23 Matching Annotations
  1. May 2018
    1. hierodule 4 5[   ] forgot where he was born. 6Six days and seven nights 7came forth Enkidu 8and cohabited with the courtesan. 9The hierodule opened her mouth

      hierodule - being a priestess, her having sex with Enkidu is not seen as a shameful thing. opposite of most religions that demand chastity for their priestesses

    1. Devil-shaped woman, her woe ever minded, 10 Who was held to inhabit the horrible waters, [Grendel’s progenitor, Cain, is again referred to.] The cold-flowing currents, after Cain had become a Slayer-with-edges to his one only brother, The son of his sire; he set out then banished, Marked as a murderer, man-joys avoiding, 15 Lived in the desert. Thence demons unnumbered

      again, origin being of Cain - evil begetting evil

    2. They invoke the aid of their gods. 60 At the shrines of their idols often they promised Gifts and offerings, earnestly prayed they The devil from hell would help them to lighten Their people’s oppression. Such practice they used then, Hope of the heathen; hell they remembered 65 In innermost spirit, God they knew not,

      idols = paganism. first mention of the devil. "God they knew not" declaring them to be heathens.

    3. Judge of their actions, All-wielding Ruler, No praise could they give the Guardian of Heaven, The Wielder of Glory. Woe will be his who Through furious hatred his spirit shall drive to 70 The clutch of the fire, no comfort shall look for, Wax no wiser; well for the man who, Living his life-days, his Lord may face And find defence in his Father’s embrace!

      insinuation that they deserve punishment because of their paganism

    4. In the land of the giants, when the Lord and Creator Had banned him and branded. For that bitter murder, 55 The killing of Abel, all-ruling Father Cain is referred to as a progenitor of Grendel, and of monsters in general. The kindred of Cain crushed with His vengeance

      Cain, direct reference to Bible. awkward insertion of Christian narrative/origin. Evil begotten from one of the first sins. No mention of the devil, evil as something unfavorable to God

  2. Apr 2018