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Aphrodite
Blessing:
Aphrodite gives to her worshippers the blessings of joy,
passion, freedom, whimsy, and appreciation of beauty in all
of its forms. She presides over all types of love - from the
primal stirring of the loins to the noblest kind of
patriotism and love of the Gods. The bonds of friendship and
family and lovers are especially sacred to her. She brings
together instead of tears apart, creates as opposed to
destroys.
Epithets:
Aligena (Sea Born), Ambologera (She Who Postpones Old Age),
Anaduomene (Rising from the Sea), Androphonos (Killer of
Men), Anosia (Unholy), Apostrophia (She Who Turns Herself
Away), Areia (of Ares), Basilis (Queen), Eleemon (Merciful),
Enoplios (Bearing Weapons), Epipontia (On the Sea),
Epitragidia (She Upon the Buck), Epitumbidia (She Upon the
Graves), Euplois (Fair Sailing), Genetullis (Genetrix),
Heteira (Courtesan), Kallipugos (of the Beautiful Buttocks),
Kallisti (the Fairest), Khruse (Golden), Kupris (Cyprian),
Kuprogenes (Cyprus-born), Kuthereia (Kytherean), Melainis
(Black), Morpho (Shapely), Ourania (Heavenly), Pandemos (of
All People), Pasiphaessa (the Far-Shining), Pelagia (of the
Sea), Philomeides (Laughter-Loving), Porne (Fleshy;
Prostitute), Skotia (Dark), Summakhia (Ally in War),
Tumborukhos (Gravedigger)
Symbols:
seashell, roses, mirror
Animal(s):
dove, swan, sparrow, lynx
Sacrifices:
copper, emerald, turquoise, rose, myrtle, clover, benzoin,
sandalwood, apple
Primary Cult Center(s):
Amathus, Cnidus, Corinth, Cyprus, Paphos
Festivals:
Adonia: (celebrated on different dates)
Aphrodisia: 5 Hekatombaion (July-August)
4th day of the month
Ways to honor:
The best way to honor Aphrodite is to love. If you are in a
relationship, remember why you originally fell in love with
that person. Then show them: seduce them all over again! If
you're not, find someone to love. Or help other people to do
so. Become a match-maker. Be flirtatious. Make your
surroundings beautiful with perfumes, flowers, elegant
fabrics, and exotic foods. Learn new sexual techniques.
Write erotic stories or poetry, or take naughty pictures of
yourself or a loved one. Support sex-workers. Promote safer
sex practices.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.3.3, 1.4.4, 1.9.17, 3.4.2,
3.14.3-4, 3.549
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 2.25-155
Aristophanes' Lysistrata 392-398
Euripides' Hippolytus Herodotus' Histories
1.105, 1.131, 1.199, 3.8, 4.59, 4.67
Hesiod's Theogony 188-206, 975, 986-991
Homer's Iliad, 3.373-425, 5.311-430, 14.187-221,
21.416-433, 23.185-187
Homer's Odyssey, 4.259-264, 8.266-69, 20.67-78
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5, 6, 10
Hyginus' Fabulae 14-15, 40, 58, 92, 94, 147-148,
185
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.7, 2.16, 2.30,
2.43
Ovid's Metamorphoses 4.169-192, 4.285-388, 4.531-538,
5.331, 10.519-739, 10.639-707
Papyri Graeci Magicae 4.3209-3254, 4.1265-1274,
7.215-218
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.3.1, 1.19.2,
2.4.6, 5.11.8, 7.23.2, 9.27.2, 10.26.1, 10.30.1-2
Pindar's Pythian Odes 4.213-219 and Fragments
122
Plato's Symposium
Plutarch's Roman Questions 2
Sappho's Hymn to Aphrodite
Vergil's Aeneid
Vergil's Georgics 3.267-268
Xenophon's Symposium 8, 9
Apollo
Blessing:
Apollo's blessings are beauty, healing, justice, strength,
artistic and athletic skill, as well as prophecy. He helps
people to find ways to become better than they are. He heals
all ailments - spiritual as well as physical. He punishes
unjust acts, yet helps those who have committed them to find
redemption and purification. He inspires the best work by
poets and sculptors, atheletes and scientists.. He
communicates to man the will of his father, Zeus, making
known what was hidden. Above all he preaches the Hellenic
ideal of moderation and nothing to excess.
Epithets:
Agreus (Hunter), Aguieus (Guardian of Streets), Aigletes
(Radiant), Akesios (Healer), Alasiotas (of Cyprus),
Alexikalos (Who Wards off Evil), Apotropaios (Averter of
Evil), Aristaios (Best), Arkhegetes (Leader of Colonies),
Daphnephoros (Bay-Bearer), Delios (Delian), Delphinios (of
the Dolphins), Delphic, Epikourios (Helper, Ally), Genetor
(Begetter, Ancestor), Hekatos (Far-Darter), Hersos (New
Born, Divine Child), Hyperborean (of the Far North), Iatros
(Doctor), Ismenios (of Ismenos), Karneios (of the Karneia),
Kitharodos (Singer to the Lyre), Kourotrophos (Protector of
Youth), Leukatas (of the Light) Loxias (the Oblique),
Lukeios (of the Wolf), Maleatas (Healer) Musagetes (Leader
of the Muses), Nomios (Herdsman, Shepherd) Paian (alternate
name), Patroos (Ancestral), Phoibos (Bright), Puthios
(Pythian, slayer of Pytho), Smintheus (of the Mouse)
Symbols:
lyre, bow, tripod, the sun
Animal(s):
crow, wolf, dolphin, mouse
Sacrifices:
bay, laurel, vine, rush, sunflower, amber, hyacinth,
frankincense, olibanum, aloe
Primary Cult Center(s):
Delos, Delphi
Festivals:
Boedromia: 7 Boedromion (September-October)
Delphinia: 6 Mounikhion (April-May)
Metageitnia: 7 Metageitnion (August-September)
Hyakinthia: during Hekatombaion (July-August)
Karneia: 7-15 Metageitnion (August-September)
Nymphegetes: 8 Gamelion (January-February)
Puanepsia: 7 Puanepsion (October-November)
Pythian Games: Metageitnion, 3rd year of the
Olympiad
Thargelia: 6-7 Thargelion (May-June)
7th day of the month
Ways to honor:
Live excellently. Don't shirk your responsibilities, or do
things you know are wrong. Put your core values into
practice: don't just preach it, live it. Cultivate the arts.
Write, draw, paint, dance, play an instrument, sculpt or
support those who do. Read philosophers, and try to think
outside the box. Learn and practice a form of divination.
Live healthfully. Exercize. Take an interest in what you eat
and how it affects your body. Visit the sick. Donate time or
money to AIDS or cancer research and treatment or other
health concerns.
For more information:
Aeschylus' Agamemnon 1202-1212
Aeschylus' Eumenides
Apollodorus' Library 1.3.2-4, 1.4.1-2, 1.7.8-9,
1.9.15, 2.5.9, 2.6.2, 3.10.1-4, 3.12.5
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 2.500-520, 2.946-953,
4.6.11-618
Euripides' Orestes, Electra, Iphigeneia among the
Taurians, Ion
Hesiod's Catalogues of Women 63-64, 83, 88-93,
98
Hesiod's Shield of Heracles 68-69, 477-480
Hesiod's Theogony 94-95, 346-348
Homer's Iliad 1.10, 1.33, 5.430, 7.270, 7.445,
21.435, 22.200,
Homer's Odyssey 8.226-228, 15.243-253
Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3a, 3b, 21, 25
Homeric Hymn to Hermes 4
Hyginus' Fabulae 9-10, 28, 32, 49-51, 107, 135, 140,
165, 191, 200,
Ovid's Metamorphoses 1.438-567, 1.750-2.400,
2.535-632, 6.204-266, 6.382-400, 11.153-171, 11.303-345,
14.129-153, 10.162-219, 10.106-142
Papyri Graeci Magicae 1.262-347, 4.1-47
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.30.3, 1.42.2,
1.43.7-8, 2.26.4-7, 2.30.3, 2.33.2, 2.7.7, 5.14.8, 7.23.8,
8.20.4, 8.30.3-4, 9.10.5-6, 10.5.6, 10.6.7,
Pindar's Pythian Odes 3, 5, 9
Ares
Blessing:
The world can be a hard and cruel place: Ares helps us to
get through it. His blessings are strength, courage,
fortitude, cunning, and the passion to fight for the things
that we think are important. He helps us to shed what is not
efficient, to become hard in order to meet life's adversity.
He is a tough master, but when things start falling apart
around you, that's precisely the person you want on your
side.
