Introducing some of Hellenic mythology's lesser known Gods

Everyone knows and loves the Twelve Olympians. Heck, everyone knows and loves all Olympians. there are many Theoi, however, that often get overlooked. Today I wanted to introduce a few of the lesser known Theoi to you, if you haven't heard of Them already. I am a firm believer that all the Theoi deserve praise and knowledge of them is the first step towards that goal.


Nereus
Nereus (Νηρευς) is the old man of the sea, and the God of the sea's rich bounty of fish. He dwells in the depths of the Aegean with his wife Doris and his fifty Nereid daughters. Like many of the other sea-Gods Nereus is a master shapeshifter, and speaks with prophetic voice. He is considered a very wise and very old God and the ancient Hellenes depicted him as an old man with a wooden staff accompanied by a host of his Nereid daughters. Sometimes he was depicted with a coiling fish tail in place of legs.

Khionê
Khionê (χιών) is one of the nymphs, a daughter of Boreas, God of the north-wind, and Oreithyia, the lady of mountain gales. Khione is the Goddess of snow. Her name bears a direct link with the ancient Hellenic word for snow: khiôn.

The Astra Planeti
The Astra Planeti (Αστηρ Πλανητων) are the Gods of the five wandering stars or planets. They are named Phainon (the planet of Kronos), Phaethon (the planet of Zeus), Pyroeis (the planet of Ares), Eosphoros (the planet of Aphrodite), and Stilbon (the planet of Hermes). In Hellenic vase painting they were depicted as youths diving into the river Okeanos with the rising of Helios.

Hebe
Hebe (Ἡβη) is the Goddess of youth and the cupbearer of the Gods who served ambrosia at the heavenly feasts. She is also the patron Goddess of the young bride and an attendant of Aphrodite. Her father is Zeus and her mother is Hera. Her husband is the hero Hēraklēs.

Aniketos and Alexiares
Aniketos (Ανικητος) and Alexiares (Αλεξιαρης) are the sons of Hebe and Hēraklēs. Together, They guard the Gates of Olympos and presided over the defence of fortified towns and citadels. Their names mean respectively 'the unconquerable one' and 'he who wards off war'.

Phobos and Deimos
Phobos (Φοβος) is the God of fear, dread and terror, and his twin-brother Deimos (Δειμος) the god of panic fear, flight and battlefield rout. They are sons of Ares and Aphrodite and often accompany their father into battle, driving His chariot and spreading fear in Their wake. As sons of Aphrodite the twins also represented the fear of loss. In classical art the two were usually represented as youths. Phobos was sometimes depicted with a lion or lion-like head.

Iapetos
Iapetos (Ιαπετος) is one of the Titan Gods, sons of Ouranos and Gaia. He is one of four brothers who hold heaven and earth apart. Iapetos Himself was no doubt the pillar of the west, a position which was later and more obviously held by His son Atlas. He may have been regarded as the Titan God of the mortal life-span and His sons Prometheus and Epimetheus were represented as the creators of mankind and other mortal creatures.

Harmonia
Harmonia (Ἁρμονια) is the Goddess of harmony and concord. As a daughter of Aphrodite, she presides over marital harmony, soothing strife and discord; as a daughter of Ares, she represented harmonious action in war. Late Hellenic and Roman writers ascribe cosmic harmony to Her. Her counterpart is Eris.

• Monday, May 4, 2020
  Alexiares ancient Hellenic culture Aniketos Aphrodite Ares astronomy Deimos Harmonia Hebe Hēraklēs Iapetos Introduction series Khionê Mythology 101 Nereus Phobos

Control anger (Θυμου κρατει)

Control anger (Θυμου κρατει) is a Delphic Maxim that seems so simple: don't get mad. But it's not about that. Controlling anger is about knowing when you can show your anger and when you can not. It means stepping back from your emotions to understand the words and actions of the other person. There is a time and place for anger, but more often, anger has no place at the current time.

Think of anger as a wildfire: once it burns, it burns everything in its path. You can try to extinguish it, but without specialized tools, stepping out of the way is better for your health. But some fires are lit and carefully controlled. The fire still burns hot, but can be guided. Their purpose is to promote life. It is this control this maxim teaches.

Anger can be a very constructive emotion. Just look at Ares: Ares is a warrior, a Theos driven by the fires of passion. He is unconquerable on the battlefield and if you're favored by Him, you will be unbeatable yourself. Yet, even Ares can halt Himself enough to accept input of the other Theoi. He has the skills to guide His anger and passion into a form which benefits Him and the Theoi.

This maxim reminds us that emotions are powerful influencers in our lives. It is easy to be ruled by them, but an angry heart is a closed heart. Anger closes you off from the outside world, and the Theoi. An angry practitioner will never be able to see the influence of the Theoi on their life, and this is why the Oracle of Delphi urges to control your anger. An angry practitioner can not serve the Theoi, yet, one who feels no passion can not serve the Theoi, either. It's the balance, this maxim urges you to find.

Anger is a hard emotion to fight. It comes from pride, insecurity, desperation and frustration. All are sources which are hard to control. I think the key lies in the acceptance of yourself and the world around you. If you accept what comes on your path with piety, optimism and temperance, you have the ability to master your anger. I've been at this for a long time but there are still times when my boundaries get crossed so dramatically and suddenly, the only thing which prevents me from exploding is leaving the situation. I haven't mastered this maxim yet, but I try.

• Monday, February 17, 2020
  Ares Star Foster's Delphic Maxims temperance

Repost: Who oversees the modern marvels?

Unless stated otherwise, nothing in this post is drawn from ancient sources. Most of it isn't even UPG. It's a thought exercise. Way back when I was still doing the Pagan Blog Project posts, I wrote about genealogy of the Gods. I ended that post with the following:

"One sad part of studying Divine genealogy is that there is an end. The lives of the Gods have come to a halt. We rehash the stories but no more children are born, no heroes rise. It makes me wish for the inclusion and revelation of UPG into Hellenismos. New blood, new stories, could really benefit the practice and believes of Hellenic practitioners. A new Divine child to shake up the pantheon, a new child of Zeus who grows up to fight new (or returned) monsters. Sacrilege, some say, and they might be right. But I admit to staring at the pages of genealogy in my book and wishing the lines, somehow, someway, extend to include more of the Divine family. "

I still feel that way. I still wish for a line that continues onto now. But, seeing as we don't have that, I'm going to make another mental leap. I'm going to see who of the Theoi would oversee some of the modern marvels, should They be willing to adopt them.

The internet and the telephone
It's one of humanities greatest achievements; a real-time communication link between every person on the planet who has access to a computer and a subscription. It's not one thing; it's housed on computers everywhere, everyone adding a small part to it, so you can read these words from any place in the world. I'm quite sure who would have this marvel in their portfolio: Iris, rainbow Goddess of communication, who delivers Her messages as fast and the wind and who has always been a connector; in ancient Hellas, She connected the Theoi and mankind. Her speed, Her messenger spirit, and her ability to connect everyone anywhere in the world make Her an excellent candidate for the position of Patroness of the Internet.
For most of the same reasons, I would also place the telephone firmly under Her domain.

Planes, trains and automobiles
I'm staying with the sky Gods on this one; airplanes, trains and cars have cut down travel time, have made goods readily available anywhere in the world, have allowed us to expand modern life to parts of the world where this was absolutely impossible before, and--in the case of airplanes--have given us entrance into Zeus' domain. yet, I don't feel Zeus would oversee flight. I think that would be Hermes' task. Airplanes would be a marvelous novelty for Hermes, who is known to fly everywhere. It's this huge, bulky, thing that miraculously stays in the air. I think Hermes would get a kick out of throwing a few air pockets in the way of a plane--just to see the panic on everyone's faces--before helping the plane land safely. Trains and cars go fast, make a lot of noise and are constantly out on the road. This, too, would make Hermes happy. Hēphaistos may be involved with the construction of these travel aids, but Hermes would watch over your safety while in them.

Computers
As already discussed a bit with the internet, modern life would change dramatically if we lost computers. they help us communicate, solve problems beyond our natural capabilities, provide entertainment, allow us to make a living and that's just scratching the surface of its usefulness. For me, this is another no-brainer: Hēphaistos. If Daidalos had been a Theos, I would have picked him. Athena's analytical mind may have had a part in its creation as well, but the actual tinkering bits would speak to Hēphaistos far more than to Athena. Once the first computer was completed, I would see it likely Athena lost interest, while Hēphaistos would relish the challenge of improving upon it again and again.

