Ranger

Hellenic Polytheism | Hermes, Hecate, Hestia | 20+

[ranger5000]

Jason, Medea and The Golden Fleece (330-310 BC)

National Archeological Museum, Naples

[templehyacinthus]

I wanna say thank you for the space you’ve made here and with your temple. It’s probably doesn’t mean much, but your temple gives me hope that I can find community in this religion/faith

Hello Anon,

Thank you for your kind words. It’s messages like this that help me to see that the work I put into The Temple isn’t just for me, but for others like me who seek the same things I seek. Asks and messages like this encourage me to keep going, and I can’t express my gratitude adequately in words 💜

Eirene - peace and farewell,

- Aön

[blessedbethelovelygods-deactiva]

I love looking outside and just... seeing the Earth. I see Gaia; I see Ouranos; I see Helios; and when there's clouds, I see Zeus.

I love seeing my deities anywhere I go. I get hit with light and think of Apollo; I look at plants and think of Demeter; buildings remind me of Hephaestus; It's amazing.

I was out in a forest park yesterday for a school trip. The dense trees reminded me of Artemis, along with the deer I saw. I was there to study the river and it reminded me of Poseidon. Collecting data and measuring the stones reminded me of Athena. Coming home and feeling the warmth from my house reminded me of Hestia.

The Theoi is with us - in both the little and big things. They care for us, even when we don't notice. The world is beautiful, and I thank the gods for that.

[eternalmneme]

In Praise of Apollo💛

O Apollo, eternal light in the clear sky, You reveal truth to those who call on You with honest hearts.

With Your golden bow, You pass through the dark and show mortals Your light.

Divine prophet, Your voice echoes in Delphi, unfolding what time keeps hidden.

Each word You speak stays with us, deeper than any dream or thought.

From smoking tripods, You begin to rise, and those who come to You with pure intent receive the light that guides their path.

O wise Phoebus, who opens the hearts of humankind, grant us, in times of uncertainty, the way toward brighter days.

Help us in these times of war, help us to pass through the illnesses that are ruining the world, and let us praise with Your music and chants, about how grant You are.

[royal-wren]

Okay tis me

@dionysian-daphne (since you also asked)

Books of pre-Hellenic Greece (with archaeology bc it's important in the way Hellenic polytheists learn about archaic-hellenistic era Greece):

The Emergence of Civilisation: The Cyclades and the Aegean in the Third Millennium BC by Colin Renfrew

The Archaeology of Greece: An Introduction by William R. Biers

Architecture of Minoan Crete: Constructing Identity in the Aegean Bronze Age by John C. McEnroe

Minoan and Mycenaean Art by Reynold Higgins

The Oxford Handbook of the Bronze Age Aegean by Eric H. Cline

Aegean Art and Architecture by Donald Preziosi and Louise A. Hitchcock

The Cambridge Companion to the Aegean Bronze Age by Cynthia W. Shelmerdine

For Games Or For Gods?: An Investigation Of Minoan Cup-holes by Niklas Hillbom

Some new Minoan-Mycenaean gods by Leonard Robert Palmer

Before Olympos: A study of the aniconic origins of Poseidon, Hermes, and Eros by Elmer George Suhr

The Minoan Pantheon: Towards an understanding of its nature and extent by Marina L. Moss

The Minoan-Mycenaean Religion and Its Survival in Greek Religion by Martin Nilsson

The Mycenaean World by John Chadwick

The Cultic Life of Trees in the Prehistoric Aegean, Levant, Egypt, and Cyprus (Aegaeum) by CJ Tully

Communities in Transition: The Circum-Aegean Area During the 5th and 4th Millennia BC by Søren Dietz and Fanis Mavridis

Cyprus Before History: From the Earliest Settlers to the End of the Bronze Age by Louise Steel

The End of the Bronze Age by Robert Drews

Linear B: An Introduction by J.T. Hooker

Documents in Mycenaean Greek: Three Hundred Selected Tablets from Knossos, Pylos, and Mycenae with Commentary and Vocabulary by Michael Ventris and John Chadwick

