Origin Of The Graveyard Shift

Have you ever wondered about the term "Graveyard Shift’’?

The term has come a long way from just being another time slot for laborers to come to work their shifts until dawns early light. The term has a quite unnerving and more macabre origin altogether.

In Transylvania the superstitions are so strong that still to this day many believe that the dead may come back to life as a vampire or undead creature if a stake is not driven through their hearts or their heads cut off.

Why would this superstition come to pass? Why would the myths of the undead, zombies and even vampires exist if there wasn't something that started them? Hundreds of years ago, and even thousands of years ago the medical technology was not capable to seeing when some were in a comatose state or not, thus people sometimes would be buried alive. Sadly, this attributes to the stories of people crawling out of their graves, after being buried. Remember in certain civilizations they did not embalm the bodies therefore their bodies were buried fully in tact.

Things to add to the undead and the zombie folklore may have started with the first mention of the undead creature in the fictional Sumerian story “The Epic of Gilgamesh” where it is mentioned that Ishtar cried out in a fury and stated,

"Father give me the Bull of Heaven,
So he can kill Gilgamesh in his dwelling.
If you do not give me the Bull of Heaven,
I will knock down the Gates of the Netherworld,
I will smash the door posts, and leave the doors flat down,
and will let the dead go up to eat the living!
And the dead will outnumber the living!"

Ancient Sumerian, Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology all originated from Ancient Babylon and their polytheistic and pagan beliefs. These beliefs included the stories of undead, demonic and even vampire like creatures which are believed to be the precursor’s to inspire the famous vampire stories made famous in the 18^th century.

In the Middle Ages, the belief in a zombie like being thought of as the "Revenant" was wide spread. The belief that the souls of the dead would return to earth and haunt the living was very common, especially for those who were murdered. It was believed that they took on the form of a skeleton or a decomposing corpse and roamed the graveyard at night.

As far as the name zombie, it has nothing to do with a dead, reanimated corpse at all. In fact in Voudoo belief and lore the zombie is nothing more than a man or woman who is under the spell or control of another, basically doing the bidding of the one in control.

So how did the term graveyard shift even come to be then?

Graveyard shift comes from the time in the 1800’s when people would have one person, a night watch man sitting in the graveyard all night listening for the bell to ring.

What bell you ask?

Well you see, there were stories that when bodies had been dug up in old cemeteries to make room to bury more people in the graveyards they noticed many coffins had scratch marks from the inside of the coffin, meaning that some had been ultimately buried alive and had suffocated to death after burial.

This started a panic among many during the mid 1800’s. Writer and Poet, Edgar Allan Poe’s works, ‘The Premature Burial’, ‘ The Black Cat’ and ‘ The Cask of Amontillado’ mentioned scenarios such as being buried alive. This also caused more dread and fear during this time which actually influenced “safety coffins” to be created.

Many mention the practice of not being buried as deeply as usually, and in fact the hands of the dead would be sticking out of the ground. Then a string would be tied to the wrist of the dead person and a vast set of lines in a sort of network would tie into each other and be attached to a bell. When a certain bell would ring the night watchman would know where to run with his shovel to and dig up the buried person before they would suffocate. Some say the term "dead ringer" came from this very sort of incident, however that is just a myth. In fact, the term "dead ringer" is just another term for an exact duplicate or something that looks exactly like something else, or someone else.

Safety Coffins

In the case of the “safety coffins,” there were elaborate coffins affixed with all sorts of gadgets that would allow a motion from the body to signal an alert, raise a flag or even shoot fireworks to let the living know that they in fact buried someone who wasn’t dead. Some of these coffins were even designed with escape hatches, which would have been best used during the funeral and not so much six feet under, can you even imagine?

Although patent records show that the “safety coffins” were made and manufactured at one point there is no record of any one claiming to have purchased or used such a device, but then again…how would you know? The customers who bought them, died apparently so they couldn’t really give a review of the product.

So basically, there you have it. A quick history lesson for you today. Now you know where the mythology and superstitions first came from, how little by little anxiety and fear added to the dread of being buried alive, and how many attempted to prevent that from happening. I know a lot of people who do not want to be buried when they die, for fear of waking up buried alive. I believe a lot of this fear has to do with all of these stories and movies that have been inspired by these old macabre tales.

