The fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. I absolutely love the sound of that word. It just rolls off the tongue so easily.
It is generally believed that the aversion to the number 13 is due to Christian lore, but that's not completely true. Yes, many hold that the problem arose from Judas being the 13th guest to the Last Supper, but the phobia goes back even further than that.
In Norse mythology, it is connected with the goddess Freya, after whom Friday is named. Both Friday and 13 were sacred to her. Early Christian missionaries were so set against paganism and especially Freya that they went about setting everyone against her and Friday the 13th. Also in Norse myth, it is told that twelve gods held a banquet and neglected to invite Loki, the god of mischeif, who would have been the 13th guest. He crashed the party and played a trick that ended in the death of one of the other gods. Not a good thing to do.
In Greek myth, there is a similar story of a banquet, only this time the thirteenth guest would have been Eris, goddess of discord. For spite, she tossed in a golden apple designated only for the fairest. It caused such a ruckus among the vain goddesses that it led to the Trojan War.
You can read all sorts of stories about how bad 13 is, but for others it is a lucky number. It holds divine importance for certain tribes of Central America and some Christians actually look on it as a lucky number stemming from Christ and his twelve apostles.
And that, my children, is your lecture for the day. :)
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progress last night - read several chapters in a review book
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Birthdays: John Clare, Isaac Babel, David Storey, Wole Soyinka
Tips and Teasers: Of all the places you’ve lived, which was your favorite? Why? If you’ve never moved, describe your ideal place to live. Be specific.
Thought for the day: "Writers are just about the bravest people I know. Who else would lay their hearts on the line the way we do? Who else would have the determination, the persistence and the backbone to put up with criticism and rejections, to back the overwhelming odds that face every writer?" – Connie Laux
1 comment:
I have lived many many places and so far I really liked Cleveland the best. Why? Some of it is probably nostalgic because I lived there as a newlywed and it was one of the first places I lived away from my home state of Louisiana. But I really liked Cleveland because it was big enough to have a lot of great things to do and see - museums and cultural events - but also because there were neighborhoods with distinct personalities. We lived in an area with lots of Russian immigrants. Little Italy was close by and a great place to have dinner and walk around. There were all these lovely independent ethnic grocery stores to shop in. I got a taste of the greater world while I lived there.
I've been lots of wonderful places since then but Cleveland really does hold a place in my heart.
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