Battlestar Wiki - User contributions [en]

Mythological references

2007-01-29T10:37:06Z

Insanedesio: /* Judeo-Christian references */

:''This article lists references to real-world religious references and other mythology in the [[Original Series]] and [[Re-imagined Series]], found in dialogue and from ship, place and character names''.

== The Original Series ==

===Judeo-Christian references===
* In "[[Saga of a Star World]]", [[Adama (TOS)|Adama]] asks God to "take this burden" from him. The burden, of course, is the need to guard the last of humanity after the Twelve Colonies are destroyed. This reference is likely derived from the New Testament where Jesus prays to God before he is arrested and later crucified.

===Egyptian references===
* [[Eden]] - The special effects footage that depicts this city in "[[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II]]" is actually the pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
* Flight gear - In the Original Series, the helmet of the [[Viper (TOS)|Viper pilot]] resembles the ceremonial headdress of the Egyptian pharaohs.
* [[Tomb of the Ninth Lord of Kobol]] - This place is heavily decorated in hieroglyphs and contains a sarcophagus with a prop of a Pharaoh's mummy.

===Islamic references===
* [[Iblis]] - This character's name is derived from "Diabolis" by the writers, but is coincidentally the name of a fallen servant of Allah.

== The Re-imagined Series ==

===Judeo-Christian references===

* The [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons of the Re-imagined Series]] are monotheistic, and worship a being they name simply as "God." The Cylons speak of commandments, inferring a parallelism between their deity and the central deity of the Abrahamic religions. They also denounce all other deities as being false.
* The title of the episode "[[Valley of Darkness]]" is from Psalms 23:4.

=== Greek references ===

* ''[[Atlantia (RDM)|Atlantia]]'' - The name of a [[Wikipedia:Hamadryad|hamadryad]], a form of nymph and namesake of a battlestar lost in [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]]. Could also be a reference to the lengend of Atlantis, written by Plato.

* ''[[Chiron]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. In Greek mythology, [[Wikipedia:Chiron|Chiron]] is a centaur, or half-horse, half-human being.

* [[Delphi]] - A city on Caprica. On real-world Earth an ancient Greek city, which was home to a famous orcale dedicated to Apollo.

* ''[[Epheme]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. May be named for a minor character in Greek mythology who was nurse to the Muses.

* ''[[Galatea]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. [[w:Galatea (mythology)|Galatea]] is the name of two figures in Greek mythology.

* ''[[Odysseus]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. [[w:Odysseus|Odysseus]] is the hero of Homer's epic ''The Odyssey''.

* ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' - A legendary flying horse and namesake of Admiral [[Helena Cain]]'s [[Mercury class battlestar|Mercury class ]] battlestar.
* ''[[Persephone]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. Named after the queen of the underworld; daughter of Demeter.
* ''[[Prometheus]]'' - A freighter in Fleet that was a hub of the [[Black market (organization)|black market]]. Named after the titan who stole the fire from the gods to give it to the humans.
* [[Pythia]] - An [[oracle]]. Pythia was the name for head priestress at the Oracle of Delphi in Greece.

* ''[[Scylla]]'' - A ship in [[Helena Cain|Admiral Cain]]'s short-lived civilian fleet. In Homer's ''The Odyssey'' [[w:Scylla|Scylla]] is one of two monsters on either side of a narrow strait of water.

* ''[[Triton]]'' - The namesake of a battlestar lost in the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. Son of Poseidon and messenger of the deep.
* [[Troy]] - A mining colony. In mythology, Troy was the site of legendary [[w:Trojan War|Trojan War]].

* ''[[Zephyr]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. Named after the Greek god of the west wind [[w:Anemoi#West_wind|Zephyrus]]. "Zephyr" is also a general name for the west wind.

=== Roman references ===

* [[Number Three|D'Anna Biers]] - The assumed name of one of the [[Number Three]]s is very close to [[Wikipedia:Diana|Diana]], the Roman counterpart of [[Artemis]].
* [[Mars Day]] - A weekday or holiday named after the Roman god of war.
* ''[[Mercury]]'' - The lead ship of the [[Mercury class battlestar|Mercury class]], named after the Roman god of trade, profit and commerce.
* [[Plutonium]] - The namesake of this element, Pluto, is the Roman god of the underworld.
* The [[Eye of Jupiter]] - An ancient artifact named after the chief god of Roman mythology; counterpart of Zeus.

=== Norse references ===

* ''[[Embla Brokk]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. The name may be derived from two separate figures of mythology: Embla, the first woman, and Brokk, a dwarf who helped create Draupnir (a magical ring) and Mjollnir (Thor's hammer).
* [[Ragnar]] - Ragnar is named in reference to ''[[w:Ragnarok|Ragnarok]]'', the apocalyptic battle between the Norse gods at the end of the world.
* ''[[Valkyrie]]'' - Valkyries are minor Norse deities and [[w:shieldmaiden|shieldmaidens]] who gathered up warriors to fight at Ragnarok.

=== Other references ===

* ''[[Enkidu]]'' - A ship in the Fleet. Named after the [[wikipedia:Enkidu|Enkidu]] of the [[wikipedia:Sumerian mythology|Sumerian mythological]] [[wikipedia:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]].
* [[Wikipedia:Isis|Isis]] - The name [[Maya]] gave to [[Hera Agathon]] when she was adopted. Named after an Egyptian goddess who was later adopted by the Greeks and Romans.
* [[Maya]] - The adoptive mother of Hera Agathon. May be named after the Hindu concept of [[Wikipedia:Maya (illusion)|Maya]].

==Shared references ==

* [[Kobol]] - The name of this planet is based on "Kolob", the name of the "star nearest to God" as told in [[w:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Mormon scripture]].
* [[The Twelve Colonies]] - The pilot episode of the Original Series, "[[Saga of a Star World]]", as well as the Re-imagined [[Miniseries]] both show pyramidal buildings on Caprica.
* The Twelve Tribes - Jacob's (aka "Israel") twelve sons fathered the [[Wikipedia:Ten_Lost_Tribes#The_Twelve_Tribes|Twelve Tribes]] of Israel, who wandered the desert for 40 years.

==See also ==

* [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies (TOS)]] - Information on how many Egyptian and [[w:The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|LDS church]] references are used in the [[Original Series]].
* [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies (RDM)]] - Information on how the Olympic pantheon is used in the Re-imagined Series.
* [[Language in the Twelve Colonies#Names]] - Information on mostly non-religious and non-mythological ancient influences on character names in the Re-imagined Series.

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:TOS]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Soundtrack (Season 2)

2007-01-29T10:33:16Z

Insanedesio: /* Season 2 Main Title Music */

{{Album Data
| image = Bear McCreary Season 2 soundtrack.jpg
| alt= Cover for the United States and UK release of this soundtrack
| title= Soundtrack (Season 2)
| albumno= 3
| composer= [[Bear McCreary]]
| label= La-La Land Records
| tracks= 23
| runtime= 01:18:53
| discs= 1
| released= 2006-06-20
| prev= [[Soundtrack (Season 1)]]
| next= None
}}
: ''For the [[Miniseries]] soundtrack, see [[Soundtrack (Miniseries)]].''
: ''For the soundtrack to Season One, see [[Soundtrack (Season 1)]].''

''Battlestar Galactica'' composer [[Bear McCreary]] gave an interview and previewed six musical cues from Season 2 at [http://www.filmmusicradio.com/index.php?todo=inside&storyid=18 Film Music Radio]. (The Season 2 cues start at 1:06:25.) Note that these cues differ from the actual tracks released in the Season 2 Soundtrack.

==Track Listing==
#'''Colonial Anthem''' (4:02) from "[[Final Cut]]"
#*Contains "Theme from Battlestar Galactica" and "Exploration" by [[Stu Phillips]] and [[Glen A. Larson]]. Adapted and Arranged by Bear McCreary
#'''Baltar's Dream''' (2:45) from "[[Valley of Darkness]]"
#'''Escape''' (3:09) from "[[The Farm]]"
#'''A Promise to Return''' (3:03) from "[[The Farm]]"
#*Dedicated to the Recovery of Ludvig Girdland. Performed by Supernova String Quartet
#'''Allegro''' (4:59) from "[[Home, Part II]]"
#*The initial printing of the Season 2 soundtrack mistakenly attributed this song to "[[Home, Part I]]", but according to composer Bear McCreary's website this is incorrect and all subsequent printings will be corrected.
#'''Martial Law''' (1:51) from "[[Fragged]]"
#'''Standing in the Mud''' (1:45) from "[[Black Market]]"
#'''Pegasus''' (2:46) from "[[Pegasus]]"
#'''Lords of Kobol''' (2:50) from "[[Pegasus]]"
#*Featuring Raya Yarbrough, Vocals.
#'''Something Dark is Coming''' (8:51) from "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]"
#'''Scar''' (2:26) from "[[Scar]]"
#'''Epiphanies''' (2:43) from "[[Epiphanies]]"
#'''Roslin and Adama''' (2:49) from "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]" and "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II|Part II]]"
#'''Gina Escapes''' (2:00) from "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]"
#'''Dark Unions''' (2:53) from "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]"
#'''The Cylon Prisoner''' (3:51) from "[[Pegasus]]"
#*Featuring Bt4, Vocals
#'''Prelude to War''' (8:22) from "[[Pegasus]]", "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]", and "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II|Part II]]"
#'''Reuniting the Fleet''' (2:45) from "[[Home, Part I]]" and "[[Home, Part II]]"
#'''Roslin Confesses''' (2:09) from "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]"
#'''One Year Later''' (1:43) from "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]"
#'''Worthy of Survival''' (3:35) from "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]"
#'''Battlestar Galactica''' (0:45) Season 2 Main Title Music
#*Music by [[Richard Gibbs]]. Engineered and Mixed by Gordon Fordyce. Featuring Michael Now and Caitanya Riggan, Vocals
#'''Black Market''' (5:48) from "[[Black Market]]"
#*Featuring Steve Bartek, Guitar

==Lyrics and Translations==

Composer Bear McCreary has [[Sources:Official Communique with Bear McCreary|given his permission]] to ''Battlestar Wiki'' to post the lyrics and translations for the Battlestar Galactica soundtracks. From the booklet accompanying the CD, the lyrics and translations for the musical tracks in the Season 1 CD are:

===Season 2 Main Title Music===

During the first season, the UK airings of Battlestar Galactica used a different title music than the USA airings. [[Ron Moore]] and the production team always favored the UK music, but Scifi Channel executives thought it wouldn't be popular and pressured the BSG production team to use a reworked version of the Season 1 musical track "Two Funerals" as the USA title music in Season 1. However, by Season 2 Moore was able to make his preferred "UK version" of the title music the track that aired in the USA broadcast. Many fans are divided over which they prefer.