I don't know about you, but being buried or burned in an incinerator sounds about the same to me! Both sound equally frightening if you are alive when it happens. Thankfully with modern day technology we know that the doctors aren't going to send us to the mortuary unless we are really long gone, so don't let this story scare you. If you live in Transylvania though, I suppose it may be another story. I know one thing is for sure, I wouldn't want to be buried alive only to wake up thinking I am being rescued and find my rescuers driving a stake through my heart!

J'aime Rubio (Copyright 2011)

Idolatry- Ancient Times and Today

The Adoration of the Golden Calf by Nicolas Poussin:

 

Have you ever stopped and wondered what the true meaning of idolatry was? Where it's origins came from or even why it is considered wrong to many people? This article will touch on various answers to those questions.

Definition

The meaning of idolatry has become diluted and sometimes lost in translation over the centuries. What once was considered idolatrous in one religion’s eyes has now become something now naturally accepted as normal. Many people say idolatry is an ancient practice and has no relevance this day in age, or does it?

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, idolatry is defined as “the worship of idols,” or “blind or excessive devotion to something.” In fact, the Catechism of Catholic Church states: Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in the place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example Satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. "  

Also another publication states this, “An idol is an image, a representation of anything, or a symbol that is an object of passionate devotion, whether material or imagined.”-Insight on the Scriptures.  

So with that being said, it isn’t far fetched to say that the world we live today is encompassed with idolatry all around them, and perhaps they don’t even know it!

Idols of Today

Think about it, besides religious idols, which I will mention, there are other forms of idols all around us. When you turn on the television you are constantly bombarded with television shows about who will be the next superstar that the masses will “idolize” over. What about commercials telling you to be a certain way or to buy certain things in order to be happy?  Our thinking is in a constant state of being molded to be selfish in every aspect of our lives. We strive our entire lives searching for happiness in material things, thus we become the victims of idolatry- we idolize material possessions.

Now some of us may keep our eye simple, but what of those who may be overly interested with a certain genre of books, music or movies to the point we form an unhealthy obsession of it? It does happen, many times to younger ones such as young self impressionable girls becoming obsessed with the latest pop sensation on the airwaves or the hot guy in the latest blockbuster.

And what of the obsessed sports fan?  Those who decorate their entire house in their favorite team, never miss a game and would get into a fist fight with anyone who makes fun of their team….yes, you guessed it, another form of idolatry.

You could be radically obsessed with politics or even just putting your career before your family, by which you then become to worship what you do. I watched a woman on t.v. who spoke of her daughter who won an Olympic Gold Medal in an interview recently. She stated that her daughter’s event became her religion and that she sent her away for months at a time to perfect her sport in order to win. What did she win? She won a gold medal, the medal became the object of her worship.

You see, many of us have to admit that we at one point or another have fell victim to this enticing and yet very invisible vice, while we may not even realize it at the time.

Religious Relics and Worshiping Aides

Most people know the scripture within the Ten Commandments given to Moses in Exodus 20:4 which reads, “You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth.”  Another scripture in the Bible adamantly states that "idolaters would not enter into God's kingdom."

So, if Israelites and early Christians did not partake in idol worship or the aids of objects during worship, and the Bible adamantly states not to worship carved images, why then would idols be incorporated into everyday worship in mainstream religions such as Catholicism and Christianity?

Roman Papacy of the Catholic Church, wanting to convert pagans into their religion compromised the commandments within the Holy Scriptures and allowed pagan influence to creep in. 

The Cross was among the first of pagan relics that was adopted into the Catholic Church.

“The same sign of the cross that Rome now worships was used in the Babylonian Mysteries, was applied by Paganism to the same magic purposes, was honoured with the same honours. That which is now called the Christian cross was originally no Christian emblem at all, but was the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans and Egyptians--the true original form of the letter T--the initial of the name of Tammuz--which, in Hebrew, radically the same as ancient Chaldee, was

found on coins. That mystic Tau was marked in baptism on the foreheads of those initiated in the

Mysteries,  and was used in every variety of way as a most sacred symbol.”- The Two Babylons.

The Rosary was also a pagan idol symbol from ancient Chaldea. In fact, the Chaldean word “Ro” means “thought”, and “Shareh” meant “director.” They were also known in early Roman society as “remembrancers” being that you had to remember how many prayers you had to repeat in order for God to hear you. That totally goes against the very scriptures in the Bible that state for people to speak from the heart and not being repetitively speaking without meaning.

Amulets, crosses, statues of various gods, even ones of Jesus or Virgin Mary and Virgen de Guadalupe are all pagan and go against the very commandments in the Bible. Remember Jesus stated for his people to worship his father, the only true God. He told the people not to worship anyone or anything other than God, not even himself.