Epithets:
Areopagite (of the Aeropagus), Aphneius (Bountiful),
Enualios (Companion of Enyo), Gynaikothoinas (One Whom the
Women Feast), Theritas
Symbols:
spear, sword, shield, helmet
Animal(s):
wolf, horse, boar
Sacrifices:
frankincense, opoponax, pepper, oak, nettle, cactus,
absinthe, rue, ruby, dogs, humans
Primary Cult Center(s):
Thrace, Tegea, Sparta
Festivals:
none
Ways to honor:
Practice martial arts. Respect veterans, and what they've
gone through. Stand up for the principles you believe in.
Find constructive ways of handling adversity. Study military
history.
For more information:
Aeschlyus' Eumenides 685-690
Apollodorus' Library 1.4.4, 1.7.7, 1.8.2, 1.9.16,
2.5.8-9, 3.4.1-2, 3.5.5, 3.9.2, 3.14.8
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 2.404-406, 2.989-992,
2.1169-1176, 3.409-413, 3.1227
Euripides' Elektra 1258-1262
Hesiod's Theogony 921-923, 934-937
Hesiod's Shield of Herakles and Telegony
Homer's Iliad
Homer's Odyssey 8.266-366
Homeric Hymn to Ares 8
Hyginus' Fabulae 159
Nonnus' Dionysiaca 302-304
Ovid's Metamorphoses 15.862-863
Pausanias' Description of Greece 5.7.10, 5.22.6,
8.44.7-8, 8.48.4-5, 9.36.1, 9.37.7
Artemis
Blessing:
Artemis' blessings are wildness, self-reliance, physical
prowess, cunning, skill, and closeness to nature. She
protects the innocent, especially the wild creatures of the
forest, but also pregnant women, children, and those who are
just. She punishes wrong-doers, especially those who offend
the Gods through hubris or unremitting pride.
Epithets:
Agreia (Hunteress), Agrotera (of the Wilderness), Arktos
(the Bear), Cedreatis (Cedar), Daphnaia (of the Bay Laurel),
Delia (of Delos), Eukleia (Glorious), Hegemone (She Who
Leads), Karytis, Keladeine (Sounding [of the
chase]), Koruthalia (Laurel-Maiden), Kynthia, Laphria
(of the Hunt), Leukophruene (White-Browed), Limnatis (of the
Marshes), Lokhia (Protector in Childbirth), Lygodesma
(Willow), Megale (Great), Ortheia (the Upright), Parthenos
(the Virgin), Phoebe (Shining), Phosphoros (Lightbringer),
Potnia Theron (Mistress of the Animals), Puronia (Fiery),
Sosipolis (Savior of the City), Soteira (Savior), Tauropolos
(Bull-Hunter)
Symbols:
bow, moon, deer
Animal(s):
all wild creatures, but especially deer, bears, boars and
the female of the species
Sacrifices:
moonstone, pearl, crystal, damiana, almond, mugwort, hazel,
frankincense, jasmine, ginseng, camphor, aloe, menstrual
blood
Primary Cult Center(s):
Delos, Magnesia, Pamphylia, Pergemon, Ephesus
Festivals:
Apaturia: 3 days in Puanepsion (October-November)
Brauronia: (date unknown)
Elaphebolia: 6 Elaphebolion (March-April)
Kharisteria: 6 Boedromion (September-October)
Mounikhia: 16 Mounikhion (April-May)
6th day of the month
Ways to honor:
The best way to honor Artemis is to care for the natural
world. Clean up pollution, protect wildlife, donate time and
money to ecological concerns. But don't just do it from your
safe cities: actually get out into the wild, and experience
the natural world. Go on nature walks, go for picnics, camp,
hunt - but get outside! If you eat meat, respect the animal
that it came from. Hunt, if you can. Be mindful of what the
animal went through, and the intimate connection that exists
between its death and your life, even if you can't. Be
respectful of personal space, privacy, and of women-only
spaces. Support pregnant women, children's rights, and
women's sports.
For more information:
Acts 19:28
Apollodorus' Library 1.4.2-5, 1.6.2, 1.7.4-5, 1.9.16,
2.5.4, 3.14.4, 3.5.1, 3.5.7, 3.9.1
Euripides' Hippolytus
Euripides' Iphigeneia in Aulis 1089
Hesiod's Theogony 920
Homer's Iliad 6.4.14, 9.533-536, 20.30-39, 20.70-71,
21.468-513, 24.605-607
Homer's Odyessey 15.475, 20.60
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.1
Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3a.1
Homeric Hymn to Artemis 9, 27
Hyginus' Fabulae 9, 28, 53, 98, 122, 150, 189, 195,
200
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.1, 2.7, 2.16, 2.18,
2.26, 2.34
Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.138-252, 2.401-530, 5.330,
6.204-312, 8.271-283, 11.321-327, 12.27-38, 15.487-551
Papyri Graeci Magicae 7.686-702
Pausanias' Description of Greece 2.7.7-8, 2.26.6,
3.18.15, 8.27.17, 8.53.1-3, 9.19.1, 9.19.7
Pindar's Olympian Odes 3.25-30
Pindar's Pythian Odes 3.31-37, 4.90-92
Asklepios
Blessing:
Asklepios is even more concerned with health and healing
than his father, Apollo. He comes to people in their dreams,
and works miracle cures. He shows people how to live better
lives, how to be more fit and energetic. Spiritual healing
and psychology are also his concern. All of his skills he
gladly shares with mankind, teaching them the secrets of
health, and aiding them as they help their fellow men.
Epithets:
none
Symbols:
snake, staff
Animal(s):
snake
Sacrifices:
frankincense, cocks, votive gifts of clay
Primary Cult Center(s):
Messenia, Epidauros, Kos
Festivals:
Asklepiain: 8 Elaphebolion (March-April)
Epidauriain: Boedromion (September-October)
Ways to honor:
Live a healthy life. Be mindful of what you eat, and it's
affects on your body. Exercize. Learn about vitamins and
alternative medicine. Explore Reiki and incubation. Visit
the sick. Donate time or money to medical research and
treatment.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 3.10.3-4
Homer's Iliad 2.729-733,
Homeric Hymn to Asklepios 16
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.14
Ovid's Metamorphoses 15.533-546, 15.626-744
Pausanias' Description of Greece 2.26.3-10,
8.25.11
Athene
Blessing:
Athene helps us to cultivate wisdom, reason, and purity. As
a Goddess of noble combat, she aids in the defending of home
and country, and by inspiring just laws and civil
intercourse, she is a Goddess of peace as well. She helps us
to see our cities as thriving communities, as extended
families, instead of just a bunch of people who live
together. The duties owed to family and friends she extends
to our neighbors in the community. She is also the Patron of
craftsmen, weavers, and artists, and delights in simple
things done well.
Epithets:
Aglauros (Dewfall), Agoraia (of the Market), Aithuia (Sea
Bird), Alalkomene (Repeller of Danger), Alea (Protectress),
Apatouria (of the Apatouria festival), Areia (Warlike),
Boulaia (of the Council), Ergane (Workerwoman), Glaukopis
(Grey-eyed, Owl-eyed), Gorgopis (Gorgon-Eyed), Hellotis
(Broad-Faced), Hephaistia (of Hephaistos), he Theos (the
Goddess), Hippia (of Horses), Hugieia (Health), Itonia (of
Itonos) Khalinitis (of the Bridle), Khalkioikos (Dwelling in
a Brazen House), Khruse (Golden), Kourotrophos (Protector of
Youth), Kranaia (Fulfiller), Meter (Mother), Nike (Victory),
Nikephoros (Victory-Bringing), Pallas (alternate name),
Panakhais (Goddess of the Akhaean League), Pandrosos
(All-Bedewing), Parthenos (the Virgin), Phatria (of the
Phratry), Poliakhos (City-Holding), Polias (of the City),
Polumetis (of Many Counsels), Promakhos (Champion), Pronoia
(Providence), Salpinx (War-Trumpet), Sophia (Wisdom),
Soteria (Savior), Sthenias (Mighty), Tritogeneia (Born on
Lake Triton)
Symbols:
aegis, helmit, spear, owl, olive
Animal(s):
owl, snake
Sacrifices:
olive oil, olive leaves and branches, aromatic herbs,
almond, oak, flax, wool, star ruby, turquoise, amaranth,
tiger lily, geranium, yew, galbanum, asafoetida,
scammony
Primary Cult Center(s):
Athens, Argos, Sparta, Troy
Festivals:
Arrhephoria: 3 Skiraphorion (June-July)
Kallunteria: 24-25 Thargelion (May-June)
Khalkeia: 30 Puanepsion (October-November)
Oskhophoria: 7 Puanepsion (October-November)
Panathenaia: Hekatombaion 28 (July-August)
Plunteria: 24-25 Thargelion (May-June)
3rd day of the month
Ways to honor:
Become involved in your community and your city. To
neighbors, be friendly. To children, be a mentor. To
strangers, be helpful. To your community, be of service,
whatever its needs are. Learn new things. Study philosophy.
