Nudity in ancient Hellas

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from a frequent reader of Baring the Aegis who had seen my post on the small packages of the ancient statues and the post about taboos where nudity also plays an important role, and had begun to wonder about nudity at large in ancient Hellas, and specifically in a religious setting. They also wondered how I feel about nudity in modern Hellenismos. I would like to share my--slightly edited--reply with the readers of this blog, because others might be wondering about the ancient Hellenic attitude towards nakedness as well.

 

‘Naked’, gymnos, in the ancient Hellenic language has a double meaning: it means both nudity and ‘to go without chiton’, which complicates drawing conclusions from the written word. As such, most of the information gathered on this topic is based upon artwork, with a few exceptions. The ancient Hellenes had a very complicated view of nudity, and I don’t think I did that view justice back in 2012.

 

Before I get to the religious part, I feel I must look at every day life first. I want to start with ancient Hellenic clothing, which varied for males and females, although both only wore one or two rectangular pieces of cloth. Undergarments of any kind were unknown to the ancient Hellenes, and they were thus naked under them. Men throughout the whole of the ancient Hellenic time period wore either a chiton and himation, only a chiton, or only the himation. Socrates is famous for wearing only the latter, and so is Agesilaus, King of Sparta, and Phocion, who Plutarch joked about in ‘Phocion’, saying: 

 

“His countenance was so composed that scarcely was he ever seen by any Athenian either laughing or in tears. He was rarely known, so Duris has recorded, to appear in the public baths, or was observed with his hand exposed outside his cloak, when he wore one. Abroad, and in the camp, he was so hardy in going always thin clad and barefoot, except in a time of excessive and intolerable cold, that the soldiers used to say in merriment, that it was like to be a hard winter when Phocion wore his coat.“

 

There were very strict social rules about what was considered proper and improper for men when wearing only one of the two layers of clothing, and even when wearing both. Under no circumstances was the clothing to slide up above the knee during social affairs. It seems that any setting where nudity was not required--something we will come to below--nudity was forbidden quite strictly. Partial exposure like that was considered not only improper but irreverent, again, something I must explain later.

 

Women, whose style of clothing varied greatly throughout the ancient Hellenic time period, had to hold fast to different social rules concerning nudity. Statues and frescos show that in very archaic Knossos, for example, highly placed women wore garments which proudly exposed their breasts. When this style faded, others took its place. For their clothing, women in ancient Hellas often wore translucent materials, which left very little to the imagination. Many ancient writers, including Lucian, Petronius, and Seneca write about this, Seneca most tellingly:

 

“I see silk clothes, if they can be called clothes, which can protect neither the body nor the modesty.” [De Beneficiis, 7.9.5.]

 

It seems that women, while not nude, displayed a nakedness in the streets that was completely accepted. The social rules concerning these displays of the body depended on the intent of the nudity: either natural or erotic. Erotic nudity had no function in public, and was heavily frowned upon. Natural nakedness went accepted. For ancient Hellenic men, a woman’s girdle holding in place her dress was much more erotic than seeing her breasts through the thin fabric of her clothing.

 

Public nudity was not originally an Hellenic custom, but became one. From Thucydides’ ‘History of the Peloponnesian War’: 

 

“The Athenians were the first to lay aside their weapons, and to adopt an easier and more luxurious mode of life; indeed, it is only lately that their rich old men left off the luxury of wearing undergarments of linen, and fastening a knot of their hair with a tie of golden grasshoppers, a fashion which spread to their Ionian kindred and long prevailed among the old men there. On the contrary, a modest style of dressing, more in conformity with modern ideas, was first adopted by the Lacedaemonians, the rich doing their best to assimilate their way of life to that of the common people. They also set the example of contending naked, publicly stripping and anointing themselves with oil in their gymnastic exercises. Formerly, even in the Olympic contests, the athletes who contended wore belts across their middles; and it is but a few years since that the practice ceased. To this day among some of the barbarians, especially in Asia, when prizes for boxing and wrestling are offered, belts are worn by the combatants. And there are many other points in which a likeness might be shown between the life of the Hellenic world of old and the barbarian of to-day.“ [1.6]

