A Compendium of the Gods
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, mirrorAnimal(s):
dove, swan, sparrow, lynxSacrifices:
copper, emerald, turquoise, rose, myrtle, clover, benzoin, sandalwood, applePrimary Cult Center(s):
Amathus, Cnidus, Corinth, Cyprus, PaphosFestivals:Adonia: (celebrated on different dates)Aphrodisia: 5 Hekatombaion (July-August)
4th day of the monthWays 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, 10.639-707Papyri 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 AphroditeVergil's AeneidVergil's Georgics 3.267-268
Xenophon's Symposium 8, 9
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, mirrorAnimal(s):
dove, swan, sparrow, lynxSacrifices:
copper, emerald, turquoise, rose, myrtle, clover, benzoin, sandalwood, applePrimary Cult Center(s):
Amathus, Cnidus, Corinth, Cyprus, PaphosFestivals:Adonia: (celebrated on different dates)Aphrodisia: 5 Hekatombaion (July-August)
4th day of the monthWays 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, 10.639-707Papyri 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 AphroditeVergil's AeneidVergil'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, athletes 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 sunAnimal(s):
crow, wolf, dolphin, mouseSacrifices:
bay, laurel, vine, rush, sunflower, amber, hyacinth, frankincense, olibanum, aloe Primary Cult Center(s):
Delos, DelphiFestivals: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 OlympiadThargelia: 6-7 Thargelion (May-June)
7th day of the monthWays 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. Exercise. 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' EumenidesApollodorus' 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, IonHesiod'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, 10.106-142Papyri 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
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, athletes 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 sunAnimal(s):
crow, wolf, dolphin, mouseSacrifices:
bay, laurel, vine, rush, sunflower, amber, hyacinth, frankincense, olibanum, aloe Primary Cult Center(s):
Delos, DelphiFestivals: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 OlympiadThargelia: 6-7 Thargelion (May-June)
7th day of the monthWays 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. Exercise. 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' EumenidesApollodorus' 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, IonHesiod'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, 10.106-142Papyri 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), TheritasSymbols:
spear, sword, shield, helmetAnimal(s):
wolf, horse, boar Sacrifices:
frankincense, opoponax, pepper, oak, nettle, cactus, absinthe, rue, ruby, dogs, humansPrimary Cult Center(s):
Thrace, Tegea, SpartaFestivals:
noneWays 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 TelegonyHomer's IliadHomer'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
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), TheritasSymbols:
spear, sword, shield, helmetAnimal(s):
wolf, horse, boar Sacrifices:
frankincense, opoponax, pepper, oak, nettle, cactus, absinthe, rue, ruby, dogs, humansPrimary Cult Center(s):
Thrace, Tegea, SpartaFestivals:
noneWays 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 TelegonyHomer's IliadHomer'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, deerAnimal(s):
all wild creatures, but especially deer, bears, boars and the female of the speciesSacrifices:
moonstone, pearl, crystal, damiana, almond, mugwort, hazel, frankincense, jasmine, ginseng, camphor, aloe, menstrual bloodPrimary Cult Center(s):
Delos, Magnesia, Pamphylia, Pergemon, EphesusFestivals: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 monthWays 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' HippolytusEuripides' 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, 15.487-551Papyri 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
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, deerAnimal(s):
all wild creatures, but especially deer, bears, boars and the female of the speciesSacrifices:
moonstone, pearl, crystal, damiana, almond, mugwort, hazel, frankincense, jasmine, ginseng, camphor, aloe, menstrual bloodPrimary Cult Center(s):
Delos, Magnesia, Pamphylia, Pergemon, EphesusFestivals: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 monthWays 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' HippolytusEuripides' 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, 15.487-551Papyri 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:
