Category: The Goddesses

Goddesses – Diana Roman

Roman Goddess Diana from gods-and-goddesses.com

Long before popular culture yielded such proficient female characters as Katniss Everdeen, Roman mythology held its own bow and arrow wielding huntress. According to the ancient Roman religion, Diana was the virgin goddess both of hunting and of wild and domestic animals themselves. Her name is derived from the Greek words diviana, dium and dius, meaning “the shining one,” “sky,” and “daylight,” respectively. Diana was considered a fertility goddess, a helper of women during conception and childbirth. It was believed that Diana could help a woman deliver a baby easily and safely. She was also associated with worship of the moon.

Diana Facts

Name(s): Diana
Rules over: Animals, the Hunt
Gender: Female
Symbols: Bow, Quiver
Sacred animals: Hound, Deer
Parents: Jupiter (Father) and Latona (Mother)
Siblings: Apollo
Greek Similar: Artemis
Norse Similar: Skadi

Origins

It is thought that Diana may have originated as “an indigenous woodland goddess,” or a local deity. In time, however, she was associated with the Greek goddess Artemis and came to share her mythology. Even before Rome became an empire, during the time of the Latin League of cities, she was worshiped as Diana Nemorensis, or “Diana of the Wood,” by torch-bearing processions in the sacred forests on the shores of a lake near Rome. Here, she was part of a triad, or trinity, of deities including the river spirit Egeria, a guardian of childbirth, and Virbius, the first priest of Diana’s cult. Custom held that Diana’s priests be escaped slaves, and that to attain the priesthood, they first had to kill the preceding priest in combat using only a branch broken from a tree. Other worship took place on a mountain called Tifata, located near Capua.

Symbols

In statues and artwork, Diana is depicted as carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows, often accompanied by a hound (a hunting dog) or a deer. She is typically lightly clad, perhaps with a short dress or only a draping cloth, or wearing nothing at all.

Myths and Stories

Diana’s myths closely mirror those of her Greek counterpart Artemis. For example, the Roman poet Ovid recounts Actaeon’s unfortunate encounter with her. Diana was said to be a virgin, and was lauded for her purity. Diana had been hunting in a sacred valley which no humans had ever before touched. When she became tired, she and her nymphs bathed in a cool stream. Actaeon, a hunter, got lost and stumbled upon the nude and bathing Diana. So that he could not tell others of what he had seen, Diana turned him into a deer, a stag. His own hunting hounds found him and took his life.

In a related story, Ovid again regales a tale of Diana’s sacred chastity. Diana’s loyal follower Callisto was out hunting when she was spied by Diana’s father, Jupiter. Jupiter felt lustful toward the girl, and so disguised himself as his daughter Diana. He greeted the unsuspecting Callisto with a kiss, embraced her, and then revealed his true self and raped the girl. Callisto was ashamed. The next time she saw Diana, she feared it was Jupiter in disguise yet again. Said Ovid, “If Diana had not been a maiden, she could have known Callisto’s guilt by a thousand signs. They say that the nymphs realized it.” When Diana suggested they bathe in a river, Callisto’s pregnant belly was revealed. Diana sent her away, saying, “Be off from here! Do not defile these sacred waters!” Later, Jupiter’s wife Juno turned Callisto into a bear.

Worship

The oldest temple of Diana stood on Rome’s Aventine Hill. It was thought to date to the sixth century B.C., and it housed the founding charter documents of the Latin League. Many plebians, or working class Roman citizens, worshiped Diana, and slaves could seek asylum in her temple. Diana’s festival was held on the Idus of August, or August 13.

Another important temple, the Aretemesium, was located at Ephesus. This temple was famous for its intricate artwork and great size, so much so that it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. So well known was this temple that it and its patron goddess were mentioned five times in the Bible book of Acts. Today, little remains of the site, but fragments of its columns and statuary are on display at the British Museum.

Facts about Diana

Role in Mythology: Goddess of wild animals and domestic animals, goddess of nature, goddess of the hunt, fertility goddess, goddess of childbirth, moon goddess, protector of slaves and the lower class

Alternative Names: Diana Nemorensis

Family Relationships: Daughter of Jupiter

Symbols: Bow and quiver, hound, deer.

Greek Equivalent: Artemis

Athena – Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Athena – Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War Source: greekmythology.com

Athena is the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war and the adored patroness of the city of Athens. A virgin deity, she was also – somewhat paradoxically – associated with peace and handicrafts, especially spinning and weaving. Majestic and stern, Athena surpassed everybody in both of her main domains. In fact, even Ares feared her; and all Greek heroes asked her for help and advice.

Atena’s Roll

Athena’s Name
Athena’s name is closely linked with the name of the city of Athens. The Ancient Greeks debated whether she got her name after the city or the other way around. Modern scholars usually agree that the former was the case.

Athena’s Portrayal and Symbolism
In art and literature, Athena is usually depicted as a majestic lady, with a beautiful, but stern face, unsmiling full lips, grey eyes and a graceful build, emanating power and authority. She is always regally clad in either a chiton or a full armor. In the former case, she is sometimes represented with a spindle. In the latter case, she wears an elaborately crested Corinthian helmet and holds a long spear in one hand and an aegis in the other.

At the center of her aegis there’s oftentimes an image of a Gorgon’s head (Gorgoneion), symbolizing the gift she got from Perseus: the head of Medusa. Just like Medusa’s eyes, Athena’s shield can also turn her enemies to stone. As a symbol of her wisdom, there’s sometimes an owl flying in Athena’s vicinity or sitting on her shoulder; from time to time there may also be a snake or an olive branch.

Athena’s Epithets
Athena was one of the most important Olympian gods and she had many functions. Unsurprisingly, she was known under many different epithets. Some of the most famous were “Virgin,” “Pallas,” “The Unwearying One,” “The One of the City,” “The One with gleaming eyes” and “The One who fights in front.”

Athena’s Early Life

The Birth of Athena
Athena was born in most miraculous circumstances. On learning that Metis’ next child may overthrow him, Zeus swallowed his first wife who was already pregnant with Athens. When the time came, Zeus started feeling tremendous headaches. As even he couldn’t bear them, Hephaestus struck him with his axe and – lo and behold! – Athena leapt out of Zeus’ head, fully armed and with a cry so mighty and fearsome that Uranus and Gaea were shaken to their bones with terror. Zeus was delighted and full of pride.

Athena’s Childhood Friend Pallas
As a child, Athena had a friend she loved above all. Her name was Pallas and she was all but her equal in the art of war. However, one day, as they were practicing some martial exercises, Athena accidentally killed her friend. Grief-stricken and in an attempt to preserve her memory, she added her friend’s name to her own. That’s why many people know Athena as Athena Pallas.

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom

Athena, The Virgin Goddess
Just like Artemis and Hestia, Athena was never swayed by love or passion. Consequently, she never had any children. Some say that Erichthonius was an exception, but, in fact, Athena was only his foster-mother. True, Hephaestus did try to violate her, but she fought him off, so he spilled his seed over the Earth, after which Gaea was impregnated. When Erichthonius was born, Athena took him under her wing, just like she would do afterward with another cult hero, Heracles.

Athena, the Patron of Athens
Poseidon and Athena had a much-publicized quarrel over who deserves to be the patron of the most prosperous Ancient Greek city, Athens. Poseidon claimed that the city would benefit more from him than Athena and to prove this, he struck his trident into a rock, creating a seawater stream which welled up in the Temple of Erechtheion on the north side of the Acropolis. Smart as she was, Athena did nothing spectacular: she merely planted an olive tree. However, the first king of Athens, Cecrops – who was the judge of the contest – realized that the olive tree was much more beneficial, since it gave the Athenians fruit, oil and wood.

Athena, the Patroness of Handicrafts
Athena was a master artisan. As much as she was the women counterpart of Ares as a war goddess, she was also the female equivalent of Hephaestus when it came to arts and crafts. Homer says that Athena fashioned ornate and luxuriously embroidered robes for Hera and herself. Some even say that she combined her two main interests to invent the war chariot and even the warship.

Athena and the Myth of Arachne
However, the most famous myth which connects Athena with handicrafts is the story of Arachne, a mortal craftswoman who boasted that she was more skillful than Athena herself. Athena offered her a chance to repent, but after Arachne refused, she challenged her to a weaving duel. The goddess fashioned a beautiful tapestry which illustrated the gruesome fate of the mortals who had the hubris of challenging the gods. Arachne, on the other hand, chose for a subject the stories of the mortals unjustly victimized by the gods. She didn’t even have a chance to finish it: enraged and offended, Athena tore Arachne’s fabric to pieces and turned her into a spider. As such, Arachne is doomed to weave ever since.

