# Roman Mythology help



## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

On the roof of the world, a blue jewel is floating in the sky. In the air, the wind horse carries another jewel, which is said to grant wishes.

Give the romanized native name of both jewels in order, separated by a comma.

If anyone could help, it would be great.


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## Umbran (Apr 28, 2010)

A thing called a "wind horse" appears in some Native American and Asian mythologies, but horses are creatures of Poseidon/Neptune (and thus of water, not wind) in Greek/Roman mythology.

Unless, of course, the "wind horse" is Pegasus.  But he doesn't carry around a wish-granting jewel.


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

I do believe it's all asian mythologies.  The Roman's did have ties to the asians, and there should be translations.


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

The Tibetan word for prayer flags is _Lung-ta_, literally "Windhorse". The central image is that of a horse bearing three flaming jewels on its back, representing the Tibetan Buddhist trinity. This is the triple refuge of _Buddha_, who is the enlightened one, _Dharma_, the path of Buddhist teachings, & _Sangha_, the Buddhist monastic community. The Windhorse is both the subduer of evil & the vehicle of enlightenment. 

Now to romanize the jewel.


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## Pbartender (Apr 28, 2010)

The first is likely Lapis Lazuli.  If I remember correctly, it's the stone associated with the planet Jupiter in Roman mythology.  Historically, there are plentiful deposits of lazurite in the Pamir Mountains, which are also known as "The Roof of the World".


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

Got that one.  But thanks, this is hard.  Any idea on the second, I might be way off on the Tibetian avenue, as it's the flags that grant wishes.


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## Pbartender (Apr 28, 2010)

Thatwackyned said:


> Got that one.  But thanks, this is hard.  Any idea on the second, I might be way off on the Tibetian avenue, as it's the flags that grant wishes.




Just be aware that it doesn't necessarily seem to relate to Roman mythology...  To me, the question seems to be just looking for romanized names of the gemstones related to the clues.


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

I understand that.  That's why I went Tibetan.  But i think that was a dead end as it's the flag that grant wishes, not the stones on the horses back.  But arg... So close.


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## Pbartender (Apr 28, 2010)

Thatwackyned said:


> I understand that.  That's why I went Tibetan.  But i think that was a dead end as it's the flag that grant wishes, not the stones on the horses back.  But arg... So close.




Actually, you may be on the right track...  The handbook of Tibetan Buddhist symbols says, "The wind-horse usually carries on its saddle the wish granting gem of the _chakravartin_, which radiates peace, prosperity and harmony wherever it travels."  It doesn't say, however, what kind of gem it is.


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

I think what they ment by romanized is the "english" translation.  But I think you got it man.  Thanks so much.

Tomorrow I'll have a tougher question if you want to help with that one too.


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## Janx (Apr 28, 2010)

perhaps some context would help.  Is this for a class, and if so, what class?

Looking at tibetan mythology for a Roman Mythology question is misleading, though it seems the OP already has a chunk of an answer that fits.


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## Pbartender (Apr 28, 2010)

Thatwackyned said:


> I think what they ment by romanized is the "english" translation.  But I think you got it man.  Thanks so much.




In which case, you'll probably want "Cintamani", which is the romanized version of the native Sanscrit name (चिन्तामणि).


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## Desdichado (Apr 28, 2010)

Umbran said:


> A thing called a "wind horse" appears in some Native American and Asian mythologies, but horses are creatures of Poseidon/Neptune (and thus of water, not wind) in Greek/Roman mythology.



Neptune was a patron of horse races, but a wind-horse hardly seems in character for him.

To nitpick; be careful about throwing out the phrase Greek/Roman mythology as if Greek and Roman mythology were identical.  There are actually some very distinct differences between Neptune and Poseidon.

Although, yeah, both had an equestrian association.

Also: I'm very confused about the question that this thread is actually asking.  What does it have to do with Roman mythology at all?


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

Ok, you lost me.

What's the difference between _chakravartin and Cintamani_?


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

Hobo said:


> Neptune was a patron of horse races, but a wind-horse hardly seems in character for him.
> 
> To nitpick; be careful about throwing out the phrase Greek/Roman mythology as if Greek and Roman mythology were identical. There are actually some very distinct differences between Neptune and Poseidon.
> 
> ...




