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Thread: Greek myths

  1. #1
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    Greek myths

    Having an achilles injury got me thinking about the Greek myth. In times when they had to run long distances to spread news about, and only had sandals to run in, there must have been a load of people hobling around with bad achilles. So many in fact that they thought of a brand new 'myth' to explain this. No inserts to cure them or flash shoes. I guess it would have been an even bigger topic of discussion then than it is now.

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    Re: Greek myths

    Quote Originally Posted by Deek View Post
    Having an achilles injury got me thinking about the Greek myth.
    I blame his mother, Thetis.

    According to a myth arising later, his mother, Thetis had dipped the infant Achilles in the river Styx holding onto him by his heel, and he became invulnerable where the waters touched him -- that is, everywhere but the areas covered by her thumb and forefinger -- implying that only a heel wound could have been his downfall.
    The use of “Achilles’ heel” (or “Achilles tendon”) as an English expression for “area of weakness, vulnerable spot” dates only to 1855 (Merriam-Webster).
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    Re: Greek myths

    Quote Originally Posted by XRunner View Post
    I blame his mother, Thetis.
    Interesting..... I think!
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    Re: Greek myths

    Quote Originally Posted by XRunner View Post
    I blame his mother, Thetis.

    One wonders why she didn't immediately turn him round & dip his heels in the water too???

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    Re: Greek myths

    Quote Originally Posted by AllanT View Post
    One wonders why she didn't immediately turn him round & dip his heels in the water too???
    It's all very well in hindsight, but she'd had a bad day on Olympus, (no that's not her boyfriend Brett), had to get tea ready and do some ironing.

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    Talking Re: Greek myths

    Quote Originally Posted by Hamertime View Post
    It's all very well in hindsight, but she'd had a bad day on Olympus, (no that's not her boyfriend Brett), had to get tea ready and do some ironing.
    Proper woman!! ladiees take note.
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    Re: Greek myths

    Quote Originally Posted by AllanT View Post
    One wonders why she didn't immediately turn him round & dip his heels in the water too???
    Well then the myth wouldn't have explained why all the long distance messengers were hobbling round.

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    Re: Greek myths

    Would Feta help?

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    Re: Greek myths

    The use of “Achilles’ heel” (or “Achilles tendon”) as an English expression for “area of weakness, vulnerable spot” dates only to 1855 (Merriam-Webster).

    Therefore the messenger in his sandals couldn't hurt his Achilles heels as the injury hadn't been invented way back in Greek times. Hence no myths of epic running injuries as found in seminal works of derring-do such as the injuries thread of this forum.

    Got to go, the nice nurse says its time for my pills....................yip yip yippedy yip

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    Re: Greek myths

    So are you saying it isn't a Greek myth then?

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