La Bayadere

La Bayadere
Originally uploaded by parmat.

Genie

is the usual English translation of the Arabic term jinni, but it is not an Anglicized form of the Arabic word, as is commonly thought. The English word comes from French génie, which meant a spirit of any kind, which in turn came from Latin genius, which meant a sort of tutelary or guardian spirit thought to be assigned to each person at birth (see genius). But this has nothing to do with the jinn of Islam, as this might suggest. The Latin word predates the Arabic word jinni, and the two terms have not been shown to be related. The first recorded use of the word in English was in 1655 as geny, with the Latin meaning. The French translators of the Arabian Nights later used the word génie as a translation of jinni because it was similar to the Arabic word both in sound and in meaning; this meaning was also picked up in English and has since become dominant.

Amongst archeologists dealing with ancient Middle Eastern cultures, any mythological spirit lesser than a god is often referred to as a "genie", especially when describing stone reliefs or other forms of art. This practice draws on the original meaning of the term genie for simply a spirit of any sort.

jinni

In Arabic mythology, any of the supernatural spirits less powerful than angels or devils. Evil spirits of air or fire, they could take animal or human form and could dwell in inanimate objects or under the earth. They had the bodily needs of human beings and could be killed but were otherwise free of physical restraints. Jinn delighted in punishing humans for any harm done to them, but people who knew the proper magical procedure could exploit them to their own advantage. The jinn were popular subjects for folklore, notably in the tale of Aladdin in The Thousand and One Nights.
For more information on jinni, visit Britannica.com.


gen·ius (jēn'yəs) pronunciation
n., pl. -ius·es.

1.
1. Extraordinary intellectual and creative power.
2. A person of extraordinary intellect and talent: “One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius” (Simone de Beauvoir).
3. A person who has an exceptionally high intelligence quotient, typically above 140.
2.
1. A strong natural talent, aptitude, or inclination: has a genius for choosing the right words.
2. One who has such a talent or inclination: a genius at diplomacy.
3. The prevailing spirit or distinctive character, as of a place, a person, or an era: the genius of Elizabethan England.
4. pl. ge·ni·i (jē'nē-ī'). Roman Mythology. A tutelary deity or guardian spirit of a person or place.
5. A person who has great influence over another.
6. A jinni in Muslim mythology.

[Middle English, guardian spirit, from Latin.]

Genius - Mythology
In Roman mythology, every man had a genius and every woman a juno (Juno was also the name for the queen of the gods).
This aureus of Hadrian shows the Genius of the circus.
This aureus of Hadrian shows the Genius of the circus.

Originally, the genius/juno were ancestors who guarded over their descendants. Over time, they turned into personal guardian spirits, granting intellect and prowess. Sacrifices were made to one's genius/juno on one's birthday.

The juno was worshipped under many titles:

* Iugalis - protected marriage
* Matronalis - protected married women
* Pronuba - protected the bride
* Virginalis - protected virginity

In addition to each genius/juno of individuals, regions, families, households and cities had a genius. The genius of the Roman race was a winged, naked youth. The genii dedicated to places were usually depicted as snakes.