The radio and television
A slightly older means of communication, but none the less very valuable. Radio signals connect people, are used in jobs like airport control, security and construction, and bring music to the masses. Because of the broad application of the radio, and especially because of the music, I'm picking Apollon for this one. Anything that brings music all over the world would interest him greatly. Because of its ability to amuse, educate and spread awareness, the television would also fall under Apollon's domain.

Bombs, guns, tanks and other weapons of war
It's a cheap shot, but for their sheer destructive power, I would place any weapon of war under Ares' domain. It may not be honorable, but weapons of war are effective. When His rage reaches the point of no return, I'm sure His hands would itch to just wipe out the enemy. In fact, I think Ares would have felt a whole lot better if He would have been able to decimate the Hellenic army besieging Troy with a few powerful bombs. He is still the Lord of War. As for some of the other war-like Theoi; I think Athena and Zeus would find these methods too crude and/or imprecise. They would like the sniper rifle and, perhaps, to tinker with the missile guidance systems, but actual weapons of mass destruction? Not so much.

This is a top-of-my-head list. Are there others you have ideas about? I'm sure Aphrodite would be happy with the invention of sex toys, and Apollon with electric lights, for example. I'd also really love to hear if you had envisioned other Theoi with these examples. Have fun!

• Saturday, February 8, 2020
  Apollon Ares Athena Daidalos Hēphaistos Hermes Iris personal Zeus

Question Collections post 62

I get a lot of questions from readers, and most of the time, the answers are fairly short. When I feel the question or the reply would be valuable to others as well, I make a post with a collection of them and post them in one go. Today is one of those posts.

"Were there eating disorders in ancient Greece? And if there were eating disorders back in the times, who would be patrons of them?"

Eating disorders were unknown of in ancient Hellas. The Romans had their share of people who starved themselves for ideals, but they were spiritual ideas, influenced by spiritual teachings from the East, that preached a body was only a cage for the soul. Through a variety of ways, followers gained control over that cage and thus committed suicide-by-weight loss (among others). Eating disorders as we know them today don't appear earlier than the 19th century when the beauty ideal began to shift toward 'tiny'.

Retroactively it's perhaps best to think about eating disorders as other (mental) illnesses and the Gods associated with healing: Asklepios first and foremost, His daughters Hygeia, Iaso, Akeso, Aiglê, and Panakeia, perhaps His father Apollon and last but not least Dionysos who, as a liminal God often influenced the minds of people (both for better or worse).

"Asclepius has daughters, right? Does his daughters have different domains of healing?"

Hygeia is the Theia of health, cleanliness, and sanitation, and a companion of the Goddess Aphrodite. She is perhaps the best known of Asklēpiós' daughters, and has been so since ancient times. She is mentioned alongside her father, grandfather, and sister Panakeia in the original Hippocratic oath. the ancient Hellenes regarded Her as one of the most revered of all Theoi, because without her blessings (good health), nothing could be accomplished in life, and life itself would cease. In fact, She has her own Orphic hymn [67], and in it, She is solely responsible for averting all disease. She is depicted with a snake, usually curled around Her arm.

Iasô is the Theia of cures, remedies and modes of healing. In the temple of Amphiaraus at Oropus a part of the altar was dedicated to Her, along with many of Her sisters and other Theoi petitioned for healing. Recovery is Her domain, and as such, She is one of Asklēpiós' most valued attendants. She is depicted with a mirror.

Akeso is the Theia who oversees the healing of wounds and the curing of illness. She does not bring the cure itself, but oversees the process of healing. Not much is known about Her, but She is a faithful attendant of Her father.

Aiglê is the Theia of the beauty, splendor, glory, magnificence, and adornment that comes with good health. She represents radiance, and Her blessings are very much sought after, because they allow a person to live up to their full potential.

Panakeia is the Theia of cures and panaceas--healing aids in the form of medicines, salves and other curatives. After Hygeia, She is perhaps the best known of Her sisters. Her gifts of medicine are of great value, and she is mentioned in the original Hippocratic oath along with Apollon, Asklēpiós, and Hygeia.

"Someone said Dionysos is a God who watches over social order, but that makes no sense, right?"

It actually does make sense. Um...how do I explain this one... Dionysos breaks down social order. That's His thing. Ancient Hellenic society was very strict about classes and hierarchy. Especially for the lower classes, this was very stifling and there was risk of rebellion. During festivals of Dionysos, these hierarchic structures fell away for a while and sometimes even reversed so the poorest were in charge and free to do what they wanted. This helped ease the tension in society and thus preserved and protected it.

"Is there more than one God of war? Isn't that just Ares?"

Oh Gods, yes! Many, many, many Gods are associated with war--war was very important to the ancient Hellenes and even Gods who might not appear to be linked to it have epithets which are. A selection:

Alala, Goddess of the war cry
Alke, Goddess of courage and battle-strength
Amphillogiai, Goddesses of disputes
Androktasiai, Goddess of battlefield slaughter
Ares, God of war, bloodlust, weapons of war, the defense and sacking of cities, rebellion and civil order, banditry, manliness, and courage; the son of Zeus and Hera
Athena, Goddess of wisdom, war strategy, heroic endeavor, handicrafts, and reason
Bia, Goddess of force and compulsion
Deimos, God of terror
Enyalius, God of battle
Enyo, Goddess of war
Eris, Goddess of discord, chaos and strife
Homados, Goddess of the din of battle
Hysminai, Goddesses spirits of fighting and combat
Ioke, Goddess of onslaught, battle-tumult, and pursuit
Keres, Goddesses of violent or cruel death, including death in battle, by accident, murder, or ravaging disease
Kratos, the personification of strength and power
Kydoimos, God of the din of battle
Makhai, Gods of fighting and combat
Nike, Goddess of victory
Palioxis, God of backrush, flight, and retreat from battle
Pallas, Titan god of warcraft and of the springtime campaign season
Perses, the Titan of destruction
Phobos, God of panic, fear, flight, and battlefield route
Phonoi, Gods of murder, killing, and slaughter
Polemos, God of war
Proioxis, God of onrush and battlefield pursuit

"Is there a deity of poison?"

Of course there is! It's the ancient Hellenic pantheon! Akhlys, Goddess of the Death Mist, misery and sadness as well as deadly poisons. She was represented on the shield of Herakles as pale, emaciated, and weeping, with chattering teeth, swollen knees, long nails on her fingers, bloody cheeks, and her shoulders thickly covered with dust. She's the daughter of Nyx.

• Monday, April 24, 2017
  Aiglê Akeso Akhlys Ares Asklēpiós Dionysos Hellenismos 101 Hygeia Iaso Mythology 101 Panakeia Question Collections Post requested post

Introducing: Hebe

Every once in a while, I take it upon myself to introduce Gods and Goddesses my readers might not be familiar with. Today, this is the Goddess Hebe.

Hebe (Ἡβη) is the Goddess of youth and the cupbearer of the Gods who serves ambrosia at the heavenly feasts. She is also the patron Goddess of the young bride and an attendant of Aphrodite. This is unsurprising when you know Her father is Zeus and Her mother is Hera. Her husband is the hero Hēraklēs.

