Untitled

[verticordial]

a working list of epithets i use for Dike

the goddess does not seem to have much recorded evidence of cult, so if she had any other specific epithets i haven’t found them yet. though she is described as bright-throned (greek lyric v anonymous, fragment 1018) and victory-crowned (aeschylus libation bearers 55) 

below is a list a list of epithets i’ve decided to use in my practice with her, though these are liable to change. the majority of these are borrowed from other goddesses, so if you have any knowledge that points to these titles being inappropriate to use for Dike please let me know. thanks! DIKE ASTRAEA - this seems to be regarded as her only known non-poetic epithet (?), associating her with Astraea and her own possible connection to Virgo and Libra. the goddesses share many attributes- in fact in my own practice i synchronize the two of them as just Dike.

DIKE BOULAIA / DIKE EUBOLUS - Dike of the council or well-counseled Dike. “of the council” is a name for a number of gods while eubolus is shared with her mother, Themis. i use this for her presumed position as council to her father. 

DIKE BRIMO - “the terrifying”. in reference to her inescapable fury when her name has been shamed. Dike was known to indiscriminately punish those who commit injustice - if not by her own hand than by the hand of her father (”and whenever anyone hurts her with lying slander, she sits beside her father, Zeus the son of Kronos, and tells him of men’s wicked heart, until the people pay[…]” Hesiod Works and Days, 248) DIKE, DIOS THUGATER - Dike, “daughter of Zeus”. i pull this epithet from Aphrodite (though i don’t personally worship her as a daughter of Zeus) and Athena. i also considered “dia”, which is an epithet of Hebe but it seems like it might be personal to her? DIKE HORAPHORUS - Dike, bringer of the seasons. in reference to her position as one of the three Horae daughters of Zeus - the goddesses of the seasons in relation to the revolution of constellations. borrowed from Demeter. DIKE PARTHENOS - the virgin, the maiden. Dike is regarded as a virgin goddess, the significance of which i’m unsure of except for perhaps her connection with Astraea. borrowed from Athena and Artemis. DIKE PRAXIDIKE - Dike, the exactor of justice. self explanatory?  DIKE SOTEIRA - the savior. another epithet i pulled from her mother to describe her. this one i chose to describe a more personal association i have with her as the savior of those who have been wronged.  DIKE THESMIA - Dike, of law. borrowed from Demeter. aside from the obvious connotation of Dike as a goddess of the law, it being shared with Demeter reflects her position as an agricultural(seasonal) goddess herself, and a goddess of agricultural law. 

[thegrapeandthefig]

so i know about chthonic and ouranic, but is there a third for ocean deities? what would Poseidon be considered of these two if not?

The term you're looking for is Theoi Halioi. Lucian uses the term Enalioi instead (cf. Enalioi dialogoi).

If you're looking for the praying positions for them, @verdantlyviolet has a post about it: https://verdantlyviolet.tumblr.com/post/642067388688482304/prayers-to-the-gods-are-traditionally-spoken

[lunadiinettuno-deactivated20240]

Nerites

🐚 Who is Nerites?

Nerites is a minor God of the sea belonging to the Greek pantheon and the Hellenistic tradition. He is a god connected to calm, protection, the sea, the ocean and the abyss. Nerites is the only son of Doris (an oceanid who protects marine creatures and their habitats) and Nereus (the old man of the sea). He has fifty or sixty sisters, the Nereids nymphs, including Amphitrite (queen of the marine kingdom and wife of Poseidon), Thetis (mother of the hero Achilles and wife of Peleus) and Galatea (loved by Acis and Polyphemus).

🐚 The love of Aphrodite

Nerites often spent time with his father and sisters helping sailors and sea creatures. Meanwhile, the Goddess of love Aphrodite inhabited the ocean and fell in love with Nerites. Nerites is described as handsome young man, handsome between Gods and mortals (it is said that beauty was common in the family of Doris and Nereus). The young man immediately returned the love of the Goddess, but they never had a child. The fate of the Goddess came closer and with this also her ascent to Mount Olympus. Aphrodite asked Nerites to join the other Gods with her, promising him love and a pair of wings. But Nerites refused, wanting to stay in the sea with his father and sisters, since that was his place. The choice sparked the wrath of the Goddess, who transformed Nerites into a shell and left, giving Eros the wings as a gift. Nerites was found by his sister Nerea, who took him to Poseidon asking him to make him return to normal, and Poseidon satisfied her.

🐚 The love of Poseidon and the birth of Anteros

A variant of the myth tells that Nerites' beauty didn't attract the love of Aphrodite, but the love of Poseidon: god and king of the sea. Again, Nerites returned Poseidon's feelings. According to some myths, their feelings were so pure and strong that the energy gave birth to a complete new deity: Anteros, god of reciprocated love. For the love of Poseidon, Nerites received from him a chariot pulled by seahorses as a gift, that gave him the ability to cross the ocean in the blink of an eye. The speed of Nerites' chariot sparked the jealousy of the God Helios, god of the Sun, who transformed him into a shell. And as in the previous variant, Poseidon transformed him back into a boy.

🐚 Offerings for Nerites

Colors: white, blue, light blue, green and purple.

Food and drinks: coconut, pineapple, papaya, mango, passion fruit, fish (ask him first), watermelons, avocados, lemons, sweets, sea water, moon and sun water, storm water, coconut milk, milk, lemonade, fruit.

+ 21 / + 18 offerings: liqueur, red wine, white wine.

Offerings related to the sea: sea glass, shells, Nerites' snail, sea or ocean water, pebbles, sand.

Cystals: lapis lazuli, aquamarine, larimar, rose quartz, hyaline quartz, coral, pearls, ocean jasper, chrysocolla, amazonite.

Herbs: blue flowers, vanilla, white roses, rosemary and all the herbs associated with water.

Oils and incense: ocean, lemon, coconut, vanilla, salt, lavender, chamomile.

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If you want to support me on Tiktok my username is alexislucifera !

[pinkhellenicgods]

okay so here’s a super hot take that will probably get me a lot of shit but fuck i don’t care:

white pagans who are interested in veiling should ask themselves why they’re interested in it.

i’m not saying white pagans shouldn’t veil, just that we know that sometimes white people have a tendency to want to do this super cool thing that black and brown people do and i just think some of the emphasis on it from white pagans may very well come from a place of wanting to engage in this really cool thing that muslims do. 

and i’m not saying that’s all white pagans who want to veil or even most white pagans that want to veil, but i would take a shot in the dark that it does happen and white pagans have a responsibility to question whether they want to veil because it feels more respectful of the gods or if they want to veil because they want to be a part of the club and engage with something that is very important to many black and brown people because it looks fun.

like, in other words, white pagans need to sit and think and really think… if the historical tradition of veiling in their religions really speaks to them or if it’s an excuse to do engage with a practice they’ve seen black and brown people do that they’ve really enjoyed. 

[blessed-with-hope]

Exactly this! I want to introduce people to the term “self-orientalisation” who don’t know it.

In academia, it’s a term used to describe when non-white countries play into western stereotypes to attract tourism and have their culture recognised after colonialism leaves their country in crisis, ultimately benefiting white industries. [1] (It’s a lot more complicated than that, but I can’t debate the semantics).

This has been found in East Asia [1][2][3], West Asia [4][5], South-East Europe [6], Jewish Communities [7], and South America [8]. And has been acknowledged as harmful to these cultures for decades.

Now I’m NOT about to claim that non-white people who veil are self-orientalising and playing up their culture for white approval; that is a stupid argument to make and not at all true. What I am getting at is white pagans need to take a good long think about why we want to veil. However, white people cannot SELF orientalise. We’re not oriental… we’re white… so yeah.

When we say that white pagans are orientalising themselves, we mean that they are specifically using parts of non-white culture, especially closed cultures, to make themselves seem less-white or more “cultured”, “exotic”, and other gross racist ideas.

Do we want to veil because it speaks to us religiously, or because we want to orientalise? Do we want to appear in some way non-white? By veiling in specific styles, are we appropriating?

