Tag Archives: epic myths

January 27, 2015 · 9:37 pm

NEGLECTED MYTHICAL EPICS

Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are familiar with my examinations of obscure pantheons of gods. I’ve also covered several neglected epic myths from around the world. Here’s a guide to the ones I’ve covered:

Aiwel LongarAIWEL LONGAR

Pantheon: Dinka

Central Figure: Aiwel Longar

Synopsis: Aiwel Longar was the son of the Nile River god and was set adrift as a gift for the childless woman who found him. The young godling displays his divine nature from childhood onward and many years later when various plagues strike the land Aiwel Longar leads his faithful followers to a new promised land where they can live but which he is forbidden to enter. A miraculous crossing of the Nile is also featured in this ancient epic with a broad influence.  

FOR FULL STORY CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2013/08/13/mythology-the-epic-of-aiwel-longar/

Lac Long QuanA WAR BETWEEN GODS

Pantheon: Vietnamese

Central Figures: The jungle and mountain god Tan Vien and Thuy Tinh, the god of the monsoon rains.

Synopsis: While on a safari with the semi-divine emperor Hung Vuong XVIII, Tan Vien saves the life of the rain deity Thuy Tinh. Thuy Tinh’s father, the sea god Long Vuong, welcomes Tan Vien to his undersea kingdom to thank him. Thuy Tinh and Tan Vien’s friendship grows as the jungle and mountain god is feasted and celebrated for weeks before being sent home with various supernatural gifts from the god of the sea.

When Hung Vuong XVIII’s daughter Mi Nuong is offered up to be courted Tan Vien and Thuy Tinh best all of the mortal suitors competing for her hand. Next follows a tragic conflict between the two deities, a conflict with long-lasting consequences. 

FOR FULL STORY CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/vietnamese-myth-2/ Continue reading →

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March 2, 2014 · 4:01 pm

IROQUOIS EPIC MYTH: PART TWO OF HODADEION, THE GOD OF MAGIC

Iroquois longhouse lodge village

PART 2 – THE WASP-MEN – (Hodadeion was the son of the creator god Tharonhiawakon and a mortal woman, the same mortal woman who bore him Hodadeion’s siblings. Those siblings were Otgoe, the wampum god and Yeyenthwus, the future goddess of chestnut trees.)

Hodadeion ventured to the north despite his sister Yeyenthwus’ warnings. He came across a few more villages that were now deserted like his own and he realized how far-reaching was the reign of terror of the cannibalistic wizards who had decimated the population of Continue reading →

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March 1, 2014 · 2:42 pm

IROQUOIS EPIC MYTH: HODADEION, THE GOD OF MAGIC

Iroquois longhouse lodge villageIn the tradition of Balladeer’s Blog’s previous looks at neglected epic myths from the Navajo, Vietnamese, Dinka, Greek and Chinese pantheons I will examine the saga of the Iroquois god of magic Hodadeion. This will be done in the same style as my examinations of the Navajo war god’s battle with the Anaye, the war between the Vietnamese jungle and monsoon gods and the Chinese Divine Archer Yi’s adventures.

1. Hodadeion was the son of the creator god Tharonhiawakon and a mortal woman, the same mortal woman who bore him Hodadeion’s siblings. Those siblings were Otgoe, the wampum god who loved chestnuts and Yeyenthwus, the future goddess of chestnut trees.

Tharonhiawakon was gone for years at a time attending to other matters in the world and while Otgoe was a toddler and Hodadeion and Yeyenthwus in their teens an entire village full of cannibalistic humans led by a Continue reading →

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February 8, 2014 · 4:51 pm

THE SACK OF TROY: THE NEGLECTED ANCIENT GREEK EPIC

fall of troyPreviously Balladeer’s Blog examined three of the neglected tales from the Epic Cycle which dealt with the Trojan War. First came Cypria, then after skipping The Iliad because of how well-known it is I moved on to Aethiopis and then last week I examined Iliad Minor.

SACK OF TROY aka Sack of Ilion is credited to Arktinos of Miletos in the 770’s BCE. The previous epic Iliad Minor wrapped up with the Greek warriors springing out of the Trojan Horse and at last triumphing over King Priam and his Trojans. Sack of Troy rehashes a few story elements, backing up to cover the construction of the Trojan Horse and the Trojans ignoring the prophet Cassandra’s warnings about the Horse. New elements are the arguments the Continue reading →

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January 31, 2014 · 11:40 pm

ILIAD MINOR: THE ANCIENT GREEK EPIC

Little IliadPreviously Balladeer’s Blog examined Cypria and Aethiopis, two of the neglected Greek epics. Cypria recounted the events leading into The Iliad while Aethiopis picked up the tale of the Trojan War after the death and funeral of Hector at the end of The Iliad. The neglected epic I’m examining today is Iliad Minor, the next in line chronologically. The author is speculated to have been either Lesches, Thestorides, Diodoros, Kinaithon or even Homer himself.