       Khaos ------------ Gaea

           |         |

Ouranos --- |

                 Kronos --- Rhea

                      |

                      Zeus --- Hera

                      |
                    Hebe

For a relatively minor Goddess, Hebe has quite a bit of mythology to Her name. Her parentage is mentioned by Hesiod, Apollodorus, Kallimachos, Pausanias and Hyginus. According to the ancient writers, Hebe's day was taken up by to major jobs: be a cupbearer to the Gods and be a handmaiden to her mother Hera. She also tended to Her brother Ares when He returned from war. A few choice selections of Homeros, in 'The Iliad', on these tasks:

"Now the gods at the side of Zeus were sitting in council over the golden floor, and among them the goddess Hebe (Youth) poured them nectar as wine, while they in the golden drinking-cups drank to each other, gazing down on the city of the Trojans." [4. 1]

"Hera, high goddess, daughter of Kronos the mighty, went away to harness the gold-bridled horses. Then Hebe in speed set about the chariot the curved wheels eight-spoked and brazen, with an axle or iron both ways. Golden is the wheel's felly imperishable, and outside it is joined, a wonder to look upon, the brazen running-rim, and the silver naves revolve on either side of the chariot, whereas the car itself is lashed fast with plaiting of gold and silver, with double chariot rails that circle about it, and the pole of the chariot is of silver, to whose extremity Hebe made fast the golden and splendid yoke, and fastened the harness, golden and splendid, and underneath the yoke Hera, furious for hate and battle, led the swift-running horses." [5. 720]

"Hebe washed him [Ares returning from battle] clean and put delicate clothing upon him." [5. 905]

To the ancient Hellenes, youth was of great importance as it was linked to aesthetic beauty--an ideal held very high throughout Hellas. It was said (in part because She poured it) that the nectar of the Gods was what kept Them forever youthful and thus immortal. Hebe was the epitome of subservience and thus was a role model for maidens and an ideal to men. This side of her also aided in Her coming to fulfil another role in ancient Hellenic society: that of a Goddess of pardons and extended forgiveness. Freed prisoners sacrificed to Her in order to restore some of their youthful innocence. In fact, at Hebe's sanctuary at Phlius, prisoners would hang their chains on the branches of the trees in the grove dedicated to her as a form of supplication. This is mentioned by Pausanias in his 'Description of Greece':

 
"On the Phliasian citadel [at Phlios in Argolis] is a grove of cypress trees and a sanctuary which from ancient times has been held to be peculiarly holy. The earliest Phliasians named the goddess to whom the sanctuary belongs Ganymeda; but later authorites call her Hebe, whom Homer mentions in the duel between Menelaos (Menelaus) and Alexandros (Alexander), saying that she was the cup-bearer of the gods; and again he says, in the descent of Odysseus to Haides, that she was the wife of Herakles. Olen [a legendary Greek poet], in his hymn to Hera, says that Hera was reared by the Horai (Horae, Seasons), and that her children were Ares and Hebe. Of the honours that the Phliasians pay to this goddess the greatest is the pardoning of suppliants. All those who seek sanctuary here receive full forgiveness, and prisoners, when set free, dedicate their fetters on the trees in the grove. The Phliasians also celebrate a yearly festival which they call Kissotomoi (Ivy-cutters). There is no image, either kept in secret of openly displayed, and the reason for this is set forth in a sacred legend of theirs though on the left as you go out is a temple of Hera with an image of Parian marble." [2. 13. 3]

Herakles, perhaps the greatest of all ancient Hellenic heroes, received Hebe as his wife once he ascended to Olympos as a God. Homeros mentions it, Hesiod does, it's even in the Homeic Hymns. The best explination of why Herakles was given Hebe especially as his wife is perhaps best given by Philostratos, though, in his 'Images':

"Before long you [Herakles] will live with them in the sky, drinking, and embracing the beautiful Hebe; for you are to marry the youngest of the gods and the one most revered by them, since it is through her that they also are young." [2. 20]

• Wednesday, February 22, 2017
  ancient Hellenic culture Ares Hebe Hera Hēraklēs Hómēros Iliad Introduction series Mythology 101 Pausanias

Hellenic Gods aesthetics

I have been feeling miasmic lately. Between work stress, some minor physical issues and worrying about the event of and fallout after the US elections, I have just been feeling very... human. I practice with focus and know the Theoi are out there to guide, help and protect but I've been missing Them too, somehow. I never feel Them close to me outside of sacrifices and very rarely during sacrifices but I think I have a bigger need to feel them because I am feeling weaker than usual and more afraid. I usually read mythology then, but I have been too unfocussed for that as of late. So I need pictures and words instead. My go-to is a tumblr search and I'll save you the hassle of doing it. This is my (very small) collection. The words are by Nightquils, the images have been sourced.

APHRODITE

"The bruises of love bites left by lovers on necks and thighs; smudged lipstick from hasty kisses; blood red roses with their sharp thorns still intact; the way you hug someone you love when you reunite after a lengthy separation."

 

APOLLON

 

"Polished instruments gleaming, held like the most precious of jewels by their owners; a sunny day with a clear blue sky where there are no clouds in sight; the rough script of poems penned out on scraps of paper or napkins before they're forgotten; when music is so loud that you feel it reverberating in your bones; the pale lines of fading scars."

 

ARES

 

"The hands of a fighter, short finger nails and bloodied knuckles; split lips that have scabbed over; the smooth and intricate lines of old weapons you see mounted on museum walls; deep trenches dug out from the earth; the way barbed wire contrasts against whatever it surrounds."

 

ARTEMIS

 

"Loose braids with wild flowers slipped in; the majesty of tall trees stretching up endlessly towards the heavens; the wide and captivating eyes of wild deer; cloudy nights where the moon is just barely peeking through; the colorful fletching of arrows drawn back to rest upon cheeks and along jaws."

              

ATHENA

 

"The straight and steady way a soldier stands at attention; fingertips smudged with ink; a stack of books to read piled on the floor or a nightstand; eyes gleaming with the glow of new ideas; the quiet and contemplative aura of museums and libraries."

              

DEMETER

 

"The way sunlight catches dust motes in the air through the gaps in the leaves of the trees; the feeling of life you get from standing in the middle of an orchard with bees buzzing around you; crocuses and snowdrops peeking through the last dredges of winter's snow."         

                

HEPHAISTOS

 

"The pleasure of holding something you've created in your palms; the soft glow of heated metal; the intricate beauty of cogs and gears fitting together precisely and working in tandem; the smooth and polished surfaces of high-rise business buildings."

 

HERA

 

"The lacy white of flowing wedding gowns; the way a couple's hands look clasped together; pairs of old wedding rings that are scratched from years of use; the feeling of surrealism that comes from looking at old family portraits; getting used to sharing a space with someone else and then seeing the mannerisms you've unknowingly adopted from them."

 

HERMES

 

"The way that the low beam headlights of a car touch the roads that stretch ever onwards at night; old maps yellowed at the corners from their age; the way that things rush past when you look out the window of a car or train; quick hands slipping deftly into pockets and taking what they find."

 

HESTIA

 

"The light and protection of street lights in an otherwise dark city; the warmth of your bed on cold winter mornings; the heat of a fire as you sit around it with people you love; the comfort of a home-cooked meal."

 

POSEIDON

 

"The way light looks when you're seeing it shine down from deep underwater; the effervescent colors of cresting waves; the eery beauty of shipwrecks; the ripples created when you trail your fingertips through still waters; dust clouds kicked up by the passing of strong hooves."

 

ZEUS

 

"The way that storm clouds darken the edge of the horizon; silhouettes framed against the sky by flashes of lightning; the splay of feathers of a bird's outstretched wings; the polished and tarnished brass of old fashioned scales."

• Thursday, November 24, 2016
  Aphrodite Apollon Ares art Artemis Athena Demeter Hēphaistos Hera Hermes Hestia Olympic Gods personal Poseidon Zeus

Ares and Aphrodite: Lord and Lady of war

We all know Ares is connected to warfare. He is the Olympian God of war, battlelust, courage and (the enforcement of) civil order. While he's usually outshadowed by Athena in combat (especially in works like the Iliad) and is often seen as being rscued by hHer or defering to Her, there is no denying that He is the personifiction of the raging battle, the copper in the air as blood is spilled, the bone chilling reaction to the battlecry. On the other hand, He is also the God who protects from battle, who trains warriors, who acts as their sword and shield once the charge starts. He is the enforcer of law, the protector of the innocent and the slayer of the unjust. No one would argue Ares' claim to the title 'Lord of War'. I wonder, though, if there are those who would argue me the same title for Aphrodite.

Aphrodite, most usually, is considered solely the Goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. In varios city-states--most notably Sparta--however, Aphrodite was linked to Ares through a bond of love and lust and became a war Goddess in Her own right. The most notable epithet linked to this aspect of Her is Areia (Αρεια), like all 'Of Ares' or 'Warlike'. Other epithets that refer to this aspect of Her are 'Bringer of Victory' (Nikêphoros, Νικηφορος) and 'Armed' (Hôplismenê, Ὡπλισμενη).

Statues and depictions of an armored--and armed--Aphrodite have been found in port cities, supporting textual evidence that she was known as a guardian of naval officers and a protector of civil law. She was a common Goddess for magistrates and other political figures to worship and perform sacrifices to, as it was thought She would bless them with harmony and a peaceful relationship with their subjects. In the writings of Aristotle, there is mention of a particular group of civil authorities called the gynaikonomoi, who worship Aphrodite. These civic officials were charged with the regulation of women’s appearance, dress, and actions in public and ensuring their proper treatment.

