[HPforGrownups] Caput Draconis (was: Arthurian Allusions in "Harry Potter")

[Barb]

No: HPFGUIDX 46348


 Patricia Morrison <cloakofgold at yahoo.com> wrote:
Okay. First, "Pendragon"...a hybrid of Welsh and Latin, with "pen" being the Welsh word for "head" and "dragon" from the Latin draco (dragon), genitive draconis, "dragon's". In Welsh, "draco" became "dreic", or "drake" in Englsih. Hence, "dragon's head." Not really applicable to Harry, except that the Sorting Hat wanted to put him in the dragon's house, Slytherin, but there it is.
 
 Me:
Actually, there IS a Harry connection to "dragon's head."  It is the translation of "Caput Draconis," which is the password Percy uses to let Harry and his fellow first years into Gryffindor Tower just after they are Sorted.  I never realized that "Pendragon" also means "dragon's head."  It is also a term used in a form of Divination called Geomancy.  When you get a "figure" known as "Caput Draconis" in Geomancy, it is said to be a very good omen.   "You will be guided by a generous and unselfish inspiration and bathed in moral light," is one of the things it says on this web page about Geomancy and Caput Draconis: http://www.maudkristen.com/caput1.htm  That certainly sounds like Harry.  Another site I found concerning "sigils" equates the Caput Draconis "sigil" with that of Leo, Harry's sign, which is represented by a lion.  Also, the word "griffin" (part lion and part eagle) figures in the name of "Gryffindor," and in the east, griffins and dragons are often equated and both are considered to be a liaison or axis mundi between the earth and sky.
 
There is also another meaning of "Caput Draconis."  This website http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/38/3814.html says:
 
"The movement of the moon around the earth follows an orbit that is slightly slanting in relation to the ecliptic. On each of its revolutions around the earth the moon cuts the ecliptic at two places. The point where the moon cuts the ecliptic from south to north is known as the moon's north node or caput draconis, the dragon's head. "  
 
So, if they're paying any attention at all to Professor Sinistra, they would probably also learn this term in Astronomy, and be able to use it in Divination class (if they weren't so busy making up terrible predictions instead of doing their homework properly <g>).
 
I think it's also worth noting that Harry has already done quite well when going up against a dragon, and the worst dragon among the four champions, at that.  Does that make for a good omen should he ever go up against Malfoy in the future?  Only time will tell, but I certainly don't think it's a BAD omen, and could very well be a bit of JKR foreshadowing...
 
--Barb
 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Psychic_Serpent
Chapter 13 of The Triangle Prophecy is finally up!
 



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