I ask these questions because when most people think of religious headdresses, we do not think of pagans - we think of Muslims, Jewish people, native Americans and other majority non-white groups. I’ve seen posts from pagans linking to videos made by Jewish and Muslim creators, calling these types of veiling “styles to try” rather than whole ass separate religions and cultures that we should not be taking from.

This is also not to say that only non-pagans can veil! That is also a stupid argument that I’m not at all making. But when I see Hellenic Pagans veiling in Shayla and Tichel, I just want to shake them and ask them why they feel the need to veil in that way? We have Hellenic styles of veiling that are beautiful and OPEN TO US but instead, some choose to orientalise themselves? It’s gross, ngl.

[1] Lui, H. (2016) ‘Beneath the white gaze: Strategic self-Orientalism among Chinese Australians’, Human Relations, 70(7), pp. 1-24. DOI: 10.1177/0018726716676323

[2] Jackowicz, S. (2020) 'Self-Orientalization in the East Asian Medical Community’, International Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology, 2(2), pp. 34-40.

[3] Kobyashi, K., Jackson, S. and Sam, M. (2017) 'Globalization, creative alliance and self-Orientalism: Negotiating Japanese identity within Asics global advertising production’, Internation Journal of Cultural Studies, 22, pp. 157-174.

[4] Lockman, Z. (2009) Contending Visions of the Middle East: The History and Politics of Orientalism. Cambridge University Press.

[5] Curtis, M. (2009) Orientalism in Islam: European Thinkers on Oriental Despotism in the Middle East and India. Cambridge Univerity Press.

[6] Georgiev, P. (2012) Self-Orientation in South East Europe. Springer VS.

[7] Khazzoom, A. (2003) The Great Chain of Orientalism: Jewish Identity, Stigma Management, and Ethnic Exclusion in Israel, American Sociological Review, 68(4), pp. 481-510.

[8] Altschul, N. (2020) Politics of Temporalization Medievalism and Orientalism in Nineteenth-Century South America, University of Pennsylvania Press, pp. 119-139.

[kalopsiapollo-deactivated202106]

Traditional Offerings (Ouranic and Khthonic)

Ouranic

Diluted Wine

Water

(Olive) Oil

Honey

Milk

Meat (common : sheep and cow)

Grains (barley), bread, cakes

Honeyed bread and cakes

Fruit, first fruit of the season

Flowers, flower wreaths/crowns

Incense (frankincense, storax, myrrh, myrtle, jasmine)

Khthonic

Unmixed wine

Water

Milk

Honey

Coins, money

Meat (common : sheep and cow)

Grains (barley), bread, cakes

Honeyed bread and cakes

Fruit, first fruit of the season

Flowers, flower wreaths/crowns

Votive offerings can also be given to both.

This is not an exhaustive list nor will it fit every deity - for example, pomegranates are a good offering for Hera, but not for Demeter (they're banned during the Eleusinian Mysteries) - so make sure to check.

[honorthegods]

Masterpost: Resources for Hellenic & Roman Polytheism

This post was made by request for those having difficulty accessing it on my main page.

I originally placed it on my main blog page because Tumblr doesn't seem to like the length with all the links - Tumblr has, in fact, given me a great deal of difficulty in making this post today.

This mean that I may not be able to update this post. Therefore, I encourage you to check my main page periodically for updates: honorthegods dot tumblr dot com / masterpost

May the gods keep you well!

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The Basics for Hellenic and Roman Polytheists

Theoi Greek Mythology (https://www.theoi.com/) is a very good resource for classical mythology, historic cult information, the Homeric Hymns, the Orphic Hymns, the Delphic Maxims and other primary texts, including:

The Orphic Hymns:  http://www.theoi.com/Text/OrphicHymns1.html

The Homeric Hymns:  http://www.theoi.com/Text/HomericHymns1.html)

The Perseus Digital Library offers a wide range of complete primary and secondary sources for the study of ancient Greece and Rome:  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/collections

Hercules:Greece’s Greatest Hero  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/index.html

Athanassakis,Apostolos N. The Homeric Hymns: https://archive.org/details/homerichymns0 0home https://archive.org/details/homerichymns00atha

🏺 📜  Books and articles

Athanassakis,Apostolos N. The Orphic Hymns. Not currently available online.

Burkert, Walter. Ancient Mystery Cults.  https://archive.org/details/AncientMysteryCultsWalterBurkert1987/page/n2/mode/2up

Meyer, Marvin.The Ancient Mysteries: A Sourcebook: Sacred Texts of the Mystery Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean World  https://archive.org/details/ancientmysteries0000unse_p7i2

Morford, Mark, P.O., Lenardon, Robert J. and Sham, Michael. The Student Companion to Classical Mythology, Tenth Edition: https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199997329/

William Smith, D.C.L., LL.D. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. John Murray, London, 1875. Articles on Roman (and Greek) religion, including divination, festivals, funerals, magic, priestly officers, and rituals:  https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA/Religion/home.html

The University of Washington. Interpretations of Myths: A free online course:  https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/862997

The Monster Compilation of Free Online Resources for Classical Studies: a compilation of links to free academic sources about archaeology, language, literature, culture, history, magic, philosophy, religion, and more in the ancient Mediterranean world:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/186537661706/the-monster-compilation-of-free-online-resources

Adult Home Study for Hellenic and Roman Polytheists: ideas for self-study to enrich understanding and aid in interpretation of mythology:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/162142268516/adult-home-study-for-hellenic-and-roman

Altars - the basics:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/620197080304123904/hi-do-you-have-any-bookpdf-recommendations-on

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/152645127251/what-is-a-good-place-to-buy-idols-any-great

Worship - the basics:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190346773596/ive-got-a-question-i-hope-you-can-answer-how-do

https://bayoread.tumblr.com/post/108556815372/how-to-make-a-libation-super-simple-picture

Bloodless sacrifice reading list:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/169120886091/hearthglow-honorthegods-an-offering-of

Divination and Magic Resources:

Popular divination methods in ancient Greece:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/163293305101/popular-divination-methods-in-ancient-greece

Astragalomancy (dice):  https://spiritusarcanum.tumblr.com/post/29278618720/astragalomancy-divination-with-dice

Cartomancy: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:UhYvvS9bsYAJ:https://newworldwitchery.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/the-new-world-witchery-guide-to-cartomancy.pdf+&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Homeric Oracle: https://aur-ochs.tumblr.com/post/185994910629/the-homeric-oracle-comprehensive-edition

Academic article about the Homeric Oracle: http://www.chs-fellows.org/2014/03/28/using-homer-for-divination-homeromanteia-in-context/

Divination and magic reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/170457576371/so-i-know-that-minerva-was-the-roman-equivalent-to

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Hellenic Polytheism Resources

Hellenic polytheism, at the most basic, is the modern worship of the ancient Greek pantheon. Hellenic polytheists may also honor the nymphs and other nature spirits, and personified virtues, and practice some form of ancestor cult, sometimes combined with hero cult.

Hellenic polytheism is also known as Hellenic paganism, Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism, Hellenismos, Hellenic paganism, Olympianism and Dodecatheism or Dodekatheism.

It’s occasionally called Hellenistic Polytheism, though it should be noted that the term “Hellenistic” refers specifically to the time period from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony by Octavian in 31 BCE.

The term “Hellenism” was used to describe traditional Greco-Roman religion by the Emperor Julian and is still being used by modern reconstructionist and revivalist groups, especially those in Greece. There has been controversy over the use of “Hellenism” over the past two years, though Hellenic polytheist groups in Greece have issued statements permitting non-Greeks who worship the Theoi to use the term.

“Hellene” is a word used to describe Greeks and people of Greek heritage; it is therefor incorrect to use it as a synonym for practitioners of Hellenic polytheism.

The main tag to search for information of interest to beginners is #Hellenic Polytheism 101.

