Saturday, July 19, 2014

Turns of Troy


Motifs associated with Troy lingered in the lore of Europe well into the middle ages.  The meander above might have little to do with Heroides 7, but it's interesting in its own right:
Many turf mazes in England were named Troy Town, Troy-town or variations on that theme (such as Troy, The City of Troy, Troy's Walls, Troy's Hoy, or The Walls of Troy) presumably because, in popular legend, the walls of the city of Troy were constructed in such a confusing and complex way that any enemy who entered them would be unable to find his way out. Welsh hilltop turf mazes (none of which now exist) were called "Caerdroia", which can be translated as "City of Troy" (or perhaps "castle of turns"). More.

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