Take up arts and crafts. Support veterans.
For more information:
Aeschylus' Eumenides
Apollodorus' Library 1.3.6, 1.4.3, 1.6.2
1.9.17,1.9.23, 2.4.3, 2.5.6, 2.5.12, 2.7.4, 2.1.5,
3.4.2, 3.6.8, 3.10.3, 3.12.3, 3.14.2, 3.14.7
Apollodorus' Epitome 3.2 , 5.6, 5.23, 6.6
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica
Euripides' The Suppliants, Ion, Rhesus, Trojan Women,
and Iphigeneia among the Taurians
Herodotus' The Histories 4.180.5, 8.55
Hesiod's Cataluges of Women 7, 10
Hesiod's Shield of Heracles 325-344, 443-471
Hesiod's Theogony 315, 575, 885-900, 924-929
Hesiod's Works and Days 60
Homer's Iliad 1.206, 1.190, 4.127, 4.60, 4.85, 5.730,
5.764, 5.115-121, 5.239, 5.280-318, 5.363, 5.825-835, 6.270,
6.297, 7.15, 7.43, 21.361, 21.400, 22.177, 22.224, 22.260,
22.289
Homer's Odyssey 1.44, 1.80, 1.110, 1.125, 1.178,
1.230, 1.280, 2.115, 2.260, 2.267, 5.5, 5.380, 5.408, 6.10,
6.225, 7.10, 7.37, 13.190-416, 20.299, 20.345, 22.205-210,
22.225, 22.292
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.8-15
Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3b.305
Homeric Hymn to Athene 11, 28
Hyginus' Fabulae 142, 165, 168
Ovid's Metamorphoses 4.790-803, 6.1-145,
8.251-253
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.14.6, 1.18.2,
1.24.1-7, 2.30.6, 4.30.5, 8.26.6, 9.11.2, 9.33.7
Pindar's Olympian Odes 7.32, 13.63-82
Pindar's Pythian Odes 10.43, 12.6-27
Plato's Laws 920d
Plutarch's Alcibiades 2.5
Plutarch's Themistocles 19.3
Sophocles' Ajax 1, 36, 74, 101, 748
Demeter
Blessing:
Demeter is a Goddess of the earth, especially of the cycles
of growth and decay. But unlike Gaia, who is concerned with
all life - plant, animal, human, etc - Demeter's focus is
the tilled and cultivated soil of an agricultural community.
She is also the Mother, intensely devoted to her daughter.
When her daughter was stolen from her, she was prepared to
stamp out all life in return. Instead of death, however, her
grief gave rise to Mysteries of transformation and hope.
Epithets:
Erinus (Raging), Kabeiria (Mother of the Kabeiroi),
Karpophoros (Bringing Fruit), Khloe (Verdant), Khthonia
(Earthly One), Kidaria, Kourotrophos (Protector of Youth),
Lousia (Mild), Melaina (Black), Meter (Mother)
Symbols:
torch, crown, stalks of grain
Animal(s):
horse, snake
Sacrifices:
grain, poppy, sunflower, cypress, storax, myrrh, civet,
olibanum
Primary Cult Center(s):
Agrigentum, Cnidos, Priene, Sicily, Siris, Lokroi, Athens,
and especially Eleusis
Festivals:
Epikleidia: (date unknown)
The Greater Mysteries: Boedromion 14-21
(September-October)
Halao: 26 Poseidon (December-January)
Skira: 12 Skiraphorion (June-July)
Stenia: 9 Puanepsion (October-November)
Thesmophoria: 9, 11-13 Puanepsion
(October-November)
Ways to honor:
Plant and care for a garden. Even a small plant in a pot
will help you connect with her, as you watch it grow and
nourish it. Support the rights of farmers and migrant
workers in orachards. Theirs is not an easy life, and yet
without their toil, our country would grind to a hault.
Donate money or time to rape crisis counsiling. Give of your
time and gifts to children, who are so very important.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.1.5-1.2.1, 1.5.1-3, 1.6.1,
2.5.12, 2.6.1, 3.12.2, 3.6.8, 3.7.1, 3.12.1, 3.14.7
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 4.986-990
Aristophanes' Women Celebrating the Thesmophoria
Euripides' Helen 1301-1368
Hesiod's Theogony 453-506, 910-914, 965-974
Homer's Odyssey 5.125-128
Homeric Hymn to Demeter 2, 13
Homeric Hymn to Dionysos 1.5.3
Hyginus' Fabulae 83, 141, 146, 147
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.4, 2.25
Ovid's Metamorphoses 5.341-571, 6.118-119, 8.738-878,
9.422-423
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.13.8, 1.14.3,
1.37.2, 2.5.8, 8.15.1-4, 8.25.2-8, 8.37.6, 8.42.1-13
Dionysos
Blessing:
The blessings of Dionysos are joy and passion, madness and
prophecy, ecstacy and freedom. Dionysian freedom is beyond
good and evil: it takes precedent over law, custom,
inhibition or morality. In the worship of Dionysos, we
discover who we really are, beneath all the masks and lies
and compromises that society demands of us. Dionysos
dissolves all boundaries and destroys every falsehood. In
the ecstatic state, we feel ourselves to be whole, to be one
with all of the other worshippers, with the earth and the
Gods. We utter prophecy, since we are no longer constrained
by our small minds. We perform miracles, since the laws of
nature no longer apply. We touch the face of God, and he
touches us.
Epithets:
Agrios (The Wild One), Aigobolos (The Goatslayer), Aktaios
(He of the Seacoast), Anax Bakcheios (Bacchic Lord), Anax
Agreus (Lord Hunter), Antheus (The Blossoming),
Anthroporraistes (The Render of Humans), Areion (War-like),
Arretos (The Ineffable), Arsenothelys (the Man-Womanly),
Auxites (The Grower), Axios Tauros (The Worthy Bull),
Bakcheios (The Bacchic One), Bakchos (Raving), Bassareus
(The Fox-God), Botryophoros (Bearer of Clusters of Grapes),
Boukeros (The Bull-horned One), Bromios (He Who Roars),
Bythios (The Deep), Charidotes (The Giver of Grace),
Choreutes (The Dancer), Choroplekes (The Danceweaving One),
Chthonios (He of the Underworld), Dendrites (The Tree God),
Dikerotes (The Two-horned One), Dimeter (He of Two Mothers),
Dimorphos (The Two-Formed One), Dissotokos (Doubly Born),
Dithyrambos (Hymned by the Dithyramb), Eiraphiotes (The
In-Sewn One), Ekstatophoros (The Bringer of Ecstasy),
Eleuthereus (The Emancipator), Enorches (the Betesticled),
Eriphos (Young Kid), Eribromios (The Loud Roarer), Euanthes
(The Fair Blossoming One), Euaster (He Who Shouts Eua),
Eubouleus (The Good Counselor), Euios (The Reveler),
Gethosynos (The Joyful), Gigantophonos (Giant-Slayer),
Gynnis (Womanish), Hagnos (The Pure, Holy One), Iakchos (The
Cryer at Eleusis), Iatros (The Healer), Kissobryos (The
Ivy-Wrapped One), Kissokomes (The Ivy-Crowned One), Kissos
(Ivy), Korymbophoros (The Cluster-laden), Kryphios (The
Hidden One), Lampter (Light-bringer), Lenaios (He of the
Wine-press), Liknites (He of the Winnowing Fan Cradle),
Limnaios (He of the Marsh), Lyaios (Bringer of Freedom),
Lyseus (Liberator), Mainomenos (The Maddened One), Makar
(Blessed One), Manikos (The Manic One), Mantis (The
Diviner), Meilichios (The Gentle One), Melanaigis (He of the
Black Goatskin), Morychos (The Dark One), Nebrodes (The
Fawn-form One), Nyktelios (He of the Night), Nyktipolos (The
Night-Stalker), Nysios (He of Nysa), Oiketor (The
Indweller), Omadios (He of the Raw Feast),. Palaios (The
Ancient One), Perikionios (He Who is Entwined Around the
Pillars), Phanes (The Illuminator), Polygethes (Bringer of
Many Joys), Polymorphos (He of the Many Forms), Polyonomos
(The Many-Named One), Protogonos (The Firstborn),
Skeptouchos (Sceptre-Bearer), Soter (Saviour), Sykites (He
of the Fig-Tree), Taurokeros Theos (Bull-horned God),
Taurophagos (Devourer of the Bull), Tauropon (The Bull-faced
One), Teletarches (Lord of Initiation), Thyonidas (Son of
Thyone), Thyrsophoros (The Thyrsos-Bearer), Trieterikos (The
Biennial One), Trigonos (The Thriceborn), Zagreus (Great
Hunter), Zatheos (The Very Holy), Zoophoros (Life
Bringer)
Symbols:
thyrsos, mask, nebrix, kantharos, phallos
Animal(s):
panther, goat, snake, bull, fox
Sacrifices:
musk, civet, frankincense, storax, ivy, grapes, pine, fig,
wine, honey, Indian hemp, orchis root, thistle, all wild and
domestic trees, black diamond
Primary Cult Center(s):
Thebes, Delphi, Lesbos, Thrace, Keos, Italy
Festivals:
Anthesteria: 11-13 Anthesterion (around February)
Apaturia: 3 days in Puanepsion (October-November)
Bacchanalia: (celebrated on different dates)
Greater (or City) Dionysia: 10-17 Elaphebolion
(March-April)
Halao: 26 Poseidon (December-January)
Lenaia: 12-15 Gamelion (around January)
Oskhophoria: 7 Puanepsion (October-November)
Rural Dionysia: last half of Poseidon
(December-January)
Liberalia: March 17
Ways to honor:
Drink wine. Attend theater. Dance. Sing. Learn a form of
divination. Explore madness. Be passionate. Be creative.