🏺 Prayer and Worship

Modern prayers to the Theoi:

Hearthstone:  https://greekpagan.com Note: downloads of Hearthstone’s four books of Hellenic prayers may be purchased at https://www.etsy.com/shop/HearthfireHandworks for $5 US each 

https://winebrightruby.tumblr.com/devotional

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/176587866746/ive-never-prayed-before-and-not-entirely-sure-how

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/180306585886/hey-ive-been-trying-to-incorporate-prayer-more

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/174545555546/as-someone-whos-just-thinking-about-starting

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/163612768156/what-kinds-of-things-can-i-sacrifice-to-the-gods

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190346773596/ive-got-a-question-i-hope-you-can-answer-how-do

https://bayoread.tumblr.com/post/108556815372/how-to-make-a-libation-super-simple-picture

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/160481841661/what-am-i-to-do-with-left-over-food-offerings-that

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/157714542371/the-gods-do-not-need-sacrifices-so-what-should

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/177522616751/any-advice-for-someone-who-is-piled-with-constant

🏺 Festival Calendars and When to Worship

HMEPA Hellenic Month Established Per Athens Version 1.0.: the Athenian calendar, updated to be a calendar for the modern world and a Compiled List of Festivals and Sacrifices in Athens: http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/

http://www.hellenion.org/calendar/

http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/php/hymns/index.php?page=calendar

https://theia0mania.tumblr.com/post/620301786979418112/id-like-to-know-the-routine-of-a-hellenic-pagan

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/189974963276/hello-do-you-have-a-schedule-for-your-worship-or

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/185820921256/what-holidays-do-hellenic-polytheist-people

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/143171897776/how-do-you-know-the-dates-of-festivals

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/174665458836/so-i-understand-that-you-arent-hellenic

🏺  Building A Knowledge Base: Books, Articles and Websites

Hellenic Polytheism - free (and reliable!) resources Updated 20 June 2021:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/612595707697840128/hellenic-polytheism-free-and-reliable

Masterpost of Followers of Hellenic Deities:   https://thepastelpriestess.tumblr.com/post/184326359865/masterpost-of-followers-of-hellenic-deities

Evaluating the reliability of sources:   https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/185112455671/hellenic-polytheism-how-to-sources

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/184538461866/how-can-i-know-if-a-book-on-hellenic-polytheism-is

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/184254209886/how-to-determine-if-a-book-on-mythology-is-legit

Resources for epithets of the Theoi:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/184436720456/resources-for-cult-epithets-of-the-greek-gods

About the Eleusinian Mysteries:   https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/150632102731/hey-im-new-to-all-this-what-are-we-supposed-to

About the “Pillars of Hellenisimos”:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/173258771786/pillars-of-hellenismos

The Delphic Maxims: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphic_maxims

Beliefs about the afterlife:   https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188387856416/did-ancient-greeks-believe-in-reincarnation

Funerary customs:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/624550327095607296/also-does-anyone-have-any-book-or-article

Hades and Persephone reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/174794576611/honorthegods-hades-and-persephone-side-a

Chthonic deities reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/179703232746/are-there-any-reasonably-priced-books-or-scholarly

Antinous reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188654586206/the-cult-of-antinous-free-online-resources

Dionysus reading list: https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/183521520461/monsterbychoice-does-anyone-have-good-sources

Heroes and hero-cult reading list: https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/106530516261/heroes-and-hero-cult-in-classical-antiquity-a

Weddings

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/183749333001/how-can-the-gods-be-honored-in-a-wedding-ive

https://winebrightruby.tumblr.com/post/151719592260/binding-goddess-of-love-and-happiness-i-call

https://winebrightruby.tumblr.com/post/151262049285/hymeneal-i

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Roman Polytheism Resources

Roman polytheism is the modern worship of the ancient Roman pantheon. Roman polytheists may also honor the nymphs and other nature spirits, genii locorum, Lares, Penates, and practice some form of ancestor cult, sometimes combined with hero cult and Imperial cult.

Roman polytheism is also known as Roman Polytheistic Reconstructionism, Roman paganism, Religio Romana, Cultus Deorum, and Cultus Deorum Romanorum.

The main tag to search for information of interest to beginners is #Roman Polytheism 101

📜 Worship and Prayer

Religio Romana Handbook: A Guide for the Modern Practitioner by L. Vitellius Triarius:  https://archive.org/details/ReligioRomanaHandbook   I don’t like or usually recommend Polytheist 101 handbooks, but this one is pretty good for those anxious to dive into worship.

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188126659106/i-know-that-it-may-be-a-very-general-question-but

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/160383390436/i-know-this-isnt-greek-but-im-only-just-getting

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/180463260661/lararium-replicas-first-row-wood-lararium-kit-20

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190932464563/lararia-of-pompeii-by-italian-painter

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188068225581/so-i-have-been-wanting-to-do-more-research-on-the

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/152392762011/modern-lararium-on-the-kalends-ides-and-nones

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/154484437866/book-review-sofroniew-alexandra-household-gods

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/168573120761/book-review-household-and-family-religion-in

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/178978387851/roman-fresco-from-the-lararium-of-the-house-of

📜 Festival Calendars: http://www.epistemeacademy.org/calendars/ Convert today or any date to Roman (kingdom and Republic) or Julian calendar date.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_festivals

http://www.musesrealm.net/rome/festivals.html

http://people.ucls.uchicago.edu/~fspaltr/Roman%20Festivals.pdf

http://www.novaroma.org/calendar/index.html

http://romanpagan.blogspot.com/2014/01/roman-calendar.html

Festival Calendar of Antinous: https://naosantinoou.org/all-festivals-and-observances/

📜 Building A Knowledge Base: Books, Articles and Websites

Roman Polythesim: free (and reliable!) resources! Updated 21 June 2021: https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/612756976981671936/roman-polytheism-free-and-reliable-resources

Roman and Graeco-Roman Polytheists Masterpost:                         https://amor-augusti.tumblr.com/post/618731689875750912/roman-and-greco-roman-polytheists-masterpost

📜 Resources about augury and divination:

Driediger-Murphy, Lindsay G.  Roman Republican Augury: Freedom and Control. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  https://theeye.unblockit.id/public/Books/Bibliotik/R/Roman%20Republican%20Augury_%20Freedo%20-%20LINDSAY%20G.%20DRIEDIGER-MURPHY.pdf

Linderski, Jerzy. “The Augural Law: ANRW II 16.3. 1986.  https://www.academia.edu/18884007/J.Linderski_Watching_the_Birds_Cicero_the_Augur_and_the_Augural_Templa_CP_81_1986_330-40_RQ_1995_485-95_Addenda_668_Addenda_altera_RQ_II_2007_633

Linderski, Jerzy. “Watching the Birds: Cicero the Augur and the Augural Templa.“  https://www.academia.edu/18884007/J.Linderski_Watching_the_Birds_Cicero_the_Augur_and_the_Augural_Templa_CP_81_1986_330-40_RQ_1995_485-95_Addenda_668_Addenda_altera_RQ_II_2007_633

📜 Ancient Roman Virtues:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/173298432346/the-virtues-of-ancient-rome

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/170662119466/charities-and-philanthropies-in-the-roman-empire

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188260977191/revere-the-gods-watch-over-human-beings-our

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/168825525321/the-honour-that-is-paid-to-the-gods-lies-not-in

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/173304213321/how-can-anyone-who-while-worshiping-zeus-the-god

Resources about the worship of Antinous:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188654586206/the-cult-of-antinous-free-online-resources

Resources about the Mithraic Mysteries:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/619125563802746880/free-and-reliable-sources-for-the-mysteries-of

📜 Imperial Cult:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188765426281/this-is-probably-a-dumb-question-but-do-people

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/612228400138092545/hi-i-love-your-blog-and-the-research-you-put-into

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/162349342106/do-you-pray-to-caligula

📜 Weddings

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190182930321/hello-ive-always-been-interested-in-classical

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Top image info: Woman with phiale (libation bowl) at altar. Terracotta kylix, circa 460 BCE, attributed to the Painter of London. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Image: Wikimedia Commons (X). Image License:  Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication

[honorthegods]

Masterpost: Resources for Hellenic & Roman Polytheism

This post was made by request for those having difficulty accessing it on my main page.

