Mars is Bright Tonight

[Linda C. McCabe]

No: HPFGUIDX 42461



Phyllis wrote:
Mars was the Roman god of war, and was driven by rage and a stong
desire for violence, especially mindless killing (sounds a lot like
Voldemort to me!).  Mars was said to have raped Rhea Silvia, a Vestal
Virgin, and as a result, Reah Silvia had twin sons, Romulus and
*Remus*.  Since Remus is Prof. Lupin's first name, could this suggest
that Lupin is related to Voldemort?  Yikes!  Mars was conceived when
the Goddess Juno, who was annoyed that her husband Jupiter had
produced *Minerva* from his head without her aid, asked the help of
the Goddess Flora, who touched Juno with a magical herb and
impregnated Juno with Mars. Since Minerva is Prof. McGonagall's first
name, does this suggest that McGonagall had something to do with
Voldemort's creation?  Double yikes!




Phyllis,

I must say that I am much more versed in Greek Mythology than I am the Roman
version.  I am not familiar with the Juno/Flora/Mars connection.  Switching
back to Greek Mythology, Athena was born of the marriage between Zeus and
the Titan Metis (goddess of Prudence.)  Zeus was warned and he feared that
if Metis had given birth to a son, that he would one day rise up and
overthrow Zeus.  This would be following the pattern of Cronos overthrowing
his father Uranus and later Zeus overthrowing Cronos.  Zeus wanted to
prevent that from happening, but he depended on the wise counsel of Metis.
So he came up with a plan:  He played a game of shape-shifting with Metis.
The Greek Gods and Goddesses were not confined to being Animagus with only
one animal shape.  Nope, they could change at will from animal to animal.
When Metis chose to change into a fly, Zeus reverted back to his human form
and sucked her into his mouth.  She being immortal resided from then on in
his head.  Metis was pregnant when she began setting up shop in his cerebral
cortex and she later began to hammer out an outfit for her young child.  It
was the pounding of the hammer on metal that drove Zeus insane.  He asked
his son Hesphaestus to split his head open and then Athena sprung fully
grown from his head.

Athena was the goddess of wisdom and victory.  She despised her brother Ares
(Mars) the god of war.  He was bloodthirsty and didn't really care which
side one as long as there was death, destruction and mayhem.

About two months ago, there was a flurry of hedgehogs proclaiming that
numerous characters in the Potterverse were Ever So Evil (ESE).  Some I
thought were interesting theories.  One that I cannot support is the idea of
Minerva McGonagall being ESE. That is simply because in the Potterverse
Names Have Meaning.

I cannot see how the Roman goddess of Wisdom and Victory could be evil.  And
I cannot see how Minerva McGonagall could have anything to do with the
creation of Voldemort.  It doesn't seem to fit in any way.

As for Remus Lupin...I wonder if he has a brother.

Athena

(And yes, I took my alter ego's name from my *favorite* goddess.  What's not
to like?  She's brilliant, on the winning side, wears armor and has a pet
owl.)