1 Glossary of Names the Raven • Night's Plutonian Shore
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Glossary of Names The Raven • Night's Plutonian shore - Plutonian is reference to Pluto, the god of the underworld, the abode of the dead in Greek mythology. Thus Plutonian shore is the shore of the river Styx (a river which formed the boundary between Earth and the Underworld). • Bust of Pallas - refers to Pallas Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom. That is why in some interpretations of the poem the narrator is considered to be a student. • Seraphim - one of the angels who are always in God's presence. • balm in Gilead - cure for depression, from Bible. • Aidenn - Paradise, Heaven, Eden. Lenore • Stygian river – a river which formed the boundary between Earth and the Underworld in Greek mythology. • Paean - a word used to describe a song of joy, triumph, thanksgiving. It is a hymn of deliverance. • Sabbath song - a song of worship The Sleeper • Lethé - one of the several rivers of Hades (Greek underworld). Those who drank from this river experienced complete forgetfulness. • Irene - the goddess of peace (in Greek Eirene ). Israfel • Pleiads - nymphs who were companions of Artemis (goddess of hills and forests and of virginity and fertility. She was often depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows). Her companions were seven daughters of the titan Atlas and the sea-nymph Pleion. • Houri - one of the beautiful virgins of the Koranic Paradise. 1 Eulalie – a song • Astarté - the goddess of fertility and sexuality. Dreamland • ultimate Thule - in the Middle Ages, it was believed to be any distant place that was beyond the known world. • Eldorado - mythical city of gold. The City in the Sea • Babylon - a city and state of ancient Mezopotamia. The Coliseum • Judaean king – Jesus. • Gethsemane - a garden in Jerusalem believed to be the place where Jesus and his disciples prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion. • Chaldee - armaic language, the language of Jesus. • Memnon -a name from Greek mythology. Memnon was an Ethiopian king whose army was beaten at the Trojan War and who was killed by Achilles. 2 .