According to Bear McCreary's official website, the lyrics to the Season 2 Title Music are actually the [[Wikipedia:Gayatri|Gayatri Mantra]] (the most revered prayer mantra in Hinduism). From McCreary's official website:

{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"
! '''Lyrics ([[Wikipedia:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]], [[Wikipedia:IAST|IAST]] transliteration):'''
! '''English translation ([http://www.vatikashaktipeeth.com/ Gayatri Pariwar] version):'''
|-
| Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ<br />
Tat savitur vareṇyaṃ<br />
Bhargo devasya dhīmahi<br />
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt

|Oh God! Thou art the Giver of Life, <br />
Remover of pain and sorrow,<br />
The Bestower of happiness, <br />
Oh! Creator of the Universe,<br />
May we receive thy supreme sin-destroying light,<br />
May Thou guide our intellect in the right direction.
|}

{| cellspacing ="0" cellpadding="5"
!'''Lyrics (Represented in CD booklet with [[Wikipedia:ITRANS|ITRANS]] transliteration)
|-
| Aum bhoor bhuwah swaha<br />
Tat savitur varenyam<br />
Bhargo devasaya dheemahi<br />
Dhiyo yo naha prachodayat

===Lords of Kobol===

Lyrics posted on singer Raya Yarbrough's [http://www.rayayarbrough.com/ official website] by Bear McCreary (the lyrics were not included with the booklet accompanying the CD):

{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"
! '''Lyrics (in [[Wikipedia:Senegal|Sengalese]]):'''
! '''English translation:'''
|-
| Dei Kobol una apita uthoukarana<br />
Ukthea mavatha gaman kerimuta<br />
Obe satharane mua osavathamanabanta<br />
Api obata yagnya karama

|Help us [[Lords of Kobol]] <br />
Let us walk the path of righteousness <br />
And lift our faces unto your goodness<br />
We offer this prayer
|}

===Roslin and Adama===

According to Bear McCreary's website, there is a version of "Roslin and Adama" which is performed with lyrics, which was not included in the series or on the CD, but which was performed live at the Season 2 soundtrack CD premiere party.

==Full credits==
===Performance Credits===
*'''Ethnic Woodwinds''' - Chris Bleth
*'''Uilleann Pipes and Irish Whistles''' - Eric Riger
*'''Acoustic and Electric Violin''' - Paul Cartwright
*'''Acoustic and Electric Guitars''' - Steve Bartek
*'''Electric Bass''' - John Avila
*'''Drum Kit''' - Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez
*'''Percussion''' - M.B. Gordy
*'''Pianos, Percussion and MIDI Programming''' - [[Bear McCreary]]

*'''French Horns''' - Steve Durnan, Daniel Kelly
*'''Trumpets''' - Wayne Bergeron, Larry Hall
*'''Trombones''' - Alex Isles, Steve Holtman
*'''Violin''' - Robert Anderson, Susan Chatman, Charlie Evert, Kirsten Fife, Juliann French, Larry Greenfield, Norm Hughes, Sharon Jackson, Peter Kent, Gina Kronstadt, Songa Lee-Kitto, Cameron Patrick, Vladamir Polimiditi, Kathleen Robertson, Julie Rodgers, Josefina Vergara, Erika Walczak, Francine Walsh, John Wittenberg, Shari Zippert
*'''Viola''' - Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Biana Bandy, Karen Elane Bucanin, Lynn Grants, Scott Holsfield, Marium Mayer, Maria Newman, David Stenske, Maria Todd, Jessica VanVelzen
*'''Violoncello''' - Peggy Baldwin, Giovanna Clayton, Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick, Vanessa Friebarin-Smith, Missy Hasin, Susie Katayama, Rudi Stein, Jacob Szekely
*'''Contrabass''' - Norman Ludwin, Bart Samolis, Dave Stone

===Supernova String Quartet===
*'''Violin''' - Ludvig Girdland
*'''Violin''' - Robert Anderson
*'''Viola''' - Muguel Atwood-Ferguson
*'''Violoncello''' - Jacob Szekely

===Vocals===
*'''Featured Vocalists''' - Raya Yarbrough, Bt4
*'''Additional Vocalists''' - Amy Keys, Doug Lacy, Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, Bear McCreary

===Production Credits===
*'''Executive Album Producers for La La Land Records''' - MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys
*'''Album Produced by''' - Bear McCreary, Steve Kaplan and Ford A. Thaxton
*'''Score Produced by''' - Bear McCreary and Steve Kaplan
*'''Score Orchestrated and Conducted by''' - Bear McCreary
*'''Score Orchestrated and Mixed by''' - Steve Kaplan
*'''Music Editor''' - Michael Baber
*'''Assistant Music Editor''' - David Bondelvitch
*'''Digitally Edited and Mastered by''' - James Nelson at ''Digital Outland''
*'''Computer Guru''' - Mark Cooper
*'''Contractors''' - M.B. Gordy and Peter Kent
*'''Representation''' - ''Soundtrack Music Associates''
*'''Score Recorded at''' - Stage M at Paramount Studios and Eastwood Scoring Stage at Warner Bros.
*'''CD Art Direction''' - Mark Banning
*'''Sengalese Consultant''' - Nisha Rodrigo

==Press Release==

: ''Reprinted with permission from CineMedia Productions.''

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON TWO SOUNDTRACK TO BE RELEASED BY LA-LA LAND RECORDS ON JUNE 20

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA TOUTED AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 SHOWS CURRENTLY ON TV BY TIME MAGAZINE AND TV GUIDE

(June 1, 2006- New York, NY) - Considered one of the top 10 shows currently on TV by ''Time Magazine'', ''Entertainment Weekly'', and ''TV Guide'', ''Battlestar Galactica'' is the #1 show on the Sci Fi Channel. On June 20, La-La Land Records will release the ''Battlestar Galactica: Season Two'' soundtrack, featuring more than 78 minutes of the best musical moments from the 2nd season of the Sci-Fi Channel's critically acclaimed, top-rated television series starring [[Edward James Olmos]], [[Mary McDonnell]], [[James Callis]], [[Tricia Helfer]] and [[Katee Sackhoff]].

Composer Bear McCreary builds on his impressive Season One accomplishments and once again delivers a sensational, emotionally rich score that ingeniously melds orchestra, vocals, percussion and synthesizer. The Season Two CD contains few tracks which are longer in length. Says McCreary, "The first one was a soundtrack. The second one is an album."

The Battlestar Galactica: Season Two soundtrack features performances by Supernova String Quartet (on "A Promise to Return" from [[The Farm]]), vocals by Raya Yarbrough (on "[[Lords of Kobol]]" from [[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]), and vocals by Bt4 (on "The [[Gina|Cylon Prisoner]]" from Pegasus). Former Oingo-Boingo members Steve Bartek, John Avila and Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez play on the track from "[[Black Market]]". And the main title theme from ''Battlestar Galactica'', composed by [[Richard Gibbs]], is also on the soundtrack.

Fans of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]] will be excited to see that the theme from the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' series, composed by [[Stu Phillips]], has been adapted and arranged by McCreary. The homage to the television show that inspired this new incarnation leads off the soundtrack.

Composer Bear McCreary is a classically trained composer with a degree in Composition and Recording Arts from the prestigious USC Thornton School of Music. He has composed score for over thirty independent films, including director Jon Chu's musical short ''When the Kids Are Away'' and the Discovery Channel miniseries ''The 5 Coolest Things''. McCreary was among a handful of select protégés of late film music legend Elmer Bernstein (''THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN'').

The [[Season 3 (2006-07)|third season]] of ''Battlestar Galactica'' will begin airing in October on the Sci Fi Channel. The ''Battlestar Galactica: Season Two'' soundtrack will be available in stores or from [http://www.lalalandrecords.com www.lalalandrecords.com] on June 20, 2006. The soundtrack from the [[Soundtrack (Miniseries)|Battlestar Galactica miniseries]] and the [[Soundtrack (Season 1)|Season One soundtrack]] are both available from La-La Land Records.

==External Links==
*[http://astore.amazon.com/battlestarwik-20/detail/B000FCUYKO/ Amazon.com] page for BSG Season 2 soundtrack.
*[http://www.lalalandrecords.com/Battlestar_Galactica_Season_2.html La-La Land Records] page for BSG Season 2 sountrack, with sample clips.

[[Category: A to Z]] [[Category:Merchandise]]

Language in the Twelve Colonies

2007-01-29T10:29:11Z

Insanedesio: /* Liturgy */

:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

English, or some language that is universally translated into it (à la [[Wikipedia:Westron|Tolkien]]) is standard. Loanwords from foreign languages ("élan", "fascist", "karma", "esprit de corps" etc.) occur with normal frequency, as do chronologically enigmatic borrowings such as the [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Columbia]]''. Most religious terms are explicitly shared with ancient Greek beliefs (either antecedent to or descendant from them).

