mythology of the poet and the muse

Aim of this blog is to focus on Greek mythology and religion, the artistic representations, rather unknown aspects and possible analysis. From fragments may wholeness emerge again.

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Caryatid Kistophoric from the Lesser Propylaea of the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore at Eleusis. Around 50 BC., Eleusis Museum, Greece.

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“Sleep Persephone in the arms of the Earth, never re-emerge on the balcony of the world” wrote the Greek poet Nikos Gatsos in his poem “The Nightmare of Persephone” wanting to convey his grief and indignation against the environmental catastrophe that took place in modern Eleusis. Eleusis, once center of the worship of Demeter and her daughter Persephone and their sacred mysteries (both deities of earth, agriculture and vegetation) ended up an industrial wasteland due to the indifference, omissions and twisted economical interests of the “modern” mindset. The poetic yet realistic documentary “Agelastos Petra” (Mourning Rock, 2000) shows the contemporary decadence and oblivion, while also trying to find some links with a glorious past now long forgotten for most. It was in Eleusis that Demeter instructed the hero Triptolemus in the ways of the earth after refinding her daughter, and also gave him a flying chariot to spread the knowledge of the wheat throughout the world. A holy mission indeed, one we should all rethink in our era of genetically modified grains and “plastic” food. What happened to Eleusis the previous decades is most relevant as we see the environmental issues demanding more and more of our attention everyday. Obviously, some wouldn’t comprehend or accept the common worship and significance of two female deities, a mother and a daughter, if we think the prevailing patriarchal structure of world affairs. Eleusis was an easy target. Memory is a difficult and complicated thing; one thing is for sure though, we need to establish a new relationship with nature, with our earth mother (Δη+Μήτηρ), a more wise and grateful one. Time’s up.

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Are myths just imaginary stories? Certainly with Nolan’s film coming out many are those claiming that, usually during their petty online debates or attacks. Is this the true function of the myth though? Just something without true essence so we can pass the time? Childlike tales with no significance? I very much doubt that. Then why these narrations of the past do still intrigue so many people today even if these people aren’t exactly sure why they are being intrigued? It is the soul seeking for deeper initiations and meaning now that all deities seem to almost have left us. The soul that is thirsty and hungry and isn’t just satisfied with the mundane. That needs supernatural connections and enchantment so to feel more vivid again; myths have always been a sort of “holy communion”, they do not discriminate still their true understanding varies. Everyone takes from them what is possible according to their personal readiness and insights. As it seems the “collective” longs for more mystery and the unknown but this doesn’t mean that all endeavours are noble. And this is not about the accuracy of the adaptation but about care and depth; a certain timeless Mediterranean sentiment that must have missed Christopher Nolan’s antennae. How we interpret things depends on who we are, and the mythical element is most demanding of authenticity among other things, a purity of heart that ignites a wisdom that goes beyond profits, markets, agendas, appropriations.

From my Greek heart to yours I hope you’ll understand what I am saying. Growing up many were those inside Greece making fun of my interest in mythology but I insisted and resisted. Meaning rarely comes without effort. I know the struggle of my ancestors, the trials they passed to keep their language alive, against all odds, as they fleeted from places once Greek and now no more. The Greek journey or Odyssey has been adventurous, dramatic, traumatic but also humorous, warm and triumphant sometimes. We don’t owe any explanations to no one. Identity is a complicated thing, a sense of belonging also.

-The Muse

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Immortals are never alien to one another. Homer, The Odyssey Titan Quest, an Ancient Greek Odyssey by Alasdair McLellan.

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Circe, the Enchantress by Edmund Dulac, 1915.

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I do like an enchanting Circe after all, majestic and sovereign

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~ Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep, even so I will endure… For already have I suffered full much, and much have I toiled in perils of waves and war. Let this be added to the tale of those.~ Homer, The Odyssey William Russell Flint’s illustrations for “The Odyssey of Homer” (1924).

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Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of The Odyssey is plain awful, I will say it without any hesitation. A sort of a sacrilege towards the world of the supernatural and the imaginative. It’s like you take something magical and strip it off all its spark and then you say to others with ignorant arrogance “that’s the way to do it”. At this point I don’t care if the actual Greek element was omitted or distorted as I already said that this thing is obscene. The Polyphemus scenes, just one example, how awkward and without a wicked sense of humour or some playfulness. I could say lots more but I refuse to do so. My hope is anyways always the same, that there are people out there who can dig deeper and discern and possess aesthetics and have criteria too. In these days of constant media pressure it’s like we have to like everything for the sake of liking it and that’s not quality of life, meaningful differentiation is.

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Of all the classical manifestations of the primordial Great Goddess who called Hermes into the world as the prototype of the secret lover, Hecate is the most Hermetic. As a messenger (angelos) she must be winged, just like her purely celestial Doppelgängerin, Iris. Like Hermes, Hecate guides souls; and at crossroads, represented by the Hecataia which were built up on three-cornered pillars, she appears just as out of place in the classical world as do the four-cornered roadside Herms. At every new moon she there received cakes and smoked offerings, as did Hermes. With Hermes she guards the gates and with him, too, brings wealth and good fortune to barns. Karl Kerenyi “Hermes Guide of Souls” A detail of a 3rd century CE Roman statue of Hecate (or Hekate), goddess of the Moon. As here, she is often depicted having three heads and bodies. (Vatican Museums, Rome).

