Hittites. Aishwarya and Abhishek glee...Yup, nothing in common
I’ve been reading Life and Society in the Hittite World by Trevor Bryce which is totally fascinating as I know little of that society and the book is really well-written. I want to get the companion history volume now, actually.
And you know what? The mangaka of Red River not only did awesome rsearch (I confess RR was the main push for getting this, though I probably would have gotten around to it at some point) but I can totally see why she got her story and picked Mursili II (OK, seriously, I am never going to be not amused at the fact that a real (if obscure to non historians) Hittite king is a manga protagonist).
Because from what I can gather from this book, we know this of the guy:
1. Really big warrior (no idea of his physical size :D but he fought and won a lot of battles) and wanted to at least present the image of a merciful conqueror. E.g. there is a document where he writes he was besieging a town and the mother of the ruler of the place came out and begged so he let it off, on condition they surrender. Hittites it seems were different from the Assyrians in that regard…
2. Big plague during his reign. There was an awesome prayer of his that was left about it.
Though it’s probably a different plague as this one lasted 20 (!!!) years.
3. Yes, his stepmother was totally evil according to him (real name Malnigal). There are apparently bunches of documents as to her grabbiness and evilness (of course, from his perspective :P) Though I don’t think she was a sorceress like in the manga :D.
4. This one is probably the one that grabbed the manga author’s imagination and got her thinking though: apparently he really loved his wife. Which is actually quite rare, because though for all I know every single Hittite king was super uxorious, there is (according to the book) usually no indication of how they felt or much or reference to loving or much to royal women unless they did something really off (it’s more like ‘she is grabby, took my lands/turned my nephew against me, blah blah’). So this is quite exceptional.
My little Oxford Press volume refers to him as being thrown into ‘abject depression ’ on her death repeatedly.
And apparently he wrote (on her death):
“Throughout the days of my life my soul goes down to the dark netherworld on her account”
Super AWWW.
Apparently, he blamed the stepmother for the death of his wife by magic. So yeah, I can so see where RR mangaka got the idea. Though I hope she ends it differently.
Though I think the mangaka conflated Mrs. Mursili II and Pudhepa, wife of another Hittite King who apparently was every bit her husband’s equal, helped him rule, corresponded with Ramses II etc etc. Which makes sense as she also conflated Mursili II and Hattusili III, Pudhepa’s spouse. He was supposed to be a favorite of Ishtar (Mursili himself was a favorite of Sun Goddess of Arinna).
I actually find the book immensely interesting, especially when they have direct quotes from laws or sayings. The thing that really grabbed my attention was the dying testament of Hattusili I. Apparently the scribes were called to record his dying words and they were rather meandering but about family and politics, but apparently, dying, the last thing he said was something else entirely…
He was calling for Hastayar [woman’s name], telling her “Do not forsake me. Hold me to your bosom. Keep me from the earth.”
The phrase stuck with me…
It’s so human. And And makes me wonder who Hastayar was.
Apparently Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Bachchan and Aghishek Bachchan took time out of their honeymoon to come for some premiere at Cannes.
Now, normally, I have zip interest in celebrity couples. Very few exceptions:
(1) Vic Zhou and Baribie Xsu. They are both totally gorgeous and I really really like their dramas. Plus. Mars! I love them in Mars. It’s complete RPF wish fulfillment that I normally mock. But whatever, it’s a little like Ling and Qi Luo :P
(2) Nicholas Tse and Cecilia Cheung: They are scarily pretty. Apparently she is expecting so propagation of pretty genes will continue, as it should. Mainly I am amused at the fact that the villain ended up with the damsel (that they were together in The Promise where he was the sexy, fan-wielding villain and she was the persecuted heroine).
(3) Lee Dong Gun and Han Ji Hye. Kdrama cuteness. Seriously. They are adorable separately and together and I just want to squish them into a squishy ;) Plus, there is something really cute about happy idols happy together. Wakes my not-so-inner fangirl. Plus, My Boyfriend is Type B (the only thing I’ve seen them in together) was just bursting with chemistry.
(4) Aishwarya and Abhishek.
Though honestly, I only really am ‘into’ Vic and Barbie :D Because Mars owns me.
But anyway, back to Aishwarya and Abhishek. I love their movies, and they look awesome together (on and off the screen) and…sigh. I am a sap at heart. Also? They are scarily pretty.
And just look at the pics, they look gorgeous.
