and the sun. He rules over the Pikya clan. Many centuries ago, Aholi and Eototo were very close but Aholi allowed himself to have his throat cut so that Eototo could escape. Eventually, they met again at Old Oraibi. Ahriman Alternative name of Angra Mainyu, the personified principle of darkness. Ahsonnutli The creator of heaven and earth among the Navaho. He is regarded as a bisexual deity, and called "the Turquoise Hermaphrodite". Ahulane A Mayan war god, called The Archer. His shrine was located on the island of Cozumel. Ahura In ancient Persia, Ahura ("Lord") is the title of gods, and the name for gods and spirits. The name was used to make a clear distinction between the Ahuras and the Daevas, who originally belonged to the same classification of godlike entities. The Daevas were in later religion degraded to the lesser beings, demons or devils, they are now. Ahura Mazda (Ormazd, Ohrmazd, Ormuzd) In ancient Persian mythology, Ahura Mazda ("Lord Wisdom") created the world of the light. As leader of the Heavenly Host, the Amesha Spentas, he fights against Ahriman and his followers to rid the world of evil, darkness and deceit. His symbol is the winged disc. He has two sons, the twin gods Spenta Mainyu ("Holy Spirit") and Angra Mainyu ("Fiendish Spirit"), also known as Ahriman. However, in later religion, Ahura Mazda merged with Spenta Mainyu. Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu are still brothers but their father became the primordial god Zurvan. Ahurani by Justin Denton Ahurani is a water goddess from ancient Persian mythology. She watches over rainfall as well as standing water. She was invoked for health, healing, prosperity, and growth. She is either the wife or the daughter of the great god of creation and goodness, Ahura Mazda. Her name means "She who belongs to Ahura". Ai (Aoi Mac Ollamain) The Irish poet god, a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Ai Apaec by Nick Sohr Ai Apaec is the supreme god of the Mochican culture like Zeus of the Greek culture (Mochica is located off the coast of Peru). He was originally a cat god, now he is shown as a man with big fangs and whiskers. He supposedly ruled the whole world. He was different from other gods because he lived among his people, but did not appear as man or god. He was a master at all the skills, such as weaving, fishing, fighting, everything! He was portrayed as the protector of man kind. The dog was his friend and a lizard was his servant. He often defeated all kinds of vampires, demons and serpents. Ai Tojon The Yakut (Siberia) creator of life. He is a double-headed eagle perched atop the world tree. Aias The Greek form of the Homeric hero Ajax (which is his Latin name). Aibell (Aoibhell) An Irish 'fairy' goddess. Aido Quedo by Justin Denton In Haitian voodoo, Aido Quedo is a female loa who determines man's fate. She is often compared to the Virgin Mary in Christian symbolism. Aigamuxa Man-eating monsters from Khoikhoi (Hottentot) mythology. Aillen A malevolent beast from the Otherworld in Irish mythology. Ailuros A cat-deity of ancient Egypt, also called Bastet. Aimend An Irish sun-goddess. Aion The Phoenician god of time and passing of life. Aipaloovik A sea-living god of the Eskimo. Airavata The elephant-steed of Indra. This animal was always victorious, and had four tusks which resembled a sacred mountain Airyaman The Persian god of friendship and healing. A philosophical concept personified as a god. Aita The Etruscan god of the underworld. He is identical with the Greek Hades and the Roman god Pluto. Aitu Lesser Polynesian deities, such as the many tutelary gods of villages and families. The aitu appear in the shape of plants and animals and are thought to have more demonic than divine characteristics. They are known as atua on the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia). Aitvaras A little Lithuanian demon who appears in the shape of a black cat or a black cock. He will give goods and money to those who sell their souls to him; things he stole from other people. Aitvaras usually nests behind the stove, and the inhabitants often leave food and drink for him. Aius Locutius (Loquens) When in 387 BC the Gauls moved towards Rome, a certain Caedicius heard for several days a mysterious voice from the shrubbery on the Forum Romanum. The voice warned against the Gallic attack and advised to fortify the walls of Rome. Caedicius went to the Roman authorities but they did not believe his story. The attackers found Rome virtually undefended and entered without much resistance. When the enemy was finally driven out, a temple was built on this place in honor of this warning diety, who was named Aius Locutius or Loquens. Aizen-Myoo (Aizen Myo'o) The Japanese god of love, worshipped by prostitutes, landlords, singers and musicians. Despite his ferocious appearance (he has a third eye vertically placed between his two other eyes and a lion's head in his hair) he is considered to be beneficent to mankind. Originally he was a god of the Shingon and Tendia and represented love that changes into desiring 'enlightenment'. Ajari Joan A Japanese priest from the mountain Hakkotsu-San ("Skeleton Mountain"). The priest once loved a girl, which is a sin for Buddhist priests. He became an okuma, a devil, and destroyed his own temple. As an old man he recovered his wits and sat down to pray. He went on muttering prayers after he died, becoming a praying skeleton. Ajax by James Hunter Ajax was the son of Telamon, king of Salamis. After Achilles, he was the mightiest of the Greek heroes in the Trojan War. Ajax was a huge man, head and shoulders larger than the other Greeks, enormously strong but somewhat slow of speech. In the Iliad, he is often called the "wall" or "bulwark" (herkos) of the Greeks. When Achilles had withdrawn from the fighting at Troy, it was Ajax who went forth to meet Hector in single combat; by the time darkness fell the fight was still a stalemate, but Ajax had wounded Hector without sustaining injury himself. After Achilles' death, Ajax competed with Odysseus for the ownership of Achilles' armor. Both men delivered speeches explaining their own merits, but Odysseus was by far the more eloquent and won the prize. Ajax was driven mad by his disappointment. According to one account, he vowed vengeance on the Greeks and began slaughtering cattle, mistaking them for his former comrades-in-arms. He finally committed suicide. Ajax is often called "Telemonian Ajax" or "the greater Ajax," to distinguish him from Ajax the son of Oileus, who also fought for the Greeks at Troy. Other Used sources Ajbit One of the thirteen Maya gods who created human beings. Ajbit assisted in the actual construction work. Aje The Yoruba goddess of wealth. Aji-Shiki A young Japanese god who cut down the mortuary house of his dead friend. The building fell down from heaven to earth where it became Mount Moyama. Aji-Suki-Taka-Hi-Kone The Japanese god of thunder, one of several. He was born noisy, and when grew up he became even more noisier. To quiet him, the gods carried him up and down a ladder (this explains the approaching and receding sound of thunder). Aji Saka A prince or scholar from Javanese myth who came from the west and who brought science and civilization to the island, including the Javanese script. Ajilee by Gerald Musinsky A collective tale(s), erroneously known as the Prostitutionway, that deals with hunting and love magic. [Southwest, Navaho, Pueblo] Ajtzak One of the thirteen Maya gods who created human beings. He did mainly the same work as Ajbit did. Ajysyt The Yakut goddess of children and protector of women in childbirth. She is present when a woman gives birth and she brings with her the soul of the child. Ajysyt resides on a seven-storey mountain. Here she writes every new birth into a golden book. She is also the goddess of fate, laughter and nations. Ak-ana by Ryan Tuccinardi The primordial goddess of Altaic (Mansi and Khanty) myth, Ak-ana arose from the primordial waters to meet Kara-han, her future husband. He was awed by her beauty and her strength, for she sprang from the waters poisonous even to Snake and Scorpion. Aka-Kanet In the mythology of the Araucanian people of South America, the god of fruit and grain. Aka The mother goddess in ancient Turkey. Aka Manah (Akaman) Aka Manah is one of the Daevas. He is the personification of sensual desire who was sent by Ahriman to seduce the prophet Zarathustra. His eternal opponent is Vohu Manah. Akba-atatdia by Gerald Musinsky The "One Who Has Made Everything", also known as the "First Doer", is central to Crow Creation Mythology and is the equivelant of "Old Man", "Old Man Coyote", "the One Above". See also Wakan Tanka. Akbaalia by Gerald Musinsky The "one who heals" or doctors. A medicine person. An akbaalia can treat and cure both physical and psychological illnesses. See also Alektca. [Great Plains, Crow] Aken The custodian of the ferryboat who ferries the souls of the deceased to the Egyptian underworld. Aker The Egyptian personification of the earth and god of the dead. He rules over the meeting point between the eastern and western horizons in the underworld. He is also the guardian of the gate through which the pharaoh passes into the underworld. Aker provides a safe passage for the barque of the sun during its nightly journey through the underworld. He is represented as a small strip of land with both ends forming the head of a lion or a human. Alternatively, he is also represented as a pair of lions with the back to each other, with one head facing the east and the other head facing the west, thus seeing the sun rise and set. Akerbeltz The representative of the Basque goddess Mari who is invoked to protect the herds. He assumes the shape of a black billy-goat and is thought to possess healing powers. He himself was worshipped as a god too and his cult involved dances and sacrifices. Akeru A group of chthonic gods associated with the god Aker. Akh (Khu) by Alex Hopson The Akh is one of the five constituents of the human personality; the others being Ka, Ba, Name and Shadow. It has been referred to as a kind of glorified being of light (spirit). There seem to be two variations of the relationship between the Ba, Ka and Akh: The Akh is the result of the Ka and Ba being reunited in the after life; once reunited the Akh is unchanged for all eternity. The Akh was the form in which the deceased occupied the afterlife, once he had became an Akh, the deceased would become a part of the Akh-Akh (Starry sky) along with the other deceased, gods and birds. The Akh was an entity that co-existed with the Ka and Ba, it could have a positive or negative affect on the living world, in which it still bore responsibilities. When someone died their Ka split into two, the Akh and the Ba. The Akh, in the form of a bird flew to the afterlife where it turned back into the Ka. While the Ba remained on earth, inhabiting the physical body of the deceased. The physical form of the Akh is represented by a mummiform figure, similar to that of a shabti figure. However the hieroglyph representing the Akh is the sign of the crested ibis (Geronticus Eremita) sometimes called the hermit ibis. The crested Ibis is a less well known variety of Ibis, which is now rare in Egypt although once it was more common. It has long legs and a long neck, with a distinctive ruff that led to its name. The word 'Akh' also means 'to shine', it is from the term 'Radiant light'. The transformation into the Akh is symbolized by the adding of a crest to the normal Ba bird to make it an Akh bird. The largest section of the Pyramid text is devoted to 'Glorifications' (Sakhu) which literally means 'That which makes one an Akh'. The following is a chapter from the Book of the Dead, as translated by Wallis Budge, note that the Akh is referred to as Khu in this chapter dedicated to the making of the Akh. THE BOOK OF MAKING PERFECT THE KHU In the heart of Ra, of making him to have the mastery before Tem, of magnifying him before Osiris, of making him mighty before Khent-Amentet, and of setting awe of him before the Company of the Gods. It shall be recited on the day of the New Moon, on the sixth day festival, on the fifteenth day festival, on the festival of Uak, on the festival of Thoth, on the Birthday of Osiris, on the festival of Menu, on the night of Heker, [during] the Mysteries of the Tuat, during the celebration of the Mysteries in Akertet, at the smiting of the emissions, at the passage of the Funerary Valley, [and] the Mysteries... [The recital thereof] will make the heart of the Khu to flourish and will make long his strides, and will make him to advance, and will make his face bright, and will make it to penetrate to the god. Let no man witness [the recital] except the king and the Kherheb priest, but the servant who cometh to minister outside shall not see it. Of the Khu for whom this Book shall be recited, his soul shall come forth by day with the living, he shall have power among the gods, and it will make him irresistible forever and ever. These gods shall go round about him, and shall acknowledge him. He shall be one of them. This [Book] shall make him to know how he came into being in the beginning. This Book is indeed a veritable mystery. Let no stranger anywhere have knowledge of it. Do not speak about it to any man. Do not repeat it. Let no [other] eye see it. Let no [other] ear hear it. Let no one see it except [thyself] and him who taught [it to thee]. Let not the multitude [know of it] except thyself and the beloved friend of thy heart. Thou shalt do this book in the she chamber on a cloth painted with the stars in colour all over it. It is indeed a mystery. The dwellers in the swamps of the Delta and everywhere there shall not know it. It shall provided the Khu with celestial food upon in Khert-Neter. It shall supply his Heart-soul with food upon earth. It shall make him to live forever. No [evil] thing shall have the master over him. This excerpt from the Book of the Dead shows the Akh as one of the four rudders. THE ADDRESSES OF THE FOUR RUDDERS Hail, Power of Heaven, Opener of the Disk, thou Beautiful Rudder of the Northern Heaven. Hail, Ra, Guide of the Two Lands, thou Beautiful Rudder of the Western Heaven. Hail, Khu, Dweller in the House of the Akhemu gods, thou Beautiful Rudder of the Eastern Heaven. Hail, Governor, Dweller in the House of the Tesheru Gods, thou Beautiful Rudder of the Southern Heaven. Other Used sources Akhlut by Gerald Musinsky In Eskimo myth (Bearing Strait, Alaska, Arctic), a meta-morphic killer whale that transforms into a wolf on land, known by the wolf's tracks to and from the sea. Akhushtal by Ryan Tuccinardi Akhushtal is the Mayan goddess of childbirth. Akkad (Accad) The first Babylonian city. Sargon I made it his capital in 2475 BC. Akna "The mother". An Eskimo goddess of childbirth. Akonadi An oracle goddess of justice in Ghana. Al Ait The Phoenician god of fire. His worshippers were called Alethai. Al Borak In Arabian myth, the winged white mare who bore the great prophet Mohammed from earth to the Seventh Heaven. Al Kadr "The divine decree". A particular night in the month Ramadan when Muslims say that angels descend to earth and Gabriel reveals to man the decrees of God. Al Koran, ch. xcviii. Al Sirat "The path". In Muslim tradition, the bridge to Paradise. Al-Sirat is narrower than a spider's thread and sharper than a sword. Only the good pass swiftly over it, while the wicked fall down to the mid-Hell is spans. Also called Bridge of Jehennam. Ala by Justin Denton Ala is the Ibo (Nigeria) goddess of the earth. She is the daughter of the High God and is considered to be the mother of all things. She is both the goddess of fertility and the goddess of death. She gives birth in the beginning and welcomes the dead back to her womb. In Nigeria, where she is still worshipped, she has temples situated in the center of the villages, where she has a statue surrounded by the images of other gods and animals. Amongst the Ibo people, she is one of the most popular divinities. Alaghom Naom The Mayan mother goddess. She is especially associated with creation of mind and thought, and is known as "Mother of Mind". Alaisiagae Nordic war goddesses (see also Valkyries). Alalus In Hittite mythology, the father of the gods, the eldest god. Alardi A spirit of the Ossetians (central Caucasus). Alastor In Greek mythology, Alastor is an avenging demon, associated with blood feuds between families. It is also an evil genius that leads a man to commit crimes and sin. He was originally a mortal, the son of Neleus, king of Pylos. He became a (minor) demon when he and his brothers were slain by Heracles. Alaunus The Celtic version Apollo, who was venerated in the areas of Mannheim and Salzburg in Germany. Alberich by Ryan Tuccinardi A dwarven king, Alberich had his castle in a subterranean palace carved out of rock and ornated with gems and precious metal. He guarded the Nibelung hoard and was also a very powerful magician. He gave Siegfried the sword Balmung and a cloak which granted invisibility. Freya received the necklace Brisingamen along with Draupnir, Odin's ring, and the magical sword Tyrfing. Albino Spirit animals by Gerald Musinsky Most all every Native American tribe had some manner of "spirit" belief regarding albino animals. The Albino was protected by most Native American customs. Within the Northeastern Woodlands, Leni Lenape, Susquehannock, Iroquois (Six Nations) etc. One primary principle: The Albino was not to be hunted or killed. This taboo carried various curses. According to Bear Two Arrows (Eastern Delaware), knowledgeable of owl medicine, the taboo and its various curses are known among more respectful contemporary hunters with or without Native American ancestry. He relates his own experience regarding an albino owl, and it's connection to owl spirit medicine. [Leni Lenape words for: white, Wapsu; owl, Gokhos.] If an albino squirrel were hunted and killed, the hunter would suffer loss of his hunting abilities. If an albino deer were killed (and without remorse) the hunter might later loose his life in a freak accident often involving his hunting or survival skills. The general belief in certain legends concerning various individual animals persists into the 20th century, many of which can be documented. Among all tribes, the Albino animal had spirit connections, one of the strongest among the Plains tribe was the White Buffalo, a definite omen of great wisdom. The symbolic significance behind white or the quality of "whiteness" was not associated with purity as in Western culture but also wisdom and ancient knowledge of greater conceptual and spiritual magnitude. Depending on the animal species involved and how it corresponds within the greater tribal cosmological context sometimes manifests the extent of the consequences when the taboo is broken. Belief in the "spirit nature" of albino animals and the ritual taboo of protection probably has its roots in the fact that an albino's ability to survive natural predators is greatly reduced by the lack of proper pigmentation for camouflage and keener vision to spot prey. These natural attributes render an albino "unfair" game for the Native hunter, or any hunter aware of the spiritual nature these animals might possess. Even the skin or hides of these animals must be treated with reverence. Following the customs of these legends regarding the hunting and trapping restrictions were not in as much out of fear for the taboo but more so with respect to the higher aspect of Nature and the Creator. Albiorix "King of the world". An alternative name of the Gaulish god Teutates, which see. Alcmene The wife of Amphitryon. While he was away, Zeus appeared before her Amphitryon's guise, and seduced her. She became by him the mother or Heracles. Alcyone (Halcyone) by Ryan Tuccinardi A Greek demi-goddess, sometimes regarded as one of the Pleiades. More often she was thought of as the daughter of Aeolus and wife of Ceyx, son of Eosphorus and the king of Thessaly. They were very happy together, but then Ceyx perished in a shipwreck and Alcyone threw herself into the sea. Out of compassion, the gods changed them into the halcyon birds. Since Alcyone made her nest on the beach, and waves threatened to destroy it, Aeolus restrained his winds and made the waves be calm during seven days in each year, so she could lay her eggs. These became known as the "halcyon days", when storms never occur. The halcyon became a symbol of tranquillity. Pronunciation {al-sy'-uh-nee} The story of Ceyx and Halcyone, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Alcyoneus One of the Greek Gigantes. He was rendered harmless by Heracles on one of his journeys. Alecto by Clarksville Middle School Alecto was one of the Erinyes or Furies in Greek mythology. The Furies were three avenging deities. Their names were Tisiphone (the avenger of murder), Megaera (the jealous one), and Alecto (unceasing in anger). When Cronus killed Uranus, his blood fell on Gaia and created the Furies. The Furies had snakes for hair and blood dripped from their eyes. they also had bats' wings and dogs' heads. They were persecutors of men and women who committed parricide, killed a brother, or murdered a fellow clansman. Their effect on their victim was madness. A famous legend about the Furies describes their relentless pursuit of the Theban prince Orestes for the murder of his mother, Queen Clytemnestra. Orestes had been told by Apollo to find the killer of his father, King Agamemnon, whom Clytemnestra had murdered. The Furies, heedless of his motives, tormented him until Orestes pleaded to Athena, who persuaded the avenging goddesses accept Orestes' plea that he had been cleansed of his guilt. When they were thus to show mercy, they transformed themselves, from being the Furies of frightful appearance into the Eumenides, meaning "kind-hearted." Alectryon A Greek youth who Ares posted as a guardian by the door when he visited Aphrodite. Alectryon fell asleep during the night so that their lovemaking was discovered by Helios. As punishment, the boy was turned into a cock which since then never stops to announce the arrival of the sun. Alektca by Gerald Musinsky Medicine people who are also knowledgeable about the secrets of war. [Southeast Woodlands, Creek] Alele by Daniel A. Kelin, II A specific type of basket in the Marshall Islands used to store the most precious goods and food. The alele was generally the property of chiefs. Alemonia The Roman goddess who feeds the unborn child. Aleyin A Phoenician god of springs and vegetation. Alfar In old-Scandinavian folklore, a term for a being that is half god, half dwarf. In later mythology it degrades to a demon that only causes nightmares and diseases. In Germany it is pronounced as 'alb'. A reference to the word can be found in the Nibelungen Saga, where the king of the dwarves is called Alberich. Alfheim Alfheim ("elf home"), in Norse mythology, is one of the nine worlds. It is located on the highest level of the Norse universe. Also found on this level are the worlds of Asgard and Vanaheim. Alfheim is the palace of the god Freyr and the homeland of the elves of light. Neither the elves of light nor the elves of darkness, who live in Svartalfheim, participate in any of the events described in the Norse myths. Elves do, however, have active roles in the literature of quite a few of the other branches of Indo-European mythology. Alfrodull (Alfrothul) by Alex Pacheco, Clarksville Middle School Alfrodull is the sun in Norse mythology. "Glory of elves" is the meaning of the name. Other names were also used. A chariot driven by a girl was thought to be the sun. Two horses pulled the chariot; their names were Arvak and Alsvid. Because she was being persued by the wolf, Skoll, she drove very fast. Before the world ends, she will have a daughter. Then Skoll will eat her, and her daughter will take her place. The sun does not give off light but gives heat. The horse¹s mane gave off light. The goddess Sol is also mentioned as the sun. Alignak The Eskimo moon and weather-god who rules over the creatures of the sea and who controls the tides. He is also held responsible for solar and lunar eclipses, earthquakes and other natural phenomena. Alisanos (Alisaunus) The local god of Celtic Gaul, specifically the region of the Cite d'Or. Alk'umta'm The sun god of Bella Coola. Allah The exclusive monotheistic deity in Islam. The name is probably derived from 'al-ilah', which literally means "the god". The prophet Mohammed declared him the one and only god (of the Islam) in the 7th century AD. In pre-Islamic times, Allah was the supreme creator-god of the Arabs. The goddesses Allat, Manat, and al-Uzza were considered to be his daughters. Allanque by Gerald Musinsky Allanque (Leni Lenape) is Star. The reference is to both any star and/or the North Star. Star sees the world at night and offers her meek light to those in darkness. Pronunciation {awl lawn' kay} Allat An ancient mother and fertility goddess of the pre-Islamic Arabs. Her name means "the Goddess". Allatu Semitic form of the name of the Sumero-Babylonian goddess Ereshkigal. Allatu is the Mesopotamian goddess of copulation, the wife of Nergal. Allatum The goddess of the underworld in early Iranian mythology. She is believed to be of Mesopotamian origin (Ellat). Allowat Sakima by Gerald Musinsky Allowat Sakima literally means Mighty Chief or Great Chief, an allegorical reference to supreme deity, the Great Spirit. Also a respectful reference to for legendary personages with cultural and historical significance to the tribe. Most often depicted wearing a double-tail eagle bonnet, (symbolic of the eagle and flight), deerskin leggings, (symbolic of the swiftness of the deer), and an eagle feather coupstick. [Note: The headdress is more representative of the Plains tribes possibly since the Delaware Nation was reduced to a meager population prior western expansion and their exodus to Oklahoma Reserve.] [Leni Lenape; Delaware, Munsee-- Northeastern Woodlands] Allulu A Mesopotamian bird-man who loved Ishtar, the one who broke his wing. Aloadae (Aloidae) The two mythical giants Otus and Ephialtes are the sons of Aloeus and Iphimedea. The Aloadae were renowned for their strength and daring. When they were only nine years old they were each 54 feet tall. They wished to wage war on the Olympian gods and they tried to pile Mt. Ossa upon Mt. Pelion upon Mt. Olympus. However, before they could do so, the brothers were slain by Apollo's arrows. According to some myths, they were friendly towards humanity and expanded civilization and were thought to be the founders of several cities. Aloeus A son of Poseidon and Canace. His wife is Iphimedia, and with her he became the father of Otus and Ephialtes, named Aloadae after him. Alom A Maya god of the sky, and one of the seven gods who created the world and the humans. Alope The daughter of Cercyon, son of Poseidon. She was abducted by her grandfather and gave birth to Hippothon. When Cercyon discovered this he had his daughter buried alive, but Poseidon turned her into the spring Alope near Eleusis. Alowatsakima by Gerald Musinsky Leni Lenape for Great Spirit or Everywhere Spirit. Similar to Wakan tanka of the Plains. Pronunciation {Ah Lo Wat sa kima} Alp In Teutonic folklore, a tormenting night-demon, or nightmare. Alpan The Etruscan goddess of love and the underworld. She belongs to the Lasas and is usually portrayed naked. Alpheus In Greek myth, Alpheus is a river deity, son of Oceanus and Tethys. He fell madly in love with the Nereid Arethusa and pursued her under the sea to Sicily. Here she pleaded to Artemis who changed her into a fountain. The river Alpheus then worked its way underground to mingle with the waters of Arethusa. The river Alpheus flows through Arcadia and Elis into the Ionian Sea. Altjira In the religion and mythology of the Arunta of Australia, Altjira is the sky-dweller or All-Father. He is generally considered to be indifferent to mankind. Alu A Mesopotamian demon with canine features. He was sometimes portrayed without legs, ears, or mouth. Alu preferred silence and darkness. Aluluei On the Caroline Islands the god of knowledge and navigation. He is the son of Palulop. Walutahanga A Melanesian spirit who was born to a mortal woman as a female snake. Alves In old-Norse folklore, the Alves are the spirits of the dead who live close together in hills and mountains. It was generally believed by inhabitants of farmsteads located in the vicinity of such mounds that the Alves who lived there were their ancestors. Sacrifices were made to them in return for favors. It was also believed that the Alves were the spirits of the deceased, who still live in the house were they died. In later folklore, they became earth spirits. Am-heh An Egyptian chthonic god, god of the underworld. Am-No-Tanabata-Hime (Am-No-Tanabata-Hime-No-Mikoto) The Japanese astral goddess of weavers. Am The god of Portangoro of South America. Ama-arhus A Babylonian-Akkadian fertility goddess. Ama-No-Minaka-Nushi The 'Divine Lord of the Middle Heavens' of Japanese mythology. He is associated with the Pole Star. Ama-Tsu-Mara The Japanese Shinto god of smiths. Together with Ishi-Kori-dome this cyclopean blacksmith god made the solar mirror which was used in enticing Amaterasu out of the cave in which she had been hiding. Amaethon The Welsh god of agriculture, son of the goddess Don. He is directly responsible for the war between the deities of the underworld, led by Arawn, and the Children of Don. In the Battle of the Trees (Battle of Cath Godeau) Amaethon's brother Gwydion transformed trees into warriors with whose help the deities of the underworld were defeated. Amagandar (Orokannar) In Tungus myth they are female spirits of protection. Amaguq by Gerald Musinsky Wolf, a sly and cunning trickster of Canadian Eskimos (possibly Inuit). Amala by Gerald Musinsky The "One who supports the world" is an Atlas-like character holding the world by its axis while it spins. [Pacific Northwest, Tsimishian] Amaltheia (Amalthea) The divine goat who suckled Zeus on Crete, his island of birth, when he was still an infant. In other traditions, Amaltheia was a nymph who nourished Zeus with honey and the milk of a goat. Out of gratitude Zeus turned one of the goat's horns into the Cornucopia ("horn of plenty") which was always filled with whatever its possessor wished. In some traditions, the goat's skin became the Aegis, the legendary shield of Athena. Pronunciation {am-al-thee'-uh} Amam by Daniel A. Kelin, II A big snake living in the waters between Mili atoll in the Marshall Islands and Kiribati. The snake is as big as an island house, long and black. The end of the snake faces Mili and the tail faces Kiribati. It is said if you get lost when sailing, you enter the snake. You get confused , without being able to see stars or feel the waves. Spending one or two days inside, you get scared, try to run away and turn yourself around from south to north. Then you will spend another day or two inside. Finally you die from hunger and thirst. It is said that if you do end up inside, look for the Kaböj bird named Lokto. When the bird sees your canoe, it will fly away. Follow it because it will show you where you entered the snake. If an experienced island navigator enters it, they chant: "Jej tar lok iar lok ke amam en eurok köj jejlä kajen toor en jikin melok in waan jeblak." Roughly translated - "We go inside the snake and he is trying to catch us but we know where to go in and out." Amashaspan "Holy, immortal" in Persian mythology. Amaterasu (Ama Terasu) The Japanese Shinto sun goddess, ruler of the Plain of Heaven, whose name means 'shining heaven' or 'she who shines in the heavens'. She is the central figure in the Shinto pantheon and the Japanese Imperial family claims descent from her 1. She is the eldest daughter of Izanagi. She was so bright and radiant that her parents sent her up the Celestial Ladder to heaven, where she has ruled ever since. When her brother, the storm-god Susanowo, ravaged the earth she retreated to a cave because he was so noisy. She closed the cave with a large boulder. Her disappearance deprived the world of light and life. Demons ruled the earth. The other gods used everything in their power to lure her out, but to no avail. Finally it was Uzume who succeeded. The laughter of the gods when they watched her comical and obscene dances aroused Amaterasu's curiosity. When she emerged from her cave a streak of light escaped (a streak nowadays people call dawn). The goddess then saw her own brilliant reflection in a mirror which Uzume had hung in a nearby tree. When she drew closer for a better look, the gods grabbed her and pulled her out of the cave. She returned to the sky, and brought light back into the world. Later, she created rice fields, called inada, where she cultivated rice. She also invented the art of weaving with the loom and taught the people how to cultivate wheat and silkworms. Amaterasu's main sanctuary is Ise-Jingue situated on Ise, on the island of Honshu. This temple is pulled down every twenty years and then rebuild in its original form. In the inner sanctum she is represented by a mirror (her body). She is also called Omikami ("illustrious goddess") and Tensho Daijan (in Sino-Japanese pronunciation). Pronunciation {ah'-mah-tay-rah-soo} 1. She was called the 'illustrious ancestress of the Emperor' prior to 1945. At that time, the Japanese Emperor disclaimed any form of divine ancestry and polytheistic ancestor worship was no longer permitted. Amathaunta The Egyptian goddess of the sea. Amatsu-Kami The Japanese gods of heaven. They are the heavenly kami and are eternal. The Amutsu-Kami live 'above', as opposed to the Kunitsu-Kami, the earthly kami. Amatsu Mikaboshi The Japanese god of evil. His name means "August Star of Heaven". Amaunet An Egyptian mother goddess, called the "Hidden One". She is the personification of the life-bringing northern wind. She belongs to the Ogdoad of Hermopolis. Within this group of gods her consort is the god Amun. She is referred to as 'the mother who is father' and in this capacity she needs no husband. Amaunet was regarded as a tutelary deity of the Egyptian pharaohs and had a prominent part in their accession ceremonies. She is portrayed as a snake or a snake-head on which the crown of Lower Egypt rests. Amazons A legendary race of female warriors in Pontus (Asia Minor). Their capital was believed to be Themiscyra. The Amazons were ruled by a queen, and men were not allowed in their society, unless to secure the existence of the tribe. Only young girls were adopted into the tribe, while boys were either killed or sent back to their fathers. The Amazons removed their right breast to facilitate the use of a bow, hence their name, meaning "without breast" (a mazos). The Amazons appear in many mythological works and both the heroes Theseus and Heracles had encounters with them. Heracles, as one of his twelve labors, had to steal Queen Hippolyta's girdle. The weapons of the Amazons were the bow, the double-bladed axe and a moon-shaped shield. Images Amazons Ambat A Melanesian god-hero. He taught mankind the art of pottery and various rituals. Ambika One of the names of the Hindu goddess Shakti. She is regarded as the sister and later as the wife of Rudra. Ambiki In Javanese myth, a queen who shut her eyes while she was being embraced by the terrifying ascetic Abiasa, thus causing her son, Drestarata, to be born blind. Ambisagrus A Continental Celtic god. The Romans with equated him with Jupiter. Ambrosia The substance considered to be, with nectar, the food and/or drink of the gods, continually reinforcing their immortality. It is related to the Hindu amrita, which also confers immortality upon the gods. Pronunciation {am-broh'-zhuh} It figures in both Roman and Greek mythology. Ame-No-Kagase-Wo A Japanese Shinto astral deity. Ame-No-Mi-Kumari (Ame-No-Mi-Kumari-no-Kami) A Japanese Shinto water goddess. Ame-No-Oshido-Mimi The son of the goddess Amaterasu. He refused to become the ruler of the earth, when offered this position. Ame-No-Toko-Tachi A primordial being from Japanese Shinto religion. Ame-No-Wakahiko The Japanese god sent to rule the earth. He was killed by the sky god Takami-Musubi. Amenhotep An ancient Egyptian architect who was elevated to the status of god of building. Amentet (Amenti) An Egyptian goddess, the personification of the West (amenti), as well as the western areas where the sun sets and where the entrance to the underworld reputedly lies. Here she welcomes the deceased who enter the city of the dead. It is also one of the names for the underworld, possibly meaning "the hidden place". Amenti In ancient Egyptian cosmology, the abode of the dead where the souls of the deceased are judged by Osiris and punished or rewarded for their deeds. Ameretat One of the Amesha Spentas, Ameretat ("not dying", "living") is the personification of immortality and the protector of plants. The fifth month is dedicated to her. Her eternal opponent is the archdemon of ageing, Zarich. Amesha Spentas (Amshaspands) The name of the seven divine beings who belong to the retinue of the highest god, Ahura Mazda. The Amesha Spentas ("beneficent immortals"), come directly after him in the hierarchy of gods, and can be compared with archangels. They are gods without being gods and creatures without being creatures. Together they fight for truth and justice. The Amesha Spentas all have one of the archfiends, the Daevas, as their eternal opponent and enemy. The deities of the Amesha Spentas are: Ameretat, Armaiti, Asha vahishta, Haurvatat, Khshathra vairya, Sraosa and Vohu Manah. Related article: Adityas. Ami-Te-Rangi A Polynesian sky deity who 'angles' for mortal men on earth, pulling them up in baskets to devour them. Amida One of the names of Buddha in Japanese myth. Amimitl An Aztec god of lakes and fish hunters. Amitolane In Zuni mythology, Amitolane is the rainbow spirit. Amm A pre-Islamic moon-god of the southern Arabia. He is also a weather-god and the tutelary deity of the kingdom of Qataban, whose inhabitants called themselves 'children of Amm'. His attributes are lightning bolts and the lunar disc. Amma The god of fertility and of rain among the Dagon of Mali and Sudan. He is the supreme god who created the cosmos as an egg with two placenta from which twins (a boy and a girl) were born. They are called the Nommo. They stood model for later creatures. Another myth tells of how Amma intended to rape the earth but that his divine penis bumped into an ant's nest (the clitoris) which was then removed by the creator (the first excision). Only then sexual intercourse with the earth was possible. From that union Yurugu was born. Yurugu committed incest with his mother (the earth). This act soiled the earth and menstruation appeared for the first time. Amma decided to leave the un-pure earth and continued his works of creation on his own. He created the first eight ancestors (four men and four women), who had 80 descendants and those form the basis of the world-population. Altars of Amma usually consist of a monolith. Amma A local tutelary god of the Dravidian (traditionally the lower-caste members of Indian society). Ammit (Ammut) An Egyptian demon; sometimes clearly female and human, sometimes with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a wild cat and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. Ammit ("devouress of the dead") sits under the Scales of Justice, in the Hall of the Two Truths, in the House of Osiris. When a person dies and after performing the necessary rituals, he is taken there by Anubis, in his role as psychopomp ("conductor of souls"), to be weighed. Here he will have a chance to defend his deeds in his previous existence. The role of the prosecutor is for Thoth, the god of wisdom. Osiris sits on his throne as the judge, accompanied by the goddesses Isis and Nephthys. Eventually the heart of the deceased will be placed on one of the scales and a feather, from the headband of Ma'at the goddess of truth on the other. If the heart under the weight of its sins, weights more than the feather, then Ammit will appear from underneath the scales to devour it. This means the end of the soul and there will be no chance for a further existence. The name of Ammit in hieroglyphs. Ammon by James Hunter Ammon was one of the many non-Greek gods sometimes identified with Zeus. An Egyptian god associated with the city of Thebes, he had an oracle in Libya whose reputation was on a par with those at Delphi and Dodona. Ammon is the Greek rendering of Amun. Images Ammon Other Used sources Amor by Mitchell Mendis, Clarksville Middle School Amor is the Latin word for "love." Amor was the son of Venus. He was born from a golden egg. He was a small person with wings. Amor carried around a bow and some arrows. He would shoot the arrow at a victim and once it struck the victim¹s heart, the victim would fall in love. Amor is used as a synonym for the Roman god, Cupid Images Amor Amori The female kangaroo from a myth of New Guinea. She followed the first couple to where they lay down together. When they had left, Amori licked up the surplus sperm left behind on the beach. She did several times until she was pregnant, as was the woman. Both gave birth to a human boy. Amori's son was called Sisinjori, and the human mother's son was called Maniwori. Amotken The Creator of the Salish Indians. This old, wise man lives alone in the heavens. His messenger is Coyote. Ampelos "Vine". A satyr from Dionysus' retinue. Amphion Amphion is the son of Zeus and the nymph Antiope, the queen of Thebes. His twin brother is Zethus. When they reached maturity, the two brothers exacted a terrible revenge upon king Lycus of Thebes and his wife Dirce, for she had been treating their mother Antiope as a slave. They punished Dirce by tying her to the horns of a wild bull. He later married Niobe, and they had six sons and six daughters, called the Niobids. The god Hermes taught Amphion music and gave him a beautiful golden lyre. Both brothers were supposed to have build the walls of Thebes, while Amphion played his lyre. The magic of his music caused the stones to move into place on their own accord. The story of Amphion, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Amphisbaena by Matthew Seibert, Clarksville Middle School The Amphisbaena is a Greek serpent with two heads and eyes that glow like candles. It has a head at each end of its body. This is how it got its name which means "goes both ways" in Greek. It is also called the "mother of ants", because it feeds on ants. If it is chopped in half, the two parts will join again. The medical properties of the Amphisbaena were recorded by Pliny. The wearing of a live Amphisbaena is a supposed safeguard in pregnancy. The wearing of a dead one is a remedy for rheumatism. Medieval bestiaries also document the Amphisbaena as a two-headed lizard, and even a two-headed serpent-like fowl. Amphitrite The queen of the sea, variously given as the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys or of Nereus and Doris. When the sea god Poseidon wanted her as his bride, she declined the honor and hid from him in the Atlantic Ocean. A dolphin not only located her, but also brought her back to him, and he married her. The dolphin was awarded a place in heaven. Their son is the fish-man Triton. Amphitrite was portrayed on Greek amphoras together with her consort, riding in a chariot pulled by sea creatures, or sitting on a sea creature, surrounded by Tritons. She is decorated with the attributes of a queen, her waving hair covered with a net, and sometimes with the pincers of a lobster attached to her temples. The Romans referred to her as Salacia. Amphitryon by Adam Garside Amphitryon was a great Theban general, who was originally from Tiryns in the eastern part of the Peloponnese. As Hesiod tells us, in the Shield of Heracles, he fled to Thebes after killing Electryon, the father of his sweetheart Alcmene, over a cattle dispute. Though they both went to Thebes, Amphitryon, whose name in Greek means "harassing on both sides", was unable to consummate his love for Alcmene until he had avenged the death of Alcmene's brothers. While this end was being pursued, Zeus, disguised as Amphitryon, came to Alcmene and seduced her. The real Amphitryon soon returned and was finally able to lay with his Alcmene. Two sons were born by Alcmene, one to Zeus, the other to Amphitryon. To the former was born Hercules, greatest of heroes, and to the latter, his twin brother Iphicles. Amphitryon is an interesting and unique character, as the tales surrounding him bear witness. His name, as defined above, flows thematically throughout the material we have about him. Not only is he harassed by unrequitable love and duty, he is also harassed by Zeus, who sends him on an errand and then uses his wife to bear Hercules. Furthermore, though Zeus was disguised as Amphitryon while he seduced Alcmene, the real Amphitryon cannot lay claim as progenitor to the great Hercules, who often berates him for offending the gods. An interesting source for this tale is Amphitryon by Plautus, the Roman Comedian. Plautus uses this tale to present a Mythological Burlesque, very much in line with latter ristophanic plays, though with an almost tragic side. For this reason, Amphitryon, is possibly one of the only extant examples of Middle Comedy that we have. Furthermore, the long night motif that is prevalent in many of Zeus' seductions is fully exemplified in this Plautine comedy and traces itself through Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. Pronunciation {am-fi'-tree-ahn} Amrita In old-Indian (Hindu) mythology, the drink of the gods which gives (and sustains) immortality. Possibly the origin of the later Greek Ambrosia. Amulet An amulet is a small object with the power to protect the wearer against misfortune. It is usually worn around the neck. The objects which are used to make an amulet are thought to have special abilities; part of the human or animal body, roots or seeds, precious stones and metals, coins, or religious symbols. Most often a stone or piece of metal is used, usually with an inscription or figures engraved on it. Popular amulets are the rabbit foot and the cross. A talisman stimulates the positive, while the amulet protects against the negative. A different kind of amulet is the written amulet. The holy word or sentence is powerful when spoken, but also when written. In some cases even more because it works automatically and permanently. It was generally believed that the more mysterious the writing (i.e. obscure symbols, strange languages) the more powerful the amulet was supposed to be. Another popular form of the amulet was the bindrune, in which several runes were brought together into one "super-rune", which was supposed to have much greater magic powers than the runes separately. The use of amulets is very old. The ancients Egyptians wore them, and so did the Greeks, where it was called phylakterion. In primitive and ancient cultures, the amulet was thought to be protection against both natural and unnatural misfortune: diseases, snake-bites, the evil eye, demons and wizardry, etc. The popularity of amulets was great amongst Christians. So great even, that in 721 the Christian church forbade the making and wearing of them completely. Throughout the Middle East the practice of wearing amulets is almost universal. Amun-Re (Amun-Ra) A combination of Amun and Re from later Egyptian mythology, also called Amon-Ra. The Theban god Amun became the national god of Egypt under this name. Amun (Amon, Amen, Ammon) A primordial Egyptian god, whose name means "the hidden one". As the driving force of the invisible breeze he was originally a god of wind and ruler of the air. During the 11th dynasty (2133 - 2000 BC) he became the powerful sun-god of Thebes, where he was worshipped as Amun-Re. Later he was made the supreme god of the entire realm and king of the gods. In the Ogdoad of Hermopolis he forms a pair with the mother-goddess Amaunet. From his union with the goddess Mut came forth the moon-god Chons. Amun's symbol is the ram. He is portrayed as a ram, as a man with a ram's head, or with a beard and a feathered crown. Temples dedicated to him are situated as Karnak and Deir-el-Bahari (near Luxor). In Greece he was worshipped as Ammon. Amurru An Akkadian mountain god and a god of nomads. He is equated with the Sumerian god Martu. His consort is Beletseri. Amymone A daughter of Danaus. She was once assaulted by a satyr near a spring, but was saved by Poseidon. She fell in loved with him and became by him the mother of Nauplius (who later founded Nauplia (the current Nafplion), a port at the gulf of Argolis). Her attribute is a water pitcher. An The Sumerian god of heaven, son of Nammu, father of Enlil, and spouse of Ki. Anahita (Anaitis, Ardvi Sur, Aredvi Sura) The ancient Persian water goddess, fertility goddess, and patroness of women, as well as a goddess of war. Her name means "the immaculate one". She is portrayed as a virgin, dressed in a golden cloak, and wearing a diamond tiara (sometimes also carrying a water pitcher). The dove and the peacock are her sacred animals. Anahita was very popular and is one of the forms of the 'Great Goddess' which appears in many ancient eastern religions (such as the Syrian/Phoenician goddess Anath). She is associated with rivers and lakes, as the waters of birth. Anahita is sometimes regarded as the consort of Mithra. When Persia conquered Babylonia (in the 6th century BC), Anahita began to show some similarities with the goddess Ishtar. Since then her cult included also the practice of temple prostitution. During the reign of king Artaxerxes (436-358 BC) many temples were erected in her honor; in Soesa, Ecbatana, and in Babylon. Images Anahita Anala A Hindu attendant god. He is one of the eight vasu deities who serve the god Indra. Anan The cousin, friend and loyal follower of the Buddha. In Japan widely revered as an immortal. In Indian myth he is called Ananda. Ananke The personification of unalterable necessity, or fate. Her functions are closely related to those of the Moirae, or carried out by them. She was little worshipped until the advent of the Orphic mystery cult. Pronunciation {a'-nan-kee} Ananku In ancient Indian mythology, the calamitous, sacred power which, according to Tamil belief, exists in dangerous places such as chasms, waterfalls, mountain passes, etc. but also in animals (tigers, snakes), objects (weapons, temples) and demons. Anansi (Ananse) The Ashanti trickster/culture hero, also called 'the Spider'. He is the intermediary of the sky god Nyame, his father, on whose command Anansi brings rain to quench the forest fires and determines the borders of oceans and rivers during floods. Later Anansi's place as representative was usurped by the chameleon. His mother is Asase Ya. Anansi is sometimes regarded as the creator of the sun and the moon and the stars, as well as the one who instituted the succession of day and night. It is also believed that he created the first man, into which Nyame breathed life. A typical trickster, he is crafty, sly, villainous, but he also taught mankind how to sow grain and how to use the shovel on the fields. He set himself up as the first king of the human beings and even managed to marry Nyame's daughter. Anansi is one of the most popular characters in West African mythology. Ananta In Hindu myth, one of the names of Sesha, ruler over the Nagas, the mythical human serpents. Ananta Thewi The Thai goddess of good fortune. Her consort is Phra Sao, the god of fickle fortune. Ananda Devi is her name in Sanskrit. Anantaboga In Javanese wayang myths, the king of the dragons in the underworld. He is the father and husband of Dewi Nagagini. Wayang: the performances of the shadow play. Anantesa One of the eight vidyesvaras in Hindu mythology. Anat The Phoenician goddess of springs. She received the god Baal when he fell from heaven as rain at the end of the dry season, so that she could cause new springs to rise from the earth. She was both his sister and his wife. Images Anat Other Similar article Anath by Peter Wyche The Phoenician goddess of love and war. She was also the sister and co-consort to the god Baal. Once she slayed all his enemies at a feast. Other Similar article Anatiwa A malevolent deity of the Brazilian Karaya. According the Karaya myth, Anatiwa was responsible for the deluge that engulfed the world. Anaxarete A girl from Cyprus who was loved greatly by the shepherd Iphis. She reacted so cooly to his passionate love for her that he killed himself. When she was not even moved by seeing his dead body, the goddess Aphrodite turned her into stone (Ovid XIV, 698). Anbay A pre-Islamic oracular god and judge of South Arabia who is regarded as the 'Lord of Justice'. His name means 'spokesman'. He is often mentioned in combination with the other justice-administering Arabian god Haukim. Ancamna A water goddess from Continental Celtic mythology. Ancestor worship Ancestor worship occurs in ancient cultures all over the world, and even in modern times it plays an important role in primitive religions. It is founded on the belief that the dead live on and are able to influence the lives of later generations. These ancestors can assert their powers by blessing or cursing, and their worship is inspired by both respect and fear. The ancestor cult consists of praying, presenting gifts, and making offerings. In some cultures, people try to get their ancestors' advice through oracles before making important decisions. In ancient China and Egypt, the influence of ancestors was very great. They were buried in expensive graves and in Egypt a permanent death cult was instituted. It was generally believed that the lack of veneration would cause the deceased to die a second death, which was for many people an almost unbearable thought. In nearly every primitive tribal religions of Africa ancestor worship is common practice. The ancestors of the tribe are honored as spirits who preserve the moral standards of tribal life. They are also regarded as the intermediaries between the living and the divine powers. And the ancestor spirits play an important role in the initiation rites. Among some west-African peoples the belief is current that the ancestors reincarnate in their descendants. In Japan, ancestors were worshipped until 1945. At that time, the Japanese Emperor disclaimed any form of divine ancestry and polytheistic ancestor worship was no longer permitted. Anchises by James Hunter Anchises was the son of Capys, and a cousin of King Priam of Troy. He was loved by Venus, who bore him a son, Aeneas. Anchises was the owner of six remarkable horses, which he acquired by secretly mating his own mares with the divinely-bred stallions of Laomedon. But he was chiefly remembered because of the career of his son. After the fall of Troy, Aeneas escaped from the burning ruins of the city, carrying his father and the household gods (see Lares and Penates) on his shoulders. Anchises then accompanied Aeneas and the band of Trojan refugees who set sail for Italy, where it was prophesied that they would found the city of Rome. Anchises died before the trip was over, and was buried in Sicily. After his