On 9/12/06 13:42, "jansymello" <jansy@AETERN.US> wrote:
Victor Fet to List: But this versipellous name is also heavily present in Russian folklore and could have much earlier roots. In Christian tradition, "volkhvs" are three Magi who saw the Star of
Bethlehem. O. Henry's "Gifts of the Magi" Russian translation is "Dary volkhvov".
I can’t resist pointing out that the number of the ‘hard-coming’ Magi is NOT specified in the only canonical nativity Gospel that reports this event (Matthew 2: 1-13).
The Magi TRIO has passed into tradition because of the THREE types of symbolic gifts they brought. In fact, as the PC Christ-less Winterval draws near, a precise Nabokovian reading is appropriate: “ ... when THEY had opened THEIR treasures THEY presented unto Him gifts, gold and frank-incense and myrrh.”
Much has been written on the meaning of the Greek ‘magos’ (magician, astrologer, scorcerer, wise-man — some see Persian origins — the Hebrew ‘rab-mag’ suggests Babylonian) but the Magi as worshipping PAGAN KING seems to be a later Christian invention (for obvious theological reasons?)
Stan Kelly-Bootle (forgive his recent hyperactivity)