November 15th, 2019
Episode 70 – Njals Saga part 2
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
Background fire ambience by inchadney from freesound.org
The Sword of Damocles https://www.history.com/news/what-was-the-sword-of-damocles
Hamlet’s father’s ghost https://www.shmoop.com/hamlet/ghost.html
Asterix and Obelix: https://www.asterix.com/en/portfolio/obelix/
Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar – from Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere: http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/c/croup.htm
“Passport in the name of Emily Berkenstien” The book of Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers
“Two heated towel rails” Lenny Henry, Live and Unleashed: https://youtu.be/Vd6CqB144JA?t=1371
“Good Yard” from a drunk student emailing his professor to ask for an extension: https://imgur.com/gallery/w7tqd
Nero in Star Trek (2009) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796366/?ref_=tt_ch
Mindhunter (2017 -2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5290382/
Game of Thrones https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones
Jean Baptiste Emmanuelle Zorg, the 5th Element (1997( https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Fifth_Element
John Wick (2014) https://john-wick.fandom.com/wiki/John_Wick_(film)
Dallas (1978 – 1991) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077000/
Dynasty (1981 – 1989) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081856/
How to find us online
November 1st, 2019
Episode 69 – Njals Saga part 1
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
Background fire ambience by inchadney from freesound.org
“Write the theme tune, sing the theme tune” from the character Dennis Waterman, Little Britain https://littlebritain.fandom.com/wiki/Dennis_Waterman
“You must watch these little points” The Goon Show, The Mystery of the Marie Celeste (solved). First broadcast 16th November 1964 http://www.thegoonshow.net/scripts_show.asp?title=s05e08_the_mystery_of_the_marie_celeste_solved
Suzanne totally forgot which episode the Beowulf episode was, it was episode 6. Not episode 5, which was 9 realms in 20 minutes…
Blackadder and Baldrick’s short holiday, in Dish and Dishonesty from 1986
Segway - http://uk-en.segway.com/
Isle of Lewis Chessmen – especially the Berserker piece biting on his own shield: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_chessmen
George RR Martin – author of A Song of Ice and Fire, made into the TV series of Game of Thrones
Minecraft sheep: https://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Sheep
Tom Bombadill: character from Lord of the Rings (cut from the film adaptations): https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Tom_Bombadil
Luke Skywalker and Biggs Darklighter: childhood friends in the Star Wars Universe: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Biggs_Darklighter/Legends
Asterix and Obelix: https://www.asterix.com/en/portfolio/obelix/
“Running, jumping climbing trees” Eddie Izzard, Dress to Kill
Being a lumberjack – The Lumberjack Song from Monty Python, British Comedy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfRdur8GLBM
TLC, No Scrubs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrLequ6dUdM
“Possibly Brain, but where are we going to get…?” Pinky and the Brain: https://pinkyandthebrain.fandom.com/wiki/Are_You_Pondering_What_I%27m_Pondering%3F
The Importance of Being Earnest – the tea party scene between Cecily and Gwendoline https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/earnest/section4/
HBO’s Rome: Attia and Sevillia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN-Jb_uZSPc
Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar – from Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere: http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/c/croup.htm
If you’d like to look at the saga before our part II, head here: https://www.gradesaver.com/njals-saga
How to find us online
October 15th, 2019
Episode 68 – Come Kif! Following St Ansgar
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
Background fire ambience by inchadney from freesound.org
Tessa Thompson: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1935086/
“Hola Commander, have a muffin.” Strike Commander: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strike_Commander
“If you’re looking for adventure, I bet my shinies will tempt you.” Everquest II
“Robust ...precise...” The Sommelier Scene from John Wick II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUpfO4x8Ch8
Status Quo – famous for using three main chords in their songs: http://www.statusquo.co.uk/
Zapp Brannigan - from Futurarma: https://futurama.fandom.com/wiki/Zapp_Brannigan
Ace Rimmer – from Red Dwarf:http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/a/acerimmr.htm
Ab Urbe Condita – “From the founding of the city”
“Abbot says ‘Come Home’” a paraphrase of ‘Gerda says come home’ one of the number of rune sticks found in Bergen: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/40/v40i02p049-058.pdf
Dread Pirate Roberts – from The Princess Bride: https://princessbride.fandom.com/wiki/Dread_Pirate_Roberts
London Vatican Embassy https://www.visahq.co.uk/vatican/embassy/united-kingdom/
A bit Pete Tong – Cockney Rhyming Slang for ‘a bit wrong’
“A passport in the name of Emily Berkenstein” From Red Dwarf: https://reddwarf.fandom.com/wiki/Mimas
An English translation of the Vita Anskari is available here: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/anskar.asp
If you look at other sources for Ansgar, contrast them with this one: http://www.oodegr.com/english/biographies/arxaioi/Ansgar_Hamburg.htm
How to find us online
September 15th, 2019
Episode 66 – That’s really Wyrd
Big love and shout out to Lisa Barnett who suggested the topic for this episode
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
Background fire ambience by inchadney from freesound.org
Sew.. a deer, a female deer – parpahrased from Do, Re, Mi, The Sound of Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RW3nDRmu6k
Beowulf – Seamus Heaney performed by the Holdfast Theatre Company: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqhqSKXahCI
Cork version of Beowulf. The audio first part is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-1-gNeoCU8P7oAY5FaXd5uXviLrsPJV9/view and there’s more here: https://boyowulf.home.blog/2019/03/20/boyo-wulf-ll-1-19/
The Cowboy Havamal – Prof Jackson Crawford: https://jacksonwcrawford.com/the-cowboy-havamal/
“On the raggedy edge, don’t push me...” Capt. Mal Reynolds. Serenity (2005) https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Serenity_(film)
“Execute episode 66.” paraphrased from The Emperor, Star Wars: Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Rosecarntz and Guilderstern are Dead – Tom Stoppard: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosencrantz-Guildenstern-Are-Dead-Stoppard/dp/0802126219
The Merchant of Venice: more notably the Diane Duane version in which Shylock is awarded a pound of flesh and decides that the pound he wants is Antonio’s heart...
Bablyon 5 episode: A View from the Gallery (Season 5, episode 4, 1998) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517621/
Dree your Wyrd: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dree_one%27s_weird
The Wall and Wildlings – from the books series ‘Song of Ice and Fire’, GRR Martin. https://www.waterstones.com/category/science-fiction-fantasy-horror/fantasy/a-game-of-thrones
Stoicism – short video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhn1Fe8cT0Q
“They know their doom but not the hour” The Emperor Uriel Septim in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Emperor_Uriel_Septim
Galadriel. Lord of the Rings– “the mirror shows that which was, that which is and that which has not yet come to pass.”
The Wanderer – https://anglosaxonpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/the-wanderer/
Fafnismal – “to go against fate is to row against a fierce wind”
Dante’s Inferno: http://www.worldofdante.org/inferno1.html
Lindsay Ellis (as Loose Canon) discussion of Hades https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmcV90cya1Y
The Norns and the Parkai: https://www.indeuropean.com/religion/gods/fate-goddess
Njal’s Saga – that loom from chapter 156: http://www.orkneyjar.com/tradition/darra.htm
Valkerie in Thor Ragnarok https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Valkyrie
T-Rex on the Plain! A clumsy way for the GM of a roleplaying game to force the players back onto the storyline. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Quotes/KillerGameMaster
Star Trek The Next Generation: Cause and Effect (Season 5, episode 18)
Time Loops and Doctor Who: particularly ‘Heaven Sent’ (series 9, episode 11) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven_Sent_(Doctor_Who)
Chronology Protection Conjecture- Stephen Hawking: there’s a Scientific American article here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-chronology-protection/
“The cake is a lie” from the game ‘Portal’ https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-cake-is-a-lie
Nihilism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ajv-RrQs4o
Abnigation – from the Divergent series: https://divergent.fandom.com/wiki/Abnegation
“Fear profits man nothing.” The 13th Warrior (1999) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120657/
A magicians choice, or equivocation https://secrets-explained.com/basic-techniques/magician-s-choice
Fate and free will in Frank Herbert’s Dune: https://www.shmoop.com/dune/fate-free-will-theme.html
Dr Who and Fixed Points in Time:https://doctorwhowatch.com/2014/10/13/fixed-points-time-doctor/
Terminator Timeline(s): https://terminator.fandom.com/wiki/The_Terminator_timeline
Professor KJ Wanner: https://wmich.edu/religion/directory/wanner (mentioned in: https://study.com/academy/lesson/wyrd-in-beowulf.html)
Theodicy: the problem of evil in monoetheism: https://www.thetablet.co.uk/student-zone/philosophy-of-religion/the-problem-of-evil/theodicies