Whether you are a believer in the Bible or Christianity the facts within the Scriptures prove that idol worship did not originate with God, but with various pagan cultures that have infiltrated nearly every mainstream religion.

History shows that various cultures such as the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Sumerians and Chaldeans polytheistic beliefs and mythology all coincide with one another in their forms of idol worship and beliefs, based on their true origins dating back to Babylon. The Bible has always stood its ground that idolatry was not something to be practiced by a monotheistic believer. Various events and stories mentioned about acts of idolatry referred to in the Bible, were done by pagan groups who worshipped false gods,  and were revered as something detestable to God. Such practices of these pagan worshipers included ceremonial prostitution, child sacrifice, self- laceration to the point of blood flowing and even sexual orgies and drunkenness.

Recall a story in the Bible of when Moses came down the mountain with the Ten Commandments, and what did he find? The Israelites had fallen away from true worship of God and had melted down all their gold to worship a golden calf that had been cast.  It does not mention in that particular scripture the name of the god they were worshiping, although many scholars claim it could have been the lunar bull that was associated with the pagan Canaanite god, El.

In other stories of idol worship that was detestable in God’s eyes recorded in the Bible, names of the false god Ba’al (or Bel) was mentioned.  Ba’al or Bel was a god of the Babylonians, also referred to as Marduk, possibly Nimrod deified.  You see, many of these pagan gods we have learned about in mythology of various lands, could have quite possibly been your average human being who lived and died on this earth. It wasn’t until later on that others deified them to become ‘immortal.’

Where did this idol worship come from?

Idolatry of gods and goddesses

If you search through any culture you will find mythology of gods and goddesses to which civilization’s  performed idol worship. The Aztecs, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Sumerians, Norse, Celts and even American Indians all believed in their individual gods and deities and worshipped them, also by carving amulets and even statues to honor them. They would make sacrifices in their gods name in order to appease them in hopes of being blessed. 

In these mythological stories you learn that most of them are actually very similar in stories besides the difference in names. Why is that?

It is because long before mankind spread throughout the earth making civilizations throughout the globe, they at one point were all from one place, thus the various stories all came from one place. Over the years and passed down from generation to generation embellishments and changes transformed one unified story into many individualized stories to which all the different cultures of the world have claimed as their own. Have you ever wondered why it was that every single culture has a story about the Deluge? That is because they all came from the descendants of the survivors of that Deluge.

“Not merely Egyptians, Chaldeans, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, but also the Hindus, the Buddhists of China and of Tibet, the Goths, Anglo-Saxons, Druids, Mexicans and Peruvians, the Aborigines of Australia, and even the savages of the South Sea Islands,  must have all derived their religious ideas from a common source and common centre. Everywhere we find the most startling coincidences in the rites, ceremonies, customs, traditions, and in the names and relations of their respective gods and goddesses.”- The Worship of the Dead, London, 1904, p.3.

What Does History Say?

The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1563)

A man by the name of Nimrod (son of Cush, grandson of Ham, great-grandson of Noah) is the one who started post-deluvian idolatry. Nimrod (Hebrew: maradh’), meaning “rebel”, was the founder and king of the first empire to come into existence after the Deluge. Nimrod’s kingdom consisted of the cities of Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh in the land of Shinar. Nimrod himself deified himself as a god above mankind. It has been suggested that the Babylonian god Marduk (Merodach), who was regarded as the founder of Babylon, was in fact Nimrod deified.

“Why, then, was he called Nimrod? Because he stirred up the whole world to rebel (himrid) against his [God’s] sovereignty.”-Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation, by Menahem M. Kasher, Vol. II, 1955, p.79.

Under the direction of Nimrod, the building of the tower of Babel began.  Josephus wrote: “Nimrod little by little transformed the state of affairs into a tyranny, holding that the only way to detach men from the fear of God was by making them continuously dependent upon his own power. He threatened to have his revenge on God is he wished to inundate the earth again; for he would build a tower higher than the water could reach and avenge the destruction of their forefathers. The people were eager to follow this advice of Nimrod, deeming it slavery to submit to God; so they set out to build the tower…and it rose with a speed beyond all expectation.”-Jewish Antiquities, I, 114,115 (iv, 2, 3).

As the story goes, God was angered at Nimrod for the dishonor it brought him and the false worship to himself he was demanding of the people, so God frustrated the plans to complete the tower by confusing their language. In fact the word Babel means “confusion.” The scattered people then went throughout the earth and settled in various locations, taking with them not only their new language but also the the false religious beliefs and idolatry learned by Nimrod, with them. 

