#phorkys

[thepaganstudygrouppage]

Hello! I was wondering if anybody worked with/followed/worshipped Ceto/Phorkys? I have never seen mentions of them, and I feel slightly drawn towards Ceto, I think. Thanks!!

Homer’s Odyssey mentions invoking Keto in order to prevent the sea-monster Skylla from striking twice (though it would appear that Keto does not prevent Skylla from striking the first time): “Row hard [past Skylla] and invoke Krataiis [Krataiis is probably Keto], she is Skylla’s mother; it is she who bore her to plague mankind; Krataiis will hold her from darting twice” (12.125, trans. Shewring). This passage makes it sound like she may have been called upon by sailors to propitiate her children and avert disasters at sea.

The Odyssey also mentions that on Ithaka, there was a haven/harbor sacred to Phorkys (13.96, 13.345). There’s no mention of anyone worshiping him there, but it suggests that you could try to find him in a similar location if you wanted to talk to him.

Beyond those two mentions in the Odyssey (which of course was epic poetry, not necessarily a description of actual cultic practices), there don’t seem to be any mentions of anyone working with, following or worshiping them in antiquity. I don’t know of anyone who does so in the modern day, either. Those three terms (working with, following and worshiping), by the way, are generally not considered synonymous.

- Heathen Chinese

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[greekmytho]

Keto

Keto was the goddess of the dangers of the sea, and a child of Gaia and Pontus. Specifically Keto is the goddess of whales, large shakrs, and sea monsters, which are known as ketea, as she is believed to have birthed many of them, as well. She is also known as Krataiisk (of the rocks), Lamia (shark), and Trienos (three times), though this last title was used for the monster Kharybdis (sea monster/goddess). She is ofen depicted as looking humanoid from the waist up, with long dark hair or very short brown hair, with her bottom half being a fish tail or serpentine. Her upper half is said to be beautiful, and in Hesoid's Theogony he describes her as being "fair-cheeked". She is said to live in a cave in the bottom of the sea. Often in myths she is confused with the goddess Hekate, whose power included that of the sea, and who also goes by the titles of Trienos and Krataiis. Some sources also claim that she may also be the monster Kharybdis (whirlpool) as she is sometimes referred to as Ketos Trienos (sea monster three times) and is also said to be the mother of Skylla. There is also an Okeanide known as Keto who is mentioned in Hesoid's Theogony. It is possible that there was a small cult who worshipped her near the area of Joppa, which is know known as Jaffa, as Pliny the Elder mentions one in his Natural History, though some scholars believe that the one worshipped might have actually been the Syrian goddess Atargatis (chief goddess). With her brother and husband Phorkys she is said to have birthed the Gorgones* (monsters), Ekhidna* (draconian monster), Drakon-Ladon, Colchian Dragon, or Drakon-Hesperidum* (draconian monster),and the Hesperides* (goddesses of evening). Though according to Hyginus in the Fabulae she may have had the Gorgones with Gorgo (ancient monster). Skylla is also said to either be her child by Phorkys or herself, and it is suspected that she may have given birth to the Ketos Aithiopios (sea monster) and Skolopendra (sea monster) with Phorkys as well as . The two of them, and the rest of the sea monsters are commonly referred to as the Ketea, as it is believed that nearly ever sea monster is the child of Keto, even though it is not explicitly stated. There are numerous sea monsters, though a majority of them have no names and are usually mentioned as being servants to Poseidon, or even worshipping him. Sharks and whales are also mentioned as being Ketea. *Indicate that other sources list other deities as their parents

[greekmytho]

Phorkys

Phorkys was the ancient sea god of the hidden dangers of the sea and a child of Gaia and Pontus. Along with his wife and sister Keto he also ruled over the large creatures deep within the sea, with himself being associated specifically with seals, as phokes, means seals in Greek. According to Homer's The Odyssey he dwells within a cave on the island of Ithaka, which is where Odeysseus lives. He is also mentioned in Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica part 4, when Jason and his crew offer up a sheep as a sacrafice to him and Triton (son of Poseidon). In ancient mosiacs he is normally depicted as a gray haired man with a fishes tail, spiky crab-like skin, crab claw forelegs, and with red skin. His symbol is the torch. With his wife Keto he is said to have breed the Graiai (white sea foam), the Gorgones* (monsters),Ekhidna* (draconian monster), Drakon-Ladon, Colchian Dragon, or Drakon-Hesperidum* (draconian monster),the Hesperides* (goddesses of evening),and Skylla* (monster) in various works. It is also speculated that they may be the parents of the Ketos Aithiopios (sea monster) and Skolopendra(sea monster). By himself he is said to have given birth to Thoosa (goddess of swift currents) and the Ketos Troias (sea monster). Many of his children are known as the Phorkydes. In Alcman, Fragment 1 it warns against mortal men attempting to marry the daughters of Phorkys, stating that they will perish and die where they will suffer and never be able to forget their folly. *Other records list other beings as their parents

[ladywiththecoldeyes]

HECATE AND PHORKYS

"[Kirke addresses her niece Medea :] `Nor let them [the Argonauts] go too near the hateful den of Ausonian Skylla, that wicked monster borne to Phorkys by night-wandering Hekate, whom men call Kratais.'"

Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4. 827 ff (trans. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.)

"Hekate whom Zeus the son of Kronos honoured above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honour also in starry heaven, and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods . . . For as many as were born of Gaia (Earth) and Ouranos (Heaven) [the Titanes] amongst all these she has her due portion. The son of Kronos [Zeus] did her no wrong nor took anything away of all that was her portion among the former Titan gods: but she holds, as the division was at the first from the beginning, privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and in sea. Also, because she is an only child, the goddess receives not less honour, but much more still, for Zeus honours her.

Hesiod, Theogony 404 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.)

"From far away old Phorcys gives a signal over all the deep, and making for his cave gathers his huge shell-encrusted seals together."

Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 3. 725 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) 

askmab and therisingtempest