If you've read the ROV manga or my translations, you would probably recall seeing some allusions to Greek mythology.   When I first read the manga, I was stumped by some of Ikeda's allusions.   After chatting with other fans, I found out many were in the same boat.   So I decided to do some research and clear things up.

Enjoy!

Note:   For research assignments, check out the sites under "Sources."   Please do not e-mail me for help on finding allusions for school assignments.   Thanks.

 

  Glossary  

Aphrodite	Greek Goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.   (used by André to describe Oscar, then by Oscar to describe Antoinette)
Castor	Older brother of Pollux.   Companion star of the Gemini constellation.   (used to describe André)
Pollux	Also known as Polydeuces (Greek).   Younger brother of Castor.   Companion star of the Gemini constellation.   (used to describe Oscar)
Castor & Pollux myth	Castor and Pollux shared the same mother but had different fathers.   Leda, married to King Tyndareus of Sparta, was made pregnant both by Zeus, in a swan's disguise, and by her husband.   Months later, she gave birth to two sets of children:   Castor and Clytemnestra, mortals fathered by Tyndareus;   and Pollux and Helen, immortal descendents of Zeus. Reknown for their athletic ability, the brothers Castor and Pollux loved adventure and joined Jason's expedition in search of the Golden Fleece (a.k.a., the Argonauts).   In their final adventure, Castor was killed by a cousin over a feud.   Pollux was overcome with grief and begged Zeus to allow Castor to share his immortality.   Zeus consented and reunited the brothers in the heavens.
Icarus	A mortal who flew too close to the sun and fell to his death.   Son of Daedalus, the architect of King Minos' Labyrinth.   The father and son were imprisoned in the Labyrinth after Daedalus revealed the mystery of the Labyrinth to Theseus.   Daedulus conceived an escape plan using wings made from feather and wax.   Before they took off, he warned Icarus to stay away from the sun and water.   But the young Icarus, overtaken by the thrill of flying, flew higher and higher towards the sun.   The wax in his wings soon melted, sending him crashing into the sea.   (used by Antoinette to describe Fersen)
Mars	Also known as Ares (Greek).   God of war and conflict.   (used by Oscar as self-reference)
Mount Olympus	Residence of the Greek Gods.   (used by Gerodère to describe Oscar)
Pegasus	Winged horses of the Muses.   Bearer of Zeus' thunderbolts.   Born from the the blood of slain Medusa.   With a kick, Pegasus created the Hippocrene, a sacred spring of the Muses on Mount Helicon.   (used by André to describe Oscar)
Satyros	Also known as Satyr (English).   Half-man, half-goat creatures who inhabit the forests.   Often depicted as members of the Dionysian cult in Greek myths.   The satyrs are known for their insatiable lust for nymphs and other female creatures.   (used by André as self-reference)
Satyros' hoofs	A type of weapon similar to the trident.   The Greek words for "hoof",   hople,   and "weapon",   hoplon,   are etymologically related.   (used by André as self-reference)
Sylphide	A beautiful nymph who mesmerizes all men who see her but evades their love.   Men who pursue the sylphide end up dying with a broken heart.   The sylphide is often used to symbolize unrequited love, a love that is unattainable because of her illusory presence.   (used by Gerodère to describe Oscar)
Titans	Also known as the elder gods.   Children of Gaia and Uranus.   Parents and predecessors of the Olympians.   As a group, the 12 titans intermarried:   Cronus and Rhea, Iapetus and Themis, Oceanus and Tethys, Hyperion and Theia, Crius and Mnemosyne, and Coeus and Phoebe.   They were overthrown by Zeus and the Olympians.   (used by André as self-reference)

 

Sources

Bulfinch, Thomas.   Bulfinch's Mythology.   Modern Library, 1998.

The Columbia Encyclopedia.   Sixth Edition.   New York:   Columbia University Press, 2001

"Gemini:   Twins who weren't Quite."   Deepsky Atlas.   Hawaii Astronomical Society, 2001.

Loggia, 2001.

Musings Index