It was placed on my main page because Tumblr doesn't seem to like all the links.

Please check my main page for updates: honorthegods dot tumblr dot com / masterpost

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The Basics for Hellenic and Roman Polytheists

Theoi Greek Mythology (https://www.theoi.com/) is a very good resource for classical mythology, historic cult information, the Homeric Hymns, the Orphic Hymns, the Delphic Maxims and other primary texts, including:

The Orphic Hymns: http://www.theoi.com/Text/OrphicHymns1.html

The Homeric Hymns: http://www.theoi.com/Text/HomericHymns1.html)

The Perseus Digital Library offers a wide range of complete primary and secondary sources for the study of ancient Greece and Rome:  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/collections

Hercules:Greece’s Greatest Hero  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/index.html

Athanassakis,Apostolos N. The Homeric Hymns: https://archive.org/details/homerichymns0 0home https://archive.org/details/homerichymns00atha

🏺 📜  Books and articles

Athanassakis,Apostolos N. The Orphic Hymns. Not currently available online.

Burkert, Walter. Ancient Mystery Cults. https://archive.org/details/AncientMysteryCultsWalterBurkert1987/page/n2/mode/2up

Meyer, Marvin.The Ancient Mysteries: A Sourcebook: Sacred Texts of the Mystery Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean World  https://archive.org/details/ancientmysteries0000unse_p7i2

Morford, Mark, P.O., Lenardon, Robert J. and Sham, Michael. The Student Companion to Classical Mythology, Tenth Edition: https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780199997329/

William Smith, D.C.L., LL.D. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities John Murray, London, 1875. Articles on Roman (and Greek) religion, including divination, festivals, funerals, magic, priestly officers, and rituals:  https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA/Religion/home.html

The University of Washington. Interpretations of Myths: A free online course:  https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/862997

The Monster Compilation of Free Online Resources for Classical Studies: a compilation of links to free academic sources about archaeology, language, literature, culture, history, magic, philosophy, religion, and more in the ancient Mediterranean world:   https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/186537661706/the-monster-compilation-of-free-online-resources

Adult Home Study for Hellenic and Roman Polytheists: ideas for self-study to enrich understanding and aid in interpretation of mythology:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/162142268516/adult-home-study-for-hellenic-and-roman

Altars - the basics:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/620197080304123904/hi-do-you-have-any-bookpdf-recommendations-on

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/152645127251/what-is-a-good-place-to-buy-idols-any-great

Worship - the basics:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190346773596/ive-got-a-question-i-hope-you-can-answer-how-do

https://bayoread.tumblr.com/post/108556815372/how-to-make-a-libation-super-simple-picture

Bloodless sacrifice reading list:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/169120886091/hearthglow-honorthegods-an-offering-of

Divination and Magic Resources:

Popular divination methods in ancient Greece:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/163293305101/popular-divination-methods-in-ancient-greece

Astragalomancy (dice):  https://spiritusarcanum.tumblr.com/post/29278618720/astragalomancy-divination-with-dice

Cartomancy: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:UhYvvS9bsYAJ:https://newworldwitchery.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/the-new-world-witchery-guide-to-cartomancy.pdf+&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Homeric Oracle: https://aur-ochs.tumblr.com/post/185994910629/the-homeric-oracle-comprehensive-edition

Academic article about the Homeric Oracle: http://www.chs-fellows.org/2014/03/28/using-homer-for-divination-homeromanteia-in-context/

Divination and magic reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/170457576371/so-i-know-that-minerva-was-the-roman-equivalent-to

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Hellenic Polytheism Resources

Hellenic polytheism, at the most basic, is the modern worship of the ancient Greek pantheon. Hellenic polytheists may also honor the nymphs and other nature spirits, and personified virtues, and practice some form of ancestor cult, sometimes combined with hero cult.

Hellenic polytheism is also known as Hellenic paganism, Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism, Hellenismos, Hellenic paganism, Olympianism and Dodecatheism or Dodekatheism.

It’s occasionally called Hellenistic Polytheism, though it should be noted that the term “Hellenistic” refers specifically to the time period from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony by Octavian in 31 BCE.

The term “Hellenism” was used to describe traditional Greco-Roman religion by the Emperor Julian and is still being used by modern reconstructionist and revivalist groups, especially those in Greece. There has been controversy over the use of “Hellenism” over the past two years, though Hellenic polytheist groups in Greece have issued statements permitting non-Greeks who worship the Theoi to use the term.

“Hellene” is a word used to describe Greeks and people of Greek heritage; it is therefor incorrect to use it as a synonym for practitioners of Hellenic polytheism.

The main tag to search for information of interest to beginners is #Hellenic Polytheism 101.

🏺  Building A Knowledge Base: Books, Articles and Websites

Hellenic Polytheism - free (and reliable!) resources Updated 28 August 2020:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/612595707697840128/hellenic-polytheism-free-and-reliable

Masterpost of Followers of Hellenic Deities:   https://thepastelpriestess.tumblr.com/post/184326359865/masterpost-of-followers-of-hellenic-deities

Evaluating the reliability of sources:   https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/185112455671/hellenic-polytheism-how-to-sources

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/184538461866/how-can-i-know-if-a-book-on-hellenic-polytheism-is

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/184254209886/how-to-determine-if-a-book-on-mythology-is-legit

Resources for epithets of the Theoi:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/184436720456/resources-for-cult-epithets-of-the-greek-gods

About the Eleusinian Mysteries:   https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/150632102731/hey-im-new-to-all-this-what-are-we-supposed-to

About the “Pillars of Hellenisimos”:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/173258771786/pillars-of-hellenismos

The Delphic Maxims: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphic_maxims

Beliefs about the afterlife:   https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188387856416/did-ancient-greeks-believe-in-reincarnation

Funerary customs:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/624550327095607296/also-does-anyone-have-any-book-or-article

Hades and Persephone reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/174794576611/honorthegods-hades-and-persephone-side-a

Chthonic deities reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/179703232746/are-there-any-reasonably-priced-books-or-scholarly

Antinous reading list:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188654586206/the-cult-of-antinous-free-online-resources

Dionysus reading list: https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/183521520461/monsterbychoice-does-anyone-have-good-sources

Heroes and hero-cult reading list: https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/106530516261/heroes-and-hero-cult-in-classical-antiquity-a

🏺 Prayer and Worship

Modern prayers to the Theoi:

Hearthstone http://hellenicdevotions.com/ 

winebrightruby https://winebrightruby.tumblr.com/devotional

Note: downloads of Hearthstone’s four books of Hellenic prayers may be purchased at  https://www.etsy.com/shop/HearthfireHandworks for $5 US each.

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/176587866746/ive-never-prayed-before-and-not-entirely-sure-how

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/180306585886/hey-ive-been-trying-to-incorporate-prayer-more

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/174545555546/as-someone-whos-just-thinking-about-starting

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/163612768156/what-kinds-of-things-can-i-sacrifice-to-the-gods

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190346773596/ive-got-a-question-i-hope-you-can-answer-how-do

https://bayoread.tumblr.com/post/108556815372/how-to-make-a-libation-super-simple-picture

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/160481841661/what-am-i-to-do-with-left-over-food-offerings-that

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/157714542371/the-gods-do-not-need-sacrifices-so-what-should

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/177522616751/any-advice-for-someone-who-is-piled-with-constant

🏺 Festival Calendars and When to Worship

HMEPA Hellenic Month Established Per Athens Version 1.0.: the Athenian calendar, updated to be a calendar for the modern world and a Compiled List of Festivals and Sacrifices in Athens: http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/

http://www.hellenion.org/calendar/

http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/php/hymns/index.php?page=calendar

https://theia0mania.tumblr.com/post/620301786979418112/id-like-to-know-the-routine-of-a-hellenic-pagan

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/189974963276/hello-do-you-have-a-schedule-for-your-worship-or

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/185820921256/what-holidays-do-hellenic-polytheist-people

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/143171897776/how-do-you-know-the-dates-of-festivals

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/174665458836/so-i-understand-that-you-arent-hellenic

🏺 Weddings

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/183749333001/how-can-the-gods-be-honored-in-a-wedding-ive

https://winebrightruby.tumblr.com/post/151719592260/binding-goddess-of-love-and-happiness-i-call

https://winebrightruby.tumblr.com/post/151262049285/hymeneal-i

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Roman Polytheism Resources

Roman polytheism is the modern worship of the ancient Roman pantheon. Roman polytheists may also honor the nymphs and other nature spirits, genii locorum, Lares, Penates, and practice some form of ancestor cult, sometimes combined with hero cult and Imperial cult.

