Monday 26 March 2018

Zoria

Zoria is the sun of the planet Dennitza in Poul Anderson's A Knight Of Ghosts And Shadows. I have encountered "Zoria" as a feminine name and am surprised not to find it with that spelling on Wikipedia. It seems to be the same as "Zorya."

In Slavic mythology, Zorya Utrennyaya is the Morning Star and Zorya Vechernyaya is the Evening Star. Thus, "Zoria," if this is the same name, is equivalent to Venus.

The speaker of the italicized opening passage of A Knight... says that Yovan Matavuly:

"...led the Founders the long lightless way to this our Morning Star..." (p. 341) (For full reference, see here.)

Googling suggests that "Dennitza" is a feminine personal name. "Gospodar" is defined here. No doubt other Dennizan terms could be tracked down but it would take some digging.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

"Zoria" might easily be explained what "Zorya" would turn into a thousand years or more from now.

Sean