Re: [tied] Hermes etymology & anthropomorphic maps

From: Glen Gordon
Message: 5217
Date: 2000-12-30

Hey Joao et al!

I just came across the site http://www.fantalov.narod.ru/menu.htm with lots
of online materials on IE mythology. I like how it says under the title "The
original Indo-European types of gods" that "the Cultural Hero has got
functions, similar to ones of the Twins (for instance: he is a physician, an
ancestor and protector of people); the Earth God is closely connected with
the Cultural Hero as they are season dying and reviving characters."

Right on, my ruskii brother, right on. And our agreement about the "Great
Goddess" aspect is eery. Teehee. I feel so on-the-right-track. Even mentions
about an IE earth _god_, not a goddess, as I do. As if Fantalov is the very
mirror-image of myself, he states: "The God of Earth is a protector of
animal and the lord of Otherworld." *Yemos anyone? There's some added
connections he provides that I have to absorb yet.

Joao:
>I agree with the "Fire-god-messenger-trickster" traits of Hermes, >like
>Loki, Prometheus (also known as Ithax <*idh-), and maybe Lug.

Cool, we agree.

>I think The Fire-God is son of the Sky-Father (Agni son of Dyaus; >Hermes
>son of Zeus).

True, it does seem that way. Thunderbolts do tend to beget fire but the
problem is that it is *PerkWnos who is the god of storm, lightning and
thunder. *Dye:us should be the _clear_ sky. That above site mentions the
Earth (*Yemos) being "tormented" by the Underworld Thunder God (*PerkWnos).
Perhaps *PerkWnos is the true father of Fire (as well as Wind)? If so, maybe
it's the Sun Maiden who is the infamous "virgin mother" in IE myth, giving
birth to the Horse Twins alone.

>There are two symbolic oppositions:
>Fire-God x Wind-God = "the smart, agile one", x "the violent, strong, >dumb
>one" cf. Loki x Thorr

If these two both exist in IE myth, then I would presume that Wind must also
be a "traveler" and "friend & foe of the three realms" like Fire, born also
from *PerkWnos.

>Fire-God x Storm-God = "the trickster manhood-helper" x "the >authoritary,
>powerful king of gods" cf. Prometheus x Zeus.; Loki x Odinn; Agni x Indra

Of course, Fire and *PerkWnos would be connected by realm if they represent
a son-father team.

As for *Pexwr-G^ene:s, The Fantalov site again makes an interesting
connection between the underworld, the realm of the warrior caste, and
Dionysus, unfortunately with many spelling and grammatical errors but here
goes: "However in ancient Greece there was [an]other god connected with
[the] natural power of the earth, the animal and vegetable kingdoms. He is
more vivid than fruitless Hades. This is Dionysus."

Intriguing, if I do say. Thus we might suspect that /Purigene:s/ is an
epithet transfered from one underworld deity (*PerkWnos) to another by
chthonic association. Dionysus is of course connected to the earth via his
association with the vine, and the underworld to which *PerkWnos belongs is
nothing more than the "under-earth".

Well, c ya, must sleep now.

- gLeN

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