Goa'uld as gods

[Ancientechexpert]

I have always been confused about the Goa'uld's "god" personas. Did the Goa'uld come to Earth, and take the names of the Tau'ri gods, such as Apophis or Cronus? Or did the Goa'uld come to Earth, already known as Apophis or Cronus, and the Tau'ri began to worship them as their new gods?

[escyos]

I got the impression that they had those names and some backstory but most of the mythological things is what was made up after they left.

[SF_and_Coffee]

I'm pretty sure they took the names of gods the people already worshiped, because assuming those personae allowed them to gain control over the populace. What can be more powerful than to appear as the deity that your intended servants already revere and/or fear?

[LtColCarter]

I'm pretty sure they took the names of gods the people already worshiped, because assuming those personae allowed them to gain control over the populace. What can be more powerful than to appear as the deity that your intended servants already revere and/or fear?

I agree...couldn't have said it better...

[Snowman37]

I have always been confused about the Goa'uld's "god" personas. Did the Goa'uld come to Earth, and take the names of the Tau'ri gods, such as Apophis or Cronus?

Yes

[The Flyattractor]

I'm pretty sure they took the names of gods the people already worshiped, because assuming those personae allowed them to gain control over the populace. What can be more powerful than to appear as the deity that your intended servants already revere and/or fear?

That does kind of fit in with the "scavenger" aspect of their characters.

[Gormagon]

Yeah, it does fit better I must say. I bet at least some had and kept their own names when/if they came to Earth but most simply took on the personas of Earth Gods.

[Gormagon]

For example Egeria, I bet she kept her original name. She then became the goddess of Fountains and childbirth because she birthed her larva in a fountain or bathing pool.

[SF_and_Coffee]

For example Egeria, I bet she kept her original name. She then became the goddess of Fountains and childbirth because she birthed her larva in a fountain or bathing pool.

Roman mythology gives Egeria's origin as among the Camanae, water nymphs who could not leave their pond unless they took human form. Considering that the Goa'uld were initially an aquatic species and still begin their lives in that form before eventually moving to human hosts, you're right: this seems eminently fitting. Perhaps even more so given that Egeria was a queen, and therefore may well have spent even more time in her aquatic state due to the necessities of spawning her Tok'ra offspring. "Egeria" may well have been her given name from birth, and she might have later taken on the aspect of a goddess in Roman legend.

[Major_Griff]

I think there may be some dialogue in Demons when they are talking about Sokar taking on the persona of the Christian Devil where Jackson specifically says that they came to Earth and took the names of already existing Gods. I could be wrong about this though as it's been a long time since I've seen the episode. It's also possible that I just interpreted what they said as meaning that.

[Solidstrike]

Perhaps it was the other way around. The Goa'Uld exist much longer than our idea of gods and mythology. Actually the Goa'Uld could very well have been the trigger for our gods instead the other way around. perhaps one Goa'Uld came and introduced to simple folks simple things, like the wheel, to evolve their matters to serve them and then posed as gods to make the folks believe (Ras story could have been like this). And after the Goa'Uld left our mythology built upon what they left. The corn circles could actually come from them to remember us of them

[SF_and_Coffee]

Problem with that, Solidstrike, is that we're more or less told in canon that they took on the personae of gods that were already worshiped on Earth before they showed up.

[Solidstrike]

Ah okay.. I admit I am not following the series THAT closely.

Then why did the Goa'Uld choose only names from Earthen mythology? Yeah, the humans were the main work force back then but still there were other cultures, too, like the Unas? And maybe cultures I can't name.. because I don't know what other folks the Goa'Uld enslaved.

[Gormagon]

They probably did, we heard many Goa'uld/Tok'ra names that were not actually Earth gods(Or at least ones I have never heard of.) most of them being minor Goa'uld. However Earth was occupied by the Goa'uld around 8000 B.C, so our mythology was probably among the most prevalent in Goa'uld society.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Ah okay.. I admit I am not following the series THAT closely.

Then why did the Goa'Uld choose only names from Earthen mythology? Yeah, the humans were the main work force back then but still there were other cultures, too, like the Unas? And maybe cultures I can't name.. because I don't know what other folks the Goa'Uld enslaved.

They used the Unas for hosts first, and then later switched to humans. For all we know, the Unas maybe didn't even have gods or mythology. But once the Goa'uld switched to using humans, they didn't use any other species.