In eighteenth and nineteenth century England, it was considered a great offense to say "By God". Instead, men would say "BY Jove". Jove is an alternative name for the Roman god Jupiter. By saying "By Jove!", they could be saying "By God!", without committing a social offense.
by geinman June 15, 2013
A sailor who works hard all day, then hits the beach and drinks until 2am. He then gets up at six am, and does it all over again.
by geinman February 03, 2013
Daughter of Agamemnon who was to be sacrificed at Aulis due to her father's angering of the goddess Artemis. At the second the knife fell, Artemis whisked her away and placed a stag in her place. The goddess took her to the land of the Taurans, where she became a priestess. Many years later, she played a major part in the redemption of her brother, Orestes.
by geinman June 15, 2013
The Greek goddesses of retribution. There were three of them, with hideous features, snakes for hair, and eyes which wept blood. They sprang from the blood of Uranus when his son Chronos struck him down. Their purpose was to punish those who broke the laws of nature, such as killing a family member. The Romans called them the Furies.
When Hera endowed a horse with the power of speech, the Erinyes struck it dumb because it was not natural for a horse to talk.
by geinman June 25, 2013