That love and war are closely linked is well known and reflects even in our modern language. Aphrodite's role as a Goddess of war is further solidified by the children She had with Ares: Phobos (Φόβος, fear), Deimos (Δεῖμος, dread), Adrestia (Ἀδρήστεια, She who cannot be escaped) and Harmonia (Ἁρμονία, the Goddess of harmony and concord). they joined Their father's retinu and accompanied Him onto the battlefield. Simply by being Their mother, She became associated with their domains, too.

I have always considered Ares and Aphrodite the Lord and Lady of war and the enforcement of law(fulness). Athena, of course, is the prime strategist, the cold calculator who overlooks the battlefield and plans the battle ahead. She thrusts with skill and techniue, detached and determined. Yes, she is a Goddess of war but above all, she is a Goddess of the mind. War--especially ancient Hellenic war--is about the heart. It's the spark that ignites the battle--the stolen lover, the percieved slight. It is the cry of anguish of a mother now without a child, the destruction of home and hearth, it is the desolation of a child now without parents. War is emotion, it is hot blooded force, it is primal; to me, it is Ares and Aphrodite at Their most extreme.

• Saturday, November 5, 2016
  ancient Hellenic culture Aphrodite Ares Athena Mythology 101

Introducing: Enyo

Every once in a while, I take it upon myself to introduce Gods and Goddesses my readers might not be familiar with. Today, this is the Goddess Enyo.

Enyo (Ενυο) is the Goddess of war. She is the female counterpart and close companion of the Ares Enyalios and sometimes described as His lover. She was closely identified with Eris, the Goddess of strife. Hómēros, for example, does not appear to distinguish between the two Goddesses but other ancient writers do--more often as the centuries pass. Her parents are Zeus and Hera, and with Ares, she may be the parents of Enyalios (Ἐνυάλιος).

       Khaos ------------ Gaea

           |         |

Ouranos --- |

                 Kronos --- Rhea

                      |

                      Zeus --- Hera

                      |

                     Enyo --- Ares

                      |

                    Enyalios

 

As Goddess of war, Enyo is responsible for orchestrating the destruction of cities, often accompanying Ares into battle, and depicted as supreme in war. During the fall of Troy, Enyo inflicted terror and bloodshed in the war, along with Eris (Strife), Phobos (Fear) and Deimos (Dread), the two sons of Ares. She, Eris, and the two sons of Ares are depicted on Achilles’s shield.

 

Quintus Smyrnaeus (Kointos Smyrnaios, Κόϊντος Σμυρναῖος) was a Hellenic epic poet whose 'Posthomerica', following 'after Hómēros' continues the narration of the Trojan War. The dates of Smyrnaeus's life are controversial, but they are traditionally placed in the latter part of the 4th century AD. From Smyrnaeus, 'Fall of Troy' comes the following description of Her:

 

"Stalked through the midst [of the battle] deadly Enyo, her shoulders and her hands blood-splashed, while fearful sweat streamed from her limbs. Revelling in equal fight, she aided none, lest Thetis' or Ares' wrath be stirred." [8.286]

 

At Thebes and Orchomenos, a festival called Homolôïa, which was celebrated in honour of Zeus, Demeter, Athena and Enyo, was said to have received the surname of Homoloïus from Homoloïs, a priestess of Enyo. A statue of Enyo, made by the sons of Praxiteles, stood in the temple of Ares at Athens. In poetry, she is almost always described as being covered in blood, and either laughing madly, or smiling coldly as She beholds the battle.

• Saturday, December 26, 2015
  Ares Enyo Hera Hómēros Introduction series Mythology 101 Quintus Smyrnaeus Zeus

Introducing some of Hellenic mythology's lesser known Gods

Everyone knows and loves the Twelve Olympians. Heck, everyone knows and loves all Olympians. there are many Theoi, however, that often get overlooked. Today I wanted to introduce a few of the lesser known Theoi to you, if you haven't heard of Them already. I am a firm believer that all the Theoi deserve praise and knowledge of them is the first step towards that goal.


Nereus
Nereus (Νηρευς) is the old man of the sea, and the God of the sea's rich bounty of fish. He dwells in the depths of the Aegean with his wife Doris and his fifty Nereid daughters. Like many of the other sea-Gods Nereus is a master shapeshifter, and speaks with prophetic voice. He is considered a very wise and very old God and the ancient Hellenes depicted him as an old man with a wooden staff accompanied by a host of his Nereid daughters. Sometimes he was depicted with a coiling fish tail in place of legs.

Khionê
Khionê (χιών) is one of the nymphs, a daughter of Boreas, God of the north-wind, and Oreithyia, the lady of mountain gales. Khione is the Goddess of snow. Her name bears a direct link with the ancient Hellenic word for snow: khiôn.

The Astra Planeti
The Astra Planeti (Αστηρ Πλανητων) are the Gods of the five wandering stars or planets. They are named Phainon (the planet of Kronos), Phaethon (the planet of Zeus), Pyroeis (the planet of Ares), Eosphoros (the planet of Aphrodite), and Stilbon (the planet of Hermes). In Hellenic vase painting they were depicted as youths diving into the river Okeanos with the rising of Helios.

Hebe
Hebe (Ἡβη) is the Goddess of youth and the cupbearer of the Gods who served ambrosia at the heavenly feasts. She is also the patron Goddess of the young bride and an attendant of Aphrodite. Her father is Zeus and her mother is Hera. Her husband is the hero Hēraklēs.

Aniketos and Alexiares
Aniketos (Ανικητος) and Alexiares (Αλεξιαρης) are the sons of Hebe and Hēraklēs. Together, They guard the Gates of Olympos and presided over the defence of fortified towns and citadels. Their names mean respectively 'the unconquerable one' and 'he who wards off war'.

Phobos and Deimos
Phobos (Φοβος) is the God of fear, dread and terror, and his twin-brother Deimos (Δειμος) the god of panic fear, flight and battlefield rout. They are sons of Ares and Aphrodite and often accompany their father into battle, driving His chariot and spreading fear in Their wake. As sons of Aphrodite the twins also represented the fear of loss. In classical art the two were usually represented as youths. Phobos was sometimes depicted with a lion or lion-like head.

Iapetos
Iapetos (Ιαπετος) is one of the Titan Gods, sons of Ouranos and Gaia. He is one of four brothers who hold heaven and earth apart. Iapetos Himself was no doubt the pillar of the west, a position which was later and more obviously held by His son Atlas. He may have been regarded as the Titan God of the mortal life-span and His sons Prometheus and Epimetheus were represented as the creators of mankind and other mortal creatures.

Harmonia
Harmonia (Ἁρμονια) is the Goddess of harmony and concord. As a daughter of Aphrodite, she presides over marital harmony, soothing strife and discord; as a daughter of Ares, she represented harmonious action in war. Late Hellenic and Roman writers ascribe cosmic harmony to Her. Her counterpart is Eris.

• Thursday, September 24, 2015
  Alexiares ancient Hellenic culture Aniketos Aphrodite Ares astronomy Deimos Harmonia Hebe Hēraklēs Iapetos Introduction series Khionê Mythology 101 Nereus Phobos

Constellation Series: the planets

Just before the end of the Hellenic year, I am going to wrap up the Constellation Series. Quite a milestone as I started this series in September 2012. I already added one bonus post about the Milky Way, and today we will add the last installment: the planets of our solar system.

Today, we recognise eight planets: in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (I still miss you, Pluto!). The ancient Hellenes recognised only six, including the Earth. The others were: Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. They did not consider them planets, though, but stars. From the Roman Cicero's 'De Natura Deorum':

"Most marvellous are the motions of the five stars, falsely called planets or wandering stars — for a thing cannot be said to wander if it preserves for all eternity fixed and regular motions, forward, backward and in other directions. And this regularity is all the more marvellous in the case of the stars we speak of, because at one time they are hidden and at another they are uncovered again; now they approach, now retire; now precede, now follow; now move faster, now slower, now do not move at all but remain for a time stationary. On the diverse moons of the planets the mathematicians have based what they call the Great Year, which is completed when the sun, moon and five planets having all finished their courses have returned to the same positions relative to one another. The length of this period is hotly debated, but it must necessarily be a fixed and definite time." [2.20]

The ancient Hellenes ascribed the planets to a particular God, although its not always clear whom the planet belongs to. We'll run through them in order, combining Jupiter and Saturn:

Jupiter and Saturn
The Hellenic names for these planets are Kronion and Dios, but which is which depends on who you read. Depending on that identification, these planets belong either to Zeus (or Kronos) or to Helios and are either Phainôn or Phaethôn, placed into the sky by the Gods.

