From: mark millman <millman@us.ncipher.com>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Limp biz (cut)
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 12:07:18 

At 07:44 PM 21-08-00 -0400, alga wrote:

> Patera Rat put forth (on another subject altogether):
>
>> (Yes, I know Oreb is also in Germanic mythology, 
>> as the limp also goes with Claudius, etc.
>
> That limp doesn't go just with Claudius. That limp is 
> important to classical mythology in general. There's 
> Oedipus--"swollen-foot"--of the dire prophecy. There's 
> Melampus--"blackfoot," also a prophet. There's Jason, 
> who arrives wearing just one sandal, as was prophesied. 
> There's some other odd stuff about sandals, including the 
> sandals of Theseus (under the stone) and the drag-footed 
> lame Crane Dance and the prophetic fall that followed. 
> Telephus was wounded in the left leg by Achilles, and we 
> all know of Achilles and his heel. I cannot remember if 
> Odin was eventually lame, but I wouldn't be surprised, 
> since Horn is certainly fixing to be Odin in his accoutre-
> ments. There's the Fisher King, wounded in the thigh.

Odysseus, too, has a thigh wound, though it's old and healed  
and apparently doesn't cause him to limp.  It does, however,
serve to identify him to members of his household upon his
return.

I've been unable to find any reference to Odin's becoming 
lame or receiving a wound in his leg or foot.  I did, however, 
come across one interesting foot fact about Odin.  During 
Ragnarok, Odin is swallowed by Fenrir and dies.  His son 
Vidar avenges him by kicking Fenrir in the mouth with a giant 
shoe until the wolf's jaws are torn asunder--just one giant shoe, 
not one of a pair.  I suppose that could cause a limp.

Nacre

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