Athena, the Helper of Heroes
As a war goddess associated with wisdom – unlike Ares who was associated with mere violence – Athena was often the main helper of Ancient Greece’s greatest heroes. Most famously, she guided Odysseus during his ten-year-long journey back to Ithaca. But, she also helped many others, such as Heracles, Perseus, Bellerophon, Jason, Diomedes, Argus, and Cadmus.

Athena: Myths and Hidden Truths

Contrary to popular belief, Athena is not a war goddess in the same sense as Ares. While both deities are associated with war, their roles are fundamentally different. Athena is revered for her strategic thinking, wisdom, and diplomacy, whereas Ares embodies the violent and chaotic aspects of war. This misconception often overshadows Athena’s connection to peace, as she sought to resolve conflicts through wisdom and negotiation rather than brute force.

Athena and musical instruments
Although more commonly associated with the arts of war and weaving, Athena was also credited with the creation of the flute and the trumpet. This demonstrates her influence on the arts and highlights her multifaceted nature as a goddess of both wisdom and creativity.

Athena and snakes
Athena’s relationship with animals is another little-known aspect of her mythology. In addition to her iconic association with the owl, symbolizing wisdom and knowledge, Athena was also linked with the serpent. The snake represents transformation, rebirth, and the ability to navigate complex challenges, reflecting Athena’s own attributes as a wise and resourceful goddess.

Athena: Wisdom, War, and the Power of the Goddess

Throughout our journey into the world of Athena, we have been deeply moved by the many facets of this fascinating goddess. Her wisdom, prowess in war, and dedication to the arts have not only inspired us but also served as a reminder of the importance of balance and harmony in life. As we delved into her stories, we felt a profound connection with the heroes who sought her guidance and the city of Athens, which revered her as their patroness. We were particularly touched by her unwavering devotion to her friend Pallas, which highlights the significance of loyalty and remembrance.

Athena’s enduring influence on both the ancient world and our modern lives has been truly captivating, and we hope that our exploration of her mythos has resonated with you, bringing a newfound appreciation for the wisdom and strength of this remarkable goddess.

Athena Sources

Homer’s “Odyssey” is an invaluable source for Athena and her deeds. If you want something briefer, read “The Homeric Hymns to Athena” (11 and 28). In Hesiod’s “Theogony” you can find the story of her birth.
Source: https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Athena/athena.html

List of Lunar Deities

Source: en.wikipedia.org

A lunar deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The following is a list of lunar deities:

African[edit]

Name Image Mythology / Religion Details
Abuk Dinka Goddess of fertility, morality, creativity, and love
Amesemi Kushite Protective goddess and wife of Apedemak, the lion-god. She was represented with a crown shaped as a falcon, or with a crescent moon on her head on top of which a falcon was standing.
Ayyur Berber
Gleti Dahomean
Mawu Dahomean
Iah Egyptian
iNyanga Zulu Goddess of the Moon
Khonsu
Egyptian The god of the moon. A story tells that Ra (the sun God) had forbidden Nut (the Sky goddess) to give birth on any of the 360 days of the calendar. In order to help her give birth to her children, Thoth (the god of wisdom) played against Khonsu in a game of senet. Khonsu lost to Thoth and then he gave away enough moonlight to create 5 additional days so Nut could give birth to her five children. It was said that before losing, the moonlight was on par with the sunlight. Sometimes, Khonsu is depicted as a hawk-headed god, however he is mostly depicted as a young man with a side-lock of hair, like a young Egyptian. He was also a god of time. The centre of his cult was at Thebes which was where he took place in a triad with Amun and Mut. Khonsu was also heavily associated Thoth who also took part in the measurement of time and the moon.
Thoth Egyptian God of wisdom, the arts, science, and judgment
Ela-Opitan Yoruba

American[edit]

Aztec mythology[edit]

Cahuilla mythology[edit]

  • Goddess Menily[1]

Hopi mythology[edit]

Incan mythology[edit]

Inuit mythology[edit]

Lakota mythology[edit]

Maya mythology[edit]

Muisca mythology[edit]

Nivaclé Mythology[edit]

  • Jive’cla

Pawnee mythology[edit]

Tupi Guarani mythology[edit]

Voodoo[edit]

Asian[edit]

Ainu mythology[edit]

  • God Kunnechup Kamui

Anatolian[edit]

Chinese mythology[edit]

Elamite[edit]

Hinduism[edit]

The Hindu moon god Chandra, riding his celestial chariot
  • God Agni, invoked as a moon deity in some hymns[5]
  • God Chandra or Soma, The moon god

Hurro-Urartian[edit]

Indonesian mythology[edit]

Japanese mythology[edit]

Korean mythology[edit]

  • Goddess Myeongwol[6]

Mari mythology[edit]

  • God Tõlze

Philippine mythologies[edit]

Main article: List of Philippine mythological figures
  • Kabigat (Bontok mythology): the goddess of the moon who cut off the head of Chal-chal’s son; her action is the origin of headhunting[7]
  • Bulan (Ifugao mythology): the moon deity of the night in charge of nighttime[8]
  • Moon Deity (Ibaloi mythology): the deity who teased Kabunian for not yet having a spouse[9]
  • Delan (Bugkalot mythology): deity of the moon, worshiped with the sun and stars; congenial with Elag; during quarrels, Elag sometimes covers Delan’s face, causing the different phases of the moon; giver of light and growth[10]
  • Bulan (Ilocano mythology): the moon god of peace who comforted the grieving Abra[11]
  • Bulan (Pangasinense mythology): the merry and mischievous moon god, whose dim palace was the source of the perpetual light which became the stars; guides the ways of thieves[12]
  • Wife of Mangetchay (Kapampangan mythology): wife of Mangetchay who gave birth to their daughter whose beauty sparked the great war; lives in the Moon[13]
  • Mayari (Kapampangan mythology): the moon goddess who battled her brother, Apolaqui[14]
  • Apûng Malyari (Kapampangan mythology): moon god who lives in Mount Pinatubo and ruler of the eight rivers[15]
  • Mayari (Tagalog mythology): goddess of the moon;[16] sometimes identified as having one eye;[17] ruler of the world during nighttime and daughter of Bathala[18]
  • Dalagang nasa Buwan (Tagalog mythology): the maiden of the moon[19]
  • Dalagang Binubukot (Tagalog mythology): the cloistered maiden in the moon[20]
  • Unnamed Moon God (Tagalog mythology): the night watchman who tattled on Rajo’s theft, leading to an eclipse[21]
  • Bulan-hari (Tagalog mythology): one of the deities sent by Bathala to aid the people of Pinak; can command rain to fall; married to Bitu-in[22]
  • Bulan (Bicolano mythology): son of Dagat and Paros; joined Daga’s rebellion and died; his body became the Moon;[23] in another myth, he was alive and from his cut arm, the earth was established, and from his tears, the rivers and seas were established[24]
  • Haliya (Bicolano mythology): the goddess of the moon,[25] often depicted with a golden mask on her face
  • Libulan (Bisaya mythology): the copper-bodied son of Lidagat and Lihangin; killed by Kaptan’s rage during the great revolt; his body became the moon[26]
  • Bulan (Bisaya mythology): the moon deity who gives light to sinners and guides them in the night[27]
  • Launsina (Capiznon mythology): the goddess of the Sun, Moon, stars, and seas, and the most beloved because people seek forgiveness from her[28]
  • Diwata na Magbabaya (Bukidnon mythology): simply referred as Magbabaya; the good supreme deity and supreme planner who looks like a man; created the Earth and the first eight elements, namely bronze, gold, coins, rock, clouds, rain, iron, and water; using the elements, he also created the sea, sky, Moon, and stars; also known as the pure god who wills all things; one of three deities living in the realm called Banting[29]
  • Bulon La Mogoaw (T’boli mythology): one of the two supreme deities; married to Kadaw La Sambad; lives in the seventh layer of the universe[30]
  • Moon Deity (Maranao mythology): divine being depicted in an anthropomorphic form as a beautiful young woman; angels serve as her charioteers[31]

Vietnamese mythology[edit]

Semitic mythology[edit]

Turkic mythology[edit]

European[edit]