What about pre-deluvian times? Was there idolatry prior to the Deluge? Yes, by the time of Noah’s days nearly every person on the earth was considered to be full of badness, even to the point that God himself “felt regrets that he had made men in the earth, and he felt hurt at his heart.”- Genesis 6:6.  The earth had become so wicked and filled with corruption to the point that the earth needed to be wiped clean,  just as an eraser to a slate chalkboard. 

Where did the corruption start? Well, to be technical and accurate, we would have to go back even further in time to see that the true origin of idolatry did not come from earthly beings. No, it came from the spirit realm itself. If one is to believe the scriptures it was then when a spirit being (later known as Satan), developed a covetous desire to be worshipped like God, that his own idolatry caused the rebellion in the heavens. Then, Eve became the first human idolater by coveting the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. Since then, only a small fraction of mankind have remained free from idolatry throughout the ages. 

 Are you part of that fraction of mankind?

 (Copyright- Origins-What Does History Say) 2012

Who was Melusine? Water Fairy, Mermaid or Serpent?

Photo of Starbucks Coffee Bag

Have you ever looked at the Starbucks logo and wondered who or what that mythological creature was on it? Some say she is a mermaid, some say she is a siren and others a sea nymph. In actuality the beautiful maiden that is shown with a crown upon her head and two mermaid-like tails is none other than a "Melusine."
 

What is a Melusine, you ask? Let's go back in time to see the origins of this mythological creature whose tales date back to the Medieval times.



In ancient stories the tale of Melusine (sometimes Melusina) is spoken in reference to a water fairy who was stricken with a condition of being half-woman and half-fish (or serpentine) every Saturday. The tales were fabled to have started around spinning wheels, meaning that women were gossiping and telling stories while working.  As the story went, for long as Melusine's husband didn't see her on that one particular day of the week, all would fair well for everyone. As most fairy tales or legends usually go, nothing ever goes according to plan.

Two-Tailed Siren (15th Century)

Melusine, the daughter of Pressina a full-fledged water fairy and the daughter of a mortal man, King Elinas (or King Helmas) wasn't always a mermaid/serpentine creature. According to the myth and legend stories, she was stricken with this ailment or condition after her mother found out what Melusine did to her father, King Elinas.

King Elinas had met Pressina at the "fontaine de la soif" (Fountain of Thirst) and fell madly in love with her instantly. He then asked for her hand in marriage. Pressina agreed to marry the king under the condition that he never enter into her chambers during or just after childbirth. Shortly after the marriage she became pregnant with triplets and soon thereafter gave birth to three daughters Melusine, Melior, and Plantina. King Elinas' curiosity got the best of him after his elder son (from a previous marriage) insisted that he go in and see his wife and new babies. Pressina was so overcome with sadness because her king had broken his promise, that she takes the babies and runs away off to a hidden island, Cephalonia.

When the daughters are teenagers, Pressina takes the girls to look upon their father's realm. She tells the girls about the promise their father broke and Melusine decides to seek revenge against her father. She convinces her two other sisters to help her kidnap their father and imprison him inside of a mountain. Once Pressina finds out about this, she becomes very upset and punishes Melusine by telling her that she will become a half-fish/serpent creature every Saturday for the rest of her life.

Melusine goes on living in the forest until one day she stumbles across Raymondin,-Count of Anjou (some stories say Duke of Aquitaine), who had been very distressed due to accidentally killing his uncle during a boar hunt. He was unsure what to do, and since having come across Melusine, she promised him that she help him obtain riches, wealth and power to which he could never imagine and offered advice how to go about explaining the accidental death he caused of his uncle to his family. The new found companion he found in her, helped ease his grief. He was so pleased with Melusine's help that he asked her to be his bride. She agreed under one condition,  that he could not see her in her chambers on Saturdays, no matter what.

He agreed to the silly request and they were married at once. Melusine helped him gain power to the kingdom and build up the city of Poitou and newly built Lusignan, where Melusine became the mother of the Lusignan line. She even had the castle built in Lusignan and ruled over the land graciously and lovingly to her people.

Raymondin and Melusine

Over time the happy couple had in upwards of at least 10 children (most of which were born with a deformity of some sort). It was obvious due to the time span of so many children being born that they had been married for at least 10 years or more when Raymondin became pressured by family members about Melusine's odd Saturday activities. It became more curious when they mentioned that she didn't like to attend Mass at their Cathedral and Raymondin started wondering what she may be doing in her chambers by herself.