 

Sports were a frequent platform of nudity: not only did males (and in Sparta and a few other choice city-states, females) who studied at the gymnasium practice sports and even their classes in the nude, there is evidence to support that the two genders did not hide their bodies from each other when women were permitted, and even that they wrestled each other while naked, showing that this type of nakedness was considered completely natural and accepted. Athenaeus records a Spartan custom of this, saying: 

 

“The fashion, too, of Sparta is much praised, I mean that of displaying their maidens naked to their guests; and in the island of Chios it is a beautiful sight to go to the gymnasia and the race-courses, and to see the young men wrestling naked with the maidens, who are also naked.” [13, 566e]

Sporting competitions were always in the nude. It seems that in antiquity, the athletes did wear something to hide their nether regions, but when this covering slipped off of a sprinter, and he tripped and fell to his death, any type of covering was forbidden. Married women, in most city states, (interestingly enough) were not allowed to watch sporting events, not even the major ones like to Olympics, although testimony Pindar (in Pythia) hints at the possibility that the Hellenic city-state of Cyrene allowed married women to watch. Maidens were more often allowed to view the games. Scholars pose that the distinction between maiden and married is made purely aesthetically: the ancient Hellenes valued beauty very much, and maidens were considered beautiful. They were virtuous and thus desirable. Married women were not to be seen as desirous; they were married.

 

Before I come to the religious part of this longwinded tale, I must address two more points: bathing and the ancient Hellenic practice to either be completely dressed, or completely naked. Bathing, in ancient Hellas, had quite an interesting set of social rules attached to it, especially before the Peloponnesian war. ’Baths’, when referred to in ancient texts, unless otherwise specified, nearly always alluded to bathing in hot or warm water, as many bathing house offered. at least until the previously mentioned war, bathing in warm water was  considered taboo for men. Warm water was for women; men were supposed to be a heartier breed and thus bathed in cold water. Aristophanes, in Clouds, forbids men from entering the baths, because they are baneful and effeminizing. From the writings of Plato, Demothenes, and Plutarch, we can see that this view was quite widespread (see Plutarch on Phocion above).

 

For my last point before I get to religion, it must be said that the ancient Hellenes felt no shame about their body, quite the opposite, in fact. The ancient Hellenes took great pride in beauty, and displayed their bodies proudly. Especially young males were considered pleasing, as described in my post about the small packages of statues. Sexual organs of both sexes were considered not only natural, but sacred. Aidos (Αἰδώς) is a term (and Goddess) interpreted often as ‘shame’ or ‘modesty’, and linked to he displaying of a person’s genitals, but the term can also mean ‘awe’ and ‘reverence’. The ancient Hellenes were well aware that their sexual organs--when brought together in an intimate setting--produced children. As such, these body parts were treated with an almost religious reverence as the mystical tools of propagation. These instruments produced life, something definitely awe inspiring. This is also how the phallus became a religious symbol; it represents the inexhaustible fruitfulness of human nature and the gratitude that came with this understanding.

 

Because sexual organs were considered somewhat sacred, covering them up--especially when otherwise naked--was considered impious, and so any socially acceptable situation where clothes were deemed cumbersome, unnecessary or impossible led to a state of complete nakedness. The ancient Hellenes took great pride in this fact, and to cover up one’s groin was considered barbaric. As Herodotos puts it so beautifully in his ‘Histories’:

 

“For among the Lydians, and indeed among the barbarians generally, it is reckoned a deep disgrace, even to a man, to be seen naked. ” [1, 7-11]
 

To conclude, nudity was generally accepted by the ancient Hellenes, although social rules had to be observed. Women rarely went completely uncovered in every day life, but displayed their bodies through their clothing. Men could cast off their clothing more readily. If either gender undressed, it was seen as irreverent to do so partly, and thus they appeared either fully clothed or naked. Partial nudity was frowned upon in almost all social settings, while full nudity was often accepted.