Name Image Mythology / Religion Details
Arianrhod[citation needed] Welsh
Artemis
Greek Artemis is the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt, wilderness, wild animals, chastity, and occasionally the Moon due to being mistaken for Selene.[32][33] She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo.[34] She would eventually be extensively syncretized with the Roman goddess Diana. Cynthia was originally an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, who according to legend was born on Mount Cynthus. Selene, the Greek personification of the Moon, and the Roman Diana were also sometimes called “Cynthia”.[35]
Artume Etruscan
Ataegina
Lusitanian
Sen Mesopotamian Religion
Bendis
Thracian
Devana Slavic Devana was the Slavic goddess of wild nature, forests, hunting and the moon, equated with the Greek goddess Artemis and Roman goddess Diana.
Diana
Roman Diana is a goddess in Roman and Hellenistic religion, primarily considered a patroness of the countryside, hunters, crossroads, and the Moon. She is equated with the Greek goddess Artemis (see above), and absorbed much of Artemis’ and Selenes mythology early in Roman history, including a birth on the island of Delos to parents Jupiter and Latona, and a twin brother, Apollo,[36] though she had an independent origin in Italy.
Elatha[citation needed] Irish Elatha was a king of the Fomorians in Irish mythology. He succeeded his father Delbáeth and was replaced by his son Bres, mothered by Ériu.
Hecate
Greek While associated with the Moon, Hecate is not actually considered a goddess of the moon.
Hors Slavic
Hjúki and Bil Norse
Ilargi Basque
Kuu Finnish
Losna Etruscan
Luna
Roman Roman counterpart to the Greek Titaness Selene. Sibling to Sol and Aurora. Considered one of the 20 principal deities of Rome, having had temples on both the Aventine and Palatine hills.
Mano Sámi
Máni
Norse Máni is the personification of the Moon in Norse mythology. Máni, personified, is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Both sources state that he is the brother of the personified sun, Sól, and the son of Mundilfari, while the Prose Edda adds that he is followed by the children Hjúki and Bil through the heavens.
Mehnot Proto-Indo-European mythology
Meness Latvian
Myesyats Slavic
Phoebe Greek
Selene
Greek Selene Titan goddess and personification of the moon. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds.
Triple Goddess
Wicca

Oceanic[edit]

Malagasy mythology[edit]

Polynesian mythology[edit]

Australian Aboriginal mythology[edit]

Mandjindja mythology[edit]

Yolŋu mythology[edit]

See also[edit]

Goddesses and Gods – Irish Celtic – Aine and Lugh – God of Justice and Oaths and Master of Crafts

Picture by Judith Shawart

Áine – Goddess of Love, Summer and Wealth

As the goddess of summer and wealth, Áine represents the abundance that the land has to offer during its most plentiful season.

Good, fruitful harvests were required to provide for the people and animals, therefore much emphasis was placed on gods and goddesses that represent fertility, such as Áine.

The goddess Áine is strongly associated with the feast of midsummer and the summer sun. She too, like the Morrigan is thought to have the ability to shapeshift and is represented by a red mare, known for its speed.

Áine is sometimes referred to as the Irish goddess of Love or as the Faery Queen.

There are several stories that connect Áine to rape, including one where she bites off the ear of the King of Munster after an unconsented encounter. By disfiguring him, the Celtic goddess of love made him ineligible to be king (only flawless, unmarred men could rule)  and so he was removed from his throne.

In another story of rape, Áine exacted revenge by turned her offender, Gerald, Earl of Desmond into a goose.

The Hill of Knockainy (or Cnoc Áine) in County Limerick was an important site, where ritual blessings to this Irish goddess were carried out.  Offerings to Áine have also been made at Lough Gur in County Limerick.

Lugh – God of Justice and Oaths and Master of Crafts

The god Lugh, (also spelled Lug or Luga) is one of the most notable of all the Irish deities and equates to the pan-Celtic god of Lugus.

Lugh was the god associated with justice and held power over oaths and law. He was also connected with rightfulness, especially in terms of kingship.

He was king of the glorified race of the Tuatha dé Danann, who were known for their superior skills and knowledge, particularly on the battlefield. The inscriptions on some early texts suggest that the Tuath dé Danann were deities, while others allude more to them having magical powers, including shapeshifting.

Lugh was a master craftsman and skilled warrior, known for his ability to throw a spear a very long distance and hence his other name Lugh Lámhfhada. This name means Lugh of the long arm in Irish.

He is believed to have led the Tuatha dé Danann to victory over the invading army of Fomorians as depicted in the Battle of Mag Tuired.

It is said that Lugh initiated a special games event, known as the Tailteann Games or Assembly of Tailti that focused on horse racing and martial arts that ran over the last two weeks in July and culminated with the start of the harvest celebration of Lughnasadh on 1 August. It is said that the games were founded in memory of Lugh’s foster mother Tailtiu, who was also thought to be a goddess.

Legend states that Lugh was also a bit of a trickster and is sometimes known as the Celtic god of mischief.

Lugh is thought to have been the father of demi god and famous Irish warrior, Cú Chulainn.

Are Celtic gods immortal? Seemingly not all of them, Lugh is said to have been speared and drowned in Loch Lugborta (or Loch Lugh) in County Westmeath, by the sons of Cermait after he killed their father.

Both the gods of Lugh and the Dagda are supposedly buried in the sacred center of the island of Ireland, Uisneach.

Goddess – Greek Sorceress and Goddess – Circe

Circe: Powerful Divine Sorceress Who Mastered Healing, Miracles And Transforming People Into Animals

One of many impressive and colorful figures in Greek mythology is Circe, a divine witch, and goddess of incredible power. She had the ability to predict the future and transform people into animals, Circe was also a shape-shifter and performed cleansing rituals.

She could turn people into animals, change the weather, had knowledge about healing herbs, and was skilled in spinning.

Although Circe performed many miracles, she was not immortal.

Daughter of Helios and Perse, an Oceanid, Circe was one of many divine magicians in her family, including Ariadne, Pasiphae, Angitia, Medea, and Hekate.

The daughter of the sun god Helios, and a descendent of the sun, Circe’s eyes shone with brilliant light, according to Homer’s description. Also, Apollonius of Rhodes writes that she (just like every other descendant of Helios) had flashing golden eyes that shot out rays of light,

Homer wrote that Circe’s dwelling was on the Isle of Aiaia (Aeaea) – the “Island of Dawn.” She lived in a stunning marble palace in a forest clearing. Homer described her as “the fair-haired goddess,” forever young and beautiful, who spent her days singing and weaving. The same habits are also associated with goddesses of fate and destiny in Roman and Slavic myths.

Unfortunately, despite her unusually attractive appearance, Circe – the owner of a magic wand – could not be trusted and treated as an ordinary woman because she is a great sorceress. She could appear in any form and had both positive and negative power over people.

Her island of Aeaea was populated by beautiful handmaidens and tamed animals, including wolves and lions, which were actually humans under her spell.

Circe liked to transform male visitors into lions, baboons, and other animals, but mainly into pigs, her sacred animals.

Many famous appearances of Circe can be found in Greek mythology. In Homer’s Odyssey, we also meet Circe, whose transformations are never accidental, and through them, she reveals the true animal identity within each man.

When Odysseus and his crew, trying to return home from the Trojan War, come to the island of Circe, they discover that the inhabitants of the place are charming handmaidens and strange animals.

For the moment, all of them are under Circe’s spell.

However, Odysseus alone is saved from this fate because Hermes, the messenger god sent by the goddess Athena, meets him. He reveals an herbal antidote to Circe’s magic, a mysterious plant called “moly” that can help to defeat Circe in order to free his crew from their enchantment.

According to Homer’s description of the plant, its root “was black, while the flower was as white as milk; the gods call it Moly, Dangerous for a mortal man to pluck from the soil, but not for the deathless gods. All lies within their power…”

This meant that when Circe touched Odysseus with her divine wand, he did not succumb to her power. Also, following the advice given to him earlier by Hermes, Odysseus threatened the sorceress with a sword that could kill her. It was enough for her, and she finally agreed to restore his companions to human form.  She also hosted them for a month (or in other versions, for a whole year). At the same time, Hermes advises Odysseus not to reject Circe’s advances, so Odysseus decides to share a bed with her. He stays with her on the island for years, fathering their son, Telegonus.

As his primary trainer, Circe guides Odysseus into the secrets of shamanism, teaching him how to travel to Hades to interview dead souls and then return.

Thanks to the ability to foresee the future, the great sorceress offers Odysseus travel advice of great importance. Without her help, it’s doubtful that Odysseus would ever have reached home in Ithaca.