death, Anchisessaw his son once more, when Aeneas visited the underworld to learn more about his own destiny. Pronunciation {an-ky'-seez} Other Used sources Ancient Spider The creator of the Nauru Islands in Micronesian mythology. See: Areop-Enap. Andaokut by Gerald Musinsky A "transformer" figure. Born from the tears or mucas of a woman mourning the loss of her children stolen by Malahas, Woman of the Wood. Andaokut appears from the tears or nasal mucas and quickly becomes full-grown, he ventures forth to rescue the stolen children by slaying Mahalas. [Pacific Northwest coast; Nootka] Andarta A Gallic warrior and fertility goddess in Celtic France. Andhaka A Hindu demon. Andhrimnir In Norse mythology, Andhrimnir is the cook of the Aesir and the Einherjar. Every evening he slaughters the cosmic boar Sahrimnir and cooks it in his magical cauldron Eldhrimnir. This boar is restored to life the same night to be slaughtered and eaten again the following day. The milk provided by the goat Heidrun, which stands on top of the world tree and eats its leaves, forms the basic ingredient for the mead drunk by the Aesir. Andiciopec by Gerald Musinsky A legendary warrior-hero invincible to bullets, known as Dance-Four-Times, meets a thunderer who buffets him wind and hail until the hail turns to bullets. By withstanding the onslaught he is shown how to do battle in the same manner. [Plains, Crow] Andjety (Anezti, Anedjti) An Egyptian god of the underworld. He is responsible for the rebirth of a person in the afterlife. His worship originated in the ninth nome of Lower Egypt, and the center of his cult was located at Busiris. He is depicted with a high conical crown with two feather plumes. The crook and flail are his symbols, and because those are also the symbols of Osiris, Andjety was often associated with him. He also known as Anezti and Anedjti. Andraste (Andrasta, Adraste) The goddess of war in Celtic Britain. In 61 AD the leader of a rebellion against the Roman occupation, the Queen Boudicca, sacriced captive Roman women to this goddess. Andriamanitra A good and even god of Madagascar who created the earth and human beings. Andrianahary A good and even deity of Madagascar who created the earth and human beings together with Andriamanitra. Abdrianahoabu A member of the Zankary family of gods on Madagascar. She is the Lady on High who descends to earth on a silver chain. Andrianamboatena One of the Zankary family of gods on Madagascar. He is the god of the earth. Andromache by James Hunter Andromache was the daughter of Eetion, ruler of the Cilician city of Thebe; she was the wife of the Trojan hero Hector and the mother of Astyanax. Andromache's father and brothers were killed by Achilles when he captured Thebe during the Trojan War; her mother was spared and ransomed, but died in Troy before its fall. During the seige of Troy, Achilles also killed her husband, Hector, and then desecrated his body. Andromache herself became the slave and concubine of Neoptolemus, Achilles' son, when Troy was captured; her son Astyanax was flung by the Greeks from the walls of Troy. After the end of the Trojan War, Andromache was taken to Greece by Neoptolemus and bore him a son, Molossus, who gave his name to the Molossian people. Following Neoptolemus' death, Andromache married Helenus, one of the few surviving children of King Priam of Troy; Helenus became the ruler of the Greek region of Epirus. Other Used sources Andromeda by James Hunter Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, king and queen of Ethiopia. Cassiopeia boasted that she was more beautiful than the Nereids, and in revenge Poseidon sent a flood and a sea monster to plague the land. When Cepheus consulted the oracle of Ammon he was told that the problem would end if he exposed his daughter as prey for the monster. His people forced him to comply with the oracle, and he chained Andromeda to a rock by the sea. She was rescued by Perseus who killed the monster and married Andromeda. One of their children, Perses, became the ancestor of the kings of Persia. Pronunciation {an-drahm'-uh-duh} Images Andromeda Other Used sources The story of Andromeda, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Anduruna In Mesopotamian cosmology, heaven, where the gods 'play'. Andvaranaut by Ryan Tuccinardi A sorcelled ring of Norse mythology, andvaranaut seeks out gold and was the possession of Andvari, until Loki stole it. Andvari hexed the ring and into gave bad luck and pain to all who beheld it. Loki gave the ring, which he regretted stealing by now, to King Hreidmar of the dwarves, as reparation for the murder of Otter, Hreidmar's son, accidentally. When Fafnir killed Hreidmar, he took the ring. Wagner told the story of the ring in his famous operatic cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, which charts the progression of the ring from Andvari to the end, showing the endless stream of misfortunes that befalls those who hold the beautiful ring. Some have said that andvaranaut is the basis for the modern urban legend about the Hope diamond, which is also beautiful and worth a fortune, but is said to bring pain and misfortune to all who hold it. Andvari In Norse mythology, Andvari is a dwarf who can assume the shape of a fish if he is pursued. He lives underneath a waterfall and collects great wealth with the help of his ring Andvaranaut. He was caught by Loki with a net provided by the goddess Ran and forced the yield all the gold he possessed. The dwarf tried to withhold his ring so that he could rebuild his wealth. Loki made him give up the ring as well and the dwarf cursed the stolen gold which would from then on bring disaster to all who owned it. The gold was used by the gods to pay a blood-debt to pay Hreidmar, the father of Fafnir, because they had killed his son Otter. This myth formed in later times the prelude to the Niebelungsaga. Aneka-Warna "More than one color". The palace garden of the gods in heaven, described in the wayang myths of Indonesia and Malaysia. Anerneq by Gerald Musinsky The breath, spirit, soul; separated from the body after death to go to the underworld. Distinct from Tarneq (taren-raq) the visible semblance of the living and sometimes a "helping spirit". [Arctic, Alaska] Anextiomarus A British-Celtic tribal deity. Angalkuq by Gerald Musinsky An Eskimo shaman whose powers were derived from a dream, apprentice, or surviving an ordeal of mortal consequences. His major duties were to secure game. [Arctic; Alaska, Bearing Strait] Angels In many religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, it is believed that between God and mankind there are intermediary beings, called angels. They are bodiless entities that perform certain tasks for God and are commonly thought of as the messengers of God. Angels are good spirits, unlike their counterparts the demons. They are usually portrayed as having a human form, being dressed in long, white clothes, surrounded by a bright light and with long, swanlike wings. They were portrayed thus by artist, often on Church command, to alert the faithful that angels are more than human. There are cases, however, where angels appeared as ordinary men and were mistaken as such (the story of Lot, for instance). History In the early stages of mankind, the belief in spirits was universal. The primitive man believed that there were no good or bad spirits. A spirit simply had powers, called mana, with which it could do either good or evil. With the emerging of Christianity and other major religions, the belief in these kind of spirits was condemned, and they became demons. The belief in angels and demons can be traced back to ancient Persian religion where there were two supreme beings: Ahura Mazda and his eternal opponent Angra Mainyu. The first represents good and the second represents evil. Both have followers and servants, angels serve Ahura Mazda, while demons (the Daevas) serve Angra Mainyu. Here the distinction was first made between good and evil spirits. In the Old Testament angels play a prominent role as the messengers from God. Also in the Old Testament the leading demon, Satan, is introduced. However, it was not until the New Testament that Satan was portrayed as Lucifer, the first of the fallen angels to rebel against God. In the New Testament, angels are present at all the important events in the life of Jesus. Here, they became more than just messengers; they are portrayed as the agents of God in bringing judgement to the world. The higher beings Until the New Testament there were only two orders of angles; the seraphim and cherubim. St. Paul extended the number by adding seven new orders. They are, arranged according to their importance: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels and angels. Archangels are higher in rank than angels, but still they come eighth in the order of higher beings. Four of the most important ones are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. In Islam, it is believed that there are four archangels who guard the throne of Allah. Angerona The protecting deity of ancient Rome and a goddess of secrecy. She is depicted holding a finger to her closed mouth. Angiris (Angiras) Hindu angels who presided over sacrifices. Angitia A Roman snake-goddess who was especially worshipped by the Marsi, a tribe in central Italy. Angra Mainyu (Ako Mainyu) In ancient Persian (Iran) religion and books of Zoroastrianism, Angra Mainyu is the god of darkness, the eternal destroyer of good, personification and creator of evil, bringer of death and disease. He is also known as Ahriman, and his name means "fiendish spirit". In early religion, he was the son of Ahura Mazda (Ormazd) and the twin brother of Spenta Mainyu. The latter merged with Ormazd and they became one and the same god. They remain twins, but their father is now the primordial god Zurvan. With his horde of servants, the Daevas (males) and the Drugs (females), Ahriman fights an eternal battle with Ormazd and his Amesha Spentas for dominion over creation. This battle will last for 9000 years, after which Ahriman will be defeated (the fraso-kereti). Ahriman lives in darkness, in a place where all those who do evil go to after their demise (the hell) and his symbol is the snake. He is what in Christian religion can be called Satan. Angrboda (Angerboda) A giantess and the wife of the trickster Loki. Angrboda ("herald of sorrow") spawned three monsters: the gigantic wolf Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent Jormungand, and the goddess of the death Hel. The gods abducted the children from her hall when they learned just how dangerous they were. Anguta by Gerald Musinsky Anguta, known as "His Father", is responsible for conveying the dead to Adlivun where they must sleep for a year. The supreme being of the Inuit. [Arctic; Canada] Angwusnasomtaka by Ryan Tuccinardi Crow Mother. Angwusnasomtaka is a wuya, and a mothering kachina figure. She is considered the archetypal mother of all the hú, or, alternatively, of all kachinas. During powamu, she leads the initiation ceremony for the new children. She is also in charge of whipping the initiates with yucca whips. She also often leads other kachinas into a ceremony, often carrying corn kernels and bean sprouts as a symbol of fertility and good luck for the upcoming new planting season. Anhur The Egyptian warrior and hunter god, the personification of the royal warriors. As the champion of Egypt, he hunted and slew the enemies of Re. His consort is the lion goddess Mekhit. The center of his cult was the city of Thinis in Upper Egypt. He is portrayed as a bearded warrior wearing a long robe. On his head he wears a headdress with four tall plumes and in his hand he holds a lance. His Greek form is Onuris, derived from the Egyptian anhuret, which means 'he who brings the far near'. Anhur is also identified with the god Shu. Ani Hyuntikwalaski by Gerald Musinsky Ani Hyuntikwalaski are Thunder Beings who cause lightning fire in a hollow sycamore tree. An origin of fire tales. [Southeast Woodlands, Cheokee] Ani The Etruscan sky god who lives in the highest heaven (in the north). He shows many similarities with the Roman god Janus. Anila One of the eight vasu in Hindu mythology. Animal spirits (Animalism) by Gerald Musinsky The spiritual belief throughout Native America regards all living things as having a "spirit" that early ethnographers correlated with the Judeo-Christian soul. Although "soul" is a close correspondent, the nature of animal spiritism is deeper in its cultural context. Animals in particular, along with weather and other elements of nature, possessed particular qualities of power and knowledge. Other than Nature tale-types, the mythlore behind the creatures carries a significance into Native American cosmology and metaphysical perceptions of their relationship to this world and other lives. Animal worship Animal worship is a cult that appears in many ancient (nature) religions. In these cults animals are regarded as representatives or appearances of the deity, or are attributed divine characteristics. It is partly based on the fact that animals possess qualities that humans lack or have in lesser measures, such as strength or speed, and which inspire fear. Another factor is the mysteries that surround certain animals and this also gives cause for worship. An example is the snake. It is feared, yet in many cultures it is held sacred; it has healing properties or is associated with healing (it is the symbol of the healer god Asclepius) and it is a symbol of immortality (the shedding and renewing of the skin). Important snakes in mythology are the Egyptian Apophis, the world-serpent Jormungand, Ananta of the Hindus, and of course the great Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs. In ancient Egypt, animal worship was an important part of their religion. The goddesses Hathor and Bastet appeared as a cow and a cat respectively, and Horus as a falcon. Cats were regarded as household deities, and in Memphis the holy bull Apis was worshipped as the companion of the god Ptah. Amon of Thebe was accompanied by a ram, and the scarab was a representation of Khepri, and so forth. In Hinduism, but also in, for instance, ancient Persia, the cow is a holy animal. Anius The son of Apollo, and priest on Delus. He offered hospitality to Aeneas and his companions. Aniwye by Gerald Musinsky A giant skunk associated with the skunk origin tale. [Great Lakes, Ojibwa (Chippewa)] Anjea An animistic fertility spirit of the aboriginals of Queensland. Anjuman A local association of Zoroastrians, later any religious association. Ankh by Cecille Soberano Found widely in Egyptian art, the ankh has come to symbolize life after death. Originally an Egyptian hieroglyphic representing the womb with its looped top, its meaning is related to matters concerning life and death, or rather, Eternal Life ("Nem Ankh"). In art, especially that depicting funeral ceremonies, their gods and goddesses are shown clutching the ankh by its loop as if it were a key. In this manner, it is believed that the ankh would open the gates of death on to immortality. It is also known as the Key of the Nile, representing the union of Isis and Osiris. It is said that this mystic union would initiate the annual flooding of the Nile, providing Egypt with her various means to survive. The meaning of the ankh as womb, thus fertility and reproduction, is well-illustrated in this particular legend. Images Ankh Other More information Anky-Kele The god of the sea among the Chukchi of eastern Siberia. He rules over all the creatures in the sea, but also over the live and deaths of humans. Anna Perenna The Roman goddess of the new year. Her festival was celebrated on March 15. The Romans gave various explanations to the origin or her name, amnis perennis ("eternal stream"): she was a river nymph; her name was derived from annis ("year"); she was a moon-goddess of the running year; also, she was equated with Anna, the sister of Dido, who was received in Latium by Aeneas, but drowned herself in a river. In the class-struggle between the patricians and plebeians she chose the side of the plebeians. Annamurti A form of the Hindu god Vishnu. Anne, St. In a certain Breton legend, St. Anne was a duchess who was turned out of doors by her cruel husband. She was wafted in an angel-guided vessel to Jerusalem and there gave birth to the Virgin Mary. She brought the Virgin up in ways of piety, and then returned to Breton. Annecy by Clarksville Middle School This is the spider and trickster hero of many West Indian mythologies. The animal is known as Anansi in most African myths, and is also called Ti Malice in Haiti. Annecy can take human or spider form. Annonaria An alternative name of Fortuna as protector of the corn supplies. Annwn (Annwfn, Annwyn) The Welsh (Celtic) nether world, ruled by Arawn. Unlike many other underworlds, Annwn is not a place of eternal torment or punishment, and mortals may visit it. From this place the Wild Hunt rides out. Pronunciation {an noon} Anog Ite by Gerald Musinsky Anog Ite, also known as Ite, Face or Double Face Woman, is the wife of Tate (Wind) and daughter of Skan (Sky). Her name reflects her two faces; one beautiful, the other ugly, a punishment for her attempt to seduce Wi (Sun). In other Lakota tales she is the bringer of "quilling", the craft of sorting and dyeing porcupine quills. [Plains; Lakota] Anouke An elder Egyptian goddess of war, identified with Neith. Anouke was pictured with a bow and arrows and a shuttle. Ansa In Hindu myth, one of the Adityas, the guardian deities of the months. A minor sun god. Anshitsu A Japanese hermitage for a solitary Buddhist monk. The lonely traveler should be wary of asking for shelter there at night, for it may happen that the gloomy figure who opens the door is only the ghost of the monk who once lived there. Anta Kusuma In Javanese and Balinese mythology, a magic jewel in the shape of a flower which belongs to Dewi Sri. Possession of this elusive object secures enduring love, long life, good health and happiness. Antaboga The Indinesian underworld serpent deity who rules over the production of rice. Antaeus Antaeus was the son of Gaia and Poseidon. He was a frightful giant who compelled all strangers to wrestle with him and defeated or killed them all. He was invincible for as long as he remained in contact with his mother (the Earth) for she supplied him with strength. Heracles discovered his secret and lifted Antaeus from the ground and strangled him. The battle with Heracles is depicted on many Greek vases and even on coins. Pronunciation {an-tee'-uhs} Anteros In Greek myth, Anteros ("return- or opposite-love") is sometimes the brother of Eros, the god of love. The latter languished of loneliness until Aphrodite gave Anteros to him as a playmate: love must be answered if it is to prosper. Anteros is also the god who punishes those who scorn love or do not return love of others. Antevorte The Roman goddess of the future. Antheia by Clarksville Middle School Antheia was the Greek goddess called "the blooming", or "friend of the flowers." Her surname was Hera. Antheia had a temple at Argos. She was used by Cnossis as a surname of Aphrodite. She was considered to be in the form of a goddess as a flower-like adolescent. Also, in Crete, she was the goddess of vegetation, lowlands, gardens, blossoms, the budding earth, and human love. Anti An Egyptian guardian deity, the god of ferrymen. Anti was portrayed as a falcon, or with a falcon's head. Anticlea The daughter of Autolycus, wife of Laertes, and mother of Odysseus. She died of grief over Odysseus' absence. Antigone by Harold Thompson and Dale Grote Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, and her best known story is in the Antigone of Sophocles, which is one part of the Theban Saga. After Oedipus left the throne, and when he two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, came of age, they agreed to rule Thebes in alternate years. Eteocles, at the end of his first year of rule, reneged on the agreement and refused to step down. Polynices then raised an army of traditional enemies of Thebes and led them against his city. (This story is recounted in Aeschylus' play Seven Against Thebes.) The battle ends with the defeat of the invading army, but Eteocles and Polynices are both dead, killed by each other's hand. Creon, who now assumes power in Thebes, declares that, as he was the protector of the city, Eteocles' body will be properly buried, but Polynices, because he attacked the city, will be left unburied on the battlefield. Antigone decides she must disobey, arguing that a law of man which violates religious law is no law at all. She performs a ceremonial burial--a simple sprinkling of dust over the body--is apprehended by the guards, and taken before Creon, who decrees that she will herself be buried by being sealed in a cave. Creon's son, Haemon, however, is betrothed to Antigone, and protests her sentence and lectures his father on wise leadership. Creon refuses to change his mind. When the prophet Tiresias informs Creon that the gods are angry with his pronouncement concerning Polynices, he finally relents, but too late. When the cave is opened to retrieve Antigone, she has already hung herself. In his grief and anger, Haemon tries to kill Creon. He fails, and then kills himself instead. Upon his return to the palace, Creon also learns that his wife, Eurydice, killed herself too when she heard what had happened. Thus at the end of the play, Creon is ruler over an orderly city, but he has lost everything. The Antigone is much admired for being the first and most enduring statement of the conflict between the need for social order and the feeling that on occasion higher law may supersede human law. The story of Antigone, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Antilochus The son of Nestor and a good friend of Achilles. He was killed by Memnon when he tried to save his father from danger. Anting-anting by Ryan Tuccinardi In native Filipino culture, an anting-anting is magical talisman or fetish. Antinous The leader of Penelope's suitors. He was killed by Odysseus with an arrow. Antiope The daughter of Ares and queen of the Amazons, and sister of Hippolyta. She was carried of by Theseus and by him became the mother of Hippolytus. Pronunciation {an-ty'-oh-pee} Antiope The daughter of king Nycteus of Thebes, or, according to others, of the river-god Asopus. She was seduced by Zeus and fled of shame to Epopeus, king of Sicyon, who married her. Nycteus' attempts to get her back were unsuccessful, and upon his deathbed he charged his brother Lyncus to fulfil that task. Lyncus and his army marched towards Sicyon, destroyed the city and killed Epopeus. He took Antiope with him to Thebes and gave her as a slave to his own wife Dirce. Dirce mistreated Antiope severely, but she managed to escape and was finally reunited with her sons Amphion and Zethus, her children with Zeus. Her twins exacted a terrible vengeance upon Dirce. Later Antiope married Phocus. Images Antiope Antu (Antum, Anatum) A Sumerian goddess of creation, the feminine counterpart and consort of the sky-god Anu. She was later replaced by the goddess Ishtar. Anu (Sumerian: An) The ancient Sumero-Babylonian god of the firmament, the 'great above', and the son of the first pair of gods, Ansar and Kisar, descendant of Apsu and Tiamat. He is referred to as "the Father" and "King of the Gods", which signifies his importance in the Mesopotamian pantheon. Not only is he the father of the gods, but also of a great number of demons, whom he sends to humans. In the Sumerian cosmology there was, first of all, the primeval sea, from which was born the cosmic mountain consisting of heaven, 'An', and earth, 'Ki'. They were separated by Enlil, then Anu carried off the heavens, and Enlil the earth. Anu later retreated more and more into the background. He retires to the upper heavens and leaves the affairs of the universe to Marduk and a younger generation of gods. His consort was Antu (Anatum), a goddess of creation, but she was later replaced by Isthar. Temples dedicated to Anu could be found in Uruk and Assur. Pronunciation {ay'-noo} Anu (Ana) An Irish/Celtic fertility goddess, venerated as the mother of the gods. The center of her cult was the fertile Munster in southeast Ireland. The two rounded hilltops near Killarny are called 'the two breasts of Anu'. Anu is occasionally confused with Danu. Anubis (Anpu) In Egyptian mythology, Anubis is the god of the dead. He was usually represented as a man with the head of a jackal, but also as a crouching jackal, and was therefore referred to as the 'jackal god'. He is regarded as the son of Osiris and Nephthys, or the son of Re and Nephthys. Anubis was worshipped in the entire realm, but the center of his cult was in Cynopolis (Upper Egypt). In his role of psychopomp ("conductor of souls") he leads the souls of the deceased to the House of Osiris. As the Judge of the Dead, Anubis would take each person's heart and weigh it against the Feather of Truth (see: Ammit). After the time of the Old Kingdom, Anubis was superseded by Osiris, who became the god of the dead, and Anubis was made his assistant. As the patron god of the funeral cult, Anubis is responsible for the embalming and mummification process, of which he is thought to be the inventor. He is also the protector of tombs. The name of Anubis in hieroglyphs. Pronunciation {uh-noo'-bis} Anuket (Anqet) The Egyptian goddess of the Nile, and nourisher of the fields. She formed a triad with Chnum and Satis. Her principal sanctuary as at Elephantine, an island near Aswan. Anuket (Anqet) was portrayed with a crown made of reed and topped with ostrich feathers. The gazelle is her sacred animal. Later she became known as 'Ruler of Numibia'. Her Greek form is Anukis. The name of Anqet in hieroglyphs. Anulap A Micronesian sky god. Anunna (Anukki, Enunaki) The Sumerian name for the sky and earth gods, the assembly of the high gods, and especially for the deities of a local pantheon. Before the destroyed the earth with a great flood, they warned Ziusudra, king of Shurappak, of the deluge. He built an ark in which the seeds of mortals were preserved during the seven days and seven nights the waters raged. The name means "those of princely seed". They are similar to the Akkadian Anunnaku. Anunnaku (Anunnaki) The Akkadian name for a group of gods of the underworld. They function as judges in the realm of the dead. Their counterparts are the Igigi (although in some texts the positions are reversed). The Annunaku show many similarities with the Sumerian Anunna. The Anunnaku are the offspring of Anu. Anuradha The Hindu goddess of fortune. She is the daughter of Daksha and wife of Chandra. Anyiewo The great snake of the Ewe people of Togo. Ao (Ao Toto) "Light", as the opposite of Po, "Night". The Polynesian god of the clouds, the first ancestor of the Maori and is sometimes called 'The Father of the Ancestors'. In the Pacific, clouds are not associated with darkness, for they often look like columns of light. He is of vital importance to navigators because they could discern the presence of land from the shape of the clouds on the horizon, and also used them to predict rain. He is also called Ao Toto, "Blood-Red Dawn". Aoide (Aoede) One of the original three Greek Muses (their number was later increased to nine). She is the Muse of Song, sister of Melete and Mneme. Aon A greek hero, son of Poseidon. Boeotia was also known as Aonia, named after him. Apa One of the eight vasu deities. Apam-natat In Persian mythology, a 'god found in the water' who gives water to the people. He is a son of the water-god Vouru-kasa. Apam-natat has also some military aspects and he keeps in check rebellion. Apam Napat Hindu god of fresh water. Apanuugak by Gerald Musinsky A legendary Eskimo culture hero sometimes portrayed as a villain or misguided warrior, who lives to old age. [Arctic; Alaska] Apaosa (Apa-urta) Apaosa (Apa-urta) is a demon who brings drought and aridity. He rides on a black, bald horse. Eventually he was defeated by the god Tistrya. He is equal to the Indian evil spirit Vritra. Apap An Ugandan creator god. Apate by Ryan Tuccinardi Apate was the Greek goddess of deceit, daughter of Nyx. Apate was one of the spirits inside Pandora's box. Apep (Apepi, Aapep) An Egyptian monster living in perpetual darkness. This snake god is the chief of the antagonists of the sun god Re and each night he tries to stop the sun god's barque on his journey through the underworld. In the struggle between light and darkness, the monster is wounded by the divine entourage of Re with knives and spears. The god Seth and the god Mehen were often depicted defending the solar barque. Apep is the personification of darkness, evil, and chaos. Occasionally, the battle was decided in his favor, causing a solar eclipse, but his victories were of short duration for Re always triumphed in the end. Eventually, Apep was slain by Re, who cut up his body and burned it. The Greeks referred to him as Apophis. The name of Apep in hieroglyphs. Aphaea A Greek goddess of local importance who was worshipped on the island of Aegina where she had a temple. Some sources say she is the nymph Britomartis who fled from Crete, but she is also identified with Athena and Artemis. Aphrodite (Aphrodite Pandemos) In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty and sexual rapture. According to Hesiod, she was born when Uranus (the father of the gods) was castrated by his son Cronus. Cronus threw the severed genitals into the ocean which began to churn and foam about them. From the aphros ("sea foam") arose Aphrodite, and the sea carried her to either Cyprus or Cythera. Hence she is often referred to as Kypris and Cytherea. Homer calls her a daughter of Zeus and Dione. After her birth, Zeus was afraid that the gods would fight over Aphrodite's hand in marriage so he married her off to the smith god Hephaestus, the steadiest of the gods. He could hardly believe his good luck and used all his skills to make the most lavish jewels for her. He made her a girdle of finely wrought gold and wove magic into the filigree work. That was not very wise of him, for when she wore her magic girdle no one could resist her, and she was all too irresistible already. She loved gaiety and glamour and was not at all pleased at being the wife of sooty, hard-working Hephaestus. Aphrodite loved and was loved by many gods and mortals. Among her mortal lovers, the most famous was perhaps Adonis. Some of her sons are Eros, Anteros, Hymenaios and Aeneas (with her Trojan lover Anchises). She is accompanied by the Graces. Her festival is the Aphrodisiac which was celebrated in various centers of Greece and especially in Athens and Corinth. Her priestesses were not prostitutes but women who represented the goddess and sexual intercourse with them was considered just one of the methods of worship. Aphrodite was originally an old-Asian goddess, similar to the Mesopotamian Ishtar and the Syro-Palestinian goddess Ashtart. Her attributes are a.o. the dolphin, the dove, the swan, the pomegranate and the lime tree. In Roman mythology Venus is the goddess of love and beauty and Cupid is love's messenger. Pronunciation {af-roh-dy'-tee} Apicilnic by Gerald Musinsky A race of knee-high "little people" whose presence is an omen of danger. They are known to steal children. Similar to European elf lore. [Subarctic; Labrador, Montagnais] Apikunni by Gerald Musinsky The bringer of tobacco and accountable for the first killing in war by slaying an enemy with an aspen stick. [Plains, Blackfoot] Apis (Hap) Apis was the holy bull or bull god of Memphis. Any bull found bearing a white triangle on its forehead and otherwise totally black, was considered to be the personification of Apis. Priest derived omens from his behavior. The bull was not allowed to live past 25 years and upon reaching this age it was drowned and a new bull was sought. If it died before that time, it was buried with much ceremony at Sakkarah, south of Cairo. The apis cult was later closely connected with the god Ptah, but was also widespread among the Greeks and Romans. Images Apis Aplu The Etruscan god of thunder and lightning. Aplu is usually portrayed with a wreath of laurel on his head, holding a staff in one hand and a laurel twig in his other hand. He is modeled on the Greek Apollo. Apo An Inca mountain god. Apo Katawan A god of the Hambal-Aeta people of the Philippines. Apocalypse Greek: "Revelation". Revelations of the end of time and the last judgment. Apocalyptic literature deals with such subjects as heaven, the future of this world, the activities of angels and the soul's future existence. Apocalyptic Beast The beast that speaks like a dragon, has two horns and which bears the mystical number 666. This is where 'the number of the beast' is derived from. The creature is mentioned in the Bible, in the Book of Revelation. Apocatequil The Inca god of lightning. Apocatequil was also the chief priest of the Inca moon-god. Apollo (Apollon) by Ryan Tuccinardi Zeus had many affairs and one of them was with the goddess Leto. Leto conceived twins but was hated by Hera and not allowed to give birth because Hera imprisoned Ilithyia, the goddess of childbirth. Eventually the other gods persuaded her to let Ilithyia go and Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis, his twin sister. At Delphi, Leto had tried to rest but Python, a fearsome dragon, had learned from the Oracle at Delphi that a son of Leto would kill him and sure enough Apollo came to call and killed Python (this earned him the epithet of Pythius). He then became the new god at Delphi and the Oracle gave out his commands. Apollo is primarily the god of prophecy and vaticination, but as a seer he is the patron of poetry and music and the leader of the Muses. As a prophet and magician, he is the patron of medicine and healing. Apollo's second temple was built by bees. Images Apollo The story of Apollo and Daphne, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. The story of Apollo and Hyacinthus, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Apollyon by Caitlin Dieringer, Clarksville Middle School "The destroyer". In the new testament of the Bible, Apollyon is called the angel of the bottomless pit. Abaddon, a poetic name for the land of the dead in the old testament, is Apollyon's Greek translation from the Hebrew language. Apollyon, in early Christian literature, is a name for the devil. He is identified as an angel of death, "hideous to behold, with scales like a fish, wings like a dragon, bear's feet, and a lion's mouth." Apophis Greek rendering of the Egyptian snake of the underworld (see Apep). Apotamkin by Gerald Musinsky A hairy "bogey-man" figure with long fangs. This myth is used to instill fear into children from venturing into areas alone and without parental guidance. [Northeast Woodlands, Passamaquoddy, Malisseet] Apotequil The legendary high priest of the moon-god among the Incas of Peru. He was a god of the lightning, and statues were erected upon the mountaintops. Apoyan Tachi The sky father of the Pueblo Zuni. With the earth mother Awitelin Tsta he is responsible for all the life that exists on earth. Appiades The five Roman goddesses who had a temple near the Appian aqueducts. They are Concordia, Minerva, Pax, Venus, and Vesta. Appias A Roman nymph. Two fountains dedicated to her flanked the entrance to the temple of Venus Genitrix on the Forum of Caesar in Rome Apsaras (Vrikshakas) by Stephen T. Naylor The Apsaras were nature spirits, the mates of the Gandharvas. They sometimes were water nymphs, and other times were beings of the forest. They are all female, and all of them are described as being very beautiful. They were paired with the Gandharvas, who would play their instruments so the Apsaras would dance. They would often perform for the gods in their palaces. They were inspirations for love, and were sometimes sent to tempt rishis or Brahmans who were very austere. Other Used sources Apsu (Abzu) A primeval Sumero-Akkadian god who personifies the primordial abyss of sweet waters underneath the earth. He is the consort of Tiamat, the primordial abyss of salt waters of Chaos. In the later mythology of the Enuma Elish, the sweet water mingled with the bitter waters of the sea and with a third watery element, perhaps cloud, the first gods were engendered. The waters of Apsu were thought of as held immobile underground by the 'spell' of Ea in a death-like sleep, but there is also said that Ea had Apsu fallen asleep and had killed him. In this abyss the god Enki has his residence and here the primeval mother Nammu created humankind from a lump of clay. Apu-Hau A Hawaiian storm-god, one of the many Polynesian deities connected with storms and winds. His name means "Fierce Squall". Apu-Ko-Hai The fish-god of the Kanei of the Polynesian island of Mangaia. Apu Illapu The Inca god of thunder. Apu Lagang The world of the spirits in the mythology of the Dayaks of Borneo. Apu Punchau "Head of the day". It is another name for the Inca Sun (see Inti). Aqalax by Gerald Musinsky In this tale Sun is carried by an old woman who dwells with her daughter in the sky. She leaves in the morning and come home at night. [Pacific Northwest, Kathlamet] Aquilo The Roman personification of the North Wind. His Greek counterpart is Boreas. Ara Tiotio (Awhiowhio) The Polynesian deity of the tornado. He is much feared by seafarers. Arachne by Melissa Lee Arachne was a young woman from Lydia, sometimes said to be a princess, who offended Athena, and suffered the consequences. Her story helped serve as a warning to all to take care to not offend the gods. Arachne was gifted in the art of weaving. Not only were her finished products beautiful to look at, but the very act of her weaving was a sight to behold. Nymphs were said to abandon their frolicking to come observe Arachne practice her magic. So remarkable were her works that observers often commented that she must have been trained by the very patron goddess of weaving, Athena herself. Arachne scoffed at this. She was disgusted at being placed in an inferior place to the goddess and proclaimed that Athena herself could not do better than her. Athena was quite perturbed at Arachne's bold claim, but she decided to give the young woman a chance to redeem herself. She came to Arachne disguised as an old woman and warned her to be careful not to offend the gods, lest she incur their wrath. But Arachne told the old woman to save her breath. She welcomed a contest with Athena, and, if she lost, would suffer whatever punishment the goddess deemed necessary. The goddess accepted the challenge and revealed her true form. The nymphs who had come to watch Arachne's weaving shrunk back in fear, but Arachne stood her shaky ground. She had made a claim, and she was sticking to it. So the contest began, the mortal at her loom, the goddess at hers. Athena began to weave the scene of her contest with Poseidon for the city of Athens. A beautiful scene developed from the threads, showing Poseidon and the salt water spring, and Athena with an olive tree, gifts to the people who would name Athena as their patron, and their city after her. The bystanders marveled at the goddess' work. Arachne, for her part, created a tapestry showcasing scenes of Zeus' various infidelities: Leda with the Swan, Europa with the bull, Danaë and the golden rain shower. So exquisite was the mortal's work that the bull seemed lifelike, swimming across the tapestry with a real girl on his shoulders. Even Athena herself was forced to admit that Arachne's work was flawless. (Whether or not Arachne was actually better than Athena is still a mystery.) Angered at Arachne's challenge, as well as the presumptuousness of her choice of subjects, Athena tore the tapestry to pieces and destroyed the loom. Then she touched Arachne's forehead, making sure that she felt full guilt for her actions. Arachne was ashamed, but the guilt was far too deep for her poor, mortal mind. Depressed, she hanged herself. Athena took pity on Arachne. She most likely did not expect that Arachne would commit suicide. She brought her back to life, but not as a human. By sprinkling her with the juices of aconite, Athena transformed the woman into a spider, her and her descendants to forever hang from threads and to be great weavers. Pronunciation {uh-rak'-nee} Other Used sources Arallu (Araru) The bleak and dreary abode of the dead in the netherworld. This placed is ruled over by Ereshkigal and Nergal. Aranyani A Hindu woodland goddess. Ararat The ancient Anatolian (Turkey) creator goddess. Arawn The Welsh god of the underworld. The god Amaethon stole from him a dog, lapwing and roebuck with led to the Battle of the Trees, in which his forces were defeated. A tale in the Mabinogion relates how he persuaded Pwyll to trade places with him for the span of a year and a day. In this period, Pwyll defeated Arawn's rival for dominion of the underworld Hafgan. Because Pwyll also refrained from sleeping with Arawn's wife, they became close friends. Aray (Ara) by John McCannon A pagan war god of ancient Armenia. Also known as Ara ("the beautiful one"), it is likely that Aray has origins in common with Ares, the god of war worshipped by the ancient Thracians and Greeks. Aray was also worshipped as a resurrected god, who dies and is reborn periodically. This strong link with the generative cycle makes it likely that Aray is linguistically and culturally tied to the deity Aralo, the ancient god of agriculture in neighboring Georgia. Other Used sources Arazu The Babylonian god of completed construction. Arcas The son of Zeus and the nymph Callisto, who was turned into a bear by Hera out of envy. When Arcas during a hunt attempted to kill the bear, Zeus interviened and put them both in the sky as constellations (Ursa Major and Minor, Great Bear and Little Bear). Archons Gnostic controllers of the seven spheres. Ardhanari In Hindu mythology, Shiva represented as half-male and half-female, typifying the incarnation of the male and female principles of the world. Ardhanarisvara A Hindu composite deity of Shiva's male and female aspects. Ardra The Hindu goddess of misfortune. Arduinna The Gaulish (Celtic) goddess of the moon, hunting, and forests. She was very popular in the Ardennes, to which she gave her name. She is accompanied by a boar, her sacred animal. The Romans equated her with their Diana. Arebati The sky and moon god of the pygmies of Zaire. Arebati, who is addressed as afa, "Father", created the first human from clay. He covered the clay with a skin, and poured blood into it, thus bringing it to life. Aredvi In Persian mythology, a great river arising from Mount Hara. Aremata-Popoa "Short Wave". One of two ocean demons who are greatly feared by Polynesian mariners because they are at the mercy of their immense power. The other demon is Aremata-Rorua. Aremata-Rorua "Long Wave". One of two Polynesian ocean demons greatly feared by mariners because they are at the mercy of their immense power. The other one is Aremata-Popoa. Arendiwane by Gerald Musinsky Arendi wane (orendi wane) collectively refers to "medicine people" who gain there power through ritual fasting and visions. [Northeast Woodlands, Huron] Arensnuphis (Ari-hes-nefer, Arsnuphis , Harensnuphis) A benign god of Egyptian Nubia. He had a temple at Philae, where he was referred to as the companion of Isis, the chief local deity. He is depicted in the form of a lion, or as a man wearing a plumed crown. Areoi In the mythology of the Tuamotu (Society) islands, a religious warrior order first organized by the gods Ora-Tetefa and Uru-Tetefa, two brothers living in heaven but who later settled on earth. The order recruited their members, who had to remain celibate, from among the nobility. Areop-Enap The Ancient Spider in the mythology of Nauru (Micronesia). In the beginning only Areop-Enap and the sea existed. Then one day he discovered a mussel shell. After much trouble he managed to open it and crept inside. It was so dark inside the sell that he could see nothing so he passed some of his power on to the small snail and made it the moon. By the faint light of the moon he spied a worm, which he set to work separating the upper and lower parts of the shell. These became the sky and the earth. When the worm was finished it died of exhaustion, and became the sun. The sweat of the worm, running into the lower shell, became the sea. From stones Areop-Enap made man to support the sky, and then traveled to the newly created world. There he discovered other beings and learned there names by creating a winged creature from the dirt under his nails. This flying "bird" annoyed to people and they called to each other to kill it. Thus the Spider knew what they were called. Ares by Ryan Tuccinardi Ares, the Greek god of war, is tall and handsome, but vain and as cruel as his brother Hephaestus was kind. His sister Eris, the goddess of strife, is his constant companion, but he is also attended by his sons Deimos and Phobos, as well as Enyo, an old war-goddess. When Ares heard the clashing of arms, he grinned with glee, put on his gleaming helmet, and leapt into his war chariot. Brandishing his sword, he rushed into the thick of battle, not caring who won or lost as long as blood was shed. A vicious crowd followed at his heels, carrying with them Pain, Panic, Famine and Oblivion. Once in a while, Ares was wounded. He was immortal but whenever he would get hurt he would run back to his father, Zeus and was healed. Needless to say, Zeus was very disgusted with his son. Ares was mainly worshipped in Thracia, a region known for its fierce people. Pronunciation {air'-eez} Images Ares Arethusa A nymph known in several different parts of Greece, usually the Pelopponnese and Sicily. She was one of the Nereids. The river-god Alpheus fell madly in love with her, but she fled to Sicily. There she was changed into a fountain (the Fonte Aretusa, in Syracuse) by Artemis. Apheus made his way beneath the sea, and united his waters with those of Arethusa. On coins from Syracuse the head of Arethusa was often portrayed (ca. 500 BC). This girls' head has often a net in her hair and is usually surrounded by fish. Pronunciation {ar-uh-thoo'-zuh} Arethusa is also the name of one of the Hesperides. Arges by Kyle Kralowetz, Clarksville Middle School Arges was the son of Uranus and Gaia (Greek gods). Arges was one of three Cyclopes: Arges, Brontes, and Sterops. Arges and his brothers were very helpful to Zeus and the other gods. Arges made Zeus' thunderbolts and even their thrones. Unfortunately Arges still wasn¹t treated fairly, but like a freak. Arges and his two brothers all had special powers essential to making Zeus¹s thunderbolts. Arges had brightness, Bruno had thunder, and Sterops made lightning. Argo by James Hunter The Argo was the ship, built by Argos with the help of Athena, in which Jason and the Argonauts sailed in quest of the Golden Fleece. It was the largest ship ever built, and its crew included Heracles, Orpheus, and a host of other heros from all over Greece. Athena fitted the bow of the ship with a speaking timber, cut from the sacred oaks of Dodona. Images Argo Other Used sources Argonauts (Minyans) by James Hunter The Argonauts were the heroes who sailed with Jason on the Argo, in quest of the Golden Fleece. They are often called the "Minyans," because of the tribe and region from which Jason came, but many of them came from other parts of the Greek world. According to Apollonius of Rhodes, 55 men accompanied Jason; Apollodorus lists 43 men and one woman, and various numbers can be derived from other sources. The lists do not correspond very well, but the following are some of the more famous names mentioned: Orpheus (the greatest musician of the ancient world); Heracles (the son of Zeus, famous for his Twelve Labors); Hylas (Heracles' companion); Telamon (the father of Ajax); Peleus (the father of Achilles and the brother of Telamon); Argos (the builder of the Argo); Polydeuces and Castor (or Pollux and Castor -- known as the Dioscuri, they were the sons of Leda and Zeus, and the brothers of Helen of Troy); Meleager (who killed the Calydonian boar); Zetes and Calais (the Boreads); Theseus (who killed the Minotaur and the hero of a number of other legends); Laertes (father of Odysseus); Autolycus (son of Hermes and a master thief); Atalanta (a great huntress who was the first to wound the Calydonian boar and was beloved by Meleager). Images Argonauts Other Used sources Argus In Greek mythology, Argus is a giant with a hundred eyes. After Zeus had changed his lover Io into a heifer to protect her from the wrath of Hera, Hera demanded that the cow was given to her. She then charged Argus with the task of guarding it. Argus was lulled to sleep by Hermes who then killed him, as Zeus had ordered him to do. Hermes brought Io back to Egypt, where she returned to her human form again. After Argus' death, Hera placed his hundred eyes on the tail of the peacock, her favorite animal. Ariadne by Siu C.K. Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete, who attacked Athens after his son was murdered there. The Athenians submitted and had to sacrifice 14 youths to the Minotaur in his labyrinth every year. She fell in love with Theseus, a young man who volunteered to come and kill the Minotaur, and helped him by giving him a magic sword and a ball of thread so that he could easily find his way out. She ran away with Theseus after he achieved his goal. But he left her sleeping on the island of Naxos, and Dionysus wedded her himself. Ariadne was originally a fertility goddess from Crete. She was especially worshipped on Naxos, Delos, Cyprus and in Athens. The Romans honored her as Libera. Pronunciation {air-ee-ad'-nee} The story of Ariadne, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Arianrhod by Karen Davis Arianrhod ("silver wheel", thus, the moon), is one of the descendants of Don. She had two brothers, Gilfaethwy and Gwydion the sister of Math ap Mathonwy, whose quality was that he required a virgin's lap to place his feet in, unless he was at war. When this virgin was raped, Math asked for a replacement, and Arianrhod volunteered. But when she stepped over his rod, she immediately gave birth to two children: a young boy and a blob. (This is likely because the word morwyn may mean either 'virgin' or 'free young woman', but it also indicates her divine status.) The boychild was named Dylan; he was a sea-being who returned to the waves. The blob was snatched up by Arianrhod's brother Gwydion, who hid it in a chest until it grew into a baby. Arainrhod imposed three geases upon this boy: he would have no name unless she named him, he would bear no arms unless she armed him, and he would have no human woman to wife. Thus, Arianrhod denied him the three essential passages to manhood. Nevertheless, Gwydion raised the nameless boy, and one day Arianrhod spied a young boy killing a wren with a single flung stone. She called out that he was a bright lion with a sure hand, and thus he took that name: Llew Llaw Gyffes. Later, Gwydion faked an alarm, and tricked her into arming the boy. Images Arianrhod Arinna (Ariniddu) The Hittite goddess of the sun and war-like protectress. She is the wife of the weather god. Arinnitti (Warusemu) by Peter Wyche The sun goddess of the Hittites and the spouse of Tarhun. Arioch The name used for one of the fallen angels in Paradise Lost. Milton took it from Dan. ii, 14, where it is the name of the captain of the guard. The names means 'a fierce lion'. Pronunciation {ar'iok} Arishtat The Persian god of honesty. Aristaeus An ancient Greek pastoral deity, the son of Apollo and the nymph Cyrene, but also Uranus is mentioned as his father. Aristaeus was made immortal by Gaia. He is the patron of the hunt, agriculture, cattle, and especially bee-culture. Aristaeus also taught mankind how to cultivate olives. Pronunciation {air-i-stee'-uhs} The story of Aristaeus, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Arjuna A Hindu heroic god. He is a son of Indra. Ark of the Covenant The container for the Tables of the Law (Ten Commandments). It is described in Exodus 25:10-22. During the wilderness period, it was kept in the Tabernacle and after King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, it was kept in the Holy of Holies, the inner shrine. The Ark of the Covenant is described as a gold box with two large cherubim forming the foundation of the mercy seat from which God communed with the Children of Israel. The Ark was lost in the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC. Arma Arma is the Hittite and Luwian moon god. He is portrayed with a crescent on his horned cap, and with a pair of wings on his back. The Hurrians called him Kusuh. Armaiti (Spenta Armaiti, Armati) Armaiti ("beneficent devotion") is one of the Amesha Spentas. She is the personification of holy devotion, the daughter of the creator and represents righteous obedience. She is associated with the earth and in that capacity she is the goddess of fertility and the dead, who are buried in the earth. The fifth day of every month and the twelfth month are dedicated to her. Her eternal opponent is the archdemon of discontent, Nanghaithya. Armazd by John McCannon Chief deity in the pantheon of the ancient Armenians; worshipped as the creator of the universe and the god of wisdom. Aramazd's identity was derived directly from Ahura Mazda, the principal deity in the Zoroastrian faith of the old Persians. He is also identical to the Georgian god Armaz. Likewise, Aramazd's son Mihr is the Armenian counterpart to Zoroastrianism's Mithra (as is Georgia's Mirsa, the god of light and fire). Other Used sources Arnakua'gsak "Old Woman of the Sea". An Eskimo deity who supplies all physical needs. Arnemetia The British-Celtic water goddess. Arohirohi The Maori goddess of mirages. Aron The Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:17; 31:1; 1 Samuel 6). It was a chest made of acacia wood overlaid with gold (1 Kings 8:3). Arondight The sword of Sir Lancelot. Pronunciation {ah'ron-dit} Arsh The throne of God which stands on eight thousand pillars. The distance between two of these pillars is three million miles (Koran 9:131). Arsu The Palmyran god of the evening star in ancient Syria. He was usually portrayed riding a camel, together with his twin-brother Azizos, the morning star. He appears in pre-Islamic Arabia as Radu. Artemis by Ryan Tuccinardi Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo and the daughter of Leto and Zeus. Artemis is the goddess of virgins and the hunt and night, and she guarded women during childbirth. She turned the legendary huntsman Actaeon into a stag and had him torn to pieces by his own hounds. Cynthia is an epithet of Artemis, referring to her and Apollo's place of birth on Mount Cynthus on the island of Delos. She is also associated with the moon. Her attributes are the bow and arrow, while dogs, deer and goose are her sacred animals. Her most elaborate temple was in Ephesis. Pronunciation {ahr'-tuh-mis} Images Artemis Artinis The Urartian (pre-Armenian) sun-god. He is one of the non-Aryan triad, with Khaldi and Theispas. Artio (Artio) The continental Celtic goddess of bears and the bear cult. She was found mentioned in inscriptions in the Bern region (Switzerland). Artume (Artumes, Aritimi) The Etruscan goddess of night and death, but also the personification of growth in nature. She can be compared with the Greek Artemis. Arundhati A Hindu astral goddess. Aruru A goddess of creation, she created Enkidu from clay in the image of Anu. Arvernus The Gallic god of the Arverni. Aryman In Hindu myth, one of the Adityas, the guardian deities of the months. Aryong Jong The Korean goddess of rainfall. As As, or Ase, is used to denote a male member of the Norse Aesir. Old Norse: Áss Asagwe A type of Haitian voodoo dancing, known as a salute to the gods. The manman, the largest of the three voodoo drums, signals for this figure to start and sets the distinctive rhythm to which it is performed. The dance figures itself is characterized by sweeping circular movements, dips, and semiprostrations. Asar A Palmyran (ancient Syrian) equestrian god. Probably of Arabian origin. Asase Ya (Asase Yaa) The Ashanti earth goddess and a goddess of fertility. She is the mother of the gods and wife of Nyame. Their son is the famous trickster Anansi. Ascanius (Iulus) by James Hunter Ascanius was the son of Aeneas and Creusa, and the grandson of Venus; he was also called Iulus. He accompanied his father to Italy after the fall of Troy, and fought briefly in the Italian wars. The Julian gens claimed descent from him. Other Used sources Asclepius (Asklepios, Aesculapius) by Ryan Tuccinardi Asclepius was one of the few gods that ever died. He was the god of medicine and healed anybody from any disease. His sons and daughters were the first nurses. Hygieia was one of his daughters and she was the first person to use soap and water. He is the son of Apollo and a mortal women named Coronis (the daughter of King Phlegyas of Thessaly). The Moirae and Hades were both very unhappy because of the unnatural long life spans of the people. When Zeus saw Asclepius accept money for raising the dead, he struck him dead with a thunderbolt lest men learn to evade death. Apollo killed Zeus' Cyclopes in his rage. Serpents and cocks were sacred to him. Pronunciation {as-klee'-pee-uhs} Images Asclepius Asdiwal by Gerald Musinsky A narrative hero, son of the supernatural being Ho, who makes special "snow shoes" for him. With these, Asdiwal chases a white bear up a mountain only to discover that the white bear is really the daughter of the Sun and marries her. [Pacific Northwest, Tsimishian] Asertu A west-Semitic goddess who is identical to the Phoenician-Ugaritic goddess Atirat. Among the Hittites she is Aserdus, the consort of Elkunirsa. Asgard Asgard, in Norse mythology, is one of the nine worlds and the homeland of the Aesir, the race of warrior gods. Located on the highest level of the Norse universe, it is surrounded by a high wall of closely fitted stone blocks. Also found on this level are the worlds of Alfheim and Vanaheim as well as Valhalla, an immense hall where warriors slain in battle await the final conflict. In the middle of Asgard lies the plain of Idavoll (or Ida) where the Aesir meet to decide important issues. There the gods assemble in the hall of Gladsheim and the goddesses in the hall of Vingolf. The gods also meet daily at the Well of Urd, beneath the Asgard root of the ash tree Yggdrasil. Old Norse: Ásgardr Asgardreid "Asgard's Ride" or "Asgard's Chase". In Norse (Teutonic) mythology the wild ride of Odin and Frigg. It is still spoken of as being especially active during the dark, stormy Yule nights. Asgaya Gigagei The lightning spirit of the Cherokee, also called the Red Man or Blood-colored Man. Asga'ya Gi'gôge¯, from Asga'ya = "man" Gi'gô = "blood" ge¯ = "like", "exists as", or "resembles" Ash (As) The Egyptian god of the Libyan Desert (Sahara), called 'Lord of Libya'. As a desert god he was sometimes identified with Seth. Ash was associated with the fertile oases. He was depicted as a man with the head of a hawk. Asha vahishta (Asa Vahista) Asha vahishta ("excellent order") is the personification of the 'best truth' and protects the physical and moral order on earth. He is the most prominent of the (male) Amesha Spentas and the principal adversary of the world of the demons. The second month is dedicated to him. His eternal opponents are the archdemon of lie, Drug and the archdemon of apostasy, Indra. Asherah by Peter Wyche A Phoenician goddess and wife of El. Images Asherah Asherat (Asherah) A fertility goddess and goddess of the sea of ancient Syria and Palestine. The consort of Il. Probably another variation of the goddess Ashtart. Ashiakle The Ghanaian goddess of wealth, and of the sea. Ashnan The Sumerian goddess of grain. Ashuku-Nyorai The element of earth in Japanese cosmology. It signifies the power of making images manifest. Also called 'The Immovable Buddha'. Ashur The patron god of ancient Assyria, assuming the role of Enlil and Marduk, and god of war. Ashur is represented as rising from a winged disc and shooting his arrows. Asia by Ryan Tuccinardi A Greek sea-nymph and the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. The continent of Asia was named after her. Asia was occasionally regarded as the wife of Iapetus. Asiaq An Eskimo female weather deity. She is of human parentage. The Angakoq (shaman) invokes her to provide good weather. She is occasionally regarded as a male deity. Asin by Gerald Musinsky Similar to Apotamkin, she is a monster girl who carries off children. Her laughter is an omen of imminent death. [Pacific Northwest, Alsea] Asintmah The first woman. She was responsible for the birth of animal life on earth. Ask and Embla After Odin and his two brothers Ve and Vili had created the universe and the nine worlds, they walked on the beach where they came upon two logs of wood which were washed ashore. They picked the logs up and give them a humanoid shape. Odin breathed into them the spirit of live, Vili gave them sharp wits and feeling hearts; and Ve bestowed upon them the senses, expressive features and speech. Furthermore, the brothers provided them with names and clothes. The male they named Ask ("ash") and the female the named Embla ("elm"). Ask and Embla became the progenitors of the human race and Midgard was given to them as their residence. Aslesa (Aslesas) Another Hindu goddess of misfortune. Asman A Persian sky-god. Asmodeus (Asmodaios) An evil spirit. He appears in the Apocryphal book of Tobit. Although he is described in later literature as the king of demons, in Jewish folklore he is mischievous and lively, a figure of fun and often a friend to people. He is said to disturb marital happiness, and it was Asmodeus who strangled the seven husbands of Sara during her wedding-night. Asmodeus originated from the ancient Persian demon Aesma Daeva. Latinized form of the Hebrew Ashmedai. Asokottamasri A Tibetan Buddhist-Lamaist physician god. Asopus (Asopos) The Greek god of the river of that name, which flows through Boeotia, Central Greece. Asopus is the son of Oceanus and Tethys. He is the father of Aegina. When his daughter was abducted by Zeus, he persued them but Zeus drove him back with thunderbolts. Aspalis A West Semitic goddess of hunting. Asrai The Asrai are small, fragile, female beings who turn to a puddle of water when they are captured or exposed to sunlight. Assembly of the Gods In Japanese mythology, every year the gods assemble in the holy temple at Izumo where they hold council in order to predestine the love affairs of people. It is here that it is decided who will love whom, and whose love will be requited. Astamatara A Hindu (Puranic) group of mother goddesses. Astar The Ethiopian sky god. He forms a triad of gods with the sea god Beher and the warrior god Mahrem. Astar is third in rank. Astarte by Peter Wyche The Phoenician goddess of rertility and reproduction and the principal deity of the port city of Sidon. As Astarte she was worshipped as far west as Carthage, Sicily, Sardinia and Cyprus. She was also the sister and co-consort of Baal, sharing this role with their sister Anath. Astarte is also known as Istar in Akkadian and Athtar in Sabaean. Pronunciation {uh-stahr'-tee} Images Astarte Asteria The daughter of the Titan Coeus and Phoebe. She was abducted by Zeus, but hurled herself in the sea and became the island of the same name. Astlik The Armenian goddess of love and fertility. With the sun god Vahagn and the moon goddess Anahit she forms an astral trinity. She is similar to the Greek Aphrodite and the Mesopotamian Ishtar. Her name means "little star". Asto Vidatu (Astovidatu) The Persian demon of death whom no human escapes. Together with Aesma Daeva he chases and tries to catch the souls of the deceased with a noose when they rise to heaven. Astraea Astraea ("the star-maiden") is the daughter of Zeus and Themis. She was, as was her mother, a goddess of justice. During the Golden Age, when the gods dwelled among mankind, she lived on the earth. When evil and wickedness increased its grip on humanity, the gods abandoned the habitations of mankind. Astraea was the last to leave and took up her abode among the stars. Astraeus Astraeus is the husband of Eos, goddess of the dawn, and god of the four winds: Boreas, Zephyrus, Eurus, and Notus. Images Astraeus Astrild In Norse mythology, Astrild is the goddess of love. Astvat-Ereta The true world saviour (Saoshyant) in Persian mythology. Astyanax by J.C. Boyle Astyanax was the son of Hector and Andromache, and therefore the eldest grandson of Priam. He died only a baby during the fall of Troy, when the son of Achilles, Neoptolemus, threw him over the wall of Troy. Neoptolemus said to Andromache, "Since my father killed his father he might try to avenge the death. He also could become King of Troy, and we want no more kings of Troy!" Other Used sources Asurakumara "Demon princes". A group of Jain (one of the great classical religions of India) gods associated with rain and thunder. Asuras by Stephen T. Naylor The asuras are usually called demons, but this is not a terribly good translation, for it denotes a sinister quality which is not always in the character of these beings. Strictly speaking, the asuras are the powerful beings who are opposed to the devas. In early Vedic times, they were originally another class of gods, perhaps the indigenous deities who were overrun by the Aryan supplanters but who were incorporated into the new pantheon. Such important Vedic gods as Varuna and Mitra were classified as asuras. By the end of the Vedic period, however, the asuras had attained their more demonic role. Certainly some of the asuras were quite evil, such as Vritra, but some of them were also as pious if not more so than some of the gods. They would, at times, even be more powerful than the gods, forcing them to flee in the face of their power until some way of dealing with them could be found. On the other hand, in certain instances they were known to work alongside the gods for a common goal. Other Used sources Asvayujau The Hindu (Epic and Puranic) goddess of fortune. Asvins In Hindu myth, the twin sons of Saranyu and Surya, and known as the "Divine Physicians". They represent the morning and evening stars. Asynjur The name of the Norse goddesses who belong to the Aesir. The goddess Frigg is the chief among them. Ata An island in the Tongan archipelago. According to legend, Ata was thrown down from heaven. Such stony islands were called Maka-Fonua ("Thrown-Land"). Atacokai by Gerald Musinsky A culture hero of three mythic types. He lost his innate ability to communicate with animals after his banishment for the accidental death of his brother. His name means "He paddles the wrong way." The name exemplifies "contrary" behavior and loosely corresponds with Fool tales and "contrary" tales of other tribes. [Sub-Arctic; Yukon, Alaska] Ataguchu An Inca god who played a part in the creation myth. Ataguju The creator in the mythology of the Huamachuco Indians of Peru. Atahensic According to the Iroquois, a sky goddess who fell to the earth at the beginning of creation. Atalanta by Mia Gibson Atalanta is the female athlete in Greek myth. It is unclear exactly where Atalanta comes from, some sources say that she came from Arcadia and was the daughter of Iasus and Clymene, but Hesiod and other sources attributes Atalanta's origin to Boeotia where her father is Schoeneus. The contradiction over Atalanta's birth contributes to the assumption that there were two mythic women that were merged into one person. Whoever Atalanta's father was, he wanted a boy so bad that when Atalanta was born, he exposed her on a hill were she was suckled by a she bear, sent by Artemis, until a group of hunters found her and raised her to womanhood. Atalanta, like Artemis, loved to hunt. Atalanta is best known for participation in male activities while at the same time having an aura of sexuality surrounding her. For example, some sources say that Atalanta was one of the crewmembers of the Argonaut. Atalanta was even wounded in a battle with the Colchians and was healed by Medea, who was also on the voyage. But at the same time, other sources say that Jason refused to let Atalanta go on the voyage because she was a woman. One male activity Atalanta definitely participated in was the Calydonian Boar Hunt. Other male members of the hunt objected to her presence, but consumed with lust, Meleager insisted that Atalanta be allowed to join. During the hunt, centaurs Hylaeus and Rhaecus tried to rape Atalanta. Atalanta killed both of them, thus the first bloodshed of the Calydonian Boar Hunt was human. Atalanta shot the first arrow to pierce the boar. Because of this, Meleager gave Atalanta the boar's pelt. This resulted in even more human bloodshed, Meleager's two uncles protested to Atalanta receiving the pelt, so Meleager killed them. When Meleager's mother heard that Meleager had killed her brothers, she threw an enchanted log on the fire, once the log finished burning Meleager would die. After Atalanta's success at the boar hunt, Atalanta's father, Iasus or Schoeneus, was proud and claimed her as his daughter. Atalanta was reconciled with her father. Since Atalanta was now a princess, Iasus wanted Atalanta to marry. Atalanta had been warned not to marry by the Oracle. Atalanta came up with a witty plan that would stop her from having to marry. She would race the suitors, the one who beat her in the foot race would be the lucky man to marry her, but if she won, she could kill the man. Atalanta made the bargain knowing that no one could beat her. One day a racer, Melanion or to some sources Hippomenes, fell in love with Atalanta and wanted to marry her, but he knew he could not beat her so he called on Aphrodite, the love goddess, for assistance. Aphrodite provided Melanion with three golden apples to entice Atalanta. During the race, whenever Atalanta would get ahead of Melanion, he would roll one of the golden apples forward, forcing a curious Atalanta to stop and pick the apple up. Atalanta's frequent stops gave Melanion the advantage he needed and he won the race and Atalanta's hand in marriage. Once married, it seems that Atalanta could not contain her inhibitions any longer, for one day she allowed Melanion to seduce her in the temple of Zeus. Zeus was so angered that he turned them into lions. This was a fitting punishment because lions can not mate with each other. Atalanta has a son named Parthenopaeus (son of a pierced maidenhead). Once again, there is a dispute as to who the father is. Some sources say that Atalanta had an affair with Meleagar, other sources attribute Parthenopaues to Ares or Melanion. Parthenpaoues was active in the war known as the Seven Against Thebes. Images Atalanta Other Used sources The story of Meleager and Atalanta, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Atanua A Polynesian (Tahuatan) goddess of dawn. She creates the fire in the morning. Wife of Atea. Their child is Tu-Mea, the first man. Atar (Atesh) The Persian god of all fire and of purity, son of Ahura Mazda. Atarapa "Daybreak". The Polynesian goddesses of dawn. There are several words and goddesses for the successive stages of dawn. Atarapa is the first created being. Atarrabi A benign spirit of the Basque. He is the son of the goddess Mari. Ate (Atë) The Greek personification of infatuation, the rash foolishness of blind impulse, usually caused by guilt and leading to retribution. The goddess of discord and mischief, she tempted man to do evil, and then lead him to ruin. She once even managed to entrap Zeus, but he hurled her down from the Olympus. Now she wanders the earth, as a kind of avenging spirit, but still working her mischief among mankind. Her sisters, the Litai, follow her and repair the damage she has wrought to mortals. Ate is regarded as the daughter of Zeus and Eris, the goddess of strife. Atea (Atea Rangi, Rangi) A Polynesian primeval god, who divided in two. So he became the god Rangi and the goddess Papa; the parents of all the other gods. In the myths of Tahuata (the Marquesas), Atea ("Space") emerged one morning from Chaos (see: Tanaoa). Freeing himself, he made room for Atanua to arise. They married and had a son, Tu-Mea, the first man. Aten The name of the visible solar disc in ancient Egypt. Originally a manifestation of the sun god, Aten (Aton) became the only true sun god during the reign of pharaoh Amenhotep IV (1367 - 1350 BC). The sun gods Re and Atum lost much of their importance during this period. In some of the older sources, it is stated that Amenhotep, who later assumed the name Akhenaten, attempted to establish a monotheistic cult with Aten as the sole deity and that after his death Egypt returned to polytheism. However, Akhenaten held other deities in reverence too, and his Atenism was definitely not monotheism. He did build the city Akhetaten (modern Tel el-Amarna) and erected a huge Aten temple at Karnak, but the city was abandoned after his death and the temple of Aten was destroyed by his successors. Aten was depicted as a radiant solar disc with rays ending in hands holding the ankh symbols or in hands of blessing over the king and his family, but also as a winged sun disc. This disc was also subtended by the cobra amulet, the uraeus. The main sanctuaries of Aten were in Thebes, Akhetaten, and Heliopolis. Atharva Veda One of the four groups of Vedas, comprising magical spells. Atharvan In Hindu myth one of the Rishis, or legendary early sages. Athena (Pallas Athena, Athene) by Ryan Tuccinardi Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. She was the favorite child of Zeus. She had sprung fully grown out of her father's head. Her mother was Metis, goddess of wisdom and Zeus' first wife. In fear that Metis would bear a son mightier than himself. Zeus swallowed her and she began to make a robe and helmet for her daughter. The hammering of the helmet caused Zeus great pain in the form of headaches and he cried out in agony. Skilled Hephaestus ran to his father and split his skull open and from it emerged Athena, fully grown and wearing her mother's robe and helmet. She is the virgin mother of Erichthnonius. Athena and her uncle Poseidon were both very fond of a certain city in Greece. Both of them claimed the city and it was decided that the one that could give the finest gift should have it. Leading a procession of citizens, the two gods mounted the Acropolis. Poseidon struck the side of the cliff with his trident and a spring welled up. The people marveled, but the water was as salty as Poseidon's sea and it was not very useful. Athena's gift was an olive tree, which was better because it gave the people food, oil and wood. Athena named her city Athens. Athena's companion was the goddess of victory, Nike, and her usual attribute is the owl. Athena possessed the Aegis. Images Athena Athos One of the Gigantes who tried to storm the heavens. He hurled a mountain at Zeus, but the chief god had it drop down at before the coast of Macedonia (where now lies the 'holy mountain' Athos). Aththar The Ugaritic god of irrigation, associated with the morning star. Ati A Maori chief who managed to catch a lovely fairy in a net, and married her. Aticandika The Hindu (Puranic) form of goddess Durgha. Atisokan by Gerald Musinsky The "grandfather" tales told only in winter so as not to disrupt the transformative power. [Northeast, Ojibwa] Atius Tirawa The Creator among the Pawnee. Atl The Aztec god of water. Atlaibos A Polish household deity. Atlantides by Clarksville Middle School In Greek mythology, Atlantides was the name given to the Pleiades, who were fabled to be the seven daughters of Atlas. and Pleione. The Pleiades were Alcyone, Eletra, Celaeno, Maia, Sterope, Merope, and Taygete. They were turned into doves by Zeus and their image was put into the stars. Zeus did this to save them from the attention of Orion. Atlantis: the Myth by Alan G. Hefner he story of the Isle of Atlantis first occurs in Plato's two dialogues the "Timaeus" and the "Citius." Plato's story centers around Solon, a great Greek legislator and poet who journeyed to Egypt some 150 years earlier. While in the Egyptian city of Sais Solon received the story of Atlantis from priests. The priests respected Solon's reputation and cordially welcomed him. They also respected the Athenians, whom they regarded as kinsmen, because they believed their deity Neith to be the same deity as the Greeks called Athena. Therefore, she was believed to be the patroness and protectoress of both Greece and Egypt. The story which the priests told Solon was unknown to him. According to ancient Egyptian temple records the Athenians fought an aggressive war against the rulers of Atlantis some nine thousand years earlier and won. These ancient and powerful kings or rulers of Atlantis had formed a confederation by which they controlled Atlantis and other islands as well. They began a war from their homeland in the Atlantic Ocean and sent fighting troops to Europe and Asia. Against this attack the men of Athens formed a coalition from all over Greece to halt it. When this coalition met difficulties their allies deserted them and the Athenians fought on alone to defeat the Atlantian rulers. They stopped an invasion of their own country as well as freeing Egypt and eventually every country under the control of the rulers of Atlantis. Shortly after their victory, even before the Athenians could return home, Atlantis suffered catastrophic earthquakes and floods until it disappeared beneath the sea. All of the brave men were swallowed up in one day and night of horror according to legend. This is why the Egyptians were ever grateful to the Athenians. Also in the story Plato gives a history of Atlantis which shows how the rulers eroded to such a state where they wanted to conquer everyone. This history had been recorded by Solon in notes which were handed down through his family. According to Solon's notes the history of Atlantis began at the beginning of time. It was then that the immortal gods divided the world among themselves and each ruled their proportion. Poseidon received Atlantis, an island larger the Libya and Asia combined. He chose for a wife the mortal woman Cleito, and with her begun the royal family of Atlantis. Poseidon built Cleito's home on a high hill at the very center of the island. The home overlooked a fertile plain bordered by the sea. For his beloved wife's protection Poseidon surrounded her house with five concentric rings of water and land. He carved the rings with the ease and skill of a god. He made hot and cold springs come from the earth. With the development of a future city his descendants never lacked for water. Cleito bore Poseidon ten sons, five sets of boys. Atlas the first son of the first set of twins, was made king over the vast territory by his father. His brothers were appointed princes and each ruled over a large section of the territory which was distributed to him. The most valuable section of the kingdom remained his mother's home on the hilltop and the land surrounding it. This was given to Atlas. Atlas himself had many sons with the succession of the throne always passing to the eldest son. For generations Atlantis remained peaceful and prospered. Almost all of the population's needs were met from the island's mines, fields and forests. Anything which the kingdom did not produce was imported. This was possible because a channel was eventually built which transversed all the rings from the ocean to the center of the kingdom, or the acropolis. On this stood the royal palace near the original home of Poseidon and Cleito. Each succeeding king tried to out do his predecessor in building a greater kingdom. Finally the splendid city Metropolis and the outer city of Atlantis existed behind a great outer wall. Poseidon sat down laws for Atlantis which the rulers were to fellow. The ruling body was to meet regularly. It was to consist of ten rulers which represented the first rulers, Atlas and his nine brothers, who reigned with absolute power of life and death over their subjects. These meeting occurred in the temple of Poseidon where the first rulers inscribed the laws on a pillar of orichalcum. First, as required by ancient ceremony, pledges were exchanged. Then a sacred bull was captured and killed. The body was burned as a sacrifice to the god. Then the blood was mixed with wine and poured over the fire as a act of purification for each man. The rulers were served wine in golden cups, each poured a libation over the fire and swore by oath to give judgment according to the inscribed laws. When ending his vow each drank his wine and dedicated his cup to the temple. This was followed by a dinner which preceded the rulers putting on magnificent blue robes in which they judged matters concerning the kingdom according to Poseidon's laws. As long as they judged and lived by Poseidon's laws they and the kingdom prospered. When the laws began to be forgotten trouble began. More of the rulers eventually began marrying mortals and started acting like foolish humans. Soon pride overtook the rulers who soon began grasping for greater power. Then Zeus saw what had happened to the rulers. They had abandoned the laws of the gods and acted in an evil coalition as men. He assembled all the gods of Olympus around him and was to pronounce judgment on Atlantis. This is where Plato's story stops. Whether Plato intended to end his story of Atlantis so abruptly or whether he intended to extend it no one knows. Just as no one knows whether Plato believed in the real existence of the island or whether it was purely a mythical kingdom. Many have said they believe that Plato believed in the island's existence because he exerted so much detail in its description, while others reject this by claiming since the story was purely fiction Plato could put in as much detail as he wanted, it does not prove a thing. Also in doubt is the time period of the story. Solon writes the island existed 9000 years before. This would place the time period in the Early Stone Age. In this period it is hard to imagine the type of agriculture, architecture and sea navigation as described in the story. One explanation for this time period inconsistency is that Solon misinterpreted the Egyptian symbol for "100" for "1000." If this be the case then Atlantis would have existed 900 years before. This would place the Atlantians in the Middle Bronze Age where they would possess the tools and equipment needed for the development described within the story. To collaborate this 900 year theory there is geological evidence showing that roughly about 1500 BC. there was a gigantic volcanic eruption which caused half of the island to sink into the sea. Also a lost city has been said to have sunk in the Bay of Naples. At the time several rich and luxurious seaside resorts were located in the area. In the retelling of the story of Atlantis it is easy to see how one of these cities could be associated with it. The story is still being told which enthralls hundreds, as archaeological digs are conducted to unearth evidence of the real Atlantis. Until then the myth remains. Book: Imagining Atlantis Atlas Atlas is a scion of the Titans, the Greek race of giants, and the son of Iapetus and the nymph Clymene. He is the father of the Hesperides, the Hyades and the Pleiades. He was also thought to be the king of legendary Atlantis ("Land of Atlas"). In the revolt of the Titans against the gods of the Olympic, Atlas stormed the heavens and Zeus punished him for this deed by condemning him to forever bear the earth and the heavens upon his shoulders. Hence his name, which means "bearer" or "endurer". To complete the eleventh of his twelve labors, Heracles had to obtain the golden apples of the Hesperides, and he asked Atlas for help. Heracles offered to bear Atlas's burden in his absence, when he went to retrieve the apples. Atlas agreed to perform the task readily enough, since he did not plan on ever bearing that burden again. When Atlas returned with the apples, Heracles requested him to assume the load for a moment, saying he needed to adjust the pad to ease the pressure on his shoulders. After Atlas bore the world again, Heracles walked off with the golden apples. When Atlas refused to give shelter to Perseus, the latter changed Atlas into stone, using Medusa's head. On the place where Atlas stood, now lie Mount Atlas (north-western Africa). In art, Atlas is usually depicted as a man bearing a globe. Images Atlas The story of Atlas, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Atlaua (Atlahua) The powerful Aztec water god, called 'lord of the waters'. He is associated with the arrow (atlatl). Also a god of fishermen. Atman In Hinduism, the world-soul or life principle, and the actual self-pervading Self of the universe. Atonga A culture hero, half human and half spirit, from Samoan myth who invented the canoe-building and the songs for the rowers. In one night, he built a miraculous canoe. The next morning he summoned the birds from heaven to carry it to the beach of Upolu where chief Alutanga Nuku was awaiting it impatiently. Atonga also taught the birds the song he wanted him to sing. Atreidae Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus. Atreus by James Hunter Atreus, king of Mycene, was the son of Pelops and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. He was the grandson of Tantalus, whose family was blighted by curses from the gods for five generations. The misfortunes of the house of Atreus were favorite subjects for Greek tragic dramatists. Atreus vowed to sacrifice the finest animal in his flock to Artemis; however, when he discovered a golden lamb in the flock, he reneged on the promise and hid the lamb away. At the same time his wife, Aerope, was having an affair with his brother, Thyestes. Aerope secretly gave the lamb to Thyestes, and Thyestes then got Atreus to agree that the possessor of the golden lamb should be king. Thyestes produced the lamb and seized the throne. Atreus was determined to be king again. On the advice of Hermes, he got Thyestes to agree to yield the throne when the sun ran backwards in its course. Zeus then made the sun set in the east, and Atreus became king once more, banishing Thyestes for good measure. Later, Atreus learned of his wife's adultery and decided to seek revenge for it. He invited Thyestes to return and be reconciled with him. He killed Thyestes' sons, cut them up, and cooked everything except their hands and feet. Then he served this meat at a banquet in Thyestes' honor. After Thyestes had finished eating, Atreus produced the hands and feet, taunted his brother with them, and banished him once more. At this point, Thyestes was the one intent on revenge. An oracle advised him that his revenge would be successful if he fathered a son by his own daughter. He did so, and named the son Aegisthos. When Aegisthos grew to manhood, he killed Atreus and restored his father to the throne. The curse continued long after Atreus' death. Thyestes was banished for a third and final time when Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, returned and seized the throne. Later on, Aegisthos seduced Agamemnon's wife, Clytemnestra, and the two of them murdered Agamemnon when he returned from the Trojan War. Agamemnon's children, Orestes and Electra, then plotted and carried out the murder of Aegisthos and Clytemnestra, thus continuing the curse into yet another generation. Pronunciation {ay'-tree-uhs} Other Used sources Atri A deified bard of ancient India. The Hindu son of Brahma, and a renowned sage. Atropos by Karl Petre, Clarksville Middle School In Greek mythology, Atropos was one of the three Moirae, the Fates, the female deities who supervised fate rather than determine it. Atropos was the fate who cut the thread or web of life. She was known as the "inflexible" or "inevitable" and cut this thread with the "abhorred shears." She worked along with Clotho, who spun the thread, and Lachesis, who measured the length. They were the daughters of Zeus and Themis (the goddess of order.) It is not clear whether the fates were superior to Zeus or if he was subject to them as mortals were. The Roman name of the fates are Nona, Decuma, and Morta. Atshen by Ryan Tuccinardi An Inuit cannibal spirit. Attributes * Anchor: attribute of Nethuns. * Arrow: attribute of Neith. * Axe: attribute of Isha and Sarumma. The double headed axe is an attribute of Tesub. * Bag (full of merchandise): attribute of Ekchuah; bag full of money: Hermes. * Ball: attribute of Fortuna. * Banner: attribute of Sipe Gyalmo. * Bellows: attribute of the smith-god Hephaestus. * Blindfold: attribute of Fortuna (as a symbol of the uncertainty of fate) and of Justitia (as a symbol of impartiality). * Book: attribute of Isha. * Bough (of a pine tree): attribute of Silvanus. * Bow and arrow: attribute of Apollo and Artemis (as god and goddess of the hunt) and of Eros (as a symbol of love). * Bow: attribute of Neith, Ogmios, and Upulvan. * Bowl: attribute of Salus and Sipe Gyalmo. * Butterfly: attribute of Thanatus (as a symbol of the soul leaving the body). * Caduceus: attribute of Mercury and Rosmerta. * Cauldron: attribute of Dagda. * Club: attribute of Nergal. * Cornucopia: attribute of Abundantia, Fortuna, Sventetit, Pax, Rosmerta, Plutus, Cybele, Gaia, Irene, Matres (Matronae), Persephone, and Vertumnus (a symbol of fertility and wealth). * Cothurnus: attribute of Melpone. * Crosier (crook): attribute of Osiris. * Dagger: attribute of Melpone. * Diadem: attribute of Hera and Persephone. * Dog: attribute of Nehalannia. * Dolphin: attribute of Aphrodite. * Double fruit: attribute of Jumis. * Dove: attribute of Aphrodite. * Dragon: attribute of Gou Mang and Ru Shou. * Drum: attribute of Isha. * Eagle: attribute of Bel and Jupiter. A double eagle (with a hare in its claws) is an attribute of Rundas. * Ear of corn: attribute of Demeter and Isis (as a symbol of fertility and life-force); a basket filled with ears of corn is an attribute of Plutus. * Fish: attribute of Kukulcan. * Flowers: attribute of Gaia and the Horae (symbol of the life-force of nature). The lotus flower is an attribute of Janguli. * Flute: attribute of Euterpe. Invented by Athena. (See also: Pan, Midas, Syrinx, Marsyas, and Silenus.) * Fool's cap: attribute of Momus. * Fruits: atr of gaea, horae, vertumnes, matres (symb of fert and harvest), demeter * Globe: attribute of Helius; sky-globe is an attribute of Urania. * Goblet: attribute of Faunus and Freyr. * Gold: in myth, gold (golden apples and branches) symbolizes the resurrecting forces of nature and immortality (Golden Fleece, Iduna, Hesperides) * Hammer: attribute of Hephaestus, Thor, Sucellos, and Charun. * Helmet: attribute of Khshathra vairya and Athena (as goddess of war). Hades wore a helmet that made him invisible. * Herald's staff: attribute of Iris. * Herbs (poisonous): attribute of Hecate (patroness of magic). * Horse (oracular white): attribute of Svantetit. * Hour-glass: attribute of Cronus. * Ivy: attribute of Dionysus (as vegetation god). * Key: attribute of Hecate (who carried the keys to underworld), Janus, Portunes, and Vanth. * Lamp: attribute of Nusku. A burning lamp is an attribute of Hestia. * Laurel: attribute of Apollo (as a memory of Daphne) and Cybele. * Lettuce: attribute of Min. * Lightning bolt: attribute of Amm, Bel, Jupiter, Tesub, Tinia, and Vajrasattva. * Lime tree: attribute of Aphrodite. * Lizard: attribute of Kukulcan. * Lock: attribute of Vajrasattva. * Lunar disc: attribute of Amm. * Lynx: attribute of Lugh. * Lyre: attribute of Silenus and Terpshichore. * Machete/sable: attribute of Ogoun. * Ear of maize: attribute of Kukulcan. * Mask: The tragic mask is an attribute of Melpone; the comic mask is an attribute of Thalia. * Mirror: attribute of Lasa. * Money Purse: attribute of Hermes and Mercury (god of merchants). * Musical instruments: attribute of Euterpe and Janguli. * Mussel: attribute of Itzamna. * Myrtle: attribute of Aphrodite (as a symbol of love). * Nail: attribute of Nortia. * Narcissus: attribute of Hades, the Erinyes and Narcissus. * Necklace: attribute of Freya (called Brisengamen). * Noose: attribute of Isha. * Oar: attribute of Nehallenia. * Olive branch: attribute of Pax. * Owl: attribute of Athena. * Palm tree: attribute of Apollo. * Pomegranate: attribute of Hera and Aphrodite (as the symbol of love and marriage). * Poppy: attribute of Aphrodite and Hypnus (who carried a poppy stem and a horn filled with poppy juice). * Pruning knife: attribute of Pomona, Vertimnus, Priapus, Silvanus as patrons of gardens and fruittrees. * Pumpkin: attribute of Li Tie Guai. * Raven: attribute of Lugh. * Ring: attribute of Odin (called Draupnir). * Rudder: attribute of Fortuna (symbol of uncertainty). * Scales: attribute of Nemesis and Justitia. * Scepter: attribute of Tinia and Pax. * Scissors: attribute of Culsu. * Scroll: attribute of Calliope, Clio, and Skuld. * Seahorse: attribute of Nethuns. * Shepherd's staff: attribute of Thalia. * Shield: attribute of Khshathra vairya, Zeus and Athena (Aegis), Ares and Neith. * Sickle: attribute of Nergal. * Snake: attribute of Fauna, Itzamna, Janguli, Salus, and Vanth. * Spear: attribute of Odin (called Gungnir), Athena (as goddess of war), Khshathra vairya, Murukan, Tinia, and Tyr. * Staff: attribute of ? * Stick: attribute of Ogmios. * Stone: attribute of ? * Stylus: attribute of Calliope. * Swan: attribute of Aphrodite. * Swastika: attribute of Sipe Gyalmo and Suparsha. * Sword: attribute of Sipe Gyalmo, Zhong-kui, Hecate, Nemesis, and Bellona. * Tablets: attribute Calliope and Clio. * Talaria (winged sandals): attribute of Hermes, as the messenger of the gods. * Thyrsus staff: ? * Torch: attribute of Culsu, Demeter, the Erinyes, Selene, Vanth. The inverted torch of Thanatos. * Trident: attribute of Poseidon, Meptune, Nethuns, and Sipe Gyalmo. * Tripod: attribute of Apollo as a prophesying deity. * Veil: attribute of Hestia, Hera, Polymnia, and Hymenaeus. * Vulture: attribute of Kukulcan. * Water pitcher: attribute of Amymome and Iris. * Wheel: attribute of Fortuna (the symbol of the uncertainty). The spoked wheel is an attribute of Taranis. * Whip (scourge): attribute of Nemesis, the Erinyes and Helius. * Wolf's pelt: attribute of Faunus * Wreath: attribute of Faunus, Thanatos, and Lasa. A wreath of red flowers is the attribute of Murukan. Atu The name of the first man on Fiji and the first man on Tonga, according to Samoan myth. Atua The Polynesian Supreme Creator (Hawaiian, Ke Akua). He is God the Father, progenitor of all living beings, protector of all people. His name was taboo so we only know him as Atua, 'God'. An atua is the spirit of an ancestor in Polynesia, who is revered like a god. The family gods are also atua. They are not worshipped like gods, but they do receive veneration. They can fly and they live in trees, like birds. Atua are sometimes referred to as Nuku-mai-Tore, the "People of the Other World". Atua Fafine A Polynesian (Tikopia) creator being. Atua I Kafika The supreme god of Tikopia (Polynesia). Atua I Raropuka A Polynesian (Tikopia) creator being Atugan The Mongolian earth goddess and source of all life. Her power is beyond understanding and can be bestowed. Atum (Tum, Temu) The primeval Egyptian sun god and creator of the world. He is the evening aspect of the sun, representing the setting sun. Later he was syncretized with Re as the god Atum-Re. According to the myths, he was the first substance (a hill) who emerged from the primeval waters. Amut created the deities Shu and Tefnut from his spittle or from his semen in the act of masturbation. Atum was especially worshipped at Heliopolis, where he was the head of the Ennead cult. He was represented by the black bull Mnewer, who bore the sun disk and uraeus between its horns. As the father of the pharaoh, he played an important part in the coronation rites. Atum was depicted as old man symbolizing the setting sun, but he also appeared also a snake, a scarab, and a mangust (pharaoh hat). The snake, bull, lion, lizard and ichneumon are his sacred animals. The Memphite creation myth stated that Atum was conceived in the heart of Ptah and was created by his word. Literally, "he who completes, or perfects". Atunis The Etruscan form of the Greek Adonis. He can often be found in the company of Turan, the goddess of love. Atutuahi (Atutuahi, Autahi) The Polynesian god of the heavens, the south star, who guided the navigators on their voyages which lasted many months. He is addressed in the hymns as the parent of the Moon and the Stars. The south star, Canopus, Alpha Carinae. Au-Co The Vietnamese creator of humanity. Auahi-Turoa The son of the sun-god Tama Nui-Te-Ra who sent him down to earth as a coment, carrying the Seed of Fire. On earth, Auani-Turoa married the fire-goddess Mahu-ike, the Mother of Fire. They had five sons, called the Fire-Children, who bear the names of the fingers: Konui (thumb), Koroa (index finger), Mapere (middle finger), Manawa (ring finger), and Koiti (little finger). Auchimalgen Araucanian (Chile) moon goddess. Audhumla The primeval cow on whose milk the Giant Ymir fed. She was created from the melting ice at the beginning of time. She sustained herself by licking the salt and hoar frost from the ice of Niflheim. Audjal An earth goddess of the Caroline Islands. Auf (Efu Ra) by Emily Hancock, Clarksville Middle School In Egyptian mythology, Auf was another name for Re, the sun god. Re assumed this name on his nightly visit to the underworld. This trip was made so that he could get to the other side of the world, where he could rise in the morning. He travelled through each of the twelve regions of the underworld in a boat, different from the one that he used to carry the sun across the sky by day. The boat was ornamented with serpents and manned by a crew of spirits. There were many demons that Auf had to overcome on these trips, but some were considered friendly because they disposed of his greater enemies. Aufaniae Continental Celtic deities. They seem to have been matron-like figures. Aulanerk A friendly deity from Eskimo myth who brings men joy. Aumakua The Hawaiian god who guides the souls of the deceased on their journey to the afterworld. Aumanil A good spirit of the Eskimo. Aunga In Melanesian belief, the good part or soul-substance of a man which passes away after death. This in contrast to the adaro, which is the bad part and remains after death as a ghost. Aunggaak by Gerald Musinsky A whale or animal bone, feather, or other object fastened to a child's clothing as a protective charm. This is a general practice among most Eskimo tribes. Pronunciation: awn'gak Aunt Nancy The Spider: corruption of Anansi in Gullah (South Carolina) folktale. Auparu "Gentle Dew". A stream in Rarotonga (Cook Islands) where nymphs are known to bath. Auraka A deity of death in Polynesian myth. Literally, "the All-Devouring". Aurora by Risa Gordon, Clarksville Middle School Aurora is the Roman personification of the dawn. She is also the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Eos. Aurora is seen as a lovely woman who flies across the sky announcing the arrival of the sun. Aurora has two siblings: a brother, the sun, and a sister, the moon. She has had quite a number of husbands and sons. Four of her sons are the four winds (north, south, east, and west). According to one myth, her tears cause the dew as she flies across the sky weeping for one of her sons, who was killed. Aurora is certainly not the most brilliant goddess as she asked Zeus to grant one of her husbands immortality, but forgot to ask for everlasting youth. As a result, her husband soon became aged. Aurora, although not one of the better-known goddesses, is not quite as little known as most think. After all, Shakespeare, who refers to her in his famous play, "Romeo and Juliet", knew about her. The story of Aurora and Tithonus, as told by Thomas Bulfinch. Ausaas The wife of Harakhti, one of the manifestations of Horus. Auseklis by Aldis Putelis Auseklis ("morning star") is a Latvian stellar god. He serves the moon god Meness but also the sun goddess Saule. In the myth of the heavenly wedding, he is one of the suitors of Saules meitas (along with Dieva deli, and other gods), but sometimes he is just one of the bride's party. There is also a great number of texts with an obscure hint to Auseklis as the original bridegroom of Sun's daughter, but the Moon (Meness) stole her away, for which he was punished by Saule. In other situations Auseklis has disappeared and the Moon, counting the stars, discovers this; in these cases Auseklis prepares dresses for the sun or goes to visit his bride. He also appears in other functions explicable as those of some servant (such as the tale of the 'heavenly bath' where he supplies the water). There are texts allowing to assume that at least in some cases Auseklis has substituted Meness, as it appears from possibly astronomically explicable texts. Ausonia An ancient name of Italy, named after Auson, son of Ulysses and father of the Ausones. Pronunciation {aw-so'ni-uh} Auster The personification of the south wind which brought fogs and rain or sultry heat. He is equivalent with the Greek Notus. It is the modern sirocco. Ausweikis A Prussian god who cured the sick. Modeled after the Greek Asclepius. Autolycus by James Hunter Autolycus was the son of Chione and Hermes, and the grandfather of Odysseus. He was renowned for his wiliness and his cleverness as a thief. Chione was the beautiful daughter of Daedalion, and was desired by both Apollo and Hermes. Apollo chose to wait until nightfall to sleep with the girl, but Hermes used his wand to charm her into sleep and came to her first, during the day. Chione bore two sons--Philammon to Apollo and Autolycus to Hermes. Philammon inherited Apollo's talent for music, and Autolycus inherited Hermes' skill at trickery. Aside from his relation to Odysseus, Autolycus is chiefly remembered for his many thefts, including the cattle of Eurytus and a helmet eventually worn by Odysseus at Troy. He was also a great wrestler, and taught that art to Heracles. Other Used sources Shakespeare gave the name Autolycus to a roguish thief in his play "The Winter's Tale". "My Father nam'd me Autolycus, who being (as I am) littered under Mercury, was likewise a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles ..." -- Act IV.scene III. Auxesia A Greek goddess of growth, but probably an epithet of Demeter. Often venerated together with Damia. Avaiki The Polynesian nether world, where the spirits live, who may ascend to this world through a hole in the ground. According to this view, Avaiki is the 'root of the world' from which the rest of the earth was created, the home of Rongo and his family. From there he built up the island of Mangaia in the Cook Islands. Avaiki was constructed by the gods in a series of strata, with spaces separated by ceilings like caves, and tunnels giving access to its halls. In the lowest of these halls lives Varima-te-Takere, the Goddess of Beginning. According to some descriptions, Avaiki is a huge oven or fireplace for roasting all the dead who will subsequently be devoured by Miru, the goddess of the underworld. According to some Polynesian myths, this is their land of origin. Avaiki Tautau The ancient name of New Zealand in Maori myth. Avalloc Found in Welsh pedigrees as the father of the goddess Modron. His own status is unclear. He is occasionally mentioned as the king of the otherworldly kingdom of Avalon. Avalou (Yanvalou) One of the voodoo dances, characterized by violent arm- and shoulder-muscle movements. Literally, "supplication". Avatea The moon-god of the Hervey Islands (Cook Islands). Avernus In Roman mythology, a crater near Cumae in Campania which was believed to be the entrance to the underworld. Also a name for the underworld itself. Aveta The Gallic goddess of birth and midwifery. Avya by Dan Strasberg, Clarksville Middle School The Cuboe Indians of Columbia believed that the sun and the moon were the same. Avya was the supernatural being who made the light. He walked across the sky all the time. At night he would make less light so people could sleep. They believed that spells from evil magicians made Avya sick and caused eclipse. Awabi Japanese sea demons who live near Nanao. They eat fishermen when they drown and are the guardians of large seashells containing shining jewels. Awaeh Yegendji by Gerald Musinsky Mother Swan, a wise old woman who lives alone with three beautiful daughters. [Northeast, Seneca] Awakkule by Gerald Musinsky An impish dwarf people who are regarded as helping spirits but also known to play pranks on the unsuspecting. [Plains, Crow] A'war "One-eyed". An evil spirit who tempts men into debauchery. Son of Iblis. Awha The Maori storm-god. Awitelin Tsta Among the Pueblo Zuni, Awitelin Tsta is the earth mother. With the sky father Apoyan Tachi she gave birth to all life. Awonawilona The chief spirit of the Zuni Indians of New Mexico. He is regarded as father and creator of all. Aya The dawn, the bride of the sun-god Shamash.  Ayesha (A'isha) The favorite wife of Mohammed, daughter of Abou Bekr. He married her when she was only a child, soon after the Hegira, and ultimately died in her arms.  Ayida-Weddo (Aida-Wedo) The Haitian goddess of the rainbow. She is the wife of Damballa.  Ayizan (Grande Ai-Zan, Aizan) The Haitian patroness of the marketplace.  Ays In Armenian mythology, Ays is an evil demon and the personification of the wind. In this form he is able to enter the body of a human being, who will either go mad or become a demon himself. Ays belongs to the Dev, a group of immortal spirits.  Ayyappan by Samir Parekh The Hindu god of growth, especially in Kerala. Ayyappan is also known as the son born of Shiva and of Vishnu in the form of Mohini. He is currently most popularly worshipped in Sabarimalai.  Azaka-Tonnerre (Azaca) The Haitian god of thunder, and patron of agriculture and farmers.  Azazel (Asasel) A wild demon from the desert in the Old Testament to whom the scapegoat was driven forth, but is also mentioned as the place to which the scapegoat was sent on the Day of Atonement. Two goats were chosen and after one was sacrificed, the other was let loose in the wilderness, symbolically carrying away the nation's sins. This ritual is described in the Avodah. Aaron, as atonement, 'shall cast lots' on two goats 'one for the Lord, and the other for the scapegoat' (Azazel). The name of Azazel (as supernatural power) means "goat-god". In Moslem demonology, Azazel is the counterpart of the devil in refusing to worship Adam or acknowledging the supremacy of God. His name was changed to Iblis (Eblis), which means 'despair'. In Paradise Lost (I, 534), Milton uses the name for the standard-bearer of the rebel angels.  Azaziel A seraph who fell in love with Anah, a granddaughter of Cain. When the flood came he carried her under his wing to another planet. Byron's Heaven and Earth.  Azeban by Gerald Musinsky A lower level trickster figure, Racoon deceives animals and other beings for food or other services. [Northeast, Abenaki]  Azi Dahaka (Azi Dahak) A storm demon from Iranian mythology. He steals cattle and brings harm to humans. It is a snake-like monster with three heads and six eyes who also personifies the Babylonian oppression of Iran. The monster will be captured by the warrior god Thraetaona and placed on the mountain top Dermawend. In a final revival of evil, it will escape its prison, but at the end of time (fraso-kereti) it will die in the river of fire Ayohsust.  Azima An Arabian incantation to drive chase evil spirits away. It is often written on a piece of paper.  Azrael The Muslim theology, Azrael is the angel of death. He will be the last to die, but will do so at the second trump of the archangel. The phrase 'the Wings of Azrael' refers to the approach of death; the signs of death coming on the dying. Ba-Pef Ba-Pef ("That Soul") is a minor Egyptian god of malevolent aspect. ba by Paul Zimmerman, Clarksville Middle School The term 'ba' was from ancient Egyptian mythology. Ba was the Egyptian word for the soul of the deceased. It was depicted as a bird or a human-headed bird. Egyptians believed that after death, there would be a final union between souls and their bodies. Since Ba was the soul, it visited its old body in the tomb. Ba was the soul, spirit, and mind of a mummy and could roam freely over the earth, providing its mummy with substances that were necessary for the afterlife. There were some holy animals that were regarded as the ba of gods. One example of this is the Benu of the sun god Re. A Benu was a sacred bird from ancient Egypt. Theba was a man-headed hawk and was the ba of a god; the pharaoh is also regarded as the ba of a god, specifically Re Baj Bajania The Siberian (Yakut) forest god beloved for his joyousness.  Ba Xian (Pa-hsien) The "eight immortals" from Taoist mythology, and among the best known deities. They are the symbols for good fortune throughout China. They represent eight different conditions of life: youth, old age, poverty, wealth, the populace, nobility, the masculine, and the feminine. The earliest descriptions date from the Tang Dynasty (early 7th century), but their present grouping was not established until the Ming Dynasty (founded in 1368). The immortals are: Zhang Guo-lao, Lu Dong-bin, Cao Guo-jiu, Zhong Li-quan, Li Tie-guai, Han Xian-zi, He Xian-gu, and Lan Cai-he. The Ba Xian are a favorite theme of artists and are portrayed on fans and porcelain. They also figure prominently in many literary works. Pronunciation {bah shee-en} The first four of them are historical figures.  Ba The Egyptian ram-god of Mendes (the 16th district of Lower Egypt) and a god of fertility. Ba was invoked by women in the hope that he would aid them in conceiving children.  Baal-Addir The Phoenician god of fertility and the underworld. He is the patron deity of the city-state Byblos (near Beirut) and from there his cult spread all the way to Carthage. The Roman troops stationed in North Africa called him Jupiter Valens.  