Cretan music with lyra

Cretan music with lyra and Cretan folk dance video clip

Slavic Mythology

BYELOBOG m Slavic Mythology
Means "the white god" from Slavic byelo "white" and bog "god". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sun, happiness and fortune.

CHERNOBOG m Slavic Mythology
Means "the black god" from Slavic cherno "black" and bog "god". Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.

DAZBOG m Slavic Mythology
Variant of DAZHDBOG

DAZHDBOG m Slavic Mythology
Possibly means "the giving god" in Slavic. He was a Slavic god of the sun and light, a son of Svarog. In some myths he is the ancestor of the Russian people.

MOKOSH f Slavic Mythology
Derived from Slavic mok meaning "wet, moist". Mokosh was a Slavic goddess of water, fertility, and weaving. She was often depicted as a woman with a large head and long arms.

MORANA f Slavic Mythology
Means "death" in Slavic. In Slavic mythology this was the name of the goddess of winter and death.

PERUN m Slavic Mythology
Means "thunder" in Slavic. In Slavic mythology Perun was the god of lightning, sometimes worshipped as the primary god. The oak was his sacred tree.

STRIBOG m Slavic Mythology
Possibly means "flowing god" in Slavic. Stribog was the Slavic god of the wind, cold, ice and frost.

SVAROG m Slavic Mythology
Means "sun god" in Slavic. This was the name of the Slavic god of the sky and sun. He was originally the supreme god in Slavic mythology.

VOLOS m Slavic Mythology
Derived from Slavic volu meaning "ox". Volos was the Slavic god of cattle, also associated with wealth, fertility, the underworld, and poetry.

Roman Mythology

AENEAS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: i-NEE-as
Latin form of the Greek name Aineas, which is derived from Greek aine meaning "praise". In Virgil's 'Aeneid', Aeneas is a Trojan warrior who founds the Roman state.

ANGERONA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: an-je-RON-a
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. Angerona was the Roman goddess of the winter solstice, death, and silence.

ARIES m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ER-eez
Means "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by Jason.

AURORA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: aw-ROR-a
Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning.

BELLONA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: be-LON-a
Derived from Latin bellare meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of Mars.

CALLISTO (2) f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ka-LIS-to
Roman form of KALLISTO. A moon of Jupiter bears this name.

CAMILLA f English, Italian, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ka-MIL-a (English), kaw-MEEL-a (Italian)
Feminine form of CAMILLUS. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volscians, as told by Virgil in the 'Aeneid'.

CARDEA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.

CERES f Roman Mythology
Derived from the Indo-European root *ker meaning "to grow". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.

CONSUS m Roman Mythology
Possibly derived from Latin conserere meaning "to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.

CUPID m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: KYOO-pid
Derived from Latin cupido meaning "desire". He was the Roman god of love, the son of Venus. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.

DIANA f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: die-AN-a
Probably derived from an old Indo-European root meaning "heavenly, divine", related to dyeus (see ZEUS). Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis. Diana Spencer, the Princess of Wales, was a famous bearer of this name.

DIDO f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly "virgin" in Phoenician. Dido, also called Elissa, was the queen of Carthage in Virgil's 'Aeneid'. She burned herself to death when Aeneas left her.

DIONYSUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: die-aw-NIE-sus
Latin form of DIONYSOS

ELISSA (1) f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown (possibly Phoenician in origin). This is another name of Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.

EVANDER (1) m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Pronounced: e-VAN-dur
From the Greek Euandros which meant "good man", derived from Greek eu "good" and aner "man" (genitive andros). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan war who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.

FAUNA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FAWN-a
Feminine form of FAUNUS. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, a companion of Faunus.

FAUNUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FAWN-us
Possibly means "to befriend" from Latin. Faunus was a Roman god of fertility, forests, and agriculture.

FLORA f English, German, Italian, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FLOR-a
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower". Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind.

GEMINI m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: JEM-in-ie
Means "twins" in Latin. This is the name of the third sign of the zodiac. The two brightest stars in the constellation, Castor and Pollux, are named for the mythological twin sons of Leda.

HERCULES m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: HUR-kyoo-leez
Latin form of HERAKLES

ITALUS m Roman Mythology
Means "of Italy" in Latin. In Roman legend Italus was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. He supposedly gave his name to the region known as Italia or Italy, but actually the region got its name from the ancient tribe called the Itali.

JANUS m Roman Mythology
Means "archway" in Latin. Janus was the Roman god of gateways and beginnings, often depicted as having two faces looking in opposite directions. The month of January is named for him.

JOVE m Roman Mythology
Derived from the stem of Iupiter (see JUPITER). This was another name of the Roman god Jupiter.

JUNO f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: JOO-no
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.

JUPITER m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: JOO-pi-tur
From Latin Iupiter, which was from dyeu-pater, composed of the elements dyeus (see ZEUS) and pater "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

JUTURNA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Juturna was the Roman goddess of fountains and springs.

JUVENTAS f Roman Mythology
Means "youth" in Latin. Juventas was the Roman goddess of youth, equivalent to the Greek goddess Hebe.

LAVERNA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Laverna was the Roman goddess of thieves and thievery.

LAVINIA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. In Roman legend Lavinia was the daughter of King Latinus, the wife of Aeneas, and the ancestor of the Roman people. According to the legend Aeneas named the town of Lavinium in honour of his wife.

LIBER m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: LIE-bur
Derived from Latin liber meaning "free". This was the name of a Roman fertility god.

LIBITINA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Libitina was the Roman goddess of funerals, corpses and death.

LUCINA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

LUNA f Roman Mythology
Means "the moon" in Latin. Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

MAIA (1) f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MAY-a, MIE-a
Meaning unknown. In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, the group of seven stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

MAIA (2) f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MAY-a, MIE-a
Means "great" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of spring, the wife of Vulcan. The month of May is named for her.

MARS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MARZ
Possibly related to Latin mas "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.

MERCURY m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MUR-kyu-ree
From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". He was the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system.

MINERVA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: mi-NUR-va
Perhaps derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect". Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena.

NEPTUNE m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: NEP-toon
From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning. Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.

PAX f Roman Mythology
Means "peace" in Latin. In Roman mythology she was the goddess of peace.

PLUTO m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Pronounced: PLOO-to
Derived from Greek ploutos meaning "wealth". This was an alternate name of Hades, the god of the underworld. This is also the name of the ninth planet in the solar system.

POLLUX m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: PAWL-uks
Roman form of Greek Polydeukes, which means "very thoughtful" from Greek polys "much" and endukeos "steadfast, thoughtful". In myth he was the twin brother of Castor and a son of Zeus. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.

PROSERPINA f Roman Mythology
Means "to emerge" in Latin. She was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Persephone.

PROSERPINE f Roman Mythology
Variant of PROSERPINA

QUIRINUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: KWIR-in-us
Possibly derived from the Sabine word quiris meaning "spear". Quirinus was a Sabine and Roman god who was later identified with Mars.

REMUS m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman legend Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome. Remus was later slain by Romulus.

RHEA f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: REE-a
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to Greek rheo "to flow" or rheos "stream". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology a woman named Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.

ROMULUS m Roman Mythology
Means "of Rome" in Latin. In Roman legend Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome.

SALACIA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin sal meaning "salt". This was the name of the Roman goddess of salt water.

SATURN m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: SA-turn
From the Latin Saturnus, which is of unknown meaning. In Roman mythology he was the father of Jupiter, Juno and others, and was also the god of agriculture. This is also the name of the ringed sixth planet in the solar system.

SILVANUS m Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: sil-VAY-nus
Roman name derived from Latin silva "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of forests.

SILVIA f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, English, German, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Silvius (see SILVIO). Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. This was also the name of a 6th-century saint, the mother of the pope Gregory the Great.

SUMMANUS m Roman Mythology
Means "before the morning", derived from Latin sub "under, before" and mane "morning". Summanus was the Roman god of the night sky and night lightning, a nocturnal counterpart to Jupiter.

TERMINUS m Roman Mythology
Means "limit, boundary, end" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman god of boundaries.