Enjoy every moment of living - even the harsh and unpleasant
ones.
For more information:
Achilles Tatius' Adventures of Leucippe and Clitophon
2.2-3
Aeschylos' Edonoi, Bassarides, Neoniskoi, Lykourgos,
Backhai, Pentheus, Xantriai
Aeschylos' Eumenides 23
Apollodorus' Library 1.3.2; 1.6.2; 1.9.12; 1.9.16;
2.2.2; and the whole of book 3
Apollodorus' Epitome 1.9; 3.10
Archilochus' Fragments
Aristophanes' Acharnenses 263-279
Aristophanes' The Frogs
2 Maccabbees 6.7; 14.33
3 Maccabbees 2:29
Diodorus Siculus' Library of History 3.66.1-2,
5.79.1
Euphorion Fragments 118
Euripides' Antiope 203
Euripides' The Bacchae
Euripides' Cretans, The Cyclops
Euripides' Hippolytus 339, 555
Heraklitos' Logos 124; 127
Hesiod's Catalogues of Women 18; 86
Hesiod's Theogony 940-942; 945; 947-949
Herodotus' The Histories 1.151; 2.29; 2.42; 2.47-50;
2.123; 3.8; 4.72; 4.78-80; 8.65
Homer's Iliad 6.119-143; 14.323-325
Homer's Odyssey 11.324-325
Homeric Hymn to Dionysos 1, 7, 26
Horace's Carmina 2.19; 3.25
Hyginus' Fabulae 1-4; 7; 43; 129-134; 166-167; 169;
184; 191-92
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.4-7; 2.21; 2.23
Livy's History of Rome 39.8-19
Lucian's De Dea Syria 16
Moiro's Fragments 2
Nonnos' Dionysiaca
Orphic Hymn 1, 13, 18, 27, 29, 30, 37, 38, 40, 42, 44,
45, 46, 48, 56, 87
Ovid's Fasti 3.727
Ovid's Metamorphoses 3.259-315; 3.513-4.41;
4.389-419; 5.329; 7.294-296; 8.176-182; 11.67-84; 11.89-145;
13.650-674
Pausanias's Description of Greece
Pindar's Olympian Odes 2.25-27
Pindar's Pythian Odes 11.1
Plato's Laws 672b
Plato's The Republic 2.6-7
Plautus' Aulularia 408
Plautus' Casina 979-980
Pliny the Elder's Natural History 2.106: 31.13
Plutarch's Greek Questions 299
Plutarch's In Consolation to his Wife
Plutarch's Life of Alexander 2, 9
Plutarch's Table Talk 4.6.8; 7.17
Polyaenus' Strategika 1.1
Properce 3.7
Propertius 3.17
Sappho's Fragments 3.10
Sophocles' Antigone 955-65
Sophocles' Erigone
Sophocles' Thyestes 234
Sophocles' Oedipus in Colonnus 670
Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannos 209
The Dioskouroi (Kastor and Polydeukes)
Epithets:
Kabeiroi, Magna Theoi (Great Gods)
Blessing:
The sons of Zeus were great warriors, horsemen, boxers,
wrestlers, cattle-thieves, and sailors. They value physical
prowess, courage, and daring. They appear to sailors in the
form of phospherous balls - one to indicate an ill-omen, two
to indicate a safe passage. They were associated with the
two kings of Sparta, and so added kingship and justice to
their sphere of influence.
Symbols:
a double cross, horses, boxing gloves, St Elmo's fire
Animal(s):
horse
Sacrifices:
alexanderite, tourmaline, Iceland spar, hybrid plants,
orchids, wormwood
Primary Cult Center(s):
Samothrace, Sparta
Festivals:
January 27 and August 13
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 3.11.2
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 2.1-97
Euripides' Electra and Helen
Ovid's Metamorphoses 8.301-302, 372-375
Pindar's Nemean Odes 10
Pliny's Natural History 2.101
Ways to honor:
Boxing, horse-riding, boating, and other athletic activities
are good ways to honor them, as is watching these events. Be
strong and daring, throwing caution to the wind. Respect
your siblings.
Eris
Blessing:
Eris' blessing is a sense of humor. An appreciation of the
weird and unexpected that exists in everything.
Epithets:
Discordia (Disharmony), Strife, Potnia Khaos (Our Lady of
Chaos), She What Done It All
Symbols:
holy Chao, 23, a golden apple
Animal(s):
fnords
Sacrifices:
hot dog buns, marijuana, apples, the pineal gland
Primary Cult Center(s):
bowling alleys, the internet
Festivals:
Chaos: Jan 1-Mar 14;
Mungday (Apostle Hung Mung) on Jan 5; Chaoflux on Feb
19
Discord: Mar 15-May 26;
Mojoday (Apostle Dr. Van Van Mojo) on Mar 19,
Discoflux on May 3
Confusion: May 27-Aug 7;
Syaday (Apsotle Sri Syadasti) on May 31, Confuflux on
Jul 15
Bureaucracy: Aug 8-Oct 19;
Zaraday (Apostle Zarathud) on Aug 12, Bureflux on Sep
26
Aftermath: Oct 20-Dec 31;
Maladay (Apostle Malaclypse the Elder) Oct 24, Afflux
on Dec 8
Also, Fridays, in memory of the Great Snub, and any
other day the Discordian wishes
Ways to honor:
Laugh! Be silly. Do the unexpected. Don't be so uptight. Let
others explore their weird and silly sides too.
For more information:
Euripides' Phoenician Women 799
Hesiod's Theogony 225-232
Hesiod's Works and Days 11-19
Homer's Iliad 4.439-445, 11.3-14
The Principia Discordia
Virgil's Aeneid 7.702
KeaErisdottir, a serious devottee of the Goddess
Eris, adds: You can add Ouzo as a serious offering for Eris.
She's not really into Retsina. Incenses elude me, but
apple-cinnamon scents seem to please her. All of the vessels
she's like have been red-orange, yellow orange, or a pale
yellow glass. Candle colors don't seem to matter, but red
works as well as anything. Sacred sites are the Gateway Arch
and Niagra Falls. Among her symbols are the fractal, as well
as choatic systems in general.
Gaia
Blessing:
Gaia's blessing is life. All things that draw breath and
nourishment, and have their homes upon the earth, do so
through her. Every plant, animal, bird, fish, tree, rock is
special to her. But that kind of love is impersonal. Because
she cares for all things, she must consider what is best for
the overall balance. And so the herd of gazelle is thinned
out by the lion, because otherwise they would eat up all
their food and starve to death. From the perspective of the
individual gazelle this can seem cruel and uncaring - but
when seen within the larger picture, we see that she does
nothing needlessly, or overly cruel.
Epithets:
Kourotrophos (Nourisher of Children), Meter (Mother), Physis
(Nature)
Symbols:
fruit, cornocopiae
Animal(s):
all of them
Sacrifices:
any grain, flowers, or plants, except for beans and aromatic
herbs
Primary Cult Center(s):
Delphi
Festivals:
Earth Day: 21 April (modern)
Genesios: 5 Boedromion (September-October)
Ways to honor:
The best way to honor Gaia is to care for the natural world.
Clean up pollution, protect wildlife, donate time and money
to ecological concerns. Recycle. Buy wholesome foods that
are made without pesticides or come without all the extra
packaging. Conserve energy. Carpool or walk instead of
driving. Be mindful of how your actions will affect the rest
of the world.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.1.1-5, 1.2.1, 1.2.6, 1.3.6,
1.5.2, 1.6.1-3, 2.1.2, 2.5.11, 3.8.1
Hesiod's Theogony 116-187, 233-239, 459-497, 820-822,
881-885
Homer's Odyssey 11.576
Homeric Hymn to Earth, Mother of All 30
Hyginus' Fabulae 203
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.2.6, 1.14.3,
5.14.10, 7.25.13, 8.25.8-10, 10.5.6, 10.6.6
Pindar's Pythian Odes 9.59-65
Haides
Blessing:
Haides' blessing is acceptance of our mortality. It's the
common lot of all men, what sets us apart from the Gods. It
comes to everyone - the rich and the poor like, without
malice. We can fight it off, attempt to resist the
inevitable - but we will always fail. Instead, we should
live with the sure knowledge that we will die, and make
every moment a good and worthy one. When our time comes, we
should meet it nobly, as we would an esteemed friend.
