Sunday, April 07, 2013

What we did before Easter

We read about: Parthenope - click on the word to see the text and then click on the Italian flag (in the upper right-hand corner to find the original text.  Your job will be to choose one of the other subjects on the same webpage called

Mythical and legendary origins of the city

 and then write a short summary about it here.

28 comments:

Andreita Galasso said...

Megaride

Megaride is a little island.
This island is situated in Naples.
Castel dell'Ovo was built on this island (under Castel dell'ovo, according to legend, was an egg).
Strabone referred to the existence of the virgin Siren's tomb in Naples.
In fact on the island of Megaride, according to legend, Partenope ( a siren) was burried.
Andreita Galasso 112000247

Anonymous said...

THE CULT OF PRIAPUS the horn is the most famous symbol of neapolitan superstition. The horn has simbolically ward of evil tongues. It is identified with the phallic symbol of the greek roman god Priapus, guardian of the lands,protector from the evil eye and god of prosperity, the house and fishing. Priapus was one of the most venerated in campania felix as agreed upon a generatrix force. Some believe that he was the son of Venus and Bacchus, others believe that he was the son of Venus and Jupiter, others believe that he was even the son of Venus and Mercury. The cult of priapus is among the most ancient mystery rites of Naples. MONTELLA MARZIA 112000009

Anonymous said...

Roberta Assanti
Matr. 112000447

Colapesce Sommary.

The legend of Niccolò Pesce related that he was a young man, half man and half fish could live at the bottom of the sea between Naples and Messina. One day, the king of Naples called him to search some treasures, into the depths. The Colapesce story is so famous that, there is a bas-relief in Via Mezzocannone, because people in XVII
century remembered him as a wild-looking man so becoming the symbol for the
Port of Naples.

Unknown said...

The legend of Niccolò Pesce, originated in the Middle Ages, said about a young man, half man and half fish, who lived at the bottom of the sea, between Naples and Messina. When wanted to travel long distances, got a huge fish to swallow him, arrived climbed out from the belly of the fish. In XVII century people remembered him as a wild-looking man (like in a bas-relief in via Mezzo Cannone) who sometimes come up from the sea to talk to sailors and tell them what he had discoverd; in fact he became the symbol for the Port area.
112000005

Anna axs said...

Normally Neapolitans have a horn at homme or in their car or under clothing. It's a way to ward off evil eye. The horn or the red pepper simulates a phallus, as symbol of prosperity, protector of house and life and to ward off evil tongues. But few people know why they touch the horn. The legend refers to the Grecoroman god Priapus known in mythology for his big penis. Althogh i know that is not true i beliave, i'm conscius of being superstitius!

Unknown said...

Niccolò Pesce, known as Colapesce or “Nick the Fish” was such a good
swimmer, originated in the Middle Ages.
It was said that the young man had webbed
fingers, fins and scales: half man and half fish. He could live at the bottom of the sea, between Naples and Messina, which is why the king of Naples
once invited him to go down into the depths and see what secrets they hid. Colapesce told
the king that the bottom of the sea was covered in priceless treasure.
A bas-relief on the front of a building in via Mezzocannone, which shows a bearded,
hairy man with knife in hand, is thought to be Colapesce.
This man became the symbol for the
Port area.
112000016

Anonymous said...

COLAPESCE

The legend of Colapesce tells about the story of a young man, Niccolò Pesce, who lived at the bottom of the sea between Naples and Messina because he was half man and half fish. Once the king of Naples invited him to go down into the depths and see what secrets they hid. When Colapesce came back up he brought huge amounts of jewels he had found in the caves and channels under the island of Megaride.
A bas-relief of a building in via mezzocannone recalls the man who became the symbol of the Port area.

112000119

Anonymous said...

The legend of Niccolò Pesce was born in medieval age.
The legend speaks about that he was half man and half fish. He lived in the sea between Naples and Messina. The king of Naples asked him to catch the treasure and the geams from the sea, he brought its.
In Naples,today,in mezzocannone street there is a bas-relief that represent him.

Bye,bye! Luca Todisco 112000106.

Mario Felicella said...