ULYSSES m Roman Mythology, English
Pronounced: yoo-LIS-eez
Latin form of ODYSSEUS. Ulysses Grant was the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War, and was later an American president.

VENUS f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: VEE-nus
Means "love" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of love, equal to the Greek goddess Aphrodite. This is also the name of the second planet from the sun.

VESTA f Roman Mythology
Latin form of HESTIA. Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth.

VICTORIA (2) f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: vik-TOR-ee-a
Means "victory" in Latin. Victoria was the Roman goddess of victory.

VULCAN m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: VUL-kan
Possibly related to Latin fulgere "to flash". In Roman mythology Vulcan was the god of fire. He was later equated with the Greek god Hephaestus.

Greek Mythology (ACANTHA-IOLE)

ACANTHA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: a-KAN-tha
Derived from Greek akantha meaning "thorn, prickle". In Greek legend she was a nymph loved by Apollo.

ACHILLES m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: a-KIL-eez
Meaning unknown, perhaps derived from Greek achos "pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River in Greece. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in Homer's 'Iliad'. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.

ADONIS m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: a-DAWN-is
From the Semitic Adonai, which means "lord". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from various Semitic traditions, hence the Semitic origins of the name.

ADRASTEIA f Greek Mythology
Feminine form of ADRASTOS. This was another name of the Greek goddess Nemesis.

ADRASTOS m Greek Mythology
Means "not inclined to run away" in Greek. This was the name of a king of Argos in Greek legend.

AEGLE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Aigle which meant "light, radiance, glory". This was the name of several characters in Greek myth, including one of the Heliades and one of the Hesperides.

AELLA f Greek Mythology
Means "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.

AENEAS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: i-NEE-as
Latin form of the Greek name Aineas, which is derived from Greek aine meaning "praise". In Virgil's 'Aeneid', Aeneas is a Trojan warrior who founds the Roman state.

AEOLUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: EE-o-lus
Latinized form of AIOLOS

AERON (2) f,m Welsh Mythology
Welsh form of AGRONA. In Welsh mythology Aeron was often portrayed as a masculine deity.

AESON m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Aison, which is of unknown meaning. Aeson was the father of Jason in Greek legend.

AGAMEMNON m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: ag-a-MEM-nawn
Possibly meaning "very steadfast" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was the brother of Menelaus and he led the Greek expedition to Troy to recover his brother's wife Helen. After the Trojan War Agamemnon was killed by his wife Clytemnestra.

AGAUE f Greek Mythology
Means "illustrious, noble" in Greek. This was the mother of Pentheus in Greek myth.

AGLAIA f Greek Mythology, Greek
Pronounced: a-GLAY-a, a-GLIE-a
Means "splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces (Charites).

AGRONA f Celtic Mythology
Derived from Old Celtic agro meaning "battle, slaughter". This was the name of the Brythonic goddess of war and death.

AHRIMAN m Near Eastern Mythology
Means "evil spirit" in Persian. In Persian mythology Ahriman was the god of darkness, death and destruction, the enemy of Ahura Mazda.

AHURA MAZDA m Near Eastern Mythology
Means "lord wisdom" in Persian. In Persian mythology Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator god.

AIAS m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: IE-as
Greek form of AJAX

AILILL m Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "elf" in Irish Gaelic. This name occurs frequently in Irish legend, borne for example by the husband of queen Méabh.

AIOLOS m Greek Mythology
Means "quick-moving, nimble" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of the winds.

AJAX m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: A-jaks
From the Greek name Aias, perhaps deriving from Greek aiastes "mourner". In Greek mythology this was the name of one of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War. When the armor of the slain hero Achilles was not given to him he became mad with jealousy and killed himself.

ALCIPPE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Possibly means "mighty mare" from Greek alkaios "mighty" and hippos "horse". This was the name of a daughter of Ares in Greek myth. Her father killed Halirrhotis, a son of Poseidon, when he attempted to rape her, leading to a murder trial in which Ares was quickly acquitted.

ALCYONE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: al-SIE-o-nee
Means "kingfisher" from the Greek word alkyon or halkyon. In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the gods saved her and turned them both into kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest of the Pleiades, a group of seven stars in the constellation Taurus.

ALTHEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Althaia, perhaps related to Greek althein "to heal". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.

ALVIS m Norse Mythology
Means "all wise" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry Thor's daughter Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.

AMALTHEA f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek malthasso meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a goat who nursed the infant Zeus.

AMATERASU f Far Eastern Mythology
Means "shining over heaven" in Japanese. This was the name of the Japanese sun goddess, the ruler of the heavens. At one time the Japanese royal family claimed descent from her.

AMEN m Egyptian Mythology
Pronounced: AW-mun
Variant of AMON

AMMON m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of AMON

AMON m Egyptian Mythology
Pronounced: AW-mun
Possibly means "the hidden one" in Egyptian. In Egyptian mythology he was originally a god of the wind and the air. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god Ra and he was worshipped as Amon-Ra.

ANAHITA f Near Eastern Mythology
Means "immaculate, undefiled" from Avestan a "not" and ahit "unclean". This was the name of the Persian goddess of fertility and water. She was sometimes identified with Artemis, Aphrodite and Athena.

ANAITIS f Near Eastern Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of ANAHITA

ANAT f Near Eastern Mythology
Possibly derived from a Semitic root meaning "water spring". Anat was a goddess of fertility, hunting and war worshipped in many regions of the ancient near east. She was the sister and consort of the god Baal.

ANATH (2) f Near Eastern Mythology
Form of ANAT

ANATU f Near Eastern Mythology
Form of ANAT

ANDRASTE f Celtic Mythology
Possibly means "invincible" in Celtic. This was the name of a Briton goddess of victory who was invoked by Boudicca before her revolt.

ANDROMACHE f Greek Mythology
Means "battle of a man" from the Greek elements andros "of a man" and mache "battle". In Greek legend she was the wife of Hector, taken by Neoptolemus after the fall of Troy.

ANDROMEDA f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: an-DRAW-me-da
Means "to think of a man" from the Greek element andros "of a man" combined with medesthai "to think, to be mindful of". Andromeda is a constellation in the northern sky which gets its name from a mythical Greek princess who was rescued from sacrifice by Perseus. This name was also given to the nearest galaxy beyond our own.

ANGERONA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: an-je-RON-a
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. Angerona was the Roman goddess of the winter solstice, death, and silence.

ANTHEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from Greek antheios meaning "flowery". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.

ANTIGONE f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: an-TIG-o-nee
Means "against birth" from Greek anti "against" and gone "birth". In Greek legend Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. King Creon of Thebes declared that her slain brother Polynices was to remain unburied, a great dishonour. She disobeyed and gave him a proper burial, and for this she was sealed alive in a cave.

ANTIOPE f Greek Mythology
Derived from the Greek elements antios "set against" and ops "face". In Greek myth she was a daughter of Ares and queen of the Amazons. She was kidnapped and married by Theseus.

ANUBIS m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Pronounced: a-NOO-bis
Greek form of Egyptian Anpu which possibly means "royal child". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal.

AOIDE f Greek Mythology
Means "to sing" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.

AOIFE f Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: EE-fa
Means "beauty" from the Gaelic word aoibh. In Irish legend Aoife was a warrior princess. In war against her sister Scathach, she was defeated in single combat by the hero Cuchulainn. Eventually she was reconciled with her sister and became the lover of Cuchulainn.

AONGHUS m Scottish, Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly meaning "one strength" derived from Irish óen "one" and gus "force, strength, energy". Aonghus (sometimes surnamed Mac Og meaning "young son") was the Irish god of love and youth. The name was also borne by an 8th-century Pictish king and several Irish kings.

APHRODITE f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: a-fro-DIE-tee
Perhaps meaning "risen from the foam" from Greek. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love, equal to the Roman goddess Venus. She was born from the foam of the sea, and was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros. She is associated with the myrtle tree and doves.

APOLLO m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: a-PAW-lo
From Greek Apollon, which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to Indo-European *apelo "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb apollumi meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.