Epithets:
Aidoneus (the Hidden), Eubouleus (Good Counsellor),
Eukhaitos (Beautiful-haired), Eukles (of Good Repute),
Hagisilaos (Leader of the People), Klymenos (Renowned),
Pasianax (Lord Over All), Plouton (Wealth), Polydektes
(Receiver of Many Guests), Zeus Katakhthonios (Zeus of the
Underworld)
Symbols:
narcissus, cyprus, Helm of Invisibility, two-pronged
spear
Animal(s):
black rams and bulls
Sacrifices:
receives no sacrifices
Primary Cult Center(s):
Elis, Southern Italy
Festivals:
none
Ways to honor:
Don't fear death but accept it's inevitability. Help others
through the process of grief. Remember the dead with
fondness, for they live on in our thoughts and dreams.
For more information:
Aeschylus' Eumenides 273
Apollodorus' Library 1.15-1.2.1, 1.3.2, 1.5.1-3,
2.5.12
Hesiod's Theogony 453-506, 850
Homer's Iliad 5.844-845, 5.395-7, 8.368, 9.158,
9.568-570, 15.187-93
Homeric Hymn to Demeter 2
Hyginus' Fabulae 79, 146
Ovid's Metamorphoses 5.359-424
Pausanias' Description of Greece 6.25.2
Hekate
Blessing:
Hekate is a guide and a guardian. She protects those who
call upon her, especially from murder, magic, theft, the
dangers of childbirth, and the hardships of life on the
road. She is also a mediating figure, who intercedes on our
behalf with the other Gods.
Epithets:
Antania (Enemy of mankind), Enodia (of the Roads),
Kleidouchos (Keeper of the Keys), Khthonia (Underworld),
Krataiis (Strong One), Kurotrophos (Protector of Children),
Monogenes (Only Child), Phosphoros (the light-bringer),
Propylaia (the Guardian), Soteira (Saviour), Trevia (of
Three Ways), Tricephalus (The Three-Headed)
Symbols:
torches, keys, rope, knife
Animal(s):
dogs, owls, crows, snakes, frogs
Sacrifices:
yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar, willow, black dogs, black
bulls, black lambs, myrrh, civet, camphor, aloe, menstrual
blood, red mullet, bread, eggs, cheese, honey
Primary Cult Center(s):
Lagina, Miletus, Argos, Eleusis, Aigina
Festivals:
Hecatesia (celebrated on different dates)
New Moon
Ways to honor:
Study magic and prophecy, particularly theurgy, as
she is the patron of that art. Go for walks at night, or
among strange places. Aid fellow travelers and strangers,
especially if they have dogs. (Or are wild dogs!) Appreciate
the weird and uncanny.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.6.2
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 3.477-478, 3.528-530,
3.1035-1041, 3.1207-1224, 4.827-829
Chaldaean Oracles
Euripides' Ion 1049
Euripides' Phoenician Women 109-110
Hesiod's Theogony 409-452
Homeric Hymn to Demeter 2.25-62, 2.438-440
Lucian's Pharsalia 4.839-40
Vergil's Aeneid 4.511, 4609-610, 6.247
Papyri Graeci Magicae 36.187-210
Pausanias' Descriptions of Greece 1.43.1, 2.30.2
Theocritus' Idylls 2
Hephaistos
Blessing:
Hephaistos values hard work, honesty, dependability, and
above all, loyalty. He is not concerned with getting the
glory, but with getting the job done, and doing it well. He
encourages his followers to tackle their problems with vigor
and persistence, and shows them how to take rough and
unpleasant things and turn them into works of beauty. He is
a peacemaker, capable of seeing the many different sides of
an argument. He doesn't jump into a fray until he has
carefully weighed all sides of the dilemma. But when he
does, his actions are swift, decisive, and effecient. He is
the patron of all civilized arts, though smiths and
metalworkers are his special charges.
Epithets:
Ambidexter (Skillful)
Symbols:
forge, anvil, tongs
Animal(s):
quail
Sacrifices:
frankincense, fire opal, aloe, red poppy, hibiscus, nettle,
galbanum, olibanum
Primary Cult Center(s):
Lemnos, Athens opposite the Acropolis, Ephesus
Festivals:
Apaturia: 3 days in Puanepsion (October-November)
Hephaestia: (celebrated on different dates)
Khalkeia: 30 Puanepsion (October-November)
Ways to honor:
Work with your hands, particularly in making jewelry,
smithing, or home repair projects. Support artisans and
craftspeople. Support those with disabilities. Read about
volcanoes and earthquakes. Visit the site of one, if you're
able. Be a peacemaker..
For more information:
Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound 1-81, 365-369
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 1.202-205, 1.850-860,
3.16.1
Apollodorus' Library 1.3.5-6, 1.4.1-4, 1.6.2, 1.9.23,
2.4.11, 2.5.6, 2.5.10, 3.14.6, 3.16.1
Hesiod's Shield of Heracles 120, 240, 297
Hesiod's Theogony 570-572, 865, 927-929, 945-946
Hesiod's Works and Days 60
Homer's Iliad 1.571-608, 2.100, 5.10, 15.310,
18.368-617, 20.73-74, 21.328-382
Homer's Odyssey 8.266-366
Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3b.305
Homeric Hymn to Hephaistos 20
Hyginus' Fabulae 166
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.12-13, 2.15, 2.34
Pausanias' Descriptions of Greece 1.20.3, 2.31.3,
9.35.4
Pindar's Olympian Odes 7.32
Plato's Critias 109c
Plato's Laws 920d
Plato's Symposium 197b
Hera
Blessing:
In myth Hera often gets the short end of the stick, coming
off as a jealous shrew and a cruel persecutor of the
unfortunates who attracted the wandering eye of her husband.
But Hera also has a protective and nurturing side. She is
faithful and dutiful, and looks after marriages and mothers.
She has, to a lesser degree, connections with nature,
particularly agriculture and livestock.
Epithets:
Agreie (of Argos), Akraia (of the Heights), Boophis
(Cow-Eyed), Gamelia (of Marriage), Khera (the Widow),
Lakinia, Leukolenos (White-Armed), Limenia, Nympheuomene
(Led as a Bride), Pais (Maiden), Parthenos (Virgin), Teleia
(Accomplisher), Zygia (Uniter)
Symbols:
peacock feather, scepter, crown
Animal(s):
cow, cuckoo, peacock
Sacrifices:
aromatic herbs; willow, peacock feathers, poppies, star
sapphire, myrrh, civet
Primary Cult Center(s):
Argos, Boeotia, Samos
Festivals:
Daedala: occurred every seven years (Little) and
every sixty years (Great)
Gamelia: 27 Gamelion (January-February)
Heraea: occurred every five years
Ways to honor:
Respect marital vows, your own and those of others. Work
hard at your relationships. Keep the romance alive. Don't
fall into a routine, or take your partner for granted. Be
aware of your jealousy, and the effects it has on how you
deal with your partner. Try not to do things that will make
your partner jealous. Surprise your partner with little
things that you know will make them happy. Keep the lines of
communication open. A good marriage isn't an easy thing to
create, but all the effort that goes into it is a way to
worship Hera. Don't forget to pray to her when you're
feeling stressed, frustrated, or taken advantage of. She
often has really good advice!
For more information:
Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound 590-601
Aeschylus' Suppliants 291-309
Apollodorus' Library 1.1.5, 1.3.2, 1.3.6, 1.4.3,
1.6.2, 1.7.4, 1.8.2, 1.9.8, 1.9.16, 1.9.23-26, 2.1.3, 2.2.2,
2.4.9, 2.4.12, 2.5.9-10, 2.7.2-8, 3.4.3, 3.5.1, 3.5.8
Aristophanes' Women Celebrating the Thesmophoria
973
Hesiod's Theogony 310, 326-332, 453-506, 901,
921-934
Homer's Iliad 1.531, 1.568, 5.720, 5.764, 8.198,
8.381, 8.425, 11.270-271, 14.155, 14.193, 14.242, 14.270,
14.312, 14.352, 15.5, 15.34, 15.78, 16.430, 16.439, 19.95,
19.114,
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.33
Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3b.3.95-101, 305-359
Homeric Hymn to Hera 12
Hyginus' Fabulae 5, 13, 22, 52, 102, 150
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.3, 2.16, 2.23,
2.42-43
Ovid's Metamorphoses 1.601-746, 2.466-533, 3.255-338,
3.362-369, 4.416-562, 6.90-97, 7.516-613, 9.280-323,
14.829-851
Pausanias' Description of Greece 2.13.3, 2.17.4,
3.13.8-10, 3.15.9, 2.4.7, 5.17.1, 8.22.2, 8.3.6, 9.11.3,
9.25.2,
Pindar's Nemean Odes 1.33, 1.37, 1.44
Pindar's Pythian Odes 2.17, 2.21-41
Plato's Laws 672b
Plato's Republic 390c
Sappho's To Lady Hera
Herakles
Blessing:
The blessings of Herakles are strength, discipline, and
courage. When it seems like there's no way to get through an
obstacle, Herakles appears and helps us to dig deep and find
what it takes to overcome it. If one is stubborn enough,
they can accomplish anything. Herakles, the mortal who
became a God, is proof enough of that.