Roman polytheism is also known as Roman Polytheistic Reconstructionism, Roman paganism, Religio Romana, Cultus Deorum, and Cultus Deorum Romanorum.

The main tag to search for information of interest to beginners is #Roman Polytheism 101

📜 Building A Knowledge Base: Books, Articles and Websites

Roman Polythesim: free (and reliable!) resources! Updated 22 December 2020: https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/612756976981671936/roman-polytheism-free-and-reliable-resources

Roman and Graeco-Roman Polytheists Masterpost:                         https://amor-augusti.tumblr.com/post/618731689875750912/roman-and-greco-roman-polytheists-masterpost

Getting started with Roman Polytheism:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188126659106/i-know-that-it-may-be-a-very-general-question-but

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/160383390436/i-know-this-isnt-greek-but-im-only-just-getting

Ancient Roman Virtues:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/173298432346/the-virtues-of-ancient-rome

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/170662119466/charities-and-philanthropies-in-the-roman-empire

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188260977191/revere-the-gods-watch-over-human-beings-our

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/168825525321/the-honour-that-is-paid-to-the-gods-lies-not-in

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/173304213321/how-can-anyone-who-while-worshiping-zeus-the-god

Resources about the worship of Antinous:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188654586206/the-cult-of-antinous-free-online-resources

Resources about the Mithraic Mysteries:  https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/619125563802746880/free-and-reliable-sources-for-the-mysteries-of

The Lararium and Household Worship

Religio Romana Handbook: A Guide for the Modern Practitioner by L. Vitellius Triarius:  https://archive.org/details/ReligioRomanaHandbook   I don’t like or usually recommend Polytheist 101 handbooks, but this one is pretty good for those anxious to dive into worship.

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/180463260661/lararium-replicas-first-row-wood-lararium-kit-20

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190932464563/lararia-of-pompeii-by-italian-painter

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188068225581/so-i-have-been-wanting-to-do-more-research-on-the

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/152392762011/modern-lararium-on-the-kalends-ides-and-nones

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/154484437866/book-review-sofroniew-alexandra-household-gods

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/168573120761/book-review-household-and-family-religion-in

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/178978387851/roman-fresco-from-the-lararium-of-the-house-of

Resources about Augury:

Driediger-Murphy, Lindsay G.  Roman Republican Augury: Freedom and Control. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  https://theeye.unblockit.id/public/Books/Bibliotik/R/Roman%20Republican%20Augury_%20Freedo%20-%20LINDSAY%20G.%20DRIEDIGER-MURPHY.pdf

Linderski, Jerzy. “The Augural Law: ANRW II 16.3. 1986.  https://www.academia.edu/18884007/J.Linderski_Watching_the_Birds_Cicero_the_Augur_and_the_Augural_Templa_CP_81_1986_330-40_RQ_1995_485-95_Addenda_668_Addenda_altera_RQ_II_2007_633

Linderski, Jerzy. “Watching the Birds: Cicero the Augur and the Augural Templa.“  https://www.academia.edu/18884007/J.Linderski_Watching_the_Birds_Cicero_the_Augur_and_the_Augural_Templa_CP_81_1986_330-40_RQ_1995_485-95_Addenda_668_Addenda_altera_RQ_II_2007_633

Imperial Cult:

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/188765426281/this-is-probably-a-dumb-question-but-do-people

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/612228400138092545/hi-i-love-your-blog-and-the-research-you-put-into

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/162349342106/do-you-pray-to-caligula

Festival Calendars:

http://www.epistemeacademy.org/calendars/ Convert today or any date to Roman (kingdom and Republic) or Julian calendar date.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_festivals

http://www.musesrealm.net/rome/festivals.html

http://people.ucls.uchicago.edu/~fspaltr/Roman%20Festivals.pdf

http://www.novaroma.org/calendar/index.html

http://romanpagan.blogspot.com/2014/01/roman-calendar.html

Festival Calendar of Antinous: https://naosantinoou.org/all-festivals-and-observances/

📜 Weddings

https://honorthegods.tumblr.com/post/190182930321/hello-ive-always-been-interested-in-classical

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Top image info: Woman with phiale (libation bowl) at altar. Terracotta kylix, circa 460 BCE, attributed to the Painter of London. Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Image: Wikimedia Commons (X). Image License:  Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication

[hellenic-reconstructionism]

Modern Hellenic Polytheist Household Deity Worship

Hestia worship is important in every home. As the goddess of the hearth, she is the home, and the family (be it either blood family, or chosen family). She is at the center of everything. For most people nowadays, the equivalent of the hearth may be the generator, or the cooking stove. I propose cleaning and maintaining these appliances as a form of offering to Hestia, and a way of acknowledging her importance in our lives. It is important to start off any offering by giving her her due part, and some may offer parts of their food to her before eating.

An altar to Zeus Herkeios (Zeus of the Fence) outdoors, prayed to to protect the home. This can be next to an altar to Zeus Kataibates, the Zeus who protects from lightning falling on your house. Ideally this would be in the front yard, but for privacy's sake I think the back yard is acceptable too, personally.

Apollo Agyieus was typically honored in the form of a cone-shaped stone in the street in front of a house. Naturally, this isn't really practical for most people (or advisable), so you could put a stone cone that can withstand outdoor weather to some degree close to a street but within your property so people don't accidentally drive over it or have to park their cars around it. For those living in apartments, you could put this immediately next to your front door on the inside, along with some statues/offerings to Zeus Herkeios and Zeus Kataibates.

Zeus Ktesios, Zeus Meilichios and Agathos Daimon are also protectors of the home, but they are instead worshipped inside the house, rather than outdoors. Agathos Daimon and Zeus Meilichios are represented as snakes. Ancient Greeks would pour some wine on their floors for Agathos Daimon before and after meals in thanks.

People would pray for protection from spells and curses for themselves and their families to Hekate and Herakles. Homes would sometimes have the inscription "Here the gloriously triumphant Heracles dwells; here let no evil enter." An altar to Hekate was frequently erected in the front of a house, and women would pray to it before leaving the home. I don't see any reason to keep the gender restriction intact, but having a separate altar for her for protection may be a nice idea.

Sources: Greek Folk Religion by Martin P. Nilsson

[thegrapeandthefig]

Local cultus 2: problem-solving personal practice

Back in 2017 I wrote about my personal local cultus, which was mainly centered around sea gods. It's been 4 years and that post is now completely outdated, since I'm now in a completely different country, not to mention that my practice has also changed a lot. This will not be informative unless you're interested in how I approached the issue. Note that obviously this is stuffed with UPG.

I was living in an environment where the climate was similar enough to Greece that I didn't need to do much tweaking, if at all. That has drastically changed when I moved.

There are two main points that I needed to take into consideration when thinking about adapting my faith to a new land:

what is the local nature like / does traditional flora grow here?

was this land known by the ancients / have the gods been worshipped here?

I went from answering those two interrogations by yes/yes to no/no, and because the nature here is so different, there came the need to find appropriate replacements. Before thinking about replacements, though, I checked what was in common:

Apple tree: sacred to Hera and Aphrodite, easily available.

Barley: For the altar. Finland's biggest cereal production is barley. All good there.

Hazel: Artemis had a grove of "karya" which can mean both hazelnut and walnut.

Oak: sacred to Zeus, easily findable, especially in the south.

