I have actually been wondering if perhaps Mr. Green is secretly a swarm of bees wearing a human suit. Or perhaps more sinisterly, a swarm of wasps (more like slaver wasps than hornets)
Apis is part of the scientific name for bees. Bee-atrix. Mayor Queen. Gavotte got extirpated into the VR, but being a colony reacted poorly with the system, breaking her up into components.
Apis is, indeed, simply the Latin word for ‘bee’. The genus of that name includes all true bees, and A. mellifera translates, appropriately, as ‘honeybearing bee’.
I’ve been trying to track down primary sources for the connection between Delphi and bees.
One is Pindar, Pythian Ode 4, around verse 60:
O blest son of Polymnestus, thee, agreeably to this prediction, the oracle hath ennobled by the spontaneous voice of the Delphic bee; which having three times bid thee hail, proclaimed thee destined king of Cyrene, when thou wast inquiring what help for impeded speech there shall be from the gods.
(emph mine)
(Translated by Dawson W. Turner, available from the Internet Archive)
(There is a footnote by the word “bee” indicating that “priestess” is meant)
*looks sadly at sundry alternate hypotheses and speculation*
Oh, well.
By the way, I’ve been biting my tongue (figuratively), because every person who wrote that the name “Melanie” has something to do with honey or bees is WRONG ON THE INTERNET.
“Melanie” derives from the same root as “melanin”, meaning “dark” or “black” (source: behindthename DOT com , the best site for researching names)
Given that “Beatrix” works *only* as a pun no matter how you slice it, I think “Melanie” is better than “Deborah”. We’re going to assume that the person making the names is familiar with biology and not etymology. (Hence knowing that “Apis” means “bee” but not that “Melanie” means “black” or “Beatrix” “blessing”.) Though I agree that “Melissa” might have been better since it works on both levels.
… actually, come to think of it, “black” might fit Melanie’s cynical mood well, and “blessing” might fit Beatrix’s optimism. Maybe the names *were* picked with etymological consideration?
They scoffed at my bee theory back on Sept 8, and now I am vinidicated!
(Okay, Rimwolf saying “I don’t really think this theory explains anything, but I truly admire the creativity,” wasn’t exactly “scoffing,” but vindicating oneself against those who were dubious yet praiseworthy is less dramatic.)
I missed your comment where you solved all the bee references (except for Delphi, who hadn’t shown up yet, and which I couldn’t have solved without Google). I was happy to figure it out a month later! You’re too good at this. Still wondering whether Mel is about honey or about Mel B though.
Despite the recent revelation, it occurred to me that there is still a little tiny bit of room for alternate ideas.
I am accepting, for now, the thesis that Mayor Queen, Mrs Apis, and Madame Delphi are all bee swarms or fragments of a bee swarm, probably Gavotte.
However, it occurred to me that Melanie and Beatrix might not be. Why does Melanie mock Mrs Apis if they are the same sort of entity? Perhaps the “black” that Melanie’s name points to is to the black nanite goop that forms Unity’s mind. Weak evidence: her pop-culture references, rude attitude, and Mell-like English slang.
Beatrix might very well be the new swarm that Gavotte sent off, but she might also be a different type of gestalt entity; a small fragment of the Cypress. The weak evidence I have for this is her battle-cry of “RAR WALNUT MONSTER!”, and interest in sticks, but nevertheless, there it is.
Not speculative: While researching the connection between the oracle at Delphi and bees, one of the points that came up was something called “mad honey”. Apparently, some plants (rhododendron and azalea, and related plants, are mentioned prominently) produce toxins that get into the nectar which is collected by bees and turned into honey. Humans that eat this honey can become very ill, and die if overdosed.
However, small-enough doses of some types of toxic honey can produce euphoria and hallucinations. It’s speculated that it was honey of this type that was used by the oracle at Delphi to induce visions and prophecy, instead of or in addition to other methods claimed (inhaling subterranean vapors; burning the leaves of certain plants).
So maybe it’s a really good thing that Ginny passed on the sweet tea. . .