The origins of the city of Naples,are firmly rooted in the myth of the Siren Parthenope.The story begins on the island of Megaride where the original nucleus of the city called Parthenope originated.Legend has it that Parthenope, devastated at her inability to make Ulysses fall in love with her on his way back from Troy, was washed up on Megaride.It was only later that the first Greeks settled there.Later, during the Norman period, the Castel dell’Ovo fort was built.There were many shrines to the Sirens along the Campanian coastline.During the XIX century, another story spread.It told of her love affair with the Centaur Vesuvius, which made Zeus sojealous that he transformed him into a volcano and her into the city of Naples.

Mario Felicella
Matricola: 112000263
April 19,2013

Unknown said...

THE SIREN PARTHENOPE
The myth of Parthenope has got mixed up with the stories and legends of the modern city.
The story of this siren begins on the island of Megaride where, according to legend,lay her tomb.
The Sirens were wicked, monstrous creatures, transformed into winged
monsters by Demeter.
Their haunting song cast a spell on any passing sailors,but Parthenope, devastated at her inability to make Ulysses fall in love with her, was washed up on Megaride.
Another story about this siren came out during the XIXcentury,it seems that she fell in Love with the Centaur Vesuvius, which made Zeus so jealous that he transformed him into a volcano and her into the city of Naples.

Unknown said...

MARIANNA 'A CAPA 'E NAPULE
According to some traditions,the ancient head portrayed the siren Parthenope.
During the revolt of of Masaniello, to the statue was removed the nose.
Between Neapolitan people,"the head" had no great fame, was used as a comparison of ugliness.
Legend says that "'a capa 'e Napule" has been dubbed "Donna Marianna", when it was placed in front of the church of Santa Maria dell'Avvocata which houses the bust of St. Anne.
In 1879 it was restored reconstructing the nose and now it is preserved at Palazzo San Giacomo.

Roberta said...

One of the most famous neapolitan legends is "COLAPESCE". Niccolò Pesce was a boy who had half body as man and half as fish. Colapesce moved in the sea using the body of big fish. One day the boy gave to the king many beautiful jewels that he had found in the caves under the island of Megaride. This legend was born in the Middle Ages.
Thanks for your attention. See you soon! Roberta Verde 112000415

Anonymous said...

‘O Cuorpo ‘e Napule : the Nile Statue

A group of Egyptian sailors and merchants settled in the place known today as Piazzetta Nilo, in Naples. When they left, the white marble statue of their river god was buried.
It re-emerged only when the old seat of the Parliament was destroyed in XVI century. It was the statue of an old man lying down and resting against a rock with a cloth on his legs. According to ancient writings the statue, known as ‘O Cuorpo ‘e Napule, talked to the Sebeto river.
The Nile statue was restored several times of which the most important dates back to 1657. During this restoration a head was given to the statue and it was placed in Sedile del Nilo.
By Chiara Romano

Anonymous said...

The origins of Naples rooted around the myth of Parthenope. According to an ancient legend, she was a siren, half woman and half bird. She fells in love with Ulysses, but he refused her and she kill herself and she threws herself in the sea. Her body came on the beach of the future Naples and the inhabitants of that area built on her grave a temple. An other legend tells that on the islands of Sirenusse" there are three sirens: Partenope, Ligeia and Laucosia. They were punished by Demetra, because they failed to help her doughetr, Persefone, from the abdction by Plutone. However Strabone and plinio il Vecchio tell about his character. Giovanni Boccaccio say that Partenope fell in love with the river Sebeto and she was half woman and half fish. One of the last legend on her character was born in XIX century. In this she was fell in love with Centaur Vesuvius, but Zues, who was jealous, trasformed he in a vulcan, and she in the city of Naples.
Fabio Marcello Pirozzi
112000083

Anonymous said...

The Siren Parthenope

There are a lot of stories about the origins of Neaples and all of them involve the siren Parthenope. She was a siren who fall in love with Ulysses; she sang to him but he didn't stop, so she killed herself. Her body arrived on the island of Megaride,which is the first settlement of Neaples. Poets like Boccaccio have also written about sirens in Naples

Unknown said...

COLAPESCE

The legend of Niccolò Pesce, know as Colpesce or Nick the fisch. He was a young man ,half man and half fish.He lived in the see between Naples and Messina. One day the king of Naples invted him to go down into the depth and saw what secrets they hiding. When he come back up he brought huge amounts of jewels he had found in the caves and channels under the island of Megaride. A bas-relief was building in via Mezzocannone, is thought to be Colapesce that has become the symbol for the port ares

Davide Scotellaro 112000434

Anonymous said...