ARACHNE f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: a-RAK-nee
Means "spider" in Greek. In Greek myth Arachne was a mortal woman who defeated Athena in a weaving contest. Ashamed for besting a goddess Arachne hanged herself, but Athena brought her back to life in the form of a spider.

ARANRHOD f Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Possibly means "huge wheel" or "round wheel" in Welsh. In Welsh myth Aranrhod was the mother of the twin brothers Dylan and Lleu Llaw Gyffes. In earlier myths she was a goddess of the moon.

ARES m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: ER-eez
Perhaps from either Greek are "bane, ruin" or arsen "male". Ares was the blood-thirsty god of war in Greek mythology.

ARETHUSA f Greek Mythology
Possibly means "to become excellent" in Greek. This was the name of a wood nymph in Greek myth.

ARGUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from Greek argos meaning "glistening, shining". In Greek myth this name belongs to both the man who built the Argo and a man with a hundred eyes.

ARIADNE f Greek Mythology, English
Pronounced: aw-ree-AWD-nee (Ancient Greek), ar-ee-AD-nee (English)
Means "most holy", composed of the Cretan Greek elements ari "most" and adnos "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him.

ARIANRHOD f Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Variant of ARANRHOD, influenced by the Welsh word arian "silver".

ARIES m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ER-eez
Means "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by Jason.

ARISTODEMOS m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from the Greek elements aristos "best" and demos "the people". This was the name of a descendent of Hercules.

ARTEMIS f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: AR-te-mis
Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek artemes "safe" or artamos "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.

ARTHUR m English, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: AR-thur
The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from British art "bear" combined with viros "man", or it could be related to Irish art "stone". Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius. Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who presided over the knights of the Round Table. He may or may not have been an actual person.

ARUNDHATI f Indian, Hindu Mythology
The name of a star (also called Alcor), possibly meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. As a personal name it was borne by the wife of the Hindu sage Vasishtha.

ASHERAH f Near Eastern Mythology
Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of an ancient Israelite goddess.

ASHTORETH f Biblical, Near Eastern Mythology
Meaning unknown. Ashtoreth was the Phoenician goddess of love, war and fertility. She was called Ishtar by the Babylonians.

ASKLEPIOS m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: as-KLEE-pee-os
Possibly means "cut up" in Greek. Asklepios (Aesculapius to the Romans) was the god of healing and medicine in Greek mythology.

ASPASIA f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek aspasios meaning "welcome". This was the name of the lover of Pericles.

ASTAROTH f Near Eastern Mythology
Variant of ASHTORETH

ASTARTE f Near Eastern Mythology (Hellenized)
Pronounced: as-TAR-tee
Greek form of ASHTORETH

ASTRAEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Astraia, derived from Greek aster meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.

ATALANTA f Greek Mythology
Means "equal in weight", derived from Greek atalantos, a word related to talanton meaning "a scale, a balance". In Greek legend she was a fast-footed maiden who refused to marry anyone who could not beat her in a race. She was eventually defeated by Hippomenes, who dropped three golden apples during the race causing her to stop to pick them up.

ATHENA f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps derived from Greek ather "sharp" and aine "praised". Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare, the daughter of Zeus and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. She is associated with the olive tree and the owl.

ATLAS m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: AT-las
Means "not enduring" from the Greek negative prefix a combined with tlan "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by Zeus by being forced to support the world on his shoulders.

AURORA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: aw-ROR-a
Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning.

AZRAEL m Judeo-Christian Legend
Derived from Hebrew 'azra'el meaning "help of God". This is the name of an angel in Jewish and Muslim tradition who separated the soul from the body upon death. He is sometimes referred to as the Angel of Death.

BAAL m Near Eastern Mythology
Pronounced: BAY-ul
Derived from Semitic ba'al meaning "lord" or "possessor". This was the name of various local deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East.

BACCHUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from Greek iacho meaning "to shout". This is another name of the Greek god Dionysos, and it is also the name that the Romans commonly used for him.

BALDER m Norse Mythology
Means "prince" from Old Norse. In Norse mythology Balder was the son of Odin and Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the evil fire god Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.

BALDEV m Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "god of strength" from Sanskrit bala "strength" combined with deva "god". Baladeva is the name of the older brother of the Hindu god Krishna.

BALTAZAR m Judeo-Christian Legend
Means "BAAL protect the king" in Phoenician. Baltazar is the name traditionally given to one of the three wise men of the New Testament.

BALTHASAR m Judeo-Christian Legend
Variant of BALTAZAR

BALTHAZAR m Judeo-Christian Legend
Variant of BALTAZAR

BARLAAM m Judeo-Christian Legend
Meaning unknown. In Christian legends Barlaam was a 3rd-century hermit from Senaar (in modern day Sudan) who converted Josaphat, the son of an Indian king, to Christianity. This name was also borne by two saints.

BEDIVERE m Welsh Mythology
Anglicized form of the Welsh name Bedwyr, which is of unknown meaning. In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the knights of the Round Table, one of the original companions of King Arthur. He was the one who threw Excalibur into the lake after the king died.

BEDWYR m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Welsh form of BEDIVERE

BELENUS m Celtic Mythology (Latinized)
Elaborated form of Bel, the name of a Brythonic solar god, which probably meant "bright, brilliant".

BELI m Welsh Mythology
Welsh cognate of Bel (see BELENUS).

BELLONA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: be-LON-a
Derived from Latin bellare meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of Mars.

BEOWULF m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Pronounced: BAY-u-woolf
Possibly means "bee wolf" (in effect equal to "bear") from Old English beo "bee" and wulf "wolf". This is the name of the main character in the anonymous 8th-century epic poem 'Beowulf'. The poem tells how Beowulf slays the monster Grendel and its mother, but goes on to tell how he is killed in his old age fighting a dragon.

BHARAT m Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "being maintained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu myth this is one of the names of Agni, the Hindu god of fire, and is also the name of the brother of Rama. It is also borne by a legendary king, the son of Dushyanta. The official name of the country of India, Bharat, derives from him.

BILE m Irish Mythology
Irish cognate of Bel (see BELENUS).

BLÁTHNAT f Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: BLAW-nit
Means "little flower" from the Irish word blath "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by Cuchulainn, who killed her husband, but she was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.

BLODEUWEDD f Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "face of flowers" in Welsh. In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, she is the wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes changed into an owl for her infidelity.

BRAHMA m Hindu Mythology
Pronounced: BRAW-ma
Means "prayer" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Brahma is the creator and director of the universe, the balance between the opposing forces of Vishnu and Shiva.

BRAN (1) m Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: BRAN
Means "raven" in Irish. In Irish legend Bran was a mariner who was involved in several adventures.

BRAN (2) m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: BRAN
Means "raven" in Welsh. In Welsh legend Bran the Blessed (called also Bendigeid Vran) was the son of the god Llyr. Later Welsh legends describe him as a king of Britain who was killed attacking Ireland.

BRANWEN f Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: BRAN-wen
Means "beautiful raven" from Welsh bran "raven" and gwen "fair, white, blessed". In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, she is the sister of the British king Bran and the wife of the Irish king Matholwch.

BRIDGET f Irish, Scottish, English, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: BRIJ-it
From the Irish name Brighid which means "high goddess". In Irish mythology she was the goddess of poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. This name was also borne by a patron saint of Ireland (also called Brigid) who established a convent at Kildare in the 5th century, and by the patron saint of Sweden (also called Birgitta).

BRIGHID f Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: BRIED
Irish form of BRIDGET

BRIGID f Irish, Irish Mythology
Variant of BRIGHID

BRUNHILDE f German, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Germanic elements brun "armour, protection" and hild "battle". In the Norse legend the 'Volsungasaga' Brunhilde was the queen of the Valkyries who was rescued by the hero Sigurd. In the Germanic legend the 'Nibelungenlied' she was a queen of Iceland and the wife of Günther.

BYELOBOG m Slavic Mythology
Means "the white god" from Slavic byelo "white" and bog "god". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sun, happiness and fortune.

CALLIOPE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: ka-LIE-o-pee
Variant of KALLIOPE

CALLISTO (2) f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ka-LIS-to
Roman form of KALLISTO. A moon of Jupiter bears this name.

CALYPSO f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Probably "she that conceals" from Greek kalyptein "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until Zeus ordered her to release him.

CAMILLA f English, Italian, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ka-MIL-a (English), kaw-MEEL-a (Italian)
Feminine form of CAMILLUS. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volscians, as told by Virgil in the 'Aeneid'.

CARDEA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.

CASSANDRA f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: ka-SAN-dra
Possibly means "shining upon man", derived from Greek kekasmai "to shine" and aner "man" (genitive andros). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.

CASSIOPEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: ka-see-o-PEE-a
Variant of CASSIOPEIA

CASSIOPEIA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: ka-see-o-PEE-a
Latin form of Greek Kassiepeia, possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.

CASTOR m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: KAS-tor
Possibly related to Greek kekasmai "to shine, to excel". In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.

CEPHALUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latin form of the Greek Kephalos, which was derived from kephale meaning "head". In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.

CEPHEUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latin form of the Greek Kepheus, which is of unknown meaning. In Greek legend he was a king of Ethiopia, the husband of Cassiopeia. After he died he was made into a constellation and placed in the sky.

CERBERUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latin form of the Greek Kerberos, which possibly meant "demon of the pit". In Greek myth this was the name of the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades.

CERES f Roman Mythology
Derived from the Indo-European root *ker meaning "to grow". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.

CERIDWEN f Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: ke-RID-wen
Means "blessed poetry" from Welsh cerdd "poetry" and gwen "white, fair, blessed". This is the name of a Celtic goddess of poetry.

CERNUNNOS m Celtic Mythology (Latinized)
Means "horned" in Celtic. This was the name of the Celtic god fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god Mercury.

CHALCHIUHTICUE f New World Mythology
Means "jade skirt" in Nahuatl. She was the Aztec goddess of water and rivers, the wife of Tlaloc.

CHANDRA f,m Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "moon" in Sanskrit. This is a name used in Vedic texts to refer to the moon personified as a deity. This is also the name of a demon in Hindu legends.

CHERNOBOG m Slavic Mythology
Means "the black god" from Slavic cherno "black" and bog "god". Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.

CHLOE f English, Biblical, Greek Mythology
Pronounced: KLO-ee
Means "green shoot" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter. The name is also mentioned by Paul in one of his epistles in the New Testament.

CHLORIS f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek chloros meaning "green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.

CHRYSEIS f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek chrysos meaning "golden". In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greek attackers of Troy Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.

CIAN m Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: KEE-an, KEEN
Means "ancient" in Gaelic. This was the name of the mythical ancestor of the Cianachta in Irish legend. Cian was also the name of a son-in-law of Brian Boru.

CIRCE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: SUR-see
From the Greek Kirke, which possibly meant "bird". In Greek mythology Circe was a sorceress who changed Odysseus' crew into hogs but was forced by him to change them back.

CLIO f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Italian
Latin form of KLIO

CLÍODHNA f Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: KLEE-u-na
Possibly means "shapely" in Irish Gaelic. In Irish legend this was the name of a beautiful goddess. She fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhan and left the Land of Promise with him, but when she arrived on the other shore she was swept to sea by a great wave.

CLYTEMNESTRA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: klie-tem-NES-tra
From Greek klytos "famous, noble" and mnestria "courter, wooer". In Greek legend Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon and the mother of Orestes and Electra. While her husband was away during the Trojan War she took a lover, and upon his return she murdered him. She was subsequently killed by Orestes.

CLYTIA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of KLYTIË

CONALL m Irish, Scottish, Irish Mythology
Means "strong wolf" in Gaelic. In Irish legend this was the name of the son of Cuchulainn who was slain by his father. A separate character in Irish legend was Conall Cernach the son of Amorgin, who competed for the right to carve the roast at a feast.

CONCHOBHAR m Irish, Irish Mythology
Original Irish form of CONNOR

CONSUS m Roman Mythology
Possibly derived from Latin conserere meaning "to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.

CRONUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: KRO-nus
Latinized form of the Greek Kronos, possibly derived from korone meaning "crow". Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing a prophecy that said he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid her last child Zeus from his father, and eventually he forced Cronus to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.

CUCHULAINN m Irish Mythology
Means "hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Setanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. Irish legend tells of Cuchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defence of Ulster against the army of queen Méabh.

CULHWCH m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In Welsh legend he was the lover of Olwen the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete them, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant. This tale appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.

CUPID m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: KYOO-pid
Derived from Latin cupido meaning "desire". He was the Roman god of love, the son of Venus. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.

CYBELE f Near Eastern Mythology
Pronounced: SIB-e-lee
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Phrygian goddess of fertility and nature, later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.

CYNTHIA f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: SIN-thee-a
Latinized form of Greek Kynthia which means "woman from Kynthos". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Kynthos was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born.

DAEDALUS m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: DED-a-lus
Means "cunning" or "curiously wrought". In Greek myth Daedalus was an Athenian inventor who was banished to Crete. There he designed the Labyrinth for King Minos, but he and his son Icarus were eventually imprisoned inside it because he had aided Theseus in his quest against the Minotaur. Daelalus and Icarus escaped using wings fashioned from wax, but Icarus fell from the sky to his death.

DAGDA m Irish Mythology
Pronounced: DAWG-da
Means "good god" in Celtic. In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha De Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.

DAMON m Greek Mythology, English
Pronounced: DAY-mawn
Derived from Greek daman meaning "to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias.

DANAË f Greek Mythology
From Danaos, a word used by Homer to designate the Greeks. In Greek myth Danaë was a princess of Argos and the mother of Perseus by Zeus, who came to her in the form of a shower of gold.

DAPHNE f Greek Mythology, English
Pronounced: DAF-nee
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo.

DAZBOG m Slavic Mythology
Variant of DAZHDBOG

DAZHDBOG m Slavic Mythology
Possibly means "the giving god" in Slavic. He was a Slavic god of the sun and light, a son of Svarog. In some myths he is the ancestor of the Russian people.

DEIMOS m Greek Mythology
Means "terror" in Greek. This was one of the sons of the Greek god Ares. Also, a moon of Mars bears this name.

DEMETER (1) f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: de-MEET-ur (English)
Means "earth mother", derived from Greek de "earth" and meter "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of Cronus, the sister of Zeus, and the mother of Persephone.

DEVI f Indian, Hindu Mythology
Derived from Sanskrit devi meaning "goddess".

DIANA f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: die-AN-a
Probably derived from an old Indo-European root meaning "heavenly, divine", related to dyeus (see ZEUS). Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis. Diana Spencer, the Princess of Wales, was a famous bearer of this name.

DIARMAID m Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: DEER-mid
Perhaps means either "freeman" or "without envy" in Irish. This was the name of a hero in Irish legend, and it was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.

DIDO f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly "virgin" in Phoenician. Dido, also called Elissa, was the queen of Carthage in Virgil's 'Aeneid'. She burned herself to death when Aeneas left her.

DIOMEDES m Greek Mythology
Means "thought of Zeus" from Greek Dios "of Zeus" and medesthai "to think". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.

DIONYSOS m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: dee-o-NOO-sos
From Greek Dios meaning "of Zeus" combined with Nysa, the name of a legendary mountain. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of Zeus and Semele.

DIONYSUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: die-aw-NIE-sus
Latin form of DIONYSOS

DIPAK m Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "little lamp" from Sanskrit dipa "lamp" and ka "little". This is another name of Kama, the Hindu god of love.

DONAR m Germanic Mythology
Ancient German cognate of THOR

DURGA f Indian, Hindu Mythology
Pronounced: DOOR-ga
Means "unattainable" in Sanskrit. In Hindu mythology this is the name of the fierce twelve-armed wife of Shiva.

DWYN m Celtic Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Celtic god of love.

