PSA: The Separating of a Hellenic Pagan from just a Greek Mythology Enthusiast is important.
It’s the line between Zeus: a whore who can’t keep his dick in his pants and cheats on his wife VS Zeus: king of the gods, the father of many. The almighty ruler. He who has blessed the divine monarch with many children, a family that would take on many roles that he or his siblings couldn’t possibly take on all themselves. A goddess of childbirth, wisdom, a god of medicine. Gods that the mortals relied on to help them survive. Children that will have better knowledge than him in certain fields. Zeus who loves and gifts the few that defend him in many ways. Zeus who loves when his devotees aren’t scared during his thunder storms. Zeus who would never hurt his devotees.
It’s the line between Poseidon: Medusa’s Assaulter VS Poseidon: Medusa’s assaulter in the Ovid version that came much later than of which the original stories were told of two consensual lovers, and not at all believed by Poseidon Devotees who see their god get called a rapist everyday. Poseidon who provided a safe voyage for the many ships that sail through his beautiful blue seas. Poseidon who was moody but still cared about his family. Poseidon who is supportive of Hellenic devotees that are coming and learning more about the gods after reading fiction works like ‘Percy Jackson’ and thinks they are 100% valid like everyone else. Poseidon who loves your encouraging essays about needing to save the oceans.
Its the line between Athena: a woman who had punished another woman who was assaulted in her temple. A sore loser who turned a girl into a spider because she was a better weaver than she was. A nerd. VS Athena: The goddess of wisdom and war. Athena who saw a woman and a man making love in her temple. Her uncle and competitor, and another woman. (Like I mentioned earlier it wasn’t assault, that is ovid’s later version). Athena who saw literally the equivalence of two people having sex in a public church, which is so very disrespectful. Athena’s weaving who competed with Arachne weavings, which were depicting her family in very disrespectful images. Athena who saw a woman making a fool out of her family who she may not always get along with, but loves them so much. No, im not denying jealousy could have been a factor, but it was not the only factor. Athena who loves when her devotees read books and learn new information about many different things. Athena who finds it cute when you get all the names wrong while reading a Greek mythology book. Athena who sends her blessings to her devotees that join the military. Athena who sends her blessings to her devotees that are going into college.
It’s the line between Hestia: the forgotten goddess. Underappreciated and underrated. VS Hestia: someone who the Greeks, and many modern Hellenic pagans worship heavily and care about so much. Hestia in Ancient Greece was thought of as being present in every offering fire in all temples and received first offering in sacrifices. Hestia who left the twelve olympians not because she found her family annoying, but because she loved them so much that removing herself and letting her nephew take her seat would relieve tension. Hestia who isn’t the “forgotten goddess”. Hestia who loves getting called a cinnamon roll but also wants you to know that she has power. Hestia who encourages her devotees to be assertive and say ‘no’. Hestia who loves her overprotective devotees who want to protect her at all costs. You best know she’s protecting them back.
It’s the line between Apollo: dumbass asshole who’d rather sleep around the way his father does. Apollo who Is only an annoyance to his sister. Assaulter of Daphne and destroyer of Cassandra. Apollo who has the worst luck in love *insert sad guitar* VS Apollo: the god of the sun, knowledge, archery, medicine, prophecy, truth, diseases, oracles, and protector of young boys. A god so brilliantly educated that he was put on so many roles. A man who was cursed by a competitor to fall in love with a girl who he probably never even batted an eye to before. Apollo who killed an archer (who had in many versions previously raped a woman) in fear he could possibly do the same to his sister and take her virginity that she valued so much. Apollo who did the best he could to defend the Trojans, and deserves to be forgiven for the destruction he caused. Apollo who cursed a girl not because he was horny, but because he was a god and he was promised, and lied to by a mortal. Apollo who loves his mother so sooo much. Apollo who loves his devotees so much, their art, their little playlists for him, their imperfect tarot readings that he smiles at the sight of improvement on, their equal love and appreciation for his sister. Apollo loves that.