Ott, Jonathan. The Delphic Bee: Bees and Toxic Honeys as Pointers to Psychoactive and Other Medicinal Plants. Economic Botany, Vol. 52, No. 3 (Jul. – Sep., 1998), pp. 260-266
Oh, good, she’s figured it out.
We don’t know that yet, she may think it’s another “goldbug” guise
I have actually been wondering if perhaps Mr. Green is secretly a swarm of bees wearing a human suit. Or perhaps more sinisterly, a swarm of wasps (more like slaver wasps than hornets)
What does he (they?) want with Virginia then? Don’t tell me this is a gender-flipped version of ZZZZZ ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZZZZ )
…you have noticed that there are non-heterosexual characters in this universe, right??
@Dr. Brain
Well, it’s been established, back when Green used the Violet Bee drone to try to hit on her, that Virginia isn’t homosexual.
http://skin-horse.com/comic/product-of/
(At least when Mojo isn’t involved, anyway…).
Or, even worse, ants. Not that this would explain any of what’s happened so far.
Hmm, it lost my link. That should have referred to http://skin-horse.com/comic/best-time-to-break/
That would support my hypothesis that none of the incarnations we have as yet seen are the real Mr. Green.
as in bee or application programming interface? whoever said it was gavotte is probably correct, but knowing this comic it’s not yet a guarantee.
I don’t get it, are we supposed to get it?
Apis is part of the scientific name for bees. Bee-atrix. Mayor Queen. Gavotte got extirpated into the VR, but being a colony reacted poorly with the system, breaking her up into components.
Could be her sisterhive, Etoile. You never know with bees.
When did she get put into VR?
And Mel-anie (“mel” being the Latin for “honey”).
Apis as in the genus of honey bees … queen bee …
Apis is, indeed, simply the Latin word for ‘bee’. The genus of that name includes all true bees, and A. mellifera translates, appropriately, as ‘honeybearing bee’.
So where does Delphi come in? (As a bee-pun, I mean; as an oracle her name is pretty self-explanatory).
Bees were sacred to the Oracle, and Delphic coins had bees on them in her honour.
(I only found this out about a week ago when I was chasing up the hints.)
Thanks!
I’ve been trying to track down primary sources for the connection between Delphi and bees.
One is Pindar, Pythian Ode 4, around verse 60:
(emph mine)
(Translated by Dawson W. Turner, available from the Internet Archive)
(There is a footnote by the word “bee” indicating that “priestess” is meant)
The dime drops.
*looks sadly at sundry alternate hypotheses and speculation*
Oh, well.
By the way, I’ve been biting my tongue (figuratively), because every person who wrote that the name “Melanie” has something to do with honey or bees is WRONG ON THE INTERNET.
“Melanie” derives from the same root as “melanin”, meaning “dark” or “black” (source: behindthename DOT com , the best site for researching names)
You are right, but I think people are saying that it’s a pun, rather than an etymologically (or entomologically) correct derivation.
(For those of us whose pennies are slow to drop: Honey Bee = Apis mellifera, “mel” being Latin for honey.)
Alternative pun, not necessarily better: English Melanie “Scary Spice” B.
And so Mell from Narbonic is named after wildflower honey. I’m quite sure pointing that out would be a bad idea.
Technically, Mell is only named after wildflower, which is also what wildflower honey is named for. So it’s only a tangential reference.
Melissa might have worked better. (There also could have been a Deborah.)
Given that “Beatrix” works *only* as a pun no matter how you slice it, I think “Melanie” is better than “Deborah”. We’re going to assume that the person making the names is familiar with biology and not etymology. (Hence knowing that “Apis” means “bee” but not that “Melanie” means “black” or “Beatrix” “blessing”.) Though I agree that “Melissa” might have been better since it works on both levels.
… actually, come to think of it, “black” might fit Melanie’s cynical mood well, and “blessing” might fit Beatrix’s optimism. Maybe the names *were* picked with etymological consideration?
Deborah? It never suited her…
(Let’s all meet up in the A-Sig VR,
Won’t it be strange when we’re split from the swarm?
Bee there and Virginia might help us to refo-orm.)
The penny drops!