Epithets:
Alexikakos (Averter of Evil), Alkaios (original name),
Custos (Guardian), Hegemonios (Leader of the March), Heros
Theos (Hero God), Invictus (Unconquered), Kallinikos
(Glorious Conquerer), Kyrios (Lord), Melqart (King of the
City), Musagates (Leader of the Muses), Saxanus (of the
Rocks), Soter (Savior), Victor (Victorius)
Symbols:
lion's head, club
Animal(s):
lion, snake
Sacrifices:
frankincense
Primary Cult Center(s):
Pan-Hellenic
Festivals:
Herakleia: Metageitnion (August-September)
Olympic Games: Hekatombion, 1st year of the
Olympiad
4th day of the month
Ways to honor:
Keep fit. Take up a sport, especially boxing, wrestling,
running, or the discus. Don't give up, no matter how hard
things appear. Enjoy life. Drink, eat, and have lots of sex.
Herakles is a God of titanic appetites, and he appreciates
watching others take their pleasure - but don't try to outdo
him. Only Dionysos has been able to drink Herakles under the
table!
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.6.1-2, 1.9.19, 2.4.9, 2.4.12,
2.5.4-12, 2.6.1-2.7.2, 2.7.8, 3.15.2
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica
Dio Chrysostom's Orations 4.29-32, 8.28, 8.36,
9.8,
Epictetus' Enchridion 2.16.44, 3.22.56-57
Euripides' Alcestis
Euripides' Heracles
Herodotus' The Histories 2.43-44, 4.8-10,
8.43
Hesiod's Catalogues of Women 10-11
Hesiod's Shield of Heracles
Hesiod's Theogony 313-318, 523-531, 950-55
Homer's Iliad 5.395-402, 14.249-62, 19.96-133,
20.144-148
Homer's Odyssey 11.601-625, 21.22-38
Homeric Hymn to Heracles the Lion-Hearted 15
Hyginus' Fabulae 29-36
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.3, 2.6, 223-24,
2.38
Emperor Julian's Orations 7.220
Ovid's Metamorphoses 9.280-323, 11.194-217
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.27.9-10, 2.15.1,
2.18.7, 3.15.3-6, 5.1.9.-5.2.2, 5.8.3-4, 8.22.4, 9.27.6-7,
9.29.9, 10.13.8, 10.29.7
Pindar's Isthmian Odes 6.27-54
Pindar's Nemean Odes 1.33, 1.37, 1.44, 1.67-69,
4.22-30, 7.94-97
Diodorus Siculus' Bibliotheca 4.31.1-8, 4.9.1-4.11.2,
4.26.2-4.27.5
Sophpcles' Philoctetes
Sophocles' The Women of Trachis
Hermes
Blessing:
Hermes values wit and daring, dependability and promptness.
He despises tediousness and idleness, and when he sees this
setting in, will shake things up, just to see what happens.
He aids thieves, magicians, messengers, gamblers, and public
speakers.
Epithets:
Agreiphontes (Argus-Slaying), Dioktoros (Messenger), Enodios
(of the Road), Eriounios (Luck-Bringer), Kerykes (Herald),
Khthonios (of the Earth), Kourotrophos (Protector of Youth),
Kranaios, Kriophoros (Ram-Bearer), Logios (of Speech),
Nomios (Protector of Flocks), Propulaios (Before the Gates),
Psukhopompos (Conveyer of Souls), Trismegestos
(Thrice-Greatest)
Symbols:
caduceus, winged boots, a cap, 4
Animal(s):
ram, boar
Sacrifices:
frankincense, storax, mastic, white sandal, mace, moly,
nettles, asafoetida, ginger, opal, mercury, marjolane
Primary Cult Center(s):
Arcadia
Festivals:
Hermaia (celebrated on various dates)
Khutroi: 13 Anthestrion (February-March)
4th day of the month
Ways to honor:
Be cunning and daring. Work smarter, not harder. Study
divination and magic - both of the sacred and the stage
variety. Gamble. Travel, especially if you find yourself in
a rut. If you drop change, leave it. If you find some, pick
it up and thank Hermes for the gift. Always deliver messages
entrusted to you, especially those to and from the dying.
Sit with a dying friend or relative. Be their guide to the
next world.
For more information:
Aeschylus' Eumenides, and Prometheus Bound
Apollodorus' Library 1.6.2-3, 2.1.3, 2.4.2-3,
3.2.1, 3.4.3, 3.10.2
Dio Chrysostom's Orations 78.19
Euripides' Ion
Herodotus' The Histories 2.51, 2.67, 2.138
Hesiod's Theogony 440, 938
Hesiod's Works and Days 65
Homer's Iliad 24.330, 24.334-469, 24.679-694, 182,
437-439, 461
Homer's Odyssey 5.145, 5.28-148, 8.320, 10.275-308,
24.1-10
Homeric Hymn to Demeter 2.334-384, 407
Homeric Hymn to Hermes 4
Homeric Hymn to Hestia 29
Hyginus' Fabulae 195
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.7, 2.16, 2.42
Ovid's Metamorphoses 2.685-835, 8.618-724,
11.303-317, 4.288-293
Ovid's Fasti 5.667
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.24.3, 2.19.7,
2.3.4, 4.33.3, 5.19.5, 5.7.10, 7.20.3, 8.16.1, 8.17.5,
8.36.10 9.5.8, 9.30.1
Papyri Graeci Magicae 5.172-212, 5.403-407,
7.672-676, 7.919-924, 17b.5,
Pindar's Olympian Odes 6.79-80
Pindar's Pythian Odes 2.10, 12
Plato's Cratylus 407e-408a
Plato's Phaedrus 264c
Sophocles' Searching Satyrs
Hestia
Blessing:
Hestia's blessings are simple ones. She teaches the virtues
of home and family life, the sweet rewards of labor, and the
value of good food and good rest. Where there is anger, she
cools it. Where there is strife, she ends it. The bonds of
family and friendship are of foremost concern to her.
Epithets:
Boulaia (of the Council), Prytaneia (of the Prytanis)
Symbols:
fire, the hearth
Animal(s):
none
Sacrifices:
aromatic herbs; libations
Primary Cult Center(s):
the hearth of every house, the Prytanis or central hearth of
every city
Festivals:
sacrifices made at every meal
Ways to honor:
Make your home as inviting and comfortable as possible. Show
hospitality. Invite others into your home and share your
food and comforts with them. Never let a chance go by
without showing your family and friends how important they
are to you. Pour libations to her at every meal. Keep a
lamp, candle, or hearth fire burning in her honor.
For more information:
Hesiod's Theogony 453-506
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.21-32
Homeric Hymn to Hestia 24, 29
Pausanias' Description of Greece 5.14.4
Virgil's Georgics 1408
Kybele
Blessing:
Kybele is a Goddess of fertility, both in humans and
animals, and of wild nature, especially forests and
mountains. She was served by transvestite priests who had
undergone castration, and presided over orgies and ecstatic
rites. Her Mysteries were second only to the Eleusinian in
antiquity. Through the shedding of blood - both that of her
galli, and the bulls and rams of her great sacrifices - the
earth was made fecund once more.