 

Now, as for religious worship: there are definitely some instances where complete nudity became required. In other festivals, I would assume--based on the above--that nudity was allowed, if the person went completely uncovered. A few examples of rituals where we know nudity was included:

 

• The young maidens who ‘played the bear’ to Artemis at the Brauronia are depicted naked at various stages of the ritual
• Athenaeus describes a 'naked-boy dance' in relation to the cult of Dionysos:  “The naked-boy-dance is like what is called the anapale among the ancients. For all the boys who dance it are naked, performing certain rhythmical movements and describing certain positions with the arms gently, so as to represent certain scenes in the wrestling-school during a wrestling-and-boxing match, but moving the feet in time to the music. Variations of it are the Oschophoric and the Bacchic, so that this dance also is traceable to the worship of Dionysus. Aristoxenus says that the ancients, practicing first the naked-boy-dance, proceeded into the pyrriche before entering the theatre.”
• Arisophanes in ‘Clouds’ hints at this type of dance being performed during the Panathenaea as well: “But you, you teach the children of to-day to bundle themselves quickly into their clothes, and I am enraged when I see them at the Panathenaea forgetting Athene while they dance, and covering their tools with their bucklers.”
• Stabo recorded the following example of public nudity at Acharaca in ancient Hellas:  “On the road between Tralles and Nysa is a village of the Nysaeans, not far from the city Acharaca, in which is the Plutonium, to which is attached a large grove, a temple of Pluto and Proserpine, and the Charonium, a cave which overhangs the grove, and possesses some singular physical properties. The sick, it is said, who have confidence in the cures performed by these deities, resort thither, and live in the village near the cave, among experienced priests, who sleep at night in the open air, on behoof of the sick, and direct the modes of cure by their dreams. The priests invoke the gods to cure the sick, and frequently take them into the cave, where, as in a den, they are placed to remain in quiet without food for several days. Sometimes the sick themselves observe their own dreams, but apply to these persons, in their character of priests and guardians of the mysteries, to interpret them, and to counsel what is to be done. To others the place is interdicted and fatal.
  An annual festival, to which there is a general resort, is celebrated at Acharaca, and at that time particularly are to be seen and heard those who frequent it, conversing about cures performed there. During this feast the young men of the gymnasium, and the ephebi, naked and anointed with oil, carry off a bull by stealth at midnight, and hurry it away into the cave. It is then let loose, and after proceeding a short distance falls down and expires.”
• Vase paintings and frescos of Dionysios’ festivals often have men and women dancing naked.
• I’m sure I have read somewhere that Aphrodite’s worship was also sometimes conducted naked, but I simply can not find the reference again.

 

Nudity was a part of ancient Hellenic religion, but not often a requirement. In most cases, clothes were cot considered a burden, so they remained on. In the case of Dionysian worship, clothes would hinder the ecstatic dances usually tied to them, so clothes were discarded. Functional nudity. That said, I have not found any references to festivals where public nudity was expressly forbidden.

 

I come from a Neo-Pagan background and was quite accustomed to performing rituals in the nude. It was a big shift to go to clothed ritual for me, but it does seem fitting somehow. The ancient Hellenic viewpoint of functional nudity seems practical and a good standard to uphold. That said, I am not against nudity in Hellenic ritual at all, if agreed upon by all participants and the occasion warrants it.

 

If you have a question for me, please, do not hesitate to contact me at the gmail address 'baring.the.aegis'.

• Tuesday, June 18, 2013
  ancient Hellenic culture Aristophanes Artemis Athenaeus Dionysos Hellenismos 101 herodotos Panathenaia personal Phocion Plutarch requested post Seneca Thucydides

Practicing Apart Together: modern worship

Especially for those of us not living in Greece or the United States, finding other Hellenists can be a mighty challenge. I'm sad to report that I'm still pretty sure I'm the only Hellenist living in The Netherlands. Remind me to ask the Young Flemish Hellenist exactly where in Belgium he lives, because he might very well be the closest Hellenist to me. Of course, with modern technology, nothing is preventing us from overcoming this distance with a little help. Today, I want to discuss some possibilities of starting an e-thiasos and Practicing Apart Together (like a LAT relationship but for religion).