Baal-Berith A Canaanite god. Baal-Biq'ah The west Semitic weather god and 'lord of the plains' in Lebanon. The city of Baalbek is named after him. In the Hellenistic time he became a sun and sky-god and the Greeks identified him with their Helios. Similarly, they called Baalbek Heliopolis. Baal-Gebal The supreme goddess of the Phoenician city Byblos around 3000 BC. Her name means "lady of Gebal", which the city was called in those days. The ruin of the temple once dedicated to her can still be found in the village of Djebail (some 30 km. north-east of Beirut), the former Byblos. Baal-Hadad The Syrian god of storms and thunder, called "lord of thunder". According the Ugaristic texts he resides on Mount Sapon and is therefore also called Baal-Sapon. The bull is his animal. He is similar to the Akkadian Adad. Baal-Hammon The chief deity of Phoenician Carthage and a fertility god. His cult spread to Malta, Sardinia and Sicily, and sacrificing children played an important role in this cult. His names means something like "lord of the incense-altars". The Greek equated him with their Cronus and the Romans with Saturn. His wife is Tanit. Baal-Karmelos An oracular Canaanite deity, worshipped on Mount Carmel (Israel). His cult was fought against by the prophet Elia. Baal-Karmelos ("lord of Carmel") was popular until the time of the Roman empire. Baal-Malage A Phoenician (west Semitic) local tutelary god. Baal-Marqod The Syrian god of healing (in the area of modern Beirut). Baal-Marqod ("lord of the dance") is identified by the Romans with their Jupiter. Baal-Peor The Moabite god who appears both as a male sun-god and a female moon-goddess. His name means "lord of Peor", referring to Mount Peor on the left bank of the river Jordan, the center of his cult. Baal-Qarnain The Phoenician mountain-god, named "lord of the two horns" after the two mountains with the same name in the Gulf of Tunis. Baal-Samem (Baal-Sammin) The chief Phoenician god, the "lord of the sky" and master of the stars, rain and thunder. His cult was spread over Carthage, Cyprus, Syria and northern Mesopotamia. He is depicted holding a sun with seven rays in his hand and he has a (half) moon on his forehead. The eagle is his symbol. Baal-Sapon The Canaanite god of mariners, named after the Sapon mountain in northern Palestine. He fought and conquered the sea god Jamm.  Baal by Alan G. Hefner The antiquity of the worship of the god or gods of Baal extends back to the 14th century BC among the ancient Semitic peoples, the descendants of Shem, the oldest son of Biblical Noah. Semitic is more of a linguistic classification than a racial one. Thus, Baal in his many forms was first worshipped by people speaking the same or similar languages. The word Baal means "master" or "owner". In ancient religions the name denoted sun, lord or god. Baal was common a name of small Syrian and Persian deities. Baal is still principally thought of as a Canaanite fertility deity. The Great Baal was of Canaan. He was the son of El, the high god of Canaan. The cult of Baal celebrated annually his death and resurrection as a part of the Canaanite fertility rituals. These ceremonies often included human sacrifice and temple prostitution. The worship of Baal extended from the Canaanites to the Phoenicians who also were partially an agricultural people. Both Baal and his cohort Ashtoreth, or Astarte, who is equivalent to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, were both Phoenician fertility symbols. Baal, the sun god, was fervently prayed to for the protection of livestock and crops. Priests instructed the people that Baal was responsible for droughts, plagues, and other calamities. People were often worked up into great frenzies at the prospects of displeasing Baal. In times of great turbulence human sacrifices, particularly children, were made to the great god Moloch. Since the Phoenicians also were superb ship builders the religion and cults of Baal spread throughout the Mediterranean world. The worship of Baal was found among the Moabites and their allies Midinites during Moses' time. It was also introduced to the Israelites. The religion of the god Baal was widely accepted among the ancient Jews, and although it was put down at times, it was never permanently stamped out. The god was worshipped by kings and other royalty of the ten Biblical tribes. The ordinary people ardently worshipped this sun god too because their prosperity depended on the productivity of their crops and livestock. The god's images were erected on many buildings. Within the religion there appeared to be numerous priests and various classes of devotees. During the ceremonies they wore appropriate robes. The ceremonies included burning incense, and offering burnt sacrifices, occasionally consisting of human victims. The officiating priests danced around the altars, chanting frantically and cutting themselves with knives to inspire the attention and compassion of the god. In the Bible Baal is also called Beelzebub, or Baalzebub, one of the fallen angels of Satan. Pronunciation {bay'-uh} Images Baal Other Used sources   Baal Shamin In Syrian Semitic, one of the appellations of Baal. Literally, "the lord of the heavens".  Baalath In the Semitic languages, "the lady", an epithet of the goddess Ashtart.  Baaxpee by Gerald Musinsky A spiritual transformative power. It is often used to describe fortunate or serendipitous events. Wisdom or wise choices come from Baaxpee. Although not a character, it is a transformational power. Xapaaliia are those things transformed. [Plains, Crow]  Baba (Bau) The Sumerian tutelary goddess of the city of Lagash, some 70 kilometers north of Ur, and patroness of the king. She is also a mother goddess and a goddess of healing. Baba is the daughter of the sky god An and consort of the fertility god Ningirsu. People often called her 'mother Baba', and she was identified with the goddess Gula.  Baba Yaga (Baba Jaga) In a number of East European myths, a Baba Yaga (there are more than one) is a cannibalistic witch who lives in a hut on the edge of the forest. The hut stands on chicken legs and will only lower itself after Baba Yaga said a certain rhyme. Surrounding the hut is a picket fence on which she places the skulls of her victims. For transportation Baba Yaga uses a giant mortar which she drives at high speed across the forest floor by steering the pestle with her right hand and sweeping away all traces of her passage with a broom in the left hand. She is often followed by a host of spirits. Baba Yaga is often represented as a little, ugly old woman with a huge and distorted nose and long teeth. She is also called Jezi-Baba or Baba Yaga Kostianaya Noga ("bone-legs"), referring to the fact that she is rather skinny in appearance. She is regarded as the devil's own grandmother. In old Hungarian folklore, Baba ("old woman") was a originally a good fairy but was later degraded to a witch. A Baba Yaga is a hard bargainer, and will threaten to eat those who do not fulfil their part of an agreement.  Babbar An ancient Sumerian sun-god, corresponding to the Babylonian Shamash.  Babi An Egyptian demonic god, believed to live on human entrails. He attended the ceremony of the Weighing of the Heart in the Hall of the Two Truths where he and Ammit devoured the souls deemed unworthy. Babi was associated with sexual prowess in the afterlife and was portrayed as a baboon with an erect penis. His penis was also depicted being used as the mast of the underworld ferry.  Bacabs In Mayan mythology, a group of four protective deities, the sons of Itzamna and Ixchel. They are giants who uphold the sky at its cardinal points. The Bacabs are: Cauac, Ix, Kan, and Mulac.  Bacalou An evil spirit in Haitian voodoo. He is represented by a skull and crossed bones.  Bacchae (Bacchantes) An epithet of the Maenads, the frenzied, ecstatic women in the train of Dionysus.  Bacchus The Roman god of wine and intoxication, equated with the Greek Dionysus. His festival was celebrated on March 16 and 17. The Bacchanalia, orgies in honor of Dionysus, were introduced in Rome around 200 BC. These infamous celebrations, notorious for their sexual and criminal character, got so out of hand that they were forbidden by the Roman Senate in 186 BC. Bacchus is also identified with the old-Italian god Liber. Pronunciation {bak'-uhs} Images Bacchus The story of Bacchus, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.  Bachue The primordial mother and creator goddess of the Chibche people of Colombia. After she finished the Creation (she mated with her own son to produce the human race), she returned as a snake to the sacred lakes. Bachue is also a goddess of farming.  Backlum Chaam The Mayan god of male sexuality.  Badb Badb is the Irish (Celtic) goddess of war. She often assumes the form of a raven or carrion-crow (her favorite disguise) and is then referred to as Badb Catha, meaning "battle raven". Not only did she take part in battles themselves, she also influenced their outcome by causing confusion among the warriors with her magic. The battle-field is often called 'land of Badb'. She formed part of a triad of war-goddesses with Macha (Nemain) and the Morrigan.  Badessy A minor sky god in Haitian voodoo.  Badi Mata One of the ten mahavidyas in Hindu mythology.  Baga A Persian god of prosperity and wealth, and the god of the ruling House between 141 BC and 224 AD. Baga is also the name for god, derived from the Sanskrit bhaga, meaning "giver". He is similar to the old-Indian god Bhaga.  Bagala One of the ten mahavidyas in Hindu mythology.  Bagaspati A fierce Balinese forest god. The name is derived from the Sanskrit Brihaspati, the planet Jupiter.  Bagisht A Kafir (Afghanistan) god of flood waters and prosperity. He is a son of the goddess Disana, born after she was raped by a demon in the shape of a ram.  Bagucks by Gerald Musinsky A spirit of mishap and mayhem represented as a small skeletal bird, who starves himself because he is obstinate and stubborn. [Northeast, Ojibwa]  Bahram The Persian god of the planets and victory. He is the assistant of Sraosa, and helps him when Sraosa rises the soul of the deceased from the body. Bahram is sometimes identified with the god Verethragna.  Bakbakwalanooksiwey by Dave Ward Bakbakwalanooksiwey is the primary figure in the Kwakiutl Hamatsa ceremony. His name means "Great Cannibal at the North End of the Earth." He devours initiates, who become cultureless, languageless, and songless in his belly before they are transformed by the ritual.  Bakemono The generic term for the goblins of Japanese folklore.  Baku A Japanese good spirit, called the 'eater of dreams'. It is said that evil dreams are caused by evil spirits. When a person awakens from a nightmare, he may call upon Baku, saying: "Baku, eat my dreams." Thus Baku may be induced to turn a bad dream into good fortune by eating up the evil. The creature has a lion's head, tiger's feet and a horse's body.  Bala A Hindu mother goddess.  Balakrsna The child form of Krishna.  Balam The Mayan deities who protect people in their daily lives. The Balam ("jaguar") also protect the community against external threats.  Balan One of the princes of hell. He is depicted as naked, riding a bear.  Balarama (Bala-Rama) An ancient Indian (Hindu) god of agriculture and physical strength, and the incarnation (eighth avatara) of Vishnu. He is the son of Vasudeva and Devaki. Both he and his brother Krishna were transferred before birth in the womb of Rohini to protect them from a demon king. Balarama was white-skinned while Krishna was dark-skinned. His consort is Revati and his sons are Nisatha and Ulmuka. His symbols are the plow and the club.  Balder (Baldur) The god of light, joy, purity, beauty, innocence, and reconciliation. Son of Odin and Frigg. He was loved by both gods and man and was considered to be the best of the gods. He had a good character, was friendly, wise and eloquent, although he had little power. His wife is Nanna daughter of Nep, and their son is Forseti, the god of justice. Balder's hall is Breidablik ("broad splendor"). Most of the stories about Balder concern his death. He had been dreaming about his death, so Frigg extracted an oath from every creature, object and force in nature (snakes, metals, diseases, poisons, fire, etc.) that they would never harm Balder. All agreed that of their kind would ever hurt or assist in hurting Balder. Thinking him invincible, the gods enjoyed themselves thereafter by using Balder as a target for knife-throwing and archery. The malicious trickster Loki, who was jealous of Balder, changed his appearance and asked Frigg if there was absolutely nothing that could harm Balder. Frigg, suspecting nothing, answered that there was just one thing: a small tree in the west that called mistletoe, but she thought it was too small to ask for an oath. Loki immediately left for the west and returned with the mistletoe. He tricked Balder's blind twin brother Hod into throwing a mistletoe fig (dart) at Balder. Not knowing what he did, Hod threw the fig, guided by Loki's aim. Pierced through the heart, Balder fell dead. While the gods were lamenting Balder's death, Odin sent his other son Hermod to Hel, the goddess of death, to plead for Balder's return. Hel agreed to send Balder back to the land of the living on one condition: everything in the world, dead or alive, must weep for him. And everything wept, except for Loki (who had disguised himself as the witch Thokk) so Balder had to remain in the underworld. The others took the dead god, dressed him in crimson cloth, and placed him on a funeral pile aboard his ship Ringhorn, which passed for the largest in the world. Beside him they lay the body of his wife Nanna, who had died of a broken heart. Also Balder's horse and his treasures were placed on the ship. The pile was set fire and the ship was sent to sea by the giantess Hyrrokin. Loki did not escape punishment for his crime and Hod was put to death by Vali, son of Odin and Rind. Vali had been born for just that purpose. After the final conflict (Ragnarok), when a new world arises from its ashes, both Balder and Hod will be reborn. In some versions it was his mother who had these disturbing dreams about his death. Old Norse: Baldr   Baldhead by Gerald Musinsky A companion affiliated with Coyote, possibly Pikaagoyu. [Great Basin, Kawaiisu, Ute(?)]  Bale Kenchur "House of the Dead". In Java, the mortuary near the cemetare where the dead await burial. A living person may go lie down there for a night if he expects to receive a message from the dead.  Balepa Among the Lakalai of central New Britain a balepa is a corpse wrapped in its funeral mat, flying over the village.  Bali An ancient Indian demon, king of the Daityas. He ruled the sky and the earth, but this power was wrested from him by Vishnu in the avatara of Vamana, the dwarf. Since then he rules the underworld.  Balin (Bali) The Hindu monkey king of Kishkindhya, the son of Indra, who was slain by Rama. Balin was supposed to have been born from his mother's hair.  Balius (Balios) One of two immortal horses that Poseidon gave to Peleus as a wedding present. See: Xanthus.  Balkis The Muslim name of the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon. Pronunciation {Bol'kis}  Balmung by Ryan Tuccinardi A magical sword, Balmung, was made by Wayland the Smith. Odin stabbed the Branstock tree, an oak tree in the Volsung palace, with Balmung. Odin then said that he who could pull the sword from the tree is destined to win in battle. Nine of the Volsung princes tried to take the sword, but only the youngest ever got it out. His name was Sigmund. Odin destroyed Balmung in battle but it was reassembled and Siegfried used it against Fafnir.  Baloma The spirit of a dead relative. They are often seen in dreams.  Balor In the Celtic-Irish mythology, Balor is the god of death and the king of the Fomorians, a race of giants. He was the son of Buarainech and the husband of Cethlenn. Balor had only one eye, which he kept closed because anything he looked at would die instantly. According to some prophesies, Balor would be killed by his own grandson. He locked his daughter Ethlinn in a crystal tower, to prevent her from getting pregnant. With the help of the druidess Birog, Cian of the Tuatha Dé Danann, managed to enter the tower and slept with Ethlinn. She gave birth to a son, but when Balor learned of his existence he threw him in the ocean. Birog saved the boy and gave him to the sea god Manannan mac Lir, where he was raised. The boy, named Lugh Lamhfada (Lugh of the Long Arm), became a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and led them in the second battle at Mag Tuireadh. In this second, and final battle, Balor killed King Nuada of the Tuatha Dé Danann with a glance from his eye. But when he opened his eye to kill his grandson Lugh, the latter managed to rip out Balor's eye with a sling and Balor fell dead to the ground. Pronunciation {b'-lor}  Bamapana A hero and trickster of the Aboriginals of northern Australia. He causes much discord and misunderstandings. He has also a reputation to be an obscene man because, among other things, he violated the taboo of incest.  Banba The goddess who represents the spirit of Ireland, and who is the wife of king MacCuill. She was thought to be the first settler in Ireland. She is part of a trinity of goddesses, the daughters of Fiachna, together with Fodla and Eriu. Amergin, son of Miled, promised her the honor of naming the island after her. Banba is also a poetic name for Ireland. Initially, she could have been a goddess of war as well as a fertility goddess.  Banebdjetet (Ba Neb Tetet, Banebdedet, Baneb Djedet) The ram god of Lower Egypt, consort of the fish goddess Hatmehit and father of Har-pa-khered (Harpocrates). He interceded in the contest between Horus and Seth for the Egyptian throne. He advised the gods to consult Neith, who in turn advised them to award the throne to Horus. Banebdjetet was depicted in anthropomorphic form with a ram's head. The center of his cult was at Mendes.  Banga The god of clear waters of the Ngbandi of northern Zaire.  Bangputys The Lithuanian god of the sea and the waves. His name means "he who blows the waves".  Bannik by John McCannon Spirit of the bathhouse (bania) in Russian and Ukrainian folklore; at times, the bannik had a female companion, known as the bannaia or bainikha. Because the bathhouse was seen as a potentially unclean and dangerous place, the bannik was perceived as a capricious, sometimes harmful, household spirit. An angry bannik could cause one to suffocate in the steam of the bathhouse or simply make the structure burn down; women who bathed alone ran the risk of being spied on by the bannik as they undressed. As a result, Slavic peasants did not hang icons in the bathhouse or wear crosses into the bath; they also avoided bathing singly or at night. When a child was born in the bathhouse (a common occurrence), the mother and baby were watched carefully, to prevent the bannik from carrying away the unbaptized infant. To propitiate the bannik, peasants often thanked him upon exiting the bathhouse; they also left offerings of soap, water, and fir branches. Like most household spirits, the bannik could tell fortunes. During the Yuletide season, girls and young women would gather in the bathhouse to consult the bannik about the new year by allowing him to touch them from behind. A warm, soft touch foretold happiness; a cold, prickly touch was a warning of ill fortune. Other Used sources  Banoi In the cosmology of the people of Vanuatu (New Hebrides), the Land of the Dead, which lies somewhere in the ocean. When a person dies, his soul lingers above the earth for several days until it begins its journey to Banoi. Here the souls live in peace for they do not have to works since there are no fields to tend.  Banshee Common name for the Irish Bean Sidhe. In Scotland the banshee is known as caoineag (wailing woman) and, although seldom seen, she often heard in the hills and glens, by lakes or running water (see: Bean Nighe).  Baobhan Sith The White Women of the Scottish highlands. These women are ghost-like vampires who assume the shape of beautiful women and invite men to dance with them, and drink their blood. Pronunciation {baa'-van shee}  Baphomet A corruption of Mahomet, the imaginary idol which the Templars were said to worship with licentious rites.  Barabbas In the New Testament, a prisoner, described variously as a revolutionary, murderer, and notorious bandit. He was released in the place of Jesus Christ. As was customary, the Roman governor of Judaea, Pontius Pilate, offered to pardon one prisoner at Passover. According to the accounts of the incident in the Gospels, the people of Jerusalem demanded that Barabbas, rather than Jesus, be released (Mark 15:6-15).  Baraka In Islan, 'blessing', God's favour.  Barbegazi Small gnomes who live in the mountainous regions of France and Switzerland. They look just like other gnomes except for large feet with which they can easily walk and ski over snow and use for digging tunnels. Their hair is frozen and resembles icicles. Should the need arise, a Barbegazi can cover himself with snow in seconds, and dig himself out no matter how deep he may be buried. They live in a network of caves and tunnels at the summits of high peaks, where they also estivate during the summer. They are rarely seen, and then only in the winter months, when the temperature drops below zero. They never venture below the tree-line.  Barghest A monstrous dog with huge teeth and claws. It only appears at night in North England, where it roams in the area around Yorkshire. People believe that anyone who sees the dog clearly would die soon after. In Wales, they have the red-eyed Gwyllgi, the Dog of Darkness. On the Isle of Man it is called Mauthe Doog. (See also: Black Dogs.)  Baron Samedi by Len Gilbert Baron Samedi is one of the Guédés, related to and intertwined with Baron Cemetière and Baron La Croix. He is a Guédé of the Americas, bridging the Guédés and Legba. Both are guardians of the crossroads, the place where spirits cross over into our world. If the intercessions desired are with the loa, then Legba is saluted and asked to allow the loa to participate. If the intercessions are with the dead, then Guédé (Ghede) is the intercessor. Baron Samedi is usually seen wearing top hat, black coat tails, sunglasses, and smoking a cigar.  Basa-Andre A Basque spirit, the wife of Basa-Jaun. She is occasionally portrayed as a sorceress, sitting at the entrance of a cave, combing her long hair, luring men to their doom.  Basa-Jaun A benign wood spirit of the Basque, whose name means "lord of the woods". He protects the flocks and herds against predators and thunderstorms. He taught mankind the art of agriculture and forging. The spirit is mischievous, but not malignant. His wife is Basa-Andre. Their characters shift considerably from story to story. In some stories Basa-Jaun is an ogre and his wife a witch (who, paradoxically, often helps her husband's victims escape).  Basamacha by Gerald Musinsky A shaman or medicine people, from Ba (person) and samacha (medicine power). Basamacha literally sucks the affliction out of the body through a cross incision cut near the infected area. [Southwest, Yavapai]  Basamum A healing god of pre-Islamic south Arabia. His name is possibly derived from the Arabian word basam, the balsam plant.  Basileus "King". An epithet of multiple Greek gods, specifically Zeus, Neptune, and Apollo.  Basilisk (Cockatrice) The mythical king of the serpents. The basilisk, or cockatrice, is a creature that is born from a spherical, yolk-less egg, laid during the days of Sirius (the Dog Star) by a seven-year-old rooster and hatched by a toad. The basilisk could have originated from the horned adder or hooded cobra from India. Pliny the Elder described it simply as a snake with a golden crown. By the time of Middle Ages, it had become a snake with the head of cock, and sometimes with the head a human. In art, the basilisk was symbol of the devil and the antichrist; to the Protestants it was a symbol of papacy. According to legend, there are two species of the creature. The first burn everything they approach, the second can kill every living thing with a mere glance. Both species are so dreadful that their breath wilts vegetation and shatters stones. It was even believed that if a man on horseback should try to kill it with a spear, the power of the poison conducted through the weapon would not only kill the rider, but the horse as well. The only way to kill a basilisk is by holding a mirror in front of its eyes, while avoiding to look at it directly. The moment the creature sees its own reflection, it will die of fright. However, even the basilisk has natural enemies. The weasel is immune to its glance and if it gets bitten it withdraws from the fight to eat some rue, the only plant that does not wither, and returns with renewed strength. The other animal is the cock for should the basilisk hear it crow, it would die instantly. The carcass of a basilisk was often hung in houses to keep spiders away. It was also used in the temples of Apollo and Diana, where no swallow ever dared to enter. In heraldry the basilisk is represented as an animal with the head, torso and legs of a cock, the tongue of a snake and the wings of a bat. The snake-like rump ends in an arrowpoint. Pronunciation {baz'-uh-lisk}   Basket Woman by Gerald Musinsky The mother of Moon and all the stars who permits the world to be created. [Plains, Pawnee]  Basmu by John Magill A giant snake forty cubits long, with several tongues and jaws. The symbol of the Sumerian god Nin-gishzida.  Bassarids Bassarids, from bassaris ("foxskin"), worn by Dionysus in his Thracian mysteries. Hence the Thracian Dionysus was sometimes called Bassareus, and his Maenads were called Bassarides.  Bastet (Bast) by Stephanie Shaver The Egyptian cat-headed goddess, Bastet was strictly a solar deity until the arrival of Greek influence on Egyptian society, when she became a lunar goddess due to the Greeks associating her with their Artemis. Dating from the 2nd Dynasty (roughly 2890-2686 BC), Bastet was originally portrayed as either a wild desert cat or as a lioness, and only became associated with the domesticated feline around 1000 BC. She was commonly paired with Sakhmet, the lion-headed goddess of Memphis, Wadjet, and Hathor. Bastet was the "Daughter of Ra", a designation that placed her in the same ranks as such goddesses as Maat and Tefnut. Additionally, Bastet was one of the "Eyes of Ra", the title of an "avenger" god who is sent out specifically to lay waste to the enemies of Egypt and her gods. The cult of Bastet was centered in Bubastis (located in the delta region, near modern- day Zagazig) from at least the 4th Dynasty. In the Late Period Bubastis was the capital of Egypt for a dynasty, and a few kings took her name into their royal titles. Bubastis was made famous by the traveler Herodotus in the 4th century BC, when he described in his annals one of the festivals that takes place in honor of Bastet. Excavations in the ruins of Tell-Basta (the former Bubastis) have yielded many discoveries, including a graveyard with mummified holy cats. Because the Greeks equated Bastet with Diana and Artemis and Horus with Apollo, Bastet became adopted into the Osiris-Isis myth as their daughter (this association, however, was never made previous to the arrival of Hellenistic influence on Egypt). She is stated to be the mother of the lion-headed god Mihos (who was also worshipped in Bubastis, along with Thoth). She is depicted most commonly as a woman with the head of a domesticated or wild cat or lion, or as a cat itself.  The name of Bastet in hieroglyphs. Images Bastet   Bat (Bata) The Egyptian cow goddess of fertility, also called Bata. She was primarily worshipped in Upper Egypt. Bat was depicted as a cow or in human form with the ears and horns of a cow.  Batara Guru (Baratra Guru) In pre-Islamic Indonesian and Malaysian myths, the supreme god. He was sometimes identified with Indera, but usually with Siwa. His name means 'Venerable Teacher' or 'Worshipful Master'.  Batibat by Ryan Tuccinardi In myths from among the Iloko of the Philippines, batibats are large, fat women that use to live in trees. When the trees were cut down, the batibat will follow the wood if it is used for a bedpost. If it is used for a bedpost, the batibat will cause bangungnot (nightmares). It is driven away by biting one's thumb or wriggling the big toe in a nightmare.  Batul "Virgin". The word usually refers to Maryam or Fatimah, both of whom are regarded as superior to other women in Islamic tradition.  Bead Spitter by Gerald Musinsky Bead Spitter, also known as Turkey-Killer, spits beads of various significance for people. It figures prominently in Rabbit (trickster) tale(s). [Southeast, Creek]  Beag An Irish goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, associated with a magic well.  Bean Nighe The Bean Nighe, the Washer at the Fords, is the Scottish version of the Irish Bean Sidhe (Banshee). She wanders near deserted streams where she washes the blood from the grave-clothes of those who are about to die. It is said that the Bean Nighe are the spirits of women who died giving birth, and are doomed to do this work until the day their lives would have normally ended. A Bean Nighe is thought to have one nostril, one big protruding tooth, webbed feet and long hanging breasts. A mortal who is bold enough to sneak up to her while she is washing and suck her breast can claim to be her foster-child. He can then gain a wish from her. The Washer of the Fords is sometimes known under the generic name of ban nighechain (little washerwoman) or nigheag na h-ath (little washer at the ford). Pronunciation {ben-nee'-yeh}  Bean Sidhe In Irish folklore, the Bean Sidhe ("woman of the hills") is a spirit or fairy who presage a death by wailing. She is popularly known as the Banshee. She visits a household and by wailing she warns them that a member of their family is about to die. When a Banshee is caught, she is obliged to tell the name of the doomed. The antiquity of this concept is vouched for by the fact that the Morrigan, in a poem from the 8th century, is described as washing spoils and entrails. It was believed in County Clare that Richard the Clare, the Norman leader of the 12th century, had met a horrible beldame, washing armor and rich robes "until the red gore churned in her hands", and had been warned by her of the destruction of his host. The Bean Sidhe has long streaming hair and is dressed in a gray cloak over a green dress. Her eyes are fiery red from the constant weeping. When multiple Banshees wail together, it will herald the death of someone very great or holy. The Scottish version of the Banshee is the Bean Nighe. Aiobhill is the banshee of the Dalcassians of North Munster, Cliodna of the MacCarthys and other families of South Munster.  Bear by Gerald Musinsky A universal character in many Native American narratives. Many stories involve the Great bear constellation. The animal represent the west and introspection. Many tribes possess narratives with Bear as the central figure.  Bear Medicine Woman by Gerald Musinsky She was born with the spirit of a bear, after her father killed a bear while she was still in her mother's womb. She is the origin of the Bear Medicine Ceremony invoking healing powers by actions of a bear based on her narrative myth. [Plains, Pawnee]  Bear Woman by Gerald Musinsky A woman who becomes a bear, also known as Yellow Woman. [Southwest, Pueblo]  Beaver by Gerald Musinsky The beaver origin is based on the discovery of a grief stricken father that his family, lost in a river, were changed into beavers. He was pulled into the water and was likewise changed. [Northeast Woodlands, Plains, inclusive of all Algonquin tribes]  Beaver Doctor by Gerald Musinsky Beaver Doctor, or Beaver Man, is the one who changed the giant, man-eating animals to their current size. He is also associated with healing powers. [Subarctic, Eskimo]  Beda A goddess from ancient Germany.  Bedivere, Sir by Jeff Armstrong Bedivere, or Bedwyr (the Welsh spelling), appears in the Authurian legends as the knight with one hand that wields a spear. In "Le Morte Arthur", King Arthur is mortally wounded in the battle of Camlann, and asks Bedivere to return Excalibur to the Lake. It should be noted that various authors and poets have Bedivere in many different roles. Other Used sources  Beelzebub (Beelzebul) Beelzebub is the patron god of the Philistines in ancient Palestine. He is also identified with the god of Ekron, Baal-Zebub. The term is a deliberate mocking perversion of the Canaanite Baal-Zebul ("Prince Baal"), one of the standard titles of the god Baal. In the Bible, Beelzebub is the prince of evil spirits and in Milton's 'Paradise Lost' he is Satan's chief lieutenant. He is also called 'Lord of the Flies', derived from the Hebrew "Baal-Zevuv".  Befana An old woman in Italian folklore who is as kind as she is ugly. On January 5th, she distributes sweets to good children and lumps of coal to bad ones.  Beg-tse (Beg-ce) A god of war in Tibetan Bon-religion. He is covered in chain-mail from head to toe and carries a sword. In Lamaism he is one of the divine keepers of the Buddhistic teachings (Dharmapalas). He often appears as lCam-srin.  Beg The undersea afterworld of Papuan New Guinea mythology. Beg is the temporary abode for the soul on its way to the blissful final place, named Boigu.  Behedti An Egyptian god of Behdet (Edfu) where he was worshipped as a local form of Horus. Behedti was depicted as a crouching falcon.  Behemoth In the Old Testament (book of Job, verse 40:10), behemoth is the name for a very large animal, like the hippopotamus or crocodile. They both play a part in the Apocalyptic, as monsters that must be killed. In later Christian religion, the behemoth is identified with Satan.  Beher The Ethiopian god of the sea. In the triad of gods (with Astar and Mahrem), he is the first in rank.  Beiwe A Lapland goddess who heralded the arrival of spring.  Bel (Bol) The supreme god of pre-Islamic Palmyra, in ancient Syria, and the god of the sky. His name means "lord" or "master". Together with the gods Aglibol and Yarhibol he forms a powerful triad. His attributes are the eagle and lightning bolts. Linguistically the same as Baal. It is also an ancient appellation of Enlil and Marduk.  Belatu-Cadros (Belatucadros) The Celtic god of war and of the destruction of enemies. He was worshipped in Britain, primarily in Wales. His name means "fair shining one". The Romans equated him with their god Mars.  Belenus Belenus is the Gaulish/Celtic god of light, and referred to as 'The Shining One'. His cult was spread from northern Italy to southern Gaul and Britain. Belenus is in charge of the welfare of sheep and cattle. His wife is the goddess Belisama. They can be compared with the continental Apollo and Minerva, but Belenus can also be identified with the Irish god Bile. His festival is Beltine, celebrated in May.  Beletseri An Akkadian goddess and 'clerk' of the underworld. She holds the title of 'Queen of the Desert' and is the consort of Amurru, the god of nomads.  Belial (Beliar) Belial is the evil spirit of darkness and godlessness in the Jewish myth of old Palestine. In the Old Testament there is mentioning of Belial-men: they are those who oppose to law and order. Belial can also be compared with Satan.  Belisama The Gaulish/Celtic goddess of light and fire, the forge and of crafts. She is the wife of the god Belenus.  Belit-Sheri Scribe and recorder of the gods.  Bellerophon by Erez Lieberman In Corinth, a child was born to the King, Glaucus. Bellerophon, the son of the most skilled equestrian of the day, was taught by his father from a young age. Bellerophon was a precocious student. When he turned sixteen, Bellerophon longed for adventure, and set out to find it. Along his journey he met Proteus, who feigned friendship to Bellerophon. In truth, Proteus was insanely jealous of Bellerophon, and sought to cause his death. Proteus was the son-in-law of Iobates, the King of Lycia. Feigning goodwill, Proteus gave Bellerophon a sealed message to carry to the King. Upon his arrival in Lycia, Bellerophon found that a pall had been cast over the once-joyful land. Each night, the Chimera, a monster with the head of a lion and the tail of a dragon, swept down upon the valley and carried off women, children, and livestock. The bones of his many victims lay strewn along the mountainside. The population lived in constant fear. When Iobates read the letter Bellerophon had delivered, he found that Proteus requested Bellerophon be put to death. Though he wanted to please his son-in-law, he knew that an outright execution would risk war against the Corinthians. He slyly sent Bellerophon to slay the Chimera, sure that he would never return alive. Bellerophon, longing for excitement, was not frightened by the concept of facing the Chimera. Rather, he was overcome with happiness at the opportunity to rid the poor people from this gruesome threat. Before he set out on his quest, Bellerophon sought the advice of Polyidus, the wisest man in Lycia. Impressed by the youth's courage, Polyidus told him of the legendary Pegasus. He advised him to spend a night in Athena's temple, and offer her many gifts. In return, the goddess may help him obtain the horse. Bellerophon took his advice, and Athena appeared to him that night in a dream. She gave him a golden bridle and instructions as to where to find the well from which the Pegasus drank. In the morning, Bellerophon awoke to find the golden bridle beside him. He knew that his dream had been real. Bellerophon journeyed into the forest, locating the well of which Athena had spoken. He hid in the bushes by the well. When the Pegasus finally arrived, Bellerophon waited till it kneeled over to drink and then pounced upon it from his hiding place, slipping the bridle onto it's head. Pegasus flew into the air, trying desperately to shake Bellerophon off. But Bellerophon was up to the challenge, skilled in the handling of fierce horses. Pegasus understood that he had a new master. After a brief rest, Bellerophon set out to the ledge where the Chimera dwelt. Armed with a long spear, he charged the Chimera. The Chimera exhaled a puff of its horrible fire. Pegasus darted backward to evade the burning breath. Before the Chimera could breathe again, Pegasus renewed its advance and Bellerophon drove the spear through the Chimera's heart. When the Prince returned to the palace upon a winged horse, carrying the head of the frightful Chimera, the Kingdom rejoiced. The people admired his bravery, and the wonderful winged horse which he rode. King Iobates gave his willing daughter to Bellerophon as a bride. For years the couple was happy, and when Iobates died, Bellerophon took his place. But again Bellerophon sought greater and greater adventures. Finally, he decided to ride up to Mount Olympus to visit the gods. Mounting his steed, he urged Pegasus skyward, higher and higher. Zeus, displeased with Bellerophon's arrogant attempt to scale Mount Olympus' heights, sent a gadfly to punish the mortal for daring to ascend to the home of gods. The fly stung Pegasus, and so startled the horse that he suddenly reared, and Bellerophon was hurled off of his back. He plummeted to the ground. Athena spared his life by causing him to land on soft ground. But for the rest of his life, Bellerophon traveled, lonely and crippled, in search of his wonderful steed. But alas, Pegasus never returned. Pronunciation {buh-lair'-uh-fahn} Images Bellerophon Other Used sources   Bellona The Roman goddess of war, popular among the Roman soldiers. She accompanied Mars in battle, and was variously given as his wife, sister or daughter. She had a temple on the Capitolinus (inaugurated in 296 BC and burned down in 48 BC), where, as an act of war, a spear was cast against the distant enemy. Her festival was celebrated on June 3. Bellona's attribute is a sword and she is depicted wearing a helmet and armed with a spear and a torch. She could be of Etruscan origin, and is identified with the Greek Enyo.  Belogob The Slavic god of the living.  Beltis Greek rendering of Belit, the feminine of Bel and an appellation of Ninlin/Ninhursag  Belus The son of Poseidon by Libya, daughter of Epaphus, who was the son of Io and Zeus. Belus's most famous sons were Aegyptus and Danaus. He is associated with Babylon and Assyria, and his name is probably an echo of the Canaanite god Baal.  Bendis The Thracian goddess of the moon, as well as a mother goddess. She had power of heaven and earth. The Greeks equated her with their goddess Artemis. Her cult involved orgiastic debaucheries.  Bendith Y Mamau The Bendith Y Mamau ("The Mothers' Blessing") is a rather unpleasant clan of Welsh fairies. They are ugly creatures, and sometimes regarded as the result of interbreeding between goblins and fairies. They steal children and substitute them for their own ugly ones, called Crimbils. Through the intervention of a witch, the parents can regain the stolen child, who will remember nothing of its time with the Bendith Y Mamau, except for a vague recollection of sweet music.  Bendy, Old The Devil; who is willing to bend to anyone's inclination.  Beng The Gypsy name for the devil. The Bengs often battle God, but are always defeated. They live in the woods where they conduct their evil businesses at night.  Benkei A famous fighter and swordsman in Japanese mythology.  Benten (Benzai-ten, Benzai-tennyo) The Japanese goddess of love, eloquence, wisdom, the arts, music, knowledge, good fortune and water. She is the patroness of geishas, dancers, and musicians. Originally she was a sea goddess or water goddess, on whose image many local deities near lakes were based. Later she became a goddess of the rich and was added to the Shichi Fukujin. The island of Enoshima rose up especially to receive her footsteps. Benten is portrayed as a beautiful woman, riding a dragon while playing on a stringed instrument. She has eight arms and in her hands she holds a sword, a jewel, a bow, an arrow, a wheel, and a key. Her remaining two hands are joined in prayer. It is often related that when a dragon devoured many children, she descended to earth to stop his evil work.  Benu The Egyptian mythical sun bird of Heliopolis, connected with the god Re. The bird is the symbol of the rise of life (also sun rise) and heralds a new period of wealth, characterized by fertility. The benu, sometimes portrayed as a heron, is also associated with the death and rebirth of Osiris.  Benzozia The Basque mother goddess.  Beowulf by Brent P. Newhall About one thousand to twelve hundred years ago, an unknown author put pen to paper and transcribed an epic that had already been circulating for about two centuries. The work which he wrote was a sweeping Anglo-Saxon tale entitled "Beowulf." It is the oldest piece of English literature extant today, though it nearly did not make it here; it was almost destroyed by King Henry VII along with the monastery in which it was housed. A library fire threatened to take in 1731 before it was finally put in the British museum in 1753, where it remains today. Beowulf is an epic poem that simply chronicles the adventures of its namesake, as he battles various and sundry fell beasts. It is divided into three major parts, or battles: Grendel, Grendel's mother in the lake, and the dragon. The beginning of the poem details the trials and tribulations of Hrothgar, king of the Danes; his beautiful hall Heorot is besieged by the demon Grendel. When Beowulf hears of this, he comes straightaway to Heorot and battles the monster, ultimately ripping its arms off. The resulting celebration is cut short when Grendel's mother, in a frenzy of grief, kills several of the revelers. Beowulf then follows her to a lake, where he descends into the depths and battles her with a sword he finds there, killing her. The third part of the tale jumps forward many years. Beowulf is now an ageing king of his people, and a dragon is enraged and begins to ravage the land. Good king that he is, Beowulf meets the dragon in battle, defeating it but receiving a death-blow in turn. The funeral of this great hero marks the tragic end of the tale. One of the most remarkable facets of Beowulf, and one of the reasons for its popularity, is its use of kennings, or extreme personification. For example, rather than use the term "ocean," the poem would use "swan-road;" rather than "water-churning boat," "foamy-necked floater." This makes for an extremely interesting read, as many things are referred to in a roundabout way. The story of Beowulf, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.   Berecyntia A Gaulish goddess, probably the same as Brigid (qv).  Bergelmir In Norse myth, Bergelmir was the son of Thrudgelmir and the grandson of Aurgelmir (Ymir). In the enormous amount of blood which flowed freely after Ymir's death, all the frost giants died, except Bergelmir and his wife. Just before the end they climbed into a hollow tree trunk and could thus survive. When things settled down, they became the progenitors of a new, younger race of frost giants.  Berith The alchemists' devil who would change all metals into gold.  Bernadette, St Saint Bernadette was a French peasant girl named Bernadette Soubiros, who was born in Lourdes in 1844. At the age of 14 she claimed that she had experienced a number of visions of the Virgin Mary. Further more, the girl said that the Virgin had imparted miraculous powers of healing to the waters of a spring near a grotto in Lourdes. The Roman Catholic church declared her visions authentic, and the Lourdes grotto became a shrine for pilgrims. Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity in 1866 and in 1877 she became a nun. She died two years later in 1879. She was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1933. St. Bernadette's feast day is April 16.  Berserks In old-Norse sagas, they were warriors who dressed themselves in bear skins, to make use of the fear common people had for wild animals. They whipped themselves up to a sort of battle frenzy, biting their shields and howling like animals. They were ferocious fighters and seemingly insensitive to pain while this madness lasted; berserks made formidable enemies. In their rage they even attacked the boulders and trees of the forest; it was not uncommon that they killed their own people. The belief in berserks can be compared with the belief in werewolves; both are magical transformations of humans who assume the shape of an kindred animal.  Bertha The Norse goddess of spinning.  Bes (Bisu) The Egyptian dwarf god who, with his grotesque figure, guards against evil spirits, snakes, and misfortune. Originally he was the protective deity of the royal house of Egypt, but gradually became a popular household deity throughout Egypt, especially among the masses of the common people. He is a god of human pleasures and jollity, music and dance. In particular he was the protector of children and of women in labor, and aided the hippopotamus goddess Taweret in childbirth. Unlike most other Egyptian deities, Bes was depicted full face (often nude, with prominent genitals). He was shown as a dwarf, with a protruding tongue, bow legs and the ears, mane and tail of a lion or cat. On his head he bore a plumed crown and he wore the skin of a feline animal. With his swords and knives he wards off evil spirits, and with his instruments he creates a din to frighten them off. Images Bes  Beset by Paul Zimmerman, Clarksville Middle School Beset was a goddess of ancient Egyptian mythology. She was the female version of the dwarf-god Bes. Beset was an Egyptian guard. She protected people from evil spirits, snakes, and misfortune. Beset was also a goddess of human pleasures. Some of these pleasures were music, dance, and jollity. Beset had a protruding tongue, bow legs, and the ears, mane, and tail of a lion.  Bethel A Syrian local tutelary god, named after the sanctuary with the same name (located north of Jerusalem). He was possibly worshipped in the 7th century BC by Jewish military colonists on the Egyptian island Elephantine (in the Nile). Bethel ("house of God") is mentioned in the Bible (Jeremiah: 48:14), as well as in the Ras Shamra texts (a treaty between the Hittites and the Ugarits from the 14th century BC).  Bhadra A Hindu goddess, and attendant of Shiva.  Bhaga The Vedic Hindu god of prosperity and wealth, and the patron of marriage. He was blinded by Virabhadra, the monster created by Shiva. Bhaga is one of Adityas and the spring month (March) is dedicated to him. He is identical with the Persian god Baga.  Bharani Another Hindu goddess of misfortune. The daughter of Daksha and consort of Chandra.  Bharat Mata A modern Hindu mother goddess.  Bharati A minor Hindu goddess of sacrifices. She is occasionally mentioned as the consort of Ganesha.  Bhavanavasi In Indian mythology, they are the last of the four categories of gods in the Jainistic Work of Salvation, next to the Vaimanika, the Vyantara, and the Jyotisha. The Bhavanavasi inhabit the upper regions of the underworld.  Bhavani One of the terrible aspects of Parvati, consort of Shiva, in Hindu myth. See also Durgha and Kali.  Bhima An ancient Indian sky and weather god. His name means "the terrible one".  Bhima A Hindu warrior god. He is one of the heroes of the Mahabharata and a prince of the Pandu family. He is the son of the wind god Vayu, and a brother of Arjuna.  Bhrigus The Hindu 'shining ones', born of flames. They are the aerial storm gods who communicate between heaven and earth.  Bhumidevi A Hindu fertility goddess. She is the second wife of Vishnu (or of his avatara Krishna) and the mother of Naraka.  Bhumiya A Hindu fertility god. He was later regarded as a form of Vishnu.  Bhutamata A Hindu demon goddess. She is a form of Parvati.  Bhutas The Buthas (singular; Bhut) are a group of evil spirits in Hindu myth.  Bhuvanesvari A Hindu goddess, one of the ten mahavidyas.  Bia by Ryan Tuccinardi Bia ("force") is the personification of power and force, daughter of Pallas and Styx. She is the sister of Nike, Cratos, and Zelus. Bia was made to bind Prometheus as punishment from stealing fire from the gods.  Bia An Ashanti god, the elder son of Asase Ya and Nyame.  Bicorn A mythical beast, fabled by the early French romancers to grow very fat through living on good and enduring husbands. It was the anti-type of Chichevache.  Bidadari A kind of beautiful nymph from Javanese mythology. With her magic knowledge she may rescue the hero from a dangerous situation and even marry him.  Bielbog (Byelobog) A Slavonic white god who represents the power of good.  Biersal A kobold from German folklore who lives down in the cellar. He will clean all the jugs and bottles as long as he receives his own jug of beer daily for his trouble.  Bifrost (Bilfrost, Asbru) In Norse mythology, Bifrost is the bridge between Midgard, the realm of man, and Asgard, the realm of the gods. Since it is the only way for the giants to enter Asgard it is closely guarded by Heimdall, the watchman of the gods. Bifrost was made of three colors with magic and great skill by the Aesir and is incredibly strong. It is also called Asbru, referring to its makers. At the end of the cosmos, this rainbow-bridge will collapse.  Big Heads Demonic deities of the Iroquois Indians.  Big Man Eater by Gerald Musinsky A cannibal who, owing to poor hunting skills, devours the flesh of his wife. She escapes to her brothers, who then slay the cannibal. [Southeast, Alabama]  Big Tail by Gerald Musinsky A significant hunting shaman in Haida legend who is taught by the Great Shaman, Qonatac (Being-at-Whose-Voice-Ravens-Sit-on-the-Sea) a dance that will bring otters from the sea. Once, when Big Tail's village was in the throes of starvation, he induced whales to come to the village's sea to hunt. [Northwest, Haida]  Big Twisted Flute by Gerald Musinsky A cedar carved, five stop (finger holes) flute in the shape of a twisted headless horse said to possess magical power. When played it evokes a powerful love charm to entice a mate. The shaman composed exclusive music for it. These flutes generated a haunting melody, difficult to resist. [Plains, Lakota]  Bile (Belenus, Belanos [Gaul), Beli [Briton & Cymru]) by Lisa Spindler The Celtic god of light and healing, "Bel" means "shining one," or in Irish Gaelic, the name "bile" translates to "sacred tree." It is thought that the waters of Danu, the Irish All-Mother goddess, fed the oak and produced their son, The Dagda. As the Welsh Beli, he is the father of Arianrhod by Don. Patron of sheep and cattle, Bel's festival is Beltane, one of two main Celtic fire festivals. Beltane celebrates the return of life and fertility to the world -- marking the beginning of Summer and the growing season. Taking place on April 30, Beltane also is sometimes referred to as "Cetsamhain" which means "opposite Samhain." The word "Beltaine" literally means "bright" or "brilliant fire," and refers to the bonfire lit by a presiding Druid in honor of Bile. "Some believe this deity is the equivalent of Belatucadros, the consort of Belisama, another patroness of light, fire, the forge and crafts. Belatucadros, whose name means "fair shining one" or possibly "the fair slayer," is the god of destruction and war and transports the dead to Danu's "divine waters." Celtic deities often reign over seemingly contradictory themes. In the case of Belatucadros, death was simply a pathway to rebirth in the Otherworld, thus linking the two themes together. However, according to Ross's Pagan Celtic Britain, historically the worship of Belatucadros among the Celts was confined only the northwestern region of Britain and has never been associated with the festival of Beltane, healing or with a consort (pg. 235). It has been suggested that the mythological king, Beli Mawr, in the story of Lludd and Llefelys in The Mabinogion, is a folk memory of this god. In Irish mythology, the great undertakings of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians -- the original supernatural inhabitants of Eiru and their human conquerors, respectively -- began at Beltane. The Milesians were led by Amairgen, son of Mil, in folklore reputed to be the first Druid. Pronunciation {bee'-leh}   Billy Blin A semi-supernatural being of English and Scottish popular balled: s a sort of household familiar. Also known as Billy Blind, Belly Blin, and Blind Barlow.  Bimbogami (Bimbo-Gami) The Japanese god of poverty. Special rituals are performed to get rid of him.  Bimbomushi The Japanese word for deathwatch beetle, literally 'poverty-bug'. It is believed that this ticking woodworm bodes poverty (See: Bimbogami)  Bimini A legendary island of the Bahamas where the fountain of youth gave everlasting life to all who drank from it.  Binzuru-Sonja The Japanese god of curing and fine vision. Because he himself is unable to escape pain, he helps others to do so.  Bishamon (Bishamon-ten, Bishamontenno, Tamomtennu) The Japanese god to whom many functions are attributed, but he is mostly known as a god of war, the distributor of wealth and protector of those who worship the 'Lotus of the righteous Law'. He also protects against demons and diseases, and a guardian of one of the four cardinal points (the North). Bishamon is one of the Shichi Fukujin and is portrayed in full armor, standing on demons and holding a spear in his hand, but sometimes wearing a wheel of fire like a halo.  