A little taste:
Less formal ;)
and they are holding hands! *turns into a 14 year old celebrtiy watcher and squees*
Oh, and from a few days after their wedding a few weeks back, in a temple:
And you know what? The mangaka of Red River not only did awesome rsearch (I confess RR was the main push for getting this, though I probably would have gotten around to it at some point) but I can totally see why she got her story and picked Mursili II (OK, seriously, I am never going to be not amused at the fact that a real (if obscure to non historians) Hittite king is a manga protagonist).
Because from what I can gather from this book, we know this of the guy:
1. Really big warrior (no idea of his physical size :D but he fought and won a lot of battles) and wanted to at least present the image of a merciful conqueror. E.g. there is a document where he writes he was besieging a town and the mother of the ruler of the place came out and begged so he let it off, on condition they surrender. Hittites it seems were different from the Assyrians in that regard…
2. Big plague during his reign. There was an awesome prayer of his that was left about it.
Though it’s probably a different plague as this one lasted 20 (!!!) years.
3. Yes, his stepmother was totally evil according to him (real name Malnigal). There are apparently bunches of documents as to her grabbiness and evilness (of course, from his perspective :P) Though I don’t think she was a sorceress like in the manga :D.
4. This one is probably the one that grabbed the manga author’s imagination and got her thinking though: apparently he really loved his wife. Which is actually quite rare, because though for all I know every single Hittite king was super uxorious, there is (according to the book) usually no indication of how they felt or much or reference to loving or much to royal women unless they did something really off (it’s more like ‘she is grabby, took my lands/turned my nephew against me, blah blah’). So this is quite exceptional.
My little Oxford Press volume refers to him as being thrown into ‘abject depression ’ on her death repeatedly.
And apparently he wrote (on her death):
“Throughout the days of my life my soul goes down to the dark netherworld on her account”
Super AWWW.
Apparently, he blamed the stepmother for the death of his wife by magic. So yeah, I can so see where RR mangaka got the idea. Though I hope she ends it differently.
Though I think the mangaka conflated Mrs. Mursili II and Pudhepa, wife of another Hittite King who apparently was every bit her husband’s equal, helped him rule, corresponded with Ramses II etc etc. Which makes sense as she also conflated Mursili II and Hattusili III, Pudhepa’s spouse. He was supposed to be a favorite of Ishtar (Mursili himself was a favorite of Sun Goddess of Arinna).
I actually find the book immensely interesting, especially when they have direct quotes from laws or sayings. The thing that really grabbed my attention was the dying testament of Hattusili I. Apparently the scribes were called to record his dying words and they were rather meandering but about family and politics, but apparently, dying, the last thing he said was something else entirely…
He was calling for Hastayar [woman’s name], telling her “Do not forsake me. Hold me to your bosom. Keep me from the earth.”
The phrase stuck with me…
It’s so human. And And makes me wonder who Hastayar was.
Apparently Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Bachchan and Aghishek Bachchan took time out of their honeymoon to come for some premiere at Cannes.
Now, normally, I have zip interest in celebrity couples. Very few exceptions:
(1) Vic Zhou and Baribie Xsu. They are both totally gorgeous and I really really like their dramas. Plus. Mars! I love them in Mars. It’s complete RPF wish fulfillment that I normally mock. But whatever, it’s a little like Ling and Qi Luo :P
(2) Nicholas Tse and Cecilia Cheung: They are scarily pretty. Apparently she is expecting so propagation of pretty genes will continue, as it should. Mainly I am amused at the fact that the villain ended up with the damsel (that they were together in The Promise where he was the sexy, fan-wielding villain and she was the persecuted heroine).
(3) Lee Dong Gun and Han Ji Hye. Kdrama cuteness. Seriously. They are adorable separately and together and I just want to squish them into a squishy ;) Plus, there is something really cute about happy idols happy together. Wakes my not-so-inner fangirl. Plus, My Boyfriend is Type B (the only thing I’ve seen them in together) was just bursting with chemistry.
(4) Aishwarya and Abhishek.
Though honestly, I only really am ‘into’ Vic and Barbie :D Because Mars owns me.
But anyway, back to Aishwarya and Abhishek. I love their movies, and they look awesome together (on and off the screen) and…sigh. I am a sap at heart. Also? They are scarily pretty.
And just look at the pics, they look gorgeous.
A little taste:
Less formal ;)
and they are holding hands! *turns into a 14 year old celebrtiy watcher and squees*
Oh, and from a few days after their wedding a few weeks back, in a temple: