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Re: Gnomes (Was: what is an aorist?)

From:Steg Belsky <draqonfayir@...>
Date:Thursday, July 14, 2005, 5:00
On Jul 12, 2005, at 1:48 AM, Ray Brown wrote:

> He wanted names for the spirits of each of the 'four elements': > salamanders - spirits of fire
> The name 'salamander' is ultimately from Greek _salamandra_, a kind of > newt (Salamandra vulgaris). It was supposed by both the ancient Greeks > and the Romams to be able to withstand fire, being able to quench the > fire by the chill of its body. Reference to this belief may be found > in Aristotle and Pliny and several other authors. Many of the > medievals seem to have believed the creature actually lived in fire & > Paracelsus simply adopted the word for his elemental spirits of fire.
Some real-life salamanders, at least, seem to be able to withstand fire for short periods by secreting some kind of bodily fluid. -Stephen (Steg) "You know, I rather like this God fellow. Very theatrical, you know. Pestilence here, a plague there. Omnipotence ... gotta get me some of that." ~ stewie griffin, _family guy_

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Tim May <butsuri@...>Salamanders (Was: Gnomes)