==Vocabulary==

===Anachronisms===
[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]] uses many terms from modern day naval aviation, which appear somewhat anachronistic but also lend the show a flavor of realistic jargon. These include:
*[[Combat Air Patrol]]
*[[Commander Air Group]]
*[[Computers#Avionics|Avionics]]
*Planes
:'''Adama:''' You keep my planes flying. I need my planes to fly. ([[Litmus]])

===Ersatz===
In contrast to its [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|predecessor]], the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' employs relatively little in the way of ersatz vocabulary. It does employ a few terms outside of a normal American English vocabulary, mostly military jargon. These are mixed in haphazardly with the real-life naval aviation terms above.

*[[Colonial Wireless Alphabet|Constellation]] - [[Wikipedia:NATO phonetic alphabet|Charlie]] (As used in the sense of radio alphabetic code, e.g.: "Alpha, Bravo, Constellation".)
*[[Dradis]] - [[Wikipedia:RADAR|Radar]]
*[[Fumarella leaf]] - [[Wikipedia:Tobacco|Tobacco]]
*[[Frak]] - A bowdlerized version of "Fuck" (c.f. "[[Wikipedia:Frell|Frell]]" (Farscape), "[[Wikipedia:Frag|Frag]]" (Babylon 5), "[[Wikipedia:Smeg|Smeg]]" (Red Dwarf))
*[[G-4]] - [[Wikipedia: C-4 (explosive)|C-4]]
*[[Krypter]] - [[Wikipedia:Mayday|Mayday]]
*[[Morpha]] - [[Wikipedia:Morphine|Morphine]]
*[[Serisone]] - [[Wikipedia:prednisone|Prednisone]]
*[[Wireless]] - [[Wikipedia:Radio|Radio]]<ref name="wireless">This usage is not entirely unknown in Earth-bound English. As a synonym for radio or radiotelegraphy, it's more common in British usage, according to [http://www.m-w.com/ Merriam-Webster]. Prior to the popularisation of television in the 1950s, it was the preferred term for radio equipment and radio broadcasts amongst the bulk of the British population. It's also the source of the prefix 'Wi' in 'WiFi' and other similar wireless data standards now common.</ref>

===Invented Terminology===
As all science fiction shows must, Battlestar Galactica has a set of vocabulary referring to technologies and other items not shared with the real world.

*[[Ambrosia]] - a bright green alcoholic beverage
*[[Carom]] - the angle above or below the XY plane of a vessel, perpendicular to [[Wikipedia:Bearing (navigation)|bearing]] (c.f. "Mark" (Star Trek))
*[[Chamalla]] - an [[Wikipedia:Entheogen|entheogen]] used by priests
*[[Red Line]]

*'''For a more complete list of acronyms and expressions see:''' [[List of terms (RDM)]]

===Enigmas===

Language in ''Battlestar Galactica'' have terms whose origins are a curiosity due to chronology or uniqueness to the real-world Earth that likely wouldn't have a parallel of the same name in the Twelve Colonies. See [[History of the Twelve Colonies#Pre-History|an interpretation of the origin of humanity on Kobol]] that could support the derivation of these terms.

* ''[[Columbia]]'': This battlestar name's origin is strange since its popular Earth derivation comes from Christopher Columbus, a man unlikely to have existed in the Twelve Colonies. It does however appear to stem from the Latin word "columba" meaning "dove" together with the suffix "ia" which means "land" (geographical expression) in all languages derived from Indo-European roots (ergo, "Land of the Dove")

* ''[[Cloud Nine]]'': This American expression of bliss comes from a 1890's Earth weather reference on the highest-altitude cloud formation. The expression became popularized in 1950s radio broadcasts.

* ''[[Adriatic]]'': The name of this vessel under the influence of [[Tom Zarek]], much like ''Columbia'' appears to have originated on Earth. On Earth the Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, a large body of water which seperates Europe from Africa and Saudi Arabia.

===Honorifics===
Although civilians use the honorific "Madam" or it's shortened form "ma'am", in the Colonial military all superior officers are referred to as "Sir", regardless of gender.<ref>According to RDM's [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/blogs blog] on January 20th, 2006, the series follows the system established in ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'', where the term "sir" has become gender-neutral in military usage. Thus, [[Laura Roslin]] is referred to as "Madam President" or "ma'am" in a civilian context, but in her capacity as Commander-in-Chief, she is always addressed as "sir".</ref>

===Names===
Many characters have names that include one or more components that appear to be a Biblical or Classical reference. It remains an enigma whether, and to what degree, these should be thought of as translations for the audience's benefit.

Some of these apparent allusions may have no intended meaning beyond sounding good. Others are known to have been chosen for a reason, and that's noted where verifiable.

* [[William Adama|William]] and [[Lee Adama]]: "Adama" is Hebrew for "earth" in its literal meaning—ground, dirt—from which "Adam", the Biblical First Man, derives his name. It is also the name of a large city in Ethiopia. Lee's call-sign "Apollo" is of course a reference to the Greek (and apparently, Kobolan) god. Both "Adama" and "Apollo" are carry-overs from the original series, where they were chosen for their mythological significance.
* [[Richard Adar]]: "[[Wikipedia:Adar|Adar]]" is a month in the Jewish lunar calendar still in use today. It coincides roughly with the Gregorian month of March. It is a carry over from the original series.
* [[Karl Agathon]]: "[[Wikipedia:Agathon|Agathon]]" was an Athenian poet, a friend of Euripides and Plato.
* [[Gaius Baltar]]: "Gaius" was the ''[[Wikipedia:praenomen|praenomen]]'' of the man we commonly call [[Wikipedia:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]]. "Baltar" was made up by [[Glen A. Larson]] for the original series.
* [[Helena Cain]]: "[[Wikipedia:Helena|Helena]]" is a common enough name, but is also a possible reference to Helen of Troy. "[[Wikipedia:Cain|Cain]]" in the Old Testament is the first murderer, and is a carry-over from the original series.
* [[Aaron Doral]]: "[[Wikipedia:Aaron|Aaron]]" is a Biblical Hebrew name, the older brother of [[Wikipedia:Moses|Moses]].
* [[Anastasia Dualla]]: The Greek word ''[[Wikipedia:anastasia|anastasia]]'' translates to "resurrection", and was a deliberate choice by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]. It's also not an uncommon Greek and Russian name. Dualla is the name of a region and people in sub-saharan Africa.
* [[Hera]]/Isis: "[[Wikipedia:Hera|Hera]]" was a Greek goddess, the wife of Zeus. "[[Wikipedia:Isis|Isis]]" an Egyptian goddess, the wife of Horus in early mythology; the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus later. This is one of the few Egyptian references in the new series.
* [[Kara Thrace]]: "[[Wikipedia:Thrace|Thrace]]" is a region in southeast Europe spanning Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, and Serbia. It was also the ancient name for the same area. The famous gladiator Spartacus was a Thracian.
* [[Saul Tigh]]: "[[Wikipedia:Saul|Saul]]" is a Hebrew name, which means "borrowed". Biblical references include both the first king of Judah and Israel, and the birth-name of Paul of Tarsus. "Tigh" appears to have been made up by [[Glen A. Larson]], but it is also Scottish Gaelic for "house." Originally the character was named "Paul Tigh", but when it was discovered that this could not be used for legal reasons, it was shifted to "''S''aul Tigh", a reverse of the name switch that Saul of Tarsus/St. Paul made.
* [[Galen Tyrol]]: "[[Wikipedia:Galen|Galen]]" was a famous Greek healer, the source of much Medieval medical knowledge, and was the first to argue that the mind was in the brain and not the heart; this could be construed as ironic, given that Tyrol followed his heart and maintained a relationship with Boomer even when he shouldn't have. "[[Wikipedia:Tyrol|Tyrol]]" is a region that spans the border of Austria and Italy.
* [[Sharon Valerii]]: "Sharon" is Hebrew for forest, although it's also a common English woman's name. The [[Wikipedia:Valerius|gens Valeria]] is one of the longest-running families in the history of the [[Wikipedia:Roman Empire|Roman Empire]]. Curiously, "valerii" is the masculine plural form.
* [[Tom Zarek]]: "[[Wikipedia:Thomas|Thomas]]" is a deliberate biblical reference, after the doubting apostle, although strictly speaking that apostle's name was Jude the Twin, "Tau'ma" being Aramaic for "twin". It's also a common English name. Zarek is a Polish name derived from the Babylonian name Balshazzar meaning "Baal protects the king." According to the writers, they just made up the name "Zarek" because they thought it sounded "spacey".

Uncertain references:
* [[Leoben Conoy]]: "[[Wikipedia:Leoben|Leoben]]" is an Austrian town where a preliminary peace in the Napoleonic wars was signed. "[[Wikipedia:Conoy|Conoy]]" is a Native American tribe, also known as the Piscataway. Both are pretty obscure.
* [[Billy Keikeya]]: "Keikeya" appears to be made up.
* [[Laura Roslin]]: "[[Wikipedia:Roslin Institute|Roslin Institute]]" is where Dolly the Sheep was cloned. A more likely source of the name would be the Scottish village of [[wikipedia:Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin, Midlothian]], where the Roslin Institute is located.

==Accents==

Most characters speak with a [[Wikipedia:General American|Standard American]] accent, with some exceptions.

===English Accent===
Two characters speak with the [[Wikipedia:Received Pronunciation|Received Pronunciation]], Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] of Caprica and ship's medic [[Layne Ishay]]. Other characters from Caprica do not share this accent.

===Canadian Accent===
Occassionally when Col. [[Saul Tigh]] is shouting or barking out orders, he exhibits a faint Canadian accent. [[Michael Hogan]] is a noted Canadian actor, and on the show his speech is usually indistinguishable from Standard American English, but observant fans can occassionally detect a trace of an accent.

===Spanish Accent===
[[Giana]], a woman rescued from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] by [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]], spoke with a Spanish accent, and inquired after the whereabouts of her husband, who she stated was "stationed on Gemenon". Her place of origin is unclear, but no other characters from either Caprica, [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenon]], or anywhere else have shared this accent. The actress, Lymari Nadal, is from Puerto Rico.