Bishara (Bushra) "Glad tidings". A blissful message of Islam.  Bishop-fish by Matthew Seibert, Clarksville Middle School The bishop-fish is a European sea-monster. It has the shaved head of a Catholic monk and the body of a huge fish. Its existence has been documented as early as the thirteenth century when one was caught swimming in the Baltic Sea. It was then taken to the King of Poland, who wished to keep it. It was also shown to some Catholic bishops, to whom the bishop-fish gestured, appealing to be released. They granted its wish, at which point it made the sign of the cross and disappeared into the sea. Another was captured in the ocean near Germany in 1531. It refused to eat and died after three days.  Bitol A Mayan sky god, one of the seven gods who created the world and the humans.  Black Annis In England, Black Annis is a blue-faced hag who lives in a cave in the Dane Hills, Leicestershire. The cave, called "Black Annis' Bower Close" was dug out of the rock with her own nails. Situated in front of it is a great oak in which she hides to leap out and catch and devour stray children and lambs. Every year on Easter Monday, it was customary to hold a drag hunt from her cave to the Mayor's house. The bait was a dead cat drenched in aniseed.  Black Dog The black dogs are found all over the English isles, especially on deserted roads. They are roughly the size of a calf and they move in utter silence, except of the clicking of their claws. The chill despondency and despair these dogs cause is the reason why there are no detailed descriptions of their appearance. While a companion is no guarantee for safety, since one might see the dog and the other not, it offers a better protection than walking alone. It is said that the best companion is a descendant of Ean MacEndroe of Loch Ewe. He rescued a fairy once and in return he and his descendants were given perpetual immunity from the power of the black dogs. (See also Barghest.  Black Hactcin by Gerald Musinsky A significant character in Apache creation and origin myth. He makes animals and peoples. [Southwest, Jicarilla Apache]  Black Tamanous A cannibal spirit who inspired the Cannibal Society of the North Pacific Coast Indians. It is one of the monsters the Transformer did not kill when he rid the earth of evil beings.  Blind Boy by Gerald Musinsky A principal mythic character. [Arctic, eastern eskimo Hudson Bay]  Blind Man by Gerald Musinsky A principal mythic character. [Northwest Coast, Tsimshian]  Blodeuwedd by Karen Davis Blodeuwedd was created out of flowers by Gwydion to wed Llew Llaw Gyffes. She betrayed Llew, either because she had no soul, being non-human, or because she resented being his chattel, or because the triplet of one woman and two men must play itself out in Welsh myth, and Llew Llaw Gyffes must die. At any rate, she fell in love with Goronwy and, wishing to be rid of Llew, she tricked out of him the clearly supernatural and ritual manner in which only he could be killed: neither by day nor night, indoors nor out of doors, riding nor walking, clothed nor naked, nor by any weapon lawfully made. She asked him to explain this, and he did: he could be killed only if it were twilight, wrapped in a fish net, with one foot on a cauldron and the other on a goat, and if the weapon had been forged during sacred hours when such work was forbidden. Blodeuwedd convinced him to demonstrate how impossible such a position was to achieve by chance, and when he was in it, het lover Goronwy leapt out and struck. Llew was transformed into an eagle and eventually restored to human form, after which he killed Goronwy. Blodeuwedd was transformed into an owl, to haunt the night in loneliness and sorrow, shunned by all other birds.  Blood Clot Boy by Gerald Musinsky A significant mythic character, the adopted son of Selu and Kanatai. Possibly a variant of the Pawnee Long Tooth Boy. [Southeast, Cheokee]  Bloody-bones A hobgobling; generally 'Raw-head and Bloody-bones'.  Bloody Hand by Gerald Musinsky A cultural hero who was cured by the animals. [Northeast, Seneca]  Blue-Jay by Gerald Musinsky This trickster figure is very similar in type to Raven of the other Pacific Northwest tribes. Significant tales include Blue-Jay attempting to outwit or out-do the other animals. [Northwest Coast, Chinook, Coos, Tilamook]  Blue Dragon The guardian of the eastern signs of the Japanese Zodiac.  Bmola by Gerald Musinsky Bmola, known as Wind Bird, is a giant avian character who stirs up cold weather and storms. [Northeast, Abanaki]  Boann Boann ("she of the white cows") is the Irish goddess of the River Boyne. She is the wife of the water god Elcman. The Dagda desired her and sent Elcmar of an errand which seemed to take one day, but actually lasted nine months. In that period, the Dagda fathered Angus Og with her.  Bochica The great culture hero, creator and lawgiver of the Chibcha Indians of ancient Columbia. He came from the east and wandered across their country in the guise of an old bearded man (the many caves and natural "footprints" are associated with his passing). Bochica instructed their ancestors in the moral laws and taught them the most essential manual arts. Bochica became one of the most important deities of the Chibcha pantheon.  Bodb The Irish goddess of battle. She prophesied the doom of the Tuatha Dé Danann after the Battle of Mag Tuireadh (Moytura).  Bogatyri The name for Slavonic mythological heroes.  Bogeyman A malevolent creature from folklore. Some of them are merely troublesome and rather harmless, but others are truly evil. They are shapechangers, they move objects and cause disruptions. Although a bogeyman usually haunts a family, in some cases it can become friends with them and a playmate for the children. The bogle is a more evil type of bogeyman, although it usually harms only liars and murderers. The bogeymen are vague and amorphous in appearance and they resemble a large puff of dust. A bogeyman can be spotted by quickly looking through a knothole in a wooden partition. If there is a bogeyman on the other side, one might catch the dull gleam of his eye before he has time to move away. Bogeymen possibly come from the "bugis," pirates from Indonesia and Malaysia. English and French sailors brought the tales home and anglicized it, telling their children "If you're bad, the bugisman will come and get you!" Eventually, bugis got changed to bogey. (Ryan Tuccinardi)  Boggart Household spirits similar to brownies and bogies, although their nature is much more malicious and less helpful. The dark and hairy boggarts are dressed in tattered clothes, with meddling hands and clumsy feet. The presence of a boggart is betrayed by the unusual number of small accidents and strange noises after dark. They tip over milk bottles, frighten cats, pinch little children, blow out candles, and cause many other mishaps. No one has ever found a way to appease them, and often there is no alternative but to quickly and stealthy move to another home.  Bogie Mischievous but harmless spirits who live in darkness and semi-darkness. They can be found in cellars, barns, attics, cupboards, hollow trees and caves, besides many other of such places. Favorite are places were people store goods for which they have no use, but are reluctant to discard. Hence a dusty attic or a junk shop will invariable harbor a number of bogies. Although they try to move with attempted stealth, their clumsiness betrays their presence with thumps, creaks and scuffles. They amuse themselves by hovering behind a person's back and thus creating a vague uneasiness, pulling blankets on cold nights and other uncreative mischief. Also they like to spy on people and listen to their conversations.  Boldogasszony A Hungarian virgin-goddess and patroness of mother and child, and of birth. Her name means "happy mistress", but she is also called Nagy (boldog)asszony ("big mistress") or Kis (boldog)asszony ("little mistress"). With the advent of Christianity she was syncretized with the Virgin Mary.  Boli Shah On Haiti, a family loa.  Bolla In ancient Albanian folklore, Bolla is a snake-like (or dragon-like) creature that sleeps throughout the entire year. On Saint George's Day, it will open its eyes and look into the world. A human unfortunate enough to be spotted by Bolla will be devoured instantly. At the end of a twelve-year cycle it mutates into another being, called Kulshedra. This creature is a horrible, fire-breathing dragon with nine tongues. Kulshedra is sometimes also represented as an enormous woman with a hairy body and hanging breasts. The monster can cause a shortage of water and it requires human sacrifices to propitiate it. The creature is also known as Bullar in south Albania.  Bolontiku A group of Mayan chthonic deities of the underworld.  Bomazi An ancestral deity of the Bushongo and other peoples of the Congo.  Bombay Kamayan A Hindu local disease goddess of Gaya.  Bomoh A Bomoh is a Malay witchdoctor. Also known as pawang or dukun. They are still active today and work professionally.  Bona Dea Bona Dea ("the Good Goddess") is a Roman fertility goddess, especially worshipped by the Roman matrons. She presided over both virginity and fertility in women. She is the daughter of the god Faunus and she herself is often called Fauna. She had a temple on the Aventine Hill, but her secret rites (on December 4) were not held there but in the house of a prominent Roman magistrate. Only women were admitted and even representations of men and beasts were removed. At these secret meetings it was forbidden to speak the words 'wine' and 'myrtle' because Faunus had once made her drunk and beaten her with a myrtle stick. She was also a healing goddess and the sick were tended in her temple garden with medicinal herbs. Bona Dea was portrayed sitting on a throne, holding a cornucopia. The snake is her attribute, a symbol of healing, and consecrated snakes were kept in her temple at Rome, indicating her phallic nature. Her image could often be found on coins. Pronunciation {boh'-nuh day'-uh}  Boobrie A fabulous water-bird of Scottish Highland folk belief. The creature haunts lakes and salt wells.  Book of Life The book in which God inscribes the names of the righteous. According to the Talmud, on Rosh Ha-Shanah (the Jewish new year) the Book of Life is open for the righteous, the Book of Death for the wicked and an intermediate book which is only closed on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement, the most holy day of the Jewish year). Thus during the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Ha-Shanah and Yom Kippur, extra benedictions are said during the Amidah for inscription in the Book of Life.  Bor (Borr) Bor is a primordial Norse man, the son of Buri. He married the giantess Bestla, who is a daughter of the frost giant Bolthorn. Bor and Bestla had three children who became the first gods: Odin, Vili, Ve.  Boreads by James Hunter Calais and Zetes were the sons of Boreas by Oreithyia. They were winged heroes who accompanied Jason on the voyage of the Argo. Other Used sources  Boreas The Greek god of the North Wind who lived in Thrace. He is depicted as being winged, extremely strong, bearded and normally clad in a short pleated tunic. He is the son of Eos and Astraeus, and the brother of Zephyrus, Eurus and Notus. Boreas has two sons, two daughters and twelve mares which can race over the ground without destroying the grain. When the Persian navy of Xerxes threatened the city of Athens, the Athenians begged his assistance. The Great Wind of the Wintery North blew his anger at the Persians and 400 Persian ships sank immediately. Among other violent acts he abducted Oreithyia, the daughter of the king of Athens, when she was playing on the banks of the Ilissus. In Latin, he is called Aquilo. Pronunciation {bohr'-ee-uhs} Images Boreas  Boroka A cannibalistic witch on the Philippines. She has the head of a women, four feet like a horse, and the wings of an eagle. She is fond of eating children.  Borvo (Bormanus, Bormo) "To Boil". The Gallic god of hot (mineral) springs and healing. In the Provence (France) he was known as Bormanus, and in Portugal as Bormanious. He was identified with Apollo by the Romans.  Bosatsu The Japanese form of the Sanskrit bodhisattva, a manifestation of the Buddha in the past, present or future. Instead of entering nirvana, thus escaping the burden of individual existence, a bodhisattva has decided to remain on earth for the benefit of humanity.  Bossou Ashadeh On Haiti, a loa that was in life Tegbésou, the king of Dahomey.  Boszorkany A Hungarian witch, the mother of the demon Sarkany. She can turn a person into a horse. Originally, Boszorkany was a male magician.  Boum'ba Maza A family of loa.  Bow and Arrow by Alex Hopson Bows and arrows have been present in Egyptian culture since it's predynastic origins. The nine bows symbolise the various peoples that had been ruled over by the pharaoh since Egypt was united. The goddess Nekhbet symbolised the unity of the peoples under the pharaoh, her epitaph was 'She who binds nine bows' The arrow itself was a symbol of divine power, which was personified by Neith, the goddess of war, whose cult was symbolised by two crossed arrows. Two crossed arrows could also represent the power of Hemsut, which was a female form of Ka. Arrows could symbolise the sun's rays; Atum was the archer who fired sunbeams as though they were arrows. At the Ascension of the king, he would symbolically fire an arrow in each of the four cardinal directions; this symbolised his power over the Four Corners of the world. Bows were originally made from antelope horns bound to a piece of wood in the centre; it is this form of bow, which is shown in the hieroglyph of a bow. This was around in prehistoric times and many flint arrowheads have been found. Later bows built from a single piece of wood replaced the earlier antelope horn bows. Usually these bows were made from Acacia wood and strung with animal fibre, the arrows were made from cane with flint, bone or bronze heads. When the Hyskos came into contact with the Egyptians they brought with them the composite bow which was far more powerful than its predecessors were. Bows often featured in burials, something that is connected to the goddess Neith's protective role. Other Used sources   Bowyer God The 'archer god', usually applied to Cupid.  Brag-srin-mo The ancestral goddess of Tibet. She mated with a monkey and bore six children who. Those children were fed a special food, causing them to shed their tails and fur and thus becoming the first Tibetans.  Bragi The god of eloquence and poetry, and the patron of skalds (poets) in Norse mythology. He is regarded as a son of Odin and Frigg. Runes were carved on his tongue and he inspired poetry in humans by letting them drink from the mead of poetry. Bragi is married to Idun, the goddess of eternal youth. Oaths were sworn over the Bragarfull ("Cup of Bragi"), and drinks were taken from it in honor of a dead king. Before a king ascended the throne, he drank from such a cup. Pronunciation {bray'-gee} Originally, Bragi did not belong the pantheon of gods. He was a poet from the 9th century, Bragi Boddason. Poets from later centuries made him a god.  Brahma (Brahman) In Hindu mythology, the senior member of the triad, or Trimurti, of the great gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva). In later times he became symbolized as the supreme eternal deity whose essence pervades the entire universe. Images Brahma  Brahmani A Hindu mother goddess. She was considered a Sakti at first, later an astamatara or mother.  Brahmapura In Hindu mythology, the heavens and city of Brahma. It is situated on the summit of Mount Meru.  Bran by Karen Davis Bran ("raven"), son of Llyr and Penarddun, and brother of Branwen and Manawydan, and half brother Nisien and Efnisien. Bran was too large for ordinary houses. When Bran learned of the slavery imposed upon his sister Branwen by her Irish husband Matholwch, he sailed to rescue her. Matholwch was terrified at the sight of a forest approaching Ireland across the sea: Bran's navy, and Bran himself wading through the water. He sued for peace, they built a house big enough for Bran, and Matholwch agreed to settle the kingdom on Gwern, his son by Branwen. Some Irish lords objected, and hid themselves in flour bags to attack the Welsh. But Efnisien, scenting Irish treachery, cast them into the fire, and then cast Gwern himself in (avoiding the geas against shedding kinsmen's blood thereby). A war broke out, and the Irish replenished themselves through the cauldron. Efnisien, repenting, sacrificed himself by feigning death and being thrown into the cauldron, which he then broke, dying in the process. Only seven Welshmen survived, and Bran was fatally wounded. His head, which remained alive and talking, was returned to Wales and buried, and soon afterwards Branwen sailed to Aber Alaw and died. According to legend, England could never be invaded as long as Bran's head, facing south and buried in a hill near London, was left alone.  Branwen by Karen Davis Branwen ("white raven") a daughter of Llyr and Penarddun, and sister of Bran, and Manawydan, and half-sister of Nisien and Efnisien. Matholwch of Ireland sued for her hand, and gave horses to Bran. Efnisien mutilated the horses, nearly precipitating warfare, but Matholwch was appeased by the gift of a cauldron that could resurrect the dead. Branwen wed him, and went to Ireland, where she bore him a son, Gwern. But the Irish began to complain about their foreign queen, and she was banished to the kitchen, where she was a slave and boxed on the ears by the butcher daily. This lasted three years, during which Branwen trained a starling to speak and sent it to Wales, where it told Bran of her plight, and he sailed to rescue her. Matholwch was terrified at the sight of a forest approaching Ireland across the sea: no one could make it out, until he called for Branwen, who explained it as Bran's navy, and Bran himself wading through the water. He sued for peace, they built a house big enough for Bran, and Matholwch agreed to settle the kingdom on Gwern. Some Irish lords objected, and hid themselves in flour bags to attack the Welsh. But Efnisien, scenting Irish treachery, cast them into the fire, and then cast Gwern himself in (avoiding the geas against shedding kinsmen's blood thereby). A war broke out, and the Irish replenished themselves through the cauldron. Efnisien, repenting, sacrificed himself by feigning death and being thrown into the cauldron, which he then broke, dying in the process. Only seven Welshmen survived, and Bran was fatally wounded. His head, which remained alive and talking, was returned to Wales and buried, and soon afterwards Branwen sailed to Aber Alaw and died. She is one of the three "matriarchs of Britain", along with (probably) Rhiannon and Arianrhod.   Branwen by Amy M. Durante The Celtic goddess of love and beauty. Also of Manx and Wales. She is the sister of Bran the Blessed and Manannan mac Lir, daughter of Lir, and wife of the Irish king Matholwch. She is similar to the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the Roman goddess Venus. After the death of her brother Bran, due to a war caused by Matholwch, Branwen died of a broken heart.  Brea A Irish god of minor importance. He is a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann.  Bres The Irish-Celtic god of fertility and agriculture. He is the son of Elatha, a prince of the Fomorians, and the goddess Eriu. When king Nuada lost his hand in the first battle of Mag Tuireadh, he was deemed unfit to rule the Tuatha Dé Danann. Although the Fomorians were their enemies, as an act of reconciliation the Tuatha Dé decided to name Bres as their king. The goddess Brigid became his wife. Bres, however, proved an unworthy ruler. Besides being tyrannical, he raised taxes to a near unbearable level and let the Tuatha Dé work as slaves. When Nuada had his hand replaced by a new, silver one, Bres was quickly disposed of. He fled to exile and rallied the Fomorians to battle. Again they were defeated and Bres was captured. His live was spared when he promised to instruct the Tuatha Dé in the art of agriculture and make of Ireland a fertile land.  Brhaspati (Brihaspati, Bramanaspati) In Hindu mythology, the "lord of prayer", intermediary between humans and the other gods, to whom he transmits the prayers of the humans. He is also an astral god associated with the planet Jupiter. Brhaspati is regarded as the father of Agni.  Briareus by Allison Kupec, Clarksville Middle School Briareus was one of the Hecatonchires, the hundred-handed ones with fifty heads. His mother, Gaia, was the most ancient Greek goddess and was known as mother earth. He also had two brothers. One of his brothers was Gyes; the king of Cydia and the other was Coltus. Briareus was thrown into Tartarus by Uranus, but was then rescued by Zeus, whom he then urged to help him struggle against the Titans. During that battle, the Hecatoncheires took advantage of their one hundred hands by throwing rocks at the Titans.  Bridge of Heaven The floating bridge that leads from heaven to Mount Takachihi, from where earth can be reached. The bridge belongs to the dance-goddess Uzume, who is married to the God of the Paths, its guardian.  Bridge of Jehennam Another name for Al Sirat.  Brigantia The Celtic (British) tutelary goddess of the Brigantes in Yorkshire and the goddess of the rivers Braint and Brent, which were named after her. Brigantia was also a pastoral goddess associated with flocks and cattle. During the Roman occupation she was associated with the Roman goddess Caelestis as Caelestis Brigantia.  Brigid (Bridget, Brighid, Brigindo) by Lisa Spindler Name Cognates: Breo Saighead, Brid, Brighid [Eriu], Brigindo, Brigandu [Gaul], Brigan, Brigantia, Brigantis [Briton], Bride [Alba]. Breo Saighead, or the "Fiery Arrow or Power," is a Celtic three-fold goddess, the daughter of The Dagda, and the wife of Bres. Known by many names, Brighid's three aspects are (1) Fire of Inspiration as patroness of poetry, (2) Fire of the Hearth, as patroness of healing and fertility, and (3) Fire of the Forge, as patroness of smithcraft and martial arts. She is mother to the craftsmen. Sons of Tuireann: Creidhne, Luchtaine and Giobhniu. Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, was forged by the Lady of the Lake, a figure sometimes associated with Brighid because of her fire and forgery aspect. Like the Arthurian Avalon, or "Isle of Apples," Brigid possessed an apple orchard in the Otherworld to which bees traveled to obtain it's magickal nectar. Brigid, which means "one who exaults herself," is Goddess of the Sacred Flame of Kildare (derived from "Cill Dara," which means "church of the oak") and often is considered to be the White Maiden aspect of the Triple Goddess. She was Christianized as the "foster-mother" of Jesus Christ, and called St. Brigit, the daughter of the Druid Dougal the Brown. She sometimes also is associated with the Romano-Celtic goddess Aquae-Sulis in Bathe. Brighid's festival is Imbolc, celebrated on or around February 1 when she ushers Spring to the land after The Cailleach's Winter reign. This mid-Winter feast commences as the ewes begin to lactate and is the start of the new agricultural cycle. During this time Brigid personifies a bride, virgin or maiden aspect and is the protectoress of women in childbirth. Imbolc also is known as Oimelc, Brigid, Candlemas, or even in America as Groundhog Day. As the foundation for the American Groundhog Day, Brigid's snake comes out of its mound in which it hibernates and its behavior is said to determine the length of the remaining Winter. An ancient Irish story tells of how on the eve of this day, The Cailleach, or White Lady, drank from the ancient Well of Youth at dawn. In that instant, she was transformed into her Maiden aspect, the young goddess called Brigid. Wells were considered to be sacred because they arose from oimbelc (literally "in the belly"), or womb of Mother Earth. Because of her Fire of Inspiration and her connection to the apple and oak trees, Brighid often is considered the patroness of the Druids. Images Brigid   Brigindo Name of the Celtic goddess Brigid in eastern France.  Brihaspati (Brahmanaspati) by Stephen T. Naylor Brihaspati is the lord of prayer in Hindu mythology. He is the celestial priest who is master of the Word who dispels darkness and destroys the enemies of the gods by his recitations of magical formulae. In his form as Brahmanaspati he helped create the universe with his chanting. He has seven mouths, seven rays emanate from him, and he rides on a chariot drawn by eight horses. He seems to be connected in some way to the sacrificial fire of the south which is lit for the honored ancestors, and because of this is sometimes confused with Agni, who also seems to be a sort of priest of the gods. He is also closely linked with Brahma, as both are regarded as the creators of the universe. He is considered to be the planet Jupiter. His consort is Tara. Other Used sources  Britannia A Romano-Celtic (British) tutelary goddess.  Brizo by Caitlin Dieringer, Clarksville Middle School Brizo is known as a charmer, and a soother. In Greek mythology, she is a goddess worshipped at Delos and honored by women as the protector of mariners. Food offerings were set before the goddess in little boats (no fish). Brizo presided over an oracle that was consulted on matters relating to navigation and fishing. Her answers were given in dreams.  Bromios "The thunderer" or "he of the loud shout", an epithet of Dionysus.  Brontes One of three Cyclopes, a fierce giant with one eyes in the center of his forehead, in Greek Mythology . In Hesiad, a the brother of Arges and Steropes and child of Uranus of Gaia . Brontes was thrown into the lower world by his other brother, Cronus, a first (after Cronus dethroned Uranus) he was released by Zeus and in gratitude, he gave Zeus the gifts of thunder and lighting. He always possessed the weapon of thunder. He was a very powerful and destructive creature.  Brownie Good-natured, invisible brown elves or household goblins who live in farmhouses and other country dwellings in Scotland. While people are asleep, they perform their labors for them. They are known to be protective creatures and they become attached to a certain place of family. Even if the family should move to another continent, the brownies will accompany them in their migration. If offered payment for their services or if they are treated badly, they disappear and are never seen again. The little hairy brownies, with their flat faces and pinhole nostrils, are not very attractive, but their happy smiles and extrovert characters makes up for that. The innocent nature of children allows them to see the brownies, but disbelieving adults will never get a glimpse of them. This however does not prevent the brownies from helping adults in countless minor ways.  Broxa In Jewish folklore the name of a bird believed to suck the milk of goats during the night.  Bruin Sir Bruin, one of the characters in the famous medieval beast-epic, Reynard the Fox.  Brunhilde (Brunhilt) A heroine from the German epics, especially in the Nibelungen saga, in which she is a Icelandic princess. She was a heroic woman, regarded as being invincible, but difficult to come close to. This changed when the hero Siegfried successfully wooed her for his brother-in-law Gunther.  Bua-Taranga In Samoan myth, the mother of Maui. She was the first person to cook her food. Every day she went to a certain black rock, pronounced her magic karakia and the earth opened. She had an oven in the underworld.  Bubona The Roman goddess of horses and cattle. She is equal to the Gaulish goddess Epona, whose cult was later adopted by the Roman army.  Bubwayaita The herb of oblivion in Melanesia. It is given to the souls of the dead when they arrive in Tuma (Paradise). Its fragrance is so strong that the souls will forget all about their previous existence on earth and they will live happily ever after.  Bucca A goblin of the wind, once supposed by Cornish people to foretell shipwrecks. It is also a sprite fabled to live in the tin mines.  Buchis The sacred bull of the Egyptian city of Hermonthis, near Thebes. The bull had a white body with a black head and was regarded as the living image of the god Mentu.  Buddhi A Hindu minor goddess.  Budha A Hindu astral god associated with the planet Mercury. He was the son of Chandra and either Tara or Rohini.  Bue A culture hero of the Gilbert Island (Micronesia). He is the son of a wife who was magically impregnated by the sun. He goes in search of his father (or in other words, in search of wisdom and understanding) and finds him after a successful attack at the sun. After that he teaches mankind how to build houses and ships, and how to fill their lives with happiness and wealth.  Buffalo by Gerald Musinsky As an animal the buffalo served as the great provider. Meat, clothing, tools, weapons, were made from the buffalo. Unused portions were rare. The animal appears in many ceremonies and rituals. The herds once extended from the Northeast to the South to the western mountains and were compared by early pioneers to "brown seas stretching to the horizon". The White Buffalo is generally regarded to dwell in the North and represents great wisdom. [Greater Plains and Northeastern, Sioux, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Menominee et al]  Buga (Boga) The supreme god of the Siberian Tungus. He is the creator of the world and rules both over gods and spirits and man and beast. From iron, fire, water, and earth he created the first two humans. The word 'buga' was also used to indicate the universe.  Bugid Y Aiba The god of war on Haiti and Puerto Rico.  Bukit Kaca In Malay cosmology, Bukit Kaca is the Mountain of Glass. It is so high that its summit reflects the rays of the rising sun so that we see it red, orange, and amber.  Buku A West-African god of the sky.  Bukura e dheut A beautiful fairy among the ancient Albanians who is always very helpful. The supreme god Tomor is her lover. She is sometimes connected with the underworld and shows some demonical aspects. Her name means "the beauty of the earth". Her sister is Bukura e detit, and her name means "the beauty of the sea".  Bukuri e qiellit Albanian name for the Christian God.  Bull of Heaven A personification of drought created by Anu for Ishtar.  Bulotu A Tongan paradise where the spirits of the dead live in eternal bliss. Bulotu is a place with richly laden fruit trees and beautiful blossoms.  Bulu The Land of the Death in Fijian cosmology.  Buluc Chabtan The Mayan god of war to whom humans were sacrificed. He is the so-called 'God F'.  Buluga (Puluga, Bilika) The supreme god and creator of the aborigines, known as negritos, of the Andaman Island (a group of island in the Bay of Bengal). The wind is his breath and the thunder is his voice. Buluga's wife is Biliku.  Bumba The supreme god and creator of the Boshongo, a Bantu people in Zaire. In the beginning there was only darkness and water, and Bumba, racked with stomach pain, vomited up first the sun, than the moon, the earth, and all living creatures, the last of whom was mankind.  Bunjil The supreme god and creator of the Kulin and Wurunjerri peoples of Australia, usually referred to as 'our father'. According to the traditions of the Kulin he taught mankind the arts of life, while the Wurunjerri traditions state that he created mankind. After his tasks on earth where finished, he left the earth for an abode in the sky. The rainbow Binbeal is his son.  Bunosi A Melanesian creator god.  Bunyan, Paul A legendary hero of the lumber camps of the north-western U.S.A. His feats are many, and one of the most famous is perhaps that he cut the Grand Canyon by dragging his pick behind him. His stories are told and retold with embellishments by the lumbermen. Some of those stories are collected in Paul Bunyan Comes West.  Bunyip A bellowing water monster from Aboriginal legend, believed to bring diseases. It lives at the bottom of the water holes, swamps, lakes and rivers of the Australian outback. The creature is roughly the size of a calf and requires calm water to live in. Unless its food sources are interfered with, the bunyip usually leaves human beings alone. However, if necessary it has the strength to pull a person down into the water and drown him. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "devil" or "spirit". Science sees it rather as misrecognized animals like seals, whose voices are mistaken for the cries of bitterns.  Buri by Molly Miller, Clarksville Middle School Buri is the primeval man in Norse mythology. He had neither father nor mother, but was created by a cow named Audhumla. As she licked the salt blocks of Ginnagagap, the shape of a man -- Buri -- was formed. Buri had a son named Bor. Bor had three sons who were gods: Odin, Vili, and Ve.  Burijas (Burigas) A war god of the Iranian Kassites. He conquered Babylonia in the 6th century BC. Also known as Burigas.  Buriyas The weather-god of the Kassites in Asia Minor. He is called 'lord of the fields'. Buriyas shows many similarities with the Akkadian god Adad.  Burnt Belly by Gerald Musinsky An unlikely hero tale. He is ridiculed because of his poverty and begging food from the woman he desires to wed. Burnt Belly meets a man-of-the-sun who instructs him on how to become a great warrior. Following this, Burnt Belly takes scalps, and repels an enemy attack thus saving the village. The woman does not recognize him as Burnt Belly and wishes to marry him. He then reveals his identity to the astonished and penitent village. [Plains, Pawnee]  Burnt Face by Gerald Musinsky Ridiculed because of his scarred face after falling into a fire, Burnt Face is a weeping recluse until he crosses manhood. While fasting on a mountain he moved rocks to form the first "medicine wheel". Another account regards Burnt Face's scars being healed by Eagle by ridding the eagle of Otter, a predator feeding on eagle eggs. Burnt Face now marries and lives long. Hence, prospects fast at medicine wheel during visions quests. [Plains, Crow]  Burotu The Fijian island of eternal life and joy, where the souls of the departed will rest in the cool shade. The souls are first interrogated by Degei, the serpent god, and only a few are allowed to go to Burotu; most go to Murimuria and the cold and misty Land of the Dead.  Bushyasta In Zoroastrian mythology, the yellow demon of lethargy and sloth. He is the evil genius which causes men to oversleep and to neglect their religious duties.  Bussumarus A continental Celtic god, identified with Jupiter.  Buyasta An ancient Persian demon of laziness who tries to prevent people from working. He is one of the Daevas.  Buta An evil demon in Indonesian mythology. A demon with hooked teeth is called Buta Cakil.  Buto (Edjo, Udjo, Wadjet, Wadjit) The snake-goddess of the ancient Egyptian oracle in Buto and tutelary goddess of Lower Egypt (the Delta of the Nile). She is the protector of the Egyptian king, together with the vulture-goddess Nekhbet. She was placed as an uraeus (cobra amulet) on the crown of the king. Her name means 'the papyrus colored', referring to the green color of the cobra. Buto gave nourishment to both children of Isis. She was depicted as a woman, or as a cobra with the crown of Lower Egypt on its head. The Greeks identified her with the goddess Leto. She is also called Uto.  Butsu (Butsuda) The Japanese name for Buddha.  Butsudan The Japanese family altar where the house deities are venerated with flowers and dishes of food.  Butsudo The Japanese word for Buddhism. Literally 'Buddha's Path'.  Butterfly by Gerald Musinsky A universal Native America symbol. In the Apache Bear Dance they entice girls from the underworld. It figures prominently in the Hopi migration myth, Honon nyamu. Butterflies are created by the Zuni Paiyatemu playing a flute. Ajille [Navajo] disguises himself as one, and serves as hero and origin tales. Butterflies are also linked (minor motifs) to certain Thunder Bird narratives.  Butyakengo A Gypsy protective spirit who lives in a person's body and which forms a part of a deceased ancestor. It is transferred from the father and mother to the eldest son or daughter.  Byon by Ryan Tuccinardi The type of magic a Filipino Managtanem (or diviner) uses.  Bwca The bwca (or pwca) is the Welsh version of the brownie. It is a helpful creature who, in exchange for a bowl of cream, is willing to perform small labors such as the churning of butter. If he is treated badly, the bwca will pound the walls, throw small objects, pinch people in their sleep, destroy clothes and reveal secrets. He despises teetotalers and people with long noses.  Byelun "The white one". A Slavonic deity similar to Bielbog.  Bylgia One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran.  Byzas A son of Poseidon, and the legendary founder of Byzantium. Cabaguil One of the seven Maya gods who assisted in the creation of the world and of mortals. Referred to as Heart of the Sky. Cabari (Kebeiroi) Greek fertility deities. Their origin can be traced back to Asia Minor, and they were proberbly imported in Greece in the Hellenistic and Roman era. There is some mysterious cult connected to them and the god of fire Hephaestus. There were sanctuaries on the islands of Lemnos, Imbros and especially Samothrace, where traces of those mysteries can still be fount. Some sources mention that originally there were only two of them, but that the number varied over the sebsequent centuries. The male deities were Axiocersus, Cadmilus (his son), and the female deities Axierus and Axiocersa. Later, they became protectors against misfortune and dangers. Cabiri (Kabeiroi) Originally, the Cabiri were Phrygian chthonic and fertility deities, and protectors of sailors, who were imported into Greece. They are mysterious demons whose mystery cults were connected to that of Hephaestus. In Classical times they numbered two, although their numbers seem to have varied over time. Two gods included were Axiocersus and his son Cadmilus. Also mentioned is a female pair, namely Axierus and Axiocersa. Their role, however, was of secondary importance. There were Cabiri sanctuaries on Thebes, Boeotia, Lemnos, Imbros, and especially on Samothrace. On this particular island important remains of the mysteries can be found: the Anaktoron (500 BC), the center of the Cabiri-cult; ; the Sacristy, where the lists of the adepts were kept; the Tenemos, the plaza where feasts were celebrated, with its ancient temple; the new temple (ca. 275 BC) where the famous statue of Nike was excavated. The Cabiri are identified with the Dioscuri, the Curetes, Corybantes, and with the Roman Penates. Cabirus A national god of the Macedonians, the patron of the country. Caca The Roman goddess of the hearth and the sister of the fire-breathing giant Cacus. When Heracles returned with the cattle of Geryon, Cacus stole some of the animals and hid them in his cave. According to some sources, out of sympathy for the hero, Caca told Heracles the location of that cave and he killed the giant. Caca was later succeeded by Vesta.  Cacoch A Mayan creator god.  Cacodaemon An evil spirit, the opposite of Agathodemon (a good spirit).  Cacus Originally a pre-Roman god of fire, who gradually became a fire-breathing demon. Cacus lived in a cave in the Aventine Hill from where he terrorized the countryside. When Heracles returned with the cattle of Geryon, he passed Cacus' cave and lay down to sleep in the vicinity. At night Cacus dragged some of the cattle to his cave backward by their tails, so that their tracks would point in the opposite direction. However, the lowing of the animals betrayed their presence in the cave to Heracles and he retrieved them and slew Cacus. Other sources claim that Cacus' sister told Heracles the location of his cave. On the place were Heracles slew Cacus he erected an altar, where later the Forum Boarium, the cattle market, was held.  Cadmus by James Hunter Cadmus was the son of Agenor and the brother of Europa. He was the founder of the city of Thebes. After Zeus kidnapped Europa, Agenor ordered her brothers -- Cadmus, Phoenix, and Cilix -- to search for her, instructing them not to return until they had found her. It was a hopeless quest, and all three brothers became exiles. Phoenix founded the country of Phoenicia, and Cilix established Cilicia. Cadmus consulted the oracle at Delphi and was told to follow a cow that he would find near the oracle; where the cow lay down to rest, he should found a city. He followed the cow to the future site of Thebes. There he instructed his men to bring water so that he could offer a sacrifice to Athena; however, the men encountered a giant serpent which was sacred to Ares, and they were all killed. Cadmus came upon the carnage and gave battle, eventually slaying the serpent. A voice then spoke to him, prophesying that he himself would eventually become a serpent. Cadmus was left with a site for a city, but no one to help build it. Athene intervened, telling him to sow the serpent's teeth in the earth. He did so, and armed men sprang up from the teeth. They fought one another until only five were left; these five became the ancestors of the noble Thebans. Cadmus then spent eight years in servitude to Ares, as a penalty for the killing of the serpent. Afterwards, Cadmus married Harmonia, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite. The couple had four daughters (Ino, Semele, Autonoe, and Agave) and one son (Polydorus). Near the ends of their lives, Cadmus and Harmonia left Thebes and went to Illyria. There they were transformed into serpents, as the voice had foretold. Images Cadmus Other Used sources The story of Cadmus, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.   Caduceus The herald's staff or wand of Hermes. It is usually depicted as a winged rod with two serpents intertwined about it. As a group of fertility symbols, it is emblematic of the magic potency of the deity, and of the prosperity of peace.  Caeneus by James Hunter Caeneus was an invulnerable warrior of Thessaly; he took part in the Calydonian boar hunt and was killed in the battle between the Lapiths and Centaurs. Originally, Caeneus was a beautiful maiden named Caenis. Poseidon raped her, and afterwards promised to grant her anything she wished; she wished to become a man, so that nothing like this could ever happen to her again. The god granted her wish, and in addition, made her/him invulnerable to all weapons. At the wedding of Pirithous, when fighting broke out between the Lapiths and the Centaurs, Caeneus slew many of the Centaurs but remained unharmed himself. Finally a mob of Centaurs began piling pine trees upon him, and he was crushed or smothered beneath the great weight. Other Used sources  Caerus The Greek personification of the favorable moment, represented bald-headed, with only one lock of hear (meaning: one should seize the opportunity when it presents itself).  Cai-shen (Ts'ai-shen) The Chinese god of prosperity, both of religious Taoism and in the syncretist folk religion. He has various magical powers, such as warding off thunder and lightning, and ensuring profit from commercial transactions. As a historical figure he is identified as Zhao Xuan-tan (Chao Hsüan-t'an), "General Zhao of the Dark Terrace", from the Qin Dynasty. He attained enlightenment on top of a mountain. He also assisted Zhang Dao-ling on his search for the life-prolonging elixir. Cai-shen is usually portrayed riding on a black tiger. He has a black face and a thick moustache. On his head he wears a cap made of iron and he holds a weapon, also made of iron.  Cailleach by Karla Morgan Cailleach is referred to as the "Mother of All" in parts of Scotland. Also known as Scotia, she is depicted as an old hag with the teeth of a wild bear and boar's tusks. She is believed to be a great sorceress. One superstition regarding Calliach is that the farmer who is last to harvest his grain would be the person to "look after" Caileach for the rest of the year, until the next harvest. The first farmer who finishes harvesting would make a corn-dolly from the grain he has harvested. He would, then, pass it on to the next farmer who finishes. It would keep going until the corn-dolly ends up with the last farmer. That last farmer would be obligated to watch the "old woman". She is also known to have created the earth. "With her hammer she alternately splinters mountains, prevents the growth of grass, or raises storms. Numerous wild animals follow her..." -- Encyclopedia of the Occult, 1920 Another name for her is Skadi. Other Used sources  Cailleach Beara The Irish/Celtic who was said to turn to stone every April 30 (Beltine) and to be reborn every October 31 (Samhain). She was represented as an old hag.  Cain The eldest son of Adam. According to Genesis (4), God rejected his grain offering while accepting the animal offering of his brother Abel. Cain murdered his brother and was compelled to wander the earth as a fugitive and vagabond.  Caliburn Same as Excalibur, the sword of King Arthur. Pronunciation {kal'iboen}  Calliope The eldest and most distinguished of the nine Muses. She is the Muse of eloquence and epic or heroic poetry. Calliope ("beautiful voice") is the mother of Orpheus and Linus with Apollo. She was the arbitress in the argument over Adonis between Persephone and Aphrodite. Her attributes are a scroll, tablets and stylus. Images Calliope  Callisto by Melissa Lee Callisto was a nymph (or, according to some sources, the daughter of Lycaon) who was associated with the goddess of the hunt, Artemis. Young women who were devoted to the goddess hunted with her regularly, and remained virgins, like Artemis herself. Callisto had upheld these ideals faithfully, and she quickly became Artemis' favorite. While Callisto spent her days and nights with Artemis' other followers, she caught the eye of Zeus. Knowing that the maiden had taken a vow of chastity, Zeus resorted to deception to get at Callisto. He came to her disguised as Artemis, and the young huntress let down her guard. Seizing the opportunity Zeus raped her. Callisto became pregnant, and tried desperately to conceal her condition form the goddess. After all, she had, in a way, broken her vow to the goddess and she feared her anger. Callisto had been successful for a time, but then a day came when all of the young women who followed Artemis disrobed to bathe together in a spring. By now Callisto was beginning to show, and once she was naked her secret was revealed. Artemis was furious and she banished the young woman from her fold. Callisto wandered off to have her child alone. Hera decided that this was the time to exact her revenge. She gripped Callisto's hair and threw her to the ground where the new mother was transformed into a bear. The hunter became the hunted. The child that Callisto had by Zeus was spirited away by Hermes to be raised by his mother, Maia. He was named Arcas, meaning "bear," and he grew up to be a fine hunter himself. Some sources have the bear captured and taken to Callisto's own father, Lycaon. According to some sources Artemis herself killed the bear that was once Callisto, but it is usually accepted that when Arcas was out hunting as a young man he encountered the bear. Callisto recognized the handsome youth as the son she could not raise herself. Forgetting her present form, she tried to come near him, but her loving mother's arms were now strong, furry paws, and her once soothing voice was now a rumbling growl. The bear scared Arcas, and he took aim at her with his spear. Zeus took pity on his former victim and intervened. He placed Callisto in the sky as the constellation Ursa Major, or "great bear," and then took Arcas and placed him in the sky near his mother as Ursa Minor, the "little bear." Hera was not pleased with this arrangement, especially since Callisto was another of her husband's infidelities. She went to her nurse, Tethys, the wife of Oceanus, and beseeched her to punish Callisto and Arcas. Tethys decided to deprive the pair of water, and so the great bear and the little bear are cursed to circle in the skies, never to dip below the horizon for a refreshing bath or a cool drink. Here the peoples of ancient Greece explained why the two constellations are circumpolar, visible all year round. Other Used sources   Calydonian boar by James Hunter The hunting of the Calydonian boar was one of the most famous episodes of Greek heroic legend. Oeneus, the king of Calydon, failed to honor Artemis when he was sacrificing the first-fruits of the harvest, and in revenge Artemis sent a savage boar which laid waste to the countryside. Oeneus called together a great host of Greek heroes to rid his country of the boar. It was a distinguished company: the hunting party included a sizeable portion of the crew of the Argo, and many of the hunters also had separate legendary exploits of their own. Although accounts of the hunt vary, some of the more famous names mentioned include Jason, Theseus, Telamon, Peleus, the Dioscuri, Laertes, Nestor, Meleager and Atalanta. The hunt itself was a bloody affair, with several men being killed before anyone could even wound the boar. Finally, Atalanta injured the beast with an arrow, and then Meleager killed it with his spear. Afterwards, Meleager tried to award the boar's pelt to Atalanta, since he was in love with her and since she had been the first to draw blood in the hunt. However, Meleager's uncles, Plexippus and Toxeus, objected to awarding the prize to a woman, and in the ensuing argument Meleager killed them. Meleager's mother, Althaea, then arranged Meleager's own death in revenge for the deaths of her brothers. Other Used sources   Calypso by James Hunter Calypso was a nymph, the daughter of the Titan  Camlan, Battle of In Arthurian legend, the battle which put an end to the Knights of the Round Table. During this battle, King Arthur was mortally wounded by his nephew Mordred, who was also slain. Pronunciation {kam'lan}  Camma The goddess of the hunt among the Britons.  Campe by Ryan Tuccinardi Campe was a female monster sent by Cronus to guard the Cyclopes and the Hecatonchires in the underworld. Zeus killed it because he believed that he would be able to defeat Cronus with the help of the Cyclopes.  Camros A bird-like creature from Persian mythology that collects the seeds of Gao-kerena, the Tree of Life. It brings those seeds to the god Tistrya who mixes them with water. The mixture provides the peoples of Iran with life, but nothing is left for those who strive for their destruction.  Camulus (Camulos) A Gaulish war god mentioned by the Romans, who associated them with Mars. He gave his name to the Roman town of Camulodunum (Colchester).  Canace The daughter of Aeolus and Enarete, and beloved of Poseidon. She was killed by her father because she fell in love with her own brother Macar (or Macareus).  Candelifera The Roman goddess of birth. She is identified with Carmenta and the goddess Lucina.  Canens A nymph from Latium and the personification of song. She was the wife of king Picus, who was loved by Circe but when he rejected her, Circe transformed him into a woodpecker. After she had wandered for six days without finding him, Canens threw herself from a rock into the Tiber. After one final song she evaporated.  Cannibal Grandmother by Gerald Musinsky Cannibal Grandmother does not prefer the meat of deer and buffalo but the soft tender flesh of humans. She lives in the desert with a boy and four ravenous dogs. The boy hunts humans with a magic bow, a black snake, to provide her with meat. He feels sorry for the humans and pleads with Cannibal Grandmother to stop eating human flesh. Finally she is persuaded to set her dogs free except one, Afraid of Nothing. While away the boy seeks long to find any buffalo who have held council against him and Cannibal Grandmother for her carnivorous ways. The mate of the dead buffalo takes him to the buffalo village where he wins many contests before they try to kill him. Escaping up a tree, Cannibal Grandmother hears his cries for help and releases Afraid of Nothing, chasing away the buffalo attackers. The boy finally persuades Cannibal grandmother to desist her diet of human flesh, gives her a bag of seeds and sends her to the north country. Old Cannibal Grandmother's offspring are the farmers and the boy goes south and becomes a great warrior, his offspring never plant seeds. [Plains, Pawnee]  Cannibal Woman by Gerald Musinsky Cannibal Woman originates from the domestic narrative of the wife who, while preparing meat, feeds herself but offers naught to her husband's dogs. The powerful medicine of the dogs (orenda) makes her slice her finger instead of meat. She sucks the blood to stop the bleeding. And likes the taste of blood so much, she continues to slice her fingers and suck the blood out of each one. Not satisfied she also cuts away her flesh. Still not satisfied, she kills and eats her young child. The digs warn the husband prior his return and they find shelter with two elders who adopt the man as their own. Owing to the loyalty of the dogs, affection towards dogs receives great power. Dogs know all what is said but lack the power of speech. Cruelty to dogs causes reciprocal harm. [Northeast Woodlands, Seneca]  Canotila by Gerald Musinsky A term for Forest Spirits, literally translated as "they live in a tree". [Plains, Sioux]  Cao Guo-jiu (Ts'ao Kuo-chiu) One of the Ba Xian, the eight immortals of Chinese myth. He was the brother-in-law of an emperor from the Song Dynasty. Cao Guo-jiu himself lived an exemplary life, but his younger became a murderer. In shame, he retreated to the mountains where he lived a very long life as a hermit. Lu Dong-bin, another immortal, taught Cao how to attain perfection and within a few days he became an immortal. Cao Guo-jiu is the patron of actors. He is frequently portrayed holding a pair of castanets.  Capa by Gerald Musinsky Capa, Beaver Spirit, is the harbinger of stores, work, and domestic tranquillity. [Plains, Lakota]  Caprakan The Mayan god of earthquakes and mountains. Son of the giant Gukup Cakix and Chimalmat. His brother is Zipcna.  Captain Debas (Debard, Deebat) An American mystère (loa) in Haitian religion.  Cardea The goddess of thresholds and especially door-pivots (cardo "door-pivot"). Just as Carna she is also a goddess of health. Cardea is the protectress of little children against the attacks of vampire-witches. She obtained the office from Janus in exchange for her personal favors.  Cariocienus An old-Hispanic god of war. The Romans equated him with their war-god Mars.  Carman The Irish goddess whose three sons Calma, Dubh, and Olc ravaged Ireland before they were finally defeated by the Tuatha Dé Danann.  Carmenta (Carmentis) Carmenta is the Roman goddess of childbirth and prophecy, one of the Camenae. Her temple (where it was forbidden to wear leather), was in Rome, next to the Porta Carmentalis. Her festival, the Carmentalia, took place on 11 and 15 January, and was mostly celebrated by women. She is the mother of Euander.  Carna A nymph who lived at the site where in later times the city of Rome would be built. The god Janus fell in love with her and gave her power over door-handles. (see also: Cardea).  