DYLAN m Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: DUL-an (Welsh), DIL-un (English)
Means "sea" in Welsh. In Welsh mythology he was a god of the sea, the son Aranrhod. He was accidentally slain by his uncle Govannon. The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and the musician Bob Dylan are famous bearers of this name.

ECHO f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: E-ko
Means "echo" from the word for the repeating reflected sound, which derives from Greek eche "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.

EIRENE f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Original Greek form of IRENE

ELECTRA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: e-LEKT-ra
Derived from Greek elektron meaning "amber". In Greek myth she was the sister of Orestes who helped him kill their mother Clytemnestra.

ELISSA (1) f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown (possibly Phoenician in origin). This is another name of Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.

EMER f Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: EE-mur
Possibly from Gaelic eimh "swift". In Irish legend she was the wife of Cuchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, needlework, wisdom and chastity.

ENID f Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Derived from Welsh enaid meaning "soul" or "life". She was the wife of Geraint in Arthurian legend.

ENYO f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. She was a blood-thirsty Greek war goddess and a companion of Ares.

EOS f Greek Mythology
Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.

EPONA f Celtic Mythology
Derived from Gaulish epos meaning "horse". This was the name of the Celtic goddess of horses.

ERATO f Greek Mythology
Means "lovely" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the muse of lyric poetry.

EREBUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Erebos which means "nether darkness". Erebus was the personification of the primordial darkness in Greek mythology.

ERIS f Greek Mythology
Means "strife" in Greek. This was the name of the sister and companion of Ares in Greek mythology.

ERISHKIGAL f Near Eastern Mythology
Means "lady of the great place" in Sumerian. This was the name of the violent Sumerian goddess of death and the underworld.

EROS m Greek Mythology
Means "love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.

ÉTAÍN f Irish Mythology
Pronounced: AY-teen
Possibly derived from Old Irish ét "jealousy". In Irish mythology was a sun and horse goddess who was the lover of Midir.

EUPHROSYNE f Greek Mythology
Means "mirth, merriment" in Greek. She was one of the three Graces (Charites) in Greek mythology.

EURYDICE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Means "wide justice" from Greek eurys "wide" and dike "justice". In Greek myth she was the wife of Orpheus. Her husband tried to rescue her from Hades, but he failed when he disobeyed the condition that he not look back upon her on their way out.

EUTERPE f Greek Mythology
Means "delight" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the muse of music and joy. She was said to have invented the double flute.

EVADNE f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, though the first element is likely derived from Greek eu "good". In Greek legend Evadne was the wife of Capaneus. After Capaneus was killed by a lightning bolt sent from Zeus she committed suicide by throwing herself onto his burning body.

EVANDER (1) m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Pronounced: e-VAN-dur
From the Greek Euandros which meant "good man", derived from Greek eu "good" and aner "man" (genitive andros). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan war who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.

FACHTNA m Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: FAKHT-na
Perhaps means "hostile" in Irish Gaelic. He was the husband of Neasa in Irish legend. Some versions of the legends also have him as the father of Conchobhar.

FAUNA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FAWN-a
Feminine form of FAUNUS. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, a companion of Faunus.

FAUNUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FAWN-us
Possibly means "to befriend" from Latin. Faunus was a Roman god of fertility, forests, and agriculture.

FIACHRA m Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: FEE-akh-ra
Derived from Gaelic fiach meaning "raven". In Irish legend Fiachra was one of the four children of Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners, a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France.

FINNGUALA f Irish, Irish Mythology
Variant of FIONNGHUALA

FIONN m Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: FIN, FYOON
Means "fair" or "white" in Gaelic. Fionn mac Cumhail was a legendary Irish hero who became all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon. He fought against the giant Fomors with his son Oisin and grandson Oscar.

FIONNGHUALA f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "white shoulder" from Irish fionn "white, fair" and guala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnghuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.

FLORA f English, German, Italian, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FLOR-a
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower". Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind.

FREY m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRAY
Variant of FREYR

FREYA f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRAY-a
Means "lady" from Old Norse. This is the name of the goddess of love and beauty in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle, and brought them to her realm in Asgard.

FREYR m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRAYR
Means "lord" from Old Norse. This was another name of the Norse god Ing. Freyr was actually derived from a title of Ing, Yngvi Freyr, meaning "lord Ing". Freyr (or Ing) presided over fertility, sunlight and rain, and was the husband of the frost giantess Gerd.

FRIGG f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRIG
Means "beloved" in Old Norse, ultimately derived from Indo-European *pri "to love". In Norse mythology she was the goddess of the earth, air and fertility, and the wife of Odin.

GAEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of GAIA

GAIA f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: GAY-a, GIE-a
Means "earth" in Greek. In Greek mythology Gaia was the mother goddess who presided over the earth. She was the mate of Uranus and the mother of the Titans and the cyclopes.

GALAHAD m Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: GAL-a-had
Meaning unknown. In Arthurian legend Sir Galahad was the son of Lancelot and Elaine. He was the most pure of the knights of the Round Table, and he was the only one to succeed in finding the Holy Grail.

GANESH m Indian, Hindu Mythology
Pronounced: ga-NAYSH
Means "lord of hordes" from Sanskrit gana "horde" and isa "lord". In Hindu mythology he is the god of wisdom and good luck, the son of the god Shiva. He is often depicted as a short, fat man with the head of an elephant.

GAURI f Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "white" in Sanskrit. In Hindu mythology this is the name of the wife of Shiva, so named because of her white complexion.

GAWAIN m Welsh, Welsh Mythology, English
Pronounced: ga-WAYN
Possibly from the Welsh name Gwalchgwyn which meant "white hawk". Sir Gawain was a knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legends. The 14th-century romantic poem 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' tells how Gawain beheaded the Green Knight in single combat.

GEMINI m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: JEM-in-ie
Means "twins" in Latin. This is the name of the third sign of the zodiac. The two brightest stars in the constellation, Castor and Pollux, are named for the mythological twin sons of Leda.

GERAINT m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: GE-rient (Welsh), je-RAYNT (English)
Meaning unknown, possibly a Welsh form of GERONTIUS. In Arthurian legend he was one of the knights of the Round Table. After he wrongly accused his wife Enid of infidelity she regained his love by being submissive.

GERD f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: GERD
Derived from Old Norse garðr meaning "enclosure". In Norse myth Gerd was a fertility goddess, a frost giantess who was the wife of Freyr.

GOIBNIU m Irish Mythology
Derived from Irish gobha meaning "smith". This was the name of the Irish smith god, a provider of weapons for the Tuatha De Danann. He was also skilled at brewing beer.

GORONWY m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Meaning unknown. In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, he was the lover of Blodeuwedd. He attempted to murder her husband Lleu Llaw Gyffes but was himself killed.

GOVANNON m Welsh Mythology
Welsh cognate of GOIBNIU

GRÁINNE f Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: GRAWN-ya
Possibly derived from Gaelic grán meaning "grain". This was the name of an ancient Irish grain goddess. The name also belonged to the fiancée of Fionn mac Cumhail and the lover of Diarmuid in later Irish legend, and it is often associated with gráidh "love".

GRID f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: GRID
Means "peace" in Old Norse. In Norse myth she was a frost giantess, the mother of Víðarr by Odin. She also aided Thor in his fight against the giant Geirrod.

GUDRUN f Norse Mythology, Scandinavian, German
Means "god's secret lore", derived from the Old Norse elements guð "god" and run "secret lore". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of Sigurd. After his death she married Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him.

GUINEVERE f English, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: GWIN-e-veer
Old French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, which is composed of the elements gwen meaning "fair, white" and hwyfar meaning "smooth". In Arthurian legend she is the beautiful wife of King Arthur. Her betrayal of her husband with Mordred prompted the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. Later versions of the legends tell of her adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot.

HADES m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: HAY-deez
Derived from Greek aides meaning "unseen". In Greek mythology Hades was the dark god of the underworld, which was also called Hades. His brother was Zeus and his wife was Persephone.

HALCYONE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of ALCYONE

HARMONIA f Greek Mythology
Means "harmony, agreement" in Greek. She was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, given by Zeus to Cadmus to be his wife.