===Kiwi Accent===
The reporter [[D'anna Biers]] speaks with a Kiwi/New Zealand accent (this is actually the accent that actress [[Lucy Lawless]] speaks with when off screen, because she is from New Zealand). However, the same episode revealed that D'anna is actually a [[Cylon agent]], and another copy of D'anna on Cylon-occupied Caprica does ''not'' speak with this accent, but a Standard American one, perhaps to differentiate the two characters. Subsequent appearances in [[Downloaded]] and the third season have featured the Kiwi accent exclusively.

===Aerelon Accent===
In the episode "[[Flesh and Bone]]", Baltar noted that Sharon Valerii spoke with a trace of an [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Aerelon|Aerelon]] accent. This accent appears to be entirely fictional - the Canadian actress who portrays her, Grace Park, is fluent in both English and Korean, but speaks Standard American English without a foreign accent.

==Liturgy==
During the funeral service at the end of the Mini-series, Priest [[Elosha]] chants a prayer in a foreign language. It is recognizable as a common Sanskrit prayer, found in Part I, Chapter III, Verse 28 of the [http://sanatan.intnet.mu/upanishads/brihadaranyaka.htm Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad].

:{|
| '''Devanāgarī''' || '''Transliteration''' || '''Translation'''
|-
| अस्तो मा सद् गमय || asato mā sad gamaya || Lead us from Falsehood to Truth
|-
| तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय || tamaso mā jyotir gamaya || Lead us from Darkness to Light
|-
| मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय || mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya || Lead us from Death to Immortality
|}

Although the lyrics are identifiable, it should be noted that the actress's performance is closer to the chanting of biblical Hebrew, and does not resemble the traditional melody.<ref>Viewers can compare Elosha's chant to the same chant found in the soundtrack of the movie,''[[Wikipedia:The Matrix Revolutions|The Matrix Revolutions]]'', by composers Don Davis and the group Juno Reactor. The final track, "Navras," (which plays during the closing credits of the motion picture) begins with this same verse; the track Neodämmerung, also from The Matrix Revolutions, also consists entirely of Sanskrit lyrics taken from the Upaniṣads, including this verse.</ref>

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial History]]
[[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Society]]
[[Category:Colonial Society (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

{{featured article candidate previous}}

Sacred Scrolls

2007-01-29T10:25:32Z

Insanedesio: /* The Service of the Dead */

{{cleanup}}

[[Image:Pythia.jpg|right|thumb|A portion of the Sacred Scrolls, specifically, a portion of the Book of [[Pythia]].]]
The '''Sacred Scrolls''' are a set of writings the form the basis of [[Religion in the Twelve Colonies|Colonial religion]], a polytheistic faith resembling the legends of ancient Greece. The scrolls record much of the alleged history of humanity, including life on [[Kobol]] before the great exodus, and the legend of [[Earth]]. Portions of the scrolls are used in religious ceremonies, such as the Service of the Dead ([[Miniseries]], [[Act of Contrition]]).

Most notable among the Sacred Scrolls is the Book of Pythia, also referred to as the Pythian Prophecy. Written 3,600 years ago by the oracle [[Pythia]], they are believed by some to foretell the current exodus from the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]].

==Contents==
The contents of the Sacred Scrolls have only been revealed to us in glimpses, through brief quotes, paraphrases and explanations throughout the series. This section serves to catalog those snippets, and is followed by more detailed analysis.

===The Book of [[Pythia]]===
:'''Roslin:''' Who is Pythia?<br>'''Elosha:''' One of the [[oracle]]s in the Sacred Scrolls. 3,600 years ago. Pythia wrote about the exile and rebirth of the human race. ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])

====The Cycle of Time====
:'''Leoben:''' ''"All this has happened before, and all of it will happen again."'' ([[Flesh and Bone]])

:'''Six:''' ''"All this has happened before, and all this will happen again."'' ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])

:'''Roslin:''' If you believe in the gods, then you believe in the cycle of time that we are all playing our parts in a story that is told again, and again, and again throughout eternity. ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]])

====The Dying Leader====
:'''Elosha:''' ''"And the lords anointed a leader to guide the Caravan of the Heavens to their new homeland."'' ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])

:'''Elosha:''' She also wrote that the new leader suffered a wasting disease and would not live to enter the new land. ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])

:'''Roslin:''' The scriptures tell us a dying leader lead humanity to the promised land. ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]])

====A Vision of Serpents====
:'''Elosha:''' ''"And unto the leader they gave a vision of serpents numbering two and ten, as a sign of things to come."'' ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])

====The Serpents Lead the People Into Battle?====
:'''Six:''' ''"Led by serpents numbering two and ten..."'' (fragment) ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])

====A Confrontation at the Home of the Gods====
:'''Six:''' ''"Though the outcome favored the few, it led to a confrontation at the home of the gods."'' ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]])

====The Lower Demon====
:'''Elosha:''' The scrolls of Pythia do speak of a [[Sharon Agathon|lower demon]], who helped the people in a time of crisis. ([[Home, Part I]])

====The Blaze and the High Road====
:'''Elosha:''' ''"And the blaze pursued them, and the people of Kobol had a choice. To board the great ship, or take the high road through the rocky ridge."''<br>
:'''Valerii (continuing):''' ''"And the body of each tribe's leader was offered to the gods in the [[tomb of Athena]]."'' And the great ship was the [[galleon]] that departed from here, where we're standing. And it took the founders of the thirteen colonies to their destiny. And those that didn't board the galleon took the high road, a rocky ridge that lead to the tomb. ([[Home, Part I]])

:'''Elosha:''' The path is supposed to be marked by gravestones. ([[Home, Part I]])

====The Gates of Hera====
:'''Valerii:''' That's the spot where your god supposedly stood and watched Athena throw herself down onto the rocks below, out of despair over the Exodus of the thirteen tribes. Athena's tomb, whoever or whatever she really was, is probably up there. ([[Home, Part II]])

====The Arrow of Apollo====
:'''Roslin:''' ''"And the Arrow of Apollo will open the Tomb of Athena."'' ([[Home, Part II]])

:'''Elosha:''' The scriptures tell us that Kobol points the way to Earth. ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]])

:'''Roslin:''' According to the scriptures, if we had the arrow of Apollo we could take it down to Kobol and we could use it to open the tomb of Athena and find our way to Earth. ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]])

====Kobol and the Blood Price====
:'''Adama:''' ''"And [[Zeus, Lord of Kobol|Zeus]] warned the leaders of the twelve tribes that any return to Kobol would exact a price in blood."'' ([[Home, Part II]])

===History===

====Pre-Exodus====
:'''Elosha:''' This place is Kobol... birthplace of mankind, where the gods and men lived in paradise until the exodus of the thirteen tribes. ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]])

====The Exodus====
:'''Elosha:''' How old are the ruins?<br>'''[[Billy Keikeya]]:''' Well, we won't know for sure until we send a ground team, but the initial estimates have it on the order of approximately 2,000 years.<br>'''Elosha:''' That's around the time the thirteen tribes first left Kobol. ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]])

====The Thirteenth Tribe on Earth====
:'''Starbuck:''' The scriptures say that when the thirteenth tribe landed on Earth, they looked up into the heavens and they saw their twelve brothers. ([[Home, Part II]])

===Other verses from the Sacred Scrolls===
*'''Adama:''' "Life here began out there." These are the first words of the Sacred Scrolls… ([[Miniseries]])
*During a [[Salt Line Ceremony]] on ''Galactica'': "Their enemies will divide them. Their colonies broken in the fiery chasm of space. Their shining days renounced by a multitude of dark sacrifices. Yet still they will remain always together" ([[Exodus, Part I]]).

===Sayings===
:'''Commander Adama:''' ''"The gods shall lift those who lift each other."'' ([[Home, Part II]])
:'''[[Cavil]]:''' ''"The gods lift up those who lift each other."'' ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]])
:'''[[Duck]]:''' ''"The gods help those who help themselves."'' ([[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|The Resistance]])

These sayings are similar to the [[Wikipedia:Algernon Sydney|Algernon Sydney]] quote "God helps those who help themselves".

==Notes==

* The Cycle of Time is apparently a key component of Colonial theology. The notion of a circular progression of time (also known as [[Wikipedia:Eternal return|eternal return]] or eternal recurrence) is foreign to the ancient Greek religion of which Colonial religion are largely based, but it is a common theme in other religions. Some Hindus believe in an endless cycle of ages called [[Wikipedia:Yuga|Yugas]]. The ancient [[Wikipedia:Maya|Maya]] people, as well as the [[Wikipedia:Inca|Incas]] and [[Wikipedia:Aztec|Aztecs]] also believed in the circular nature of time. In philosophy, the [[Wikipedia:Stoics|Stoics]], a movement originating in ancient Greece, held the doctrine. In the nineteenth century, the doctrine appears in the writings of [[Wikipedia:Friedrich Nietzsche|Friedrich Nietzsche]] as a method of life-affirmation.

* The book of Pythia, which contains or is identical to the Pythian Prophecy, was written 1,600 years before the exodus of the thirteen tribes from Kobol, and yet it apparently contains a detailed narrative of the events of the Exodus, and continues to be interpreted as a source of prophecy 2,000 years after its prophecies have (apparently) already been fulfilled. We may thus interpret the entire text as a prophecy, since the events it describes can be firmly dated to a point well after its text was written.

==Analysis==

===Correspondences===
Assuming the events following the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]] are a repetition of the events predicted by Pythia, and which came to pass centuries later, we can make use of the prophecy by first constructing a coherent historical narrative from them and then looking for correspondences with the events of the series.

*The Lower Demon is [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|the Caprica copy of Sharon Valerii]]
*The Dying Leader is President [[Laura Roslin]]
*The "serpents numbering two and ten" are the [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]]s of Strike Force Two in the [[Battle for the Tylium Asteroid]].
*The fleet defended by the [[Battlestar (RDM)|Battlestar]] ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' is the "Caravan of the Heavens".
*The "price in blood" has been paid by various people including [[Crashdown]] and [[Elosha]].

