Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Orcus (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Orcus was a god of the underworld, punisher of broken oaths, more equivalent to Pluto than to the Greek Hades. The origins of Orcus may have lain in Etruscan religion. Orcus was a name used by Roman writers to identify a Gaulish god of the underworld. The Etruscan so-called "Tomb of the Orcus" at Tarquinia is a misnomer, when the first discoverers took as Orcus a figure of a Cyclops.
Generalized connotations of "Orcus" have made it a popular name for providing an instant "demonic" atmosphere. In Dungeons & Dragons, Orcus is a demon prince, and lord of the undead. Orcus also appears in the game NetHack.
This is in good part because Orcus' name is the origin of the words "orca" and "orc"; the latter popularized by J.R.R. Tolkien in his "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
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