Dactyl (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Dactyls (from Greek Δάκτυλοι "fingers") were the archaic mythical race of small phallic male beings associated with the Great Mother, whether as Cybele or Rhea. Their numbers vary, but often they were ten spirit-men so like the three Curetes, the Cabiri or the Korybantes that they were often interchangeable. The Dactyls were both ancient smiths and healing magicians. In some myths, they are in Hephaestus' employ, and they taught metalworking, mathematics, and the alphabet to humans.
When Rhea, the mother of the gods, knew her time of delivery was come, she went to the sacred cave on Mount Ida. As she squatted in labor she dug her fingers into the earth (Gaia), which brought forth these daktyloi Idaioi (Δάκτυλοι Ἰδαῖοι "Idaean fingers"), thus often ten in number, or sometimes multiplied into a race of ten tens. Three is just as often given as their number. They are sometimes instead numbered as thirty-three.
When Greeks offered a most solemn oath, often they would press their hands against the earth as they uttered it.
Mythology
Mythology is a collection of myths, especially one belonging to a particular sacred, religious or cultural tradition of a group of people. Myths are a collection of stories told to explain nature, history, and customs–or the study of such myths.
As a collection of such stories, mythology is a vital feature of every culture. Various origins for myths have been proposed, ranging from personification of nature, personification of natural phenomena to truthful or hyperbolic accounts of historical events, to explanations of existing ritual. Although the term is complicated by its implicit condescension, mythologizing is not just an ancient or primitive practice, as shown by contemporary mythopoeia such as urban legends and the expansive fictional mythoi created by fantasy novels and comics. A culture's collective mythology helps convey belonging, shared and religious experience, behavioural models, and moral and practical lessons.
The study of myth dates back to antiquity. Rival classifications of the Greek myths by Euhemerus, Plato's Phaedrus, and Sallustius were developed by the Neoplatonists and revived by Renaissance mythographers. Nineteenth-century comparative mythology reinterpreted myth as a primitive and failed counterpart of science (E. B. Tylor), a "disease of language" (Max Müller), or a misinterpretation of magical ritual (James Frazer).
Mythology (Derek Sherinian album)
Mythology is the fourth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. Sherinian again draws upon some of the greatest talent from the worlds of rock and jazz music. Among the artists appearing on Mythology are jazz fusion player Allan Holdsworth (U.K., Soft Machine, Level 42), Steve Lukather (Toto), Simon Phillips (Toto, Jeff Beck, The Who), Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society), Grammy award winner Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs), and a very rare guest appearance from guitarist John Sykes (Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder).
Track listing
Mythology (Eloy Fritsch album)
Mythology is an album by new age artist Eloy Fritsch. It is generally viewed as one of his stronger solo works. As with Apocalypse, Fritsch plays a variety of keyboard instruments on the album. Featured in the inside photograph are a Modular Synthesizer System-700, Minimoog Synthesizer and electronic keyboards. Mythology deals with diverse myths of the world. So several cultures were visited, including those of Brazil, the Aztecs, the Incas, Assyria, Greek, Hindu, Egyptian, Nordic, Atlantis, the Romans, the Chinese, and so on. All electronic compositions on the album were based in his own interpretation of the characteristics of each mythological element chosen for this work.