The internet--and especially e-mail, Yahoo groups, and social media--have made it possible to connect to anyone, anywhere, anytime. There are forums, groups, and lists aplenty where one can find modern practitioners. Elaion, for example, or Facebook groups like the Hellenic polytheistic Community. Yet, talking with someone is not the same as worshipping with someone, even if the discussions you are having are very in-depth and religious. Religious discussion is--or should be, in my opinion--part of communal worship, communal worship needs something more: shared ritual. That is the basic foundation of group worship, and also of PAT.

There are, of course, various ways to go about this. The simplest way is to find people you connect with and decide on a date, a time, a purpose and a deity to honor in your own way. Hellenion, for example, does this with its monthly libation schedule where--at 12 PM local time--everyone pours a libation to the deity that is honored in that month. It is also possible to match time tables so all participants are executing the libation or ritual at the exact same time.

A step slightly more involved than that is to write the ritual with the group, or taking turns writing the ritual. This ritual can then be performed individually. This requires a bit more shared practice--who receives libations besides the Theoi for whom you are performing the ritual? How do you perform a ritual? What basic steps are observed?--but also gives a greater sense of community. Logistically, you will all be doing the same thing after the same starting time, but it's still impossible to line the worship up exactly, or to take up a specific role in the ritual, although opinions may vary on that.

Beyond this option, there is the option of shared audio/video ritual. Anyone with a laptop, tablet, smart phone or even a PC with a webcam and microphone can start a Google Hangout or other type of video sharing session and point the camera at what they're doing. This interaction will allow roles to be integrated into the ritual; one of the members of the e-thiasos recites the hymn to Hestia, another prays to Apollon, and a third sacrifices honey cakes to Him afterwards, while libations are poured by all. It's not exactly traditional, but it sure helps you to feel included in a group. You might want to announce to the Theoi who, exactly, is taking part in this ritual, and practice a couple of times to get the weight of technology off of you, but for many of us, this kind of elaborate set-up might be the only way in which we can take part in regular group worship. I would suggest sticking to a single continent, though, when forming these Thiasoi, simply because it might be harder to plan daytime or night time specific rituals if the time zones are too far apart.

With such a distinct lack of people to worship with in my neck of the woods, I would love the opportunity of being part of an e-theisos, and I would love to try out a shared video ritual. I've been part of the other three, and it was very satisfying to do. Hellenismos is not a solitary religion, it was never intended as such. For the festivals, especially, I feel a great longing to practice with others. Perhaps the internet will one day allow me to do so.

• Monday, June 17, 2013
  community Elaion Hellenismos 101 PAT personal

Comment section fixed

Well then, it seems Google decided that any blogger who had their Google+ comment plug-in installed was not interested in allowing any other method of commenting on a blog post. Today, I was warned that commenting was, indeed, reserved for the Google+ elite, so naturally, I turned off the Google+ plug-in. Commenting is now open again to anyone with a blogger, Google+, and OpenID account. I apologize for the inconvenience.

• Sunday, June 16, 2013
  blogging personal this is not a real post

The Pythagorean theorem

Today, like with Plato's allegory of the cave, I want to discuss one of the major developments in thinking contributed to the ancient Hellenes. When I was in high school, I was terrible at math. Especially geometry was a huge problem for me. I had nightmares about the Pythagorean theorem even years after high school--I understood the overall theory, but then my teacher dragged in a lighthouse or tent pole and I was lost. It took my brain a good couple of years to understand that those lighthouses and tent poles didn't have anything to do with math and were just an overlay intended to make math easier for people whose brain was wired differently than mine. For me, it made me hate anything connected to mathematics. In a roundabout way, I was eventually reintroduced to math in a way that made a lot more sense to me, and looking back now, the Pythagorean theorem is really not that difficult anymore. If I have readers who are struggling with this in school, trust me, it gets better.

