posted on January 30, 2007 01:48:48 PM
I have a partial set of beautiful Russian postcards but I can't figure out what myth/myths are being depicted. One looks like it might be Poseidon, another Dionysos? The backs all have a logo that might be related to the Red Cross. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Sorry the pics are so big- I couldn't get the caption legible at a lower resolution.
posted on January 30, 2007 05:10:27 PM
Can you cut and paste into one of the many language translating programs?
_____________________
A person who is nice to you but rude to a waiter is not a
nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.) ~Dave Barry
posted on January 30, 2007 09:10:29 PM
The second one is clearly Poseidon sitting with his trident. The three Fates can be seen sitting in the back on the right.
In the first and third picture the "Boy" with the angel wings and bow would be Cupid.
First picture is probably Dionysus with the wine jug. The guy holding the spear is big and important-looking like Zeus, but the only god I know of who carries a spear is Mars.
I have no idea who the girl in the third picture is.
I don't see anything in the 4th picture that stands out. Maybe Persephone returning to Demeter? Very much not sure about this one. I can't tell what the three little people on the right are doing.
posted on January 30, 2007 09:56:25 PM
Could picture #3 be God or an angel chastising Eve? He is holding a snake....and I can't think of any myths with winged beings and snakes, but it has been a long time since that college mythology class. The style of that card seems to differ from the others, so maybe it's not part of the same series?
posted on January 30, 2007 10:08:48 PM
They are lovely cards even though I can't tell you diddlie about what they say.
I used to love reading Greek and Roman mythology when I was a teenager. That was many moons ago, but I still remember
some of the tales and their variations.
I believe the cards are as follows:
Card XXII shows the water bearer Aquarius serving Zeus. Before being known as Aquarius he was Ganymeded. He was carried from his
home in Troy to Olympus to be the "cup bearer" to the God's. Pluto took a shining to his good looks and took him to
Olympus to be the boy-toy of the gods. In some versions of the myth, he was scooped up by a great eagle and flow to Olympus.
I think card XX - Hecate (shown with the 3 headed dog that guards the gates of hell) pleades with Hades for the return of
Persephone. Hades sits on the thrown with Persephone. To one side, the old men are the 3 judges. I can't remember the 3 old
women, but I think they read the "thread" of life. (Dr. Arcane, that is not a trident, but the gig spear Hades used to torture
souls.) In mythology, Zeus had the lightening bolt (single point spear),Hades cap of invisibility was the double
point spear and Posideon had the trident, the 3 point spear.
Card XVI is Hermes, AKA Mercury telling Persephone she must return to the underworld or Spring will never come.
Card XIII is Hermes and Hecate returning Persephone to her mother after negotiating with Hades.
posted on January 30, 2007 10:39:11 PM
Karen, I think it is Hermes. He is usually shown carrying a staff or a serpent. Hermes' staff evolved into the caduseus which represents medicine.
posted on January 30, 2007 10:54:27 PM
Thank you SO MUCH all and especially Ltray! I wasn't really comfortable with Poseidon, the staff wasn't a trident. Thank you!
[ edited by pixiamom on Jan 30, 2007 10:55 PM ]
posted on February 1, 2007 12:04:49 PM
Interesting! How come the numbers of the cards don't appear to chronologically follow the story?
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posted on February 5, 2007 05:41:37 PM
I finally listed the cards, shamelessly plagiarizing LtRay's post. Only 3 of the 4 are found in search or in the link I put in the listings to see similar cards. It finally whacked me on the head: Hermes is a VERO word that causes delay in search - should have used Mercury.
posted on February 6, 2007 03:03:10 AM
Glad I could help Pixia. My copywrite fee is only 10 cents a word <g>
Neglus, I'm not sure about the numbers myself. I too noticed they were out of sequence. I think they are also by different artists with similar drawing styles.
The one I'm not very sure about is the last one. Why would Hermes have bird style wings on one card and butterfly wings on the last card? The butterfly wing stle would suggest a sprite not a god.
Can't believe that no one on the board reads Russian. Pixia, perhaps your buyers will enlighten us.
posted on February 7, 2007 10:34:19 AM
I can read it, just not sure how to translate lots of stuff. Esp. names.
It is written in "older" Russian, not modern. Hope this messy translation helps out a bit to untangle it ...Good Luck! (this makes NO sense to me...LOL)
XXII smart Jupter giving Cupid order to love the inside beauty
XX Venus, not to open the pot, went to hell, shows up to Plato
XVI you'll be working for Venus forever
XII forgot marriage Zefir, bring sisters to heaven, went to see Queen, got congrats...
[ edited by pixiamom on Jan 30, 2007 01:52 PM ]