The legend of Colapesce tells about a boy, half man and half fish, that was a good swimmer. But he was famous also for the stories that told to sailors and for the way he travelled. In order to cross long distances in the sea, he used the body of big fish. One day he said to the king that where he lived, in the bottom of the sea, there was a fantastic treasure. He lived in the sea between Naples and Messina and became soon a suggestive legend.

Lorenzo Mancini 112000402

Federica Santelia said...

There are quite a lot of legends about the origins of Naples. One of it takes us back before ancient Greek times and to a siren called Parthenope, she was half woman and half bird and fell in love with Ulysses but he didn’t feel the same about her so she decided to kill herself and her body was later discovered on a beach of what came to be Naples and some people living in the area built her a tomb. Another legend tells us about three sirens on the island of Sirenusse, Parthenope, Ligeia and Lucosia, they were punished by Demetra because they had failed to help her daughter Persefone from Plutone’s kidnapping. The last legends talks about Parthenope and how she was born in the XIX century and fell in love with the Centaur Vesuvius, but Zeus being jealous of her he transformed the siren in a Vulcan which is now the actual Vesuvius of Naples.

Federica Santelia
112000167

Unknown said...

NICCOLO' PESCE was such a good swimmer and he had webbed fingers, fins and scales. He lived on the seabed between Naples and Messina.
The King of Naples intrigued from the depths, sent Niccolò in the seabed to satisfy his curiosity. The man told the king that the bottom of the sea was covered in priceless treasure and he brought huge amounts of jewels he had found in the caves and channels under the island of Megaride.

PAOLA BATTIMELLI, 112000022

Anonymous said...

There are a lot og legends connected to the figure of Parthenope. The oldest legend tells that she was a syren(a mythological creature, half woman and half bird) and she fell in love with the hero Ulysses, who
was returning home after the Trojan war. But he didn't return her love and for this reason she killed herself by throwing into the sea. Her body was was brought by the current on the little island of Megaride and here was made a grave for her. The first greek settlement born around his grave( that after became a temple). An other legend tells about three syrens( Parthenope, Ligeia and Leucosia), who lived on three rocks near the peninsula of Sorrento. These were punished by Demetra because they werent't able to save her doughter Persofone by the capture of Pluto. However there a lot of writers who talk about Parthenpe, for example, Strabone, Plinio il Vecchio. Giovanni Boccaccio in particular tells about an othere legend were Parthenope( who in according with the medieval traditions, is half woman and half fish) fell in love with the river Sebeto. In the XIX century born an othere legend: Parthenope fell in love with the centaur Vesuvius, wich made Zues so jealous that trasfomed him in a volcano and her in the city of Naples.
Daniela Coppola
112000035

S.I. -112000029- said...

The Isiaci Mysteries

The "Alessandrini" community lived in Naples during the Roman period. This community practiced rituals linked to cycles of the moon and to the goddess Isis . Isis was the goddess of magic, afterlife and fertility. She was faithful wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. She was represented like a cow, falcon, woman with bird’s wings or with a lotus flower in her hand. Her symbol was the knot of Isis, it indicates the eternal life and resurrection. Now we can find traces of this cult in the practice to ward off bad luck with a horse shoe (it refers to the horn of Isis and the crescent shape).

S.I. -112000029-

Anonymous said...

The origin of the city of Naples derives from the myth of the Siren Parthenope. The story of this myth begins on the island of Megaride. According to some leggends, Megaride was originally the nucleus of the city called Parthenope. This settlement was located on the Sorrento peninsula. Parthenope died after a refusal on the part of Ulysse. According to the legend, the siren seems to be dead in the place where now stands the "Castel  dell'Ovo". Her body was dragged on the beach of the future city of Naples. It's inhabitants built a temple on his tomb. The historians Strabone and Plinio Il Vecchio recounted of the existence of the tomb of the siren. There is another legend, on the island of "Sirunusse" where lived three sirens: Parthenope, Ligeria and Leucosia. The three sirens were punished by Demeter who transformed them into monstruos creatures, half bird and half woman. The poet Giovanni Boccaccio tells that Parthenope, half woman and half fish fell in love with of the river Sebeo. There is another legend that dates back to the XIX century. This legend claim that Parthenope was in love the Centaur Vesuvius. Zeus jealous of this love transformed him into a vulcano located in the city of Naples. The myth of Parthenope is anyway a mix of stories and legends of the city Neapolitan.