In a fit of jealousy (thinking she may also be cheating ) he peeked through the keyhole in the door to her chambers and sees her bathing in a tub. She appeared as beautiful as ever from the waist up, but from the waist down her fish or serpent-like body splashed around with a fierce tail.  Raymondin couldn't believe his eyes but never did he mention this to anyone until their son Geoffrey burned down the Church. He felt that Geoffrey was a bad soul and had perhaps inherited it from his wife, Melusine. He then accused her of being a "Faulse Serpente."  Melusine then is so distraught over the fact that Raymondin not only knew of her secret, thus he broke his promise, but also that he announced it to everyone of what she really was. Some books say Melusine then turned into a serpentine creature  or dragon and flew away, while I read another state she jumped out the window in her fish-like state and swam away into the river. She was said to visit her children in the night in human form but other stories claim that she was a bad omen, for if you saw her flying around crying out that meant an impending death in the land.

Jean D'Arras Book

 In French history, many royals all the way back to the days of Charlemagne have claimed to have descended from Melusine's family lineage. In fact, the Plantagenet families, Angevin lineage and the House of Anjou and Vere still claim lineage that date back to the story of Melusine. Amazingly, while researching this story I realized that I was learning about tales my own ancestors had spoken of, as my mother's family genealogy dates back to the royal families lines of Europe, including the all of the families spoken about  in many of these centuries old stories who claim ancestry to Melusine.

Author, Jean D'Arras wrote his major work Chronique de Melusine in 1393 after being commissioned to do so by the Duke of Berry. According to history the Duke of Berry was so fascinated with the story of Melusine, that his sister Marie (Duchess of Bar/Berry) told D'Arras to record all the information that he could find on Melusine to please her brother the Duke.

D'Arras spent numerous years researching and collecting information which followed William de Portenach's previous stories of Melusine. In 1478, D'Arras' last work Le Liure de Melusine en Fracoys was published posthumously.

According to the book, "The Serpent And The Swan: The Animal Bride In Folklore And Literature," the name "Melusine" was used by D'Arras and Couldrette as an abbreviation of the words 'Mere des Lusignan' or 'Mother of the Lusignans.'  Many other derivations of the name Melusine were suggested pairing the fairy story with Greco-Roman deities and even Celtic origins.

Melusine - Thüring von Ringoltingen

Another thought argued by Markale was the latinization of the greek words, "Melas-Leuke" meaning "Black and White."  So, pretty much the story of Melusine is one that defines double-nature meaning she was human and animal, good and evil, both male and female. The male and female part is weird, I know, but according to the stories the fact that she was fish-like or serpent-like gave the idea of her upper half being more feminine while her lower half was more phallus-like. 


WAS THERE A REAL MELUSINE? WAS SHE GOOD OR EVIL?


In history, there proves to be a woman by the name of Melisende (or Melesende). Upon researching my family ancestry I had discovered that I am a descendant of Melisende and I also happen to be a descendant of her husband,  Fulk V- Count of Anjou. According to legend that King Richard I (Lion Heart) had made comments of his ancestor Fulk III (Fulk's grandfather) saying "We come from the Devil, and to the Devil we shall go."- meaning that because the story of Melusine had been attached to evil, cursed or even perhaps the spawn of the devil that the family bloodlines were tainted.

It was said that the Plantegenet line, Angevin, Vere and Anjou lineage all went back to the Melusine story. Even prior to the marriage of Fulk V and Melisende there had been rumored legends of ancestry to a mythical fairy that resembled Melusine's story. The names Melisende and Melusine sure sound a lot alike. Perhaps the actual name of Melusine in the story hadn't been conjured up for a few generations and then later on through stories passed on down generations later the names of actual people mixed together with the legend to create a leviathan of a story that old folklore is made of.


THE ARMENIAN QUEEN MELISENDE- 

WHAT DOES HISTORY SAY?

According to historical evidence, Melisende was born the daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem (whose ancestry came from Rethel, France) and her mother was Morphia (daughter to Prince Constantine I of Armenia). Baldwin deferred to King Louis VI of France to recommend a Frankish vassel for his daughter's hand. He then in turn recommended a rich crusader and military commander, and possible a threat to Louis VI himself, the Count of Anjou, Fulk V.

