Battle of Ryesgade and Typhon: Difference between pages

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[[Image:Zeus Typhon Staatliche Antikensammlungen 596.jpg|thumb|right|280px|[[Zeus]] darting his lightning at Typhon, Chalcidian black-figured [[hydria]], ca. [[550 BC]], [[Staatliche Antikensammlungen]] (Inv. 596)]]

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The Battle of Ryesgade took place in mid-september 1986, in the copenhagen street Ryesgade. The battle was the culmination of a long standing conflict, between the copenhagen city council and the citys community of squatters. The battle lasted for nine days, and marked a turningpoint for the squatters movement in Denmark.

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Image:Bzsten.jpg|"Rather die standing up, then living life on your knees" -Motto of the squatters in Ryesgade-

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In [[Greek mythology]], '''Typhon''' ([[ancient Greek]]: {{polytonic|Τυφῶν}}), also '''Typhoeus''' ({{polytonic|Τυφωεύς}}), '''Typhaon''' ({{polytonic|Τυφάων}}) or '''Typhus''' ({{polytonic|Τυφώς}}) is the final son of [[Gaia (mythology)|Gaia]], with [[Tartarus]]; Typhon attempts to replace Zeus as the king of gods and men. [[Hesiod]] narrates his birth:

:''But when Zeus had driven the [[Titan (mythology)|Titans]] from heaven,

:''mother Earth bare her youngest child Typhoeus of the love of

:''Tartarus, by the aid of golden [[Aphrodite]].'' &mdash;Hesiod, ''[[Theogony]]'' 820-822.

In the alternative account of the origin of Typhaon, the [[Homeric Hymn]] to [[Apollo]] makes the monster Typhaon at [[Delphi]] a son of archaic [[Hera]] in her [[Eteocretan language|Minoan form]], produced out of herself, like a monstrous version of [[Hephaestus]], and whelped in a cave in [[Cilicia]] and confined there in the enigmatic land of the Arimi&mdash; ''en Arimois'' (''[[Iliad]]'', ii. 781-783). It was in Cilicia that Zeus battled with the ancient monster and overcame him, in a more complicated story: It was not an easy battle, and Typhon temporarily overcame Zeus, cut the "sinews" from him and left him in the "leather sack", the ''korukos'' that is the etymological origin of the ''korukion atron'', the Korykian or [[Corycian Cave]] in which Zeus suffers temporary eclipse as if in the Land of the Dead. The region of Cilicia in southeastern [[Anatolia]] had many opportunities for coastal Hellenes' connection with the [[Hittites]] to the north. From the first reappearance of the Hittite myth of [[Illuyankas]], it has been seen as a prototype of the battle of Zeus and Typhon.<ref>W. Porzig, "Illuyankas und Typhon", ''Kleinasiatische Forschung'' I.3 (1930) pp 379-86.</ref> [[Walter Burkert]] and [[Calvert Watkins]] each note the close agreements. Watkins' ''How to Kill a Dragon: Aspects of Indo-European Poetics'' (Oxford University Press) 1995, reconstructs in disciplined detail the flexible [[Indo-European]] poetic formula that underlies myth, epic and magical charm texts of the lashing and binding of Typhon.

The inveterate enemy of the [[Twelve Olympians|Olympian gods]] is described in detail by Hesiod<ref>''[[Theogony]]'' 820-868</ref> as a vast grisly monster with a [[Multi-headed animal|hundred snakelike heads]] "with dark flickering tongues" flashing fire from their eyes and a din of voices and a hundred [[Serpent (symbolism)|serpents]] issuing from his thighs, a feature shared by many primal monsters of Greek myth that extend in serpentine or scaly coils from the waist down. The titanic struggle created earthquakes and [[tsunami]]s.<ref>"The whole earth seethed, and sky and sea: and the long waves raged along the beaches round and about, at the rush of the deathless gods: and there arose an endless shaking." (Hesiod, ''Theogony'').</ref> Once conquered by [[Zeus]]' thunderbolts, Typhon was cast into Tartarus, the common destiny of many such archaic adversaries, or he was confined beneath [[Mount Aetna]] ([[Pindar]], ''Pythian Ode'' 1.19 - 20; [[Aeschylus]], ''Prometheus Bound'' 370). where "his bed scratches and goads the whole length of his back stretched out against it," or in other [[Volcano|volcanic]] regions, where he is the cause of eruptions.

Typhon is thus the [[chthonic]] figuration of volcanic forces, as Hephaestus (Roman [[Vulcan (god)|Vulcan]]) is their "civilized" Olympian manifestation. Amongst his children by [[Echidna (mythology)|Echidna]] are [[Cerberus]], the serpent-like [[Lernaean Hydra]], the [[Chimera (creature)|Chimera]], the hundred-headed dragon [[Dragons in Greek mythology|Ladon]], the half-woman half-lion [[Sphinx]], the two-headed wolf [[Orthus]], [[Ethon]] the eagle who tormented [[Prometheus]], and the [[Nemean Lion]].

Typhon is also the father of hot dangerous [[anemoi|storm winds]] which issue forth from the stormy pit of Tartarus, according to Hesiod.

