In the Name of XenaThere have been no characters of any significance in myth, fable, or history that use the name Xena. The name could be seen as being derived from the Greek word xenos meaning stranger or foreigner, denoting a newcomer to a locality. This Greek root is seen in words like xenophobe, fear of a stranger or fear of the unknown, and also in sci-fi terms like xenobiology, strange or alien biology.The name Xenia is used as one of the aspects of Athena, Greek goddess
of wisdom, skill, and war. Athena, one of the twelve Olympian Gods from
Greek mythology, was daughter of Zeus and Metis. The Roman designation
for Athena was Minerva. In ancient Greek society, the most solemn of oaths
were usually taken in the name of Athena. At first glance, this relates
to our heroic character, Xena, Warrior Princess, but Athena has dozens
of aspects of which, Xenia is usually associated with hospitality. Again,
this ties in to the word xenos. The hospitality from the word xenia denotes
hospitality to strangers or guests. Xena, Warrior Princess, could be described
as many things, but hospitable is not the first that springs to mind.
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Author: John D. (Jaeldi@juno.com)
Gabrielle: Fiery Angel or Warrior Bard?There is only one character from myth, fable, or history that relates to Gabrielle, Xena's faithful sidekick. The name Gabrielle is the female version of the name Gabriel, which literally means man of Godâ in Hebrew. Gabriel is an archangel used in several different religious stories. Here is a brief synopsis of those involving Gabriel:In the Old Testament Gabriel explained visions to Daniel, announced to Zacharias the future birth of John the Baptist, and appeared to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Gabriel was also commonly known as the angel of death, prince of fire and thunder, and most frequently God's messenger. In the New Testament Gabriel is one of 3 angels associated with the term 'Flaming Angel.' In Revelation, the last chapter professing the end of the world, this is the angel which had power over fire. In Islam Gabriel is often identified with the angle Ruh meaning breath, one of three angels sent to gather seven handfuls of dirt used to create Adam. These angles were unsuccessful in their mission because the earth foresaw human rebellion against Allah. He was also sent by Allah to kill the serpent Sakatimuna which he successfully cut in two. This tale is usually associated with an eclipse. In the Talmud Gabriel destroyed hosts of Sennacherib, showed Joseph the way, and was one of the angels who buried Moses. In the Koran Gabriel took Mohammed to heaven to reveal 'prophetic love'. Known as Jibril, He is credited with dictating the perfect copy in heaven to the earthly copy of the Koran. According to the sources listed below, Gabriel has a horse named Haizum and the archangel is sometimes associated with a trumpet and good news. Now what this has to do with the character Gabrielle? Who knows, but it is interesting. Totally Unrelated: Gabrielle is also the name of a Professional Clown that works in the Santa Barbara, California area. http://www.silcom.com/~gabriele/ Sources Used:
All the information on this page comes courtesy of John D. (Jaeldi@juno.com) Thanks for your hard work and thorough research! |