Melisende married Fulk Anjou V (Count of Anjou) and bore a son Baldwin III whom the King wanted to to make heir to the throne.  In 1131 upon the untimely death of her father, Melisende became Queen of Jerusalem and co-ruler with her husband.  Contemporaries of Melisende who did rule during the same time included Urraca of Castille, Empress Matilda (wife of Geoffrey, son of Fulk V-Count of Anjou) and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

She proved to be a mighty ruler and a very strong minded and intellectual woman. She watched over her son and helped him rule over the land, although not without complications. Her strong will and "matriarchal" tendencies truly left a legacy of her motherly care and determination to take care of her son and her people no matter what, even at the cost of upsetting her son's feelings.

Personally, I think that if there is a connection to Melusine (half human/half animal) and to half-Armenian, half-French, Queen Melisende it is one of ignorance on the part of the peoples. History shows that Melisende was a human being, not a mythological creature or fairy. She was a strong willed and independent woman who knew what she wanted and did what she needed to protect her people and her family.

I know that in today's day in age that is respected as an independent spirit, but mind you, this was the late medieval period and men didn't like women to be rulers of kingdoms, speaking their mind and calling shots. Thus, I could see how the rumors or story telling could play into the fact that a half-blood woman (mixed European with Middle-Eastern) with a strong will could be thrown into a story as a half human-half animal creature who called the shots and was "evil" or "magical" in a sense. Its a shame that women couldn't be given the credit for having a brain in their head and the guts to speak their mind at that time and era.

Quite possibly the story and fables of this water fairy, nymph, mermaid, whatever you want to call "Melusine" may have very well originated with Queen Melisende. Over the hundreds of years and all the fables, legends and lore of this mythical fairy or "Dames Blanches" that were told for so long, that the real story of Queen Melisende was forgotten and a fictional one was created.

SO WAS MELUSINE A SERPENT OR A MERMAID?


According to symboldictionary.com :

"A MELUSINE is a typical illustration of a twin-tailed siren or mermaid. 

This creature is associated with numerous stories and legends, and is imbued with symbolic meaning in alchemy. The most common iteration of the siren is as Melusine, a creature from medieval legend.

Melusine (sometimes, Melusina) was, according to legend, beautiful woman with a disturbing tendency to transform into a serpent from the waist down while bathing; it is the discovery of this nature that triggers calamity. 

 

Alchemal Siren (Melusine)

As the story is most often told, the cursed maiden is discovered in the forest by Raymond, the Duke of Aquitaine, who begs her to marry him. She agrees, on condition that he never disturb her on a Saturday, when she bathes. Raymond eventually grows suspicious of his young wife, and spies on her- and his shocked reaction to her true appearance reveals his betrayal to Melusine, who transforms herself into a dragon and departs in a shrieking fury. This story can be viewed as a metaphor for sexuality, and the contradictory duality of the female nature as viewed through medieval eyes.

The same dual-nature symbolism is also at work in alchemy, which employs the siren as a more benevolent emblem of enlightenment- the siren of the philosophers. Alchemically, the siren’s two tails represent unity -of earth and water, body and soul- and the vision of Universal Mercury, the all-pervading anima mundi that calls out and makes the philosopher yearn to her."

French Heraldry -Melusine

CONCLUSION


So in ending, yes, many tales tell of Melusine as a two-tailed mermaid and in others a more with a serpentine-like tail. Either way, Melusine was a water nymph or fairy and had some sort of magical powers in order to offer her love the wealth and prestige of a royal kingdom. I am sure the next time you pick up a cup of coffee, frap or even just hot cocoa at Starbucks you will never look at the fair maiden "Melusine" the same way again!

In my next article I will go deeper into the origins of Mermaids and the mythology behind it.

J'aime Rubio (2012) All Rights Reserved
Copyright-7/17/2012

Sources:
Medieval France: An Encyclopedia
by:William Kibler
Melusine of Lusignan: Founding Fiction in Late Medieval France
by: Donald Maddox
The Serpent and the Swan: The Animal in Folklore and Literature
by: Boria Sax
Melusina- by: Jean D'Arras
The Shame Of All Her Kind: A Genealogy of Female Monstrocity and Metamorphosis From The Middle Ages Through Early Modernity- by:Maria Frangos
Melusine The Serpent Goddess in A.S. Byatt's Possession and in Mythology
by:Gillian M.E. Alban
Dragon Legacy: The Ancient History of an Ancient Bloodline
by: Nicholas De Vere, Tracy R Twyman
Symbol Dictionary.com

The Bible- History or Myth?