== Background ==

Up trough the 1980´s a series of battles had been fought between the Copenhagen city council and the copenhagen squatters movement. The squatters movement in Denmark had since the begining of the 80s become an active and weelfounded social movement. The movement started in Copenhagen were a group of young people started to take over empty buildings, useing them for free houseing and as alternative cultural and community centres. The youngsters were made up from a mixture of punks, leftwing activists and unemployed teenagers who had their basis, in the workingclass area of Nørrebro. The situation i Denmark at the time, was one of high unemployment and poor housing, especcially in Copenhagen. The Copenhagen City Council, lead by the socialdemocratic mayor Egon Widekamp, had in the 1970s begun a proces of rehousing for people living in the poor ereas of Copenhagen. The proces involved the demolition of large parts of the old boroughs sorounding the city centre. Altough the plan was to raise the living standard for workingclass people, the consequence often was that the new houses became to expensive for these people to live in. Many found themselfs "temporarily" relocated to elsewhere in the city, and when they wanted to return to their old homes,they found the rent to be to high for them to pay. This gave rise to a growing anger towards the city council and a felling amongst the poor people of Copenhagen that decisions, concerning their lives were being made without them having anything to say about it. The Citys plans also left many old and worn, but still usefull,buldings empty. At the same time a lot of young people were unemployed and without homes. All these factors would in time be the foundatiton for the rise of the squatters movement.

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<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: Image:Bzat.jpg|Riot police getting ready to confront squatters.Nørrebro 1982 -->

Image:ryesgadea.jpg|Squatter wearing helmet for protection during the Battle of Ryesgade

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His name is apparently derived from the [[Greek language|Greek]] "typhein", to smoke, hence it is considered to be a possible [[etymology]] for the word ''[[typhoon]],'' supposedly borrowed by the [[Persians]] (as طوفان ''Tufân'') and [[Arab]]s to describe the [[Cyclone|cyclonic storms]] of the [[Indian Ocean]]. The Greeks also frequently represented him as a storm-daemon, especially in the version where he stole Zeus's thunderbolts and wrecked the earth with storms (cf. Hesiod, Theogony; Nonnus, Dionysiaca).

Since [[Herodotus]], Typhon has been identified with the Egyptian [[Set (mythology)|Set]] ([[interpretatio Graeca]]). In the [[Orphic]] tradition, Typhon leads the Titans when they attack and kill [[Dionysus]], just as [[Set (mythology)|Set]] is responsible for the murder of [[Osiris]]. Furthermore, the slaying of Typhon by Zeus is analogous to the killing of [[Vritra]] by [[Indra]] (also a lightning deity), and two stories likely are ultimately derived from a common Indo-European myth.

== The conflict between the squatters, the police and the City Council ==

==In popular culture==

== The squatting of Ryesgade 58 ==

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In 1983 a group of squatters moved in and took control over an empty house in Ryesgade 58. The squatters moved in slowly and in small groups, to avoid detection from the police. The plan succeded, and after a couple of months a well organised squat had been established.The squat was organised so that every floor was a independent collective in its own right. Each of these colectives was then charged with organiseing and maintaining their part of the house. Weekly meetings were also held for everybody living in the house and here the collectives played a vital role as a basis for discussion. No matter if it were politics, ideology or practical matters concerning the house, that were being talked about. The squatters were for a large part made up from "older" squatters who had been with the movement since its beginning.

*Typhon is the two-headed tyrant of Urth in [[Gene Wolfe]]'s ''[[Book of the New Sun]]''—who built the [[generation ship]] ''Whorl'' in ''[[Book of the Long Sun]]'' and is referred to there as Pas.

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*Typhon is the main "villain" in the mythology-based computer action-[[RPG]] ''[[Titan Quest]]''.

Image:bzr.jpg|Squatters defending barricade in Ryesgade

*In the [[Playstation]] game '[['Final Fantasy VII]]'', Typhon is the name of an optional summon. Portrayed as a purple creature with a head at each end. Typhon unleashes a strong breath that creates a whirlwind causing wind damage to all enemies.

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*In the [[Playstation 2]] game ''[[God of War II]]'', Typhon is portrayed as a wind-blowing [[Titan (mythology)|Titan]], immobile in a cave-like lair, on an island. The main character, [[Kratos]], makes his way up to Typhon's eye, and attacks it, ultimately pulling out its magic, a bow-and-arrow-like weapon, called Typhon's Bane.

Image:bzæ.jpg|Squatters watching police movements from rooftop.Battle of Ryesgade

*In ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]]'', Typhon, played by [[Glenn Shadix]], is Echidna's doting husband and is a cheerful giant. He was trapped in stone until Hercules freed him.

Image:bzø.jpg|Sentry watching the ammunition during the Battle of Ryesgade

*Typhon is the name of a song by the metal band [[Therion]]

Image:bzq.jpg|Squatter catching up on some reading

*Typhon is the name of a line of locomotive horns manufactured by the Leslie Company, formerly of Parsippany, NJ.

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*Typhon is the name of a character who seems to be a demon in Dean Koontz's book "The Face."

*Typhon is the name of a character from warhammer 40,000 before the Horus Heresy. After which the Choas god Nurgle renamed him Typhus and gifted him the Destroyer Plague, an infestation of insect that pour from inside of him blotting out the sun and getting in Typhus's enemies.

==Notes==

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==References==

*[[Walter Burkert]], ''Greek Religion'' 1985

*[[Robert Graves]], ''The Greek Myths'', (1955) 1960, §36.1-3

*[[Karl Kerenyi]], ''The Gods of the Greeks'' 1951

*[[Calvert Watkins]], ''How to Kill a Dragon'' 1995, 448-459

==External links==

* [http://www.theoi.com/Gigante/Typhoeus.html Typhoeus at Theoi]compiled sources of myth in classical literature

[[Category:Greek mythology]]

[[Category:Greek legendary creatures]]

[[Category:Mythological hybrids]]

[[Category:Dragons]]

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