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Berens' Handbook: URANUS AND GÆA

From A Handbook of Mythology (1886) by E.M. Berens. Edited by L.E. Ataire.

BERENS' Handbook of Mythology

The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome. By E.M. Berens. First published in 1886.

Ants

The Matchmaking Ant - a Korean Folktale An angleworm wanted to get married, so he asked an ant to act as a go-between and find him a wife. The ant arranged for the angleworm to wed a thousand-legged worm. When the angleworm heard this, he cried: “Oh, no! I never

Alligator

ALLIGATOR To see an alligator, was considered a very lucky omen to the people of Anamaboe and Dixcove in Ghana. For a maiden to see an alligator in the water, foretells trouble. The South American natives on the banks of the Orinoco river believe that an alligator, before going in

Types of Divination

(Links to more information to be added gradually.) Aeromancy: by air Alectryomancy: by hens and cockerels Aleuromancy: by eating bread and cheese. Alphitomancy:  by  barley  meal. Anthropomancy:  by  the  entrails of  a  human  being. Arithmancy:  by  numbers. Astrology:  by the  stars. Belomancy:  by  marked  arrows. Bibliomancy:  by  the  Bible  (open-

Quicksilver

Early Black Americans believed that sprinkling the floor with quicksilver would deter ghosts.

Ram Ram!

In Bengalese folklore, shouting "Ram Ram!" drives way ghosts and all evil things. Source Encyclopaedia of superstitions, folklore, and the occult sciences of the world. : a comprehensive library of human belief and practice in the mysteries of life ... Editorial staff: Cora Linn Daniels and C.M. Stevans. (1903). Chicago.

Antler

"Antler– Stags' horns are considered in Spain to be an omen of the evil eye, and to be a safeguard against its malignant influence. Should the evil glance be cast, it is believed the horn recieves it and instantly snaps asunder. They wear a tip of horn mounted in silver

Amethyst

Amethyst – The "maid stone." It's said that she who wears an amethyst will sleep calmly and have innocent dreams. Amethyst is believed to remove drunkenness, particularly wine-coloured stones. The word, amethyst comes from, the Greek word amethystos, meaning “not drunken. It also was thought to divert hailstones and plagues of

Amber

Amber – Amber has enchanted humanity for at least 10,000 years. From the Mycenaeans to the Mayans, amber has been considered sacred and used by cultures across time on nearly every continent. It was believed by some, that if one wore amber, no harm could befall them. In particular, amber

Amazonite

Amazonite (also known as amazon stone, Green feldspar and Neshmet) – A popular stone among ancient Egyptians, the greenish amazonite represented rebirth and fertility. For this reason it was often used in jewellery and funerary amulets. The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead recommends amazonite for papyrus sceptre necklaces. These necklaces

Alectoria (Capon Stone)

Alectoria – Alectoria is a stone of darkish crystalline colour found in the intestines/gizzards of capons (castrated cockerels) that had lived seven years. Alectoria is said to be able to grant invisibility to its carrier, makes women aggregable and men eloquent, constant, and friendly. If held in one's mouth, it

Alabaster

Alabaster – At Antiparos in the Aegean sea, the ancients used alabaster for incense and for funeral urns. If it turned yellow and lost its whiteness, it meant sickness and famine would come. Church statues made of alabaster are sometimes found to be chipped, in many cases this damage is purposeful.

Agate

Agate – an agate stone is believed to quench thirst and turn away thunder in lightning. A black agate veined with white will protect a person from all violent dangers. Hyena-coloured agate can cause domestic unhappiness. Agate was thought to protect from the effects of poison, but agate shaped as eyes

Adamant

Adamant – Adamant was a stone that once believed to be impenetrable, giving rise to the saying: "As hard as adamant." (Daniels, Encyclopaedia of Superstitions) It may be an archaic word for diamond.  Because adamant was believed immune to fire, artisans would soak the mineral in goat's blood to soften it.

Adder (Vipera berus)

Animal Lore (British Isles).

Listener to the Dead

In Brittany, listening and speaking for the dead was once a well-respected trade.

Space as a Superfluid

An ancient theory that is seeing a resurgence thanks to advances in Physics.

Antaura, the Demoness of Migraines

Summary and additional sources on the Greco-Roman daemon of migraines.

Thales of Miletus

Known as the 'Father of Science'. One of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece. The first recorded Western Philosopher (7th-6th century BCE). Founder of the Miletus School.

In Plain English

Introducing a new series aimed at making ancient, classical and medieval texts more accessible and easy to digest.

Lucan's Description of the Necromancer-Witch Erichtho

An excerpt from Lucan's epic poem, Pharsalia (1st century CE), introducing the villainous witch Erictho, who is sought out by Pompey's son during the civil war.

How One Roman Matron Caused All Women To Be Banned from Practicing Law

C. Afrania was so infamous that the edict against women advocates, first instituted in the 1st century BCE, was later extended to all of Europe. It then snowballed into something much worse...

IO: Moon Goddess, Princess... Cow?

Ever wonder why female cows have those cute crescent-shaped horns? No? Me either. But someone did! Io and her love affair with the King of the Heavens, is one of the oldest myths around.

When the Moon Became a Cow

Part of the Omni-Myth Series: Love affair of Io (Moon) and Jupiter (Sky Father).

Stitching Together the Omni-Myth

Freya, Demeter, Jupiter, etc... What we often think of as names are really just titles. When these titles are translated into a single language, an interesting thing happens.

Publications

List of outside publications

You're dead. Now what?

Travel Brochures for Afterlife Destinations.