Phainon is a son of the heavenly Gods Astraios and Eos, or alternatively, a handsome youth crafted by the Titan Prometheus who was placed amongst the stars by Zeus. In the second version, Prometheus did not want to present the youth to Zeus because he was so beautiful and He wanted to keep Him, but when Zeus saw him, he was preserved forever in the sky. Two versions exist, represented here by the words of Hyginus and Cicero:

"Planets. It remains for us to speak of the five stars which many have called wandering, and which the Greeks call Planeta. One of them is the star of Jove [Zeus], Phaenon by name, a youth whom Prometheus made excelling all others in beauty, when he was making men, as Heraclides Ponticus [Greek academician C4th B.C.] says. When he intended to keep him back, without presenting him to Jove as he did the others, Cupid [Eros] reported this to Jove [Zeus], whereupon Mercurius [Hermes] was sent to Phaenon and persuaded him to come to Jove [Zeus] and become immortal. Therefore he is placed among the stars." [Hyginus, Astronomica 2.42]

"Most marvellous [of all the stars of heaven] are the motions of the five Stellae, falsely called planets or Stellae Errantes (Wandering Stars) . . . For the Stella (Star) that is called Saturnus [Greek Kronos], the Greek name for which is Phaenon (the shiner), which is the farthest away from the earth, completes its orbit in about thirty years, in the course of which is passes through a number of remarkable phases, at one time accelerating and at another time retarding its velocity, now disappearing in the evening, then reappearing in the morning, yet without varying in the least degree throughout all the ages of eternity, but always doing the same things at the same times . . . This regularity therefore in the Stellae, this exact punctuality throughout all eternity notwithstanding the great variety of their courses, is to me incomprehensible without rational intelligence and purpose. And if we observe these attributes in the Stellae, we cannot fail to enrol even them among the number of the gods." [Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2.20]

Alternatively, as said, either Jupiter or Saturn represents Phaethôn, the son of Helios by Klymene. The story is told to us by Ovid, a roman poet. In it, Klymene boasts to Phaethôn that his father is the sun God Himself, and so, Phaethon goes up to Olympus to confirm. To prove His paternity, Hēlios swears of the river Styx to give Phaethôn anything he desires. Phaethôn grabs this opportunity to demand of his father to let him drive his golden chariot the next time the sun rises. First, Phaethôn drove them too high, and the Earth below cooled and the people suffered. Then, he flew too low and entire cities burned, lakes and rivers dried up, and even the seas were affected. Mighty Poseidon tried to stop Phaëthon, but had to flee from the heat. It was Zeus who threw His lightning bolt and killed Phaethôn.

" The second star is that of Sol [Helios]; others say of Saturnus [Kronos]. Eratosthenes claim that it is called Phaethon, from the son of Sol. Many have written about him--how he foolishly drove his father’s chariot and set fire to the earth. Because of this he was struck with a thunderbolt by Jove [Zeus], and fell into the river Eridanus, and was conveyed by So l [Helios] to the constellations." [Hyginus, Astronomica 2.42]

"Below this [the planet Phainon, or Saturn] and nearer to the earth moves the Stella of Jupiter, called Phaethon (the blazing), which completes the same circuit of the twelve signs of the zodiac in twelve years, and makes the same variations during its course as the star of Saturnus . . . This regularity therefore in the Stellae, this exact punctuality throughout all eternity notwithstanding the great variety of their courses, is to me incomprehensible without rational intelligence and purpose. And if we observe these attributes in the Stellae, we cannot fail to enrol even them among the number of the gods." [Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2.20]

Mars
The ancient Hellenes called Mars 'Areios'. Pyroeis is the God of this 'wandering star'. His name was derived from the Hellenic word for fire pyra, so-called for his reddish tinge. He was also named Mesonyx, the Midnight Star. Unlike his brother Eosphoros (Venus the dawn-star), Pyroeis was scarcely personified.

"The third star is that of Mars [Ares], though others say it belongs to Hercules. The star of Mars follows that of Venus, as Eratosthenes says, for the following reason: When Vulcan [Hēphaistos] had married Venus [Aphrodite], and on account of his careful watch, Mars [Ares] had no opportunity to see her, Mars [Ares] obtained nothing from Venus [Aphrodite] except that his star should follow hers. Since she inflamed him violently with love, she called the star Pyroeis, indicating this fact." [Hyginus, Astronomica 2.42]

"The orbit next below is that of Pyroeis (the fiery), which is called the star of Mars, and this covers the same orbit as the two planets above it in twenty-four months all but (I think) six days." [Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2.20]

Venus
Eosphoros and Hesperos are the Gods of Venus. They were originally regarded as two quite distinct divinities--the first, whose name means 'dawn bringer', was the God of the dawn-star, while the second, 'Evening', was the star of dusk. The two star-Gods were later combined. As such, it was called 'Eosphoros' when seen in the morning before sunrise, and Hesperos when it appeared after.

"The fourth star is that of Venus [Aphrodite], Luciferus [Eosphoros] by name. Some say it is Juno’s [Hera's]. In many tales it is recorded that it is called Hesperus, too. It seems to be the largest of all stars. Some have said it represents the son of Aurora [Eos] and Cephalus, who surpassed many in beauty, so that he even vied with Venus [Aphrodite], and, as Eratosthenes [Greek poet C3rd B.C.] says, for this reason it is called the star of Venus. It is visible both at dawn and sunset, and so properly has been called both Lucifer [Eosphoros] and Hesperus." [Hyginus, Astronomica 2.42]

"Lowest of the five planets and nearest to the earth is the star of Venus, called in Greek Phosphoros (the light-bringer) and in Latin Lucifer when it precedes the sun, but when it follows it Hesperos; this planet completes its orbit in a year, traversing the sod with a sausage movement as do the planets above it, and never distant more than the space of two signs from the sun, though sometimes in front of it and sometimes behind it." [Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2.20]

Mercury
Hermaon is the name of this planet, according to the ancient Hellenes. It's God is Stilbon, derived from the Greek verb stilbô meaning "to gleam" or "glitter." Out of all the five planets, He was the least personified. The star belonged to Hermes. "

This fifth star is Mercurius’ [Hermes], named Stilbon. It is small and bright. It is attributed to Mercurius because he first established the months and perceived the courses of the constellations. Euhemerus [Greek writer C4th-3rd B.C.] says that Venus [Aphrodite] first established the constellations and taught Mercurius [Hermes]." [Hyginus, Astronomica 2.42]

"Below this in turn is the star of Mercury [Hermes], called by the Greeks Stilbōn (the gleaming), which completes the circuit of the zodiac in about the period of a year, and is never distant from the sun more than the space of a single sign, though it sometimes precedes the sun and sometimes follows it." [Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2.20]

And thus ends the Constellation Series. I had a lot of fun doing them and I thank you for following along with all the posts over the years. Keep your eye to the sky, alright? Lots of mythology to be found right there.

• Sunday, July 12, 2015
  Aphrodite Ares astronomy Cicero Constellation series Hēlios Hēphaistos Hera Hermes Hyginus Kronos Mythology 101 Zeus

Sacrifices to the Gods

"I want to make an offering to Ares but I'm at a loss on what to give Him.... Any ideas on what He might like to be offered?"

I get quite a few questions on how to best honour a certain deity or what to offer Them. I have answered this question before, actually, in relation to Athena and Poseidon. As I said then, the major difference between reconstructive religions and modern ones—especially Pagan ones—is the way worship is conducted. Individual worship of Gods as well as patronage is perfectly acceptable in modern religions, but in Recon religions and the ancient Traditions they were based upon, worship tends to be of the pantheon, not so much the one God or Goddess. Worship was generalized in such a way that multiple Gods and Goddesses were worshipped in one rite—and usually in the same way.

The traditional offerings for the ancient Gods were wine, meat and skins from sacrificed animals, and incense. Pretty much anything else is a modern invention; coins, feathers, statues, etc. etc, are all modern. Yes, there were statues in temples, but they were there to house the presence of the God and to give a focal point to worship. Yes, gifts were given to temples, but as payment for the aid of the priests. Basic, Hellenic worship means pouring wine into a fire, means tossing barley groats and incense into the flames, and depending on how hard-core you go at it, to sacrifice animals or give bought meat to the Gods through flames.