Fate in Greek tragedy – Hamartia: https://www.britannica.com/art/hamartia
Star Trek Voyager: The Year of Hell https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0709014/
The Butterfly Effect: https://interestingengineering.com/what-exactly-is-the-butterfly-effect
Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Trials and Tribble-ations (Based on Original Series ‘The Trouble with Tribbles’) https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Trials_and_Tribble-ations_(episode)
The Pistol Star https://www.constellation-guide.com/pistol-star/
The Great Annihalator (not the biggest black hole in the galaxy for some reason…) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Annihilator
“Why is it that cats have the majority on flaps? Take your cat and your flap, and...” Lenny Henry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXkxXDT1-F8
How to find us online
August 15th, 2019
Episode 64 – Tyr and the Nature of Sacrifice
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
Background fire ambience by inchadney from freesound.org
“Walking through the streets of London in the rain” paraphrased from the song Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDpYBT0XyvA
“Bourbon Street” from ‘Moon over Bourbon Street’ by Sting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i_0PkOqLKA
Utilitarianism, with a little help from Batman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a739VjqdSI
“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Most notably in Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982), but also in Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) and Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
“Not the one.” Quote from Zathras, Babylon Five https://babylon5.fandom.com/wiki/Zathras
Sigurdrifumal – here’s a place to start:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigrdr%C3%ADfum%C3%A1l
Lokasenna: Loki insults Tyr by saying that he only brings strife
Tyr and the Binding of Fenrir can be found here: https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-binding-of-fenrir/
Marty McFly from Back to the Future series of films (first released in 1985, but it’s hard to say with time travel…) https://www.backtothefuture.com/
Justitia – Goddess of balance: https://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/iss/kap_2/advanced/h2_1_3.html
Nemesis – Goddess of retribution: https://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Nemesis.html
Romans connected Tyr with Mars: https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/the-aesir-gods-and-goddesses/tyr/
The make up of a Roman legion: https://www.unrv.com/military/legion.php
Dune and the system of Kanly https://dune.fandom.com/wiki/Kanly
The Saga of Hakon the Good: https://avaldsnes.info/en/informasjon/hakon-den-gode/
Adam of Bremen’s account of the Temple at Uppsala: http://www.germanicmythology.com/works/uppsalatemple.html
Blazing Saddles (1974) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071230/
Human Sacrifice at Trelleborg, there’s some good info here: https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/religion-magic-death-and-rituals/human-sacrifices/ and here: https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2014/12/02/child_sacrifice_and_other_viking_activities_108967.html
Pax Deorum:http://www.ancientpages.com/2018/05/01/what-was-pax-deorum-and-how-important-was-it/
“see here Mars, if you be the man for this job I will give you...” - quote from HBO series Rome (TV series 2005 - 2007)
“It is better not to give, than to give too much” Havamal verse 144
“Money is like muck, no good unless spread” Francis Bacon
‘If you hoard it, they will come’ paaraphrased from Field of Dreams (1989) ‘If you built it, they will come’ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/
Sigurd and Fafnir - https://www.storynory.com/sigurd-and-the-dragon/
Caesar – De Bello Gallico https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commentarii_de_Bello_Gallico
Tacitus – Germania https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germania_(book)
There’s a nice site about the nature of viking sacrifice in Denmark here: https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/religion-magic-death-and-rituals/the-viking-blot-sacrifices/
How to find us online
August 1st, 2019
Episode 63 – The Case of the Missing Apples
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
How to find us online
If you’d like to read the original of this tale, you’re looking for the Skáldskaparmál chapter 56. Otherwise, we both hope that you enjoy this retelling.
“A new life awaits you in Midgard...” paraphrased from the opening advert in Bladerunner (1982)
“A night when the sky came down and wrapped itself...” paraphrased from the opening of The Big Sleep by Mickey Spillaine (1939)
June 793 – the date of the Viking raid on Lindesfarne, as recorded in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle
“A more wretched hive of scum and villany” Ben Kenobi, Star Wars IV A New Hope (1977) (well, we had to get one geek reference in...)