By MARIKA CARPENTIERI
112000011

Antonino said...

Sebeto was an important river flowing along the border between Parthenope and Neapolis. It was portrait on coins dating back to Vth Century BC as a young man next to Parthenope. The term Sepeitos came from a dialect belonging to a Eubean colony, and it is known that Neapolis was founded by people coming from Eubea. This river is no longer existent, and its bed and mouth are not known. Probably it ran down the slope you can still see today between Via Pessina and Via Medina before reaching the sea, and its source was located in Vesuvian area. Probably the building of the Bolla acquaduct in Roman times modified the course of Sebeto, but also the volcanic eruption of 79 AD altered the mouth of the river, which became a small stream flowing only during fall and winter.

112000112

Anonymous said...

The Siren Parthenope

There are a lot of stories about the origins of Neaples and all of them involve the siren Parthenope. She was a siren who fall in love with Ulysses; she sang to him but he didn't stop, so she killed herself. Her body arrived on the island of Megaride,which is the first settlement of Neaples. Poets like Boccaccio have also written about sirens in Naples.

Anna Onza 112000468

Anonymous said...

"The God Mitra" is the most popular ancient oriental cult in Naples. It was linked in the city center around a thermal complex, built on the remains of a domus republicana. In the Middle Ages they built a little church on it, and in the XVI century they built a big church called "Santa Maria del Carmine ai Mannesi" or "del Carminiello". This Indoeuropean God was imported from Persia between II and III century A.D. and was popular amongst the military population. Maybe the cult was introduced by the slaves and military veterans but the inscription of a bas-relief of Mithra confirms that the upper classes believed in Mitra God. He was depicted sacrificing a bull, surrounded by other animals: a dog, a snake and a scorpion. There are no written documnets in Campania on the cult of the God Mitra.
Valeria Mazza 112000439

Anonymous said...

The legend of Niccolò Pesce, known as Colapesce, originated in the Middle Ages. He was half man and half fish, and when he wanted to travel for long distances he made a huge fish to swallow him and than he cut its belly and climbed out of it. When the king of Naples ordered to Niccolò to go into the depths of the sea he brought him jewels and treasures he found there. In the front of a building in Mezzocannone there is a bas-relief, which shows a young man holding a knife;the inhabitants of Naples think it could be the image of Colapesce.
matricola: 112000057

Unknown said...

The origin of the city of Naples is linked to the myth of the mermaid partenope. There are some legends about this story.
according to legend, the mermaid, distraught at not being able to distract her song the hero Odysseus in return from Troy, would come to Megaride, where he later would come Rhodian sailors, who would give birth to a new civilization
them in Roman times there was built a villa called "lucullo of" extending from the promontory of lace falcon to the sea, and was built in Norman times the Castel dell 'Ovo

Anonymous said...

The horn is a smbol of neapolitan superstition and the red chili peppers his often used to represent it. The horn is the the stylization of greek-roman god Priapus’s phallus, who is the protector against the “malocchio”, the Neapolitan misfortune. In the Neapolitan imagination, the horn is a good luck charm and leaves troubles and bad luck. The word “Priapo” derived from term “Prihapos” that means “the one who has a penis” and the characteristic of this god is the generating power. The cult of Priapus is one of the most ancient mystery cults in Naples. The fertility is also associated with the penetration and therefore to the possession of the "below", symbolically to the possession of the belly of the earth. In this Proserpina lived there for half the year (the winter) and this allowed the earth to germinate in the spring months. For this reason the concept of the possession of “ below” is very important in the ancient cults of Naples. In the initial rites of the priestesses, the cult of fertility was celebrated with a "naked initiation" which was held often in underground caves. This type of inizaizione will disappear very late from Naples and will come up to the centuries of the” Tarantelle Cumplicate” that were held at the caves of Piedigrotta.

Raffaella Vettore
112000098