noneSymbols:
snake, staffAnimal(s):
snakeSacrifices:
frankincense, cocks, votive gifts of clayPrimary Cult Center(s):
Messenia, Epidauros, KosFestivals: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. Exercise. 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
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:
noneSymbols:
snake, staffAnimal(s):
snakeSacrifices:
frankincense, cocks, votive gifts of clayPrimary Cult Center(s):
Messenia, Epidauros, KosFestivals: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. Exercise. 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, oliveAnimal(s):
owl, snakeSacrifices:
olive oil, olive leaves and branches, aromatic herbs, almond, oak, flax, wool, star ruby, turquoise, amaranth, tiger lily, geranium, yew, galbanum, asafoetida, scammonyPrimary Cult Center(s):
Athens, Argos, Sparta, TroyFestivals: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 monthWays 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' EumenidesApollodorus' 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 TauriansHerodotus' 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
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, oliveAnimal(s):
owl, snakeSacrifices:
olive oil, olive leaves and branches, aromatic herbs, almond, oak, flax, wool, star ruby, turquoise, amaranth, tiger lily, geranium, yew, galbanum, asafoetida, scammonyPrimary Cult Center(s):
Athens, Argos, Sparta, TroyFestivals: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 monthWays 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' EumenidesApollodorus' 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 TauriansHerodotus' 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 grainAnimal(s):
horse, snake, pigSacrifices:
grain, poppy, sunflower, cypress, storax, myrrh, civet, olibanum Primary Cult Center(s):
Agrigentum, Cnidos, Priene, Sicily, Siris, Lokroi, Athens, and especially EleusisFestivals: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 orchards. Theirs is not an easy life, and yet without their toil, our country would grind to a halt. Donate money or time to rape crisis counseling. 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 ThesmophoriaEuripides' 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
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 grainAnimal(s):
horse, snake, pigSacrifices:
grain, poppy, sunflower, cypress, storax, myrrh, civet, olibanum Primary Cult Center(s):
Agrigentum, Cnidos, Priene, Sicily, Siris, Lokroi, Athens, and especially EleusisFestivals: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 orchards. Theirs is not an easy life, and yet without their toil, our country would grind to a halt. Donate money or time to rape crisis counseling. 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 ThesmophoriaEuripides' 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, phallosAnimal(s):
panther, goat, snake, bull, foxSacrifices:
musk, civet, frankincense, storax, ivy, grapes, pine, fig, wine, honey, Indian hemp, orchis root, thistle, all wild and domestic trees, black diamondPrimary Cult Center(s):
Thebes, Delphi, Lesbos, Thrace, Keos, ItalyFestivals: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 17Ways 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' FragmentsAristophanes' 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
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, phallosAnimal(s):
panther, goat, snake, bull, foxSacrifices:
musk, civet, frankincense, storax, ivy, grapes, pine, fig, wine, honey, Indian hemp, orchis root, thistle, all wild and domestic trees, black diamondPrimary Cult Center(s):
Thebes, Delphi, Lesbos, Thrace, Keos, ItalyFestivals: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 17Ways 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' FragmentsAristophanes' 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 fireAnimal(s):
horseSacrifices:
alexanderite, tourmaline, Iceland spar, hybrid plants, orchids, wormwoodPrimary Cult Center(s):
Samothrace, SpartaFestivals:
January 27 and August 13For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 3.11.2
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 2.1-97
Euripides' Electra and HelenOvid's Metamorphoses 8.301-302, 372-375
Pindar's Nemean Odes 10
Pliny's Natural History 2.101Ways 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.