Actually the question has nothing to do with Roman mythology at all, unless the answer was in Roman mythology. The questions are Mensa level questions, testing ones ability to understand the question and research the answer. The Question before this one was on Braille and the predecessor to Braille.


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## Desdichado (Apr 28, 2010)

Thatwackyned said:


> Actually the question has nothing to do with Roman mythology at all, unless the answer was in Roman mythology. The questions are Mensa level questions, testing ones ability to understand the question and research the answer. The Question before this one was on Braille and the predecessor to Braille.



Err... that doesn't in the least address _my_ question.  Also, I'd expect someone who claims Mensa level intelligence to be able to frame a question coherently, not turn around and say, "Oh, the question is actually asking something completely different from what it asks."  Even a bit of cursory research will reveal the question to be nonsensical if you can't tell the difference between Roman and Tibetan mythology.


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## Thatwackyned (Apr 28, 2010)

LMAO...I'll never claim/nor have ever claimed Mensa level intellegence.

Ok, the backstory.

There is a challenge on the internet testing ones ability to comprehend question and research the answer. The questions are different every day. Yesterdays question was on on Braille and the predecessor to Braille. I had to translate braille and the predecessor of braille (which was done phenetically, by the way, wow) into an english question, then solve (Ma-sk-oo = Mascow).

Todays question is:

On the roof of the world, a blue jewel is floating in the sky. In the air, the wind horse carries another jewel, which is said to grant wishes.

Give the romanized native name of both jewels in order, separated by a comma.

So one needs to understand the question and research to find the answer. I'm asking for help here, because you are amoung the smartest people I know.

p.s. Is there a Mensa for Dumbies book? I'll take two.


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## Pbartender (Apr 28, 2010)

Thatwackyned said:


> Ok, you lost me.
> 
> What's the difference between _chakravartin and Cintamani_?




A chakravartin is general title for an ideal leader in Buddhism.  It is, effectively, the secular counterpart of a buddha.

A cintamani is a gem from eastern mythology that can grant wishes.  It is often portrayed being held by buddhas, chakravartins, and eastern spirits and gods.  To a certain degree, it is roughly equivalent to the halos that are often seen ringing the heads of saints and angels in Christian art.


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## Rykion (Apr 28, 2010)

My answer to the question would be: Lake Puma Yumco, Cintamani. 

Pbartender has covered Cintamani.  Lapis Lazuli seems a good answer because it is a blue stone that comes from the "roof of the world," but it hardly floats in the sky.  Lake Puma Yumco is literally "the blue jewel that is floating in the sky", and is on the Tibetan Plateau which some consider the roof of the world.

Lake Puma Yumco - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Pbartender (Apr 28, 2010)

Rykion said:


> My answer to the question would be: Lake Puma Yumco, Cintamani.
> 
> Pbartender has covered Cintamani.  Lapis Lazuli seems a good answer because it is a blue stone that comes from the "roof of the world," but it hardly floats in the sky.




Misled by the subject of the thread, I was originally thinking of lapis lazuli's Roman connection to Jupiter (the planet)...  A tenuous connection to be sure, but the best I had.  

In hindsight, you're right...  Lake Puma Yunco is a much better answer.  Kudos.


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## Janx (Apr 28, 2010)

Thatwackyned said:


> LMAO...I'll never claim/nor have ever claimed Mensa level intellegence.
> 
> Ok, the backstory.
> 
> ...




This is what Hobo and I were asking.  I don't know that it would have helped solved the puzzle, but knowing the backstory made the question a lot more clearer, and in fact revealed that it had nothing to do with roman mythology, only that the name would be "english"

9/10 times when somebody asks a question without context, it is a lot harder to get them the right answer because its not clear what they really want to know.


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## Bullgrit (Apr 29, 2010)

Next question is:

What is the airspeed velocity of the unladen swallow?

Bullgrit


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## Merkuri (Apr 29, 2010)

Bullgrit said:


> What is the airspeed velocity of the unladen swallow?




African or European?


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## Desdichado (Apr 29, 2010)

Janx said:


> 9/10 times when somebody asks a question without context, it is a lot harder to get them the right answer because its not clear what they really want to know.



Indeed.  In this case, the context we had (the thread title) was actually actively misleading.

Ah, well.  Sounds potentially fun.  I guess.


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## Wycen (Apr 29, 2010)

I could have used some Mensa help on my History of Science paper last week.  My brain still hurts.


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