HATHOR f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Pronounced: HATH-or
Greek form of Egyptian Het-Heru which means "the house of Horus", derived from Egyptian hwt "house" combined with Hr the god Horus. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of love, often depicted with the head of a cow.

HEBE f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: HEE-bee
Derived from Greek hebos meaning "young". In Greek mythology she was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.

HECATE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: HEK-a-tee
Possibly derived from Greek hekas meaning "far off". In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, tombs, demons and the underworld.

HEIDRUN f Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse heidr meaning "heath". In Norse mythology this was a goat who would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.

HELIOS m Greek Mythology
Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses.

HEPHAESTUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology he was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful Aphrodite. It is said that when he was born Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.

HERA f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: HER-a
Uncertain meaning, possibly from either Greek heros "hero, warrior"; haro "period of time"; or haireo "chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.

HERAKLES m Greek Mythology
Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek kleos "glory". He was a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. He completed twelve labours in order to become a god.

HERCULES m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: HUR-kyoo-leez
Latin form of HERAKLES

HERMES m Greek Mythology
Pronounced: HUR-meez
Possibly meaning "cairn, pile of stones" in Greek. Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.

HERMIONE f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: her-MIE-o-nee
Derived from the name of the Greek god HERMES. Hermes was the Greek god of speed and good luck. In Greek myth Hermione was the daughter of Menelaus and Helen. This was also the name of the wife of Leontes in Shakespeare's play 'The Winter's Tale'.

HERO f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek heros meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play 'Much Ado About Nothing'.

HESTIA f Greek Mythology
Means "hearth, fireside" in Greek. In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.

HIPPOLYTA f Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
Variant of HIPPOLYTE. This name was used by Shakespeare in his comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

HIPPOLYTE f,m Greek Mythology, French
Feminine form of HIPPOLYTOS. In Greek legend Hippolyte was the daughter of Ares and the queen of the Amazons. This is also the French masculine form of HIPPOLYTOS.

HIPPOLYTOS m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "freer of horses" from Greek hippos "horse" and lyien "to loosen". In Greek legend he was the son of Theseus who was tragically loved by his stepmother Phaedra. This was also the name of a 3rd-century theologian, saint and martyr.

HORUS m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian Heru which is of unknown meaning. In Egyptian mythology Horus was the god of light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. The son Osiris and Isis, he avenged his father's murder by killing Seth.

IACCHUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from Greek iacho meaning "to shout". This is the solemn name of the Greek god Dionysos used in the Eleusinian mysteries.

IANTHE f Greek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ion "violet" and anthos "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.

IASON m Greek Mythology, Greek
Ancient Greek form of JASON

ICARUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Pronounced: IK-a-rus
Perhaps meaning "follower" in Greek. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.

IDUNN f Germanic Mythology
Germanic form of Iðunnr (see IDONY).

INDIRA f Indian, Hindu Mythology
Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Lakshmi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu. Indira Gandhi was India's first female prime minister.

INDRA m Indian, Hindu Mythology
Pronounced: IN-dra
Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit indu "a drop" and ra "possessing". Indra is the name of the Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain.

ING m Germanic Mythology, Norse Mythology
From old Germanic Ingwaz, which possibly means "he who is foremost". Ing was the name of a Norse and Germanic fertility god, known in Scandinavia as Yngvi Freyr (see FREYR).

IO f Greek Mythology
Pronounced: IE-o, EE-o
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology she was a princess loved by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from Hera. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.

IOLE f Greek Mythology
Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Hercules.

Celtic Mythology

AGRONA f Celtic Mythology
Derived from Old Celtic agro meaning "battle, slaughter". This was the name of the Brythonic goddess of war and death.

ANDRASTE f Celtic Mythology
Possibly means "invincible" in Celtic. This was the name of a Briton goddess of victory who was invoked by Boudicca before her revolt.

BELENUS m Celtic Mythology (Latinized)
Elaborated form of Bel, the name of a Brythonic solar god, which probably meant "bright, brilliant".

CERNUNNOS m Celtic Mythology (Latinized)
Means "horned" in Celtic. This was the name of the Celtic god fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god Mercury.

DWYN m Celtic Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Celtic god of love.

EPONA f Celtic Mythology
Derived from Gaulish epos meaning "horse". This was the name of the Celtic goddess of horses.

ISEULT f Celtic Mythology
Pronounced: i-SOOLT, i-ZOOLT, EE-sult
Variant of ISOLDE

ISOLDE f English, German, Celtic Mythology
Pronounced: i-ZOL-de (English), i-SOL-de (English), ee-ZAWL-du (German)
Possibly derived from a Welsh root meaning "beautiful". In Celtic legend she was an Irish princess betrothed to King Mark of Cornwall. She became the lover of his knight Tristan, which led to their tragic deaths.

LUGUS m Celtic Mythology
Gaulish cognate of LUGH

TARANIS m Celtic Mythology
Derived from Celtic taran meaning "thunder". This was the name of the Gaulish thunder god, who was often identified with the Roman god Jupiter.

TRISTAN m Welsh, English, French, Celtic Mythology
Pronounced: TRIS-tan (English), trees-TAWN (French)
From the Celtic name Drystan, which was probably derived from drest meaning "riot" or "tumult". It is sometimes associated with Latin tristus "sad", but this connection is doubtful. In Celtic legend Tristan was sent to Ireland in order to fetch Isolde, who was to be the bride of King Mark of Cornwall. Instead, Tristan and Isolde end up falling in love.

Norse Mythology

ALVIS m Norse Mythology
Means "all wise" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry Thor's daughter Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.

BALDER m Norse Mythology
Means "prince" from Old Norse. In Norse mythology Balder was the son of Odin and Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the evil fire god Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.

FREY m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRAY
Variant of FREYR

FREYA f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRAY-a
Means "lady" from Old Norse. This is the name of the goddess of love and beauty in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle, and brought them to her realm in Asgard.

FREYR m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRAYR
Means "lord" from Old Norse. This was another name of the Norse god Ing. Freyr was actually derived from a title of Ing, Yngvi Freyr, meaning "lord Ing". Freyr (or Ing) presided over fertility, sunlight and rain, and was the husband of the frost giantess Gerd.

FRIGG f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: FRIG
Means "beloved" in Old Norse, ultimately derived from Indo-European *pri "to love". In Norse mythology she was the goddess of the earth, air and fertility, and the wife of Odin.

GERD f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: GERD
Derived from Old Norse garðr meaning "enclosure". In Norse myth Gerd was a fertility goddess, a frost giantess who was the wife of Freyr.

GRID f Norse Mythology
Pronounced: GRID
Means "peace" in Old Norse. In Norse myth she was a frost giantess, the mother of Víðarr by Odin. She also aided Thor in his fight against the giant Geirrod.

GUDRUN f Norse Mythology, Scandinavian, German
Means "god's secret lore", derived from the Old Norse elements guð "god" and run "secret lore". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of Sigurd. After his death she married Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him.

HEIDRUN f Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse heidr meaning "heath". In Norse mythology this was a goat who would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.

ING m Germanic Mythology, Norse Mythology
From old Germanic Ingwaz, which possibly means "he who is foremost". Ing was the name of a Norse and Germanic fertility god, known in Scandinavia as Yngvi Freyr (see FREYR).

JARL m Scandinavian, Norse Mythology
Means "nobleman, earl" in Old Norse. In Norse legend Jarl was the son of the god Rig and the founder of the race of warriors.

LOKI m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: LO-kee
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from the Indo-European root *leug meaning "to break". In Norse legend Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and fire. Over time he became more and more evil, and he was eventually chained to a rock by the other gods.

ODIN m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: O-din
Anglicized form of the Old Norse name Óðinn which was derived from the early Germanic name Woðanaz, which perhaps meant "wind". In Norse mythology Odin was the highest of the gods, presiding over art, war, wisdom and death. He resided in Valhalla, where warriors go after they were slain.

