So I made a post about a week ago making reference to Ancient Egyptian cultural references in destiny. So after a shit ton of digging (mainly from Wikipedia and some other site) I’ve cataloged a lot of other cultural references in destiny. Today, I’m gonna present my findings into the Ancient Greek culture. Prepare for a wall of text: The vex: (the vex enemies we face are named after mythical creatures found in Ancient Greek scriptures (barring hobgoblins as they have roots in different religions)): - Goblins - based off the kallikantzaroi, a type of goblin described to have burning red eyes and large heads. - Minotaurs - named after the large beast of Greek mythology. - Hydra - named and slightly based on the beast from Greek myth. Usually depicted as having 3 heads, no legs and a thick Hide (aspects seen on the in game variant). - Harpy - named after the half human, half bird personification of storm winds. - Cyclops - based on the creature of the same name. The creature had one eye at the centre of it’s head, and is considered a type of giant (aspects seen in game) - Oracles - named after a person or agency considered to provide wise or insightful counsel or prophetic predictions or precognitions of the future, (relevant to the vex’s time connections). (Many other cultures have their own oracles). - Gorgons - feminine creatures with serpent like hair and body with an ability to turn people to stone almost instantly killing them. (The gorgons have a holographic like Tendron (reminiscing the serpent hair) and the ability to kill people almost instantly) - Argos - name of a hundred eyed giant. - Panoptes - named after Argus Panoptes or Argos. - Dendron - Greek for tree - Brakion - derived from the Greek word ‘Brakhion’ for arm. (An ironic sense given its story regarding Asher Mir). weapons: - cocytus SR4 - is named after one of the five rivers in the underworld. The liquid ammunition and name is a clear reference to the river. - Painted Helios FR4 - Helios is the god and personification of the sun. - Silvered Eos FR4 - according to Greek poet Heisod’s theogony she is the daughter of Hyperion and Theia. - Prometheus lens - a Titan, a culture hero and trickster figure who is credited with the creation of man from clay, and who defies the gods by stealing fire and giving it to humanity. The gun literally gives out fire. - Telemachus-C - figure in Greek mythology the son of Odysseus and Penelope, and a central character in Homer’s odyssey. - Antiope-D - Named after an Amazon. Daughter of Ares and sister of Melanippe, Hippolyta, Penthesilea and possibly Orithyia, queens of the Amazons. - Thanatos SR5 - the Greek personification of death. - Acheron SR5 - on of the five rivers of the underworld. - Boolean Gemini - the zodiac symbol for Gemini is the twins, based on Castor and Pollux in Greek mythology. Pollux was the Devine son of Zeus, whilst Castor was a mortal. - Telesto - telesto was a sea nymph who was one of the three thousand daughters of the Titan Oceanus and Tethys. Telesto was the personification of the divine blessing or success. - Archimedes Truth - Archimedes of Syracuse was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor and astronomer. - Orthrus - according to mythographer Apollodorus, it was a two headed dog that guarded Geryon’s cattle. It was slain by Heracles. - Icarus (perk included here because weapon based relation) - reference to the legend of Icarus. The perk grants in air accuracy (a reference to Icarus’ angel like feats). Thanks Mk300mk: [quote] - Telesphorus weave - son of Asclepius (Greek god of medicine)[/quote] Thank you user BookGoblin: [quote] - Helios HC1 - greed god and personification of the sun. - lamia HC2 - a woman who became a child-eating monster after her children were destroyed by Hera, who learned of her husband Zeus’s trysts with her - Pleiades Corrector - an open star cluster located in the Constellation of Taurus. The nine brightest stars are named after the seven sisters of Greek mythology: Sterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygeta, celaeno, and Alcyone, along with their parents Atlas and Pleionne - Daedalus Code - father of Icarus (and possibly Lapyx) and also the uncle of Peridic. He is most famous for creating the labyrinth for king Minos to hold the Minotaur, and constructing Icarus’s wings [/quote] Thanks to user Bumblebee793: [quote] - Zephyr - Greek god of the west wind[/quote] Locations: - Firebase hades - clear name drop to the Greek god of the underworld. - Cerberus Vae III - name drop to Cerberus, often called the “hound of hades”, the monstrous multi-headed dog that guards the gates to the underworld, meant to prevent the dead from leaving. - Terrabase Charon - Charon is the ferryman of hades who carried souls of the newly deceased across the river Styx and Acheros that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. - Siren’s watch - a name drop to the creatures that would entice marines with their magical songs to shipwreck them on the rocky coast of their island. The location in game is located in the ocean, a reference to the siren’s locational preference. Thank you user kellygreen2: [quote] - Atalanta-D. Named after the swift virgin huntress who would only marry the man who could outrun her in a foot race. Hippomenes had to seek the help of the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite for the Golden Apples that ultimately distracted Atalanta enough to allow him to beat her...and then marry her. - The Martian moons of Phobos and Deimos. The Greek gods of Fear and Terror. - Eris Morn. Eris is the Greek goddess of Chaos and Discord. - Also Telemachus helped Odysseus to kill the suitors who had invaded his home, and demanded his wife Penelope marry them because he was presumed dead. (Odysseus was basically a wealthy aristocrat, and so they suitors were mainly after his property and wealth through marriage). Odysseus (known for his intellect and cunning...and thus a favorite of the goddess of military strategy, Athena) arrived home in secret. Realizing that he had no idea what he'd be coming home to (coming home openly ultimately cost Agamemon his life at the hands of his bitter and unfaithful wife Klytemnestra). He disguised himself so that he could survey the situation. Figure out who the suitors were and how strong they were...and whether or not his family was still faithful. Once he figured out that both his son and wife were----Telemachus raged at how the suitors disrespected his father and his property, and Penelope would take apart her weaving each nitght trying to buy time for Odysseus' return and avoid having to marry. Odysseus then reveals his presence to Telemachus...and they plot the deaths of the suitors. The trap would be that they would convince the suitors to agree to a test. Penelope would marry whomever could string Odysseus bow. A bow that only he was strong---and crafty---- enough to do so. This would gather all the suitors in one place to vie for their chance at her hand and wealth. All the suitors try...and fail. Odysseus...who had been moving in and out of their midst as an apparent beggar...asked to try. At first they wanted to refuse him....but then they agreed to let him try. Figuring they'd get a good laugh at of this old beggar's failure. Odysseus successfully strings the bow...and then uses it it along side Telemachus' sword...to slay all of the suitors. - Its why the lore quote in the Telemachus-C says [i]'The Wait is Finally Over." [/i] In reference to Telemachus long-frustrated desire to meet out justice to the men who had invaded his home....and his wish for his father's return.[/quote] Ships: - Aries Ascendant - the zodiac symbol of the Aries is based on the Chrysomallus, the flying ram that provided the Golden Fleece. - Scorpio Miracle - Scorpio is associated with the Greek deity Artemis, who is said to have created the constellation. - the fangs of Nyx - the Greek goddess of the night. - Zephyr Rig - Greek god of the west wind. The ships flavour text reads ‘the winds are all concordant’. [spoiler]expect a Roman based post soon. [/spoiler] [spoiler]link to master post https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/247827988/0/0 [/spoiler]