Old Deuteronomy Old Deuteronomy Old Deuteronomy is a character in T. S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" and its musical adaptation, "Cats". In Eliot's original poem, Old Deuteronomy is described as an ancient, wise cat who has "lived many lives in succession" and is respected by the other cats and humans (and perhaps even dogs) in his environment. His name derives from Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Old Testament of the Bible, which shares the central element of law with the character (who is a magistrate). "Cats" expands on the theme of wisdom by depicting Deuteronomy as the leader
The Cats of Ulthar "Idle Days on the Yann". Lovecraft's character of Menes shares his name with Menes, the semi-mythical founder of the ancient city of Memphis, Egypt. The ancient Egyptians were admirers of cats who made it a crime to kill or export felines. Prior to "The Cats of Ulthar", Lovecraft had penned several tales in the style of Lord Dunsany, including "The White Ship", "The Street", "The Doom that Came to Sarnath", "The Terrible Old Man", and "The Tree". His next Dunsanian tale, "Celephaïs", was considered by Lovecraft scholar S. T. Joshi to be "one of his best and most significant". "The