SIF f Norse Mythology
Variant of SIV

SIGRUN f Scandinavian, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old Norse elements sigr "victory" and run "secret". This was the name of a Valkyrie in Norse legend.

SIGURD m Scandinavian, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old Norse elements sigr "victory" and vörðr "guardian". Sigurd was the hero of the Norse legend the 'Volsungasaga'. The saga tells how his foster-father Regin sent him to recover a hoard of gold guarded by the dragon Fafnir. After slaying the dragon Sigurd tasted some of its blood, enabling him to understand the language of birds.

SINDRI m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Possibly means either "small, trivial" or else "sparkling" in Old Norse. In Norse legend this was the name of a dwarf who, with his brother Brokk, made many magical items for the gods.

SIV f Scandinavian, Norse Mythology
Means "bride" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology Siv was the wife of Thor.

THOR m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: THOR
From the Old Norse name Þórr, meaning "thunder". Thor was the Norse god of strength, thunder and war, the son of Odin. He was armed with a hammer called Mjolnir, and wore an enchanted belt which doubled his strength.

ÞÓRR m Norse Mythology
Original form of THOR

TYR m Norse Mythology
Pronounced: TIR
Old Norse form of the name of the Germanic god Tiwaz, related to Indo-European dyeus (see ZEUS). In Norse mythology Tyr was the god of war and justice, the son of the god Odin. He carries a spear in his left hand, since his right hand was bitten of by the wolf Fenrir. At the time of the end of the world, the Ragnarok, Tyr will slay and be slain by the giant hound Garm.

VALKYRIE f Norse Mythology
Means "chooser of the slain", derived from Old Norse valr "the slain" and kyrja "chooser". In Norse myth the Valkyries were maidens who led heroes killed in battle to Valhalla.

VIDAR m Scandinavian, Norse Mythology
From the Old Norse Víðarr, which is of uncertain meaning. In Norse mythology Víðarr was the son of Odin and Grid. At the time of the end of the world, the Ragnarok, he will avenge his father's death.

VÖLUND m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of WIELAND

Avalon

Avalon is the place where the legendary King Arthur was taken after receiving mortal wounds in battle. Although it is a mythical place, there are sites on which Avalon may well have been based. Avalon is mentioned in a widely read text in History of the Kings of Britain (1138), written by Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1100–1154). Part fiction, part history, and partly based on Celtic folktales, Geoffrey’s work was the first popular source to depict the exploits of King Arthur, a leader believed to have ruled in Britain during the fifth or sixth century. That era falls within the Dark Ages, a period after the Roman Empire retreated from northwestern Europe and the area was assailed by invaders from eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Not much is known about the history of that period. Geoffrey’s work helped bring attention to myths of the Celtic people, who were overwhelmed by Romans and then other invaders during the first six centuries. His recounting ofthe exploits of King Arthur inspired a trend of tales written and told about Arthur and his knights. The tales were especially popular in the courts of Europe from about 1150 to 1250, and have enjoyed several revivals since. After Arthur received mortal wounds in battle, he was tended to by a maiden and placed aboard a boat bound for Avalon. The location of Avalon, usually called an island, varies according to which of the many Arthurian tales is being read. Some sources suggest Avalon lies off the coast of Great Britain, or “across the sea,” a term some have interpreted as the Atlantic Ocean, with Avalon possibly being the island of Greenland or a location in North America. Geoffrey likely took the name from “Avallon,”a Celtic term equivalent to “apple place.” Celtic myths had identified a paradise in terms that translate to an “island of apples.” The old Welsh language, where the word “Avallach” referred to a mythical island, is another possible source. Arran, an island off the coast of Scotland, has been considered a possible model for Avalon. The name Arran derived from “Emhain of the Apple Trees.” Another popular
claim for the site of Avalon is Glastonbury,a longtime apple-growing area in England.

Dictionary of Magic & Occultism Alphabetical

• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism V - Z
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism T - U
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism Q - R - S
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism O - P
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism M - N
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism K - L
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism I - J
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism G-H
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism - F
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism - E
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism - D
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism - C
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism - B
• Dictionary of Magic & Occultism - A

Round Table

in Arthurian legend, the table of Arthur, Britain's legendary king, which was first mentioned in Wace of Jersey's Roman de Brut (1155). This told of King Arthur's having a round table made so that none of his barons, when seated at it, could claim precedence over the others. The literary importance of the Round Table, especially in romances of the 13th century and afterward, lies in the fact that it served to provide the knights of Arthur's court with a name and a collective personality. The fellowship of the Round Table, in fact, became comparable to, and in many respects the prototype of, the many great orders of chivalry that were founded in Europe during the later Middle Ages. By the late 15th century, when Sir Thomas Malory wrote his Le Morte Darthur, the notion of chivalry was inseparable from that of a great military brotherhood established in the household of some great prince.

In Robert de Borron's poem Joseph d'Arimathie (c. 1200), the Grail, which had been sought by the hero Perceval, was identified as the vessel used by Christ at the Last Supper. Joseph was commanded to make a table in commemoration of the Last Supper and to leave one place vacant, symbolizing the seat of Judas, who had betrayed Christ. This empty place, called the Siege Perilous, could not be occupied without peril except by the destined Grail hero. During the 13th century, when the Grail theme was fully integrated with Arthurian legend in the group of prose romances known as the Vulgate cycle and post-Vulgate romances, it was established that the Round Table—modelled on the Grail Table and, likewise, with an empty place—had been made by the counsellor Merlin for Uther Pendragon, King Arthur's father. It came into the possession of King Leodegran of Carmelide, who gave it to Arthur as part of the dowry of his daughter Guinevere when she married Arthur. Admission to the fellowship of the Round Table was reserved for only the most valiant, while the Siege Perilous was left waiting for the coming of Galahad, the pure knight who achieved the quest of the Grail and who brought the marvels of Arthur's kingdom to a close.

In the city of Winchester, Eng., there is a great hall—all that remains of a castle begun by William the Conqueror and finished in 1235—where the so-called King Arthur's Round Table can be seen fixed to a wall. Measuring 18 feet (5.5 metres) in diameter, it dates from the late 13th or early 14th century, and it was repainted in green and white, the Tudor colours, during the reign of Henry VIII.

Grail

also called Holy Grail, object of legendary quest for the knights of Arthurian romance. The term evidently denoted a wide-mouthed or shallow vessel, though its precise etymology remains uncertain. The legend of the Grail possibly was inspired by classical and Celtic mythologies, which abound in horns of plenty, magic life-restoring caldrons, and the like. The first extant text to give such a vessel Christian significance as a mysterious, holy object was Chrétien de Troyes's late 12th-century unfinished romance Perceval, or Le Conte du Graal, which introduces the guileless rustic knight Perceval, whose dominant trait is innocence. In it, the religious is combined with the fantastic. Early in the 13th century, Robert de Borron's poem Joseph d'Arimathie, or the Roman de l'estoire dou Graal, extended the Christian significance of the legend, while Wolfram von Eschenbach gave it profound and mystical expression in his epic Parzival. (In Wolfram's account the Grail became a precious stone, fallen from heaven.) Prose versions of Robert de Borron's works began to link the Grail story even more closely with Arthurian legend. A 13th-century German romance, Diu Krône, made the Grail hero Sir Gawain, while the Queste del Saint Graal (which forms part of what is called the Prose Lancelot, or Vulgate cycle) introduced a new hero, Sir Galahad. This latter work was to have the widest significance of all, and its essence was transmitted to English-speaking readers through Sir Thomas Malory's late 15th-century prose Le Morte Darthur.

Robert de Borron's poem recounted the Grail's early history, linking it with the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper and afterward by Joseph of Arimathea to catch the blood flowing from Christ's wounds as he hung upon the Cross. The Queste del Saint Graal went on to create a new hero, the pure knight Sir Galahad, while the quest of the Grail itself became a search for mystical union with God. Only Galahad could look directly into the Grail and behold the divine mysteries that cannot be described by human tongue. The work was clearly influenced by the mystical teachings of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the states of grace it describes corresponding to the stages by which St. Bernard explained man's rise toward perfection in the mystical life. The work gained an added dimension by making Galahad the son of Lancelot, thus contrasting the story of chivalry inspired by human love (Lancelot and Guinevere) with that inspired by divine love (Galahad). In the last branch of the Vulgate cycle, the final disasters were linked with the withdrawal of the Grail, symbol of grace, never to be seen again.