Greece Before History: An Archaeological Companion and Guide by Curtis Runnels and Priscilla Murray

Minoans: Life in Bronze Age Crete by Rodney Castleden

Minoan Kingship and the Solar Goddess: A Near Eastern Koine by Nanno Marinatos

Popular Religion and Ritual in prehistoric and ancient Greece and the eastern Mediterranean by Giorgos Vavouranakis and Konstantinos Kopanias

Dawn of the Gods: Minoan and Mycenaean Origins of Greece by Jacquetta Hawkes

Papers:

A Pantheon without attributes? Goddesses and gods in Minoan and Mycenaean iconography by Fritz Blakolmer

Deities and Religion in the Aegean Bronze Age by Metaxia Tsipopoulou

A Minoan deity from London Medicine Papyrus by Alexander Akulov

Minoan Goddess & Her Hidden World by Constantinos Filippou

Minoan Origins of Athena by Virginia Hicks

The Minoan Goddess(es): Textual Evidence for Minoan Religion by Dimitri Nakassis

Worship of Minoan and Mycenaean Gods and Goddesses by Helene Perdicoyianni-Paleologou

The Master of Animals (Hermes dominant) by Jacqueline Chittende

Di-wi-ja and E-ra in the Linear B Texts by Ratko Duev

Aphrodite, Goddess of Cyprus by Jacqueline Karageorghis

Engendering Aphrodite: Women and Society in Ancient Cyprus by Nancy Serwint (goes into how her neighbors influenced her, but weren't the same goddess)

Becoming Classical Artemis: A Glimpse at the Evolution of the Goddess as Traced in Ancient Arcadia by Olga Albert Zolotnikova

Classical Studies/Ancient Studies 2005, Greek Mythology, Thornloe University affiliated with Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada by Sally Katari (it's a nice look into how (pre) history and myth/religion mix)

The Great Goddess of Cyprus: Kypris Aphrodite (documentary, also led by Jacqueline Karageorghis)

*there's more, but this is what I can pull together in one night over waiting weeks

[ranger5000]

Rediscovered Temple of Poseidon in Greece Larger Than Initially Assumed

Rediscovered Temple of Poseidon in Greece Larger Than Initially Assumed - GreekReporter.com

Latest excavations shed more light on the recently rediscovered temple of Poseidon in Klaidi, Samikon, southern Greece.

[thetelesterion]

Progress pictures of a modern temple to Pan being built in Arcadia, Greece. The guy spearheading the project is archaeologist Evangelos Bexis, and when it's complete it will be painted with vibrant colors, just as all temples were in ancient times.

Nature is healing, and Pan returns to Arcadia. Praises and glory to the deathless gods!

[templehyacinthus]

can you share more information on the differences between mythic Zeus and cultic Zeus? i am interested in learning more but have no idea where to start or what sources are trustworthy.

- 🐝

Khaire 🐝,

Thank you for your question, and apologies for the delayed answer!

While I have no doubt that essays and academic papers exist that explore the difference between Zeus as depicted in myth and Zeus as revered in worship and cult, I will be choosing to answer this question based on my own understanding and contextual research.

In the myths and mythic retellings that we currently have, there is an abundance of evidence portraying Zeus as a disloyal spouse, an unjust ruler, and a self-serving god.

As one example:

"In the Orphic myths, the maiden goddess Persephone was seduced by Zeus in the guise of a serpent. She bore him a son, the godling Zagreus, who, when Zeus placed him upon the throne of heaven, was attacked and dismembered by the Titanes." - Source

In this myth, Zeus is unfaithful to his wife, Hera, and seduces Persephone—herself a married goddess—under false pretenses. He impregnates her with a child, Zagreus, whom he then allows to be attacked and dismembered.

(I could provide many more examples from myths and sources that do not reflect Zeus in a positive light, but I think the above suffices to demonstrate my point.)

