Editor’s Note

EDITOR’S NOTE

We are always learning new things, adjusting our preset mindsets and preconceived cultural ideas. This happens in literature art, physics, history and geography. Ultimately nothing is set in stone, just because something we used to believe is disproven or overwritten by new thinking doesn’t mean we should ignore or discard it entirely as those opinions and theories are part of the journey to discovery and further enlightenment.

From questions in regards to the Ulster Cycle, the changes to the Odyssey by the Romans and later scholars to the discovery of fragments painting a very different picture indeed. Who would have thought the Romans would change so much of the original text from adding Achilles’ invulnerability, to changing the personality of most of the Greek characters into caricatures and even location? Sadly, most translations were based on the Roman texts a more accurate translation is now in print and the abuse aimed at its author is both terrifying and fascinating in equal measure.

The most recent findings in Archaeology are also interesting the Cerne Abbas Giant wasn’t a Prehistoric creation but a late Anglo-Saxon creation built around the same time as the local church the prevailing theory is that it was used to drive people to convert to Christianity. As for its famous fertility ritual phallus? That was added during the time of Oliver Cromwell probably as a mockery of the man, the giant is clearly based on Hercules and that was one of the nicknames for that man.

One final thing there is a very good possibility that Ireland was one of the islands that Ulysses landed on during the Odyssey and was the home of Calypso I found several early Roman and Greek geography texts which imply that fact and the link between those texts and Ireland is fascinating for me.

Happy reading, good health, and keep creating,

Amos Greig (Editor)