Epithets:
Agdistis (from the Agdus rock), Dindymene (of Mount
Dindymus), Idaia (of Mount Ida), Kubebe (alternate version),
Magna Mater (Great Mother), Mater Deum (Mother of the Gods),
Meter (Mother), Meter Oreia (Mountain Mother), Rhea
(alternate name), Tmolene (of Mount Tmolus)
Symbols:
drum, tower crown, throne
Animal(s):
lion, snake
Sacrifices:
aromatic herbs, cypress, opium poppy, myrrh, civet,
blood
Primary Cult Center(s):
Crete, Athens, Pessinus, Rome
Festivals:
Dies Cannophori: March 15
Dies Dendrophori: March 22
Dies Sanguinis: March 24
Dies Hilaria: March 25
Dies Requies: March 26
Dies Ultimus: March 27
Megalesia: April 4-9
Ways to honor:
Dancing and drumming are central to the worship of Kybele,
often until one reaches states of ecstacy and
trance-possession. Respect queer people - gays, lesbians,
the transgendered, and those into BDSM - as they are her
special children. Go to wild places - forests, mountains,
and cities late at night - and look for her there.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.1.3-1.2.1, 3.12.6, 3.5.1,
3.12.6
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 1.1092-1152
Apuleius' Metamorphoses 8.23-31
Arnobius of Sicca's The Case Against the Pagans
5.5-7, 16-17
Catallus' Poem 63
Clement of Alexandria's Exhortation to the Greeks
2.15-24
Eusebius of Caesarea's Preparation for the Gospel
2.3.18
Firmicus Maternus' The Error of the Pagan Religions
3, 18.1
Herodotus' The Histories 1.34-35
Hesiod's Theogony 135, 453-506
Hippolytus of Rome's Refutation of All Heresies
5.7.1-24, 5.9.10, 8.31-9.11
Homer's Iliad 14.201-204
Homeric Hymn to the Mother of the Gods 14
Hyginus' Fabulae 139, 191
Emperor Julian's Hymn to the Mother of the Gods
Emperor Julian's Orations
Livy's History of Rome 29.10-14
Lucian's De Dea Syria 1-16, 30-60
Ovid's Fasti 4.221-348
Ovid's Metamorposes 10.102-105, 10.686-704,
14.535-555
Pausanias' Description of Greece 7.17.9-12,
8.36.2-3
Prudentius' On the Martyr's Crown 10.1011-50
Sallustius' On the Gods and the World 4
Virgil's Aeneid 10.252-55
Virgil's Ciris 163-167
Muses
Blessing:
The Muses preside over the arts and sciences, giving
inspiration to all artists, particularly poets, painters,
dancers, musicians, philosophers, and astronomers.
Names and symbols:
Aoide (song) one of the original Muses, no symbols
associated with her
Caliope (fair-voiced), considered the noblest of the
Muses, presides over epic song, and was pictured with a wax
tablet and pen.
Clio (she that extols) is the Muse of history, and has a
scroll.
Erato (the lovely one), is the Muse of erotic poetry,
with a smaller lyre.
Euterpe (she that gladdens) is the Muse of lyric song,
and has a double flute.
Hypate one of the original Muses, no symbols associated
with her
Melete (meditation) one of the original Muses, no symbols
associated with her
Melpomene (she that sings) is the Muse of tragedy, and
has a tragic mask, ivy wreath, and attributes of hero she is
inspiring a song about e.g. the club for Herakles or sword
for Perseus.
Meses one of the original Muses, no symbols associated
with her
Mneme (remembrance) one of the original Muses, no symbols
associated with her
Nete one of the original Muses, no symbols associated
with her
Polymnia (rich in hymns), is the Muse of serious sacred
songs, usually represented as veiled and pensive.
Terpsichore (she that rejoices in the dance), is the Muse
of dancing, with a lyre.
Thalia (she that flourishes) is the Muse of comedy and
bucolic poetry, with the comic mask, the ivy wreath, and the
shepherd's staff.
Urania (the heavenly), the Muse of astronomy, with the
celestial globe.
Animal(s):
none
Sacrifices:
frankincense
Primary Cult Center(s):
Helicon, Pieria, Castalia, Aganippe, Sparta
Festivals:
Museia every five years in Thespiae
Ways to honor:
Create! Learn a new artform. Go to museums, theaters, dance
recitals, and other places of culture. Support artists. Give
money to street musicians or painters. Turn a child onto
art.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.3.1-4, 3.5.8
Hesiod's Theogony 36-115
Homer's Iliad 2.594-600
Homer's Odyssey 8.63-64, 8.479-481, 24.60-61
Homeric Hymn to Apollo and the Muses 25
Ovid's Metamorphoses 5.273-340, 5.662-678
Pausanias' Description of Greece 9.24.3, 9.29.1-6
Pan
Blessing:
Pan is a carefree soul, prancing through the high mountains,
tending sheep, playing his pipes, singing, chasing after
nymphs, and dancing. His only creed is freedom. He shows his
followers how to live a similar life, how to let go and live
for a change.
Epithets:
Megas (Great)
Symbols:
syrinx
Animal(s):
goat, sheep, ram
Sacrifices:
milk, honey, must, goats, Indian hemp, orchis root, musk,
civet, thistle
Primary Cult Center(s):
Arcadia, Marathon
Festivals:
none
Ways to honor:
Dance, sing, spend time in the wild. Drink, eat, have sex.
Above all else, enjoy yourself.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Epitome 7.38
Apollodorus' Library 1.4.1
Herodotus' The Histories 2.145, 4.105, 6.105-106
Hesiod's Theogony
Homeric Hymn to Pan 19
Ovid's Metamorphoses 1.689-712, 11.146-179,
14.635-641
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.28.4, 8.36.8,
8.42.2-3, 8.54.6-7, 10.23.7
Pindar's Fragments 95
Plato's Phaedrus
Plutarch's On the Decline of Oracles
Theocritus' Idylls 1.16
Virgil's Georgics 3.391-393
Persephone
Blessing:
Persephone is the Queen of the Underworld, who remains below
the earth nine months out of year. Haides is a distant and
frightening God, but Persephone is approachable, since there
is still something about the upper world about her. She
offers comfort and solace to those who have died, or lost
someone, and she aids in the transition from life to death.
Her Mysteries give hope of a better fate in the afterlife.
And she protects us against magic and violence.
Epithets:
Agne (Pure), Despoina (Mistress), Epaine (Awesome), Kore
(Maiden), Proserpine (Variant spelling)
Symbols:
torch, crown, stalks of grain, pomegranate
Animal(s):
Sacrifices:
narcissus, pomegrannate, poplars, willow, pigs
Primary Cult Center(s):
Eleusis, Syracuse
Festivals:
The Greater Mysteries: Boedromion 14-21
(September-October)
Skira: 12 Skiraphorion (June-July)
Stenia: 9 Puanepsion (October-November)
Thesmophoria: 9, 11-13 Puanepsion
(October-November)
Ways to honor:
Give comfort to those who have lost a loved one. Appreciate
the gift of life, and how fragile and precious it is. Donate
money or time to rape crisis counsiling.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.1.5-1.2.1, 1.5.1-3, 1.6.1,
2.5.12, 2.6.1, 3.12.2, 3.6.8, 3.7.1, 3.12.1, 3.14.7
Aollodorus' Epitome1.23, 3.14.4
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica
Aristophanes' Women Celebrating the Thesmophoria
Euripides' Helen 1301-1368
Hesiod's Theogony 767-774, 908-911, 965-974
Homer's Iliad 9.457, 9.568
Homer's Odyssey 5.125-128, 10.492-495, 10.510,
11.213-218, 11.225-257, 11.632-635
Homeric Hymn to Demeter 2, 13
Hyginus' Fabulae 83, 141, 146, 147
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.4, 2.25
Ovid's Metamorphoses 5.341-571, 6.118-119, 8.738-878,
9.422-423
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.13.8, 1.14.3,
1.37.2, 2.5.8, 8.15.1-4, 8.25.2-8, 8.37.6-9, 8.42.1-13
Poseidon
Blessing:
Poseidon is one of the oldest and strongest of the Gods,
whose kingdom is the sea. Sailors, fisherfolk, and all who
work on or around the sea are his. He values strength and
courage, but is not above taking even the most beloved
sailor down to the briny depths. He is a chaotic God,
completely unpredictable. He is also connected to horses,
which form he frequently takes to mate with mortals and
Goddesses alike.
Epithets:
Aspheleios (Steadfast), Basileus (King), Ennosigaios
(Earth-Shaker), Gaieokhos (Earth-Holder), Hippios (of
Horses), Pater (Father), Petraios (of the Rock), Phutalmios
(Nourishing), Soter (Savior), Taureos (Bull-like)
Symbols:
trident, crown, conch shell
Animal(s):
horse, bull, dolphin, all marine life
Sacrifices:
conch shells, coral, amethyst, sapphire, aquamarine, cedar,
onycha, amergris, myrrh, bisquits, salt, tuna, or the first
catch of the season
Primary Cult Center(s):
Cape Sounion, Pylos, Mount Mykale
Festivals:
Isthmian Games: 2nd and 4th years of the Olympiad
Poseidea: 8 Poseidon (December-January)
8th day of the month
Ways to honor:
Visit a beach. Ride horses. Go out on boats. Support
fishermen and sailors. Fight pollution of our seas and
beaches. Learn a water sport, such as diving or snorkling or
boating.