Pine: Sacred to Dionysus and Pan. More precisely, (Northern) Greece and Finland only have two pine species in common though, the Scots pine (pinus sylvestris) and the Macedonian pine (pinus peuce). Not a problem for pinecones and wreaths, more of a ??? when it comes to using the resin and whether or not it is comparable to the one of the Aleppo pine, which is the one traditionally used for wine and which probably created the association to Dionysus.

Willow: The white willow (salix alba) is probably sacred to Persephone (Homer mentions the tree as being in the Underworld), but I have little relationship with her. My focus is more on the "goat willow" (salix caprea), which I associate with Pan.

So those are nice to have, but I'm left with 3 plants central to the religion that I don't have access to: the laurel, the olive and fig tree. The problem with them is not finding the fruits or even leaves. Most supermarkets will have olives, figs (dried at any time, fresh depending on season) and laurel leaves. The issue resides in finding branches and/or wood, not for offerings but either for ritual tools (eiresione, hiketeia) or for decoration (wreaths).

When I made my eiresione, I went for a silver birch replacement that was favorably confirmed via divination, but I decided to dig a bit deeper into the potential of the association, especially in regards to Apollo. The silver birch places itself has a culturally important tree in a way comparable to what both the olive and laurel tree mean to the Greeks. The sap is 99% water, harvestable and drinkable and has been historically used for soap making. Those elements, coupled with the fact that the silver birch is present in the northern regions of Greece make it a good candidate to be associated with Apollo and make the divination result make a lot of sense.

This is getting long so I'll conclude there for now: there's still a fair amount of work left to do and a ton to explore and learn. My next focus now will be about finding a proper replacement for a fennel stalk. Might update this post at some point if new, valuable information arise.

[itshybridqueen]

Aphroditos, the Trans Aphrodite worshipped widely in Amathus and Athens.

This particular pose, where a feminine deity lifts up their skirt or dress to reveal a phallus, is called the Anasyrma or Anasyromenos and was widely regarded as an apotropaic gesture, averting evil influences and bringing forth good fortune.

"There's also a statue of Venus on Cyprus, that's bearded, shaped and dressed like a woman, with scepter and male genitals, and they conceive her as both male and female. Aristophanes calls her Aphroditus, and Laevius says: Worshiping, then, the nurturing god Venus, whether she is male or female, just as the Moon is a nurturing goddess. In his Atthis 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."

-Macrobius, Saturnalia (C. 431 BCE)

This combination of masculinity and femininity in the same Deity and their assocition with the moon, both of which were considered to have fertilizing powers, was regarded as having an influence over the entire animal and vegetable creation.

They were often identified with Ermaphroditos (Hermaphroditus), the intersex child of Aphrodite and Hermes

Sources:

Koloski-Ostrow, Ann Olga; Lyons, Claire L. (2000), Naked truths: women, sexuality, and gender in classical art and archaeology, Routledge; pp. 230-231.

^ Freese, John Henry (1911). "Aphrodite" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 166.

Macrobius; Kaster, Robert A. (2011), Saturnalia, Volume 2, Harvard University Press; p. 58

[appleandelder]

Decocting willow tips for soaking seeds !

[theburntleaf]

Another way I absolutely enjoy aroma is through steam

I forgot how much I enjoyed the smell of boiling down willow, which has its many uses but reminds me most of spring and making rooting hormone for elderberry cuttings.

the smell is like vanilla extract sweet and a bit alcoholic, but lighter and astringent, you can feel the lining of your nostrils tighten on inhalation. balsamic and a bit woody. the wetness from a used tea bag hangs heavy but quiet under the louder top notes.

[supercharged-nostalgia-blog]

Hymn to Hades, Guardian of Souls

O Muse, bend your ear towards my heart As it begins to sing of the good and just Hades, The King of the underworld, who protects the souls of our loved ones: Friends, family, even those we never knew. Lord Hades, Guardian of the dead, bring all souls into the folds of Your mantle. With Your beautiful wife, Queen Persephone, grant all souls rest, love, and peace. Assure us that death is nothing to be feared, only to be regarded and respected as part of life. Good, just Hades, hear this my song to You.

[thewitchladys-diary]

Thyme: use as a natural medicine.

The thyme tea or infusion, which you can prepare with about two tablespoons of chopped or crushed thyme, for each cup of water, is recommended for cases of sore throats and colds.

The thyme infusion has anti-inflammatory effects on the gastric mucosa, which is why it is ideal in cases of slow digestion, gastritis or stomach ulcers.

Inhaling the steam from its infusion can help heal the respiratory system in cases of flu, colds, bronchitis and asthma, due to its bactericidal and expectorant effect.

rinses or swish with the infusion of thyme you can relieve canker sores, improve your oral hygiene and last but not least, gingivitis, pyorrhea or some other gum problem.

Thyme extract and cream are used very frequently also to alleviate skin conditions, whether due to issues such as acne or that is inflamed by various causes, such as eczema, ulcers or psoriasis.

Prepare an infusion of thyme and with some cottons or gauze, apply it carefully on the area where you have acne. Thyme helps to remove blackheads and pimples and to cleanse the skin. You can also boil the thyme and covered with a towel over your face, breathe in the steam a little.

To cleanse, tone and detoxify the skin, it is also recommended to place a few thyme leaves in the hot water of the bathtub. Its essential oil can also be used in therapeutic massages, as it has a stimulating and invigorating effect.

[kikiscauldron]

A tarot spread for those moments of stress or anxiety. This spread will help you find relief, hope and healthier things to focus on. 💜🔮🕯🃏💜

[cottageshadowwitch]

[ID: Comfort when stressed Spread

1. Your current situation.

2. What’s creating stress in your life.

3. Something that can bring you comfort at the moment.

4. Something inspiring or motivating to focus on right now.

5. A way to resolve the stress or issue that is causing you stress.

6. Someone or something that can offer you support.

7. Something to be hopeful about and look forward to.

8. A near future event.]

[ashlin-the-gay-deactivated20220]

Αφροδιτη - Aphroditê

Categories or Retinues to Which She Belongs:

Gamêlioi theoi - Gods of Marriage

Theoi Daitoi - Deities of feasts and banquets

Theoi Mousikoi - Deities of music, dance, and the arts

Domains:

Beauty

Birth

Love

Marriage

Pleasure

Procreation

War

Symbols:

Apples

Dove

Goose

Fish

Mirrors

Myrtle

Pearl

Pomegranate

Rose

Sparrows

Swallows

Swans

Traditional Offerings:

Flowers

Pigs

Goats

Young cows

Hares

Incense

Oil

Traditional Methods of Devotional Worship:

Prostitution

Epithets:

Αμβολογηερα - Ambologêra - Delaying Old Age; she had a statue in Sparta under this epithet

Κηποις - Anaduomenê - Rising Out of the Sea

Antheia - Blooming

Απατουρος - Apatouros - Deceitful

Αποστροφια - Apotrophia - The Expeller; she was worshipped at Thebes as the goddess who expelled from men the desire for sinful pleasure and lust

Αρεια - Areia - Warlike; she was represented in full armor under this epithet

Επιστροφια - Epistrophia - She who Turns to Love

Kallipugos - a surname of Aphrodite under which she is depicted distinctly as being soft, round, and full of form

Despoina - Ruling Goddess or Mistress

Genetullis - Protectoress of Birth

Μαχανιτις - Mêchanitis - Skilled in Inventing

Μελαινις - Melainis - The Dark

Μιγωντις - Migôntis - Of Union

Μορφω - Morphô - Fair Shaped

Νικηφορος - Nikêphoros - Bringing Victory

Νυμφια - Nymphia - Bridal

Πανδημος - Pandêmos - Common to All People

Peithô - Persuasive

Πραξις - Praxis - Sexual Action

Ουρανια - Ourania - Heavenly

Festivals:

4th of each lunar month is Sacred to Aphrodite

Adônia - Athenian festival taking place annually in honor of Adonis’ death, it was one of a number of Athenian festivals which were celebrated solely by women and addressed sexual or reproductive subjects. Athenian women took to the rooftops of their houses where they danced, sang, and ritually mourned Adonis’ death. They planted “Gardens of Adonis” consisting of lettuce and fennel seeds, planted in potsherds – which sprouted before withering and dying. After the rooftop celebrations, the women descended to the streets with these Gardens of Adonis, and small images of the god; they then conducted a mock funeral procession, before ritually burying the images and the remains of the gardens at sea or in springs. Date is contested, most likely placed in spring or summer.