Carna The Roman goddess associated with the bodily organs, particularly the heart. Carna's festival was observed on June 1.  Carp The symbol of youth, bravery, perseverance, strength, and self-defense in Japan and Korea. According to Japanese mythology, there lives a big carp, nine feet long, in Lake Biwa and which devours people who drown there. On May 5 the Festival of Boys is celebrated. In this festival the carp is the most prominent ornament, and is hung on trees and walls. Other Similar article Lake Biwa is the largest lake of Japan, in west central Honshu, near Kyoto, and figures prominently in Japanese history and legends.  Cassandra by James Hunter Cassandra was the most beautiful of the daughters of Priam and Hecuba, the king and queen of Troy. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, who wished to seduce her; when she accepted his gift but refused his sexual advances, he deprived her prophecies of the power to persuade.  Cassiopeia (Casseipeia) In Greek myth, Cassiopeia is the wife of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and mother of Andromeda. She boasted of being more beautiful than the Nereids, and in retaliation Poseidon first sent a flood and then a sea-monster to ravage the country. Andromeda was chained to a rock to serve as sacrifice for the sea-monster, but was rescued by Perseus. Pronunciation {kas-ee-oh-pee'-uh}  Cassotis A Greek wood-nymph of the sacred temple spring at Delphi.  Castalia A Greek nymph loved by Apollo. She fled from him and jumped in the spring at Delphi, at the base of mount Parnassos, which was then named after her. The water of this spring was sacred and served for the cleansing of the Delphian temple and inspired poets.  Castor by Kate Forshey, Clarksville Middle School Castor, a figure in Greek mythology the twin brother of Polydeuces (Pollux), is one of the twin stars that form the constellation Gemini. He is the son of Zeus and a mortal, Leda of Sparta. Castor and his brother were born from eggs after Zeus visited Leda as a swan. Since Castor's mother was mortal he became mortal also. Castor was a great soldier and horse tamer and competed in many Olympic games and won many of them. Castor was worshipped as gods by other athletes. Both were Argonauts on Jason's quest for the golden fleece. When Castor and Polydeuces returned from Jason's quest, they became involved in a fight between two young men. A terrible battle followed and Castor was killed. Pollux was granted immortality by Zeus, but he persuaded Zeus to allow him to share the gift with Castor. As a result, the two spend alternate days on Olympus (as gods) and in Hades (as deceased mortals). See Dioscuri  Castores The Roman name of the Dioscuri; from Castor, who seems to have been the first of the twins to be worshipped by the Romans.  Caswallawn A Celtic war god of Britain.  Catamitus The Latin name of Ganymede.  Catequil The Inca god of thunder and lightning.  Cathleen Ni Hoolihan by Camala M. Ryan The female personification of Ireland is known as Cathleen Ni Hoolihan, and she is a symbol of Irish patriotism. During times of trouble, especially war, Cathleen walks across Ireland to gather the support of men and boys to aid her in battle. As she gathers her supporters, she has the appearance of an old woman. Yet when she has gained her followers, she takes the shape of a fresh, high-spirited young woman. Initially, she appears to be weak and haggard because she is under great duress. The death of the soldiers gives life to Ireland. In the connotation of a vampiress, she regains her health and youth by feeding upon the blood of the brave soldiers who give their lives for her. These deaths should not be looked upon as tragic or needless, because they have died as heroes and they will always be remembered.  Catillus The brother of the river-deity Tibertus, and co-founder of the city of Tibur (current Tivoli).  Catoblepas by Andrew Fowler The catoblepas was a creature in some tales, was like a bull with scales. It was mentioned in a book by Gustave Flaubert, but it was first "sighted" by Pliny on a travel between Ethiopia and Egypt. He said that the locals called it "Catoblepas."  Catreus by Lawrence Matthews Catreus was one of the four sons of Minos and Pasiphae. In due time he became king of all Crete. One dark day, an oracle envisaged that Catreus would be slain by his son, Althaemenes. When the son learned of this, he left Crete for Rhodes with his younger sister, Apemosyne, by his side. As time passed, Catreus became despondent and traveled the seas in search of his children. His ship docked at Rhodes in the dead of night and they were mistaken for pirates by the defenders of Rhodes. In the battle that followed, Althaemenes drove his blade deep into his father's heart and the prophecy came to pass. Though the son never forgave himself for what he had done, to the people of Rhodes ... he was their hero.  Cauac One of the four Bacabs. Cauac is associated with the south. His color is red.  Cautha The Etruscan sun god, also known as Cath. He is generally depicted as rising from the ocean.  Ccoa by Adam Lowman, Clarksville Middle School The Kauri Indians of south Peru believe that their lives are controlled by a huge cat called Ccoa that lives in the near mountains. Ccoa brings hail and lightning to steal crops each harvest. He gains new servants when people die before they are baptized. He is only appeased with frequent offering.  Cecrops (Kekrops) A half man and half snake, born from the soil, legendary ancestor of the Greeks. He was the founder (and first king) of Athens. He taught the inhabitants to bury the dead, get married and how to read and write. In his reign Poseidon and Athena contended for the lordship of Attica, and Cecrops decided in the favor of Athena. The citadel, or Acropolis, of Athens was named Cecropia in his honor. Pronunciation {see'-krahps} Images Cecrops  Celaeno (Podarge) by Ryan Tuccinardi Celaeno ("the Dark"), also Podarge ("fleet foot"), is one of the Harpies. She was the lover of Zephyrus and mother of Xanthus and Balius, the supernatural horses of Achilles.  Celaeno by Ryan Tuccinardi One of the Pleiades. She was the lover of Poseidon and had Lycus with him. According to some sources she was the mother of Deucalion with Prometheus.  Celestial kings The guardians of the four quarters of the world. See Tian-wang.  Celmis by Ryan Tuccinardi A divinity who was one of the companions of Zeus when he was a child, but he offended Rhea and as a result was changed into a lump of diamond (or steel) by Zeus.  Ceneus An epithet of Zeus after the temple on Cape Canaeum of Euboea.  Centaurs The centaurs of Greek mythology are creatures that are part human and part horse. They are usually portrayed with the torso and head of a human, and the body of a horse. Centaurs are the followers of the wine god Dionysus and are well known for drunkenness and carrying off helpless young maidens. They inhabited Mount Pelion in Thessaly, northern Greece. According to one myth, they are the offspring of Ixion, the king of Lapithae (Thessaly), and a cloud. He had arranged a tryst with Hera, but Zeus got wind of it and fashioned a cloud into Hera's shape. Therefore, the Centaurs are sometimes called Ixionidae. Notorious is their bestial behavior on the wedding of Pirithous, king of the Lapiths. They violated the female guests and attempted to abduct the bride. What followed was a bloody battle, after which they were driven from Thessaly. An exception was the kind and wise centaur Chiron, the teacher of the Greek heroes Jason and Achilles. Images Centaurs The story of the Centaurs, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.  Centeotl (Centeocihuatl, Cinteotl) The Aztec maize god, who appears to have been a maize goddess at an earlier time. He was a son of Tlazolteotl and sometimes mentioned as the husband of Xochiquetzal.  Centipede A terrifying, man-eating monster the size of a mountain. It lived in the mountains of Japan near Lake Biwa. The dragon king of that particular lake asked the famous hero Hidesato to kill it for him. The hero slew it by shooting an arrow, dipped in his own saliva, into the brain of the monster. The dragon king rewarded Hidesato by giving him a rice-bag; a bag of rice which could not be emptied and it fed his family for centuries.  Centzon Totochtin The 'four hundred rabbits'. A group of drunken and immoral Aztec deities who meet frequently to enjoy themselves.  Centzonuitznaua The Aztec gods of the southern stars, rebel brothers of the sun-god Huitzilopochtli.  Cepheus by Becky Suther, Clarksville Middle School In Greek mythology, Cepheus was the king of Acrisios in the story of Perseus. He was the father of Andromeda and the husband of Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia started bragging that Andromeda was even prettier than the sea nymphs, which upset Poseidon. Poseidon claimed that unless Andromeda was sacrificed to the sea monster, the Kraken, he would flood the shores of the land. Cepheus then chained Andromeda to a rock by the shore. Perseus then flew by and saw Andromeda and freed her. He then turned the Kraken into stone using Medusa¹s head. After that, Andromeda married Perseus. Cepheus and his kingdom never had trouble again.  Cephissus by Liz Gunner, Clarksville Middle School One meaning of the name Cephissus is a Greek river god, the father of Narcissus. Another meaning of the name Cephissus is a man who was changed into a sea monster by Apollo. A third meaning for the name Cephissus is three famous rivers in Greece: in Attica near Eleusis; in Attica near Athens; in Boeotia and in Phocis near the sacred shrine of Delphi and Mount Parnassus. The three graces were particularly fond of the river near the sacred shrine. The final and fourth meaning of the name Cephissus is a Boeotian river god. He was the son of Oceanus and Tethys, brother of the other river gods, and father of Narcissus by the nymph, Liriope. Other children are ascribed to him, but in those cases parentage is disputed.  Cerberus In Greek mythology, the three-headed watchdog who guards the entrance to the lower world, the Hades. It is a child of the giant Typhon and Echidna, a monstrous creature herself, being half woman and half snake. Originally, the dog was portrayed having fifty or hundred heads but was later pictured with only three heads (and sometimes with the tail of a serpent). Cerberus permitted new spirits to enter the realm of dead, but allowed of them to leave. Only a few ever managed to sneak past the creature, among which Orpheus, who lulled it to sleep by playing his lyre, and Heracles, who brought it to the land of the living for a while (being the last of his twelve labors). In Roman mythology, the Trojan prince Aeneas and Psyche were able to pacify it with honey cake. (See also: Garm.) Pronunciation {sur'-bur-uhs}  Cercyon by Kyle Kralowetz, Clarksville Middle School Cercyon was the son of Poseidon. Cercyon was king of Elusis. Cercon was a very strong man and he took advantage of this. He would wrestle Greek by-passers to their deaths. Incentive for these people was that if they beat Cercyon they also won his kingdom. Nobody could beat him until Theseus came, beat Cercyon, and won his kingdom.  Ceres The old-Italian goddess of agriculture, grain, and the love a mother bears for her child. The cult of Ceres was originally closely connected with that of Tellus, the goddess earth. In later mythology, Ceres is identified with the Greek Demeter. She is the daughter of Saturn and the mother of Proserpina. Ceres had a temple on the Aventine Hill, were she was worshipped together with Liber and Libera. Her festival, the Cerealia, was celebrated on April 19. Ceres is portrayed with a scepter, a basket with flowers or fruits, and a garland made of the ears of corn. Another festival was the Ambarvalia, held in May. Pronunciation {sir'-eez} Images Ceres  Ceridwen (Kerridwen) by Karen Davis Ceridwen is a magician who features in the mythical version of the life of the genuine bard Taliesin. Ceridwen had an ugly son, Afagddu ("ugly"), whom she wished to make wise. She brewed a magical liquid and had her kitchen boy Gwion tend it. Three drops scalded his hand and he licked them off, instantly acquiring all the knowledge. In an ancient, ancient hunt she pursued him: first she became a greyhound and he a hare, then she an otter and he a fish, then she a hawk and he a rabbit. Finally, she became a hen and he a grain of corn, and she ate him. She became pregnant with him and he was born nine months later, a boy of astounding grace and beauty whom she named Taliesin and put into a coracle in the sea.  Cerklicing The Latvian god of fields and corn.  Cernunnos Cernunnos ("the horned one") is a Celtic god of fertility, wealth, and the underworld. His cult was spread all over Gaul, and was later imported into Britain. He is depicted with the antlers of a stag, accompanied by a snake with a ram's head or a ram, sometimes also carrying a purse which spills coins or grain. Images Cernunnos  Ceryx A son of Hermes and Pandrosus. He became the ancestor of a family of priests in Athens.  Cetan by Gerald Musinsky Cetan, Hawk Spirit, is regarded for speed, perseverance, a keen vision, and is associated with the East. [Plains, Lakota]  Ceto by Ryan Tuccinardi Ceto is the daughter of Gaia and Pontus. She is the sister of Phorcys, who was also her husband, Thaumas and Eurybia. She is the personification of the dangers and horrors of the sea. Her name eventually became a name for any generic sea monster. Ceto is regarded as the mother of the Gorgons and many other monsters.  Chalchiuhtlatonal An Aztec god of water.  Chalchiuhtlicue by Clarksville Middle School In Aztec mythology, Chalchiuhtlicue is the goddess of running and fertility water. She is the consort of Tlaloc, the god of the sky. He was drven away by Quetzalcoatl and was replaced by Chalchiuhtlicue. She was so furious that she created violent floods, and only those who were turned into fish. She is also a vegetation goddess associated with maize. She was depicted bearing a rattle on a stick and dressed in clothing decorated with water lilies.  Chalchiutotolin The Aztec god of pestilence.  Chalmecacihuilt An Aztec goddess of the underworld.  Chalmecatl An Aztec god of the underworld.  Chandavati (Candavati) A Hindu goddess. A form of Durgha and one of the nine navadurgas.  Chandesvara (Candesvara) A Hindu god; a benevolent aspect of Shiva, whom he serves.  Chandi A form of Hindu Sakti.  Chandika (Candika) The Hindu goddess of desire.  Chandogra (Candogra) A Hindu goddess. A form of Durgha and one of the nine navadurgas.  Chandra by Stephen T. Naylor Chandra was the original Indian god of the moon who was later merged with Soma. He was white in color, and drove the moon chariot across the sky with ten white horses. He was also a fertility god, for the dew which fell on the plants overnight and gave them life was seen as coming from the moon. Chandra was also prayed to when a couple wanted to have a child. He is sometimes called the father of Budha and Tara is named as one of his consorts. Other Used sources  Chandrasekhara (Candrasekhara) A Hindu god: a form of Shiva.  Changing Bear Woman by Gerald Musinsky A female hero and role model figure of the faithful and efficient wife, whom Coyote lusts after. [Southwest, Navajo]  Changing Woman by Gerald Musinsky Changing woman is a representative of the universal life cycle. Daughter of Happiness Girl and Long Life Boy she has the power of creation. She grows to maturity to old age only to continue the process over again. She is also the keeper of Time. She is known by many names, symbolic of the changing seasons: Turquoise Woman, Abalone Woman, Whiteshell Woman, and Jet Woman. She is also the mother of the twins, Monster Slayer and Born for Water, whose father was the Sun. Changing Woman is the central figure in the Blessingway. [ Southwest, Navajo]  Chantico The Aztec goddess of hearth fires and volcanic fires. When she violated the ban on eating paprika on fasting day by eating roasted fish with paprika, she was turned into a dog by the maize-god Tonacatecutli. Her name means 'she who dwells in the house'.  Chaob The four Mayan wind gods, each associated with one of the cardinal directions.  Chaos by Ryan Tuccinardi The primordial void that existed before order became imposed on the universe and from which all created things proceeded, including the gods. Chaos had several children with himself, such as Erebus and Nyx as well as Eros and Gaia. Pronunciation {kay'-ahs} The Roman writer Ovid gave Chaos its modern meaning; that of an unordered and formless primordial mass.  Charites (Graces) The Charites, or Graces, are the personifications of charm and beauty in nature and in human life. They love all things beautiful and bestow talent upon mortals. Together with the Muses they serve as sources of inspiration in poetry and the arts. Originally, they were goddesses of fertility and nature, closely associated with the underworld and the Eleusinian mysteries. Aglaia ("Splendor") is the youngest of the Graces and is sometimes represented as the wife of Hephaestus. The other Graces are Euphrosyne ("Mirth") and Thalia ("Good Cheer"). They are usually considered the daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, or Dionysus and Aphrodite. According to Homer the Graces belonged to the retinue of Aphrodite. The Romans knew them under the collective name of the Gratiae (qv). Images Charites  Charon Charon, in Greek mythology, is the ferryman of the dead. The souls of the deceased are brought to him by Hermes, and Charon ferries them across the river Acheron. He only accepts the dead which are buried or burned with the proper rites, and if they pay him an obolus (coin) for their passage. For that reason a corpse had always an obolus placed under the tongue. Those who cannot afford the passage, or are not admitted by Charon, are doomed to wander on the banks of the Styx for a hundred years. Living persons who wish to go to the underworld need a golden bough obtained from the Cumaean Sibyl. Charon is the son of Erebus and Nyx. He is depicted as an sulky old man, or as a winged demon carrying a double hammer. He is similar to the Etruscan (Charun). Pronunciation {kair'-uhn}  Charontes Etruscan demons of death. The name suggests a connection to the Greek Charon and his Etruscan equivalent Charun.  Charred Body by Ryan Tuccinardi Among the Awatixa, of the Hidatsa Confederation of North Dakota, Charred Body took the form of an arrow and came down from the sky near the Missouri River. He made a village and populated it with 13 couples, who became the first Awatixa. He was also a culture hero, teaching the Awatixa the Naxpike, or HideBeating Ceremony and the Buffalo Calling Ceremony.  Charun The Etruscan demon of death who torments the souls of the deceased in the underworld. He also guards the entrance to the underworld. He is similar to the Greek Charon. Charun is portrayed with the nose of a vulture, pointed ears and is usually winged. His attribute is the hammer, with which he finished off his victims.  Charybdis Charybdis was once a nymph-daughter of Poseidon and Gaia who flooded lands for her father's underwater kingdom until Zeus turned her into a monster and have her suck in and out water three times an day. She lived in a cave at one side of the Strait of Messina, opposite the monster Scylla, the two of them forming a dangerous threat to passing ships. Pronunciation {kar-ib'-dis} The story of Odysseus and Scylla and Charybdis, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.  Chasca The Inca personification of planet Venus. Chasca is a servant of the Sun.  Chasca Coyllur The Inca god of flowers and the protector of maidens.  Chaturmurti (Caturmurti) Hindu god: a form of Vishnu.  Chaya "Shadow". A Hindu goddess; a reflection of the goddess Sanjna. She was the consort of Surya and the mother of Sani.  Chebeldei The inhabitants of the underworld in Siberian myth. They are composed mainly of iron and are black in color and are not particularly friendly towards human beings.  Chelone A nymph who was turned into a turtle because she refused to attend the wedding of Zeus and Hera. For her insulting words the gods condemned her to eternal silence.  Chemosh The god of war and the national god of the Moabites. He is a jack-of-all-trades, and a master of most. He is equivalent to the Babylonian Shamash.  Cheng-huang (Ch'eng-huang) Chinese protective deities. They ward off disasters and catastrophes and protect the inhabitants of cities under their care, who may also supplicate them. In periods of drought, they provide rain. They grant plentiful harvest and ensure the affluence of the citizens. The Cheng-huang also guide the souls of the departed to Heaven. A Taoist priest who wishes to help the soul of a dead person out of Hell, must first inform the protective deity of the city by submitting a document. The Cheng-huang tradition dates back to ancient times and was adopted by Taoism, which admitted these city protectors to the ranks of its most important deities.  Chensit The Egyptian goddess of the twentieth of Lower Egypt.  Chentamentet A local god from Abydus, later identified with Osiris.  Chenti-cheti An Egyptian falcon-god, but originally a crocodile god.  Chenti-irti An Egyptian falcon god of law and order. He is identified with Horus.  Chepi by Gerald Musinsky Spirit informants. They are spirits of the dead who provide information and wisdom to medicine people during trances. [Northeast Woodlands, Narragansett]  Crnobog (Czarnobog, Czerneboch, Cernobog) The black god of the dead in Slavic mythology. The opposite of Bylebog.  Cherruve by Clare Herlihy, Clarksville Middle School The Cherruve were the spirits of the shooting stars in Araucanian mythology. The Araucanian Indians were located in Chile, South America, and were a fierce tribe of warriors. Nature was very important in the Araucanian Indian religion. Cherruve are often depicted as man-headed serpents in various Araucanian Indian artifacts such as pottery.  Cherti (Kherty) Egyptian ram-god of the underworld and ferryman of the dead. In the Pyramid Texts Cherti was said to be a threat to the pharaoh, who had to be defended by Re himself. However, as an earth-god Cherti also acts as a guardian of the pharaoh's tomb. The main center of Cherti's cult was at Letopolis, north-west of Memphis. He was depicted as a man with the head of a ram, or as a ram. His name means "Lower One".  Cherubim Winged creatures who support the throne of God, or act as guardian spirits. They appear in the Old Testament (the book of Ezekiel) as bearing the throne and chariot of God, and hence later conceived as a type of angels. They are also mentioned in Genesis 3:24 as guardians (or protectors) of the Garden of Eden. They were placed at the gates of the Garden to prevent humans from re-entering and thus gaining access to the Tree of Life. They also formed the mercy seat on the Ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:18-20). In Jewish and Christian religion they are second in the order of angels, directly after the seraphim. They were usually depicted as angels with four wings and four faces (human, lion, bull and eagle). Artists in later times made them appear as the chubby, rosy-faced, winged infants of which they are known today. They are usually clothed in blue, while the seraphim are clothed in red. They originated from the winged and human-headed bulls of Babylon (also named cherubim), a lesser order of deities, which guarded the gates of the royal palace.  Cherufe The Cherufe is a enormous lava creature in Chilean mythology who lives in volcanoes and feeds upon young maidens. To protect the local population, the sun god sent his two warrior daughters to guard the Cherufe. With them they brought magical swords which are capable of freezing the creature. But on occasion it will escape and thereby causing volcanic eruptions.  Chia The moon-goddess of the Colombian Muisca (Chibcha). It is believed that she caused the deluge that flooded the world. She disappeared somewhere in the west, where she left her footprints on the rocks.  Chibiabos The sky and wolf-spirit of the Algonquin. Chibiabos is the lord of the realm of the spirits. He is a brother of the Great Hare Manabozho.  Chibirias A Mayan earth goddess.  Chiccan A group of four Mayan rain gods, associated with the four cardinal directions. They create rain clouds from the deep lakes in which they reside.  Chichevache A fabulous monster who lives only on good women, and was hence all skin and bone, because its food was so extremely scarce. It is the anti-type to Bicorn. Chaucer introduced the word from the French chichifache (thin or ugly face) into chichevache (lean or meagre-looking cow).  Chickcharney A small feathered and furred forest spirit of the Andros Islands, Bahamas.  Chicomecoatl "Seven snakes". The Aztec goddess of maize during the Middle Culture period. She is sometimes called "goddess of nourishment". Every September a young girl representing Chicomecoatl was sacrificed. The priests decapitated the girl, collected her blood and poured it over a figurine of the goddess. The corpse was then flayed and the skin was worn by a priest. She is regarded as the female counterpart of the maize god Cinteotl, their symbol being an ear of corn. She is occasionally called Xilonen.  Chicomexochtli The Aztec god of painters.  Chiconahui The Aztec hearth-goddess, and guardian of the household.  Chiconahuiehecatl An Aztec creator god of minor importance.  Chie In Chibcha myth, the goddess of sensual pleasure. It is said that she was turned into an owl or the moon by culture hero Bochica.  Chih Nu by Adam Lowman, Clarksville Middle School She was the daughter of Yu-huang, a Jade Emperor of China (High God of China). One day she left the heavens to bathe. While she bathed a cowherd took her clothes, after being told to do so by his ox (who is also his guardian spirit). Chih Nu was unable to return to the heavens without them so she married the cowherd. They had two children, and seven years later she found her clothes and returned to the heavens. The cowherd asked what to do and his ox told him how to get to the heavens. Chih Nu confessed that she was the wife of the cowherd and he was made immortal. The cowherd and Chih Nu became gods of two separate stars and could only meet on the seventh month of the seventh year.  Child-Born-in-Jug A miraculous-birth tale, occurring among some Great Basin and Southwestern North American Indian groups.  Chimata-no-kami The Japanese god of crossroads, highways and footpaths. He was originally a phallic god, and phallic symbols were often placed at crossroads.  Chimera (Chimaera) In Greek mythology, the Chimera is a monster, depicted as an animal with the head of a lion, the body of a she-goat, and the tail of a dragon (sometimes it has multiple heads). It is a child of Typhon and Echidna. It terrorized Lycia (in Asia Minor), but was eventually killed by the Corinthian hero Bellerophon. Images Chimera  Chimigagua by Kacie Glenn, Clarksville Middle School In the mythology of the Chibcha Indians of Colombia, Chiminigagua was the creator of the world. He held a light inside his being (like the sun), and the first things he made were gigantic blackbirds to carry its rays throughout the world and bring light to all. He sent Bochia to teach mankind how to live. The rest of Creation Chimigagua left to others. Chiminigagua¹s cult wasn¹t very important to the Chibcha because they considered Zuhe and Chia, the sun and moon, more beautiful and therefore more deserving of worship and honor.  Chinnamastaka (Chinnamasta) A Hindu goddess of terrifying aspect. She is portrayed holding her head in one hand. She is a form of the goddess Durgha, and one of the ten mahavidyas.  Chirakan The Maya goddess who was brought to the world when four of the gods who created the world split themselves up and became four additional beings.  Chiron Originally, Chiron was a Thessalian god of healing, but in later Greek mythology he survived as one of the centaurs. Unlike the other of his race, Chiron was wise and had an extensive knowledge of the healing arts. He had been the tutor of, among others, Asclepius, Theseus, and Achilles. When he was accidentally hit by a poisonous arrow shot by Heracles, Chiron relinquished his immortality (in favor of Prometheus) in order to escape the pain by dying. After his death he became the constellation of Sagittarius. Chiron is regarded as a son of Cronus and Philyra. Pronunciation {ky'-rahn} Images Chiron  Chiruwi The Chiruwi ("mysterious creature") is a Central African half-man, with one leg, one arm and one side. Seen from the missing side he is invisible. He will challenge all those he encounters to a fight. If he is defeated he will beg not to be killed and in return he will offer the knowledge of many medicine. The victor will then became a very successful medicine-man. Should the Chiruwi win, however, he will kill his victim.  Chitra (Citra) A Hindu goddess of misfortune. She was the daughter of Daksha and the consort of Chandra.  Chitragupta In Hindu belief, the recorder of the vices and the virtues of men. Chitragupta is the judge who sends men to heaven or hell.  Chloe An epithet for Demeter, meaning 'the young green'.  Chloris The Greek goddess of flowers, and the personification of spring. She is the spouse of Zephyrus. Her Roman equivalent is Flora. Chloris is also the name of a daughter of Niobe. She was the only child that was saved when Apollo and Artemis took their vengeance on Niobes children.  Chnubis A Roman syncretic god with Greek and Egyptian associations, portrayed as a snake with a lion's head.  Chnum (Knum) The Egyptian ram god who makes the Nile delta fertile and suitable for agriculture. He is considered the creator of humans, because he makes children from clay and places them in the wombs of the mothers. He is usually depicted as ram or a man with the head of a ram. He was worshipped on Elephantine Island, together with the goddesses Anuket and Satis. He was also worshipped in Esna, (ancient Latopolis, south of Luxor) with his wife, the lion goddess Menhit, and their son Hike (the god of magic). In Esna, a temple dedicated to Chnum can still be found.  Choctaw creation myth The Choctaw who remain in Mississippi tell this story as an explanation of how they came to the land where they live now and of how Naniah Waiya Mound came to be. Two brothers, Chata and Chicksah led the original people from a land in the far west that had ceased to prosper. The people traveled for a long time, guided by a magical pole. Each night, when the people stopped to camp, the pole was placed in the ground and in the morning the people would travel in the direction in which the pole leaned. After traveling for an extremely long time, they finally came to a place where the pole remained upright. In this place, they laid to rest the bones of their ancestors, which they had carried in buffalo sacks from the original land in the west. The mound grew out of that great burial. After the burial, the brothers discovered that the land could not support all the people. Chicksah took half the people and departed to the North and eventually became the Chickasaw tribe. Chatah and the others remained near the mound and are now known as the Choctaw. The elders of the tribe claim to this day that the ground near the mound and the cave are sacred and that they will fall ill and die if they are away from the land too long.  Cholmus The Siberian creator of animals.  Chonguite A monkey-gifl from the Filipino Tagalog tale. Prince Pedro was forced to marry her for fear of being bewitched by her mother. In the end she was changed into a lovely princess.  Chons (Khonsu, Khons, Khensu) The Egyptian god of the moon, son of Amun and Mut with whom he forms a triad at Thebes. As the 'master of time' he is sometimes identified with the god Thoth. In human form he is depicted a young man in the posture of a mummy with the child's side lock and the curved beard worn by the gods, but also with a full moon and a crescent on his headdress.  Chontamenti The Egyptian god of the dead and of the land of the west. He was portrayed as a dog, or as dog's head, with horns.  Chors (Khors) A sun-god of the eastern Slavs, called upon by hunters and against diseases. He is depicted with a dog's head and horns.  Chronos In the ancient Greek literature, Chronos is the personification of time. He is usually portrayed as an wise, old man with a long, gray beard (Father Time). Chronos is often mistaken for the Titan Cronus.  Chrysaor "Gold-sword". A giant, the son of Medusa. When her head was cut off by Perseus, Chrysaor sprang forth from her decapitated body.  Chthonic gods Chthonic divinities are associated with the earth and/or underworld. Usually they are fertility gods and/or rulers of the dead, and the opposites of the sky gods. Due to their rather demonic appearance, their cults are usually surrounded with much mystery. Some chthonic gods are for instance: the Egyptian Anubis, the Greek Hades, the Roman Mars, the Etruscan Voltumna, and the Hindu Yakshas.  Chu Jiang (Ch'u Chiang) The king of the second of the Taoist hells, the hell of thieves and murderers. It is believed to be a large lake of ice. Chu Jiang is honored on the first day of the Third Moon.  Chujo Hime A Japanese nun, believed to be an incarnation of the goddess Kannon. She invented the art of embroidery and it is believed that she helped the gods to make the famous Lotus Thread embroidery, depicting the flowers of Paradise, at the temple of Toema Dera.  Chuku The supreme god of the Ibo people (the Calabar district, eastern Nigeria). He is regarded as the source of all that is good. He is the creator and brings the rains that makes the plants grow. Certain trees are dedicated to him, and in bushes and under trees sacrifices are made to him. His wife is Ala, who is also given as his daughter, and his name means 'great spirit'. The sun is his symbol.  Chulyen by Gerald Musinsky The crow trickster of the Nootka or Tanaina often interchanged with Guguyni, Raven.  Cibaciba With Drakulu, one of the cave entrances to the Fijian Land of the Dead.  Cihuacoatl (Chihucoatl) An Aztec earth and mother-goddess, patroness of birth and of women who died while giving birth. She assisted Quetzalcoatl in the creation of the first humans of this era, which are made from the ground bones of the people of the previous era mixed with the blood of the old gods who committed self-sacrifice so that the new era could begin. Mixcoatl is her son. Cihuacoatl, which means 'snake-woman', is usually portrayed holding a child in her arms. Cihuacoatl's roaring signalled war. The center of her cult was at Colhuacan (at the Texcoco Lake in Mexico).  Cilix by Hannah Kim, Clarksville Middle School Cilix was the Greek son of Agenor. His father sent him to search for Europa, his lost sister. During his adventurous journey, Cilix settled down in a location in Asia Minor. This land was called Cilia, after him.  Cimmerians by Ryan Tuccinardi A mythical tribe who lived at the end of the world in a place of mists and darkness, where the sun never arrived. These people were popular in Greece and many stories were crafted. They ware believed to be the ancestors of the Scythians or the Celts.  Cin-an-ev A wolf culture-hero and trickster of the Ute Indians.  Cinteotl The Toltec and Aztec maize god. He is the son of Tlazoteotl. Because of his suffering, the people are regularly provided with food. His Mayan counterpart is Yum Caax.  Cinxia The Roman goddess of marriage.  Cinyras (Kinuras) The son of Apollo. He is the legendary king of Cyprus, and a high priest of Aphrodite. Father of Adonis and Myrrha. He and Apollo once held a contest to determine who could play the lyre better, but he lost and committed suicide. On Cyprus, Cinyras was regarded as the inventor of the arts and musical instruments, especially the flute.  Cipactli A primordial sea-monster in Aztec mythology. From this creature, a fish-like crocodile, the gods created the earth.  Cirapé "Younger Brother" and companion of Old Man Coyote, the trickster of the Crow Indians of Montana. Cirapé accompanies Old Man Coyote on his wanderings and shares in many adventures.  Cirein crôin A sea serpent in Scottish Highland folklore. It is believed to be the largest of all living creatures, and seven whales were an easy meal for it.  Cit-Bolon-Tum A Mayan god of medicine.  Citipati Buddhist graveyard demons of Tibet. They are portrayed as dancing skeletons.  Citlalatonac An Aztec creator god. With his consort Citlalicue he created the stars.  Citlalicue (Citlalinicue, Ilamatecuhtli) "Star Garment". An Aztec creator goddess. She is the consort of Citlalatonac, and together they created the stars.  Ciucoatl (Ciuacoatl) An Aztec goddess of the earth.  Ciuteoteo (Ciuateoteo) by Clarksville Middle School In Aztec mythology, the Ciuteoteo were spirits of the underworld who lived under the protection Ciucoatl. They carry down the sun from the highest point of the sky to its home in the underworld in the shape of eagles, bringing illness to children. They were either the souls of the woman who died giving birth to children, or who had become warriors.  Civatateo by Ryan Tuccinardi These Mexican vampires date back to the of the days of the Aztecs and are believed to be the servants of the gods. Thus, they have the magical powers of a priest. All civateteo are noblewomen who died during childbirth and have now returned to earth. These creatures stalk travelers at crossroads and lurk in temples or churches. They are terrible to look upon, shriveled and as white as chalk. Often a death's head or other glyph is painted on their clothes or tattooed on their flesh.  Cizin A Mayan (Yacatec) god of death. He burns the souls of the dead in the Yucatec underworld Metnal.  Clarius An epithet of Apollo. The name is derived from Clarus near Colophon where Apollo had a temple.  Clementia The Roman goddess of mercy and clemency.  Clermeil A Haitian spirit which makes the rivers overflow. He is usually depicted in the form of a white man.  Cliff ogre The incident of a monster kicking people over a cliff so that they may be eaten by her brood occurs in many North American Indian tales.  Clio (Kleio) The Muse of history. With Pierus, the king of Macedonia, she is the mother of Hyacinth. She was credited for introducing the Phoenician alphabet into Greece. Her attribute is usually a parchment scroll or a set of tablets. Images Clio  Cliodhna The Irish goddess of beauty. She later became a fairy queen in the area of Carraig Cliodhna in County Cork.  Clitunno A Roman river deity.  Cloacina The goddess who presides of the system of sewers (from the Latic cloaca, "sewer") which drained the refuse of the city of Rome. The main sewer was called Cloaca Maxima.  Clootie The Scottish name for the Devil. The name comes from cloot, meaning one division of a cleft hoot. A common variant of the epithet is Old Cloots. There is a piece of land, called Clootie's Croft, that is left untilled or found untillable as a gift to the Devil. Another provincial English and Scottish euphemism for the Devil is Horny or Old Horny.  Clota The Celtic goddess of the river Clyde.  Clotho by Hilary Thomas, Clarksville Middle School Clotho, a goddess from Greek mythology, is the youngest of the three Fates, but one of the oldest goddesses in Greek mythology. She is a daughter of Zeus and Themis. Each fate has a certain job, whether it be measuring thread, spinning it on a spinning wheel, or cutting the thread at the right length. Clotho is the spinner, and she spins the thread of human life with her distaff. The length of the string will determine how long a certain person's life will be. She is also known to be the daughter of Night, to indicate the darkness and obscurity of human destiny. No one knows for sure how much power Clotho and her sisters have, however, they often disobey the ruler, Zeus, and other gods. For some reason, the gods seem to obey them, whether because the fates do possess greater power, or as some sources suggest, their existence is part of the order of the Universe, and this the gods cannot disturb.  Clymene by Ryan Tuccinardi The daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and wife of Iapetus. Her sons are Atlas, Epimetheus, Prometheus, and Menoetius.  Clytemnestra by Mia Gibson Clytemnestra (also spelled "Clytaemestra") is the daughter of Leda and Tyndareus and the half sister of Helen. Clytemnestra and Helen are half sisters because Zeus appeared to Leda in the form of a swan and raped her. On the same night, Tyndareus also had sex with Leda and Leda became pregnant. Leda gave birth to four children or in some versions, laid four eggs. Clytemnestra and Castor was Tyndareus' children therefore they are mortal. Helen and Polydeuces was Zeus' therefor they are immortal. Clytemnestra's importance in Greek mythology comes from her marriage to Agamemnon, Menelaus' brother. There are two versions of Clytemnestra's involvement in the death of Agamemnon. Homer describes Agamemnon's departure for the Trojan War, to help to avenge his brother Menelaus. While Agamemnon is away, Aegisthus plotted to seduce Clytemnestra and murder Agamemnon once he returned from the Trojan War. As the years passed, and there was no word that the war was anywhere near an end, Clytemnestra weakened and welcomed the sensuous advances of Aegisthus. When the war does finally end, Agamemnon arrives home to be killed by men hired by Aegisthus. Orestes, Agamemnon's and Clytemnestra's son, kills Aegisthus to avenge his father's death. Clytemnestra disappears or is killed but Homer does not go into to much detail about her. In this version, Clytemnestra is weak and insignificant compared to the male players. Aeschylus series of plays called Orestia provide the most popular version of this myth. In the first play, Agamemnon, Aeschylus describes Clytemnestra as a strong woman and not the weakling she appeared to be in Homer's version. When Agamemnon leaves for the Trojan War, Clytemnestra starts her torrid affair with Aegisthus. Together, they plot to kill Agamemnon as soon as he returns from the war. When the signal is given that the war is over, Clytmnestra prepares for the return of Agamemnon. She is already mad at Agamemnon for sacrificing their daughter, Iphigenia, and then she finds out that Agamemnon is bringing home another wife, Cassandra. As soon as Agamemnon's chariot pulls up in front of the palace, Clytemnestra goes out to welcome Agamemnon. She lays a purple cloth on the ground for him to walk over, at first Agamemnon refuses to walk over the cloth but soon gives in to Clytmnestra's request. Cassandra, given the sight of prophecy by Apollo but with the curse that no one would believe her because she failed to keep her promise to have sex with him, remained outside because she could see the doom surrounding the palace. When Cassandra finally enters the palace, a cry is heard and a blood drenched Clytemnestra is shown standing over the dead bodies of Agamemnon and Cassandra. Aegisthus marries Clytemnestra to become King but is no more than a puppet to Clytemnestra. This ends the play Agamemnon. Pronunciation {kly-tem-nes'-truh} Other Used sources   Clytia by Clarksville Middle School A Greek nymph of the sea, daughter of Oceanus. She was passionately loved by Apollo. Her heart was broken when he deserted her. She was changed into a sun flower that faces the sun.  Coatlicue The Aztec goddess of earth and fire, and mother of the gods and mother of the stars of the southern sky. Her daughter is the goddess Coyolxauhqui. Coatlicue was magically impregnated by a ball of feathers. Her outraged children decapitated her, but the god Huitzilopochtli emerged fully armed from his mother's womb and slew many of his brothers and sisters. She represented the type of the devouring mother in whom were combined both the womb and the grave. Coatlicue was a serpent goddess, depicted wearing a skirt of snakes.  Cochimetl (Cocochimetl) The Aztec god of merchants and commerce.  Cocidius A hunting deity of Celtic North Britain. The Romans equated him with their Silvanus.  Cockatoo In Melanesia, a spirit bird, born from a woman called Krawata. It steals bread from women's ovens.  Coco macaque A magic stick in Haitian voodoo that walks by itself. The owner can send it on errands, especially punitive errands. If he hits an enemy with it, the person hit will die before morning.  Cocytus by Clarksville Middle School One of the mythical realms of Hades. The name means "river of wailing." The river is an extremely cold water source. It runs parallel to the Styx. It had to be crossed by the souls of the dead before they could reach the kingdom of Hades. The spirits were taken across by the ferryman of the dead, Charon. To cross you had to pay Charon one obol.  Coelus "Sky". The Roman personified god of the heavens who is identified with the Greek Uranus. His wife is Terra.  Coeus by Ryan Tuccinardi One of the Titans, Coeus was the father of Leto, husband of Phoebe and the grandfather of Apollo, Artemis and Asteria.  Colel Cab A Mayan earth goddess.  Colop U Uichkin A Mayan sky god.  Compair Lapin "Comrade Rabbit". The Louisiana Negro name for Brer Rabbit.  Con ma dau The spirits of people who have died of smallpox in Annamese belief. The victims are kept isolated for fear of the Con ma dau which are residing in their bodies.  Con tram nu'o'c A fabulous water buffalo from Annamese belief. Anyone who possesses a hair from Con tram nu'o'c and holds it in his hand can cross a river dry-shod.  Concordia The Roman goddess of concord. She was worshipped in many temples, but the oldest was on the Forum Romanum and dates back to 367 BC and was built by Camilus. The temple also served as a meeting-place for the Roman senate. Concordia is portrayed sitting, wearing a long cloak and holding a sacrificial bowl in her left hand and a cornucopia in her right. Sometimes she can be seen standing between two members of the Royal House who clasp hands.  Condatis The River god of Celtic Britain.  Conditor The Roman god of harvesting the crops.  Conga A category of Haitian voodoo deities, associated with the rada group in the organization of the voodoo pantheon.  Congo A lethargic and dull-witted, but rather handsome spirit from Haitian voodoo.  Consentes Dii (Dii Consentes) The twelve major gods of the Roman pantheon, identified by the Roman with the Greek Olympians. Six male and six female gods and goddesses. The are: Jupiter and Juno, Neptune and Minerva, Apollo and Diana, Mars and Venus, Vulcan and Vesta, and Mercury and Ceres. Their statues could be found in the hall of the Consentes Dii at the Forum Romanum.  Consus The Roman god who presides over the storing of grain. Since the grain was stored in holes underneath the earth, Consus' altar was also placed beneath the earth (near the Circus Maximus). It was uncovered only during the Consualia, his festival on August 21 and December 15. One of the main events during this festival was a mule race (the mule was his sacred animal). Also on this day, farm and dray horses were not permitted to work and attended the festivities. He is closely connected with the fertility goddess Ops (Ops Consiva). Later he was also regarded as god of secret counsels.  Convector The Roman god of bringing in the crops.  Copacati An Inca lake-goddess. Her worship was centered on Tiahuanaco, near Lake Titicaca.  Copia The Roman goddess of wealth and plenty, who carried a cornucopia ("horn of plenty"). She belongs to the retinue of Fortuna.  Coquena The supernatural protector of the vicuñas in the Quechua folklore of the Puna de Atacama (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia). Coquena is a little man dressed in white who travels at night driving large herds of vicuña. He punishes those who wantonly kill these animals. A vicuña is a ruminant mammal belonging to the camel family and is native to the Andes.  Corb An Irish (Celtic) god; one of the Fomorians.  Corrigan In the folklore of Brittany, a female fairy. She is said to have been one of the ancient druidesses, and therefore malicious towards Christian priests. Corrigan is fond of pretty human children, and is usually blamed for all changeling substitutions.  Corus The Roman god representing the north/north-west wind.  Cottus by Clarksville Middle School One of the three monsters with a hundred hands, the Hecatonchires. They were Briareus, also called Aegaeon; Cottus; and Gyges also called Gyes. Cottus and the other two monsters had fifty heads with fifty fire breathing mouths. The three monsters lived durin the Trojan wars.  Cottyto (Cotys) by Clarksville Middle School Cottyto is the Idean mother of Crete. She is known for having many names in Greek mythology. Some of them are Rhea Cybele, or just Cybele, Ma - Bellona, and Kotys.  Coventina The Celtic (Britain) goddess of water and springs. She was known locally in the area of Carrawburgh (Roman Brocolitia) along Hadrian's Wall.  Coyolxauhqui "Golden Bells". The earth and moon-goddess of the Aztecs. She is related to the four hundred star-deities Huitznauna, who is under her control. She possesses magical powers which with she can do great harm. Coyolxauhqui decapitated her own mother Coatlicue when she became pregnant in what her children deemed unseemly circumstances. Immediately the sun-god Huitzilopochtli sprang fully armed from Coatlicue's womb and slew Coyalxauhqui and many of her kin. According to one tradition, Huitzilopochtli tossed her head into the sky where it became the moon.  Coyote by Tamara Kazakova The Coyote mythlore is one of the most popular among the Native American. Coyote is a ubiquitous being and can be categorized in many types. In creation myths, Coyote appears as the Creator himself; but he may at the same time be the messenger, the culture hero, the trickster, the fool. He has also the ability of the transformer: in some stories he is a handsome young man; in others he is an animal; yet others present him as just a power, a sacred one. According to Crow (and other Plains) tradition, Old Man Coyote impersonates the Creator, "Old Man Coyote took up a handful of mud and out of it made people" 1. His creative power is also spread onto words, "Old Man Coyote named buffalo, deer, elk, antelopes, and bear. And all these came into being" 2. In such myths Coyote-Creator is never mentioned as an animal, more, he can meet his animal counterpart, the coyote: they address each other as "elder brother" and "younger brother", and walk and talk together 3. According to A. Hultkranz, the impersonation of Coyote as Creator is a result of a taboo, a mythic substitute to the religious notion of the Great Spirit whose name was too dangerous and/or sacred to use apart from a special ceremony 4. In Chelan myths, Coyote belongs to the animal people but he is at the same time "a power just like the Creator, the head of all the creatures" 5. Yet his being 'just like the Creator' does not really mean being 'the Creator': it is not seldom that Coyote-Just-Like-Creator is subject to the Creator, Great Chief Above, who can punish him, send him away, take powers away from him, etc. In the Pacific Northwest tradition, Coyote is mostly mentioned as a messenger, or minor power, "Coyote was sent to the camp of the chief of the Cold Wind tribe to deliver a challenge; Coyote traveled around to tell all the people in both tribes about the contest." 6 As such, Coyote "was cruelly treated, and his work was never done." 7. As the culture hero, Coyote appears in various mythic traditions. His major heroic attributes are transformation, traveling, high deeds, power. He is engaged in changing the ways of rivers, standing of mountains, creating new landscapes and getting sacred things for people. Of mention is the tradition of Coyote fighting against monsters. According to Wasco tradition, Coyote was the hero to fight and kill Thunderbird, the killer of people, but he could do that not because of his personal power, but due to the help of the Spirit Chief; Coyote was trying his best, he was fighting hard, and he had to have fasted ten days before the fight, so advised by Spirit Chief 8. In many Wasco myths, Coyote rivals the Raven (Crow) about the same ordeal: in some stories, Multnomah Falls came to be by Coyote's efforts; in others, it is done by Raven. More often than not Coyote is a trickster, but he is always different. In some stories, he is a noble trickster, "Coyote takes water from the Frog people... because it is not right that one people have all the water." 9. In others, he is mean, "Coyote determined to bring harm to Duck. He took Duck's wife and children, whom he treated badly." 10. Other Used sources 1. American Indian Myths and Legends, 89. 2. American Indian Myths and Legends, 90. 3. American Indian Myths and Legends, 89. 4. Belief and Worship in North America, 29-30. 5. Voices of the Winds, 5. 6. Voices of the Winds, 26-27. 7. Voices of the Winds, 27. 8. Voices of the Winds, 45-46. 9. American Indian Myths and Legends, 356. 10. Voices of the Winds, 234.   Cratos by Ryan Tuccinardi Cratos ("power") is the personification of strength and power. He is the brother of Nike, Zelus and Bia. Like his other siblings, he is a constant companion of Zeus.  