When I first started writing my blog, I started out with researching old mysteries and stories that I felt could be re-investigated in order to search for the truth. Many of the stories I have researched and wrote about on my "Dreaming Casually" blog are cold cases or stories that many have speculated as cover-ups. I never had really considered writing about origins or biblical history before until I had a falling out with an acquaintance of mine a few months ago due to our differences in beliefs (spiritually). One thing this person told me was, "You write so many stories and dig and search for the truth about those things but why haven't you wrote about the Bible?"


You see, this person doesn't believe the Bible is real and is very adamant about this. I on the other hand, believe the Bible is true and accurate and I decided here and now to state the historical proof that the Bible is very accurate and real. I also wanted to show the differences between prophecies and predictions made in the Bible than to the predictions made in recorded mythology.


The Difference Between Myth and Legend


According to Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology, many stories and epic tales have been carried down for thousands of years. Telling tales of legend and myths in regards to the creation of life, the earth, the universe and various teaching of gods and such. However, no records really tell specific dates, names of true historical people or even real locations in order to prove such tales actually occurred.  The Bible, on the other hand has countless stories with such vivid historical detail that has been since proven to be historically accurate even to this day.


In the epic tales of Homer's Iliad and The Odyssey, the stories are about mythology of pagan gods and their lives intertwining or co-mingling among mortals. Even the ancient Egyptians, Celtics and Norse religions believed in and told of various "legends and lore" of times passed without really giving specifics about when, and where they occurred.


 PROPHECY



In Greek mythology, the belief in ancient oracles was rampant, although only the rich and powerful were able to consult with them. They believed that the oracles had powers of prediction and prophecy. However, the stories that oracles gave were more often than not just ambiguous, vague and most often unreliable. They also could be bought by the highest bidder. Even in today's society, many people are habitual horoscope readers constantly checking to see what the future holds for their destiny, sometimes paying for a horoscope service, calling phone psychics for advice and or purchasing magazines just to read their horoscopes. Sadly, today's horoscopes and "psychic" readings are not much better than the vague stories of the ancient oracles themselves.

A good example of the enigmatic predictions of the oracles is the story of King Pyrrhus of Epirus. According to the ancient tale, the King's army was engaged in an epic battle with the Roman army. He went to to the oracle Delphi for answers. The answer he received from the oracle was spoken in two ways, and thus could be interpreted differently:

 (1) "I say that thou son of Æacus canst conquer the Romans. Thou shalt go, thou shalt return, never shalt thou perish in war."

 (2) "I say that the Romans can conquer thee, son of Æacus. Thou shalt go, thou shalt never return, thou shalt perish in war."

The King chose to go by the second definition and lost in battle. Why am I bringing this story up? Because this is a great example of the vague and uncertain predictions the oracles would provide. Often times, the oracles spoke in unintelligible sounds and used priests to be their "interpreters" in order for them to create their verses to be spoken to the one seeking answers. More often then not, the answer had a double interpretation making it impossible for someone to understand the real answer. Almost like a riddle.

A great example of an oracle giving the wrong answer was in the case of the King of Lydia, Croesus. He consulted the oracle to find out who would win the war. The oracle told him, "If Croesus crosses the Halys, he will destroy a mighty empire."  In actuality, when he crossed the river Halys to invade Cappadocia, Cyrus the Persian was waiting for him and destroyed his army. Thus, Croesus' empire was the one defeated, and the oracle's answers proved fatal to Croesus.

The Bible, on the other hand, states prophecies that have taken place down to the last detail and proven the scripture that states, "No one word out of all the good words that Jehovah your God has spoken to you has failed."- Joshua 23:14

Examples of History

2 Kings, Chapter 24 tells that the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar took a man named Jehoiachin into exile to Babylon. It goes on to say that "Evil-merodach the king of Babylon, in the year of his becoming king, raised up the head of Jehoiachin the king of Judah out of the house of detention." It also goes on to state that Jehoiachin was given an "allowance" daily for the rest of his life.


There had never been any sort of proof to back this up until Archaeologists excavating the ruins of ancient Babylon uncovered tablets that dated to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II.

Now what do you suppose they found inscribed on the tablets? None other than list rations that were given to prisoners and other dependents on the royal household. On the list was the king of the land of "Yahud" (Judah) "Yaukin" (Jehoiachin), just as the Bible had said all along.