Thus, the Grail theme came to form the culminating point of Arthurian romance, and it was to prove fruitful as a theme in literature down to the 20th century.

Odin (Óðinn)

According to literary sources, Odin was the foremost of the Aesir, but the limited occurrence of his name in place-names seems to indicate that his worship was not widespread. He appears, however, to have been the god of kings and nobility more than the deity to whom the common man would turn for support. His name defines him as the god of inspired mental activity and strong emotional stress, as it is related to Icelandic óðr, which applies to the movements of the mind, and to German Wut, meaning “rage,” or “fury.” This qualifies him as the god of poetic inspiration and the stories about the origin of poetry narrate how Odin brought the sacred mead of poetry to the world of the gods. This beverage was first brewed from the blood of a wise god, Kvasir, who was murdered by dwarfs. It later came into the hands of a giant and was stolen by Odin, who flew from the giant's stronghold in the shape of an eagle, carrying the sacred mead in his crop to regurgitate it in the dwelling of the gods. Therefore, the early skalds designate poetry as “Kvasir's blood” or “Odin's theft.”

There is also a darker side to Odin's personality: he incites kinsmen to fight and turns against his own favourites, because he needs heroes in the otherworld to join him in the final battle against the forces of destruction at the time of Ragnarök. Therefore, the fallen warriors on the battlefield are said to go to his castle Valhalla (Valhöll), the “Hall of the Slain,” where they live in bliss, training for the ultimate combat. He is also a necromancer and a powerful magician who can make hanged men talk. He is the god of the hanged, because he hanged himself on the cosmic tree Yggdrasill to acquire his occult wisdom. As the “Hávamál” tells us, he hung there for nine nights, pierced with a spear, sacrificed to himself, nearly dead, to gain the mastery of the runes and the knowledge of the magic spells that blunt a foe's weapons or free a friend from fetters.

Odin could change his shape at will, and, with his body in cataleptic sleep, he traveled to other worlds, like a shaman. As god of the dead, he was accompanied by carrion beasts, two wolves and two ravens. These birds kept him informed of what happened in the world, adding to the knowledge he had acquired by relinquishing his one eye in the well of Mímir under the tree Yggdrasill.

Untrustworthy, Odin may break the most sacred oath on the holy ring. As “spear-thruster,” he opens the hostilities, and in the bellicose period of the Viking expeditions his cult appeared to gain momentum. Odin, like Wôden or Wotan, is, however, essentially the sovereign god, whom the Germanic dynasties, in England as well as in Scandinavia, originally regarded as their divine founder. He thus maintains the prominent position of Wōðan[az] in classical antiquity, to whom, according to Tacitus, human sacrifice was offered. Latin writers identified Wōðan[az] with Mercury, as the name of the day, Wednesday, (i.e., “day of Wôden”), for Mercurii dies (French mercredi), indicates. It is possible that the tribal god of the Semnones, described by Tacitus as regnator omnium deus (“the god governing all”), could be identified with Wōðan[az]. They would indeed sacrifice a man to him in a sacred grove in what the ancient author describes as a “horrendous ritual.”

African Mythology

In African oral cultures, myths embody philosophical reflections, express values, and identify moral standards. Unlike Western mythology, African myths are not recounted as a single narrative story, nor is there any established corpus of myth. Instead, myths are embedded and transmitted in ritual practice.


Photograph:A group of vodun initiates performing a ceremony with a doll …


* A group of vodun initiates performing a ceremony with a doll …

African mythology commonly depicts the cosmos anthropomorphically. The human body is a microcosm that incorporates the same primordial elements and essential forces that make up the universe. Twinship is a predominant theme in much West African myth and ritual, because the human body is conceived as the twin of the cosmic body. According to the cosmogony shared by the Dogon, Bambara, and Malinke peoples of Mali, the primordial beings were twins, and twins therefore represent the ideal. Every individual shares in the structure of twinship. Following a birth, the placenta, which is believed to be the locus of one's destiny and the soul's twin, is buried in the family compound and watered for the first week of the child's life. Among the Asante of Ghana, twins are assigned a status akin to that of living shrines; a sign of abundant fertility, they are deemed repositories of sacredness. For the Ndembu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, by contrast, twins represent an excess of fertility more characteristic of the animal world than the human, and rituals are undertaken to protect the community from this anomalous condition.

The trickster is a prevalent type of mythic character in African mythology. Tricksters overturn convention and are notorious for pursuing their insatiable appetites and shameless lusts, even at the price of disaster. Although the trickster introduces disorder and confusion into the divine plan, he also paves the way for a new, more dynamic order. To the Fon of Benin, Legba is such a trickster. He is a troublemaker who disrupts harmony and sows turmoil, but he is revered as a transformer and not viewed as evil. Like other tricksters, Legba presides over divination. Called the “linguist,” he translates for humans the otherwise cryptic messages of Mawu, the Supreme Being. Tricksters thus communicate an important paradox: the cosmos, though grounded in a divinely ordained order, is characterized by constant change.


New religions, independent churches, and prophetic movements

Religious vision and fervour, combined with the desire for political self-determination, have inspired a variety of New Religious Movements throughout Africa. Such movements proliferated in sub-Saharan Africa in the wake of European colonialism as one response of Africans to the loss of cultural, economic, and political control. Independent, or indigenous, churches arose largely in reaction to European Christian missions and played a significant role in the postcolonial struggle for national independence. At the end of the 20th century, independent churches constituted more than 15 percent of the total Christian population of sub-Saharan Africa.

In contrast to the indigenous religious systems of Africa, which are generated and sustained by the community, Christian prophetic movements are organized around an individual. They are like indigenous African religions in that they are preoccupied with healing. Prophets are considered charged by God with the task of purifying the people and struggling against witchcraft. Public confessions, exorcisms, and purifying baptisms are dominant features. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Simon Kimbangu inaugurated a healing revival in 1921 that drew thousands of converts to Christianity. Kimbangu's powerful ministry was viewed as a threat by Belgian colonial authorities, who arrested him, but his imprisonment only stirred the nationalist fervour of his followers. The Kimbanguist Church survived and was eventually recognized by the state, and in 1969 it was admitted to the World Council of Churches. In the late 20th century the church had more than four million adherents.

Another prophetic movement, the Harris movement, was one of the first to receive the sanction and support of the governments of Western Africa. Its founder, William Wadé Harris, was a prophet-healer who claimed that the archangel Gabriel visited him while he was in prison for participating in a political revolt in his native Liberia. After his release Harris moved to neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire (where the European Christian missions had not been very successful) in order to lead his own vigorous evangelical campaign. His followers would establish a number of independent Harrist churches in Western Africa.

In contrast, neotraditional movements retain elements of indigenous African belief and ritual within the context of Christian liturgy. These syncretic religious movements incorporated important aspects of African religious expression, such as the practice of secrecy characteristic of the Sande societies in Western Africa. They also adopted fundamental beliefs of indigenous religions, such as the reliance upon the intervention of ancestral spirits. An example is the Bwiti movement, which originated with the Fang of Gabon and fused traditional ancestral cults with Christian symbolism and theology and messianic prophetic leadership. Such new African churches have tried to sustain a sense of community and continuity, even amid rapid and dramatic social change.

Some scholars regard the new African religions as manifestations of social or religious protest—by-products of the struggle for political self-determination and the establishment of independent nation-states. The persistence and proliferation of indigenous religions suggest, however, that they possess the openness to experimentation and renewal that is necessary to enable Africans to accommodate the changing character and needs of their communities. These and all other African religions testify in their variety to the diversity and wealth of African culture and reveal the means by which the people of the continent make sense of the material and spiritual world around them.