Skin Horse Volume Three: Return of the Queen (Bee)?
The other shoe has dropped, but bees can wear quite a few of them…
Which one is the Plan Bee?
None of your beeswax.
Ooo, that stings. Hive a mind to ignore these puns.
Why did I “hear” RN’s comment in Frank Burn’s voice?
“Frank, don’t be paranoid.”
“I’m only paranoid because everybody’s against me.”
Mayor Queen?
Ah-HA! I’ve figured it out! Extirpation is being sent to Star City! Truly a fate worse than death.
No, if that were true, there would be more archery and explosions, and fewer walnuts.
Also: Bwah? Are we about to see a Development?
application programming interface
noun Computing
plural noun: APIs
a system of tools and resources in an operating system, enabling developers to create software applications.
Bees creating software is Virginia’s way out. 😀
I wonder how Ginny will bee-have now that she knows this? ^_~
“The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera)….”
Things that make you go Hummmmmmmmmmm.
They scoffed at my bee theory back on Sept 8, and now I am vinidicated!
(Okay, Rimwolf saying “I don’t really think this theory explains anything, but I truly admire the creativity,” wasn’t exactly “scoffing,” but vindicating oneself against those who were dubious yet praiseworthy is less dramatic.)
And now you’ve shown them! You’ve shown them all! THOSE FOOLS AT THE INSTITUTE will never scoff again!
Yes they will! They’re fools! QUICK! KILL THEM TO SHOW THEM ALL!
I was wrong about your theory, and I truly admire the insight.
I missed your comment where you solved all the bee references (except for Delphi, who hadn’t shown up yet, and which I couldn’t have solved without Google). I was happy to figure it out a month later! You’re too good at this. Still wondering whether Mel is about honey or about Mel B though.
Yup, jennibrock, you called it! Cheers! 🙂
Wow neat, I think I may bee on my way to bee-ing right about this.
I like my seaside resort towns like I like my sweetened tea.
Appropriate that I just saw a production of Hamlet.
Despite the recent revelation, it occurred to me that there is still a little tiny bit of room for alternate ideas.
I am accepting, for now, the thesis that Mayor Queen, Mrs Apis, and Madame Delphi are all bee swarms or fragments of a bee swarm, probably Gavotte.
However, it occurred to me that Melanie and Beatrix might not be. Why does Melanie mock Mrs Apis if they are the same sort of entity? Perhaps the “black” that Melanie’s name points to is to the black nanite goop that forms Unity’s mind. Weak evidence: her pop-culture references, rude attitude, and Mell-like English slang.
Beatrix might very well be the new swarm that Gavotte sent off, but she might also be a different type of gestalt entity; a small fragment of the Cypress. The weak evidence I have for this is her battle-cry of “RAR WALNUT MONSTER!”, and interest in sticks, but nevertheless, there it is.
Not speculative: While researching the connection between the oracle at Delphi and bees, one of the points that came up was something called “mad honey”. Apparently, some plants (rhododendron and azalea, and related plants, are mentioned prominently) produce toxins that get into the nectar which is collected by bees and turned into honey. Humans that eat this honey can become very ill, and die if overdosed.
However, small-enough doses of some types of toxic honey can produce euphoria and hallucinations. It’s speculated that it was honey of this type that was used by the oracle at Delphi to induce visions and prophecy, instead of or in addition to other methods claimed (inhaling subterranean vapors; burning the leaves of certain plants).
So maybe it’s a really good thing that Ginny passed on the sweet tea. . .
Source for mad honey:
[ www DOT academia DOT edu SLASH 966648 SLASH Mad_Honey_ ]
[will this post?]
Also:
Ott, Jonathan. The Delphic Bee: Bees and Toxic Honeys as Pointers to Psychoactive and Other Medicinal Plants. Economic Botany, Vol. 52, No. 3 (Jul. – Sep., 1998), pp. 260-266
Hmm. I wonder if I’m misunderstanding what triggers the “Invalid security token” error.
http://www.academia.edu/966648/Mad_Honey_
INTERLOPER!
It suddenly hit me yesterday that this also explains unsweetened tea being an abomination.