Creation myths by Bernard Doyle Most systems of myths have an explanation for the origin of the universe and its components. These myths are known as creation myths. An explanation of the origin of the universe is known as a Cosmogony. Creation myths as well as more modern theories such as Laplace's Nebula Hypothesis, the Continuous Creation Theory and the Big Bang Theory are all examples of Cosmogonies. Creation myths are amongst mankind's earliest attempts to explain some of the most profound questions about the nature and origin of the universe. These are questions that we are still attempting to answer today. One way of approaching creation myths is to outline some of the themes that commonly occur in them. It should be noted at the outset however, that these themes or motifs are the creation of modern scholars of myths and mythology, not the people who created the myths in the first place. While they are useful and can provide us with a great deal of insight, individual creation myths cannot be expected to conform rigidly to a single modern stereotype. Rather, any one creation myth will have several thematic features to a greater or lesser degree. This is the rule rather than the exception. This article will attempt to deal with some of the main themes occurring in creation myths. One myth that may be used to illustrate several themes is the traditional Chinese creation myth. This is the myth of Pan-gu (also known as P'an-ku). There are written texts of this myth going back to the 6th century AD and there are parts of Southern China where the cult of P'an Ku still persists. The most common form of the myth is as follows :- The first living thing was P'an Ku. He evolved inside a gigantic cosmic egg, which contained all the elements of the universe totally intermixed together. P'an Ku grew by about 10 feet each day. As he grew he separated the earth and the Sky within the egg. At the same time he gradually separated the many opposites in nature male and female, wet and dry, light and dark, wet and dry, Yin and Yang. These were all originally totally commingled in the egg. While he grew he also created the first humans. After 18,000 years the egg hatched and P'an Ku died from the effort of creation. From his eyes the sun and moon appeared, from his sweat, rain and dew, from his voice, thunder, and from his body all the natural features of the earth arose. The formless chaotic egg which was the birthplace of P'an Ku is an example of the idea of a primitive chaos, or featureless, undifferentiated universe. This is the most frequently found primordial stuff of the universe in creation myths. The Greeks referred to this initial formless state of the universe as chaos and this is the origin of the term. One very common variation on this idea describes the primordial universe as a great featureless body of water. For example this idea was used by the ancient Babylonians in their creation myth. The story of the Japanese gods Izanagi and Izanami stirring the waters of the earth to produce the island of Okonoro is another example of this theme of a primordial sea. In this case the ocean is the precursor of the earth rather than the whole universe. In contrast to a primordial universe consisting of a some undifferentiated matter, there are some creation myths that describe a creation of the universe from nothing or ex nihilo. A god who exists in a void performs some action which results in the universe coming into being, sometimes in an undifferentiated state. The Egyptian creation myth as related in the Pyramid Texts is one example of creation from nothing. Atum is the first god who creates his brother and sister Shu and Tefnut. Another case of creation from nothing occurs in the most common of the Samoan creation myths. Tangaroa, who is the supreme god in Samoan mythology, but usually only the god of the ocean for other Polynesians created the world by thinking of it. A further examples of ex nihilo creation is the creation myth of the Kalahari Bushmen of Africa. Monotheistic religions also usually envisage an ex nihilo creation. Numerous other instances of ex nihilo creation myths exist. It should be noted that creation myths may involve one or several stages of creation. In the latter case a primordial god typically creates part of the universe and has offspring who then further differentiate the primitive universe. They too have offspring who do further things. Often there is conflict between different generations of gods for mastery of the universe. Also at some stage, human beings and the world as we know it come into being. The creation myth of classical Greek mythology is a good example of a multi stage creation of the universe. The creation myth of P'an-ku is likewise a good example of a single stage creation myth. A second theme of creation myths that occurs in the story of P'an-ku is the idea of the earth and the sky forming by the separation of the original matter of the universe. Most often, the earth and sky are primordial deities of different sexes. In most cases the earth is female and the sky male. The Maori and Polynesian creation myth of Rangi and Papa is a good example of this. In this creation myth the primordial universe is the bodies of the two gods Papa and Rangi. Their separation by their offspring is the act which creates the universe as we know it. A similar idea is embodied in the Egyptian creation myth of Nut and Geb. In contrast to most earth and sky deities, Nut, the sky god, is female. However, like Rangi and Papa, Nut and Geb are separated by their offspring. Another theme that occurs in the P'an Ku creation myth is the idea that the earth or the world or even the entire universe is the bodily remains of a primordial being or deity. This also occurs in the Norse creation myth where the primordial giant Ymir is killed by Odin, Vili and Ve. The earth is formed from the dead body of Ymir. His flesh becomes the land, his blood becomes the sea, his bones become the mountains and his hair becomes the trees. His skull becomes the vault of the heavens. A similar story occurs in the Babylonian creation myth related in the Babylonian epic Enuma elish written around 1100 BC. The Babylonian god Marduk fights and kills Tiamat, the primordial goddess of the ocean. He cuts her body in two. One half becomes the sky, the other half the earth. The Norse and Babylonian creation myths also involve the notion whereby the creation of the universe involves a struggle between primordial gods and/or beings. This idea is also a common theme in many other creation myths. Classical Greek mythology, for example, has several struggles. There is the original one between Uranus and his offspring, ending in the death of Uranus at the hands of Cronus. Later on there is the struggle between Zeus and the Titans. The final general aspect of creation myths shown in the P'an Ku myth is that they always involve the creation of human beings at some stage by gods or other supernatural entities. By doing this, a connection is established between the everyday world of human beings and the supernatural world of the god or gods who created the universe. It also establishes the place of human beings in the hierarchy of life inhabiting the universe. Man is placed below gods and other supernatural beings but above animals and plants. This aspect shows us the aetiological or explanatory function of creation myths. Other Used sources   Creiddylad A Welsh goddess, daughter of Llyr. She appeared in Shakespeare's King Lear as the king's daughter Cordelia.  Crinisus One of the many Greek river gods.  Cripple Boy by Gerald Musinsky Cripple Boy, known as Tsauz, centers on a narrative about a boy who appears very ugly but who in fact is very beautiful. Although thematically similar to the European Ugly Duckling, the tale possess deeper qualities and relies less on cosmetics. [Northwest Coast, Salish]  Crius by Darren Schlissel, Clarksville Middle School Crius was one of the Greek Titans. The Titans were the principal gods of early Greek mythology. Crius and his siblings were the children of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). He had five brothers; Coeus, Cronus, Hyperion, Lapetus, Oceanus; and six sisters; Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Rhea, Tethys, Theia, and Themis. The Titans were best known for their war against the Olympian gods. Many of these gods were captive within the stomach of their father, Cronus. After Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, freed his siblings the war with the Titans began. After ten long years of battle Zeus asked Gaia for help. She told him to release the Cyclopes and the hundred-handed ones. This led to Crius and the other Titans losing the long war.  Crom Cruach (Cromm Crúac) The chief idol of Eirin. This huge object stood on the plain of Mag Sleact (the plain of adoration or prostration) in County Cavan in Ulster. Situated around him were twelve smaller idols made of stone while his was of gold. To him the early Irish sacrificed one third of their children on Samain (November 1) in return for milk and corn and the good weather that insured the fertility of cattle and crops. The god was held in horror for his terrible exactions; it was even dangerous to worship him, for the worshippers themselves often perished in the act of worship. It is said that his cult was introduced by a pre-Christian king names Tigernmus. During the prostrations one Samhain night, he and three fourths of his followers destroyed themselves. The twelve lesser idols that encircle Crom have led to the assumption that he was a solar deity; certainly a fertility god. However, he has not been identified with any of the ancient Irish gods. According to legend, St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, cursed and destroyed it (the idol sunk back into the earth). The saint preached to the people against the burning of milk-cows and their first-born progeny. Crom Cruach, or Cromm Crúac means bloody crescent or bloody bent one and is mentioned as such in the 6th century Dinnshenchas in the Book of Leinster. It is also referred to as Cenn Crúaic (bloody head) in the Tripartite Life of Patrick. Another name is ríg-íodal h-Eireann, the king idol of Ireland. Pronunciation {crom croo'-ach}   Cronus (Kronos, Cronos) In Greek myth, Cronus is the youngest of the twelve Titans, son of Uranus and Gaia. He is married to his sister Rhea and the father of Demeter, Hades, Hera, Hestia, Poseidon and Zeus. After Uranus had thrust his children deep down beneath the earth, and out of resentment that she had to bear so many children, Gaia turned them against their father. She incited them to castrate Uranus, but dared to do this, except for Cronus. He stealthily accomplished the deed while Uranus slept. Afterwards Cronus assumed the rule and under his and Rhea's leadership a time of prosperity and harmony began, the Golden Age. To secure his own dominion, however, he had devoured his children after birth, but Rhea managed to save one child: Zeus. When Zeus reached maturity, he overpowered Cronus and forced him disgorge the children he had swallowed. With the aid of his brothers and sisters, and other partisans among the gods, Zeus dethroned Cronus and became king of gods and men. Pronunciation {kroh'-nuhs} Images Cronus  Crow by Gerald Musinsky Crow is perhaps one of the most prevalent mythological trickster characters. Gagqa the Seneca reference, Chulyen, is an Alaskan Tanaina trickster figure similar to Intuit Raven. The people of the Crow tribe refer to themselves as Apsaalooke (Absoraka).  Crow Woman by Gerald Musinsky Crow Woman is the jealousy first wife of a water monster. Her envious wrath is taken out on River Woman by drowning her. Beaver Foot revives his sister River Woman who repays the ill intent by drowning Crow Woman. Water Monster begins to weep and floods the river. Beaver Foot, through stretching his body, acts as a dam and saves the village. [Plains, Arapaho]  Cuba The Roman goddess who protects the infants in the cradle.  Cuchulainn (Cu Chulain, Setanta, Cuchulain) by Ryan Tuccinardi The heroic tales of Cuchulainn are so old that they were almost forgotten when they were revived by 7th century bard named Sechan Torpeist. Cuchulainn was born Setanta, but changed his name when he placed a geis upon himself after killing Conchobair Mac Neasa's favorite guard dog when it attacked him. He vowed to take the place of the dog, guarding the pass into Ulster, and thus became knows as the Hound of Cualainn. Several women in Celtic myth are said to be his mother, some human and other divine. The god Lugh is sometimes also mentioned as his father, but this relationship appears to be more of a spiritual link than a biological one. Cuchulainn's human father is Sualtam. He studied under the warrior goddess Scathach on the Isle of Shadow and returned to Ulster to be a great warrior and leader of the Red Branch, a semi-chivalrous order of warriors of Ulster whose exploits make up an entire cycle in Irish mythology. He became semi-divine himself through his adventures and is now honored as a pagan god. Many of his stories are recorded at length in The Book of the Dun Cow. A statue in Dublin portrays his dramatic demise in battle when, while his men were asleep, he held off Maeve's armies single-handedly by being tied to a tree to remain standing. Cuchlainn's image may have once been that of a minor sun or sacrificial god. His great enemy, the sovereign Queen Maeve of Connacht, seemed ready to replace her husband with Cuchulainn who resisted the sacrificial role and battled her instead. Predictably, she won the war and his blood was spilled on the earth in the manner of the sacrificial gods. During his death battle he failed to recognize the Morrigan flying over him, and many believe that was what really killed him -- failure to realize the role he was born to play as symbolized by the death-bird in ages of the triple crone. He had many lovers including Aife, Emer, and 'the faery woman' Fand. Pronunciation {koo chul-inn}   Culsu The Etruscan demoness who guards the entrance to the underworld. Her attributes are a torch and scissors.  Cum Hau A Mayan god of death.  Cumaean Sibyl The earliest of the Sibyls. She was believed to have come from the rest, and resided at Cumae. She owned, according to tradition, nine books of prophecies. When the Roman king Targuin (Tarquinius Priscus) wanted to buy those books he thought the price she asked far too high. The Sibyl threw three books into the fire and doubled the price; this she did again with the next three books, and the king was forced the buy the remaining three books for a price four times as high as the original nine.  Cunawabi by Gerald Musinsky The bringer of night and sickness. He is often a trickster figure, if not always a gambler with many risky adventures. [Great Basin, Paiute]  Cunina A Roman goddess of infants.  Cupid The Roman god of love and the son of Venus. He is a small, winged boy, carrying bow and arrows. The arrows, once struck the heart, makes the victim fall in love. He is also portrayed as a young man with his beloved Psyche, with Venus or with a small group of winged infants (the Amoretti or Amorini). Some traditions say that he was born from a silver egg. His Greek equivalent is Eros. The name is derived from the Latin cupido, "desire". Images Cupid The story of Cupid and Psyche, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.  Cur (Curan) In Tamil belief, Cur is a supernatural, feminine force which brings fear, sadness and even death to mankind. Women are especially susceptible to this force. Cur is also the personification of fear and the leader of demons. It inhabits wells, waterfalls, holes and dark woods.  Curetes When Rhea gave birth to Zeus he was hidden on a mountain in Crete. Rhea was frightened that Cronus would hear him crying so she had the Curetes wait outside the mountain and bang their shields together, a sound which drowned out all others. Originally, the Curetes were vegetation demons who lived on Crete in the pre-Grecian time.  Curicaberis A culture hero and sky and sun god of the Tarascan people (an Indian tribe west of Mexico). He is the consort of the rain and fertility goddess Cueravaperi. He gave his people laws and the calendar.  Curoi mac Daire A Celtic sun-deity, believed to be a storm-bringing giant, armed with an ax.  Cusith An enormous hound of the Scottish Highlands. It is said to be a dark green in color, with a long braided tail and the size of a bullock. Whenever his baying was heard on the moors, farmers would quickly lock up their women. For the hound's mission was to round up women and drive them to a fairy mound so they might supply milk for fairy children.  Cwn Annwn In Brythonic mythology, the hounds of Annwn. A pack of snow-white, red-eared spectral hounds which sometimes took part in the kidnappings and raids the inhabitants of the underworld sometimes make on this world (the Wild Hunt). They are associated in Wales with the sounds of migrating wild geese, and are said to be leading the souls of the damned to hell. The phantom chase is usually heard or seen in midwinter and is accompanied by a howling wind. Another name is Cwn Mamau ("hounds of the mothers"). In England, they are often called the Gabriel Hounds or Ratchets, and sometimes the Yell Hounds. They are accompanied by the hunter Gwyn, or Bran, or Arthur, but sometimes by Gabriel or Herne the Hunter.  Cyclopes by Anna Baldwin The Cyclopes were giant beings with a single, round eye in the middle of their foreheads. According to Hesiod, they were strong, stubborn, and "abrupt of emotion." Their every action ebbed with violence and power. There are actually two generations of Cyclopes in Greek myth. The first generation consisted of three brothers, Brontes ("thunderer"), Steropes ("flasher"), and Arges ("brightener"), who came from the union of Gaia (earth) and Uranus (sky). The second generation descended from Poseidon, and the most famous of these was Polyphemus from Homer's Odyssey. Brontes, Steropes, and Arges (the three descended from Gaia and Uranus) were the inventive blacksmiths of the Olympian gods. They were skilled metal workers and created Zeus' thunderbolts, Poseidon's trident, and Hades' Helmet of Darkness that was later used by Perseus while on his quest to decapitate Medusa. However, they spent the majority of their early existence imprisoned. Their father Uranus (sky) hated all of his offspring (the Titans, Cyclopes, and Hecatonchires or hundred-handers) and kept them confined deep within Gaia (earth). The defeat of Uranus by his son Cronus (a Titan) freed the Cyclopes for a time, but Cronus was a paranoid ruler. He feared the Cyclopes' power and cast them into Tartarus (the place of punishment in the underworld) where they remained imprisoned until Zeus (an Olympian and son of Cronus) released them, requiring their aid in the Titanomachy (battle of the Titans). With the assistance of the Cyclopes and their thunderbolts, Zeus overthrew Cronus and the Titans and became ruler of the cosmos. He was grateful for the Cyclopes' help and allowed them to stay in Olympus as his armorers and helpers to Hephaestus, god of smiths. The Greeks also credited them with building the massive fortifications at Tiryns and Mycenae in the Peloponnese. Brontes, Steropes, and Arges are mainly mentioned in passing in most of the myths to convey strength in heroes and the fine quality of weapons but are major characters in one other event - their deaths at the hands of Apollo. Zeus struck Asclepius, Apollo's son, down with a thunderbolt for having risen a person from the dead. Apollo was outraged and killed the Cyclopes who had forged the deadly thunderbolt. It appears that Apollo's rage was misplaced, yet by killing the Cyclopes, he was indirectly punishing Zeus. The ghosts of Brontes, Steropes, and Arges are said to dwell in Mt. Aetna, an active volcano that smokes as a result of their burning forges. The second generation of Cyclopes was a band of lawless shepherds living in Sicily who had lost the skill of metallurgy. Polyphemus, son of Poseidon and the sea nymph Thoosa, is the only notable individual of the lot and figures prominently in Homer's Odyssey. Odysseus and his crew landed on Sicily, realm of the Cyclopes. He and a few of his best men became trapped in Polyphemus' cave when Polyphemus rolled a large boulder in front of the entrance to corral his sheep while Odysseus was still inside. Polyphemus was fond of human flesh and devoured many of the men for dinner. On the second night, Odysseus told Polyphemus that his name was "Nobody," and tricked him into drinking enough wine to pass out. While he was incapacitated, Odysseus/Nobody blinded him with a red hot poker. Polyphemus shouted in pain to the other Cyclopes on the island that "Nobody" was trying to kill him, so no one came to his rescue. Eventually, he had to roll away the stone to allow his sheep to graze. Odysseus and the remaining crew clung to the bellies of the exiting sheep where Polyphemus could not feel them as they passed him on their way to pasture and escaped. As Odysseus sailed away from the island, he shouted to Polyphemus that it was Odysseus who had blinded him. Enraged, the Cyclops threw huge boulders at the ship and shouted to his father, Poseidon, to avenge him. Recent scholars have hypothesized about the origin of the Cyclopes' single eye. One possibility is that in ancient times, smiths could have worn an eye patch over one eye to prevent being blinded in both eyes from flying sparks. Also, smiths sometimes tattooed themselves with concentric circles which could have been in honor of the sun which provided the fire for their furnaces. Concentric rings were also part of the pattern for making bowls, helmets, masks, and other metal objects. Notice that the first generation Cyclopes were associated with metal-working while the second generation was not. Apparently, the lawless band of Cyclopes is a later addition to the myths. The incidence with Polyphemus seems to have had an independent existence from the Odyssey before Homer added it to his epic adventure. It was probably told as a separate myth at certain functions. It is uncertain why the Cyclopes were demoted from the smiths of the gods to a lawless group of monsters with no reverence for the gods. When the universe came into being, there were many monsters and vague forms that were gradually replaced with beings with more human forms. Order was replacing chaos. The monsters were phased out, and this could have lead to the transformation of the "good" Cyclopes to the "evil" Cyclopes that were destined to be fought and defeated by the divine human form. Pronunciation {sy'-klahps} Other Used sources The story of Odysseus and the Cyclopes, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.   Cyhiraeth The Celtic goddess of streams. She later entered folklore as a spectre haunting woodland streams. Her shriek was said to foretell death (see: Banshee).  Cynthia Cynthia is an epithet of Artemis, referring to her and Apollo's place of birth on Mount Cynthus on the island of Delos. For the same reason, Apollo was called Cynthius. Cyrene (Kyrene) The daughter of the naiad Creusa and the mortal Hypseus, king of the Lapiths. The god Apollo fell in love with her and took her to Africa, where he built her a city (called Cyrene, on the coast of North Africa). The region Cyrenaica is also named after her. Aristaeus is her son by Apollo.  Cytherea An epithet of Aphrodite, referring to the fact that she rose from the sea near the island of Cythera, and where she was particularly worshipped. Da-yu (Ta-yü) The mythical founder of the Xia Dynasty, and called Yu the Great. According to legend he stopped a great deluge which had already reached up to Heaven. He made holes through the mountains and thus producing outlets through which the water could drain away. His next feat was to make the land arable by regulating the course of the waters and connection the nine provinces with each other. This took so much of his strength, however, that he began to walk with a limp. This limping gait became the model for a shamanic dance, performed by Taoist masters, called Yu-bu (the "step of Yu"). According to one tradition, Da-yu used to change himself into a bear during his work. Every day his wife brought him food as soon as he beat his drum. One day, as he was breaking up rocks, two fragments clashed against each other, producing the sound of a drum. Immediately his wife came running with the food but when she beheld a bear, she turned and fled. Da-yu pursued her, but the wife was terrified and kept on running until she fell to the ground, completely exhausted, and turned to stone. Since she was pregnant, the stone began to grow. After some months, Yu opened her petrified body with his sword and his son Qi ("the Opener") was born. Da-yu is also known as the "Master of the Way". Dabog (Vid, Daba, Hromi (Lame) Daba) A south Slavonic sun god, son of the god Svarog. God of the herd and of precious metals. He was worshipped in Ukraine, Poland, and Russia. In Kiev, statues could be found of Dabog and in the Igor-song (1185) the Russians are mentioned as his grand-children. With the advent of Christianity he was equated with Satan. In Poland he is called Dazbog. Dabur "West Wind". In Sufi lore, Dabur is symbolic of carnal lust. Dactyls (Dactyloi, Idaean Dactyls) In Greek mythology, they are demons believed to live on Mount Ida in Phrygia (Asia Minor), or on the Isle of Crete. They were considered to be the first metallurgists: they discovered iron and the art of working metals by fire. They belonged to the retinue of the goddess Cybele. The Dactyls are sometimes identified with the Cabiri, Curetes and Corybantes; mostly because of the mystery cults that surrounded those groups. Their name is derived from daktylos ("finger") and is probably based either on their skill with metals or on their small size. Daena The goddess who personifies religion in Persian mythology. Her name means "that which was revealed". Daena is considered to be the daughter of Ahura Mazda and Armaiti. She is one of the Yazatas.  Daevas (Daivas, Devas, Devs) In ancient Persian mythology they are demons who cause plagues and diseases and who fight every form of religion. They are the male servants (or followers) of Angra Mainyu, also known as Ahriman. The female servants are called the Drugs. ogether they fight Ahuru Mazda (Ormazd) and his Amesha Spentas. Originally, the Daevas, together with the Ahuras, were a classification of gods and spirits. In later Persian religion they were degraded to a lesser kind of beings, demons. The word 'devil' is derived from their name. The seven archdemons of the Daevas are: Aesma Daeva, Aka Manah, Indra, Nanghaithya, Saurva, Tawrich and Zarich.  Dagan In the Semetic dialect of ancient Syria and Palestine, an apellation of Baal. Literally, "grain".  Dagda (Daghda, Dagde, Dagodevas) The Irish-Celtic god of the earth and treaties, and ruler over life and death. Dagda, or The Dagda, ("the good god") is one of the most prominent gods and the leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is a master of magic, a fearsome warrior and a skilled artisan. Dagda is a son of the goddess Danu, and father of the goddess Brigid and the god Aengus mac Oc. The Morrigan is his wife. His attributes are a cauldron with an inexhaustible supply of food, a magical harp with which he summons the seasons, and an enormous club, which can kill as well as restore men to life. One of his epithets is Ollathir, which means "All-father". He is identified with the Welsh Gwydion and the Gallic Sucellos.  Dagon by Boyd Pearson Dagon, the name means "corn", is an ancient Mesopotamian vegetation god, father of Baal in his father's attributes. He is the god of crop fertility and the inventor of the plough. He passed this knowledge to mankind to let them better till the soil and produce food. Dagon's temples were in Philistine for about 2000 years, although Baal took over in most parts of the Middle East. Dagon is one of the really old gods. The Ras Shamra texts describe Dagon as coeval with El, who is the most ancient and senior of all the Semitic gods. Dagon's temple at Ashdod still existed right up until the time of the Hasmoneans [who ruled parts of Palestine in Jesus' days]. Dagon was portrayed half man and half fish.  Dagur In Norse myth, Dagur is the personification of the day. He is the son of Delling, the personification of twilight, and Nott. The gods gave Dagur a chariot and put him in the sky. His chariot is pulled by the horse is Skinfaxi, whose shining mane illuminates the earth and the sky.  Dagwanoenyent by Gerald Musinsky A dangerous witch who lives in the North and who is often represented as a whirlwind. She is destroyed by the father of her child. [Northeast Woodlands, Seneca]  Dahaka (Zohak) An ancient Persian god of death and demon of deceit and mendacity. He loves destroying life. Dahaka is usually depicted with three heads, while scorpions and lizards crawl all over his body.  Dahdahwat by Gerald Musinsky Mythical animals who appear in dreams, visions, and temporal reality and have the ability to take on many forms. [Northeast Woodlands, Seneca] Dahhak An evil demon in Persian mythology. Daibosatsu (Dai Bosatsu) The Japanese Great bodhisattva, the Buddha-Elect or the Buddha in his previous world appearance. A gigantic statue of the meditating Buddha as world ruler can be found near Kamakura and is called Daibutsu. Daikoku (Daikoko-tenn) The Japanese god of wealth and protector of the soil and patron of farmers. He is one of the Shichi Fukujin. Called the Great Black One, he makes wishes of mortals come true. He is portrayed as a fat and prosperous man, standing or seated on two bags of rice and with a bag of jewels on his shoulder. On his chest he has a golden sun disk and in his hand he holds a magic mallet (with male and female symbols) which fulfils all wishes. His familiar is the rat, and he is a friend of children. Ebisu is his son. Sometimes the image is of a goddess, called Yasha. Daimon by Alan G. Hefner Daimon is the Greek derivative for the term demon. In this sense the term "demon" means "replete with knowledge." The ancient Greeks thought there were good and bad demons called 'eudemons' and 'cacodemons.' The term 'daimon' means "divine power," "fate" or "god." Daimons, in Greek mythology, included deified heroes. They were considered intermediary spirits between men and the gods. Good daimons were considered to be guardian spirits, giving guidance and protection to the ones they watched over. Bad daimons led people astray. Socrates said he had a life-time daimon that always warned him of danger and bad judgment, but never directed his actions. He said his daimon was more accurate than omens of either watching the flights or reading the entrails of birds, which were two respected forms of divination of the time. Other Used sources Dainichi-Nyorai In Japanese cosmology, the name for the bodhisattva Dainichi in his aspect of the element of ether. Ether signifies the understanding which becomes the nature-substance. Also called 'The Great Sun-Buddha'. Dainichi The Japanese Buddhist personification of purity and wisdom. Daityas In Hindu myth, the early giants who fought against the gods. Dakini A Tibetan supernatural creature, a patron goddess of the Buddhistic doctrine. Dakinis are usually represented as naked young women with animal heads or masks who fly through the sky. Their nudity symbolizes the naked truth. Images Dakini Daksha by Stephen T. Naylor Daksha probably began as one of the pre-Vedic deities of India. In Vedic and post-Vedic times he took on differing characteristics. He is named as one of the Prajapatis, the lords of creation, and is one of the children of Aditi. Later he became one of the Rishis, and is the son of Brahma, having been born of the creator-god's right thumb. He may have had aspects as a creator-god or sun god himself at one point, but these are only alluded to. Daksha is best-known as the father of numerous daughters with his consort Prasuti. Many of these daughters married gods, and Daksha proved on more than one occasion to be a very overprotective father, sometimes at the expense of his son-in-law. Twenty-seven of his daughters were the stations of the moon, and were wed to Soma in his capacity as moon god. Soma tended to favor one of these daughters, Rohini. Daksha learned of this and was terribly upset that Soma was neglecting his other daughters. He cursed Soma with consumption so the god would die a slow and lingering death. Soma's wives pleaded with their father, however, and he commuted Soma's sentence to be periodic, which accounts for the waxing and waning of the moon. Daksha's other famous son-in-law was Shiva. Daksha's daughter Sati was set on marrying Shiva, but her father did not approve. She did so anyway, and Daksha held an enmity toward the destroyer-god from that point on. Daksha decided to hold a holy horse sacrifice to Vishnu, and invited all the other gods to attend except Shiva, who was forbidden to be a part of such a ceremony. Sati killed herself in response to this shame. Shiva was furious at his wife's death and to have been excluded, and crashed the party with devastating effect. The gods and sages in attendance were knocked sprawling, with many being maimed in the process. Shiva ripped Daksha's head off in his rage and hurled it into the sacrificial fire. Eventually the god calmed down, and he replaced Daksha's head with that of a goat. Other Used sources   Dakuwanga The Fijian shark-god. He is the scourge of the fishermen, eating their fish as well as the men who fall overboard. However, ever the powerful shark-god one day met his match, the giant octopus, guardian of the reef. After a long battle, the octopus won and the Dakuwanga had to promise never to attack the men of the Kandavu (one of the major Fijian islands) again.  Dala Kadavara A Singhalese demoness who brings diseases and misfortune. Originally, Dala Kadavara was an elephant-goddess.  Daldal by Gerald Musinsky Daldal, also known as Dragonfly, is a cultural hero aspiring to do good deeds. He is the slayer of monsters and responsible for the benevolent life style among the Takelma. [Northwest Coastal]  Dalhan A demon riding an ostrich in the desert. It devours travellers.  Damballa (Damballah, Dambala) The most important god of voodoo-religion in the Caribbean. He is a snake-god and lives in the trees near springs. He is also a fertility god and the father of all the loa (voodoo divinities). On Haiti he is called Bon Dieu ("good god") and his wife is the rainbow goddess Ayida Weddo. His holy color is white.  Damgalnunna The Mesopotamian mother-goddess, consort of the god Enki. She is often identified with the Sumerian earth-goddess Ninchursanga. Her Akkadian equivalent is Damkina (spouse of Ea).  Damia A Greek goddess of growth in nature. Possibly equal to Demeter.  Damkina An ancient Sumero-Babylonian goddess, consort of Enki, ruler of Apsu at Eridu.  Damona A Gallic goddess, known as the "Divine Cow". She is the spouse of Borvo.  Dan Petro The Haitian loa of farmers. He originated from the African god Danh.  Dan Wédo (Saint Louis) The Haitian loa of the king of France.  Dana o'Shee In Irish folklore, they are small, graceful creatures. The Dana o'Shee live in a realm of eternal beauty and remain eternally young as nobles from the age of chivalry with their own king and queen and royal household. They wear beautiful clothes enriched with precious jewels. They love music, dancing and hunting and can often be seen riding in a procession, led by the king and queen. But even these lovely creatures can be treacherous, and some people say they come from the realm of the dead. A person enchanted by their beauty or music is forever lost. An Irish story tells of a man whose wife was held captive by the Dana o'Shee. To save her, according to tradition, he must stand watch on All Saint's Eve when the Dana o'Shee and his wife would ride past. Then he must empty a jug of milk over her head. However, the man didn't know that the milk was watered. That broke the spell and the woman fell off the horse. The little creatures closed in around her, and she was never seen again. The next day the road was sprinkled with her blood: the Dana o'Shee had taken revenge.  Danae (Danaë) by James Hunter Danae was the daughter of Acrisius. An oracle warned Acrisius that Danae's son would someday kill him, so Acrisius shut Danae in a bronze room, away from all male company. However, Zeus conceived a passion for Danae, and came to her through the roof, in the form of a shower of gold that poured down into her lap; as a result she had a son, Perseus. When Acrisius discovered Perseus, he locked both mother and son in a chest, and set it adrift on the sea. The chest came ashore at Seriphus, where Danae and Perseus were welcomed. Later, King Polydectes of Seriphus fell in love with Danae and tried to force himself on her; he was eventually killed by Perseus. Pronunciation {dan'-ay-ee} Other Used sources  Danaides (Danaïdes) The fifty daughters of Danaus. He fled with his daughters in fear of his twin brother Aegyptus, but the fifty sons of Aegyptos followed them to Argos and forced Danaus to give them his daughters in marriage. At their father's behest they murdered their husbands at their wedding night. The only one who spared her husband was Hypermnestra. In Hades, the girls were condemned eternally to pour water in a vessel with holes in its bottom.  Danavas Demonic beings of the ocean in Indian mythology.  Danu (Dan, Dana, Dann) The Irish/Celtic earth goddess, matriarch of the Tuatha Dé Danann ("People of the goddess Danu"). Danu is the mother of various Irish gods, such as the Dagda (also mentioned as her father), Dian Cecht, Ogma, Lir, Lugh, and many others. Her Welsh equivalent is the goddess Don.  Danu The Hindu goddess of the primordial waters.  Daoine maite Literally, the good people. They are the fairies of contemporary Irish folklore.  Daoine Sidhe The divine folk of Old Irish folklore. After the Tuatha Dé Danann were defeated by the Milesians (Gaels), those members who decided to stay in Ireland formed the Daoine Sidhe. They live in hollow mounds, hence the name sidhe which literally means "people of the (fairy) mounds". In Connaught they are ruled by Finbheara, who holds court beneath the fairy hill of Knockma. His wife is the fair Oonagh. In Munster, there are three fairy queens: Cliodna, Aine (said to be the mother of Earl Gerald, who sleeps under the castle of Mullaghmast), and Aoibhill. The Daoine Sidhe are fond of battles, hurling (a kind of field hockey) and are skilled chess players. Many a mortal challenged Finvarra to a game and lost all his possessions, for the king has never been beaten. These fairies are small and this is responsible for the name of daoine beaga, "little folk". They may ride out to hunt, or stir up an eddy of dust, or engage in battles, or steal children, or prevent butter from forming in the churn. Finbheara is pronounced as Finvarra, Cliodna as Cleena, and Aoibhill as Eevil.  Daphne by Melissa Lee The story of Daphne is an example of an etiological myth, one that is strongly explanatory of why certain things in their culture were a certain way. There are many examples of Greek myths that explain why certain religious rituals were performed, why some peoples may be named what they are, or even why varying objects, plants and animals were symbols of their gods. The gods were known for punishing mortals for offending them, but occasionally they punished each other. The gods were a vengeful folk, and they did not take kindly to being insulted, by mortal or god. Apollo made the mistake of insulting one of his fellow immortal. Apollo was a great archer, but sometimes he was a little full of himself. One day he caught sight of Eros, the son of Aphrodite. Eros was also an archer, and his arrows were responsible for instilling the twists and turns of love and lust in a person's heart. Apollo teased young Eros, putting down his abilities as an archer, claiming that one so small could make no difference with his arrows. Angry at this insult, Eros shot two arrows, one tipped in gold, one blunted and tipped with lead. The arrow dipped in gold had the power to create insatiable lust in a person, while the other created absolute abhorrence towards all things romantic and passionate. The unfortunate soul who was struck with that arrow would have no desire to love anyone. The arrow dipped in gold struck Apollo, but the arrow dipped in lead struck fair Daphne. Daphne was the daughter of the river god Peneus. Apollo chased down the maiden, desperate for her love, but she wanted nothing to do with him, and she ran from him endlessly. Soon, she grew weary in her running and that Apollo would ultimately catch her. Fearful, she called out to her father for help. As all gods of water posses the ability of transformation, Peneus transformed his daughter into a laurel tree. Suddenly her legs took root, and her arms grew into long and slender branches. Apollo reached the laurel tree, and, still enamored with Daphne, held the tree in a special place in his heart. He claimed the tree the as his special tree, and adorned himself with some of it's leaves. And that is why the laurel was, and still is, a symbol of the god Apollo. Other Used sources The story of Apollo and Daphne, as told by Thomas Bulfinch   Dapie The moon-goddess in Seran mythology.  Dar-es-Salaam "House of Peace". Paradise (Koran 6:127).  Daramulum The Australian (Wiradyuri and Kamilaroi) sky-god, son of the creator-god Baiame. He is the intermediary between his father and humans. Daramulum ("one-leg") is associated with the moon, and the one of the sources of supernatural power accessible to medicine men. Representations of Daramulum are only shown during initiation rites.  Dardanus (Dardanos) The son of Zeus and Electra. He sailed from Samothrace to Troas in a raft made of hides. Once he arrived there, he founded the city of Dardania (the later, ill-fated city of Troy).  Darzamat The Latvian goddess of gardens. Dasim In Islamic tales, an evil spirit, the son of Iblis. He causes hatred between spouses. Dasyus One of the races of the Asuras in Vedic myth who were defeated by Indra. Datin A pre-Islamic oracular deity of northern Arabia whose name appears in many inscriptions. Besides giving oracles, he is also believed to administer justice. Davy Jones The spirit or personification of the sea in sailors' lingo. Davy Jones's locker is the bottom of the sea. To go to Davy Jones's Locker is a common phrase meaning to be drowned at sea, or to die and be buried at sea.  Dawn Maiden In New Zealand mythology, the daughter of the sky-god Tane. Each morning she makes love to him and then gives birth to the sun, after which she vanishes.  Dea Dia A Roman goddess of growth, identified with Ceres. Her priests were the Fratres Arvales who honored her in the feast of the Ambarvalia, held in May. During these days, the priests blessed the fields and made offerings to the powers of the underworld.  Dea Matrona The Celtic deity at the source of the river Marne (northeastern France).  Dea Sequana The Celtic deity at the source of the river Seine (northern France).  Dea Tacita The 'silent goddess'. A Roman goddess of dead. (See also Larenta.)  Death cults The veneration of the dead plays an important role in mythology and (nature) religions. It is inspired by fear for wrath of the deceased, and by obtaining their council and favors. A large part of the religious life concentrated therefore around the death cults, a/o. in Egypt and the peoples in Asia Minor. This led to the erection of huge monuments (mastabas, pyramids, grave-temples, and rock-graves) in Egypt. But also in ancient China, Mesopotamia, and India the dead were honored by impressive monuments and elaborate rituals. Although the death cults and burial rituals may be different among the nature religions, the reasons are the same; either affection towards the deceased or else fear for the soul wandering in the vicinity of the corpse and which must be appeased (with offerings, prayers, incantations). Some of those rituals have as purpose to mislead the soul by having the body disappear (for instance, through a hole in the wall or in the roof). Common is also a form of cannibalism where the body is eaten in order to obtain some of the strength of the deceased. The mummification of the dead, which originated in the belief of life after death, was an important part of the death cults too. The dead were often accompanied by tools, food and drink, and money to ensure them of a good after-life. Some rulers had their servants killed in advance, so they could prepare their master's arrival and continue to serve them, even after death.  Debata The sole deity of the Toba-Batak, who live near the Toba Lake in Sumatra. Debata is also the term for divine power in general.  Decima A Roman goddess of childbirth. Together with Nona and Morta she forms the Parcae (the Roman goddesses of Fate).  Dedun (Dedwen) The Egyptian/Nubian god of wealth and incense. He is associated with the southern lands. Dedun (Dedwen) is usually depicted in human form but also as a lion.  Degei (Dengei) The Fijian serpent-god who lives in the Kauvadra hills. When a person dies, his soul faces a long journey from the sunny land of the living to the cold, misty land of the dead. Upon the soul's arrival, Degei will interrogate it. Idle men, recognized by their long nails, will be punished. Industrious souls will be rewarded. When the soul is judged, it is thrown into a deep lake. It will sink for a long time until it reaches Murimuria, a sort of Purgatory. There some will be rewarded and others will receive dire punishment. Only are few are chosen by the gods to go to Burotu, the land of eternal life and joy.  Dei Lucrii The Roman gods of profit. In time they were superceded by Mercury.  Deianira A princess from Greek legend. She became the wife of Heracles after he fought for her with Achelous. Later she unwittingly gave her husband the poisoned of the Centaur Nessus, who told her it would grant Heracles immortality. When he tried on the shirt the poison killed him. Deianira took her own live out of grief over his death.  Deimos The personification of dread. Deimos ("fear") is considered as a son of Ares, and brother of Phobos. He accompanied Ares on the battlefields.  Deino by Darren Schlissel, Clarksville Middle School Deino, which means dread, was one of the three Graeae (gray women) in Greek Mythology. Her parents were Phorcys and Ceto. She had quite a few sisters including Enys, Pemphredo, and Graea. Her other sisters were female monsters known as the Gorgons. The Gorgons, who the Graea guarded, were Euryale, Sthenno, and Medusa. The best known Gorgon, Medusa, had snakes for hair, and turned whoever looked at her to stone. There were several ways in which Deino and her sisters Enys and Pemphredo were unique. First, they had been gray-haired since their birth (hence their name). But even more interesting, they only shared one eye and one tooth among them. This occasionally led to trouble. In one mythological story King Polydectes sent Perseus off to bring back the head of Medusa, one of the Gorgons. Since Perseus needed information on where to find Medusa, he went to Deino and the other two Graeae. As the sisters were passing their eye between them, Perseus snatched it and held it until they told him everything he wanted to know.  Deirdre In Irish Gaelic literature, folklore, and mythology, a legendary heroine. Deirdre, who was renowned for her beauty, was brought up by Conchobar, King of Ulster, who planned to marry her. However, she fell in love with his nephew Noíse and they fled to Scotland, accompanied by his two brothers. Emissaries of the king induced them to return to Ireland, and when they did, Conchobar had the three brothers treacherously killed. Deirdre then died of grief. This story is told in the Ulster Cycle and inspired many later playwrights, poets and writers, such as William Butler Yeats, and forms the basis of J. M. Synge's play Deirdre.  Deivai The Prussian respectful term for 'goddess'.  Dekla by Aldis Putelis Dekla is a deity of fortune and destiny. She functions together with Laima but in general she is less mentioned and described. Her functions are not clear and they double those of Laima/ Mara. There have been some attempts to establish a trinity of Latvian deities of destiny - Laima, Karta and Dekla - but this is more due to such in Greek and Roman mythologies, than according the actual material given in the texts.  Demeter The Greek earth goddess par excellence, who brings forth the fruits of the earth, particularly the various grains. She taught mankind the art of sowing and ploughing so they could end their nomadic existence. As such, Demeter was also the goddess of planned society. She was very popular with the rural population. As a fertility goddess she is sometimes identified with Rhea and Gaia. In systematized theology, Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus by whom she became the mother of Persephone. When Persephone was abducted by Hades, lord of the underworld, Demeter wondered the earth in search of her lost child. During this time the earth brought forth no grain. Finally Zeus sent Hermes to the underworld, ordering Hades to restore Persephone to her mother. However, before she left, Hades gave her a pomegranate (a common fertility symbol). When she ate from it, she was bound to spend a third of the year with her husband in the infernal regions. Only when her daughter is with her, Demeter lets things grow (summer). The dying and blossoming of nature was thus connected with Demeter. In the Eleusinian Mysteries, Demeter and Persephone were especially venerated. When she was looking for her daughter, in the shape of an old woman called Doso, she was welcomed by Celeus, the king of Eleusis (in Attica). He requested her to nurse his sons Demophon and Triptolemus 1. To reward his hospitality she intended to make the boy Demophon immortal by placing him each night in the hearth, to burn his mortal nature away. The spell was broken one night because Metanira, the wife of Celeus, walked in on her while she was performing this ritual. Demeter taught the other son, Triptolemus, the principles of agriculture, who, in turn, taught others this art. In Demeter's honor as a goddess of marriage, women in Athens, and other centers in Greece, celebrated the feast of Thesmophoria (from her epithet Thesmophoros, "she of the regular customs"). Throughout Classical times members of all social strata came from all parts of the Mediterranean world to be initiated in and celebrate her Mysteries at Eleusis. In ancient art, Demeter was often portrayed (sitting) as a solemn woman, often wearing a wreath of braided ears of corn. Well-known is the statue made by Knidos (mid forth century BC). Her usual symbolic attributes are the fruits of the earth and the torch, the latter presumably referring to her search for Persephone. Her sacred animals were the snake (an earth-creature) and the pig (another symbol of fertility). Some of her epithets include Auxesia, Deo, Chloe, and Sito. The Romans equated her with the goddess Ceres. Pronunciation {dih-mee'-tur} Images Demeter 1. According to some sources, Demephon and Triptolemus are the same character, namely Triptolemus.   Demiurge (Demiourgos, Demogorgon) In the dualistic Gnostic theology, the creator of the material world, which is evil by nature. Hence he was identified by the early Christian Gnostic heretics with Yahweh.  Demon The word "demon" (or daemon) comes from the Greek "daimon", which means "spirit". In ancient times, this term denoted spirits in general, without making a distinction between good or evil. In the western world, under the influence of medieval Christianity, a demon became synonym for an evil entity or evil spirit. These spirits are set out on destruction or, at least, the tormenting of mankind. Pronunciation {dee'-muhn}  Dena A Persian goddess. She is the daughter of Ahura Mazda.  Dendrites by Clarksville Middle School An epithet of Dionysus as fertility-god, literally meaning "he or the trees." He was the last god to come to Olympus. Homer didn¹t admit him. Thebes was his own city, where he was born, the son of Zeus and the Theban princess Semele.  Deng (Denka) The creator and sky god, as well as a god of rain and fertility, among the Dinka people in Africa. He is the son of the goddess Abuk.  Deo Originally, any one of the 33 great divinities of Hinduism.  Despina "Mistress". A daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. It is also an epithet for multiple goddesses, such as Aphrodite, Demeter, and Persephone.  Deucalion Deucalion is the son of Prometheus and Clymene. When Zeus punished humankind for their lack of respect by sending the deluge, Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha were the sole survivors. They were saved because of their piety. Prometheus advised his son to build an ark and they survived by staying on the boat. When they were finally able to get back on land (on Mount Parnassos), they gave thank offerings to Zeus and consulted the oracle of Themis how they might replenish the earth with humans once again. They were told to throw the bones of their mother behind their shoulder and the human race would reappear. Since the mother of all is Earth, they threw stones and reformed the human race. The stones thrown by Pyrrha became women, those thrown by Deucalion became men. Pronunciation {ue-kay'-lee-uhn}  Dev In ancient Armenian mythology, they are a group of immortal spirits who inhabit old ruins. They mingle with the living. Some of them are beneficent, such as the dog-shaped Aralez who restores those fallen in battle to life by licking their wounds. Others, such as Ays, Vishap and the torturer Chival, are truly evil.  Dev In Persian mythology, a demon of enormous power, a ruthless and immoral god of war.  Deva In Hinduism, the generic term for a divine being, degraded into an evil spirit in Zoroastrianism.  Devaki A Hindu mother goddess. She is the consort of the mythical king Vasudeva, mother of Krishna and Balarama (born of hairs from the head of Vishnu which that god placed in her womb).  Devapurohita A Hindu astral god who is associated with the planet Jupiter.  Devasena A Hindu goddess, one of the consorts of Skanda.  Devata In Hindu mythology, a god. This term is usually applied to the inferior gods.  Devel The Gypsy supreme deity. He is also called Del.  Devequth "Adherence". In Jewish mysticism, the constant attachment of the soul to God.  Deverra The Roman goddess who protects women in labor, and patroness of midwives.  Devi by Kayur Shah, Clarksville Middle School Devi is the Divine Mother of the Hindu culture. Her name means "goddess." She has many names and forms such as the warrior Durgha and the bloodthirsty Kali or she can be gentle as Parvati, mother of the elephant god Ganesha. Devi is the consort (wife) of Shiva which is Parvati. Shiva is the god of generation and destruction. Devi is the "Mother Goddess," meaning she is the mother of all. In her hands she holds joy and pain, right hand; and life and death is held on her left hand. Devi is the god of nature and life because she brings rain and protects against disease. Devi is mild and loving. This was the personality of Devi as mother of life. As mother of death, she is terrible. In her description, Devi has eight arms, only one arm has a sword. When she is fighting against evil, she is usually mounted on a lion or a tiger. Devi holds the universe in her wombs. Devi is the warrior Durgha when she is the mother of death. Gods begged Durgha to kill and protect from the evil Mahisasura. Devi is in all the women's soul and she can also turn into the religious Uma. Devi's diagram is called her mansions. In the middle of her forehead, she has a Bindu (drop or dot) which in some ways seems to be masculine. Lakshmi, wife of Vishnu is an incarnation of Devi. She is the goddess of creative power and represents all women in the universe.   Devil The word "devil" is, in European languages, a corruption of the Greek diabolos, meaning "adversary, prosecutor", which is in turn a translation of the Hebrew Satan. In the plural is was also used in medieval theology to denote Satan's attending spirits. Also duivel, teufel, diable, etc.  Deving Isching The Latvian god of horses.  Dewi An old Welsh god. The official emblem of Wales, a red dragon, is derived from the Great Red Serpent that once represented the god Dewi.  Dewi Gandari The queen of the blind King Drestarata, and daughter of King Tistawa. According to Javanese mythology she gave birth to 101 children: 100 sons and 1 daughter. The sons are collectively known as the Korawas. The eldest son is called Duryudana.  Dha-shi-zhi (Dha-shih-chih) A female bodhisattva of Chinese Buddhism, whose name means "the Strongest". Through the power of her love she managed to break the circle of rebirth for everyone. In the heavenly paradise the souls appear before her in the shape of flowers.  Dhakhan The ancestral spirit of the Aboriginals of Queensland (north-east Australia). He is half fish, half snake and when Dhakhan moves himself, he appears in the sky as a rainbow. The spirit lives in deep holes underneath the water.  