It’s the line between Aphrodite: Whore who who doesn’t love herself and always wants to cheat on her husband. Always jealous and wants anyone she feels is getting more attention than her dead. VS Aphrodite: who was forced into a marriage with a man who she did not want to marry but did anyways and in turn gets called a slut when she finds pleasures in other ways. Aphrodite who is confident and self aware but like any mortals finds herself intimidated by other woman despite knowing she is supposed to be the most beautiful. Aphrodite who not only values romantic and sexual love, but platonic love as well. Aphrodite who wants you to love yourself, and your body no matter what sex you were born with. Aphrodite who loves and encourages worship from both men and women. Aphrodite who loves your female AND Male body. Aphrodite who encourages you to come out of the closet but only when you are in the safest situation. Aphrodite who walks with her devotees at Pride with banners from ALL of the flags, even asexual. Aphrodite who loves her asexual aromatic devotees.
It’s the difference between Ares: hot headed uneducated douche who knows nothing at all and only wants to cause problems all the time. Also an evil villain. VS Ares: a man who created the Amazons, the most badass warrior women. Ares who had the biggest feminist energy, who loved his daughters and respected his girlfriend so much. Ares who probably feels unloved by his family. Ares who sought to kill the man who assaulted his daughter. Ares who encourages his devotees to let out their anger on things such as video games or poetry instead of their friends, lovers, or family. Ares who wants you to join the military for the right reasons. Ares who thinks it’s okay for men to cry.
It’s the line between Hermes: Also dumbass who is confused all the time and doesn’t know nothing at all. Just the comedic relief and nothing else. VS Hermes: god of trade and travel. Hermes who probably is street smarter than all his siblings combined. Hermes who laughs even at your failed pranks. Hermes who loves your pranks but also encourages you not to go too far. Hermes who doesn’t think assault jokes or jokes about victims are funny. Hermes who is funny but is not just the comedic relief, but also the one who brings smiles to his devotees when they’re feeling anxious, depressed, suicidal. Hermes who loves his devotees.
It’s the line between Demeter: Overbearing helicopter mom Demeter who wants her daughter all to herself. Demeter who is suffocating her daughter and doesn’t let her go anywhere. Demeter who abuses Persephone. Demeter who despises her brother hades. VS Demeter: a mother who was almost assaulted in such a misogynistic time, and in fear decided that when she had a daughter she would protect her and never let a man do her the way she was almost done. Demeter who had a missing child case like the missing child cases that you feel bad for everyday. A mother who felt that marriage was not needed yet for her fourteen year old girl (which in Ancient Greece was the equivalence of being 18). Demeter who is the most badass mom with a missing child case ever. Demeter who saw her daughter swelled up with tears of joy when they reunited. Demeter who loves Persephone so much, and had never EVER abused her. Demeter who sees that you are trying to grow a garden and wants to help. Demeter who is now happy that persephone is married and often worshiped with her brother because her brother makes her daughter so happy. Demeter who knows that in fiction she is not preferred as much as her daughter but still cries tears of joy at the amount of universal love for her daughter in writings. Demeter who won’t judge you for pouring your milk before your cereal. Demeter who encourages your farmcore aesthetic. Demeter who encourages your fight against climate change. Demeter who loves when her devotees call her a plant mom.
It’s the difference between Persephone: soft kitten fluff Persephone who is annoyed by her mother all the time and would rather be with her emo sugar daddy VS Persephone who would rather be with BOTH her mother and her emo sugar daddy. Persephone who is badass and takes control in the relationship. Persephone who is not just spring and flowers, but the queen of the underworld and bringer of death. Or the other way around: persephone who is not just the queen of the underworld but also the goddess of spring who enjoys farming and harvesting with her mother when she returns back in spring. Persephone who has a heart of gold, but you will not see it through her eyes. Persephone who is hardcore. Persephone who is not just a victim. Persephone who doesn’t love her husband more than her mother or vise versa. Persephone who is balanced between life and death. Persephone who doesn’t prefer one more than the other. Persephone who loves being in the underworld just as much as being with her mother. Persephone who finds home in two places. Persephone who adores her devotees constant change in aesthetics. Persephone who loves the little plants you have in your bedroom. Persephone who doesn’t want her devotees arguing on her skin tone and race because she feels it simply doesnt matter.
We wiccans/pagans believe the old gods are not dead. Write about them as you please, but please don’t disrespect them in tags related to our religions, and don’t interact to our posts with disrespectful stereotypes about them. Our gods are not their myths. Yes, we do often believe and reference some of their ‘myths’ but we often see the more poetic side behind them, And also note that there are MANY versions of them.
(Note in no way shape or form am I saying all myth enthusiasts are like this)
dededos
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