Those of us in Hellenismos who came there from the Pagan community often feel the need to give specified gifts; for Ares, I could imagine decorating shrines with weapons and shields, with the colour red (for blood and war but also love), and other symbolic gifts. This is perfectly fine, of course, but please be aware that this is a modern thought pattern. Even ancient shrines were basic places of worship, decorated mostly with practical tools. Temples were places where riches were collected and stored--usually not even displayed prominently.

To answer this question, the best I can come up with is red, grass-fed meat, frankincense incense and some hymns in His honour. I hope that helps.

• Wednesday, December 31, 2014
  ancient Hellenic culture Ares Hellenismos 101 Paganism requested post

How the Gods influence our lives through kharis

Star Foster's latest blog post has been stuck in my head again. In a miraculous show of foresight, she already predicted that that post was going to get a lot of tongues wagging, and I will most certainly admit that it has. I'm sad to read that most of it is negative, but you know, that's what the blogosphere will do, it seems. I've never understood the how's and why's of that but lets leave that for another day. I'm not here to speak for Star but let me assure you that I am on her side should the need for sides arise. What I would like to do is explain what I took from the post and why it's positive.

The blog post has a simple message: the Gods you invite into your home will impact your life. Period. So if you are looking to shift your life, focus on the Gods that oversee the desired outcome of that change. 'Stable' Gods bring a stable life, 'chaotic' Gods bring a chaotic life, especially in the case of devotional practices to a singular deity. I'm putting it very black-and-white here but will nuance this later, bear with me.

Where Star left herself open to critisims, I fear, is when she crosses Traditions; the view put forth by her and that I--in essence--agree with works in Hellenismos, I feel, but not in Neo-Wicca or even some other Recon Traditions. Many in the greater Pagan community have patron Gods, were chosen by deities, or interact with deity in an entirely different way as Hellenismos fosters; the worship of an entire pantheon, with special sacrifices to Gods with whom you are looking to built kharis. For them, Star's post could read as an all-out attack: Star seems to be blaming the victim of a chaotic life, after all, because they were chosen by a 'chaotic' God. In essence, they are being blamed for something outside of the control of the worshipper, who is suffering through the side-effects of that worship or even the direct results.

I'm not here to speak for Star, so let me give you my view: to me, Star's view on 'square Gods' applies only to Hellenismos, and Traditional Hellenismos at that. Some people in other Traditions may identify, but in general, I would apply this view only to Traditional Hellenismos. There is no victim blaming here; Traditional Hellenismos encourages you to worship an entire pantheon, in general there are no patrons, and deities don't pick you. It might happen, obviously, but it's not the leading view. I'm not saying this to de-value the experiences of anyone, and I'm generalizing, but within Traditional Hellenism, this is the leading view--it is my view, at least.

Another bit of critisism may have emerged from the lack of specificity in that post concerning Gods; there are major differences between Zeus Labrandeus ('Raging') and Zeus Ktêsios ('Of The House'), for example, and within this example it will impact your life if you pray to either epithet daily. My household worship solely focuses on Gods who bring stability, prosperity, and protection to the household; Gods like Hestia, Asklēpiós, Zeus in His epithets of Ktêsios, Herkeios ('Of the Courtyard'), Ephestios ('Of The Hearth'), Athena in her epithets of Ageleia ('Protectress') and Eryma ('Defender'), etc. By building kharis with these deities, I bring these good things into my life and home.

Within this view, it makes a lot of sense not to pray to Eris and Ares in His war-epithets on a daily basis, because eventually, They will bring chaos and war into your home. This doesn't mean you should not pray to Them when a festival comes up or to an epithet of Them that brings forth positives for your life (Ares Aphneios, for example, is an excellent epithet of the God Ares to invite into your home on a daily basis: He is the Giver Of Plenty, after all). Again, this is all in the 'standard' view of Traditional Hellenismos, and does not nessesarily translate well to personal devotional practices. That is beyond the scope of this theory, I feel.

I also don't think bad things in your life nessesarily happen because of the Gods. Sometimes, things just happen and they suck. Hellenismos is very clear about that; the Gods don't oversee every aspect of our lives, They are merely willing to interfere on behalf of those who pray to Them regularly should things really go wrong. Yet, some things you can control and they might relate to your devotional practices. If you drink yourself into a stupor every night as a devotional act to Dionysos and you end up with a shot liver... well, that relates directly to the God you chose to follow/who chose you to follow Him. Again, black-and-white, because I'm ignoring a boatload of other (medical) reasons why your liver might have given out, but all the binge drinking most likely did not help matters any. This is also not to say that you mind in any way that your liver is shot or that there is a value judgement in this; we all worship in our own way, and if this is the way hypothetical you chose to worship than by all means!

What Star describes is the practice of kharis, and the sense it makes in Traditional Hellenismos to built that kharis with Gods who bring you the things in life you seek. For Star and me, that is stability. It might be something completely different for you. I think taking a critical look at the Gods you worship on a daily basis makes sense in a Traditional Hellenistic view; I don't really believe in doing things without thinking it through, and kharis influences your life considerably.

I found a lot of value in Star's post because it relates to my life. If it doesn't to yours than that is just fine to me as well; we all have our own way of making sense of life and experiencing the Gods. I simply wanted to share this with you because I feel these is an important lesson about the effect of kharis in Star's post that I think more in the Traditional Hellenistic community should hear--and preferably in a positive light.

• Thursday, October 31, 2013
  Ares Asklēpiós Athena bloggers I admire Eris Hellenismos 101 Hestia interfaith kharis Neo-Wicca Paganism personal Zeus

PBP: Unpopular Gods?

I frequent a couple of Neo-Pagan Hellenistic places; here the crowd consists of people who at least in part focus their worship on the Hellenic Gods. Some are Recons, others Neo-Pagan and others again will identify in a different way all together. It's interesting to me that there is a huge difference in chatter in these parts than my more Traditional Reconstruction circles. One of the major difference is in the worship of so called 'unpopular Gods'.

These Gods are either Gods who have gotten a bad reputation over the years but were respected and honored equally in ancient Hellas--Ares comes to mind--or who were not or rarely honored in ancient Hellas but who now have a slew of devotees--Hades is a good example of this. Before I go any further, let me fist say that I take no issue with this what so ever. It's not how I structure my practice, but no one is forced to practice my way. It's a beautiful thing to find your own way to worship, and I encourage that. That said, I sometimes don't get it.

Lets start with Ares; in Hellas itself the act of worshipping Ares on a regular basis. He had a temple at Athens, in Laconia he had a temple with a grove, and I am quite sure he was regularly worshiped in Tegea, at Olympia, at Thebes, and at Sparta. Sparta's worship is quite famous, as the Spartans had an ancient statue of the God in chains, to bind res to the city-state and Always grant them vistory. At least for a time, the Spartans offered human to Ares. It's interesting to note that temples of Ares were usually built outside of the town, perhaps to scare off enemies.

As a God of war and victory, it was important to appease Him before going to battle. The ancient Hellenes saw much good in Ares, and much nessecity as well. The Homeric Hymns, for example, speak very positively about Him:

"Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden- helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defence of Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, stern governor of the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptred King of manliness, who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth! Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice from my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul. Restrain also the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread the ways of blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of death." [6]

Like all Olympians, Ares got His due in ancient Hellas. With the modern 'love and light' mentality--no disrespect meant here, I'm using the term to generalize the movement of 'declawing' Gods and practices, as it were, so no one ever feels treathened by a power more powerful than they--and our modern invention of ascribing only one or two core characteristics to a deity, worshipping Ares has suddenly become unpopular; he is after all, the God of war and bloodshed. Who wants to worship Him?

Needless to say in Recon Hellenism, that view is laughable. We worship, value, and honor all the Olympic Gods equally, and many of us try to share the one dimensional view of the Gods that is so prevalent. Just reading the Homeric Hymn to Ares should give anyone ample reason to worship Him, even if you are not a soldier; we could all use a bit of courage in our life for the battles we face.

Hades is a completely different story. As king of the Underworld, the ancient texts tell us He became quite cut off from the world above. It were only the oaths and curses of men that reached his ears, as they reached those of the Erinyes. This is why when people invoked him, they dug a pit to sacrifice in and struck the earth with their hands to get His attention. Black male sheep were offered to him and the person who offered the sacrifice had to turn away his face. Hades was worshipped throughout ancient Hellas, but mostly in His epithet of Plouton; 'Wealth-giver', who was mostly connected to the fruitful earth, not the dead. He had a temple in Elis, near Mount Menthe, at Olympia, and was worshipped at Athens in the grove of the Erinnyes.