Dhanistha Another Hindu goddess of misfortune, a malevolent nakshatra. She is a daughter of Daksha and consort of Chandra (Soma).  Dhanvantari The Hindu physician of the gods. He was originally a sun god, and prominent in the Vedas. Dhanvantari was identified as the carrier of ambrosia from the primeval ocean and as the teacher of medicine to mankind. In later Hinduism he was regarded as an avatara of Vishnu.  Dhara In Hinduism, one of the eight vasu deities who attended the god Indra.  Dharani A Hindu goddess of minor importance, an avatara of the goddess Lakshmi and consort of Parasurama.  Dharma A Hindu god, the personification of the divine inner 'law' (dharma). He was originally a creator god and the son of Brahma, but he is also considered as an avatara of Vishnu.  Dharti Mata A Hindu mother goddess who first appears in the Puranic texts.  Dhatar A Hindu sun god. One of the adityas.  Dhatri In Hindu myth, one of the Adityas, guardian deities of the months.  Dhisana A Hindu goddess of prosperity. She appears in the Vedas.  Dhol (Dhaul) In Indian folktales, the white cow which supports the earth on its horns.  Dhruva The Hindu god of the Pole Star. He is an avatara of Vishnu and one of the vasu deities.  Dhumavati A Hindu goddess. She is one of the ten mahavidyas personifying the Sakti of Shiva.  Dhumorna A Hindu goddess, consort of Yama.  Dhumravati A Hindu demonic goddess.  Dhurjati A Hindu god, a manifestation of Shiva.  Di-cang (Ti-Ts'ang) One of the four great bodhisattvas in Chinese Buddhism, whose name means "Womb of the Earth." He liberates those who dwell in the various hells (naraka). He can take on six different forms in order to help the beings of the six modes of existence (gati). It is said that he was a Korean prince from the Tang period who lived on the mountain Jiu-hua-shan in South China. After his death his body did not decay, and a temple was built over it (which still exists today). Di-cang is depicted as a monk with in his right hand a metal staff with six jingling rings on it, which opens the gates of the hells for him. In his left hand he holds a wish-fulfilling jewel, the radiance of which illuminates the hells and calms the sufferings of the damned. He is occasionally portrayed with a crown of the type that was usually worn by monks during funeral ceremonies. He is similar to the Sanskrit Kshitigarbha.  Di-guan (Ti-guan) The Ruler of the Earth in religious Taoism. One of the three San-guan. He plays an important part in the religious life of the Chinese. Di-guan forgives sins and transgressions.  Di-ya (Ti-ya) Di-ya and Tian-long are Chinese deities and the servants of Wen Chang, the god of literature. Another myth mentions them as the primordial pair of gods from whom all creatures came forth.  Diable Tonnere A powerful Haitian thunder spirit, one of the loa.  Dian Cecht The great god of healing and the physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He made the silver hand for his brother king Nuada to replace the one he lost in battle. Dian Cecht had blessed the well Slane in which the wounded Tuatha Dé bathed. It healed all their wounds so they could resume their fighting. He had a son, Miach, whom he slew out of professional jealousy. Miach had replaced the silver hand Dian Cecht had made for Nuada with Nuada's own hand. Some claimed it was jealousy, while Dian Cecht said is was the disrespectful manner in which the replacement was done. He is also the grandfather of Lugh.  Diana The Roman goddess of nature, fertility and childbirth. She is closely identified with the Greek goddess Artemis. Diana is also a moon-goddess and was originally worshipped on the mountain Tifata near Capua and in sacred forests (such as Aricia in Latium). Her priest lived in Aricia and if a man was able to kill him with a bough broken from a tree in this forest, he would become priest himself 1. Also torch-bearing processions were held in her honor here. Later she was given a temple in the working-class area on the Aventine Hill where she was mainly worshipped by the lower class (plebeians) and the slaves, of whom she was the patroness. Slaves could also ask for asylum in her temple. Her festival coincided with the idus (13th) of August. Diana was originally a goddess of fertility and, just as Bona Dea, she was worshipped mainly by women as the giver of fertility and easy births. Under Greek influence she was equated with Artemis and assumed many of her aspects. Her name is possibly derived from 'diviana' ("the shining one"). She is portrayed as a huntress accompanied by a deer. Diana was also the goddess of the Latin commonwealth. Images Diana 1. Details of the ritual are described in "The Golden Bough" by Sir James George Frazer. The story of Diana and Actaeon, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.  Dibbuk An evil spirit which takes possession of an individual. These spirits were believed to cause madness, to speak through the mouth and to cleave to the human soul. They can be exorcised by pronouncing and conjuring the Name of God.  Diejuste A benevolent loa from Haitian voodoo.  Dieva deli by Aldis Putelis The sons of the supreme god Dievs and the suitors of Saules meitas. They work in the household of their father and on the heavenly meadows. Their number is not clear; there are mostly two of them, but sometimes three. Also uncertain is which deities actually were referred to as the Dieva deli (such as Janis and Jumis) although there are texts attributing this description especially to Janis. Also the relations with Christianity are not clear enough. The pattern of masculine deities having sons seems to be general in Latvian material; whether it has started with son(s) of god cannot be stated clearly.  Dievini by Aldis Putelis Dievini (diminutive plural from dievs) is a collective name for the group of minor gods of the Latvian pantheon. Mostly, the Dievini act as protecting and household gods.  Dievs by Aldis Putelis Dievs ("god") is the superior deity of the Latvians, with the same position Zeus has in Greek religion. The word was later also used to denote the highest Christian deity and the main question is that of Christian influences. The Finno-Ugric (Finnish and Estonian) loan-words derived of this mean "sky" or "heaven". Dievs is the most frequently mentioned Latvian deity (counting all the usage of the word), and a sky and fertility god. In some cases he is the suitor of Saule there is no explicit hint to his wife, only his sons - Dieva deli -are mentioned frequently. The main concept of Dievs's appearance is that of a plain-looking wise old man with a white beard who appears in everyday-life situations. This concept is more poetic than that to be found in the song texts and it mostly comes from fairy-tales. In song texts God is more militant and harsh, giving orders and even using his sword to maintain the order in the world.  Dievturiba by Aldis Putelis A Latvian religious system belonging to the group of the so called "new religions" and neo-paganism. Established in 1925 by a group of artists and men of letters. The system is based on Latvian folklore, mainly folksong texts, using also the data of other genres and much comparative material. It is claimed that this is the actual ancient religion of Latvians, having preserved much of the original Indo-European ritual and mythology, as well as culture and world view. It is admitted that it is re-organized for more convenience in modern situation. The main figure in the early days of dievturìba was Ernests Brastins (1892-1942), an outstanding personality. An artist by education, Brastins was interested in history and folklore. He was the leader of the archaeological field-work teams working for several years in all ethnographic regions of Latvia documenting the ancient settlements and castles. He prepared the Index of Mythological Notions of "Latvju dainas". Most of his knowledge was autodidactic, acquired during amateur research, but still it was quite vast. The historical situation of Latvians, existing as a nation but having had no national state until very recent - the second decade of the XX century - suggested that the national identity of Latvians should be strengthened by any accessible means. Having strong national feeling Brastins came to the conclusion that there is a necessity for some "national religion" to preserve the nations identity in more or less hostile circumstances. Therefore the national idea plays an important role in the system of dievturìba. The very structure of the Catechismus Teoforii - the catechism of dievturìba - is determined by the permanent comparison to Christianity, denying the latter as a religion of an other nation unsuitable for the Latvians because of many factors. Opposition to Christianity is also very strong in dievturìba as Latvians were christianized by German crusaders - invaders coming with fire and sword and covering their actions by "bringing the light to the ignorant". Actually it is hard to determine which was the main factor in this denial. The mythological system of dievturìba includes several trinities - the trinity of deities (Dievs - Mâra - Laima, three deities of fate), the three-particity of a human being (consisting of flesh, soul and 'velis' - astral body). Taking into account that "3" is considered to be a magic number in not only Latvian tradition, the triads of Hegel were already known by that time, it seems likely that these trinities are substantial constructions, as most of them (if not all of them) cannot be proved by the material. The main concept of the system is the idea of a single god, refusing any rights of the heavenly bodies mentioned in the folklore texts. God is the origin of the world, inexplicable and not to be described adequately. He is present in the world itself, everything tangible, visible or audible is a manifestation of God. Still the monotheistic system becomes more complicated with the introduction of three appearances of God: Dievs (God, heavenly ruler, the original idea), Mara (the ruler of the material, a female goddess[?!]) and Laima (the ruler of the fate, goddess of destiny). If the system is monotheistic, then these separate manifestations of God become ambiguous, even more with the fact that Dievs is just a part of this trinity at the same time being the whole constituted by them. According to dievturìba the human being consists of three parts - miesa, dvèsele, velis (the flesh, the soul and - causing the greatest problems in translation - the astral body). At the same time the last two notions correspond to some extent with the German Seele and Geist. According to dievturìba soul is eternal, it comes from the god and goes back to him after the death of the body where it lives according to the experience and deeds during the human lifetime. The astral body is more material, it stays near the body, gradually melting and disappearing - it is what we may perceive as a ghost. The notions of dvèsele and velis in the folklore material are so intertwined that actually it is not possible to separate them and determine their meanings exactly. At the same time any interpretations may be taken for equally valid. These are the main concepts recognized by all adherents of dievturìba. Still, differences in treatment of different concepts are to be found. As well as changes in the course of time. Based on Dievturu cerokslis jeb teoforu kat'isms. - Riga, 1932   Digawina A demoness from Melanesian mythology. She steals food by stuffing it in her enormous vagina.  Dike by Jamie Schieken, Clarksville Middle School Dike was the Greek goddess of justice for humanity. Her mother, Themis, was the goddess of divine justice. Dike was born a human and put on earth to keep justice. When Zeus, her father, saw that was impossible, he brought her up to the gods and goddesses to sit on the opposite side of her mother, next to him. Among the gods and goddesses she was the best of all the virgins. She then, with all the other gods and goddesses, watched down on the humans from Mt. Olympus.  Dilmun The Sumerian paradise, perhaps the Persian Gulf, sometimes described as 'the place where the sun rises' and 'the Land of the Living'. It is the scene of a Sumerian creation myth and the place where the deified Sumerian hero of the flood, Ziusudra (Utnapishtim), was taken by the gods to live for ever.  Dinclinsin In Haitian religion, a loa of European origin. He is feared for his great severity.  Diomedes A legendary Greek hero, son of Tydeus and Deipyle (Tydides). He was the favorite of Athena and was under her protection. Diomedes participated in the expedition of the Epigone ("the After-born") against Thebes. Later he succeeded his grandfather Adrastus as the king of Argos and joined the Greeks against Troy. On the Greek side, the two greatest champions were Ajax and Diomedes. They fought gloriously and many a Trojan fell before their weapons. Diomedes nearly slew Prince Aeneas. Aeneas was of royal blood, and the goddess Aphrodite (his mother) hastened to the battlefield to save him. She lifted him in her arms, but Diomedes leaped towards her and wounded her hand. Crying out she let Aeneas fall, and weeping for pain she made her way to the Olympus. Although Aphrodite failed to save her son, Aeneas did not die that day. Apollo enveloped him in a cloud and carried him to sacred Pergamos, the holy place of Tory, where Artemis healed him of his wound. The battle went on, and Diomedes, working havoc in the Trojan ranks, came face to face with Hector. There to his dismay, he saw the war-god Ares too, fighting for Hector. At the sight of the bloodstained murderous god, Diomedes cried to the Greeks to fall back, slowly, and with their faces toward the Trojans. When Hera saw what was happening, she became very angry and urged her horses to Olympus. She asked Zeus if she might drive Ares from the battlefield, and Zeus, who loved him no more than she did although he was their son, willingly gave her leave. She hastened down to stand besides Diomedes and urged him to smite the terrible god and have no fear. At her words, joy filled his heart and Diomedes rushed at Ares and hurled his spear at him. Athena drove it home, and it entered Ares's body. The god bellowed as loud as ten thousand cry in battle, and at the awful sound trembling seized the whole host, Greeks and Trojans alike. Ares fled from the battlefield and with the war-god gone, the Trojans were forced to fall back. Diomedes also accompanied Odysseus in the nocturnal raid on Troy, to steal the Palladium; the ancient figure of the goddess and venerated by the Trojans more than anything else. They managed to secretly carry it away, and Diomedes took it with him to Argos (but in other stories, it was Aeneas who took the Palladium with him). When he returned home he discovered that his wife Aegiale had been unfaithful to him. He left Argos and arrived after some journeys in southern Italy where he supposedly founded several cities, among which Brindisium (Brindisi) and Arpus Hippium (Arpi). Pronunciation {dy-oh-meed'-eez}   Dione According to certain traditions, the goddess or Titaness Dione became by Zeus the mother of Aphrodite. Actually, her name is a feminine form of Zeus (dios). The name is occasionally also used for Aphrodite herself.  Dionysus (Dionysos) by Rachel Gross and Dale Grote Dionysus, also commonly known by his Roman name Bacchus, appears to be a god who has two distinct origins. On the one hand, Dionysus was the god of wine, agriculture, and fertility of nature, who is also the patron god of the Greek stage. On the other hand, Dionysus also represents the outstanding features of mystery religions, such as those practiced at Eleusis: ecstasy, personal delivery from the daily world through physical or spiritual intoxication, and initiation into secret rites. Scholars have long suspected that the god known as Dionysus is in fact a fusion of a local Greek nature god, and another more potent god imported rather late in Greek pre-history from Phrygia (the central area of modern day Turkey) or Thrace. According to one myth, Dionysus is the son of the god Zeus and the mortal woman, Semele (daughter of Cadmus of Thebes). Semele is killed by Zeus' lightning bolts while Dionysus is still in her womb. Dionysus is rescued and undergoes a second birth from Zeus after developing in his thigh. Zeus then gives the infant to some nymphs to be raised. In another version, one with more explicit religious overtones, Dionysus, also referred to as Zagreus in this account, is the son of Zeus and Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. Hera gets the Titans to lure the infant with toys, and then they rip him to shreds eating everything but Zagreus' heart, which is saved by either Athena, Rhea, or Demeter. Zeus remakes his son from the heart and implants him in Semele who bears a new Dionysus Zagreus. Hence, as in the earlier account, Dionysus is called "twice born." The latter account formed a part of the Orphic religion's religious mythology. It does seem clear that Dionysus, at least the Phrygian Dionysus, was a late arrival in the Greek world and in Greek mythology. He is hardly mentioned at all in the Homeric epics, and when he is it is with some hostility. A number of his stories are tales of how Dionysus moved into a city, was resisted, and then destroyed those who opposed him. The most famous account of this is that of Euripides in his play the Bacchae. He wrote this play while in the court of King Archelaus of Macedon, and nowhere do we see Dionysus more destructive and his worship more dangerous than in this play. Scholars have speculated not unreasonably that in Macedon Euripides discovered a more extreme form of the religion of Dionysus being practiced than the more civil, quiet forms in Athens. Briefly, Dionysus returns to Thebes, his putative birthplace, where his cousin Pentheus is king. He has returned to punish the women of Thebes for denying that he was a god and born of a god. Pentheus is enraged at the worship of Dionysus and forbids it, but he cannot stop the women, including his mother Agave, or even the elder statesmen of the kingdom from swarming to the wilds to join the Maenads (a term given to women under the ecstatic spell of Dionysus) in worship. Dionysus lures Pentheus to the wilds where he is killed by the Maenads and then mutilated by Agave. Pronunciation {dy-uh-ny'-suhs} Images Dionysus Other Used sources   Dioscuri (Dios kouroi) by James Hunter The Disocuri were Castor and Polydeuces (or Pollux), the twin sons of Leda and Zeus and the brothers of Helen of Troy. Because Zeus came to Leda in the form of a swan, they are sometimes presented as having been born from an egg. Pollux was a formidable boxer, and Castor was a great horseman. Together, they were the "Heavenly Twins," often associated with the constellation Gemini. Four episodes from their careers are most notable. After Theseus kidnapped their sister Helen and carried her off to Aphidnae, Castor and Pollux rescued her; they also abducted Theseus' mother, Aethra. Later, the twins accompanied Jason on the Argo; during the voyage, Pollux distinguished himself by killing the belligerent king Amycus, who challenged him to a boxing match. When Peleus attacked and laid waste to Iolcus, in revenge for the evils done to him by its queen, Astydameia, the Dioscuri assisted him. Castor and Pollux also abducted and married Phoebe and Hilaeira, the daughters of Leucippus; Castor was then killed in a battle with the nephews of Leucippus, Idas and Lynceus. Pollux was granted immortality by Zeus, but he persuaded Zeus to allow him to share the gift with Castor. As a result, the two spend alternate days on Olympus (as gods) and in Hades (as deceased mortals). Other Used sources The story of Castor and Pollux, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.   Dipamkara The Buddha who is regarded as the first predecessor of the original Buddha. He is very popular in Nepal. In China he is called Ran Deng Fo. His name means "he who lights the lamps".  Dirae Literally "the terrible"; a Latin name for the Furies. The name was mainly used in poetry.  Dis The name Caesar gave to the supreme god of the Celts he encountered in Gaul. It is uncertain which Celtic deity this refers to.  Dis Pater (Dis, Dispater) The Roman ruler of the underworld and fortune, similar to the Greek Hades. Every hundred years, the Ludi Tarentini were celebrated in his honor. The Gauls regarded Dis Pater as their ancestor. The name is a contraction of the Latin Dives, "the wealthy", Dives Pater, "the wealthy father", or "Fater Wealth". It refers to the wealth of precious stone below the earth.  Discordia The personified Roman goddess of strife and discord. She belonged to the retinue of Mars and Bellona. She is the Greek Eris.  Disen The name for a group of goddesses of fate and fertility in old-Scandinavian mythology. The female members of the Aesir and the Vanir, as well as the Valkyries, are often called Disen. The goddess Freya is referred to as the 'Dis of the Vanir'.  Dithyrambos A frequent epithet of Dionysus, possibly meaning "he of the double door", i.e. twice born, alluding to his premature birth. The term also refers to the solemn odes and hymns sung to Dionysus at his festivals.  Diti In Vedic mythology, Diti is an earth and mother goddess who distributes presents. In Brahmanism and Hinduism she is the ancestor of the Daityas (a group of giants and demons).  Dius Fidus The Roman god of oaths. Dius Fidus is of Sabine origin.  Diviriks The Lithuanian deity of the rainbow.  Diwe A classification of Persian monsters.  Diyin dine by Gerald Musinsky A group of people with power, creators and culture heroes, often referred to as the Holy People. Similar to the Apache hactin. [Southwest, Navajo]  Djebauti (Zebauti) An Egyptian local god, also known as Zebauti.  Djien by Gerald Musinsky A monster spider the size of a man whose is heart is buried in the ground causing it to survive the most critical attacks. Slain by Othegwenhda, Flint, when a tree limb is stabbed into the earth to pierce Djien's heart. [Northeast, Seneca]  Dohit The god who created the first mortal from clay among the Mosetene Indians.  Dola The Slavic spirit of mortal fate.  Domfe The god of water, rain and wind of the Kurumba people in Africa. He gave the first food-bearing seeds to humans.  Domiduca The Roman goddess who escorts the child safely back home.  Domiducus The Roman god who guides a bride to her new home.  Domitius The Roman god who kept a woman in the house of her husband.  Domovoi (Domovoy) The traditional protector of Russian (Slavic) households. The belief in the pagan gods of nature never quite died out even after Russians embraced Christianity. This created the condition of dvoeverie or duality of belief. The new Christian protector of hearth and home, St. Paraskeva, acquired some of the appearance as well as the function of the domovoi -- the very pagan figure she was replacing. The domovoi was represented as an elongated carved wooden statue.  Don The Welsh mother-goddess. She is the wife of Beli, and mother of Gwydion. Her Irish counterpart is Danu.  Donar The old German (Teutonic) god of thunder and war-like strength, corresponding with the Norse god Thor.  Dong-yo da-di (Tung-yo ta-ti) The helper of the sky god Yu-huang. He supervises all the aspects of the lives of all creatures, from the moment of birth until the time of death. His name means "Great Ruler of the Eastern Mountain Top".  Dongo The god of thunder of the Songhai (upper Niger river).  Doppelgänger The frightful image seen at the window, or staring back from the mirror, could be your own--a double, or doppelgänger (from the German for "double goer"), the sight of which could foretell your own imminent demise. Sometimes described as the soul embodied, sometimes an astral projection or aura, the double most often presented itself as a warning. Queen Elizabeth I reportedly saw a vision lying on her deathbed, pale and still, soon before she died. Geothe and Shelley also claimed to have seen their doubles, and when Catherine the Great of Russia saw her own coming toward her, she took no chances and ordered her soldiers to shoot at it. Witches, it was long accepted, could project their own doubles and set them loose to do mischief far and wide. As a result, many a women was hanged as a witch even though it could be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was somewhere else entirely when the barn burned down, the cow died or whatever else had happened that she was now charged with having done. On other occasions, a double--of someone else--could be called forth or seen. One old Halloween custom has it that if a young girl lights two candles before a mirror, while eating an apple, she will see in the mirror the spectral image of her future husband, peering back at her as if from over her shoulder. If she is brave enough to venture out to a graveyard, and walk all the way around it twelve times, she will meet up with the double itself. According to another old belief, anyone who wants to know who will pass away in the coming year has only to stand vigil near the church door on April 24, the eve of the feast day of St. Mark. At midnight, the airy doubles of all who will die file in a solemn processional into the church, if the watcher is unlucky enough to see his own image there, he knows his own time is not far off. To this day, the fear of the double is observed, if unknowingly, in the custom of covering all the mirrors in a house where a death has just occurred. The double of anyone passing the glass, it was once thought, could be projected into the mirror and carried off by the deceased to the afterworld.   Doris by Marissa Montanez, Clarksville Middle School Doris was a sea goddess in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys (who were also sea gods/goddesses). Doris had many, many sisters. She was the wife of the sea god Nereus, her half-brother. She had fifty daughters, called the Nereids. Doris was not one of the goddesses who lived on Mt. Olympus.  Dorus (Doros) Mythical ancestor of the Dorians, regarded as a son of Apollo or Poseidon.  Dosojin The Japanese god of the roads.  Dou-mu (Tou-mu) The Chinese goddess who supervises the register in which the life and death of each person is recorded. She is venerated by those who wish a long life and personal compassion. Her name means "Mother of the Great Wagon". Dou-mu is portrayed sitting on a lotus throne and has four heads, with three eyes in each, and eight arms -- four on each side of her body. In Taoist temples a hall is often dedicated to her. She is also venerated by Chinese Buddhists.  Drac (Draca) An invisible female water spirit which tempts women and children by means of baubles in order to lure them into the water and there devour them.  Dragon by Graig Bakay Few creatures of folklore and mythology conjure up the mental images of the dragon. Also known as wurm, wyrm and firedrake, these mercurial creatures pervade almost every pantheon of classical mythology and have become an integral inclusion of an entire genre of fantasy literature. Descriptions of the beast's benevolence vary from the playful Puff (of Peter Yarrow's song) to the sinister Smaug in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit". Babylonian legends portray the Queen of Darkness as a multi-headed dragon - Tiamat. Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty features a battle between Prince Phillip and the evil Maleficent and the Germanic myth "Die Neiberling" climaxes with the battle between Siegfried and the giant Fafnir, who has transformed himself into a wyrm in an effort to become more frightening. Physical characteristics of dragons also vary but several consistencies are usually present. The beasts are typically depicted as huge lizards, larger than elephants on average. Long fangs are generally accepted as are twin horns of varying length. Western cultures generally include large bat-like wings giving the dragon the capability of flight. But eastern dragons, usually wingless, use a more magical means of flying. As well, eastern dragons tend to be more snake-like in nature, albeit with front and rear legs. Most dragons will be covered in scales, although there are some with a leathery skin. Coloring ranges the entire gamut of the spectrum but red, green, black and gold appear to be the most common. It is also generally accepted that most dragons are magical creatures in nature and have the ability to breathe fire (as a weapon). Some dragons may have a modification in this breath weapon (frost, lightning, gas) but this appears to be purely a fabrication of fantasy role-playing games and the myths they spawn. For those interested in a rational theory of what dragons may have been like and why there are no fossils of them, consider reading Peter Dickinson's "The Flight of Dragons" (Fitzhenry and Whiteside Ltd. 1979.) In it, Dickinson speculates that something in the dragon's physiology produced vast amounts of hydrogen gas, which would account for its ability to fly (much like a zeppelin) and the need to periodically exhale hydrogen, an inherently flammable gas that flint-like teeth could easily spark into combustion. Other More information   Dragon Carp In Korean mythology, a poor fisherman once caught a gigantic carp but he set it free when it begged for mercy. Later it turned out the be the son of the Dragon-King, the ruler of the Ocean, who rewarded the fisherman richly. Carps are revered in Japan and Korea as the symbol of youth, bravery, perseverance, strength, and self-defense; all qualities much admired, especially in warriors. The Koreans also regard it as a symbol of wealth. The Dragon Carp lived for a thousand years. Other Similar article  Dragon kings Mythical figures of Taoism. See Long-wang.  Drakulu With Cibaciba, one of the cave entrances to the Fijian Land of the Dead.  Dream time The mythological past of Australian (Aboriginal) mythology. It is variously termed the various tribes. More to come...  Drestarata A blind king in Javanese mythology, the father of the Korawas. He is the son of Abiasa and Ambiki.  Drug (Druj, Drauga) An ancient Iranian female demon, the representation of the lie. Together with horny men she causes much evil. She is the eternal opponent of Asha vahishta.  Drug Vedic class of demons.  Drupadi In Javanese mythology, the wife of Yudistira, leader of the Pandawas. She is an excellent archer and often joins in battle, dressed as a man.  Drvaspa The ancient Persian goddess who protects cattle, children, and friendship. The fourteenth day of the month is dedicated to her.  Dryads In Greek mythology, the dryads are female spirits of nature (nymphs), who preside over the groves and forests. Each one is born with a certain tree over which she watches. A dryad either lives in a tree, in which case she is called a hamadryad, or close to it. The lives of the dryads are connected with that of the trees; should the tree perish, then she dies with it. If this is caused by a mortal, the gods will punish him for that deed. The dryads themselves will also punish any thoughtless mortal who would somehow injure the trees.  Dua The Egyptian god of toiletry.  Duamutef (Tuamutef) by Paul Zimmerman, Clarksville Middle School Duamutef was a god of Egyptian mythology. He was the guardian of the East and one of the four Sons of Horus. Duamutef was represented as a mummified man with the head of a jackal. He was a funerary god. Duamutef protected the stomach of the deceased. The stomach was kept in a canopic jar after mummification. On the lids of these jars was a picture of the head of Duamutef. The goddess Neith protected him.  The name of Tuamutef in hieroglyphs.  Duat One of the ancient names for the afterworld, the dark realm of death in Egyptian mythology, situated west of the Nile (in later times considered to be beneath the earth). The sun passes through this place on its return journey from west to east. This underworld is represented by the hieroglyph for a star. It is here that the souls are judged (see also: Ammit).  bDud Tibetan heavenly spirits from Bon religion. Under the influence of Lamaism they were degraded to evil creatures. They belong to the classification of dMu.  Duellona A Roman goddess.  Dumuzi The Sumerian form of Tammuz. A god of vegetation and fertility, and so of the underworld. He is called 'the Shepherd' and 'lord of the sheepfolds'. As the companion of Nigizzida 'to all eternity' he stands at the gate of heaven. In the Sumerian Descent of Inanna he is the husband of the goddess Inanna, the Sumerian counterpart of Ishtar. According to the Sumerian King-List Gilgamesh was descended from 'Dumuzi a shepherd'.  Dur The Kassite god of the underworld, similar to the Akkadian god Nergal.  Durgha (Durga) In Hindu mythology and religion, a malignant form of Devi, the inaccessible, represented by a yellow woman riding a tiger. Also Kali or Parvati. She is the consort of Shiva.  Dusares (Dus-Sara) The chief god of Nabataeans (Arab).  Dvorovoi by John McCannon The East Slavic spirit of the courtyard (dvor). The most vaguely defined of Russian and Ukrainian household spirits, the dvorovoi held sway over a farmstead's grounds, cattle shed, and stable. At times, his functions and attributes overlapped with those of the house spirit (domovoi); some peasants believed him to be subordinate to the domovoi. The dvorovoi was perceived as less benevolent than the domovoi; a spiteful dvorovoi could be dangerous to livestock. On the whole, the dvorovoi's lack of immediate proximity to the peasant dwelling meant that his relationship with the inhabitants was somewhat distant. Other Used sources  Dwarf In myths and folklore, dwarfs are small humanoids, about half the size of a man, who live in caves or in holes under the ground (and sometimes in hollow trees). They can be hostile towards to man, but can also perform small labors for them. In fairy tales (such as 'Snowhite and the Seven Dwarfs') they are usually portrayed as short, stocky creatures with long beards. They can be found working in mines, delving minerals and metals. Dwarves are exceptionally skilful with their hands and make the most beautiful (and often magical) objects, which surpasses man-made objects by far. In Norse mythology, the two famous dwarfs Brok and Sindri made many magical objects for the gods, amongst which Thor's hammer Mjollnir and Odin's magical ring Draupnir.  Dwende by Miguel Almario, Clarksville Middle School Dwende (dwarf): The Dwende is from Philippine mythology and is a member of the other world (world of the dead) who can cast spells to harm or help people depending on how they treat the Dwende. Usually they have a territory, and a house, called a "punso," often a mound of dirt. When one passes in the vicinity of the Dwende, one should ask permission, as in "Makikiraan po" or "seeking pass with your permission." It is believed that harming the dwarf's home would cause death to the person.  Dwyn (Dwynwen) The Celtic god of love.  Dyaus Pita (Dyaus) by Stephen T. Naylor Dyaus or Dyaus Pita was the Sky Father of Indian myth. His counterpart was Prthivi, the Earth Goddess, and the two of them were originally one entity called Dyavaprthivi. He was the father of Indra. In one form, he is seen as a bull, reddish in color, and whose bellowing is the thunder. He is also seen as a black steed covered in pearls. In the latter representation he is the night, with the pearls as the stars. Dyaus, like his Greek counterpart Cronus, is slain by his own son. Indra grabs him by the foot and pulls him out of the sky to fall to his death. Pronunciation {dowse pee-ta} Other Used sources  Dyaush (Dyaus, Dyaush-Pitir) An ancient Vedic sky god of minor importance. Also called Dyaush-Pitir (the name possibly means "sky-father").  Dyavaprthivi by Stephen T. Naylor Dyavaprthivi was the embodiment of the whole cosmos, the sky above and earth below who set the universe in order. At one point, the god Varuna separated the two into separate deities, Dyaus Pita and Prthivi. Pronunciation {day-va-prit'hi-vee} Other Used sources  Dyeduska Vodyanoy The Russian 'Water-grandfather'. He is a powerful shapechanger and it is believed that he drowns those who swim at twelve o'clock, be it midnight or noon. He often marries drowned or disinherited girls, but he also has a liking for happily married women. Each time a woman is about to give birth to a child of his, he will go to the nearest village to request the services of a midwife, who will be handsomely rewarded in gold and silver. The Watermaster can be recognized by his bald head, large belly, round cheeks and his green clothes. He wears a high, pointed hat made of reed. However, he also appears in the shape of a handsome young man or a well-known person from the village. He lives in rivers, pools and lakes, preferably close to a water-mill. He hides during the day as a trout or an old salmon, but during the night he emerges from the water to let his sea cows and sheep and horse graze on the meadows. Sometimes he can be seen sitting on the river bank combing his long, green hair and beard. On the land he has little power, but in his natural element the water he is all-powerful. It is believed that he hibernates during the winter. When he awakens in spring he crushes the ice in the rivers and pushes large chunks up the river banks. He enjoys destroying mill-wheels, but when he is in a benign mood he guides the fish into the nets of the fishermen or warns against floods. His daughters, pale and tall and dressed in green, torture the drowned. They like to sit on tree branches, rocking slightly, while singing beautiful songs.   Dylan by Karen Davis Dylan ("sea"), a virgin-born son of Arianrhod. He was a sea-creature, and returned to the waves. Much later, he came back upon land and was killed by his own uncle Govannon, who did not know who he was.  Dzalarhons The volcano goddess of the Haida tribe.  Dzi dzat (dzit dzi) by William B. Guthrie "Folded paper" in Macau and Hong Kong and Guangdong village-Cantonese, though this phrase's Putonghua equivalent seems to mean nothing in modern mainland Chinese, perhaps because of recent government suppression of traditional religion. Dzi dzat is the generic name for the paper grave goods and ancestral sacrifices burnt to make a comfortable life for the dead. Photographs and written accounts of sacrifices before World War II illustrate that paper and bamboo mansions were burnt at funerals and at regular festivals. These dwellings for the spirits of the dead were filled with paper representations of everything the ancestors knew or had wanted in life: favorite food, books, signs of rank, a pleasure boat or a young mistress, all in painted and folded paper. Nowadays (1997) dzi dzat is most frequently smaller than the 3-meter-long paper Ford automobiles of 70 years ago, or the 10-meter high paper houses. Perhaps that is for ease of transport in the crowded cities. Perhaps it is to keep these things private in a world that is torn between old and new. Modern dzi dzat may be small, yet it is just as elaborate and creative as in the old days. The dead receive the things they knew and wanted -- "jade" and "gold" treasure made of folded paper or molded plastic, or traditional clothing printed with mythical beasts. Then descendants lavish modern conveniences on the spirits as well: paper electric rice cookers, computers, video cameras and televisions decorated with travel posters glued over their meter-wide screens, and matching black-paper video cassette recorders featuring shiny silver plastic logos of real Japanese electronics companies. Dzi dzat shops are usually small and grubby, and usually in poorer neighborhoods where the fishers and laborers live, but there is a growth business in middle-class dzi dzat. Macau has a law that all places of business must have a prominently-displayed Portuguese name, so dzi dzat shops incorporated as such all display the business designation papellaria, or paper goods. Of course this is the same word in Portuguese which designates a stationer's store. Fortunately this never confuses the Macau Chinese, who rarely know a word of Portuguese. In Hong Kong and Macau there are now a few large shops, the size, brightness and cleanness of an American 7-11 Store, which display the best dzi-dzat: Western-style yachts of paper; Mercedes Benz limousines formed in transparent plastic (so they have smooth skins, and clear windshields and headlights) painted in shiny black or red, briefcases marked Jordano or Benneton, and mobile phones by the hundreds. The Chinese have honored their ancestors with sacrifices intended for use in the afterlife for 4,000 years that we know of, and they are reluctant to give up the comfort and sense of history which rewards them for this ritual.   Ea The ancient Sumero-Babylonian god of the sweet waters. He is the son of Ansar and Kisar and his consort is the mother goddess Damkina, with whom he is the father of Marduk. Ea knows everything and is regarded as the source and patron of wisdom and magic. He is one of the creators of mankind, towards whom he is usually well-disposed, and their instructor and taught them arts and crafts. It was Ea who discovered Tiamat's designs to kill her offspring, and managed to kill her consort Apsu. Ea, who was friendly to man, also revealed Enlil's design of destroying mankind by a flood to Utnapishtim, the Babylonian version of Noah. Ea was one of the foremost gods of the ancient Mesopotamian pantheon and formed with Anu and Ellil an important and powerful triad of gods. The center of his cult was the city of Eridu, where lived 'in the deep'. He is depicted as a man with water running from his shoulders. Pronunciation {ay'-ah}  Eabani Companion to the Babylonian Gilgamesh. None  Each uisge The Each uisge, in Ireland called the Aughisky, is similar to the Kelpie, but far more dangerous. After he carried the unsuspecting victim into the water, it would tear him apart and devour the entire body except for the liver. As long as the Each uisge is ridden in the interior, he is rather harmless. But the merest glimpse or smell of water would mean the end of the rider. The creature assumes human shape, woos maidens, and can be recognized only by the water weeds in his hair. None  Eagentci by Gerald Musinsky The Seneca reference for "Old Woman", or more precisely "ancient bodied one", who is known as the First Mother. None [Northeast Woodlands, Seneca]  Eagle by Gerald Musinsky Eagle is a prevalent medicine bird although sometimes associated with Thunder Bird, is not Thunder Bird. Eagle tales have a separate lineage and the eagle is a significant motif in many unrelated narratives. The eagle was the most swift and mighty bird of prey and greatly respected. Eagle plays many roles from hero to messenger and has powerful medicines. Transformed from eating people by the Yavapai hero Amchitapuka. None  Eanna The temple of Anu and Ishtar in Uruk. None  Earth Shaman by Gerald Musinsky Earth Shaman is a creator of the Pima tribe and principle in the Pima Creation narrative myth. None [Southwest, Pima]  Eate (Egata) The Basque god of fire and storms. With his dark, low voice he warns against approaching hail storms and devastating fires. None  Ebisu The Japanese god who represents the wealth of the sea, and patron of all that is related to fishing, especially fishermen. Also the god of labor. He is sometimes mentioned as the son of Daikoku, who represents the wealth of the earth. Ebisu was worshipped in the coastal region near Osaka (where his temple was located) and was portrayed with a fish and a fishing rod. He is one of the seven Shichi Fukujin. Anything found on the beach may be Ebisu, even a ghost or its corpse. None  Ec The High god of the Yenisei in Siberia. He is the husband of Khosadam. None  Echidna by Ryan Tuccinardi Echida is the hideously disgusting mate of Typhon and the daughter of Ceto. She has the head of a beautiful nymph, but the body of a serpent. Zeus spared her and her children's lives as challenges to futures heroes. Echidna's children are the Nemean Lion, Cerberus, Ladon, Chimera, Sphinx, and Hydra. None  Echo The chief god Zeus had many affairs with both mortals and gods, much to his wife's dislike. While he pursued his amours, it was Echo's duty to beguile Hera's attention by incessantly talking to her. Hera discovered the ruse and as punishment, she made Echo always repeat the voice of another. Echo fell in love with a vain youth named Narcissus, who ignored her. Narcissus found a pool of water and stared at his lovely reflection until he died. Echo watched him until she pined away, now her voice remains, repeating the last few things people say. The Greek version of the story of Echo (the above is of Roman origin (Ovid)) is as follows: Echo was a very beautiful and musical nymph. She could sing and play many instruments. She lived deep in the woods and denied the love of any man or immortal. She therefore attracted the hatred and anger of many, including the god Pan whose love she turned down. Pan caused his followers the shepherds to kill Echo and tear her to pieces that were subsequently scattered far and wide. Gaia, the Earth goddess, received the pieces in her bosom and thus Echo, scattered now all over the earth, retained her voice and talents answering or imitating every sound or voice. None The story of Echo and Narcissus, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.  Ector, Sir In the Arthurian Romances, Sir Ector is the foster-father of King Arthur. None  Edain The Celtic goddess who is associated with horseback-riding. She isprobably equivalent to the Gaulish goddess Epona. None  Edda Two collections of Old Norse writings which form together the most authoritative source for Norse mythology. The oldest is the Elder, or Poetic, Edda. It is a collection of 34 Icelandic poems, interspersed with prose dating from the 9th to 12th century. Most of these poems deal with Norse mythology. The Poetic Edda is followed by the Younger, or Prose, Edda. It is the work of the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179 - 1241) who probably intended it to be a handbook for novice poets who wished to become skalds, creators of the sophisticated poetry recited in court. This work contains the creation of the world, various mythological stories, as well as an analysis of ancient poets and rules governing prosody. The Voluspa, the song of the prophets, is the part of the Edda in which is narrated the events of Ragnarok. Pronunciation {ed'-uh}  Edinkira An African tree goddess. None  Edusa The Roman goddess with whose help small children learn to eat. None  Egeria The Roman goddess who inspired and guided Numa Pompilius, the successor of Romulus in the kingship of Rome. She is also regarded as his wife. They used to meet in a sacred grove in the midst of which a spring gushed forth and there she taught him wise legislation and the forms of public worship. After his death in 673 BC she changed into a well in the forest of Aricia in Latium, which was dedicated to Diana. Egeria is one of the Camenae and was also worshipped as a goddess of birth. Pronunciation {ee-jir'-ee-uh}  Egestes The Roman personification of poverty. Virgil mentioned her later as a demon in the underworld. None  eggs It is said on Batak land, Sumatra, that out of seven eggs came all the plants, trees, animals, and fish. Some of those animals became human beings. None  Egil In Northern European mythology, the smith god, similar to Vulcan. He was also a great archer, and in the Saga of Thidrik there is a tale told of him exactly to that of Wilhelm Tell and the apple. Egil is the brother of Wayland. None  Egres (Agras, Akras) A Finnish vegetation and fertility god, the personification of the turnip. He is also known as Akras, a name that often appears in Finnish family names and the names of places. The center of his cult was in Karelia. None  Ehecatl In Aztec mythology, Ehecatl ("wind") is the god of the winds. He begins the movement of the sun and sweeps the high roads of the rain god with his breath. As another form of the great Quetzalcoatl he brings life to all that is lifeless. None  Ehlaumel by Gerald Musinsky Ehlaumel, also known as Thunder, is a creator for the Yuki of the California range. None [Western Coast, Yuki]  Eileithyia An ancient Greek goddess who aided women in labor and presided over childbirth. She later became identified with Hera and Artemis, and among the Romans with Juno (as Juno Lucina). None  Einherjar (Einheriar) The Einherjar are the heroes who have died with great bravery on the battle fields. These heroes are prepared in Valhalla for the oncoming battle of Ragnarok. In the morning they are woken by the crowing of the cock Gullinkambi ("golden comb"). During the day they train and fight, until they cut each other to pieces. At night they feast at Odin's side and their wounds are miraculously healed. On the day of Ragnarok, the bravest of the Einherjar will march with Odin to battle the frost giants, the enemies of the gods. None  Eir Eir ("mercy") is a minor Norse goddess of healing. She knew the secret powers of herbs, with which she could even resurrect the dead. She taught the art of healing only to women, who, in ancient Scandinavia, were the only physicians. Eir is a companion of the goddess Frigg. None  Eirene (Irene) "Peace". One of the Greek Horae. None  Eithinoha The earth. Her name means "our mother". None  Ekchuah (Ek Chuah) by Henk Jan van Schevicoven The Mayan fierce and violent god of war, associated with fallen warriors. He is also the patron of merchants and hence was portrayed carrying a sack of merchandise on his back. He is represented as a black man with a black-rimmed eye, a hanging lower lip and a scorpion tail. Ekchuah is the so-called 'God M'. His name means "black war chief". None  Ekhart A benificent Teutonic deity who warned people when the Wild Hunt was about to ride out. None  Ekhi (Eguzki) The Basque goddess of the sun. One single beam of her light is enough to take away to power of nocturnal spirits and evil wizards. Ekhi is the daughter of the earth-goddess Lur and sister of the moon-goddess Ilazki. None  Ekibiogami (Ekibiogami) The Japanese god of epidemic diseases such as plague and pestilence. None  Ekur The temple of the god Enlil in Nippus, Babylonia. None  El-la by Dan Strasberg, Clarksville Middle School El-la was a creator and a hero of the Patagonian Indians of South America. When he was born his father tried to eat him, but a rat carried El-la to its hole where his father could not enter. Later on he invented the bow and arrow and mastered how to use it. Even though he tried to eat him, El-la taught his father the bow and arrow. Then again he tried to kill his son. He followed him across the Andes and almost caught up with him, but just in time a forest grew between them. Then El-la wooed the sun¹s daughter, but she refused to marry him so he decided to leave the world after having taught men to hunt. He shot arrows into the sea and a green island rose up. A swan carried him there, where he rested from his work None  Elagabal Null None  Elara The daughter of King Orchomenus, and one of Zeus' many lovers. He placed her under the earth, to hid her from Hera, where she gave birth to the giant Tityas (who is therefore called a son of the earth). Pronunciation {ee-lah'-ruh}  Eleazar "God Helps", the third son of Aaron, first high priest of Israel. None Exodus 6:23-9  Electra by Ryan Tuccinardi Electra is one of the Pleiades, the wife of Thaumas, mother of the goddess Iris and the Harpies. She also had a son, Dardanus, by Zeus. Electra was a companion of Persephone and was present when the lord of the underworld kidnapped her. Pronunciation {ee-lek'-truh}  Electra by James Hunter Electra was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra and the sister of Orestes. After Agamemnon was murdered by Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthos, Electra and her brother plotted revenge. Electra's role in this varied from one account to the next. In some versions, she supported and encouraged Orestes but took no part in the actual killing of Clytemnestra and Aegisthos. In others, she was more directly involved; Euripides gave her an active (and bloody) role in the death of Clytemnestra. After the successful execution of their revenge, Electra was not hounded by the Erinyes as Orestes was, but continued to give support and comfort to her brother in his sufferings. In some versions, she married Orestes' close friend, Pylades, after the murders. Pronunciation {ee-lek'-truh} Other Used sources The story of Electra, as told by Thomas Bulfinch.  Ele'ele The Samoan first woman, wife of the god Fetu. None  Eleutherios An epithet of Dionysus and Eros, meaning "the liberator". None  Elf In mainly Teutonic and Norse folklore, the elves were originally the spirits of the dead who brought fertility. Later they became supernatural beings, shaped as humans, who are either very beautiful (elves of light) or extremely ugly (dark / black elves). They were worshipped in trees, mountains and waterfalls. The Danish elves are beautiful creatures, but they have hollow backs. The Celtic elves are the size of humans. The belief in elves, or supernatural and invisible beings, is almost universal. Apparently, there has been no primitive tribe or race that has not believed at one time or another that the world was inhabited by invisible beings. Especially on the British Isles the belief was very profound. In stories from the 8th and 9th century there are many references to elves, or fairies as they are called there. The king of the elves, Oberon, and his wife Titania appear in some very important works of medieval literature, such as Huon de Bordeaux and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. None  Eljon (Elioun, Eliun) An ancient Syrian/Phoenician sky deity. He belongs to the first generation of gods and fathered the sky god Epigeus with his wife Beruth, the mother goddess. Eljon's name is derived from alaj ("rising"). He is also known as Elioun and Eliun. None  Elunirsa A Hittite god, regarded in ancient Asia Minor as 'god creator of the earth'. His consort is Asertu (Aserdus). None  Ellel (Ellilus) The sky god of the Hittites, who appears in state treaties as the god of oaths. He is probably derived from the Sumerian Enlil and is similar to the Hurrian father god Kumarbi. None  Elli Personified Norse goddess of old age, who ever overcame the mighty Thor in a wrestling match. None  Ellil The Akkadian god of earth and wind. He is the son of Ansar and Kisar, the primordial deities, and the father of the moon goddess Sin. Together with Ea and Anu he forms a powerful triad of gods in the ancient Mesopotamian religion. He is represented wearing a headband which is decorated with horns. He is equivalent to the Sumerian god Enlil. None  Ellyon The diminutive ones of the Tylwyth Teg from Wales who feed on toadstools. They are ruled by Mab, their queen. None  Elohim Hebrew: "God". One of the names of God. It is the name used by the author of one of the sources of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). None  Emese (Emesu) A mythical Hungarian queen. She was impregnated in her dream by t