Chapter Title Explanations

[mastapenguin]

I get most of the chapter titles, but could someone explain to me what reference "Freeman Pontifex" is?

In all likelihood, its something sciency. But I can't for the life of me figure out what it is.

 

[PrISM]

Not sure what it means in relation to the HL universe, but a pontifex was a man on the highest council of priests in ancient Rome.

Does anyone have a list of the Chapter Titles in EP2?

 

[leib10]

Spoiler

To The White Forest
This Vortal Coil
Freeman Pontifex
Riding Shotgun
Under the Radar
Our Mutual Fiend
T-Minus One

 

[Advisor]

Pontifex literally means "bridge-builder".

 

[leib10]

Pontifex literally means "bridge-builder".

Heh, make more sense now.

 

[attorney general]

The title "Our Mutual Fiend" leaves me confused to whether the G-man is good or not.. Or even neutral. All we can really tell is that he is not in league with the combine.

 

[ehudyoda]

pontifex = bishop or sometimes the pope

 

[xcellerate]

To The White Forest - you're going to white forest
This Vortal Coil - A coil of vortals
Freeman Pontifex - Freeman has a cool title
Riding Shotgun - that babe is riding shotgun
Under the Radar - stay out of site
Our Mutual Fiend - omg I know that guy too!
T-Minus One - Time to launch = 1 second

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

To the White forest speaks for itself.
This vortal coil is obviously something to do with the vorts - "almost vortal, this bond between you..."
Freeman Pontifex: Already explained, Pontifex is bridge builder, so you know.
Riding Shotgun. Duh.
Under the Radar - since we have a radar, I assume this means the caches. And also, since there was a huge ambush, us also.
Our Mutual Fiend is to do with the gman and possibly your mum.
T-Minus one is when we launch your sister into space.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

This Vortal coil is a reference to Mortal coil, a poetic term that means the troubles of daily life and the strife and suffering of the world. It is used in the sense of a burden to be carried or abandoned, most famously in the phrase "shuffle[d] off this mortal coil"

Wikipedia ftw.

 

[LordShadow]

VALVe sure are clever in their naming.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

I got a giggle first time I saw that chapter name. Thought it was very clever indeed.

 

[Zombine]

Valve truly makes great chapter titles. First time I played the game I misread "this vortal coil", I read "Vortal Combat"! I don't know, I was having fun smashing grubs so I didn't notice a title. After realizing I misread it I lol'd.

 

[Magos]

shotgun: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calling_shotgun
v(m)ortal coil: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_coil
pontifex: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontifex_Maximus

 

[Asknoone]

Spoiler

T-Minus One - Minus one of the cast, too

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Spoiler

T-Minus One - Minus one of the cast, too

Lol, yeah I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Stene]

In Finnish subtitles (I played game first with english ones and then finnish) Freeman Pontifex is "Freeman pelastaa" what means "Freeman rescues". But since finnish translations aren't the best even in high-class movies, I don't really know that either.

 

[Polaris]

This Vortal Coil is derived from "this mortal coil" - quotation from Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Our Mutual Fiend is reference to book Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens.

Marc Laidlaw is true literature freak.

 

[Apocalypse89]

Under the Radar is a reference to both staying out of the autogun's sight and using the radar to find equipment caches.

 

[mastapenguin]

Freeman, "bridge-builder", according to the etymology.

This in the level where Freeman brings a muscle car over a collapsing bridge.
I like it. Irony on the etymological level.

 

[Jintor]

Really? I thought that the chapter title meant "The Priest of the Free Man", though Pontifex does mean bridge-builder as well. (Rather, the priest is literally the bridge-builder between man and the gods).

I really wish they had kept with the Science references all the way through - Half-Life 1's chapter titles were awesome. But these aren't too bad. Although I shuddered at "This Vortal Coil". What a horrible pun. :/

 

[Xendance]

Not sure what it means in relation to the HL universe, but a pontifex was a man on the highest council of priests in ancient Rome.

Does anyone have a list of the Chapter Titles in EP2?

lol Google define, yet right above it was something about a bridge which we was in that chapter.

You failed.

 

[Stene]

This Vortal Coil is derived from "this mortal coil" - quotation from Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Our Mutual Fiend is reference to book Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens.

Marc Laidlaw is true literature freak.

That chapter also has awesome music named "Vortal Combat" that sure comes from Mortal Combat.

 

[PrISM]

lol Google define, yet right above it was something about a bridge which we was in that chapter.

You failed.

Uhh...I used Wiki, not Google.

 

[Jintor]

Pontifex literally means bridge-builder in Latin, but in Rome it was used for the High Priest of the religion.