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The relationship and correlation between the deities of Hermes and Eros is a very strong one. Both deities get to maintain their primordial and rather unlimited character throughout the ages, the archetype of the “divine child” is one associated with both of these deities, while playfulness and a certain vibe of mystery permeates their nature. Hermes is deeply connected with the life force that is libido, his presence is shown in antiquity simply with upright pieces of wood or stone resembling the phallus, these pieces were called “hermes”. The name of Eros is intertwined with its significance, Eros possible means “demanding love”, indicating the urgency of the phenomenon. Both Hermes and Eros are complicated in their understanding or even acquaintance, their nature is confusing and delicate, it’s as if the universe gets knows a specific frequency, a melody concerning the eternal relationship of love, thievery and idyls. The male key of this melody is Hermes and the female key is Aphrodite, mother of Eros, when these powers become unified Hermaphroditus occurs. Eros flying above the sea and holding a flower (love gift). Tondo of an Attic red-figure kylix by Kachrylion(potter), ca. 510–500 B.C. Archaeological Museum of Florence.

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Irene Papas as Helen of Troy in Michael Cacoyannis’ “The Trojan Women”, 1971.

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Happy Litha-Summer Solstice, when the sun is at his peak, a fiery day… ~The sun, Helios, is all seeing (pantepoptes), when asked he confesses to Demeter that he has witnessed the abduction of Persephone by Hades. The sun reveals the beauty of  the natural world as it really is, and self-awareness showing mercy to those who have faced the cold too long and have paralysed, the flowers bloom underneath the therapeutic sun, we enjoy the playfulness of the sun rays on our skin and something awakens inside of us, we long for the long summer days. The sun can be proven  ruthless at other times, showing also the decay and responsibilities, the gap or deprivation, it burns the uninitiated one…one cannot be forced to face the sun, but introduced to it slowly…provided material or spiritual sunglasses…the sun can open eyes, too much sun at once can blind…Jacques Derrida  in his “Memoirs of the blind” claims that “the sun resembles the eye, the most “helioform” of all sense organs to the intelligible sun, that is, to the Good.“~ Vera Bousiou Helios on his Chariot (detail) by Hans Adam Weissenkircher

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Vintage Lysistrata illustrations. Lysistrata (Λυσιστράτη) is a play by Aristophanes first performed in 411 B.C. Illustrations by three artists: Norman Lindsay, 1926, Notor (Vicomte Gabriel de Roton), 1898, and Aubrey Beardsley, 1896. Each artist used his personal style to illustrate the famous ancient greek comedy.

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The Lady of Elche, sometimes interpreted as an Atlantean priestess, is also believed to be related to the Carthaginian goddess Tanit. Greco-Iberian bust from Alicante (αρχαία Ελίκη), Spain, c.400-350 BC.

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I'm content to see that people are giving their own interpretations to this wonderful artifact. It doesn't matter if everyone agrees as long as imagination and intuition stay alive and are respectful. That is the spirit. There are lots we don't know about the past and this mystery can be invigorating as it has the power to distance us from worn out or one-dimensional narratives. In the end of the day is it more important to be "right" or to remain "inspired"?

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A temple of the goddess Hecate, stood from the 5th century at the entrance of Miletus, where the Goddess was honored by special musical troupe and two altars (one of the 6th and the other of the 1st century BC), this cult was linked to that of the god Apollo at Didyma (twins), a procession started from Miletus and came to the sanctuary and oracle of Didyma. Two mysterious objects were part of this procession, these objects were being revered and purged with holy wine and the one of them was dedicated to the statue of Hecate that guarded the ‘front doors’ while the second one was transported to the temple of Apollo. The first paean of this ceremony was addressed to Hecate. This example of ancient Greek religion shows the close relationship of Hecate with Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo and another moon goddess. Bust of Hekate holding horizontally across her body a large torch, 2nd–1st century.

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Delphic remnants. The Oracle of Delphi was active for almost 2000 years, its Sanctuary was one of the richest of the ancient world, a small state of intricate structures and innumerable art treasures (coming from every corner of the ancient greek world) that were mostly looted during Roman and Christian times. Home of the worship of the Sun God Apollo and his mantic properties, Delphi was initially a place dedicated to Mother Earth Gaia and her holy female snake. Apollo claimed the Oracle by killing the sacred Pytho(n), a sacrilege…so he got exiled for seven years as punishment for his crime before he could come back as the ruler of Delphi, this was the only way he could become purified again after his terrible act. Even gods need purification and repentance from time to time as it seems. Herakles later on unsuccessfully demanded the Oracle for himself by trying to steal the Delphic tripod from Apollo, Herakles was a prevalent figure of ancient greek religion and not just the big muscular guy our modern times and popular culture believe. Time distorts so many things after all… The order of the photos follows the actual path of the archaelogical site. Mount Parnassus, a symbol and an actuality, is breathtaking as well as the view from the Stadium. Photos: Vera Bousiou

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Greek Mythology by Carina Morais

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The Reunion of Eros and Psyche by Jean-Pierre Saint-Ours.

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Wholeness

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“The problem with people nowadays isn’t just that they don’t get the significance of the myth, that is the use of the metaphor; but mostly that they fail to produce any kind of new mythology besides hypes, commonplace fetishes and manipulated forms, that is why our world seems to be getting older, duller and more corrupted in its own arrogance.”

— The Muse

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There are no longer any gods whom we can invoke to help us. The great religions of the world suffer from anemia, because the helpful numina have fled from the woods, rivers, and mountains, and from animals, and the god-men have disappeared underground into the unconscious. There we fool ourselves that they lead an ignominious existence among the relics of our past. Our present lives are dominated by the goddess Reason, who is our greatest and most tragic illusion. By the aid of reason, so we assure ourselves, we have “conquered nature.”

Carl G. Jung, Man and his Symbols

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So, how do we reinvigorate the mythical and the exciting within and without us? I cannot think of something more imperative if we want to see some balance in today's chaotic world. If we want our lives to matter and our wills to thrive that is, presence, substance, meaning, true connections.