===The "One Exodus" Interpretation===
This interpretation assumes that the timeline is recurring on a scale of 1,600 to 2,000 years, and the exodus from Kobol is directly parellel to the exodus from the Twelve Colonies. It also makes some correspondences in addition to those above:

*The "Blaze" identified by Sharon Valerii is an earlier parallel to the cylon attack. The hostile force is the "jealous God", the Lord of Kobol that tried to elevate himself over the others.
*The Home of the Gods is [[Kobol]], and the people of [[Kobol]] are the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]], in a somewhat metaphorical sense.

The timeline would procede thus:

#The people of Kobol lived in divine utopia with their gods.
#A hostile force - of which "the blaze" and the "lower demon" were parts - moves against the people of Kobol.
#The gods appoint a leader afflicted with a wasting disease to lead a "caravan of the heavens".
#The leader, with the aid of twelve "serpents", wins a perilous battle.
#The people make their way to the "home of the gods".
#Athena despairs and commits suicide.
#The leaders of the people are taken to the Tomb of Athena to be sacrificed to the remaining gods.
#The body of the people depart in a "[[galleon]]" for the colonies.
#Instructions are left to open the Tomb of Athena.
#Zeus warns against a return to Kobol.
#The twelve tribes settle on the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]]. The thirteenth tribe settles on [[Earth]].

====Questions and Predictions====
*Can [[Earth]] be at once the "promised land" in this iteration and the last?
*Can we expect the deaths of the leaders of the tribes (the [[Quorum of Twelve]]?) to propitiate the Gods?

This history is admittedly not especially coherent, but suggests the possibility of predicting at least some unfulfilled pieces of scripture. Another interpretation which deals with the repetition of historical events on a larger scale is offered below.

===The "Three Exoduses" Interpretation===
This interpretation does not assume that the flight from the [[Twelve Colonies]] mirror the original exodus from [[Kobol]]. Instead, it assumes that these two exoduses are part of the same event-continuum and posits a third, implied, exodus. Like the "One Exodus" interpretation, this one assumes that Pythia's prophecies have and will come true. Below is the proposed order of events for Pythia's prophecies:

#The people of Kobol live in divine utopia with their Gods.
#The "blaze" moves against the people of Kobol.
#The body of the people depart in a "[[galleon]]" for the colonies (the four inset items are roughly concurrent).
#*Athena despairs and commits suicide.
#*The leaders of the people are taken to the Tomb of Athena to be sacrificed to the remaining gods.
#*Instructions are left to open the Tomb of Athena.
#*Zeus warns against a return to Kobol.
#The twelve tribes settle on the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]]. The thirteenth tribe settles on [[Earth]].
#The [[Cylons]] decimate the Twelve Colonies (Whether this is prophesied is unknown, but this clearly happened).
#The gods appoint a leader afflicted with a wasting disease to lead a "caravan of the heavens".
#The leader, with the aid of twelve "serpents", wins a perilous battle.
#The people make their way to the "home of the gods".
#A "lower demon" helps the people of Kobol find the [[Tomb of Athena]].

Note, too, that this is only a part of the story according to the "Three Exoduses" interpretation. It assumes that passages not yet revealed in the series outline (however vaguely) the finding of Earth and some time spent there, and then an event that spurs a migration back to Kobol. In this interpretation, the people of Kobol are actually the remnants of [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|the Twelve Colonies]], both their descendants and their ancestors. From there, the cycle starts again. The cycle is much longer in this interpretation (roughly 4,000 years, as opposed to roughly 1,600-2,000 years)

It is helpful to think of no particular part as the beginning. This is how the pictures of the constellations (only visible from Earth) would be accessible to the people of Kobol "before" any of them had been to Earth. It also explains how the Scrolls can speak about the fate of the Thirteenth Colony and yet be in the possession of people from the Twelve Colonies. In fact, when [[Pythia]] was writing about the events in the show, she might have been recording fairly-recent history, rather that far-future prophesy. The vagueness would be mostly due to nearly 4,000 years of linguistic drift, rather than due to the mists of prophecy.

Basically, this interpretation asserts a roughly 3,600-4,000 year cycle which can be illustrated by this crude flow-chart:<br\>
Kobol > Colonies, Colonies > Earth, Earth > Kobol

One description of this theory is as follows:

According to the ancient scriptures of [[Pythia]] (which say: “All this has happened before. All this will happen again.”), humanity undergoes a cycle of civilisation, in which humanity advances technologically, but from this seed of advancement and power grows evil and corruption that sows humanities own roots of destruction. Pythia tells how the civilisation of humanity periodically rises and falls, and often has to start over again.

When this need arises, the remnants of the civilisation of the established 12 tribes of humanity might have to return to the last ancestral home of their forefathers, in order to locate the directions to the 13th tribe which left [[Kobol]] before the other 12 tribes, which could be seen as a backup pocket of humanity to be located and germinated technologically if the main civilisation should fall.

This 13th pocket of humanity, ([[Earth]]), probably develops much slower technologically than the rest of their brother tribes, and so once found by the remnants of the other fallen 12 tribes (the Fleet) would probably see these spaceships, technologies and the people aboard them as superhuman, godlike even.

As in history, when civilisations accelerate too fast in technology, they can become unstable, and dangerous, paranoid with conflicting nations or even within themselves, and so the fleet (those from the “caravan of the heavens”), not wanting to cause panic and deterioration of Earth's society, would probably call upon Earth’s religious beliefs system to explain their presence and technology.

Those from the space fleet would declare to the people of [[Earth]] that yes, they are indeed the gods the people of Earth have been worshipping, (which would be the same as the fleet's too, since the belief systems stem from the same root), and that they (the Fleet), who would probably call themselves Lords not gods, have come to take the people of earth to live in harmony with them, to the land of the gods.

At some point, the fleet would realise how this cyclic order of civilisation occurs, and their part in it, and so the fleet would take the last pocket of humanity with them to start live elsewhere, on a planet somewhere distant from earth, rich in natural resources to be potentially exploited and mined later, which leaders of the Fleet’s [[Quorum of Twelve]] (having to call themselves “Lords”) would call Kobol. The [[Lords of Kobol]] take them there to rekindle the civilisation (in the eyes of the remnants of the previous 12 tribes), and in the eyes of the people of the 13th tribes, to live in the city and land of the gods.

In this new land, a few cities would be first built by the Lords of Kobol for the people of earth to live in, and the advanced technology of the fleet could be kept out of reach from the main population of the new planet of Kobol until a later time. Maybe one ship would be situated at the top of a mountain, possibly called Olympus, (keeping with religious doctrine as the home of the gods) as a link between the primitive civilisation on the planet surface and the ships still in the planets orbit protecting the planet.

No doubt some people higher up in the old Earth’s (new Kobolian’s) society (politicians, possibly believers in faith), would be told the truth, to integrate Earth’s leaders in the affairs of running the planet and developing technology publicly on [[Kobol]]. Also, the remnants of at least the civilians from the old fleet would wish to leave the fleets’ ships and live with the new budding civilisation, emerging in the new civilisation as a new set of 12 tribes which people from earth would integrate themselves into, continuing the cycle of the civilisation of the tribes of Kobol.
Eventually, as the civilisations structure, political cohesion and publicly known technology increases on Kobol, more and more power would get relinquished to the new leaders of the 12 tribes on Kobol, and less power is held by the old leaders (Lords of Kobol), seated at Olympus. Technology would increase on Kobol to a point where by it’s possible once again for public space exploration.

In terms of what the Lords of Kobol have now become, at this stage in Kobol’s development, they would have almost died out as a race of humans, having integrated into Kobol’s new civilisation of 12 tribes, and would have dismantled all of the ships and technological facilities they didn’t need any more (like the old Fleet) as to hide their true nature from the budding new tribes. They would have withdrawn from society almost, communicating through trusted religious and political tribe leaders, and as a community would hold a skeleton command, guiding the tribes until they are ready once again to leave Kobol and control their own destiny.

The Lords of Kobol, once their new growing civilisation of 12 tribes is ready, would make preparations to carry on the cycle of demographic movement and would secretly (hidden from the public knowledge of Kobol) assemble a 13th tribe, which contained a diverse selection of people from all the 12 tribes in Kobol. The Lords of Kobol would take this small, backup pocket civilisation to another safe, habitable planet, settle them there, plot 12 new constellations from the sky seen from that planet to use as a clue as to how to get to this pocket civilisation from Kobol, should the need ever arise to find them. The Lords of Kobol would leave a recognisable astronomical phenomenon amongst the clues that would be recognised easily by a well travelled space race, to point them in the right direction to [[Earth]].

At the same time, the Lords of Kobol would make some reason for their children civilisation to have to leave from Kobol. This would be either a natural disaster or something else like stressing to the new civilisation of tribes that it is time they found their own place in the galaxy, and this would lead the now established new 12 tribes of Kobol to start making preparations for an exodus to a new land, either found by the Lords of Kobol or themselves. Some of the community of people descended and living still with the Lords of Kobol might not want this cycle to continue, might want the people of Kobol to know the truth, which might instigate conflict amongst the “gods”, and this war might trigger the 12 tribes to leave of their own accord.

The people of Kobol would have been kept naive to the Lords of Kobol’s true identity (as that of a previous race of colonies of Kobol), but would have advanced by this point to an understanding of the technology of space travel. The new tribes are instructed/ would have each incorporated patterns (made from the constellations seen as from Earth) into each of the new 12 tribes’ flags (as a hidden clue unknown to most in the tribes) born from the 12 tribes of Kobol, as they leave Kobol to spread the wings of a new civilisation of humanity in the galaxy.

What remains of the race of the Lords of Kobol? One can only speculate. They would probably have dissolved completely, integrating themselves fully into the [[Twelve Colonies]] setting out from Kobol, or followed them, keeping a distance but developing so far ahead technologically as to be able to communicate unconsciously with people in the new colonies, through thought somehow. It would explain how prominent figures in both series were able to know events and insights which are unexplainable otherwise, but the only way of knowing what happened is to wait and see.