For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 1.1.6, 1.2.2, 1.4.3-5, 1.5.1,
1.6.2, 1.7.5, 1.9.9, 2.1.5, 2.151-57, 2.249, 2.297, 2.4.1,
2.4.4, 2.147, 2.5.5, 2.5.8, 2.5.10, 3.1.4, 3.14.2, 3.14.3,
3.15.5-7, 3.16.6, 3.7.1
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 1.179-189,
4.566-571
Demosthenes' Against Aristocrates 66
Euripides' The Trojan Women
Herodotus' The Histories 4.180.4, 7.129, 8.55
Hesiod's Catalogues of Women 7, 9, 10, 13, 72
Hesiod's Theogony 278-281, 453-506, 730-733, 930
Homer's Iliad 7.445, 8.200, 12.15, 13.1, 13.32,
13.59, 13.205, 13.231, 15.155, 15.15.184, 20.54, 20.309,
21.435
Homer's Odyssey 1.19-26, 1.44, 1.68-79, 4.500,
5.282-381, 11.250, 13.125-187
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.22-25
Homeric Hymn to Poseidon 22
Hyginus' Fabulae 89, 140, 166, 169, 186-188
Hyginus' Poetica Astronomica 2.5, 2.17, 2.20,
2.22
Ovid's Metamorphoses 4.531-542, 2.547-595, 4.790-803,
6.115-120, 8.848-854, 12.580-596
Pausanias' Description of Greece 1.14.6, 2.1.6,
2.15.5, 2.33.1, 8.8.2, 8.25.5-8, 8.42.1-2, 8.37.9,
10.5.6
Pindar's Isthmean Odes 8.21, 8.30-45
Pindar's Olympian Odes 1.25-88
Plato's Republic 391c
Plutarch's Theseus 6.1
Virgil's Aeneid 1.124-156, 5.779-826
Virgil's Georgics 1.12-14
Tyche
Blessing:
Tyche is the giver of good fortune and the bringer of evil,
a Goddess if whimsy, and an emblem of inescapable destiny.
She teaches the paradoxical message that life is essentially
a game of dice, determined by chance, and that nothing is
ever set in stone. No matter how certain we are that
something will happen, there's always an element of chance
to it, and the unexpected may turn out to be what happens.
Instead of submission to Fate, Tyche encourages her
followers to take things into their own hands, and make
their own destiny. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don't
- it's all up to chance.
Epithets:
Agathe (the Good), Megale (Great), Soteira (Savior), Fortuna
(Fortune)
Symbols:
wheel, globe, cornucopia
Animal(s):
none
Sacrifices:
frankincense
Primary Cult Center(s):
most cities in the Eastern Roman Empire
Festivals:
May 25, June 11, August 13, and November 13
Ways to honor:
Gamble. Play the odds. Never give up. Get involved with
politics, the biggest crap shoot in the land.
For more information:
Aeschylus' Agamemnon 664
Archilochus 8
Euripides' Alcestes 785
Euripdes' Cyclops 606-607
Herodotus' The Histories 1.126, 3.139, 4.8, 5.92
Hesiod's Theogony 360
Pindar Fragment 21, 39
Pliny's Natural History 2.5.22
Stobaus 1.6.3
Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.112
Zeus
Blessing:
Zeus is the mightiest of the Olympians, the king of Gods and
men, whose law governs all that happens in the universe. His
concerns are sovereignty, power, justice, oaths, and the
social and familial order. But he is also concerned with the
home and its larder. He guards guests, strangers,
suppliants, and children. He is associated with storms,
clouds, rain, forests, and caves. He is the father of most
of the Gods and many heroes.
Epithets:
Agoraios (of the Marketplace), Aigiokhos (Aegis-Bearer),
Aliterios (Cleansing from Sin), Basileus (King), Boulaios
(of Counsel), Eleutherios (Liberator), Epidotes (Bountiful),
Erigdoupos (Loud-Thundering), Eunemos (of Calm Winds),
Euboulos (Good Counsellor), Gamelios (of Marriage),
Hellenios (of the Greeks), Heraios (of Hera), Herkeios
(Guardian of the Fence), Hersos (Divine Child), Hiksios
(Protector of Suppliants), Horkos (of Oaths), Hupatos (Most
High), Hypsistos (Heavenly), Kappotas (the Downpourer),
Kataibates (Descender, as lightning), Katakhthonios
(Subterranean), Kathatsios (the Purifying), Keraunos
(Thunderbolt), Kharmon (He Who Rejoices), Khthonios
(Eathly), Kretogenes (Born on Crete), Kronides (Son of
Kronos), Ktesios (Who Protects Provisions), Lukaios (of the
Wolf), Maimaktes (Stormy), Meilikhios (Gentle),
Nephelegereta (Cloud-Gatherer), Olumpios (Olympian), Ombrios
(of Rain), Ourios (Sending Fair Winds), Pater (Father),
Phanter (He Who Signals), Philios (Friendly), Phratrios (of
the Phratry), Polieus (of the City), Soter (Saviour),
Sthenios (Mighty), Tallaios (Sun), Teleios (Accomplisher),
Tropaios (of the Battle Monument), Xenios (Protector of
Strangers)
Symbols:
lightning bolt, eagle, scepter, aegis
Animal(s):
eagle, cuckoo, swan, bull, goat
Sacrifices:
honey, aspen, hyssop, oak, poplar, fig, damiana, banyan,
storax, jasmine, ambergris, ginseng, galbanum, saffron,
bulls
Primary Cult Center(s):
Athens, Olympia, Dodona, Crete
Festivals:
Diasia: 23 Anthesterion
Diisoteria: 30 Skiraphorion (June-July)
Gamelia: 27 Gamelion (January-February)
Nemean Games: 2nd and 4th years of the Olympiad
Olympic Games: Hekatombion, 1st year of the
Olympiad
Olumpieia: 19 Mounikhion (April-May)
Pandia: 17 Elaphebolion (March-April)
Ways to honor:
Live justly. Honor your commitments. Examine your ideas
about fatherhood. Thank Zeus for rain. Listen to
thunderstorms.
For more information:
(Zeus appears so constantly in myths and Greek literature
that attempting a comprehensive listing of sources would be
impossible. I have provided a number of the more important
ones only. The Iliad, Theogony, Library of
Apollodorus, and Ovid's Metamorphoses are good
places to start.)
Aeschylus Fragment 105
Apollodorus' Library 1.1.5, 1.2.1-2, 1.3.1-2, 1.3.6,
1.4.2, 1.6.2, 1.8.3, 1.9.8, 2.1.4, 2.4.2, 2.4.8, 3.1.2,
3.9.1, 3.10.2-4, 3.4.4, 3.5.1, 3.8.2, 3.10.6, 3.12.1
Cleanthe's Hymn to Zeus
Herodotus' The Histories 1.131.1, 2.55-58
Hesiod's Theogony 29, 453, 507, 545, 565, 585, 617,
654, 687, 729, 820, 853, 885, 901, 929, 938
Hesiod's Works and Days 42, 59, 83
Homer's Iliad 1.493, 1.531, 1.568, 1.593, 1.568, 2.1,
2.353, 3.242, 5.239, 5.363, 5.720, 5.764, 8.18-27, 8.200,
14.155, 14.193, 14.242, 14.270, 14.312, 14.352, 15.155,
15.184, 15.34, 15.5, 15.78, 15.184, 16.233-234, 16.430,
16.439
Homer's Odyssey 6.207-208, 14.327-328
Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.33, 177
Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3b.305,
Homeric Hymn to Artemis 27
Homeric Hymn to Athene 28
Homeric Hymn to Dionysos 1
Homeric Hymn to the Dioscuri 17, 33
Homeric Hymn to Hera 12
Homeric Hymn to Hermes 4
Homeric Hymn to the Most High, the Son of Kronos
23.1
Papyri Graeci Magicae 5.459-489
Pausanias' Description of Greece 2.24.4, 8.38.4,
9.3.1
Pindar's Olympian Odes 7.32
Plato's Gorgias 523b-e
Bibliography:
Cambell, Drew - Old Stones, New Temples (Xlibris,
2000)
Farrar, Janet & Stewart - The Witches' God
(Phoenix, 1987)
_____ - The Witches' Goddess (Phoenix, 1987)
Jordon, Michael - Encyclopedia of the Gods (Facts on
File, 1993)
Kerenyi, Carl - The Gods of the Greeks (Thames and
Hudson, 1951)
Meyer, Marvin W. - The Ancient Mysteries: A
Sourcebook (HarperCollins, 1987)
Seyffert, Oskar - The Dictionary of Classical Mythology,
Religion, Literature, and Art (Random House, 1995)
Tripp, Edward - The Meridian Handbook of Classical
Mythology (Meridian, 1974)
Van der Toorn, Becking, and Van der Horst - Dictionary of
Deities and Demons in the Bible (Erdman's, 1999)
The
Olympian Gods
HMEPA:
Hellenic Month Established Per Athens
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