Nephele Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 Who wants to play? Think of a god, goddess, hero, nymph, etc. from classical legend and describe him or her in a rhyming couplet. Whoever guesses the riddle correctly, gets to pose the next rhyming riddle. I'll start: Doorways, hinges, thresholds of stone, These things I guard, these are my own. Who am I? -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Salve, Lady N Who wants to play? Think of a god, goddess, hero, nymph, etc. from classical legend and describe him or her in a rhyming couplet. Whoever guesses the riddle correctly, gets to pose the next rhyming riddle. I'll start: Doorways, hinges, thresholds of stone, These things I guard, these are my own. Who am I? -- Nephele Cardea. (If I am right, and being a lttle busy by now, I wouldn't mind if anyone else takes my turn; thanks in advance). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Cardea. (If I am right, and being a lttle busy by now, I wouldn't mind if anyone else takes my turn; thanks in advance). Correct! Who's next? -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Swift-ankled maiden, a suitor's bane, In a temple subdued by man, by mane, Who am I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Swift-ankled maiden, a suitor's bane, In a temple subdued by man, by mane, Who am I? Ah, very nicely done, MPC! Are you... Atalanta? She was swift-ankled, the suitor's bane in that those who failed to catch her in a race suffered the penalty of death. She was finally "subdued" by Hippomenes (with his trick of the golden apples), but both Hippomenes and Atalanta offended the goddess Cybele by having sex at her temple and, as punishment, Cybele transformed them both into lions - hence, "subdued by man, by mane". (Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 10) Am I right? If so, I waive my turn and eagerly await the next riddle any of our creative forum members might come up with! -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Swift-ankled maiden, a suitor's bane, In a temple subdued by man, by mane Atalanta? She was swift-ankled, the suitor's bane in that those who failed to catch her in a race suffered the penalty of death. She was finally "subdued" by Hippomenes (with his trick of the golden apples), but both Hippomenes and Atalanta offended the goddess Cybele by having sex at her temple and, as punishment, Cybele transformed them both into lions - hence, "subdued by man, by mane". (Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book 10) Very quick, Nephele! And great idea for a thread... if no one picks up her pen soon, please don't hesitate to offer your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Very quick, Nephele! And great idea for a thread... if no one picks up her pen soon, please don't hesitate to offer your own. Okay, this one requires a few couplets: Zeus wanted me, But a prophecy That my son would outshine his sire Cooled that randy god's desire. Naked, I rode my bridled dolphin, And Zeus found a mortal stand-in. Who am I? -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Salve, Amici Here comes an easy one: On Hellespont, guilty of true-love's blood, In view and opposite two cities stood, Sea-borderers, disjoined by Neptune's might; The one Abydos, the other Sestos hight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Salve, Amici Here comes an easy one: On Hellespont, guilty of true-love's blood, In view and opposite two cities stood, Sea-borderers, disjoined by Neptune's might; The one Abydos, the other Sestos hight. You are... Hero and Leander? Very nicely written! (But I believe the credit for these couplets goes to Mr. Marlowe.) -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Salve, Amici Here comes an easy one: On Hellespont, guilty of true-love's blood, In view and opposite two cities stood, Sea-borderers, disjoined by Neptune's might; The one Abydos, the other Sestos hight. You are... Hero and Leander? Very nicely written! (But I believe the credit for these couplets goes to Mr. Marlowe.) -- Nephele Entirely right of course, Lady N. Your turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Zeus wanted me,But a prophecy That my son would outshine his sire Cooled that randy god's desire. Naked, I rode my bridled dolphin, And Zeus found a mortal stand-in. Who am I? Would you be ... Thetis? Desired by Zeus, who feared the prophesy of her son's greatness, Thetis was turned over to Peleus, king of Myrmidons, who caught the siren after she rode her bridled dolphin into a cave where Pelesus hid. Indeed, their son did "outshine his sire"--who knows Peleus who does not know his son Achilles?--and thus "Zeus found a mortal stand-in". The most famous modern image of Thetis: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Creation's first lovers, denied embrace, crush my shoulders, fix my place. Two tortures set by an Olympian thug, Why must I struggle? Why not shrug? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Creation's first lovers, denied embrace, crush my shoulders, fix my place. Two tortures set by an Olympian thug, Why must I struggle? Why not shrug? Would you be... Atlas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Creation's first lovers, denied embrace, crush my shoulders, fix my place. Two tortures set by an Olympian thug, Why must I struggle? Why not shrug? Would you be... Atlas? yes--want to give the decoding a shot? For example, "Creation's first lovers"? "Olympian thug"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted November 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 yes--want to give the decoding a shot? For example, "Creation's first lovers"? "Olympian thug"? You're exceptionally good at these rhyming couplets, MPC. Okay, you are clearly Atlas. As for the decoding... Creation's first lovers... Would that be Heaven and Earth, who gave birth to the titans? From Hesiod's Theogony (translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White): "And Heaven came, bringing on night and longing for love, and he lay about Earth spreading himself full upon her." ...denied embrace Heaven (Uranus) was castrated by his son Cronus. ...crush my shoulders, fix my place. Atlas was made to bear Heaven (and the World) on his shoulders. Two tortures set by an Olympian thug... That Olympian thug being Zeus (son of Cronus and cousin of Atlas). Why must I struggle? Why not shrug? Hahaha! Nice Rand reference! That is precisely the advice that Francisco d'Anconia would give. It's late now and I'm packing in. So somebody besides me has to come up with the next one. No using poets allowed! Y'all have to make up something of your own, as MPC and I are doing! -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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