There’s a lot of sound effects in this one. A lot. If you’re really into them, you can find plenty on Freesound, Sound Bible, Youtube and Ambient Mixer. We’ve used all of these under creative commons attribution license, here’s some of the more prominent ones:
ambient-mixer.com:
City ambience based on Gotham City Rain by mosca67
Gin Joint based on Noir Cafe by scathach
Office based on Valentine Detective Agency by FalloutThoughts
Music 'Film Noir' by Matthew Pablo
YouTube:
Gunshots Ricochet by SoundEffectsFactory via YouTube
Ambience police sirens sampled from "Federal Electric, Type 8, Siren 1920's to 40's" by Skulldigger via YouTube
'Ain't She Sweet' by Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra
Freesound:
Car Stopping by Ermens
July 15th, 2019
Episode 62 – To Interfaith or not
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
Background fire ambience by inchadney from freesound.org
Traditional Bingo Calling: https://www.bingomum.co.uk/bingo-calls/
Rich Tea Biscuits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_tea
“You walked out of a shop? Champagne!” Eddie Izzard, the Definite Article 1996
Jack the Ripper and Delenn – from the episode Comes the Inquisitor, Babylon 5 (1995) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILLWZ6c3YsI
Vikings and connections to the Arabic World: (The Arabic inscription ring has now been discounted, but the rest is solid) http://www.1001inventions.com/vikings
Monotheism – the belief that deity is one single form. Most commonly the Abramic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
The Problem of Evil in Christianity: here the quick version from a Christian point of view https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/god-and-suffering , and here’s a deeper article: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15665399.2006.10819908
“God is an absentee Landlord” – Devil’s Advocate (1997) https://sitegallery.ru/video/IS4mUTQnIwUIHhI/al-pacino-speech-on-devils-advocate.html
Marcus Aurelius - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marcus-Aurelius-Roman-emperor
Proselytisation – in which people of faith try and persuade others to believe or start learning about that faith. For example street preachers or going door to door.
Forced Conversion – here’s an article about historical forced conversion: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/interview-converting-by-the-sword
Tartarus, the Greek prison of the Dammed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH23AKkFg1s
The Asphodel Meadows https://mythworld.fandom.com/wiki/Asphodel_Meadows
Kemetic concept of Judgement- https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/judgementofthedead/
“Be Excellent to each Other” - Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096928/ and https://medium.com/@zach.hughes/be-excellent-to-each-other-leadership-lessons-from-bill-ted-a3db4e2bbed3
Sikh’s and feeding people after Temple: http://pluralism.org/religions/sikhism/the-sikh-experience/langar-the-communal-meal/
Muslim’s and prayer times: https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/prayer-timetable/
Religious extremism and teaching awareness of it here https://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Gateway_4-1.pdf , and an article here: https://www.nber.org/papers/w11663.pdf
Kashmiri Tea https://www.arborteas.com/kashmiri-chai-recipe/
Erebus: https://www.greekboston.com/culture/mythology/erebus/
Charon’s Obol and crossing the Styx: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/exposing-shady-secrets-charons-obols-spirit-coins-ancient-greece-005867
“Please Sir, can I have some more?” Oliver Twist (1968) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063385/?ref_=ttmc_mc_tt
There’s a good book which looks at the conversion of Northern Europe – From Paganism to Christianity by Fletcher. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009ULCSZ0/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
How to find us online
July 1st, 2019
Episode 61 – Ran Goddess of the Deeps
Things we talk about in this episode:
Opening Music:
'Ancient Whispers I' by P C III, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/Ad_Astra_Vol_1/03_Ancient_Whispers_I]
Closing Music:
'Round II - The Ancients' by Learning Music, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence
[http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Learning_Music/An_End_Like_This/32_Round_II_-_The_Ancients]
Background fire ambience by inchadney from freesound.org
Wave sound effect: https://freesound.org/people/Eelke/sounds/462595/
Opening Poem: The Harp Song of the Dane Women, Rudyard Kipling https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47691/harp-song-of-the-dane-women
References to Ran are in brief: the Sonatorrek, three times in the Poetic/Prose Edda, and once in the Volsung Saga. There’s not much historical information to go on to help you build your relationship with her.
House Greyjoy: From Game of Thrones, a Minor Northern House of pirates living on a spit of barren islands with the motto ‘We Do Not Sow’ https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/House_Greyjoy
Neptune/ Poseidon https://mythology.net/greek/greek-gods/poseidon/ https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/neptune/ and his temple in Rome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Neptune_(Rome)
Freud: conscious, subconscious and unconscious https://www.verywellmind.com/the-conscious-and-unconscious-mind-2795946
No Man is an Island: John Donne https://web.cs.dal.ca/~johnston/poetry/island.html
Bioluminescence https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/fish/bioluminescence and red critters in the deep dark: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/red-color.html
“He’s fallen in the water!” Little Jim, minor character in The Goon Show http://www.thegoonshow.net/characters.asp
“And as far as I know, after 400 years, I am the oldest living vampire” Antonio Bandera’s character Armand in Interview with a Vampire (1994) https://www.moviequotes.com/s-movie/interview-with-the-vampire/
Closing prayer: http://www.northernpaganism.org/shrines/ninesisters/ran/seawalker-ran.html
How to find us online
