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Deus Ex Machina

Posted by Bruce Kahl on October 26, 2001

In Reply to: Deux ex machinas??? posted by SteelMachine on October 26, 2001

: I know what it means, and have a pretty good idea of where it came from(Greeks?) but what I need to know is what deux ex machinas translates to in Anciant Greek language. I would appreciate greatly any answer, either posted here or preferably e-mailed to me.

deus ex machina
(Latin, 'god from the machinery')
A device in Greek theatre in which problems were resolved at the end of a play by the intervention of a god who was apparently brought down from Olympus.

In fact he was moved by 'machinery' (a crane).

It now refers to any contrived interposition in a novel, play, or film, and in general to any external, unexpected, last-minute resolution of a difficulty.

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