Aphroditos (or Aphroditus) is a masculine version of Aphrodite originating in Cyprus and celebrated in Athens. He was usually portrayed as having a more female shape and clothing, while also having a phallus, hence having a male name. (You know ancient Greeks and their lack of understanding of trans people, but I digress.) Later on, it seems that Aphroditos may have become Hermaphroditos, the deity who was the son of Aphrodite and Hermes.
There's also a statue ofĀ VenusĀ on Cyprus, that's bearded, shaped and dressed like a woman, withĀ scepterĀ and male genitals, and they conceive her as both male and female.Ā AristophanesĀ calls her Aphroditus, andĀ LaeviusĀ says: Worshiping, then, the nurturing god Venus, whether she is male or female, just as the Moon is a nurturing goddess. In his AtthisĀ Philochorus, too, states that she is the Moon and that men sacrifice to her in women's dress, women in men's, because she is held to be both male and female.
I wanted a dedicated washcloth that I could use to dry my hands after pre-ritual cleansing - but I didnāt want it to just be any old washcloth, so I cross stitched this one and Iām so happy with how it turned out š„°
It is clear that as pragmatic as some Greek practitioners may have been, and as terrifying as supernatural forces could be, there were many who did build emotionally resonant personal relationships with their local gods and heroes, even if the nature of those relationships does not correspond to non-Mediterranean devotional models (such as the various forms of bhakti or 20th century Christian devotionalisms). In fact, Theodora Suk Fong Jim has shown that charis, the term used to describe ongoing āreciprocalā interactions between gods and worshippers, included emotionally fulfilling facets, such as āelements of voluntariness, pleasure, and delightā and āmutual goodwill.ā When it came to divine honors and offerings, Jim argues, āthe essence of charis lies less in the magnitude of the gift reciprocated than in the emotional charge it carried and the kindly feeling it evoked between its giver and recipient.ā
Personal Experience and Materiality in Greek Religion by K.A Rask
Persephone and Hades tending the soil after a harvest in order to ensure the bounty of the following year's harvest, maintaining the cycle of death and rebirth.
Among the Gods some are [cosmic], others hypercosmic. By [cosmic] I mean the Gods who cause the World; among the hypercosmics some cause the essences of the Gods, others the intellect, others the soul; for this reason, they have three orders that can be found in discourses about these topics.
Among the [cosmics], some cause the being of the World, others animate it, others bring harmony between diversities, others finally preserve this harmony: since these are four actions and each has a beginning, a middle point and an end, the Gods who govern them are necessarily twelve.
Those who cause the World are Zeus, Poseidon and Hephaestus; Those who animate it are Demeter, HeraĀ and Artemis; Those who harmonize it are Apollo, Aphrodite and Hermes; Those who preserve it are Hestia, AthenaĀ and Ares. One can see these references even in the statues: Apollo tunes the lyre, Athena is armed, Aphrodite is naked, since harmony creates beauty and beauty in what is seen is not hidden. Since these are the divinities that primarily rule the World, we must believe that the other Gods are within Them: just like Dionysus is in Zeus, Asclepius in Apollo, the Charites in Aphrodite.
On the Gods and the World by Salutius, translated by Paolo Bagnato
New altars and shrine set up in the new place I just moved š First is my main altar (top level is for Ouranic deities and bottom level is for Khthonic deities), second is a shrine to my personal patron deities (Zeus, Apollon, Hekate, and Artemis), and third is my hero altar to Achilles, Patroclus, and Herakles.
i made honey cake yesterday, lit my solstice candle, and spent the day pondering what I want out of the new year, where I want my focus to be.
iām trying out a āwishesā activity a friend recommended, so we will see at the end what my ā2025 goalā ends up being. all of the things I wrote down were important so iām curious to see where it lands.
I actually struggled a lot yesterday, so I didnāt end up getting to read my hymns. it was one of those days everything felt like it was going wrong. But I am happy that I gave an offering and thanked the Theoi for the light, the winter, our home, and prayed for our future.
A disclaimer before we get into it: this is a brief explanation of how altars functioned in ancient Greece. I am not telling you how you should set up your own personal altar(s). Rather, I hope this can serve as foundational knowledge for you to consider while figuring out what works best for you and your practice.
Pentelic marble altar from the ancient agora of Athens. Dedicated by the Athenian Boule to Aphrodite and the Graces. c. 194-193 BCE.
The purpose of the altar is to receive offerings for the deity. It is the sacred place where worshipers pour their libations of wine, deposit their gifts of fruit, honey, or cakes, and burn a portion of the sacrificial animal. Offerings in ancient Greece were a key component of religious life; it is how mortals express their honor and build ĻĪ¬ĻĪ¹Ļ (kharis, favor). The altar is a highly important point of contact with the divine, and is an essential physical element for any cult to be established.