The Uruk Kings List had only briefly mentioned of Amil-Marduk's reign of a short two years, but never before had historians even been able to prove the story of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar's successor "Evil-Merodach," and his part in the story of Jehoiachin other than what the Bible had said.  As the history proves, Amil-Marduk ended up falling victim to a court conspiracy and found himself in prison with the king of Judah, Jehoiachin. Later, after his father's death, Amil-Marduk becomes king of Babylon and uses his status to release Jehoiachin from prison.


 2 Kings 25:27-30 reads:
 "And it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Je·hoi´a·chin the king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that E´vil-mer´o·dach the king of Babylon, in the year of his becoming king, raised up the head of Je·hoi´a·chin the king of Judah out of the house of detention; and he began to speak good things with him, and then put his throne higher than the thrones of the kings that were with him in Babylon. And he took off his prison garments; and he ate bread constantly before him all the days of his life.  As for his allowance, an allowance was constantly given him from the king, daily as due, all the days of his life."

Historians were also able to decipher that a vase found near the city of Susa read "Palace of Amil-Marduk (Evil-Merodach), King of Babylon, son of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon," proving that the Bible is historically accurate. 

As you can see in this example the Bible had stated this story for thousands of years, and yet it took until historians and archaeologists dug up corroborating evidence to agree with the Biblical tales, for many to believe the Bible is telling the truth. Such a sad thing isn't it?


Babylon-The Fall Of An Empire

Let's take the fall of Babylon as another example. In the book of Isaiah, 200 years before the event took place, Isaiah predicted the detailed account Babylon being overthrown by Medo-Persia. The account stated that the name of the conqueror would be Cyrus and even detailed the strategy of how Cyrus would defeat Babylon through means of drying up the river and infiltrating the city. All this, 200 years before it ever took place.

And what does history say about this event?

By the year 540 BC, Cyrus aka "Cyrus the Great" had captured the capital city of Susa.  Cyrus then fought the Battle of Opis near the city of Opis which lay along the Tigris river, north of Babylon.  Sippar then was seized without a battle and then again without a battle Cyrus' army siezed Babylon and Nebonidas.  Greek Scholar, Herodotus explained that the Persians used a basin that had been earlier dug by the queen Nitokris (of Babylon) in order to protect from prior attacks by the Medes. It had diverted the Euphrates into a canal severely dropping the water level to that of a man's thigh, which allowed the invasion to take place through the river in the night, just as the Bible prophesied.

After seizing  Babylon, Cyrus proclaimed himself "King of Babylon and the four corners of the world" which was inscribed on the Cyrus cylinder. Another piece of evidence that shows the Bible and History go hand in hand.


Another Example

During the sixth century B.C.E., Daniel the Bible prophet spoke of his vision that foretold the defeat of the Medo-Persian empire by Greece. It went on into detail explaining that when the king became "mighty" that his empire would then become "broken." (Daniel 8: 5-8)

“The ram that you saw possessing the two horns [stands for] the kings of Me´di·a and Persia. And the hairy he-goat [stands for] the king of Greece; and as for the great horn that was between its eyes, it [stands for] the first king. And that one having been broken, so that there were four that finally stood up instead of it, there are four kingdoms from [his] nation that will stand up, but not with his power."- Daniel 8:20-22 


The symbolism here referring the two horned ram as Medo-Persia and the single horned ram as Greece, showing that the mighty ram would defeat its counterpart. It also stated that in its highest point of reign that the empire of Greece would fall and be broken into four parts.


And what does history say about this event?

History goes on to show that Alexander the Great, ruler of Greece died suddenly at the age of 32, in the  prime of his age and at the top of game so-to-speak.  During a battle near Ipsus in Asia Minor the empire dissolved. The four victors divided the Grecian empire amongst themselves and no one out of the four were  ever able to attain the degree of power and rule that Alexander had done by himself, just as the Bible had foretold.



Conclusion

So to end this article on my blog, I have shown you how myths and history are far different from each other. I have also shown you a few examples of how history and the Bible are harmoniously joined together. You have the right to believe whatever it is you choose. However, I hope that if you were in doubt of the Bible' accuracy before reading this article, maybe the examples given here will make you search deeper for greater answers. The Bible is the most popular and most published book in the history of mankind. It has survived for thousands of years and still the accounts and advice given from the Bible can still be easy to relate to and to apply in every day life, even today.


The Bible really is a "lamp shining in a dark place," and all you need to do is pick it up and search to see that its stories and prophecies are historically accurate. 2 Peter 1:19-21




J'aime Rubio (Copyright) 2012