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 fireAnimal(s):
horseSacrifices:
alexanderite, tourmaline, Iceland spar, hybrid plants, orchids, wormwoodPrimary Cult Center(s):
Samothrace, SpartaFestivals:
January 27 and August 13For more information:
Apollodorus' Library 3.11.2
Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica 2.1-97
Euripides' Electra and HelenOvid's Metamorphoses 8.301-302, 372-375
Pindar's Nemean Odes 10
Pliny's Natural History 2.101Ways 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 AllSymbols:
holy Chao, 23, a golden appleAnimal(s):
fnordsSacrifices:
hot dog buns, marijuana, apples, the pineal glandPrimary Cult Center(s):
bowling alleys, the internetFestivals:
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 wishesWays 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 DiscordiaVirgil's Aeneid 7.702
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 AllSymbols:
holy Chao, 23, a golden appleAnimal(s):
fnordsSacrifices:
hot dog buns, marijuana, apples, the pineal glandPrimary Cult Center(s):
bowling alleys, the internetFestivals:
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 wishesWays 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 DiscordiaVirgil'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 chaotic 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, cornocopiaeAnimal(s):
all of themSacrifices:
any grain, flowers, or plants, except for beans and aromatic herbs Primary Cult Center(s):
DelphiFestivals: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
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, cornocopiaeAnimal(s):
all of themSacrifices:
any grain, flowers, or plants, except for beans and aromatic herbs Primary Cult Center(s):
DelphiFestivals: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 spearAnimal(s):
black rams and bullsSacrifices:
receives no sacrificesPrimary Cult Center(s):
Elis, Southern ItalyFestivals:
noneWays 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
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 spearAnimal(s):
black rams and bullsSacrifices:
receives no sacrificesPrimary Cult Center(s):
Elis, Southern ItalyFestivals:
noneWays 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, knifeAnimal(s):
dogs, owls, crows, snakes, frogsSacrifices:
yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar, willow, black dogs, black bulls, black lambs, myrrh, civet, camphor, aloe, menstrual blood, red mullet, bread, eggs, cheese, honeyPrimary Cult Center(s):
Lagina, Miletus, Argos, Eleusis, AiginaFestivals: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, 4.827-829Chaldaean OraclesEuripides' 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, 6.247Papyri Graeci Magicae 36.187-210
Pausanias' Descriptions of Greece 1.43.1, 2.30.2
Theocritus' Idylls 2
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, knifeAnimal(s):
dogs, owls, crows, snakes, frogsSacrifices:
yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar, willow, black dogs, black bulls, black lambs, myrrh, civet, camphor, aloe, menstrual blood, red mullet, bread, eggs, cheese, honeyPrimary Cult Center(s):
Lagina, Miletus, Argos, Eleusis, AiginaFestivals: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, 4.827-829Chaldaean OraclesEuripides' 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, 6.247Papyri 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, tongsAnimal(s):
quailSacrifices:
frankincense, fire opal, aloe, red poppy, hibiscus, nettle, galbanum, olibanumPrimary Cult Center(s):
Lemnos, Athens opposite the Acropolis, EphesusFestivals: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
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, tongsAnimal(s):
quailSacrifices:
frankincense, fire opal, aloe, red poppy, hibiscus, nettle, galbanum, olibanumPrimary Cult Center(s):
Lemnos, Athens opposite the Acropolis, EphesusFestivals: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, crownAnimal(s):
cow, cuckoo, peacockSacrifices:
aromatic herbs; willow, peacock feathers, poppies, star sapphire, myrrh, civetPrimary Cult Center(s):
Argos, Boeotia, SamosFestivals:Daedala: occurred every seven years (Little) and every sixty years (Great)Gamelia: 27 Gamelion (January-February)Heraea: occurred every five yearsWays 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
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, crownAnimal(s):
cow, cuckoo, peacockSacrifices:
aromatic herbs; willow, peacock feathers, poppies, star sapphire, myrrh, civetPrimary Cult Center(s):
Argos, Boeotia, SamosFestivals:Daedala: occurred every seven years (Little) and every sixty years (Great)Gamelia: 27 Gamelion (January-February)Heraea: occurred every five yearsWays 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, clubAnimal(s):