Anagôgia - The Festival of Embarkation, held in Aphrodite’s honor, when she leaves for Libya, and is followed nine days later by Katagôgia.

Aphrodisia - An annual festival held in honor of Aphrodite. First worshipers would purify the temple with the blood from a dove. Afterwards, worshipers would carry sacred images of the goddess in a procession to be washed. In Cyprus, participants who were initiated into the Mysteries of Aphrodite were offered salt, a representation of Aphrodite’s connection to the sea, and bread baked in the shape of a phallus. After the initial sacrifice of the dove, it was not permitted to make bloody sacrifices, since the altar could not be polluted. 

Katagôgia - Celebration of Aphrodite’s return after Anagogia.

Birth:

Several accounts of Aphrodite’s birth exist. Hesiod in the Theogony claims Aphrodite was born of the sea foam that resulted when Ouranos was castrated. Homer alleges that Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione, Titaness Goddess of the oracle of Dodona in Thesprotia.

Children:

Anteros - God of recipricol love, son of Ares and Aphrodite

Beroe - Goddess of the city Beroe, daughter of Adonis and Aphrodite

Deimos - God of fear, son of Ares and Aphrodite

Eros - God of love, mixed accounts of parentage. Some claim Ares, others claim Aphrodite was born pregnant with Eros

Harmonia - Goddess of civil and marital harmony, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite

Hermaphroditos - God son of Hermes and Aphrodite

Himeros - God of desire, twin brother of Eros

Iakkhos - A god of the Eleusinian Mysteries, son of Dionysos and Aphrodite

Peitho - Goddess of persuasion and seduction, sometimes depicted as a daughter of Aphrodite, alternatively a daughter of Okeanos and Tethys

Phobos - Son of Ares and Aphrodite

Praipus - God of vegetable gardens beehives, flocks and vineyards, parentage is disputed. Some claim a son of Dionysos and Aphrodite, others of Hermes, others yet of Aphrodite and Zeus, and others of Dionysos with varying nymphs.

Bibliography:

Aphrodite. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aphrodite-Greek-mythology

Atsma, A. J. (n.d.). Aphrodite. Retrieved January 31, 2021, from https://www.theoi.com/

Faulkner, A. (2008). The Legacy of Aphrodite: Anchises’ Offspring in the “Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite”. The American Journal of Philology, 129(1), 1-18. Retrieved January 31, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27566686

Fredal, James (2002). “Herm Choppers, the Adonia, and Rhetorical Action in Ancient Greece”. College English

Goff, Barbara (2004). Citizen Bacchae: Women’s Ritual Practice in Ancient Greece. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Graf, F. (1984). Women, War, and Warlike Divinities. Zeitschrift Für Papyrologie Und Epigraphik, 55, 245-254. Retrieved January 31, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20184039

Guía, M., & Stevens, A. (2017). Women citizens’ festivals, debates and justice on the Areopagus (Athens, fifth century BCE). Clio. Women, Gender, History, (45), 266-294. Retrieved January 31, 2021, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/26610848

Hesiod, Theogony, (lines 173-205), Perseus Digital Library

In Horster, M. (2013). Cities and priests: Cult personnel in Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands from the Hellenistic to the Imperial period.

Kate McK. Elderkin. (1925). Aphrodite

Sale, W. (1961). Aphrodite in the Theogony. Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, 92, 508-521. doi:10.2307/283834

Simms, R. (1997). Mourning and Community at the Athenian Adonia. The Classical Journal, 93(2), 121-141. Retrieved January 31, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3298134

Welch, K. (1998). The Stadium at Aphrodisias. American Journal of Archaeology, 102(3), 547-569. doi:10.2307/506401

West, M. (2000). The Name of Aphrodite. Glotta, 76(½), 134-138. Retrieved January 31, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40267103

[lovecorekiss]

Epithets of Prometheus

I adore Prometheus. Knowledge of his epithets are limited within helpol circles, so here’s a collection of Prometheus’ epithets. I have also made a list of proposed epithets for personal worship — you don’t need to use them if you don’t want to, find them unnecessary, etc.

For the sake of being historical, each proposed epithet was chosen carefully with my background knowledge of how epithets worked in antiquity. 

All epithets are sourced from primary texts from Perseus.tuffs and from the book Gods and Heroes: Prometheus. The collection and translations come from there. Each proposed epithet will also be given an explanation of why I have chosen it. 

The Epithets 

Historically Attested Epithets 

ἄναξ Anax - ‘lord, master’ (Hes. Th.)

ἀριδείκετος Arideiketos - ‘famous, glorious’ (Hes. Th.)

ἀκάκητα - ‘gracious, guileless’ (Hes. Th.)

ἀγκυλομήτης - ‘crooked of counsel’ (Hes. Th.)

Πυρφορος Purphoros - ‘bearer of fire’ (Aes. PU.)

πυκαευς Pukaeus - ‘fire-kindler’ (Aes. PU.)

Ἰαπετιονίδη Iapetionides - ‘son of Iapetus’ (Hes. Th.)

Τλήμων Tlemon - ‘wretched, miserable’ (Aes. PB.)

Δοφιστής Dophidtes - ‘master of one’s craft, adept, expert’ (Aes. PB.)

ὑπέρπικρος Uperpikros- ‘exceedingly sharp in temper’ (Aes. PB.)

ποικιλόβουλος Poikiloboulos - ‘of changeful counsel.’ (Hes. Th)

Proposed Epithets 

Απατουρια Apatouria - ‘Of Deception, Deceiver’

Δῐ́δωμῐ ἐλπῐ́δος Didomi Elpidos- ‘giver of hope.’

Εὐκᾰρδῐ́ᾱ Eukardia- ‘good heart’

Ελευθεριος Eleutherios - ‘of freedom’

Επιδωτης Epidotes - ‘giver of good’

Καυστός Kaudtos - ‘burnt’ 

Καυκασιος Kaukasios - ‘of Caucasus’

Κέραμος Keramos - ‘potter, potter’s clay’

Κοινός Koinos - ‘common’

Λαοιτης Laoites - ‘Of the People’ 

Μαχανιτις Makhanitis - ‘Contriver (of Plans and Devices)’

Μάντις Māntis - ‘seer, prophet, diviner; expert at Divination.’

Ρατροιος Patroios - ‘father’ 

Πολιεύς Polieus - ‘of the city’

Πολυτεχνης Polytekhnês - ‘Of many crafts’

Πολυμητις Polymêtis - ‘resourceful, of many crafts’

Σοφός Sophos - ‘wise’

Σωτηρ Soter - ‘saviour’

Ξενιος Xenios - ‘of hospitality, of strangers’

Information on some of the epithets 

The two epithets, Purphoros and Purkaeus, are explained within the Gods and Heroes: Prometheus book by Carol Dougherty. The book is quoted below: 

The adjective purphoros typically describes the thunderbolt of Zeus, and when applied to the human realm, it usually alludes to torches carried by Demeter, Persephone, or their votaries at the Mysteries of Eleusis. Purphuros thus describes Prometheus in a familiar aspect to Athenians as Fire-bearer, as one of three gods who taught the use of fire to mankind and who are honoured by torch festivals and worshipped in the Academy.

(…)

Prometheus brought fire to mankind, as Purkaeus (Fire-kindler), he lit his first torch, and from that point on, the iconography suggests, men light torches from his altar for races in his honour as well as in honour of other gods.

Explanations for the proposed epithets 

Απατουρια Apatouria - of deception, deceiver.

I chose this epithet due to Prometheus’ deception and trickery. Particularly, I adapted this epithet from Athene. The two are similar in mind and shared cultus (also because Prometheus stole arts from Athene and I thought it was fitting lmao). You may call upon Prometheus under this proposed epithet when you wish to deceive someone, too.