This portrayal, however, stands in stark contrast to Zeus’ domains and the way he was revered by his worshippers:

"Zeus was the King of the Gods and the god of the sky, weather, law and order, destiny and fate, and kingship. He was depicted as a regal, mature man with a sturdy figure and dark beard. His usual attributes were a lightning bolt, a royal scepter and an eagle." - Theoi.com

"He [Zeus] was widely worshipped in ancient Greece and possessed numerous shrines and sanctuaries. Many of these were located on hill-tops or mountain peaks--sites where offerings were traditionally made to the rain-bringing god. He was also worshipped privately at small household shrines." - Theoi.com

When comparing Zeus’ portrayal in myth (Mythic Zeus) with how he was worshipped and honored (Cultic Zeus), it’s clear that conflating the two would cast ancient Greek worship in an unjustly negative light.

If Mythic Zeus and Cultic Zeus were identical, it would suggest that the Greeks believed a god who was unfaithful to his wife and abusive to his family was also morally right and just. However, this is not how ancient (or modern) Hellenic Polytheists view Zeus.

And that is because myths are not literal truths. Zeus did not literally impregnate Persephone while disguised as a snake (how would that even work?). Myths are fables, fictitious stories written by humans.

These myths, therefore, were tools—stories created to teach, entertain, or explain. Sometimes they existed to explain aspects of nature and humanity, and sometimes they existed to explain the gods’ nature in ways that are symbolic rather than factual. They are not "sacred scripture" in the same way the Bible is for Christians, nor were they treated as such by the ancient Greeks.

Zeus’ role as the god of justice, order, and kingship reflects how the ancients viewed him in their worship. He was the protector of oaths, the enforcer of xenia (hospitality), and the upholder of cosmic balance. These qualities were central to Zeus’ cultic worship, which focused on his benevolence, authority, and ability to bring stability to a chaotic world.

TLDR: The Zeus of myth is not a perfect figure, and he was never meant to be. The Zeus of cult/worship is a god of justice and order, worthy of veneration and respect. Hellenic Polytheists did not / do not view myths as factual narratives or holy truth - they viewed / view them for what they are - stories.

I hope this helped to answer your question.

As always if 🐝 or anyone else has additional or follow up questions, our ask box is always open. Replies will be a bit delayed as our steward, Aön, is still settling in to his new home follow his move - but we will respond as soon as we are able!

Eirene - peace and farewell,

- The Temple of Hyacinthus

[winedarkgod]

have a photo dump of random pictures of Dionysus I just had on my phone

[templehyacinthus]

A Prayer of Travel for Lord Hermes

Hear me, Lord Hermes

Blessed son of Zeus and Maia

He who stole Apollon’s cattle

He who invented the lyre

He who aided great Perseus in his defeat of the gorgon, Medusa

I offer you this morning coffee, a gift of energy and comfort

And I beseech you,

Oh verdant god of journeys and travelers

Be with me today

Bring me joy in my travels and protect me from harm

Let me show those around me the kindness and patience they deserve

Let there be joy in those around me as we traverse the skies

I implore you and call upon your mother

The honorable Lady Maia

Please, soothe the children flying today

Show them the joys of travel and protect them from fear

Oh Hermes Philios

Great friend of man

Accept these honors, and be with me

Now - and all the days of my life

Do ut Des

- Aön Re

[countrydionysia]

2024 Rural Dionysia Announcement

Io! The time of the year has come again for the Rural Dionysia!

How to participate

The Rural Dionysia is meant to be a smaller competition than its urban counterpart, as such, we have selected only 3 categories:

Freestyle poetry

Modern hymns

“Complete the fragment”

Freestyle poetry

Your poem can be about any chosen topic (myth, personal experience etc.) in any written format. It doesn't have to be religious in nature.

Modern hymn

An hymn must sing the praises of a deity of your choice. Unlike the "freestyle poetry", your work must be of religious nature to fit in this category.

Complete the Fragment

Each year, we choose a fragment from an Ancient Greek poet to work with. The challenge is that the initial fragment must be included somewhere in your piece in its original order. This means you can fill the gaps however you want, but you can’t switch the order of the words in your piece or remove words from the original fragment.