===The Form of the Scrolls===

The Sacred Scrolls have been seen as an actual, ornate scroll (similar to a [[Wikipedia:Torah|torah]], as shown in the [[Miniseries]]), as well as a book (Both Adama and Roslin read what appear to be identically-created books in "[[Home, Part II]]").

The total volume of the Scrolls has not been revealed, so it is possible (albeit improbable) that the scroll that [[Elosha]] holds in the [[Miniseries]] as she swears in President Roslin and holds during the Service for the Dead may make up only a portion of the total texts, or key readings from the works. A shortened volume may not be different from the Roman Catholic Church's use of [[Wikipedia:Missal|missals]]: A specialized volume containing prayers and readings specific to a celebrant's use during [[temple]] ceremonies, Services for the Dead, weddings, [[dedication ceremony|dedication ceremonies]] and the like.

Much of the Scrolls appear to be handwritten. While the technology of the Twelve Colonies obviously support electronic printing and reproduction, it may be that the most authentic copies of the sacred texts are either authentic reproductions from a handwritten copy, or genuine handwritten copies. This practice may be for reasons of authenticity, custom, or aesthetics. The practice is similar to the work and purposes of the [[Wikipedia:Scribes|scribes]] before the invention of the printing press in real-Earth history. For comparison, an extreme example of the tradition of handwritten sacred texts in real-Earth history are the [[Wikipedia:Sefer Torah|sefer Torahs]].

===The Service of the Dead===

The final rites to the dead offered by [[Elosha]] at the end of the of miniseries are Sanskrit verses from the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. Roughly translated, the verse says, "Lead us from Falsehood to Truth, from Darkness to Light, from Death to Immortality."

===General Questions===

*Are the [[Lords of Kobol]] still an agentive force in this iteration of the cycle?
*Who were the Lords of Kobol? The Caprica Valerii does not deny their existence, and the Tomb of Athena strongly attests to her life and death, but she does not believe they were gods. They were evidently distraught at the calamity which befell their people. Who was responsible for it, and why were the gods powerless to intervene?
*Which god was the "jealous god" that sought to be raised above the others? Is he the same person as the Cylon's one true [[god]]?
*Was Kobol the original home of the [[Lords of Kobol]], or did they originate from some other place?
*Did the people of the Colonies leave Kobol with the assistance of the gods, or under their own power? That is, did the tribes build the [[Galleon]] or other ships, or were they furnished by the gods?
*What was the nature of the "[[Galleon]]?" Was it a large [[Sublight Propulsion|sublight]] colony ship? Did it have an [[FTL]] drive?
*If Roslin is now cured of cancer, can she still be the leader of the Pythian prophecy?
**Official sources suggested that Roslin's cancer cure in "[[Epiphanies]]" may not necessarily be a permanent matter, so the prophecy may still hold true.
*Is it possible that the dying leader may be referring to someone besides Roslin? It could be Admiral Adama as at the beginning of the Miniseries, they displayed a man who was "wasting away" before the Cylons attacked. He could be possibily another route for the writers to go through as having Adama not being able to enter the land that he and Roslin are leading the fleet to.
*In "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", the [[Hybrid]] is looking directly at [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] while repeating the words "sins revealed... only to the chosen one", refering to. Plus, he did much of the work mapping out the location of the Lion's Head Nebula. Could this indicate that Baltar may be actually responsible for showing the path to Earth, thus fulfilling the role of "the leader"? Given his situation of being distrusted and hated by both cylon and human, it would appear unlikely that he would survive to reach earth.
*Since the entire [[Number Three]] line has been [[Boxing|boxed]], could one or all of the Threes be considered "dying leaders"? Is it possible that they, and not Roslin, will be instrumental in leading the humans as well as the Cylons to Earth?

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Religion]]
[[Category:Colonial Religion (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

{{featured article candidate previous}}

Language in the Twelve Colonies

2007-01-29T10:25:26Z

Insanedesio: /* Liturgy */

:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

English, or some language that is universally translated into it (à la [[Wikipedia:Westron|Tolkien]]) is standard. Loanwords from foreign languages ("élan", "fascist", "karma", "esprit de corps" etc.) occur with normal frequency, as do chronologically enigmatic borrowings such as the [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Columbia]]''. Most religious terms are explicitly shared with ancient Greek beliefs (either antecedent to or descendant from them).

==Vocabulary==

===Anachronisms===
[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]] uses many terms from modern day naval aviation, which appear somewhat anachronistic but also lend the show a flavor of realistic jargon. These include:
*[[Combat Air Patrol]]
*[[Commander Air Group]]
*[[Computers#Avionics|Avionics]]
*Planes
:'''Adama:''' You keep my planes flying. I need my planes to fly. ([[Litmus]])

===Ersatz===
In contrast to its [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|predecessor]], the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' employs relatively little in the way of ersatz vocabulary. It does employ a few terms outside of a normal American English vocabulary, mostly military jargon. These are mixed in haphazardly with the real-life naval aviation terms above.

*[[Colonial Wireless Alphabet|Constellation]] - [[Wikipedia:NATO phonetic alphabet|Charlie]] (As used in the sense of radio alphabetic code, e.g.: "Alpha, Bravo, Constellation".)
*[[Dradis]] - [[Wikipedia:RADAR|Radar]]
*[[Fumarella leaf]] - [[Wikipedia:Tobacco|Tobacco]]
*[[Frak]] - A bowdlerized version of "Fuck" (c.f. "[[Wikipedia:Frell|Frell]]" (Farscape), "[[Wikipedia:Frag|Frag]]" (Babylon 5), "[[Wikipedia:Smeg|Smeg]]" (Red Dwarf))
*[[G-4]] - [[Wikipedia: C-4 (explosive)|C-4]]
*[[Krypter]] - [[Wikipedia:Mayday|Mayday]]
*[[Morpha]] - [[Wikipedia:Morphine|Morphine]]
*[[Serisone]] - [[Wikipedia:prednisone|Prednisone]]
*[[Wireless]] - [[Wikipedia:Radio|Radio]]<ref name="wireless">This usage is not entirely unknown in Earth-bound English. As a synonym for radio or radiotelegraphy, it's more common in British usage, according to [http://www.m-w.com/ Merriam-Webster]. Prior to the popularisation of television in the 1950s, it was the preferred term for radio equipment and radio broadcasts amongst the bulk of the British population. It's also the source of the prefix 'Wi' in 'WiFi' and other similar wireless data standards now common.</ref>

===Invented Terminology===
As all science fiction shows must, Battlestar Galactica has a set of vocabulary referring to technologies and other items not shared with the real world.

*[[Ambrosia]] - a bright green alcoholic beverage
*[[Carom]] - the angle above or below the XY plane of a vessel, perpendicular to [[Wikipedia:Bearing (navigation)|bearing]] (c.f. "Mark" (Star Trek))
*[[Chamalla]] - an [[Wikipedia:Entheogen|entheogen]] used by priests
*[[Red Line]]

*'''For a more complete list of acronyms and expressions see:''' [[List of terms (RDM)]]

===Enigmas===

Language in ''Battlestar Galactica'' have terms whose origins are a curiosity due to chronology or uniqueness to the real-world Earth that likely wouldn't have a parallel of the same name in the Twelve Colonies. See [[History of the Twelve Colonies#Pre-History|an interpretation of the origin of humanity on Kobol]] that could support the derivation of these terms.

* ''[[Columbia]]'': This battlestar name's origin is strange since its popular Earth derivation comes from Christopher Columbus, a man unlikely to have existed in the Twelve Colonies. It does however appear to stem from the Latin word "columba" meaning "dove" together with the suffix "ia" which means "land" (geographical expression) in all languages derived from Indo-European roots (ergo, "Land of the Dove")

* ''[[Cloud Nine]]'': This American expression of bliss comes from a 1890's Earth weather reference on the highest-altitude cloud formation. The expression became popularized in 1950s radio broadcasts.

* ''[[Adriatic]]'': The name of this vessel under the influence of [[Tom Zarek]], much like ''Columbia'' appears to have originated on Earth. On Earth the Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, a large body of water which seperates Europe from Africa and Saudi Arabia.

===Honorifics===
Although civilians use the honorific "Madam" or it's shortened form "ma'am", in the Colonial military all superior officers are referred to as "Sir", regardless of gender.<ref>According to RDM's [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/blogs blog] on January 20th, 2006, the series follows the system established in ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'', where the term "sir" has become gender-neutral in military usage. Thus, [[Laura Roslin]] is referred to as "Madam President" or "ma'am" in a civilian context, but in her capacity as Commander-in-Chief, she is always addressed as "sir".</ref>

===Names===
Many characters have names that include one or more components that appear to be a Biblical or Classical reference. It remains an enigma whether, and to what degree, these should be thought of as translations for the audience's benefit.

Some of these apparent allusions may have no intended meaning beyond sounding good. Others are known to have been chosen for a reason, and that's noted where verifiable.