Back to Pythagoras. Pythagoras of Samos (Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος) was an Ionian Hellenic philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism. He was an influential voice in philosophy, religion, mysticism and science in the late 6th century BC, and is best known for the Pythagorean theorem which bears his name. Because almost everything we now know about Pythagoras was written down centuries later, it may very well be that the theorem as well as anything else attributed to Pythagoras was discovered by his colleagues, students, successors, or even his mother. That said, I'm just going to assume that Pythagoras was brilliant and came up with one of the most basic fundaments of geometry, that in any right-angled triangle, the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares whose sides are the two legs (the two sides that meet at a right angle). Gods, that sounds complicated when posed like this. The Pythagorean theorem is better known as the formula used to solve it: a² + b² = c².

The easiest form of the Pythagorean theorem

We often call the ancient Hellenes the founders of modern thinking, and although the theorem was very influential even then, it had been discovered before. What Pythagoras did--and which man other Hellenic scholars did in their time--was proof why the theorem works. Instead of simply going with it, they struggled to find proofs of the theories. To prove the Pythagorean theorem, we must realize that it does not actually concern the triangle depicted above; it concerns the squares that you can connect to them. In the example above, there will be a square with a value of 3 on all sides to the left of the shortest side (a), a larger square with a value of 4 on all sides tagged to the bottom line (b), and an even larger square with a value of (in this example) 5 on all sides tagged to the hypotenuse (c). You can see this in the image to the left, below. Pythagoras then realized that this theory works because the area encompassed by the outer square never changes, and the area of the four triangles is the same at the beginning and the end, so the black square areas must be equal, therefore a² + b² = c². Actually, we don't know if this is the proof Pythagoras used, but it sure is one that works.

 

Pythagoras's theorem has been at the core of mathematics and geometry ever since its discovery, and even though the discoveries by Pythagoras and his contemporaries at his school were supposed to be kept secret within the brotherhood that surrounded those who studied, lived, and worshipped with Pythagoras, many of them were leaked to the public eventually. This allowed those who were not part of Pythagoreanism to understand and develop the foundations Pythagoras had laid out. His influence could be seen in the work of the greats--like Plato--but the influence of his brotherhood can be found even as far down the line as Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism.

 

Pythagoras made many more brilliant discoveries in his time, many of which w will talk about at a later date. For now, I want to share with you this lengthy, but hugely interesting lecture by N.J. Wildberger at the University of New South Wales for the college course 'History of Mathematics'. In this first lecture (with two parts) a very rough outline of world history from a mathematical point of view is given, with a focus on the position the work of the ancient Greeks as following from Egyptian and Babylonian influences has in that timeline. It also introduces the Pythagoras' theorem in a very elaborate and understandable way. The disposition about Pythagoras starts at about 13 minutes in. Part b can be found here, and is equally interesting. Enjoy!

 



 

Image source: squares, Pythagorean proof

• 
  ancient Hellenic culture Plato Pythagoras teachings video

A survey about Pagan piety

I like piety. I discuss it quite often here. I am a pious person. Elizabeth, over at Twilight and Fire has launched a survey to help index how the greater community thinks about the subject, and I have decided to enter. I have also decided to discuss it here, both because I want to help spread the word, and because I think her questions are interesting. If you want to enter too, please follow the instructions below:

• copy and paste the questions into your email browser and send your replies to lokisthrowpillow@gmail.com with the subject header 'Piety Survey' 
• answer each question as fully and thoughtfully as possible
• parts of your reply may be used in the results
• deadline: August 31, 2013
• full guidelines here

I would greatly encourage everyone to fill in this survey, to give Elizabeth the best possible focus group for results. Here are mine:

Name (real or “Craft name”)

Elani Temperance

 

How long have you been Pagan/polytheistic?

Thirteen years, twelve as a variety of Neo-Pagan, one as a Hellenist.

 

What is your tradition (i.e. Wiccan, reconstructionist Heathen, eclectic, etc.)

