Saturday’s Offering… Deceptively Easy
Author: Marian
Comments(61)
Comments(61)
UPDATE: SOLVED at 1:37 CDT
I have some exciting news about the weekly riddles, and I’ll be getting that out either later this evening or tomorrow. In the interim, here’s one to make you think a little.
Today’s riddle answer is an object.
It is thought of as one “thing”, although it is composed of many.
It was known to ancient man.
Beham, (Hans) Sebald (1500-1550) Hercules Slaying the Hydra 1545
It is well represented in literature.
We associate this object with the summer months.
Not generally considered an important “player” to the Greeks, this object has gained interest in modern times.
Of its type, this object is the “dimmest”.
What do you think? Ready to tackle the riddle? I’m in the comment section, so give it a go.
Sorry, Trudy!
Aries.
Nope, but that’s a good first try, Rob.
Cassiopeia
Uh, nope.
Hercules Cluster
Sean – no, but you’re thinking along the right lines…
Little dipper or Ursa Minor
Fast Eddie – nope! Try another one…
Lacerta, maybe?
Thais – no, but you’re shopping in the right store.
So I’m going for a second try with Pegasus!
Pegasus
shoot, thais just beat me
Thais – No, but you’re narrowing down the possibilities!
Frank – Not Pegasus… but don’t leave that particular collection of myths behind. I’m sure if you look closely, you’ll see it.
Final try: Equuleus
Thais – No-o-o-o-o… but why is that the final try?
Seven Sisters?
Finally remembered this in time to get a guess in!
ok i am totally stumped til I see the answer. Hurry up Thais get the answer..LOL
I’m running out of ideas!! hahahahahahhaa
Ok, one more: Cepheus!
Algol?
OK, I know my first one is out, looking at some of the others and doing a bit of research.
How about Vega?
Cygnus
Capricornid meteor showers I know I am way off..LOL
Roger – Not the Seven Sisters, but welcome to the fray…
Thais – not Cepheus, but you’re still on the right track.
C’mon, Trudy, you can do it!
Cant think of what the Greeks concider something not important or a player..LOL I thought they liked everything in the sky..LOL
Trudy B, I’m trying!! LOL
ok, then… erm… Aquarius
Not Algol, not Cygnus, not Vega, and not the meteor showers…
Perseus?
Thais – closer… you’re getting closer…
Not Perseus…
ok let me think >> what shows up in the summer sky in my area…hmmm
I know RAIN..LOL
Just kidding
the beehive cluster
LOL!
Capricornus?!
Seriously, I’m starting to get waaaay too curious about this answer!!
The Milkey Way
Frank – oh, you are SO close…
Sagittarius?
Not Capricorn, not Sagittarius…
oh, h and chi persei?
Andromeda
Cancer
(going by the so close response. I am NOT spamming the astrology constellations)
I’m almost out…
erm… Corona Australis?
ROGER GOT IT!!!
IT’S CANCER!!
Yay, Roger!
The Hyades? thats close
Brown dwarfs stars
weeeeeeeeeeeeee
wtg
I feel so much stupider now..LOL is that even a word stupider..LOL
Nice job and nice trivia again marian
Yay! Congrats!
Ironic thing is that I am a Cancer myself.
Hmmm. Considering some of the guesses here, lets go with the history of constellations and their names.
Roger, I’m a cancer too… ironic, huh.
Oh I like that Roger. Great choice. I look forward to reading that one .
Look at the image of Hercules I put up, see Cancer grabbing onto his foot? According to mythology, Cancer was made a constellation for trying to distract Herc (as he was sent to do), but was made the dimmest of them all because he failed (Herc stomped on him, and then defeated the Hydra).
He tried.
Roger – Okay, I’ll do a post on the history of some of the constellations, and their names. That will be interesting.
Good job, everybody! That was fun.
i enjoyed all the answers and the accompanied guesswork….mademe feel better for being completly at sea. I think I have freshen up greek mythology before i can attempt anything on this site.
why not have a go at sanskrit…..pleeeze
Drat – could you narrow that down a little?
In that image of Hercules slaying the Hydra, that little clawed creature grabbing his heel looks more like a lobster than a crab. It SEEMS to have a tail, unless those are supposed to be rocks. Lobster’s have tails (delicious dredged in butter), crabs don’t, except for the horseshoe crab which isn’t even a crab! 15th century artists don’t seem to have been up on their crustacea or their mythology! Hercules is using a club too, rather than a blade to whack off those heads? And who in the heck is Herc’s “assistant” cauterizing the stumps?
Iolaus, the son of his twin brother Iphicles.
Thanks Tim. Seems that I’M NOT up on MY mythology either! I didn’t know that Hercules had a twin brother. Learn something “old” everyday. Were they identical or fraternal, both sons of Jupiter? Ok, now I see the “Hercules una cum Iolao” (cum meaning with), obviously not up on Latin either.
JohnD – You’ll see Cancer represented as several different animals in ancient depictions. He’s a crab in modern depictions. He’s been a scarab, a crayfish, a water beetle, etc. He’s usually shown as a decapod (a type of crustacean), and always with an exoskeleton.