ILIAD MINOR – Also called Iliad Mikra and The Little Iliad this neglected epic opens up with the Continue reading →

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January 25, 2014 · 4:55 pm

AETHIOPIS: THE ANCIENT GREEK EPIC

Death of Penthesilea

Death of Penthesilea

Previously Balladeer’s Blog examined Cypria, the neglected Greek epic myth that dealt with the events leading up to the Trojan War all the way up to Achilles leading the Greek forces in establishing a beachhead at Troy. The Trojan forces were then forced to retreat inside the walls of Troy itself, leaving the outside settlements to be sacked by the Greek forces. This led right into the whole Briseis/Chryseis conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon that opened up The Iliad.

The events of The Iliad are well-known enough that I will skip over a recap of that epic and move on to the very next neglected epic in the cycle: Aethiopis.

AETHIOPIS – This work is often attributed to Arctinus, by some accounts in 776 BCE to coincide with the very first ancient Olympic games. Other sources place it as late as the 740’s BCE. Very little of Aethiopis itself survives, so most of what is known about it comes from Proclus and other – often contradictory – references in ancient writings. The tale begins soon after the death of Hector which marked the end of The Iliad.

Just as the fighting is set to resume following the break in honor of Hector’s funeral the Amazons arrive on the scene to support their allies the Trojans. Needless to say they are very effective in combat and Continue reading →

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January 18, 2014 · 2:23 am

CYPRIA: THE ANCIENT GREEK EPIC MYTH

Judgement of ParisTheogony, The Iliad and The Odyssey are a few of the more well-known Greek epics of the distant past. In keeping with the theme of Balladeer’s Blog I will present a look at the neglected Greek epics, many of which cover other aspects of the Trojan War. Yes, for those readers who think The Iliad is the sole epic regarding that conflict there are other tales that chronicle the mythic events from long before the opening passages of The Iliad. Here is one of those neglected works.

CYPRIA – Credited to either Stasinos of Cyprus (my bet), Hegesias or Homer himself. This epic featured the Continue reading →

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August 22, 2013 · 9:02 pm

IROQUOIS EPIC MYTH: HODADEION PART EIGHT

Iroquois

Iroquois

Part 8: Niagara Falls Death Trap  – As part 7 concluded Hodadeion, the Iroquois god of magic, was alarmed to find that the twin enchantresses who were in reality two giant white herons had flown him in a huge basket to a rock at the top of what is now called Niagara Falls. They had stranded him there surrounded by a massive volume of water roaring its way past the small outcropping of rock the demigod was on, ultimately descending in a loud roar of falling liquid.

Hodadeion did not know what fate awaited him in that precarious position, or what dire menace the Heron Maidens expected to assault him in his perilous situation but he Continue reading →

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August 15, 2013 · 8:19 pm

AUGUST 15TH’S RITUAL FOR THE CHINESE MOON GODDESS: THE SENSES-SHATTERING ORIGIN

Yi the Divine Archer

Yi the Divine Archer

On August 15th the Chinese people offered up gifts to Chang-O, their moon goddess. Balladeer’s Blog presents the story of Chang-O, her husband Yi the Divine Archer, and the origin of that ritual.

I.WHAT’S UP WITH YI?  – Yi the Divine Archer from Chinese mythology deserves to be remembered in one breath with some of the other great heroes and monster slayers from belief systems around the world. Most people are only familiar with his feat of shooting down multiple suns that appeared in the sky one day, but this article will provide a light- hearted look at all of his fantastic adventures. 

Yi is Continue reading →

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August 7, 2013 · 10:31 pm

IROQUOIS EPIC MYTH: HODADEION PART SEVEN

Iroquois Confederation

Iroquois Confederation

Continuing the adventures of the Iroquois god of magic, Hodadeion.

PART 7 – THE TWIN HERONS – Hodadeion moved swiftly through the forest. He wanted to put as much space between himself and the giant horned serpents as possible before they grew hungry again. He continued heading north and at length came upon a pathway guarded by two enormous white herons. Each bird was bigger than a horse and at the sight of the demigod they attacked him, trying to claw and peck at him while simultaneously battering him with their powerful wings.

Hodadeion fled as quickly as Continue reading →

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