Δῐ́δωμῐ ἐλπῐ́δος Didomi Elpidos- ‘giver of hope.’

To reflect the passage in Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound that says that Prometheus instilled blind hope within us, I have proposed this epithet.

Εὐκᾰρδῐ́ᾱ Eukardia- ‘good heart’

Prometheus has a good heart. He loves mankind and this epithet is proposed to reflect that.

Ελευθεριος Eleutherios - ‘of freedom’

Eleutherios is an epithet applied to many gods (Zeus, Dionysus, Helios, etc.) and I think it’s most fitting for Prometheus. Not only for being freed by Herakles, but him being a saviour figure to humanity.

Επιδωτης Epidotes - ‘giver of good’

Prometheus gave us many, many gifts. I chose this epithet to recall this and his many gifts. The things he gave us were good and plentiful, so I chose this.

Καυστός Kaudtos - ‘burnt’ 

This word is apart of the word that means burnt sacrifice, but for sensitivity reasons I have simply chosen ‘kaudtos’. This epithet recalls his role in changing the nature of sacrifice by tricking Zeus and how livers started to be offered to the gods after he was freed. One may call upon Prometheus in sacrifice, especially sacrifice with fire, so that is why I have chosen ‘burnt’.

Καυκασιος Kaukasios - ‘of Caucasus’

Caucasus was the region that Prometheus was chained as punishment by Zeus. It is not uncommon for gods to have epithets relating to a region were they come from or a big event happened, so that is why I propose this epithet. 

Κέραμος Keramos - ‘potter, potter’s clay’

As seen within Prometheus’ cult, he can be seen as a potter/sculpter. I have chosen this epithet to reflect that aspect of his historical worship but also so you may call upon Prometheus for help in working with clay. It also was chosen to reflect his mythos.

Κοινός Koinos - ‘common’

We were all sculpted from the same clay. Therefore Prometheus is common to all mankind. Koinos was chosen to recall his role in sculpting us and how his gifts are common to all; Prometheus is common to all.

Λαοιτης Laoites - ‘Of the People’ 

To follow the theme of the proposed epithet koinos, this refers to all of humanity. Prometheus is of the people. He stole and rebelled for us. I also chose this epithet as one that can be used for invoking Prometheus in civil rights and other activism. In the modern day he’s often associated with activism.

Μαχανιτις Makhanitis - ‘Contriver (of Plans and Devices)’

A bit self explanatory — Prometheus created plans. This epithet not only highlights that, but also allows you to pray to him for making good plans and devices.

Μάντις Māntis - ‘seer, prophet, diviner; expert at divination.’

Being the giver of many forms of divination is one of many things I adore about Prometheus. I have chosen māntis to reflect this and his foresight. The divination methods he taught were employed by mānteis themselves. Prometheus himself can be considered a māntis because of him gifting technē mantikē. Call upon this proposed epithet when you seek to become better at divination or need help with it.

Ρατροιος Patroios - ‘father’ 

When speaking to my friends about what epithets I should propose for Prometheus, the common suggestion was “dad Prometheus”. That’s why I chose Patroios. The epithet itself often refers to certain bloodlines that claimed descent from the gods, but Prometheus literally sculpted us. Father and creator of mankind, in a way. He was also the father to the likes of Deukalion and Hellen. 

Πολιεύς Polieus - ‘of the city’

This particular epithet was one I was extremely intuitively drawn to for using for Prometheus. Polieus could be used for when worshipping Prometheus in the city, asking Prometheus to protect a city, or to support activists in a city. I imagine that other uses will likely arise from this proposed epithet, so let your upg guide you.

Πολυτεχνης Polytekhnês - ‘Of many crafts’

Being inventive and having many crafts is Prometheus’ thing. Therefore I chose this proposed epithet to reflect this. You may call upon Prometheus Polytekhnes when you need support when learning crafts, doing projects, etc. 

Πολυμητις Polymêtis - ‘resourceful, of many crafts’

Polymetis was chosen in the same vein as Polytekhnes. Prometheus is resourceful, so this proposed epithet reflects this.

Σοφός Sophos - ‘wise’

Wisdom and forethought are traits inherent to Prometheus. I also chose this epithet to reflect the fact that he was worshipped within the academy of Athens: a school. Sophos was chosen for students or those seeking wisdom in their work.

Σωτηρ Soter - ‘saviour’

Soter/Soteria is an epithet belonging to many, many gods. This proposed epithet calls upon Prometheus as a saviour — if you need help, feel free to cry to Prometheus Soter.

Ξενιος Xenios - ‘of hospitality, of strangers’

An ancient phrase that I read that will forever impact me was “we were all sculpted by Prometheus from the same clay.” And it’s true — we were. So Xenios is an epithet I propose for Prometheus to protect the xenia bond as we all were sculpted from the same clay. Prometheus also gave us the fire that we now use to light our hearths and the hearth is a symbol of xenia itself.

wordpress link

Bibliography 

Dougherty, C. (2006). Prometheus (Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World) (1st ed.). Routledge.

Cross, Nicholas D. “The Hearth as a Place of Refuge in Ancient Greece.” Pallas (2020): 107–123.

Çayir, Esra. The Study of the Concept of the Sacred Hearth and Greek Goddess of the Hearth and Their Association With the Prytaneion, Its Origins, and Its Development. Bilkent University, 2006.

PROMETHEUS - Greek Titan God of Forethought, Creator of Mankind. (2017). Theoi Greek Mythology. https://www.theoi.com/Titan/TitanPrometheus.html

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/search

[star-of-zeus]

Zeus Polieus

Next in the series is Zeus Polieus. Translations include “of the city”, “of the city-state”, “the protector of the city”, etc. 

There was actually an interesting ritual carried out in honor of Zeus Polieus in an annual festival, the Dipolieia. The actual ritual itself was called Buphonea. Here’s a little quote block about Zeus Polieus and the ritual:

As the sovereign and father of the gods, Zeus presided over normative civic, social, and family relationships. He endorsed the power of early chieftains and kings (in Hom. Il. 2.100–8, for example, Agamemnon’s scepter is an heirloom from the god), but in the later age of the Greek polis, Zeus was the upholder of civic authority. Zeus Polieus (of the City) was worshiped in many Greek cities, often with Athena Polias, the citadel goddess, as his partner. The Athenians preserved an ancient and curious ritual for this god, carried out on the Akropolis at his annual festival, the Dipolieia. Already considered old-fashioned by the Classical period, the Dipolieia ritually linked Zeus’ Archaic role as an agricultural deity with his civic function as a guarantor of justice. According to Pausanias (1.24.4):

They put barley mixed with wheat on the altar of Zeus and leave no guard there. The ox that they have ready for the sacrifice goes to the altar and touches the grains. They call one of the priests the Ox-Slayer (Bouphonos); [after striking the ox] he drops the axe and flees, for this is the custom. And refusing to recognize the man who did the deed, they put the axe on trial.

The ritual has received attention for its special focus on the ox: many sacrifices included oxen, but only this one had a special priest known as the Ox-Slayer, and the alternative name of the festival was the Ox-Slaying or Bouphonia. This indicates that the festival was concerned with the value of the ox as a domesticated animal. The ritual expresses tension between the ox’s value as a meat animal and the need to keep oxen alive as draft animals, vital for agriculture. Hence, the man who kills the ox commits a “crime,” but also re- enacts the first sacrifice and the pleasurable sacrificial meal of meat.

- Ancient Greek Cults by Jennifer Larson. 

I would be lying if I said I understood the entirety of the ritual, but I personally surmise from the information provided that Zeus Polieus was not just the upholder and protector of the city; the fact that the slaying of an ox and the trial of the axe that killed it were part of a festival of his show that his epithet Polieus might have also had to do with the life of those in the city! Food/agriculture were very important parts of life back then, represented by the ox eating and being slain, and Zeus’s justice aspects were represented in the trial of the axe. But that’s just my explanation. 

Feel free to send in requests for certain epithets!