Here is the fragment selected for this 2024 edition:

Fragment 113 by Alcaeus (trans. David A. Campbell; Loeb 142)

…kiss…(they) began…knowledge…sits…are…mortal

Here is the Greek text for reference. Note that because the word "they" is implied, it will be acceptable to keep or modify this word.

If in doubt for any of these categories, remember that you can check submissions from the previous years to get an idea of how others have done before.

Submitting your piece

Please submit your piece through submissions on this blog. All entries must be tagged for the category they are being submitted to. but you can only choose 1 category per piece and each person may only submit 1 entry per category each year.

Entries must also be tagged for potentially triggering content and squicks. If your entry needs a trigger warning, kindly add them at the end of your submission and we will take care of adding them in. Check the rules below for further information about submissions.

Calendar of the event

Nov. 16: Official announcement and opening of submissions. Dec. 17: Final submission day. Dec. 18: Vote opening. Dec. 25: Vote closing. Dec. 25-26: Announcement of the winners!

No worries though! We will be posting reminders about each step when the time comes.

General rules

Roleplay and fanfic are not acceptable submissions. This is a religious festival, please respect our faith and do not submit an entry if you are roleplaying or writing fanfiction.

Unlike with the City Dionysia, entries do not necessarily have to be about specific deities or Hellenic polytheism except for the “Modern Hymn” category, which has to be dedicated to one or many gods of your choice.

There are no meter restrictions. This is up to the writer.

All stories, myths, and poems must be entered using the submissions button.

All entries must be tagged for the category they are being submitted to. Entries must also be tagged for potentially triggering content and squicks.

An entry may only be submitted to a single category.

Each person may only submit one entry per category each year.

Winners for each category will be decided by popular vote.

Admins of this blog cannot participate, for obvious reasons. As for now, this includes @thegrapeandthefig @verdantlyviolet

Questions about the rules? Check the blog for past answers, your answer might be in there. And if it's not, simply submit an ask. We'll answer in the best delays possible.

[ranger5000]

Bulgaria: Head Of Ancient Greek Statue Of Tyche Unearthed – Greek City Times

Bulgaria: Head of Ancient Greek Statue of Tyche Unearthed

A remarkably crafted head of the Greek goddess Tyche, dating back to the Roman era, has been unearthed in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, offering exciti

[ranger5000]

Archaeologists uncover long-sought sanctuary of Poseidon near Samikon, Greece | ArchaeologyNews Online Magazine

Archaeologists uncover long-sought sanctuary of Poseidon near Samikon, Greece

Archaeologists have made significant progress in their excavation of a large temple complex at Kleidi-Samikon in western Peloponnese, Greece

[messagesrcool]

Finished necklace

[ranger5000]

Statue of Artemis

Cyprus - 3rd Century BC

Currently at The Met Museum

[templehyacinthus]

Current Temple Projects

1. Official Temple of Hyacinthus Website

The url will be templehyacinthus.org but the website is not yet live - if you would be interested in helping to fund this project (the domain has been purchased but running the website for a year will cost $174) please shoot us a DM!

Estimated Completion Date: December 2024

2. Official Temple of Hyacinthus Ritual Calendar

This will include monthly holidays like Noumenia and Hekatê’s Deipnon, as well as annual festivals like Hyakíntha and Asclepia

The calendar will be available as a Google Calendar link and a free printable wall calendar.

Estimated Completion Date: December 2024

3. Official Temple of Hyacinthus YouTube Channel

Exact content type is not yet decided. Videos may include visuals for meditation and prayer, recordings of rituals, how-to guides, and possibly Didachí (a Greek word that means “teaching” - it would be akin to a sermon or opinion piece).

This project is still in the early stages of planning - accurately described as the “rough draft” phase.

Estimated Completion Date: Early-Mid 2025

All of our services and projects will continue to be provided free of charge. Donations are always appreciated but never expected.

If you have any questions, requests, or suggestions please feel free to send us an ask!

Eirene - peace and farewell,

The Temple of Hyacintus

[aesthicalmess]

Lord Hermes

Lord Hermes, messenger of the gods, god of mercenaries, travelers, thieves, and language