* [[William Adama|William]] and [[Lee Adama]]: "Adama" is Hebrew for "earth" in its literal meaning—ground, dirt—from which "Adam", the Biblical First Man, derives his name. It is also the name of a large city in Ethiopia. Lee's call-sign "Apollo" is of course a reference to the Greek (and apparently, Kobolan) god. Both "Adama" and "Apollo" are carry-overs from the original series, where they were chosen for their mythological significance.
* [[Richard Adar]]: "[[Wikipedia:Adar|Adar]]" is a month in the Jewish lunar calendar still in use today. It coincides roughly with the Gregorian month of March. It is a carry over from the original series.
* [[Karl Agathon]]: "[[Wikipedia:Agathon|Agathon]]" was an Athenian poet, a friend of Euripides and Plato.
* [[Gaius Baltar]]: "Gaius" was the ''[[Wikipedia:praenomen|praenomen]]'' of the man we commonly call [[Wikipedia:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]]. "Baltar" was made up by [[Glen A. Larson]] for the original series.
* [[Helena Cain]]: "[[Wikipedia:Helena|Helena]]" is a common enough name, but is also a possible reference to Helen of Troy. "[[Wikipedia:Cain|Cain]]" in the Old Testament is the first murderer, and is a carry-over from the original series.
* [[Aaron Doral]]: "[[Wikipedia:Aaron|Aaron]]" is a Biblical Hebrew name, the older brother of [[Wikipedia:Moses|Moses]].
* [[Anastasia Dualla]]: The Greek word ''[[Wikipedia:anastasia|anastasia]]'' translates to "resurrection", and was a deliberate choice by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]. It's also not an uncommon Greek and Russian name. Dualla is the name of a region and people in sub-saharan Africa.
* [[Hera]]/Isis: "[[Wikipedia:Hera|Hera]]" was a Greek goddess, the wife of Zeus. "[[Wikipedia:Isis|Isis]]" an Egyptian goddess, the wife of Horus in early mythology; the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus later. This is one of the few Egyptian references in the new series.
* [[Kara Thrace]]: "[[Wikipedia:Thrace|Thrace]]" is a region in southeast Europe spanning Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, and Serbia. It was also the ancient name for the same area. The famous gladiator Spartacus was a Thracian.
* [[Saul Tigh]]: "[[Wikipedia:Saul|Saul]]" is a Hebrew name, which means "borrowed". Biblical references include both the first king of Judah and Israel, and the birth-name of Paul of Tarsus. "Tigh" appears to have been made up by [[Glen A. Larson]], but it is also Scottish Gaelic for "house." Originally the character was named "Paul Tigh", but when it was discovered that this could not be used for legal reasons, it was shifted to "''S''aul Tigh", a reverse of the name switch that Saul of Tarsus/St. Paul made.
* [[Galen Tyrol]]: "[[Wikipedia:Galen|Galen]]" was a famous Greek healer, the source of much Medieval medical knowledge, and was the first to argue that the mind was in the brain and not the heart; this could be construed as ironic, given that Tyrol followed his heart and maintained a relationship with Boomer even when he shouldn't have. "[[Wikipedia:Tyrol|Tyrol]]" is a region that spans the border of Austria and Italy.
* [[Sharon Valerii]]: "Sharon" is Hebrew for forest, although it's also a common English woman's name. The [[Wikipedia:Valerius|gens Valeria]] is one of the longest-running families in the history of the [[Wikipedia:Roman Empire|Roman Empire]]. Curiously, "valerii" is the masculine plural form.
* [[Tom Zarek]]: "[[Wikipedia:Thomas|Thomas]]" is a deliberate biblical reference, after the doubting apostle, although strictly speaking that apostle's name was Jude the Twin, "Tau'ma" being Aramaic for "twin". It's also a common English name. Zarek is a Polish name derived from the Babylonian name Balshazzar meaning "Baal protects the king." According to the writers, they just made up the name "Zarek" because they thought it sounded "spacey".

Uncertain references:
* [[Leoben Conoy]]: "[[Wikipedia:Leoben|Leoben]]" is an Austrian town where a preliminary peace in the Napoleonic wars was signed. "[[Wikipedia:Conoy|Conoy]]" is a Native American tribe, also known as the Piscataway. Both are pretty obscure.
* [[Billy Keikeya]]: "Keikeya" appears to be made up.
* [[Laura Roslin]]: "[[Wikipedia:Roslin Institute|Roslin Institute]]" is where Dolly the Sheep was cloned. A more likely source of the name would be the Scottish village of [[wikipedia:Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin, Midlothian]], where the Roslin Institute is located.

==Accents==

Most characters speak with a [[Wikipedia:General American|Standard American]] accent, with some exceptions.

===English Accent===
Two characters speak with the [[Wikipedia:Received Pronunciation|Received Pronunciation]], Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] of Caprica and ship's medic [[Layne Ishay]]. Other characters from Caprica do not share this accent.

===Canadian Accent===
Occassionally when Col. [[Saul Tigh]] is shouting or barking out orders, he exhibits a faint Canadian accent. [[Michael Hogan]] is a noted Canadian actor, and on the show his speech is usually indistinguishable from Standard American English, but observant fans can occassionally detect a trace of an accent.

===Spanish Accent===
[[Giana]], a woman rescued from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] by [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]], spoke with a Spanish accent, and inquired after the whereabouts of her husband, who she stated was "stationed on Gemenon". Her place of origin is unclear, but no other characters from either Caprica, [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenon]], or anywhere else have shared this accent. The actress, Lymari Nadal, is from Puerto Rico.

===Kiwi Accent===
The reporter [[D'anna Biers]] speaks with a Kiwi/New Zealand accent (this is actually the accent that actress [[Lucy Lawless]] speaks with when off screen, because she is from New Zealand). However, the same episode revealed that D'anna is actually a [[Cylon agent]], and another copy of D'anna on Cylon-occupied Caprica does ''not'' speak with this accent, but a Standard American one, perhaps to differentiate the two characters. Subsequent appearances in [[Downloaded]] and the third season have featured the Kiwi accent exclusively.

===Aerelon Accent===
In the episode "[[Flesh and Bone]]", Baltar noted that Sharon Valerii spoke with a trace of an [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Aerelon|Aerelon]] accent. This accent appears to be entirely fictional - the Canadian actress who portrays her, Grace Park, is fluent in both English and Korean, but speaks Standard American English without a foreign accent.

==Liturgy==
During the funeral service at the end of the Mini-series, Priest [[Elosha]] chants a prayer in a foreign language. It is recognizable as a common Sanskrit prayer, found in Part I, Chapter III, Verse 28 of the [http://sanatan.intnet.mu/upanishads/brihadaranyaka.htm Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad].

:{|
| '''Devanāgarī''' || '''Transliteration''' || '''Translation'''
|-
| अस्तो मा सद् गमय || asato mā sad gamaya || Lead us from Falsehood to Truth
|-
| तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय || tamaso mā jyotir gamaya || Lead us from Darkness to Light
|-
| मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय || mṛtyor mā amṛtam gamaya || Lead us from Death to Immortality
|}

Although the lyrics are identifiable, it should be noted that the actress's performance is closer to the chanting of biblical Hebrew, and does not resemble the traditional melody.<ref>Viewers can compare Elosha's chant to the same chant found in the soundtrack of the movie,''[[Wikipedia:The Matrix Revolutions|The Matrix Revolutions]]'', by composers Don Davis and the group Juno Reactor. The final track, "Navras," (which plays during the closing credits of the motion picture) begins with this same verse; the track Neodämmerung, also from The Matrix Revolutions, also consists entirely of Sanskrit lyrics taken from the Upaniṣads, including this verse.</ref>

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial History]]
[[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Society]]
[[Category:Colonial Society (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

{{featured article candidate previous}}

Language in the Twelve Colonies

2007-01-29T10:22:42Z

Insanedesio: /* Liturgy */ Fixed up the devanagari, the transliteration.

:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''

{{RDM twelve colonies series}}

English, or some language that is universally translated into it (à la [[Wikipedia:Westron|Tolkien]]) is standard. Loanwords from foreign languages ("élan", "fascist", "karma", "esprit de corps" etc.) occur with normal frequency, as do chronologically enigmatic borrowings such as the [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Columbia]]''. Most religious terms are explicitly shared with ancient Greek beliefs (either antecedent to or descendant from them).

==Vocabulary==

===Anachronisms===
[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]] uses many terms from modern day naval aviation, which appear somewhat anachronistic but also lend the show a flavor of realistic jargon. These include:
*[[Combat Air Patrol]]
*[[Commander Air Group]]
*[[Computers#Avionics|Avionics]]
*Planes
:'''Adama:''' You keep my planes flying. I need my planes to fly. ([[Litmus]])

===Ersatz===
In contrast to its [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|predecessor]], the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' employs relatively little in the way of ersatz vocabulary. It does employ a few terms outside of a normal American English vocabulary, mostly military jargon. These are mixed in haphazardly with the real-life naval aviation terms above.

*[[Colonial Wireless Alphabet|Constellation]] - [[Wikipedia:NATO phonetic alphabet|Charlie]] (As used in the sense of radio alphabetic code, e.g.: "Alpha, Bravo, Constellation".)
*[[Dradis]] - [[Wikipedia:RADAR|Radar]]
*[[Fumarella leaf]] - [[Wikipedia:Tobacco|Tobacco]]
*[[Frak]] - A bowdlerized version of "Fuck" (c.f. "[[Wikipedia:Frell|Frell]]" (Farscape), "[[Wikipedia:Frag|Frag]]" (Babylon 5), "[[Wikipedia:Smeg|Smeg]]" (Red Dwarf))
*[[G-4]] - [[Wikipedia: C-4 (explosive)|C-4]]
*[[Krypter]] - [[Wikipedia:Mayday|Mayday]]
*[[Morpha]] - [[Wikipedia:Morphine|Morphine]]
*[[Serisone]] - [[Wikipedia:prednisone|Prednisone]]
*[[Wireless]] - [[Wikipedia:Radio|Radio]]<ref name="wireless">This usage is not entirely unknown in Earth-bound English. As a synonym for radio or radiotelegraphy, it's more common in British usage, according to [http://www.m-w.com/ Merriam-Webster]. Prior to the popularisation of television in the 1950s, it was the preferred term for radio equipment and radio broadcasts amongst the bulk of the British population. It's also the source of the prefix 'Wi' in 'WiFi' and other similar wireless data standards now common.</ref>

===Invented Terminology===
As all science fiction shows must, Battlestar Galactica has a set of vocabulary referring to technologies and other items not shared with the real world.

