Poul Anderson Appreciation: More On Zacharian Divine Names

Sunday 7 February 2021

More On Zacharian Divine Names

Yesterday, I published a post which I then entitled "Divine Names II" and linked from it to an earlier post entitled "Divine Names." Since then, I have had to re-entitle the post of yesterday "Divine Names III" and to add to it links to two other earlier posts entitled "Divine Names II" and "The Zacharians." For the corrected post of yesterday, see here.

The full list of divine names used by Zacharians becomes:

Ares

Cernunnos

Pele

Kulkulan

Vishnu

Heimdal

Kwan Yin

Isis

Izanami

Izanagi

Astarte (see image)

Tangaroa

All of these have relevant links in the previous posts except Tangaroa who is linked here.

8 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...: Kaor, Paul!

I noticed, however, that no Zacharian had the nerve and gall to name his/her son YHWH! Or, for that matter, Jesus Christ. I can think of many reasons for avoiding the use of THOSE divine names.

And some Zacharians probably had names like Jupiter, Odin, Thor, Freya, Baal, Amon-Ra, etc.

Ad astra! Sean; 7 February 2021 at 20:42
Sean M. Brooks said...: Kaor, Paul!

Incidentally, another thought I had was that we don't see any of the Zacharians using the names of truly SINISTER pagan gods, such as Moloch or those of the Aztec gods. I can see way! The human sacrifices offered to those gods and the cannibalism of the Azecs might make the Zacharians balk at using these names.

And, to be sure, the names of the Aztec gods are complex and difficult to spell.

Ad astra! Sean; 8 February 2021 at 14:09
S.M. Stirling said...: Sean: there's always translation if you find Nahuatl unpronounceable.

I've always thought "Smoking Mirror" gets Tezcatlipoca across rather well. Other names for him: "We Are His Slaves", "He by Whom We Live","Enemy of Both Sides", "Lord of the Near and the Nigh", "Night, Wind".

Though "Our Lord of the Flayed" (Xipe Totec) is even more... evocative.

That was one -strange- religion.; 8 February 2021 at 20:19
Sean M. Brooks said...: Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

I like that idea, simply using translations of the Aztec gods names. Yes, "Lord of the Flayed is both evocative and sinister!

Ad astra! Sean; 9 February 2021 at 06:50
S.M. Stirling said...: The manner of human sacrifice to Xipe Totec involved flaying the victim alive with obsidian knives, then wearing his skin.; 9 February 2021 at 17:44
Sean M. Brooks said...: Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

Horrifying and gruesome! The Aztecs were NOT nice people, to say the least.

Ad astra! Sean; 9 February 2021 at 19:46
S.M. Stirling said...: Sean: their religious caste did a lot of self-mutilation and drugs. I don't think they had very... normal personalities.; 10 February 2021 at 05:09
Sean M. Brooks said...: Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

You are nicer than I would have been! I would call them murderous, depraved perverts!

Ad astra! Sean; 10 February 2021 at 14:04