No doubt, Circe was often considered as an attractive and seductive but ultimately dangerous woman, but we have to remember that in Homer’s original text, she is a helpful mythological figure.

Strabo writes that a tomb-shrine of Circe was attended in one of the Pharmacussae islands, located off the coast of Attica, ta place associated with ancient hero-worship. Circe was also worshiped in Mount Circeo, in the Italian peninsula, which took its name after her according to ancient legend.

Strabo also says that Circe had a shrine in the small town and that the people there kept a bowl they believed once belonged to Odysseus.

Her sacred plants included enchanter’s nightshade, mandrakes, and junipers.

SOURCE: – A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Goddesses – Ancient Germanic Goddesses – Berchta

Ancient Germanic Goddesses – Berchta from otherworldlyoracle.com

The Germanic tribes of Europe had their own deities, just like the ancient Celts. Some of these deities are commemorated in the days of the week. Frigga and Freya, for example, are remembered in the word Friday. Tyr is remembered in Tuesday. Odin/Wodan – Wednesday. And so on. However, there are many who have been nearly forgotten. Here are eight nearly-forgotten ancient Germanic goddesses whose stories are just as interesting as any others. They each have something to teach us, if we only listen.

1. Berchta: The Germanic Goddess Who Became a Child-Eating Hag

Berchta was an Ancient Germanic goddess whose worship was widespread through the Alps. She came to be known well in Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Kingdom. There is some speculation that Berchta isn’t Germanic and was actually first a Celtic Alpine deity. Her name, Berchta, means “The Bright One”. Moreover, if we look at the syllables of her name we see “berch” which links her to the Birch tree and the Berkano rune.

Jacob Grimm writes of her in Teutonic Mythology, saying she was once a guardian and protector of babies and children. She ferried the dead across the water to the spirit world. Berchta wore a white gown, which shone in the darkness, and carried a set of keys. She was also a spinner/weaver goddess, which links her to fate and the life/death/rebirth cycle.

How Berchta Became a Hag

When the Church rose to power, Berchta’s name was dragged through the proverbial mud. She was demonized and eventually called the “Christmas Hag”. Her beautiful motherly image morphed into an ugly old hag who ate bad children or slit their bellies open and filled them with straw and stone. This once-loved ancient Germanic goddess became part of the Wild Hunt and rode alongside the wicked dead. Her consorts were Berchtold and sometimes Wotan (Odin). Reduced to a witch, Berchta became an evil figure in folklore to be feared.

An Ancient Germanic Goddess Immortalized

The Perchten are a group of masked men and women who parade on winter holidays to scare away evil spirits. They are modeled after the hag version of Perchta (Berchta). Berchta’s name is immortalized in the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Berchtentag, and also in the town of Berchtengaten in Bavaria. Legend says she travels with other female spirits and enters the homes of those who leave her offerings on this special night. If Berchta is pleased with the meal, she grants prosperity to the household.
She may be the same goddess as Holda (a.k.a. Mother Holle).

Goddess Grace

GODDESS GRACE

 

I am the Goddess of a thousand names and infinite capacity.
All Her gifts are mine.
All Her powers reside in me.

I am Athena of Greece.
Life my totem, the owl, I am wise
For I see and hear everything around and within me
Like the oak, I am strong for the olive of peace is sacred to me.

I am Bast, cat goddess of Egypt
I am graceful, flexible, playful and affectionate
I radiate the warmth and light of the glorious sun.

I am Cerridwen of Wales
My magic cauldron contains food for the soul
An inexhaustible source of wisdom and inspiration
The more I give, the more I receive.

I am Diana, Roman goddess of the ever-changing moon.
I am a protectress of women and children
A guardian of the wild
I focus my aim on my heart’s desire and draw it to me.

I am Ereshkigal, Assyro-Babylonian goddess of the underworld
Queen of the Great Below
I shed dead skin to grow
Deep powers of renewal are mine.

I am Freya, Well-beloved Nordic Lady
I survey the beauty of my world in joyous flight
I celebrate and honor the bonds between friends and lovers.

I am Gaia, Greek Earth Mother
Grounded and centered in the rhythms and patterns of chaos
I emerge to create my usiverse.

I am Hecate of Greece
Triple Goddess of the crossroads of choice
I balance by powers of thought and my emotion
I choose the path I walk
The torch of my reason is illumined by my brilliant intuition.

I am Isis, Egyptian Queen of the World
I offer healing and transformation to all in need
I hold the power to shape my world.

I am Jagad-Yoni, Hindu universal yoni, womb of the world
I am the gatekeeper of the next generation
I choose the life that emerges through me
I use my power wisely.

I am Kwan-Yin of Buddhist China, goddess of compassion
I hear and comfort the wounds of the world
I welcome children and teach the magic of change.

I am Liban, Irish mermaid goddess
I revel in the healing power of pleasure
Quench your thirst at my sacred well.

I am Maat of Egypt
Truth, justice and law are the natural order of my universe
Harmony arises as I attune to my divine will.

I am Nu-Kua, Chinese dragon-tailed creatress
I restore the cosmic equilibrium
I form community among women and men
Connecting in equality of love and respect.

I am Old Spider goddess of Micronesia
I created the moon, the sea, the sky, the sun
And the earth from a single clamshell
All the vast and varied universe is present
In the smallest forms of life.
As above, so below
As within, so without.

I am Pele, Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes
My fiery energy erupts from my core to create new worlds
I flow easily over obstacles in my path.

I am Qedeshet of Syria
I balance lightly on the lion I ride
Laughter lifts me from the pull of gravity
The lotus blossom I hols and the serpents I carry
Symbolize the life and health I bring.

I am Rhiannon, horsewoman, Divine Queen of Wales
My steady pace is swift and smooth
I travel freely through the world, safe, serene and secure
My winged friends can wake the dead
And lull the living to sleep.

I am Sedna of the Eskimos
Know and honor me through my animals
Bears, whales and seals
All creatures of the land and sea are part of me.
We share the right to be.

I am Tiamat of Babylon, primordial sea-serpent
I am the great mother womb
Who brought forth the earth and heavens
I dive deep into the watery unconscious
To find the treasures buried there.

I am Uttu, Chaldean-Sumerian goddess of waving and vegatation
I offer shelter and nourishment to all who know me
We weed and clothe each other through our work.

I am Vasudhara, Hindu goddess of abundance
My six arms hold everything you need and offer it to you
Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Center, Spirit
Purpose, Love, Passion, Wisdom, Here, Now.

I am Wite woman of Honduras
I descend from heaven to build my temple on earth
And return as a glorious bird.
I honor and express my true spirit
My beauty is beyond compare.

I am Xochiquetzal, Aztec goddess of flowers, love,
spinning, weaving, singing and dancing.

I am an Original Woman
I delight in sharing my many gifts.

I am Yemaya, Nigerian Fish Mother, Brazilian Voodoo mermaid
Lakes, rivers and oceans are my home
The waters of life belong to me
We cleanse and sustain each other.

I am Zoc, Gnostic Acon of Life
Mother of All Living
I am the embodiment of growth and vitality
I am unique life energy.

I am the Goddess of a thousand names and infinite capacity
All Her gifts are mine
All Her powers reside in me.

We are the Goddess of a thousand names and infinite capacity
All Her gifts are mine
All Her powers reside in me.

You are the Goddess of a thousand names and infinite capacity
All Her gifts are thine
All Her powers reside in thee.

 

 

Goddesses – Greek Olympian Demeter, goddess of earth and harvest

Demeter, goddess of earth and harvest

Demeter (Deo, Ceres) was a goddess of earth and harvest. Her greatest gifts to mankind was corn and the knowledge of agricultural techniques. She was also described by Nonnus, Orphic hymn to Ceres and Homeric hymn to Demeter as the Lady of the fruits (of the earth) and according to the latter also as the bringer of seasons. Mostly she was described as a daughter of the titan couple Cronus and Rhea but there are some conflicts among different authors where she was described as a daughter of Cronus and Cybelle. However, Gaea, Cybelle, Hestia, Rhea, Hera and even Demeter are quite often referred as the mother earth goddess which is why it comes to misidentifying the correct goddess. Anyhow, it is known that she resided in most of the mystery cults which were promising a path to blessed afterlife. She had several children of which Persephone was the most famous and due to her abduction by Hades, and Demeter’s search for her daughter, mysteries of Demeter were born. Most famous were Eleusinian Mysteries, the festivals which were held once a year, and the great festivals, held every five years at Eleusis in Ancient Greece where it all began and is closely connected to the myth of her daughter’s abduction. This event was of great importance and had its basis from an old agrarian cult which goes back to the Mycenaean period. This ceremony is believed to be the interpretation of the myth in three stages; descent, search and ascent, where the main theme of celebration was the ascent where, in the myth itself, Persephone is reunited with her mother.