*[[Ambrosia]] - a bright green alcoholic beverage
*[[Carom]] - the angle above or below the XY plane of a vessel, perpendicular to [[Wikipedia:Bearing (navigation)|bearing]] (c.f. "Mark" (Star Trek))
*[[Chamalla]] - an [[Wikipedia:Entheogen|entheogen]] used by priests
*[[Red Line]]

*'''For a more complete list of acronyms and expressions see:''' [[List of terms (RDM)]]

===Enigmas===

Language in ''Battlestar Galactica'' have terms whose origins are a curiosity due to chronology or uniqueness to the real-world Earth that likely wouldn't have a parallel of the same name in the Twelve Colonies. See [[History of the Twelve Colonies#Pre-History|an interpretation of the origin of humanity on Kobol]] that could support the derivation of these terms.

* ''[[Columbia]]'': This battlestar name's origin is strange since its popular Earth derivation comes from Christopher Columbus, a man unlikely to have existed in the Twelve Colonies. It does however appear to stem from the Latin word "columba" meaning "dove" together with the suffix "ia" which means "land" (geographical expression) in all languages derived from Indo-European roots (ergo, "Land of the Dove")

* ''[[Cloud Nine]]'': This American expression of bliss comes from a 1890's Earth weather reference on the highest-altitude cloud formation. The expression became popularized in 1950s radio broadcasts.

* ''[[Adriatic]]'': The name of this vessel under the influence of [[Tom Zarek]], much like ''Columbia'' appears to have originated on Earth. On Earth the Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, a large body of water which seperates Europe from Africa and Saudi Arabia.

===Honorifics===
Although civilians use the honorific "Madam" or it's shortened form "ma'am", in the Colonial military all superior officers are referred to as "Sir", regardless of gender.<ref>According to RDM's [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/blogs blog] on January 20th, 2006, the series follows the system established in ''[[MemoryAlpha:Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'', where the term "sir" has become gender-neutral in military usage. Thus, [[Laura Roslin]] is referred to as "Madam President" or "ma'am" in a civilian context, but in her capacity as Commander-in-Chief, she is always addressed as "sir".</ref>

===Names===
Many characters have names that include one or more components that appear to be a Biblical or Classical reference. It remains an enigma whether, and to what degree, these should be thought of as translations for the audience's benefit.

Some of these apparent allusions may have no intended meaning beyond sounding good. Others are known to have been chosen for a reason, and that's noted where verifiable.

* [[William Adama|William]] and [[Lee Adama]]: "Adama" is Hebrew for "earth" in its literal meaning—ground, dirt—from which "Adam", the Biblical First Man, derives his name. It is also the name of a large city in Ethiopia. Lee's call-sign "Apollo" is of course a reference to the Greek (and apparently, Kobolan) god. Both "Adama" and "Apollo" are carry-overs from the original series, where they were chosen for their mythological significance.
* [[Richard Adar]]: "[[Wikipedia:Adar|Adar]]" is a month in the Jewish lunar calendar still in use today. It coincides roughly with the Gregorian month of March. It is a carry over from the original series.
* [[Karl Agathon]]: "[[Wikipedia:Agathon|Agathon]]" was an Athenian poet, a friend of Euripides and Plato.
* [[Gaius Baltar]]: "Gaius" was the ''[[Wikipedia:praenomen|praenomen]]'' of the man we commonly call [[Wikipedia:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]]. "Baltar" was made up by [[Glen A. Larson]] for the original series.
* [[Helena Cain]]: "[[Wikipedia:Helena|Helena]]" is a common enough name, but is also a possible reference to Helen of Troy. "[[Wikipedia:Cain|Cain]]" in the Old Testament is the first murderer, and is a carry-over from the original series.
* [[Aaron Doral]]: "[[Wikipedia:Aaron|Aaron]]" is a Biblical Hebrew name, the older brother of [[Wikipedia:Moses|Moses]].
* [[Anastasia Dualla]]: The Greek word ''[[Wikipedia:anastasia|anastasia]]'' translates to "resurrection", and was a deliberate choice by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]. It's also not an uncommon Greek and Russian name. Dualla is the name of a region and people in sub-saharan Africa.
* [[Hera]]/Isis: "[[Wikipedia:Hera|Hera]]" was a Greek goddess, the wife of Zeus. "[[Wikipedia:Isis|Isis]]" an Egyptian goddess, the wife of Horus in early mythology; the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus later. This is one of the few Egyptian references in the new series.
* [[Kara Thrace]]: "[[Wikipedia:Thrace|Thrace]]" is a region in southeast Europe spanning Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, and Serbia. It was also the ancient name for the same area. The famous gladiator Spartacus was a Thracian.
* [[Saul Tigh]]: "[[Wikipedia:Saul|Saul]]" is a Hebrew name, which means "borrowed". Biblical references include both the first king of Judah and Israel, and the birth-name of Paul of Tarsus. "Tigh" appears to have been made up by [[Glen A. Larson]], but it is also Scottish Gaelic for "house." Originally the character was named "Paul Tigh", but when it was discovered that this could not be used for legal reasons, it was shifted to "''S''aul Tigh", a reverse of the name switch that Saul of Tarsus/St. Paul made.
* [[Galen Tyrol]]: "[[Wikipedia:Galen|Galen]]" was a famous Greek healer, the source of much Medieval medical knowledge, and was the first to argue that the mind was in the brain and not the heart; this could be construed as ironic, given that Tyrol followed his heart and maintained a relationship with Boomer even when he shouldn't have. "[[Wikipedia:Tyrol|Tyrol]]" is a region that spans the border of Austria and Italy.
* [[Sharon Valerii]]: "Sharon" is Hebrew for forest, although it's also a common English woman's name. The [[Wikipedia:Valerius|gens Valeria]] is one of the longest-running families in the history of the [[Wikipedia:Roman Empire|Roman Empire]]. Curiously, "valerii" is the masculine plural form.
* [[Tom Zarek]]: "[[Wikipedia:Thomas|Thomas]]" is a deliberate biblical reference, after the doubting apostle, although strictly speaking that apostle's name was Jude the Twin, "Tau'ma" being Aramaic for "twin". It's also a common English name. Zarek is a Polish name derived from the Babylonian name Balshazzar meaning "Baal protects the king." According to the writers, they just made up the name "Zarek" because they thought it sounded "spacey".

Uncertain references:
* [[Leoben Conoy]]: "[[Wikipedia:Leoben|Leoben]]" is an Austrian town where a preliminary peace in the Napoleonic wars was signed. "[[Wikipedia:Conoy|Conoy]]" is a Native American tribe, also known as the Piscataway. Both are pretty obscure.
* [[Billy Keikeya]]: "Keikeya" appears to be made up.
* [[Laura Roslin]]: "[[Wikipedia:Roslin Institute|Roslin Institute]]" is where Dolly the Sheep was cloned. A more likely source of the name would be the Scottish village of [[wikipedia:Roslin, Midlothian|Roslin, Midlothian]], where the Roslin Institute is located.

==Accents==

Most characters speak with a [[Wikipedia:General American|Standard American]] accent, with some exceptions.

===English Accent===
Two characters speak with the [[Wikipedia:Received Pronunciation|Received Pronunciation]], Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] of Caprica and ship's medic [[Layne Ishay]]. Other characters from Caprica do not share this accent.

===Canadian Accent===
Occassionally when Col. [[Saul Tigh]] is shouting or barking out orders, he exhibits a faint Canadian accent. [[Michael Hogan]] is a noted Canadian actor, and on the show his speech is usually indistinguishable from Standard American English, but observant fans can occassionally detect a trace of an accent.

===Spanish Accent===
[[Giana]], a woman rescued from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] by [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]], spoke with a Spanish accent, and inquired after the whereabouts of her husband, who she stated was "stationed on Gemenon". Her place of origin is unclear, but no other characters from either Caprica, [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Gemenon|Gemenon]], or anywhere else have shared this accent. The actress, Lymari Nadal, is from Puerto Rico.

===Kiwi Accent===
The reporter [[D'anna Biers]] speaks with a Kiwi/New Zealand accent (this is actually the accent that actress [[Lucy Lawless]] speaks with when off screen, because she is from New Zealand). However, the same episode revealed that D'anna is actually a [[Cylon agent]], and another copy of D'anna on Cylon-occupied Caprica does ''not'' speak with this accent, but a Standard American one, perhaps to differentiate the two characters. Subsequent appearances in [[Downloaded]] and the third season have featured the Kiwi accent exclusively.

===Aerelon Accent===
In the episode "[[Flesh and Bone]]", Baltar noted that Sharon Valerii spoke with a trace of an [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Aerelon|Aerelon]] accent. This accent appears to be entirely fictional - the Canadian actress who portrays her, Grace Park, is fluent in both English and Korean, but speaks Standard American English without a foreign accent.

==Liturgy==
During the funeral service at the end of the Mini-series, Priest [[Elosha]] chants a prayer in a foreign language. It is recognizable as a common Sanskrit prayer, found in Part I, Chapter III, Verse 28 of the [http://sanatan.intnet.mu/upanishads/brihadaranyaka.htm Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad].

:{|
| '''Devanāgarī''' || '''Transliteration''' || '''Translation'''
|-
| अस्तो मा सद् गमय || asato mā sad gamaya || Lead me from Falsehood to Truth
|-
| तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय || tamaso mā jyotir gamaya || Lead me from Darkness to Light
|-
| मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय || mṛtyor mā amṛtam gamaya || Lead me from Death to Immortality
|}

Although the lyrics are identifiable, it should be noted that the actress's performance is closer to the chanting of biblical Hebrew, and does not resemble the traditional melody.<ref>Viewers can compare Elosha's chant to the same chant found in the soundtrack of the movie,''[[Wikipedia:The Matrix Revolutions|The Matrix Revolutions]]'', by composers Don Davis and the group Juno Reactor. The final track, "Navras," (which plays during the closing credits of the motion picture) begins with this same verse; the track Neodämmerung, also from The Matrix Revolutions, also consists entirely of Sanskrit lyrics taken from the Upaniṣads, including this verse.</ref>

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial History]]
[[Category:Colonial History (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Society]]
[[Category:Colonial Society (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

{{featured article candidate previous}}