Hellenismos (Reconstructionistic Greek polytheism)

 

Do you have any patron gods/goddesses or deities you are especially close to? If so, who are They?

Not in the patron sense, no.

 

How do you define your own relationship(s) to the gods? For instance, do you view one or more of Them as your beloved or spouse, or are They more like parents to you? Do you consider Them friends, allies, mentors? All of the above? None of the above? How does this differ between various gods?

No, the Gods are the Gods. Some of Them guard the household, and are therefor closer to us, but They are Gods--not my friends, not my family, my Gods, who can either help me or hurt me if They so desire. Even the Gods I have built kharis with (a reciprocal relationship), I do not have a personal relationship with. I am one of many.

 

How do you define “piety” as it relates to Paganism/modern polytheism?

I define piety as thoughts and actions performed out of devotion and respect to Deity. Piety, to me, in a Hellenistic setting, means putting the work I do for my Gods above anything else and never expecting anything in return. To me, it means living your life in the way the Gods desire of you, and to let Them shape your life as They see fit. I cannot define what piety means for the whole of the Pagan community, as the Pagan community is incredibly broad.

 

Do you find this to be a useful or relevant term concerning your own relationship with the gods? Is it relevant to Paganism/modern polytheism in general?
I think piety is one of the most--if not the most--important terms in my relationship to the Gods. As for the whole of Paganism; there is a lot of 'working with' going on and many paths don't focus on Gods at all, so it might be less useful and relevant for them. For me, it has always been essential.

 

Is it possible to be pious without an established dogma or authority? Why or why not?
Of course. Piety can be linked to dogma and/or authority, but at its core, it stems from a love for the Gods and the willingness to go the extra mile for Them. You don't need anyone to tell you how to love, although Recon Traditions like mine do have certain established means for that.

 

Is there anything you consider impious (i.e. behavior, modes of worship)? Why?
Lots of things, honestly. Much of the behavior of the greater Pagan community seems impious to me; 'working with', 'patronage', not addressing the Gods in the way they were addressed by those who originally worshipped them, etc. It's just that I am only accountable for the path I walk, so I don't mind how others walk theirs. For me, to not hold twice daily libations and prayers to the Gods, to speak ill of Them, to invest more time in one than the others, to neglect the heroes, Titans, nymphs, and minor deities, to not follow the sacred calendars of the month and year, to not practice xenia (ritual hospitality), to not live arête (the best I can be), to neglect Them in any way, is impious. 

 

Are you for or against the establishment and observance of rules about piety in your particular tradition and/or within Pagan/polytheist religion in general? Please explain your response.
For, naturally. These are already in place; xenia, kharis, arête, and many more are adopted pious acts within Hellenismos. Without practicing them, what you are practicing is a shadow of the religion; valuable for you, perhaps, but distant from fellow practitioners and perhaps even the Gods. That said, I can not walk, nor dictate, anyone else's path, and so I can and will not judge. It would be impious for me to assume that I had the power to observe the right path: that insight is only for the Gods.

• Saturday, June 15, 2013
  bloggers I admire current affairs daily practice ethics Ethike Arete Paganism personal

PBP: Lōtophagoi: the lotus-eaters

For a tribe of people who are only mentioned once (well, twice...) in the ancient mythological writers, and once in ancient Hellenic history books, the lōtophagoi sure have made a lasting impression on humanity. They have been featured in poetry, in music, and they have inspired books and movies, not in the least Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief. Today, I want to recount the ancient tales.