lion, snakeSacrifices:
frankincensePrimary Cult Center(s):
Pan-HellenicFestivals:Herakleia: Metageitnion (August-September)Olympic Games: Hekatombion, 1st year of the Olympiad
4th day of the monthWays 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' AlcestisEuripides' HeraclesHerodotus' The Histories 2.43-44, 4.8-10, 8.43
Hesiod's Catalogues of Women 10-11
Hesiod's Shield of HeraclesHesiod'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' PhiloctetesSophocles' The Women of Trachis
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, clubAnimal(s):
lion, snakeSacrifices:
frankincensePrimary Cult Center(s):
Pan-HellenicFestivals:Herakleia: Metageitnion (August-September)Olympic Games: Hekatombion, 1st year of the Olympiad
4th day of the monthWays 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' AlcestisEuripides' HeraclesHerodotus' The Histories 2.43-44, 4.8-10, 8.43
Hesiod's Catalogues of Women 10-11
Hesiod's Shield of HeraclesHesiod'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' PhiloctetesSophocles' 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, 4Animal(s):
ram, boarSacrifices:
frankincense, storax, mastic, white sandal, mace, moly, nettles, asafoetida, ginger, opal, mercury, marjolanePrimary Cult Center(s):
ArcadiaFestivals:Hermaia (celebrated on various dates)Khutroi: 13 Anthestrion (February-March)
4th day of the monthWays 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 BoundApollodorus' 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' IonHerodotus' 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, 9.30.1Papyri 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
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, 4Animal(s):
ram, boarSacrifices:
frankincense, storax, mastic, white sandal, mace, moly, nettles, asafoetida, ginger, opal, mercury, marjolanePrimary Cult Center(s):
ArcadiaFestivals:Hermaia (celebrated on various dates)Khutroi: 13 Anthestrion (February-March)
4th day of the monthWays 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 BoundApollodorus' 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' IonHerodotus' 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, 9.30.1Papyri 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 hearthAnimal(s):
noneSacrifices:
aromatic herbs; libationsPrimary Cult Center(s):
the hearth of every house, the Prytanis or central hearth of every cityFestivals:
sacrifices made at every mealWays 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
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 hearthAnimal(s):
noneSacrifices:
aromatic herbs; libationsPrimary Cult Center(s):
the hearth of every house, the Prytanis or central hearth of every cityFestivals:
sacrifices made at every mealWays 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, throneAnimal(s):
lion, snakeSacrifices:
aromatic herbs, cypress, opium poppy, myrrh, civet, blood Primary Cult Center(s):
Crete, Athens, Pessinus, RomeFestivals:Dies Cannophori: March 15Dies Dendrophori: March 22Dies Sanguinis: March 24Dies Hilaria: March 25Dies Requies: March 26Dies Ultimus: March 27Megalesia: April 4-9Ways 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 GodsEmperor Julian's OrationsLivy'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
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, throneAnimal(s):
lion, snakeSacrifices:
aromatic herbs, cypress, opium poppy, myrrh, civet, blood Primary Cult Center(s):
Crete, Athens, Pessinus, RomeFestivals:Dies Cannophori: March 15Dies Dendrophori: March 22Dies Sanguinis: March 24Dies Hilaria: March 25Dies Requies: March 26Dies Ultimus: March 27Megalesia: April 4-9Ways 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 GodsEmperor Julian's OrationsLivy'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
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):
noneSacrifices:
frankincensePrimary Cult Center(s):
Helicon, Pieria, Castalia, Aganippe, SpartaFestivals:Museia every five years in ThespiaeWays to honor:
Create! Learn a new art form. Go to museums, theaters, dance recitals, and other places of culture. Support artists. Give money to street musicians or painters. Turn a child on to 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
noneSacrifices:
frankincensePrimary Cult Center(s):
Helicon, Pieria, Castalia, Aganippe, SpartaFestivals:Museia every five years in ThespiaeWays to honor:
Create! Learn a new art form. Go to museums, theaters, dance recitals, and other places of culture. Support artists. Give money to street musicians or painters. Turn a child on to 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:
syrinxAnimal(s):
goat, sheep, ramSacrifices:
milk, honey, must, goats, Indian hemp, orchis root, musk, civet, thistlePrimary Cult Center(s):
Arcadia, MarathonFestivals:
noneWays 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 PhaedrusPlutarch's On the Decline of OraclesTheocritus' Idylls 1.16
Virgil's Georgics 3.391-393
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:
syrinxAnimal(s):
goat, sheep, ramSacrifices:
milk, honey, must, goats, Indian hemp, orchis root, musk, civet, thistlePrimary Cult Center(s):
Arcadia, MarathonFestivals:
noneWays 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 PhaedrusPlutarch's On the Decline of OraclesTheocritus' 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, pomegranateAnimal(s):Sacrifices:
narcissus, pomegrannate, poplars, willow, pigsPrimary Cult Center(s):
Eleusis, SyracuseFestivals: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 ThesmophoriaEuripides' 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
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, pomegranateAnimal(s):Sacrifices:
narcissus, pomegrannate, poplars, willow, pigsPrimary Cult Center(s):
Eleusis, SyracuseFestivals: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 ThesmophoriaEuripides' 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 shellAnimal(s):
horse, bull, dolphin, all marine lifeSacrifices:
conch shells, coral, amethyst, sapphire, aquamarine, cedar, onycha, amergris, myrrh, bisquits, salt, tuna, or the first catch of the seasonPrimary Cult Center(s):
Cape Sounion, Pylos, Mount MykaleFestivals:Isthmian Games: 2nd and 4th years of the OlympiadPoseidea: 8 Poseidon (December-January)
8th day of the monthWays 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 snorkeling 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 WomenHerodotus' 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
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 shellAnimal(s):
horse, bull, dolphin, all marine lifeSacrifices:
conch shells, coral, amethyst, sapphire, aquamarine, cedar, onycha, amergris, myrrh, bisquits, salt, tuna, or the first catch of the seasonPrimary Cult Center(s):
Cape Sounion, Pylos, Mount MykaleFestivals:Isthmian Games: 2nd and 4th years of the OlympiadPoseidea: 8 Poseidon (December-January)
8th day of the monthWays 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 snorkeling 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 WomenHerodotus' 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 of 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, cornucopiaAnimal(s):
noneSacrifices:
frankincensePrimary Cult Center(s):
most cities in the Eastern Roman Empire
Festivals:
May 25, June 11, August 13, and November 13Ways 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
Tyche is the giver of good fortune and the bringer of evil, a Goddess of 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, cornucopiaAnimal(s):
noneSacrifices:
frankincensePrimary Cult Center(s):
most cities in the Eastern Roman Empire
Festivals:
May 25, June 11, August 13, and November 13Ways 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, aegisAnimal(s):
eagle, cuckoo, swan, bull, goatSacrifices:
honey, aspen, hyssop, oak, poplar, fig, damiana, banyan, storax, jasmine, ambergris, ginseng, galbanum, saffron, bullsPrimary Cult Center(s):
Athens, Olympia, Dodona, CreteFestivals:Diasia: 23 AnthesterionDiisoteria: 30 Skiraphorion (June-July)Gamelia: 27 Gamelion (January-February)Nemean Games: 2nd and 4th years of the OlympiadOlympic Games: Hekatombion, 1st year of the OlympiadOlumpieia: 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.)
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, aegisAnimal(s):
eagle, cuckoo, swan, bull, goatSacrifices:
honey, aspen, hyssop, oak, poplar, fig, damiana, banyan, storax, jasmine, ambergris, ginseng, galbanum, saffron, bullsPrimary Cult Center(s):
Athens, Olympia, Dodona, CreteFestivals:Diasia: 23 AnthesterionDiisoteria: 30 Skiraphorion (June-July)Gamelia: 27 Gamelion (January-February)Nemean Games: 2nd and 4th years of the OlympiadOlympic Games: Hekatombion, 1st year of the OlympiadOlumpieia: 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 ZeusHerodotus' 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 23.1Papyri 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
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 ZeusHerodotus' 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 23.1Papyri 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)
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)