Pausanias wrote in his 'Description of Greece' about the one temple (at Elis) where Hades was worshipped as Lord of the Dead:

"The sacred enclosure of Hades and its temple (for the Eleans have these among their possessions) are opened once every year, but not even on this occasion is anybody permitted to enter except the priest. The following is the reason why the Eleans worship Hades; they are the only men we know of so to do. It is said that, when Heracles was leading an expedition against Pylus in Elis, Athena was one of his allies. Now among those who came to fight on the side of the Pylians was Hades, who was the foe of Heracles but was worshipped at Pylus.

 

Homer is quoted in support of the story, who says in the Iliad:–

And among them huge Hades suffered a wound from a swift arrow,
When the same man, the son of aegis-bearing Zeus,
Hit him in Pylus among the dead, and gave him over to pains. Hom. Il. 5.395-397

 

If in the expedition of Agamemnon and Menelaus against Troy Poseidon was according to Homer an ally of the Greeks, it cannot be unnatural for the same poet to hold that Hades helped the Pylians. At any rate it was in the belief that the god was their friend but the enemy of Heracles that the Eleans made the sanctuary for him. The reason why they are wont to open it only once each year is, I suppose, because men too go down only once to Hades. " [6.25.2]

The only other time Hades as Lord of the Underworld was part of religious services seems to have been at funerals. Yet, the modern Neo-Pagan movement has many followers of Hades as Lord of the Underworld, and I have yet to come across a single person who honors Him as Plouton, Giver of Wealth. This might be arguing semantics to many, but these two deities were seen as wholly differently, or at least Plouton was seen in a much more positive light. For me, as a Recon, it's a curious thing to see so many devotees of Hades.

Again, this is not something I oppose; it's not part of my own practice, and I have no say over the practice of anyone else. It's curious to me, though, and I wanted to commit that questionmark to virtual paper. Sometimes it's odd to be a Recon in a Neo-Pagan group; odd but interesting.

• Friday, October 11, 2013
  ancient Hellenic culture Ares Hades Homeric Hymns interfaith Neo-Wicca Pagan Blog Project Paganism Pausanias Plouton

Aspis of Ares writing competition

With a few days left to go on Beloved in Light's poetry competition, there is another competition in the works for those who are less skilled in poetry--although poetry is also an option--or who prefer to write about Ares instead of Apollon. Aspis of Ares is a blog written by a devotee of Ares. As the month of May is a very important military month in the US, it seems logical to hold a competition in Ares' honor this month. The competition details can be found here, but I'll copy/paste:

"For those that don’t know, May is Military appreciation month in the US; it contains more military holidays than you can shake a stick at (for a full list, see here). In honor of the festivities, I am going to hold a writing contest running through Memorial day.

Up for grabs are two clay cameos, one for each category in the contest: poetry and short essay (see photo below). The “Ares in Naos” design is for the poetry category and the “Thrakian Rider” design is for the short essay category. The former is based on a coin obverse from Anatolia and the latter on a coin obverse from Thrakia.

 

Rules are simple–all entries must pertain to Ares or the military. One entry per person per category. Winners are selected by the readers, and everyone is allowed to vote only once in each category. You may vote for your own entries. This is an internationally open contest.
 

Poetry: No style restrictions. 25 word minimum preferred except for haiku.

Short Essay: 500 word minimum. If citations are necessary, you may use whatever style is most comfortable for you. No style restrictions, but non-fiction is preferred (I want to save that for another contest).
 

Entries are due no later than 23:59 Eastern Time Monday, May 27, 2013 (Memorial Day in the US). Please email entries to aspisofares@gmail.com . Good Luck! "

This competition offers a lot more options for me, as I'm not very good at poetry but can actually write fairly decently. I might enter the competition, but we'll see what happens. To anyone entering the competition: good luck! May Ares' fire light your inspiration.

• Sunday, May 5, 2013
  Ares bloggers I admire current affairs

Prayer for Boston

I should have posted this yesterday, but yesterday, I couldn't find the words. I also didn't know if it was my place to comment. I don't know anyone from or in Boston, and I live way across the pond, so in all fairness, there is nothing that binds me to the events that unfolded there, and to the victims. Nothing but common decency and human empathy. As such, I will still comment--like every blogger--because I want to be a voice that speaks out against the crazy, the destructive, and the cowardly. I will not be silent in the face of fear mongering and murder. As such, I offer a prayer today, to the Theoi, with my wishes for Their involvement in the resolution of this terrible event.

"May Hermes Psychopompos carry the souls of the dead safely cross the river Styx.
May Hades accept them favorably, and may the judges judge them fairly.
May Asklēpiós tend to the wounds of the injured
May Ares instill in them the passion of life, and the strength of a thousand warriors.
May Hypnos sooth their weary minds, and cloud them in sleep
May Dionysos calm their terror.
May They offer the same to emergency personnel and passers-by who were witnesses.
May Dikē who weeps at the injustice done upon all touched by this tragedy, clutch the strong thigh of Zeus the All-wise, and beg of Him the severest of punishment.
May All-Mighty Zeus send winged Nemesis to administer swift judgement.
May Her judgement take from the guilty parties an equal or greater price than their victims have had to pay.
May Hēlios the All-seeing whisper truths to law enforcement, and guide the investigation swiftly towards those who conceived and executed this terrible crime.
May Athena led Her aid to them.
May Zeus the All-mighty bless those who ran not from the area, but towards it, in an attempt to offer aid to those wounded or dead.
May he look favorably upon those who ran away as well, as the will to live is at the core of every mortal's life.
To all Theoi: a last plea. To protect those whom the media will persecute, but are innocent of the crime.
To protect the innocent scapegoat from the actions of a species in the grips of fear and revenge."

This is my prayer, may it echo in your.

• Wednesday, April 17, 2013
  Ares Asklēpiós Athena current affairs Dikē Dionysos Hades Hēlios Hermes Psychopompos Hypnos Nemesis personal Zeus

Mix-tape to Aphrodite

Today, I'm posting a mix-tape for Aphrodite. This idea is not mine; it's a combination of a wonderful idea by Sannion and Hellenion's monthly libation schedule. Hellenion is a Hellenistic organization from America and I used their wonderful calender and the great store of information they have gathered to start my own practice. Every month, Hellenion members pour a libation to a different Hellenic God or Goddess. This month, it's Aphrodite's turn, and while I will not be continuing this practice in the next Hellenic year, I will most certainly keep up the practice until then. To make the day more special, I have created a mix-tape of songs which either describe or would speak to Her.

Aphrodite has a modern PR problem: she's described as an air-headed woman with jealousy issues, who is only concerned with romantic love, while in ancient Hellas, Aphrodite was the Goddess who personified love in all its forms, from romantic, to obsessive, to abusive, to paid for. She rejoices in physical desire and beauty. In a form, She is the anti-Hera--who puts the sanctity of marriage above all--although she also has a marriage epithet (Aphrodite Hera, Αφροδιτη Ἡρη). Aphrodite's marriage to Hēphaistos is not only portrayed as an arranged one, it is also a childless marriage--a rare oddity in ancient Hellas, where the lack of legitimate children was feared above all. The only children Aphrodite has are with her lovers, mostly with Ares, Hermes and Dionysos. Aphrodite might have, in fact, divorced Hēphaistos, a very rare occurrance in ancient Hellenic life, as well as in the lives of the Theoi.

Also famously, ritual prostitution was a valid form of worship for Aphrodite in Cyprus, the center of her cult, in Cythera, Corinth and in Sicily. The women were called 'hierodoule' (ἱεροδούλη), temple slave, and 'made love' with paying customers. The practice was considered distinctly 'un-Hellenic' by 460 BC, but it made Corinth very wealthy, indeed. The practice seems to have lingered in converted Corinth from earlier worship of Astarte, who was brought into the pantheon as Aphrodite in Hellas. Pindar describes this exact practice beautifully in his 'Eulogies' (Fragment 122):

"Young women visited by many, servants of Peitho in rich Corinth, you who burn the tawny tears of pale frankincense, on many occasions fluttering in thought to the Uranian mother of desires, Aphrodite--To you she has granted without the possibility of refusal, O children, to have the fruit of your soft bloom plucked in lovely beds. And with necessity, everything is beautiful."

Aphrodite is the patron, protector and avenger of hierodoule as well as hetairai--female companions, a term used non-sexually for women, about women, but used by men to indicate a woman hired for entertainment, often leading to sex. She passes no judgement on those who enjoy the sanctity of sex and offers protection to those who practice it for money. When these women (usually, anyway) were wronged, they could call upon Aphrodite to have their abuser punished. And so, I'm going to start off this mix-tape with a song by Donna Summer, because it's a song about prostitution that is a little sad but also empowering.

Donna Summers - Bad Girls

This 1979 single was released by American singer Donna Summer, who was inspired to write it after one of her assistants was offended by a police officer who thought she was a street prostitute. I don't know, exactly, how prostitution was viewed in ancient Hellas, and if the women were looked down upon or pitied for their profession, but sacred sex was something that happened, regardless.

"Hey, mister, have you got a dime? / Mister, do you want to spend some time? Oh, yeah / I got what you want; you got what I need / I'll be your baby; come and spend it on me"

Poe - Hey Pretty (Drive By 2001 mix)

To stay with the theme, I'm moving on to a song about S-E-X. No one thought this post would be suitable for the work environment, right? Anyway, I adore Poe. She has a uniquely haunted sound, and has never been afraid to push a few boundaries. There are many songs about sex, and many are more explicit. What I like about Poe, though, is the sexual prowess of the woman in relation to the passiveness of the man, and the narrative, which is sexy as hell because of its slow build. I also love the fantastic spoof of a video that accompanies the song, but that might just be personal taste. Bonus points: the guy in the video is Poe's brother. Remind you of someone?

"Hey pretty, don't you wanna take a ride with me / Through my world? / Hey pretty, don't you wanna kick a slide / Through my world? / (Do you get the gist of the song now?)"

Imogen Heap - The Walk

I posted an Imogen Heap video for the Ares mix-tape (and Hera's but that's mostly unrelated) so it seems only fitting I include one for Aphrodite as well, especially when the accompanying song tackles Aphrodite's infidelity to her husband and attraction to Her lovers. While the song suggests some trepidation in the face of overwhelming feelings of desire for someone who one should not feel desire for, I am certainly not sure that was--and is--ever the case for Aphrodite. She seems to relish Her lovers, and in the time spent with them. Yet, I could see someone praying to Aphrodite to make these feelings go away, especially in modern society. Also, that desire described right there? Definitely Aphrodite's doing.

"Big trouble losing control / primary resistance at a critical low / on the double gotta get a hold / point of no return one second to go

No response on any level/ red alert this vessels under siege / total overload, systems down, they've got control / there's no way out, we are surrounded / give in, give in and relish every minute of it"

Rihanna - Disturbia

I must be very clear that there are no ancient sources that connect Aphrodite specifically to any form of madness, yet, we all know love makes you crazy sometimes. Obsessive love, kinky love, desires that are frowned upon by society--Aphrodite covers those too, I'm quite sure.

"Put on your pretty lies, you're in the city of wonder / ain’t gon’ play nice, watch out you might just go under / better think twice, your train of thought will be altered / so if you must falter be wise

Your mind’s in disturbia, it's like the darkness is light / disturbia, am I scaring you tonight? / disturbia, ain’t used to what you like / disturbia, disturbia"

Pat Benatar - Love is a Battlefield

I must end this mix-take with a very 80's video of the very aphrodesian Pat Benatar. This women-power power ballad represents all the best parts of Aphrodite's domain; from the epic love, to the pain it can cause, to the love for friends (and family), and the love for the self that Aphrodite governs just as much as external love.  Love is a battlefield sometimes, but Aphrodite can ease the fight--unless you work against Her, then She will kick your ass. If that ass-kicking incorporates over-rehearsed dance routines, you'll have to find out for yourself, though.

"We are young, heartache to heartache we stand / no promises, no demands / love is a battlefield

We are strong, no one can tell us we're wrong / searchin' our hearts for so long, both of us knowing / love is a battlefield"

• Saturday, February 9, 2013
  Aphrodite Ares Dionysos Hēphaistos Hermes mix-tape series

Who oversees the modern marvels?

Unless stated otherwise, nothing in this post is drawn from ancient sources. Most of it isn't even UPG. It's a thought exercise that popped into my head and won't leave anymore. To get it out, I'd better write it down and share. Way back when (when the Pagan Blog Project posts had only hit the 'G's), I wrote about genealogy of the Gods. I ended that post with the following:

"One sad part of studying Divine genealogy is that there is an end. The lives of the Gods have come to a halt. We rehash the stories but no more children are born, no heroes rise. It makes me wish for the inclusion and revelation of UPG into Hellenismos. New blood, new stories, could really benefit the practice and believes of Hellenic practitioners. A new Divine child to shake up the pantheon, a new child of Zeus who grows up to fight new (or returned) monsters. Sacrilege, some say, and they might be right. But I admit to staring at the pages of genealogy in my book and wishing the lines, somehow, someway, extend to include more of the Divine family. "

I still feel that way. I still wish for a line that continues onto now. But, seeing as we don't have that, I'm going to make another mental leap. I'm going to see who of the Theoi would oversee some of the modern marvels, should They be willing to adopt them.

The internet and the telephone
It's one of humanities greatest achievements; a real-time communication link between every person on the planet who has access to a computer and a subscription. It's not one thing; it's housed on computers everywhere, everyone adding a small part to it, so you can read these words from any place in the world. I'm quite sure who would have this marvel in their portfolio: Iris, rainbow Goddess of communication, who delivers Her messages as fast and the wind and who has always been a connector; in ancient Hellas, She connected the Theoi and mankind. Her speed, Her messenger spirit, and her ability to connect everyone anywhere in the world make Her an excellent candidate for the position of Patroness of the Internet.
For most of the same reasons, I would also place the telephone firmly under Her domain.

Planes, trains and automobiles
I'm staying with the sky Gods on this one; airplanes, trains and cars have cut down travel time, have made goods readily available anywhere in the world, have allowed us to expand modern life to parts of the world where this was absolutely impossible before, and--in the case of airplanes--have given us entrance into Zeus' domain. yet, I don't feel Zeus would oversee flight. I think that would be Hermes' task. Airplanes would be a marvelous novelty for Hermes, who is known to fly everywhere. It's this huge, bulky, thing that miraculously stays in the air. I think Hermes would get a kick out of throwing a few air pockets in the way of a plane--just to see the panic on everyone's faces--before helping the plane land safely. Trains and cars go fast, make a lot of noise and are constantly out on the road. This, too, would make Hermes happy. Hēphaistos may be involved with the construction of these travel aids, but Hermes would watch over your safety while in them.

Computers
As already discussed a bit with the internet, modern life would change dramatically if we lost computers. they help us communicate, solve problems beyond our natural capabilities, provide entertainment, allow us to make a living and that's just scratching the surface of its usefulness. For me, this is another no-brainer: Hēphaistos. If Daidalos had been a Theos, I would have picked him. Athena's analytical mind may have had a part in its creation as well, but the actual tinkering bits would speak to Hēphaistos far more than to Athena. Once the first computer was completed, I would see it likely Athena lost interest, while Hēphaistos would relish the challenge of improving upon it again and again.

The radio and television
A slightly older means of communication, but none the less very valuable. Radio signals connect people, are used in jobs like airport control, security and construction, and bring music to the masses. Because of the broad application of the radio, and especially because of the music, I'm picking Apollon for this one. Anything that brings music all over the world would interest him greatly. Because of its ability to amuse, educate and spread awareness, the television would also fall under Apollon's domain.

Bombs, guns, tanks and other weapons of war
It's a cheap shot, but for their sheer destructive power, I would place any weapon of war under Ares' domain. It may not be honorable, but weapons of war are effective. When His rage reaches the point of no return, I'm sure His hands would itch to just wipe out the enemy. In fact, I think Ares would have felt a whole lot better if He would have been able to decimate the Hellenic army besieging Troy with a few powerful bombs. He is still the Lord of War. As for some of the other war-like Theoi; I think Athena and Zeus would find these methods too crude and/or imprecise. They would like the sniper rifle and, perhaps, to tinker with the missile guidance systems, but actual weapons of mass destruction? Not so much.

This is a top-of-my-head list. Are there others you have ideas about? I'm sure Aphrodite would be happy with the invention of sex toys, and Apollon with electric lights, for example. I'd also really love to hear if you had envisioned other Theoi with these examples. Have fun!

• Sunday, November 11, 2012
  Apollon Ares Athena Daidalos Hēphaistos Hermes Iris Zeus