In fact, we can determine whether or not a deity was worshiped in ancient Greece based on if there were any altars dedicated to them. A god or daimon with no altars was very likely only part of the mythological or literary tradition and did not receive any sacrifices or worship. Altars were generally dedicated to one god or a group of related deities. In rarer cases, they may be dedicated to the whole pantheon (example: the Altar of the Twelve Gods in the Athenian Agora).
An altar for a heavenly (ouranic) god would be a raised surface or pedestal, and it would be oriented towards the East. The typical Greek altar consisted of bricks which were white-washed with lime, or it was carved from stone such as marble or limestone. They could be plain, or they could be decorated with volutes and narrative scenes. They often had the name of the deity inscribed into them. Altars could also come in a variety of shapes, the only real requirement being that the surface on top was flat so it could hold the offerings.
More prominent cult sanctuaries may feature a large, elevated altar with steps leading up to it. There were also natural rock altars, or in very rustic sanctuaries, a collection of stones was grouped to form an altar. If one was worshiping a khthonic god who dwells on or within the earth, they would provide sacrifices at a low-lying altar such as an eschara, or a simple open pit called a bothros.
Indoor altars were very uncommon. At sanctuaries, the altar would be outside of the gods temple, often in front of the entrance. Though a sanctuary could contain several altars and sacrificial sites. Households would have had one in their courtyard for private worship. Other altars were located outside of public buildings or in community gathering places like an agora.
The reason for being outdoors was so that the gods who reside in the sky could observe the sacrifices being made and enjoy the rising smoke of the incense. Meanwhile, a libation poured directly onto the bare earth would seep down below to the khthonic gods. Every altar was ceremonially sanctified when its first sacrifice was performed; from then on, it was considered part of the property of the deity.
Below are my sources. I'll likely make a part two of this post where I go over some ideas for how we can construct our modern altars. Thank you for reading!
the power of voice is.. interesting. i find myself often struggling to use voice in prayer. it feels very vulnerable to say prayers aloud in my home. i donāt have to worry about backlash from family or somethingā¦ so why is it so hard to speak prayers and hymns aloud?
i remember as a child praying was usually aloud. some prayers were in your head, but there was an expectation of saying it out loud. since i struggled with the sound of my voice, and then eventually stopped church, the only prayers that i was ever expected to say were dinner/meal prayers.
I donāt have that same pressures now. my rituals to the theoi are infrequent but thoughtful. i live with a partner that encourages my spirituality. and my voice has changed over time to one i am okay with hearing. butā¦ i still donāt use my voice. what is this disconnect, this tension, with utilizing my voice? is it fear of sounding like a madman? is it fear of what i might say? thereās so much internalized bs to sift through. itās difficult when i really want to keep growing my rituals and voice (poetry, song, etc) can be such a major part of themā¦
Submissions are now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a piece for this edition of the Rural Dionysia! Are listed below this year's entries. Enjoy the read!
Freestyle Poetry
Nymphs by @junipersplace
Curious Light by @agressivepoet
QUALMS ABOUT UNANSWERING(?) GODS by @hellyeahmfwitchcrafttime
In wine, truth. by @piristephes
2 Makes 1 by @froggyart
Helene / Klytemnestra by @apiswitchcraft
Distance by @khaire-traveler
Modern Hymn
To Apollo of Parnassus by M. Rutilia Laeta @apis-vergilii
Minor Hymn to Love (Eros) by @piristephes
Hymn to Persephone by @apiswitchcraft
Complete the fragment
Selene's wisdom by @piristephes
For We Are Only Mortal - By Aƶn Re of @hyakinthou-naos
(alcaeus) muses on sappho's triumph by @imperturbitude
To vote:
Voting takes place via poll. You will be asked to vote for 1 entry per category. You have until Dec. 25th to vote and we will be announcing the winners on Dec. 26-27th latest.
Since we're entering the season of colds, the flu, and many other wintery sicknesses, here is a prayer to Asclepius, the god of health. Remember to show him the gratitude for the health you had and beg his protection during this period.
All praise to skillful Asklepios, son of Apollo and bright Koronis, kind-hearted god, friend of men and women. Your gentle touch eases our pain, oh god, your firm hand guides or restoration; you teach us to live well, to care for ourselves, to seek the wisdom of Hygeia, your beloved daughter, good and knowing goddess who turns the minds of men toward wholesome food and drink, and healthful pursuits. Nimble-fingered one, quick-witted one, by your might does the broken bone set, the torn flesh mend, the damaged soul heal. With your help do we bear any hurt, do we suffer any malady, do we battle any affliction, with strength of will and with steadfast heart: Asklepios, father of physicians, helper of humanity, I praise you, I honor you, I thank you for your gifts.
(This prayer isn't mine. It was derived from In Praise of Olympos, Prayers to the Greek Gods by Hearthstone.)