The lōtophagoi (λωτοφάγοι) are a tribe of people encountered by Odysseus and his crew as they are trying to find their way home after the long Trojan war. In the Odysseia, Odysseus has had quite the adventure already when a strong northern wind has them land on the shores of an island, inhabited by friendly, inviting people. The crew parts with the ship and some partake in the delicacies offered to them by the tribe. The food their receive lulls their mind into forgetfulness, and their bodies into sleep, and when Odysseus sees what is happening to his crew, he drags them away, ties them down to the ship and sets sail. From the Odysseia:

"For nine days I was driven by fierce winds over the teeming sea: but on the tenth we set foot on the shores of the Lotus-eaters, who eat its flowery food. On land we drew water, and my friends ate by the ships. Once we had tasted food and drink, I sent some of the men inland to discover what kind of human beings lived there: selecting two and sending a third as herald. They left at once and came upon the Lotus-eaters, who had no thought of killing my comrades, but gave them lotus to eat. Those who ate the honey-sweet lotus fruit no longer wished to bring back word to us, or sail for home. They wanted to stay with the Lotus-eaters, eating the lotus, forgetting all thoughts of return. I dragged those men back to the shore myself by force, while they wept, and bound them tight in the hollow ships, pushing them under the benches. Then I ordered my men to embark quickly on the fast craft, fearing that others would eat the lotus and forget their homes. They boarded swiftly and took their place on the benches then sitting in their rows struck the grey water with their oars."

Herodotos was sure the lotus-eaters were an actual tribe. In book four of his Histories, he writes:

"In a peninsula which stands out into the sea from the land of these Gindanes dwell the Lotophagoi, who live by eating the fruit of the /lotos/ only. Now the fruit of the lotos is in size like that of the mastich-tree, and in flavour it resembles that of the date-palm. Of this fruit the Lotophagoi even make for themselves wine." [177]

So, what is this lotus? Scholars have pointed to a number of plants which might represent the lotus of the ancient Hellenes, including clovers, fellbloom, water lilies and fenugreek. None of these would have the desired psychoactive effect, however, and personally, I am of the opinion that the lōtophagoi enjoyed the ripe seed pods of the poppy plant, which resemble the pod of an actual lotus. I have no evidence of this, however.

Where the island of the lotus-eaters is located is another mystery entirely. Scholars take the location to be somewhere of the North African shore; quite possibly the island of Djerba, but as we have seen, Herodotos states the lōtophagoi lived in a peninsula, which discredits that theory. All that is certain is that we do not know where the lōtophagoi lived, if they lived at all, although I see no reason why the tribe would not have existed; getting addicted to a hallucinogen is something easily accomplished.

• Friday, June 14, 2013
  herodotos lōtophagoi Mythology 101 Odysseia Odysseus Pagan Blog Project

US Aphrodite temple fundraiser

I was going to write about something else, but I have been made aware of a new fundraiser by Laurelei Black which aims to raise 20.000 dollars for a temple to Aphrodite in the US (assuming in Monrovia, Indiana). From the fundraiser page:

 

"For nearly 15 years, Laurelei Black has been a Priestess of Aphrodite, and her work has included writing books, leading ceremonies and festivals, teaching classes, and tending to a small woodland shrine of the Goddess of Love and Beauty.

 

It's time to make a physical temple for Aphrodite's worship in the United States. The temples of old (scattered throughout the Mediterranean) are lovely ruins, but the world needs working temples -- places where devotees can interact with the Gods and Goddesses, ceremonies and celebrations can be hosted, and instruction in the Mysteries can happen."

 

This crowdfunding project will help the Temple of Aphrodite to:
- build a temple structure suitable for personal and public celebration year-round
- buy or commission an icon (statue) of Aphrodite for use in the Temple
- decorate and equip the Temple with furnishings, fixtures, and basic supplies
- design and create a surrounding garden for outdoor celebration and meditation
- build and equip a workshop/teaching space

I greatly applaud this initiative, although I do have a few questions. For example, does she already have land at her disposal? How will the project be funded beyond the build? Where will the temple be? What if she stops being interested in the project? What is the timeframe? Is there already an existing community for worship, or is it just Black? etc. Also, I would feel better if this was not a private initiative from someone I have never heard of, but backed by some kind of Pagan organization. I would also have liked a few more details about a business plan, but then again, 20k is not that much in the grand scheme of things. If you have a credit card--please, if you ever start a crowdfunded project, pick a provider which allows for other methods of payment--you can chip into the project here, something I wholeheartedly support.

• Thursday, June 13, 2013
  Aphrodite current affairs Temples