Appearance in the works of art

Most of the time, she is depicted as an adult woman, holding torch in one hand and cornucopia in the other. The cornucopia was a goat’s horn that would give its owner whatever he desired. It symbolises rich harvest or an abundance of food. Sometimes, she is depicted with a golden blade, believed to be from the time of Titanomachy.

Gifts to Mankind

As mentioned above, Demeter’s greatest gift to humanity was corn and agricultural techniques. It is said that she was the first who discovered corn and later shared her secret with Tripolmenus while at Eleusis. She is also credited to had taught men how to sow corn, how to plough dirt and how to avoid all the troubles associated with it. According to Hyginus and Orphic hymn to Ceres, she even taught them how to tame oxen in order to help them plough the large amounts of earth later on. But that was not all, Demeter also instruced laws and obidience to men so that they could become accostumed to deal with one another justly and because of all these great blessings to humanity, she was awarded with the most notable honours, generous sacrifices and magnificent feasts and festivals by all men, even barbarians, who had partaken of this kind of food.

Love affairs and her descendants

The goddess was mentioned to had some love affairs but only one was due to her willingness. Her only true love was a mortal man by the name of Iasion, a prince of Samothrace. It is said that they made love in a thrice-ploughed fallow in the rich land of Crete but when Zeus had heard about this affair, he struck Iasion with a thunderbolt because of jelaousy. It was too late though as Demeter got pregnant and gave birth to Plutus and according to Hyginus, who claims that she had borne two sons, also to Philomelus. Zeus of course got his hands on her later and famous Persephone was concieved but some of the authors are not mentioning Zeus as her father. In Clement’s Exhortations, however, Zeus himself was actually a son of Demeter and later had intercourse with her and begat Persephone. Furthermore, Clement also talks about mysteries of Demeter and that they commemorate the amorous embraces of Zeus with his mother Demeter but, considering that she was, by some people, thought to be the mother goddess, this should come as no surprise. Anyway, the goddess was also courted by Poseidon but she had refused his advances and transformed herself into a mare to escape him but the god of the sea was unrelentless and tricked her into mating with him by transforming himself into a beautiful stallion. She later gave birth to a divine horse Arion and, according to Pausanias, to a girl whose surname was “Mistress” but does not want to reveal her first name to the uninitiated (in mysteries) people. Carmanor, a lord of Crete, is also said to be one of her mates with whom she later gave birth to Eubuleus.

The abduction of Persephone

When Persephone, her beloved daughter, was abducted, Demeter was searching for her in vain. Unable to find her, she in sorrow and anger burned all the fruits of the earth or, in another version of the story, she neglected to look after the crops and lands soon became barren. And upon “Demeter’s curse”, which caused great drought on lands and consequently famine, it was Hecate who came to Demeter and told her about what she had heard.

Together they went to Helios who was able to see all deeds from both mortals and immortals. He told Demeter that Zeus and Hades were to blame. The goddess became so mad that she had given ultimatum for the lands to stay barren until she was to see her daughter again. Finally Zeus intervened, scared of potentially seeing all mortals gone. He sent Hermes to the underworld to speak to Hades and try to convince him to let Persephone return to her mother. After Hermes’ successful persuasion, Hades was willing to let her go but on the other hand tricked her with honey-sweet pomegranate seed as farewell gift. Once eaten the seed, she became bound to the underworld and would have to return eventually. Demeter was once again outraged but in the end they had come to an agreement that Persephone could stay two-thirds of the time per year with her mother while she had to return to the underworld for one-third of the time. Demeter lifted the curse from the lands but, as a sign of protest, she was casting her sorrow each year when her daughter had to leave for the underworld. This was known as the winter time. This particular myth is very coveted among ancient authors so therefore the story itself may slightly vary from author to author such as where the abduction took place, where Demeter looked for her and in details where some authors provide further clues of the events that followed or events that had happened before the abduction.

Taking refuge in Eleusis

When Demeter was searching for her daughter Persephone, she took refuge at the palace of Celeus, the king of Eleusis. She took the form of an old woman and asked the king for shelter. Celeus welcomed her in and give her an assignment to nurse his sons Demophon and Triptolemus. As a token of gratitude in her dark times, she planned to make Demophon immortal by placing him in the flames of the heart, to burn away his mortal self. It is also said that, while in her care, the boy grew faster than normal and his face became godlike. When the time had come and Demeter wanted to cover the boy in flames, the ritual was interrupted because the boy’s mother Metanira came in and started screaming. The flames were put out and immortality attempt was put to an end. According to Ovid and Hyginus, however, it was his brother Triptolemus whom the goddess wanted to make immortal. It is said that later, after the failed immortality attempt, Demeter taught Triptolemus all the divine arts and mysteries of agriculture. Triptolemus then in return taught anyone who wished to learn. Before Demeter returned to Olympus, she instructed Triptolemus and Celeus on how to celebrate the rites in her temple which then became known as Mysteries of Demeter. It is also said that the lesser mysteries were held every year, but the greater mysteries only every five years.

Mysteries of Demeter

As mentioned above, Triptolemus was the first who had been initiated into mysteries of Demeter where the goddess shared all her secrets about earth’s fertility with him. He later spread these secrets to the initiated people and the mysteries became known as Eleusinian mysteries. But these were not the only mysteries associated with the goddess. Sabazian and Lernean mysteries and a lot of un-named mysteries are also being related to the mysteries of the goddess and there was also the day of Demeter or the day of Ceres mentioned by Fulgentis and Virgil.

Similar event is described by Ovid who calls it Games of Ceres and reveals how these are connected to the myth of Persephone and how it was celebrated. It is said that torches are present on this day as a memorial of Demeter’s search for her daughter when she kindled two pine-trees to serve her as a light after sunset. It is also said that, because Demeter broke her fast at nightfall after unsuccessful quest of searching for her daughter, the initiates time their meals at night during ceremony and they wear white robes because this is the goddess’ proper color which is believed to be associated with harvest. Ovid also mentions that a fox is burned at the festival as a memorial to the incident of a “vixen fox” which was caught by a young lad and set on fire in retribution for carrying off many farm fowls. But the burning fox had escaped his hands and ran into a corn field that caught on fire and all the crops for the incoming winter perished in flames. Therefore, a certain law of Carseoli forbade to name a fox on that day and as a punishment, to the species for destroying crops, a fox is burned.

Her sacred placesThere are several places mentioned by the authors that were sacred to Demeter. In Homeric hymn to Demeter it is said that Paros and Antron are sacred to the goddess, while both Ovid and Claudian are mentioning Henna, Sicily. Diodorus Siculus on the other hand recokns that the whole island of Sicily is sacred to Demeter. There was also an island in Ionian sea mentioned by Apollonius Rhodius but the author was unsure whether or not it was called Drepane. The island by the ancient name Drepane is now known as island Corfu which is located near Albanian border in Ionian Sea. There was also a river mentioned in Pausanias’ Descriptions of Greece that was precious to her. It was called Rheiti. Claudain, on the other hand, even mentiones a palace of Demeter which was supposedly built by the Cyclopes but the location remains a mystery. On top of all the places, the river and the supposed palace, there is also a giant oak tree mentioned, by Callimachus and Ovid, to be very dear to the goddess. It was cut down by disrespectful Erysichthon who was then punished by Demeter. She had summoned Famine who then breathed her pestilential poison through his mouth and throat and breast, and spread the curse of utmost hunger in his veins.

Other mythsWhile in search of Persephone, Demeter used a spell on her daughter’s maids and changed them into sirens so that they could help in her quest. Originally they were nymphs and daughters of river Acheolus and muse Melpomene. The goddess was also involved in a myth of Pelops who was killed by Tantalus, cut up, cooked and served to the gods at the great feast. The gods soon realised what happened and brought Pelops to life again. They assembled his body once again but he was missing an arm. It was Demeter who had previously, before the discovery, eaten it. Therefore, the goddess wanted to make up for it and solved a puzzle by fitting and enspelling an ivory substitute on his torso. Pelops was alive and complete again and gods satisfied with their just act. In another myth, Demeter showed anger when Triopas, a king of Thessalians, once tore down her temple. She brought infinte hunger upon him so that he could not be satisfied by any amount of food and later when he was already dying she sent a snake to finish the job. He was bitten and died and then placed among stars by the will of the goddess as reminder to others not to mess with her.

Goddesses and Gods – Greek Olympians – Goddess Artemis and God Aristaeus

Greek Olympian – Artemis – Goddess of Hunting

ARTEMIS FACTS
Name(s): Artemis, Aeginaea, Aetole, Agrotera, Kourotrophos, Locheia, Cynthia, Amarynthia, Phoebe, Alphaea, Alpheaea, Alpheiusa
Rules over: the Hunt, Forests and Hills, the Moon, Archery
Gender: Female
Symbols: Bow, Arrows, Stags, Hunting dog and moon
Sacred animals: Deer
Parents: Zeus and Leto
Siblings: Ares, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hebe, Hermes, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Hephaestus, Perseus, Minos, the Muses, the Graces
Roman name: Diana

Greek mythology is filled with respected gods and goddesses that continue to inspire. Artemis is known as the goddess of the hunt and is one of the most respected of all the ancient Greek deities. It is thought that her name, and even the goddess herself, may even be pre-Greek. She was the daughter of ZEUS, king of the gods, and the TITANESS LETO and she has a twin brother, the god APOLLO.

Not only was Artemis the goddess of the hunt, she was also known as the goddess of wild animals, wilderness, childbirth and virginity. Also, she was protector of young children and was know to bring and relieve disease in women. In literature and art she was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrow. She was the goddess of many things, but most remember her as the most recognizable of the hunting deities.

Artemis was a virgin and drew the attention and interest of many gods and men. However, it was only her hunting companion, Orion, that won her heart. It is believed that Orion was accidentally killed either by Artemis herself or by GAIA, the primordial goddess of the earth.

In one version of the stories of ADONIS – who was a late addition to Greek mythology during the Hellenistic period – Artemis sent a wild boar to kill Adonis after he continued to boast that he was a far greater hunter than her.

The Origins of Artemis

Artemis’s origin story is a tumultuous one. She is the DAUGHTER OF ZEUS and Leto. Zeus is the well-known King of gods and the leader of MOUNT OLYMPUS. Despite the many stories of his greatness, Zeus’ weakness was infidelity to his wife, Hera.

Zeus impregnated a Titan called Leto. Hera became angry upon learning of Zeus’ unfaithfulness. In retaliation, she forbade Leto from giving birth on land. Eventually, she found solace on the floating island of Delos. There, she gave birth to Artemis and Apollo.

According to the Homeric Hymn to Artemis, the twins were born on Ortygia. Either way, most of the accounts say that Artemis came first. As a result, she was a fierce protector and nurturer of Apollo.

Not much is known about Artemis’ childhood. Some scholars say that she spent her time participating in archery, perhaps leading to her excellence in hunting.

Artemis Depictions

Artemis was the subject of many works of art throughout Ancient Greece and beyond. Usually, she was shown as a young and beautiful woman carrying a bow and arrow. Typically, she wore a knee-length tunic and was accompanied by various animals.

She was shown alongside various other SYMBOLS when talked about as the goddess of the moon or fertility. For example, she often wore a crescent moon crown or stood by women and nymphs.

Greek Olympian – Aristaeus God of Useful Arts, Countryside and Pastoral Places

ARISTAEUS FACTS
Name(s): Aristaeus
Rules over: Animal Husbandry, Bee-Keeping, Fruit Trees, Cheesemaking, Olive-Growing
Title: Minor Patron God of Animal Husbandry, God of Useful Arts
Gender: Male
Symbols: —
Sacred animals: Bees, Sheep
Items: Vine, Olives
Parents: Apollo and Cyrene
Consort: Autonoe
Other significant others: Chiron and the Muses that taught Aristaeus
Children: Actaeon and Macris, Charmos, Kallikarpos
Roman name: Mellona

In Greek mythology, Aristaeus was the god useful arts, such as bee-keeping and cheese-making, olive-growing, herding, and hunting. He was a rustic god, a god of the countryside and pastoral places.

Aristaeus was a minor god in Athens but a prominent god in Boetia, a farming region in central Greece, where he was known as “the pastoral Apollo.” Aristaeus is often pictured on Boetian pottery as a young man with wings.

Aristaeus also appears prominently in the mythology of Macedonia, Arcadia, Sicily, Sardinia, Thessaly, and Ceos. Later, stories about his travel emerged in order to account for his prominence in all these different regions.

Over time, Aristaeus became a popular Greek name, given to many famous public figures in ancient Greek politics and society.

 

Aristaeus’s Birth and Training

Aristaeus was the son of APOLLO and Cyrene. Apollo seduced Cyrene by promising she would be the founding mother of a great city raised in her name if she would go to Libya with him. After Aristaeus was born, he was taken by HERMES and raised on nectar and ambrosia. The Earth GODDESS GAIA then made him immortal.

Various GODS AND GODDESSES taught Aristaeus the rustic arts. Apollo taught him the art of healing with herbs. The goddess DEMETER taught him how to hunt and how to skin the animals he caught and tan leather. The god DIONYSUS taught him to make beer and wine. The great Earth mother Demeter taught him the arts of herding and agriculture.

From the Myrtle-Nymphs Aristaeous learning to make olive oil, keep bees for honey, and to make butter and cheese.

When Aristaeus became a man he sailed to Boetia and was schooled in deeper mysteries by the Centaur CHIRON. He married Autonoe, a daughter of Cadmus, founder of THEBES. They had a son named Acteon, who was also trained in hunting and other mysteries by the cave-dwelling Chiron.

 

Aristaeus, Ceos, and the Dog-Star Sirius

According to one myth, the Delphic Oracle advised Aristaeus to visit Ceos, where he would be greatly honored by the local people. When he arrived he found them falling ill due to the early morning rising of Sirius, the Dog-Star. Aristaeus put together a healing ritual that involved a sacrifice to Sirius at its first appearance, thereby cooling the weather and healing the sick populace.

Aristaeus also found that Ceos was overrun by murderers. He found them and had them executed, making Ceos safe once again.

Goddesses – Cailleach or Hag Celtic Goddess of Winter

Cailleach or Hag Celtic Goddess of Winter from irelandsloreandtales.com

In Gaelic mythology ‘Cailleach is’ Irish for “hag”. A divine hag, a creator deity and weather deity, and an ancestor deity. In Irish lore, she goes under many names, including Digde, Milucra, Birog, Buach, etc. The word itself is found as a component in many Terms, such as cailleach-dhubh (“nun”); cailleach-oidhche (“owl”); cailleach feasa (“wise woman, fortune-teller”); and cailleach phiseogach (“sorceress, charm-worker”).

The Cailleach displays several traits that would be typical of winter, herding deer, she fights spring, and her staff freezes the ground. Alongside and in partnership with the goddess Brighde, the Cailleach is seen as a seasonal deity or spirit, ruling the winter months between Samhain (1 November or the first day of winter) and Bealtainn (1 May or the first day of summer), while Brìghde rules the summer months between Bealltainn and Samhainn. It is said that the Cailleach turns to stone on Bealltainn and takes human form again on Samhainn, just in time to rule over the winter months.

Depending on local climate, the transfer of power between the winter goddess and the summer goddess is celebrated any time between Là Fhèill Brìghde (1 February) at the earliest, Latha na Cailliche (25 March), or Bealltainn (1 May) at the latest, and the local festivals marking the arrival of the first signs of spring may be named after either the Cailleach or Brìghde.  Là Fhèill Brìghde is also said to be the day when the Cailleach gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she intends to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure that the weather on 1 February is bright and sunny so she can gather plenty of firewood to keep herself warm in the coming months. As a result, people are generally relieved if Là Fhèill Brìghde is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep, will soon run out of firewood, and therefore winter is almost over.

Traditionally, in Ireland, the first farmer to finish the grain harvest made a ‘Corn Dolly’, representing the Cailleach, from the last sheaf of the crop. The figure would then be tossed into the field of a neighbour who had not yet finished bringing in their grain. The last farmer to finish had the responsibility to take in and care for the corn dolly for the next year, with the implication that they would have to feed and house the hag all winter, so the competition was fierce to avoid having to take in the Old Woman.

There are some who believe the Old Irish poem, ‘The Lament of the Old Woman of Beara’ speaks of Cailleach. It was said that she had fifty foster-children in Beare. She was said to have had seven periods of youth one after another so that every man who had lived with her came to die of old age, and her grandsons and great-grandsons were tribes and races.

Gods – Overview The Olympian Gods and Goddesses

There will be a more detailed post for each god and goddess in the upcoming weeks.

The Olympian Gods and Goddesses, Main Greek Gods and Goddesses

The Olympian gods or Olympians are younger gods who got the name after their mythical place Mount Olympus. They had gained rank as the rulers of the world after dethroning the elder gods, known also as the Titans, in a ten-year war called Titanomachy. The Olympians, as they called themselves, were the main gods of Ancient Greece and were representing civilization of the world.

The first generation Olympians were descendants of a titan couple Cronus and Rhea. Together they gave birth to six children, three sons and three daughters. The sons were Poseidon, Hades, Zeus and daughters Hera, Hestia and Demeter. Zeus, Poseidon, Hera and Demeter are always considered as Olympian gods while Hestia and Hades are only included at some point of their existence. Hades was supposed to live on Mount Olympus and had every honour and right to but was given the realm of death under his control, when the three brothers had to split the cosmos after the victory over titans. And Hestia lived there just for a short period. After being granted a place on Mount Olympus by Zeus she eventually, because of her modesty, gave away her place to keep peace among gods because there were only twelve places on Mount Olympus, and the desire for these was huge among gods. The second generation Olympians were Athena, Ares, Hermes, Dionysus, Apollo, Artemis and Hephaestus. Aphrodite is also sometimes considered as the second generation goddess but is in general referred to be from the titans generation. Anyway, all of these gods are referred as Olympian gods and together they presided over every aspect of human life.

First generation of Olympian gods

Demeterdemeter

Goddess of harvest and fertility

Hadeshades

God of death and the dead

Herahera

Goddess of marriage and childbirth

Hestiahestia

Goddess of the hearth and domestic affairs

Poseidonposeidon

God of sea, floods and earthquakes

Zeuszeus

God of the sky and weather

Second generation of Olympian gods

Apolloapollo

God of light and sun

Aresares

God of war, violence and destruction

Artemisartemis

Goddess of hunting and wilderness

Athenaathena

Goddess of wisdom, strategy, warfare and skill

Dionysusdionysus

God of wine, festivals and pleasure

Hephaestushephaestus

God of craftsmanship. blacksmiths and stonemasonry

Hermeshermes

God of travel, trade, diplomacy, persuasion, writings and athletics

Aphroditeaphrodite

Goddess of love, beauty, pleasure
There are also Asclepius(son of Apollo and Coronis), Eros(son of Ares and Aphrodite or primeval deity), Hebe(daughter of Zeus and Hera), Heracles(son of Zeus and Alcmene) and Persephone(daughter of Zeus and Demeter) who are sometimes referred to be among Olympians.

Goddesses – Germanic or Celtic Goddess Nehalennia, Goddess Lost to Time

(SIDE NOTE from Lady Carla Beltane: We now think of all Celtic Gods and Goddesses as coming from the British Isles when in fact they originally came from all across Europe and some even say the Near East. So, if you think I have lost it by including deities from other cultures besides Welsh and Irish Celtic keep in mind I am just enlarging our understanding of ancient Celts who history has given many names to.)

Germanic or Celtic Goddess Nehalennia

Beginning sometime near the second century BC, the Goddess Nehalennia was honored where the Rhine river met the North Sea. Votive inscriptions and numerous altars were dedicated to Her, and temples built in Her honor. Sometime after the third century CE, Her temple was covered by the ocean, where it rested undisturbed for more than a thousand years.

In 1645, a storm on the coast of Zeeland eroded away the land and unearthed Her temple once again. Since then, the altars, inscriptions, and offerings to Her have been studied carefully, archaeologists attempting to rediscover Her secrets. Not only that, but She has managed to recapture the imagination of the local populace. A new temple to Her was built in the town of Colijnsplaat in 2005.

Nehalennia

What’s in a name? Often, there’s some information about the attributes of a deity to be found in Their name. From Nehalennia, we know that She is likely either a Germanic or Celtic Goddess. That’s where the agreement of scholars ends. Rudolph Simek in his Dictionary of Northern Mythology gives a possible etymology as relating to the Latin verb ‘necare’ which means ‘to kill’.

Kauffmann believes it relates to *neu, a word for ship. This relates to many of the inscriptions found dedicated to Her, which tend to be merchants thanking Her or petitioning Her for safe passage across the sea. There are also frequently boats depicted on Her altars. There is no clear translation or etymology for Nehalennia, however.

Iconography

On the votive inscriptions that have been unearthed, there is a great deal of symbolism associated with Nehalennia. The most popular seems to be fruits and verdant growing things. Baskets of apples frequently appear next to Her or in Her hands, and fruit trees and growing vines cover the sides of many of the votive altars. This fits with Her as a Goddess of merchants: peace and prosperity are ideal when your occupation is buying and selling goods.

Interestingly, there are a few other symbols frequently associated with Her. One of these is a dog, a greyhound-like animal. It is frequently depicted sitting at Her feet, looking up at the Goddess. Rudolph Simek connects this iconography with a goddess of the dead. Hilda Ellis Davidson in her Roles of the Northern Goddess argues that the dog is often depicted alongside mother Goddesses, particularly in the Roman period in Celtic areas. I personally believe this interpretation makes more sense with the rest of Her iconography, but there is an interesting connection there.

Nehalennia is sometimes depicted with Her foot on the bow of a ship. This makes sense with the inscriptions, She is clearly seen as having some authority over whether or not ships make it safely across the North Sea. The sea and specifically sea-trade is associated with prosperity in the same way Njord is associated with both prosperity and the sea.

Perhaps most interestingly, She is also sometimes depicted with loaves of bread. Not just any loaf of bread, however. Davidson identifies them as duivekater, a type of sweet bread that is made in the shape of a bone to approximate an animal sacrifice to a deity. It seems Nehalennia was a fan of this type of offering; raising again the question of Her connection with death.

Vanic Connections

As someone who honors primarily Vanic deities, I see many connections here. The association with ships and the sea is reminiscent of both Njord and Frey. Her additional links to prosperity bring Them both to mind as well. Nehalennia’s possible link to death through Her name and the hounds that accompany Her reminds me of both Freya and Nerthus. Freya, as chooser of the slain and Vanadis, and Nerthus, to whom slaves were offered by drowning, both have strong death connections.

Obviously, the only attested Vanir are Njord, Freya, and Frey. But there are interesting connections to other deities. If the distinction is important to you, it’s worth investigating Nehalennia.

Modern Day Worship

Beginning sometime near the second century BC, the Goddess Nehalennia was honored where the Rhine river met the North Sea. Votive inscriptions and numerous altars were dedicated to Her, and temples built in Her honor. Sometime after the third century CE, Her temple was covered by the ocean, where it rested undisturbed for more than a thousand years.

In 1645, a storm on the coast of Zeeland eroded away the land and unearthed Her temple once again. Since then, the altars, inscriptions, and offerings to Her have been studied carefully, archaeologists attempting to rediscover Her secrets. Not only that, but She has managed to recapture the imagination of the local populace. A new temple to Her was built in the town of Colijnsplaat in 2005.

There is also a temple to Her in Colijnsplaat in the Netherlands. The website is in Dutch, but there are many beautiful pictures of the reconstructed temple. If you’re ever in the area, it’d be a fantastic pilgrimage site for any who honor Nehalennia.

I have been honoring Her casually for a few years now. I’ve found that She appreciates gifts of fruits and other little sweet things. She was especially pleased the day I baked the duivekater and offered Her a slice. For me, She is strongly associated with the sea, especially the North Sea. I was lucky enough to visit there a long time ago, and when She speaks to me, it is always with the feel of that place. I find it interesting that it was an ocean storm that uncovered Her temple – perhaps She wanted the world to see Her once again.

About the Author MOLLY KHAN

Molly Khan is a Heathen and mother of five writing from the beautiful midwest prairie, primarily focused on regional cultus and the honor of gods of the natural world. A creator of many divination sets, she formerly acted as the elected Scribe for Prairie Shadow Grove, ADF. She has been Pagan for more than fifteen years, and a self-identifying Heathen for six. Check out her Etsy store SticksandStonesRunes to find runes and other ritual tools, and support inclusive Heathen writing! You can read more about the author here.

Goddesses – Greek 2nd Generation Titan Eos Goddess of Dawn

2nd Generation Greek Titan – Eos

Eos (Aurora, Dawn) was a goddess of dawn, bringer of the early light when came from the ocean’s stream at the far east to overcome the night. She was often described as being hope and rejuvenation to all living mortal beings as they woke up in the morning, filled with energy and ready to resume their work and journey and life in general. Eos is usually described as a daughter of Hyperion and Theia, but on some occasions she is also noted as a daughter of Nyx or a daughter of Pallas. She is said to have been bringing light to heavens and earth and was also used to describe all the charms of dawn, for the movement of the stars and orientation or navigation, and on the other hand she was personalised to a goddess whenever it suited the authors. In the Odyssey, it is said that her home island was Aeaea, the dancing grounds of Eos.

Love affairs and her descendants

Divine lovers

The Goddess of dawn is credited to be a mother of the winds and planets. She had consorted with her cousin Astraeus and gave birth to the winds Zephyrus, Boreas, Notus and sometimes, variously, also to Favonius. Eos also gave birth to planets, known as Astra. According to Hesiod, first of these planets was Erigenia and shortly after Eosphorus. She was also a mother of planet Venus, also called Lucifer or Hesperus. But that was not all, Eos is also mentioned to be a mother of Astraea, a virgin goddess of justice, who was strongly equated with Dike, one of the Horae, daughters of Themis. It seemed that the goddess had enough of descendants already so she once bedded Ares out of pleasure, no plan to get pregnant. This, however, was not easily overseen by Aphrodite, lover of Ares, who consequently put a spell on Eos to be perpetually in love.

 

Mortal lovers

Because of the spell of Aphrodite, Eos became fond of mortal men. She fell in love with Tithonus, a prince of Troy, and gave birth to Memnon, who became a king of Ethiopians and later one of the heroes of Trojan war when he came to aid the Trojans, and variously lord Emathion, a brother of Memnon. The goddess of Dawn also wanted for Tithonus to become like her, immortal, so therefore she went to Zeus with a plea. The king of the gods granted her wish and they lived happily for a while, until the age has come to him. Eos forgot to ask for his eternal youth as well and once his hair has become grey, she rather kept away from his bed even though she still cherished and nourished him with heavenly food and ambrosia, and gave him rich clothing. But when the full age has come to him, Tithonus shriveled and babbled for eternity which was not in the original plan by the goddess who also had a thing for a mortal man by the name of Cephalus. The myth can be found in Hyginus’ Fabulae where Eos, already a wife of Tithonus, fell in love with Cephalus while he was hunting in the mountains in early morning. Cephalus already had a wife who he loved and was unwilling to give in to the plea of Eos, to embrace her and make love to her.

He told her that he promised his wife never to cheat on her. Therefore, Eos tricked him by changing his form and giving him gifts for Procis, his wife. When he came to her, Procis was unable to recognise her husband Cephalus. But this stranger seemed kind to her, reminded her of her husband and after giving her gifts, she made love to him. Then Eos changed back his form and Procis knew she was tricked by the goddess. To Cephalus soon became clear what just happened and for the first time realised that the promise, he and his wife made to each other, was not so strong as he liked to believe. Procis ashamed, fled to the island of Crete where Artemis used to hunt. She told the goddess what happened and Artemis decided to help her. She gave her a javelin that could not miss its target and a dog that no prey could escape. She also changed her appearance and encouraged her to challenge her husband Cephalus in a hunt. When Cephalus, a hunting enthusiast, saw the incredible javelin and the dog in action, he asked her to sell both to him, not knowing he was talking to his wife. When they finally agreed to exchange, she took off the tunic and showed him who she really was. Cephalus then accepted his wife back and it was all fine for a while. However, this angered Eos who still wanted Cephalus for herself. Therefore, she, again, tricked Cephalus one day when he was hunting. She also made sure that Procis was in the woods at the time. The goddess then hid herself in a bush in the vicinity of Procis and made noise. Cephalus thought it was an animal and threw the javelin and killed his wife instead. Eos then carried him off and, according to Hesiod, bore him a son Phaethon. However, according to Apollodorus, she bore him Tithonus which would negate the story above from Hyginus’ Fables. Anyway, the goddess also had an affair with a demi-god Orion whom she carried off to Delos, after falling in love with him. There was also a mortal youth of great beauty, called Calamos. He lived in earlier times and in beauty surpassed all of her other lovers.

Trojan war

Eos was involved in a Trojan war, supporting the Trojans, mostly because of her son Memnon, who was called to aid by the Trojans, and her lover Tithonus, a father of Memnon and a prince of Troy. She is said to had been bringing morale to the Trojans with her early morning beams of light. She is also noted to had intervened in a battle when two experienced Greek hunters wanted to kill Memnon. Phereus and Thrasymedes decided to end the life of Memnon and, while on a battlefield, they hurled long spears at him with extreme power and precision. He would have been killed to death by the spears but, with the intervention of Eos who misguided the spears, they hit far from the flesh of Memnon. The hero was left to live the famous battle withAchilles which overshadowed most of the battles in Trojan war. It is said that the eyes of all gods were focused on this particular battle and all of them cheered for their favourite. Eos naturally hoped that her son would be able to defeat Achilles but the fates had other plans. Achilles managed to overcome and kill Memnon. And it is said that when Memnon fell by the sword of Achilles, Eos groaned and moaned, palled herself in clouds and the earth was darkened. The winds gathered on the Plains and floated around the bodies of fallen men. The gods later gathered the bodies on a pile and made a river that, while fertile all year, would once a year turn into blood as a memory to Memnon. Eos still moaned and didn’t want to show up the next morning but Zeus found this to be outrageous and summoned her with his thunderbolt. She then begged him for a proper funeral of her son and Zeus, thought of it as just proposal, granted her wish. When Memnon’s nation, the Ethiopians, buried him, the goddess transformed them into birds sweeping through air around the barrow of the mighty dead.

Goddesses – Egyptian Mut

Egyptian Goddess – Mut

Mut is the Egyptian goddess of Creation. She is a mother goddess who came to prominence during the New Kingdom (c. 1550 – c. 1070 BC) as a result of her relationship with the god Amun. She is often represented as a vulture or a woman that at times may have wings.

Later, as she took on the attributes of other Egyptian goddesses, she was also depicted as a woman with a lion’s head. Sometimes she wore the royal crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt and sometimes the vulture headdress of the queens of the New Kingdom.

Mut Facts

Name(s): Mut (Mother)
Rules over: Creator Goddess / Primordial Water
Gender: Female
Symbols: Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt
Sacred animals: Vulture, Cobra, Lionness
Parents: Ra
Siblings: Hathor, Sekhmet, Bastet
Greek Similar: Gaia, Ancestral Mother of Life
Roman Similar: Terra

Origins

Mut is believed to have originated as a local goddess in the Nile River delta, after which she replaced and assimilated many other Egyptian goddesses over the course of millennia. She was originally linked to the primeval waters of the universe, from which all things were born. Her identity as mother of the cosmos gave her aspects of a creator goddess.

Mut became a national goddess when Amun, king of the gods and god of the wind, became patron of Thebes during the Eleventh Dynasty around the 21st century B.C. She took the place of Amun’s original wife Amaunet, the invisible goddess. With Amun being the god of the pharaohs, she became their mother and was closely associated with the queens.

After Amun’s authority waned and he merged with the son god Ra, Mut was assimilated into Hathor, the mother of Horus, who was also identified as Ra’s wife. She was later absorbed into the Heliopolitan Ennead.

Family

Myth has it that as the great mother from who everyone was brought forth, Mut had no parents. In some depictions of her she also has male parts. Although she was the mother goddess, she did not give birth to her own children. Instead, she first adopted Menthu, the war god, and then Khonsu, the moon god.

Symbols

Mut is most often affiliated with vultures. Other animals she may be affiliated with include cobras and lionesses.

Worship

Mut, Amun, and their son Khonsu were worshiped as the Triad of Waset. Waset was the ancient Egyptian name for Thebes, and became the capital of the pharaohs during the New Kingdom. A large temple complex, commonly referred to as the Temple of Karnak, was constructed in Waset (Thebes) to worship the triad.

The Karnak Temple Complex consists of various precincts, one of which is the Mut Precinct. The other two precincts are the Precinct of Amun-Ra and the Precinct of Montu.

Inside the Mut Precinct are six temples. These include Mut Temple Proper, the Contra Temple, and temples labeled as A, B, C and D. All six of these temples are surrounded by a wall made of mud and mud-brick.1

The Mut Temple Proper is surrounded by a lake in the shape of a horseshoe. During the festival of Mut, a boat with a statue of the goddess was sailed around the lake. Interior reliefs from the temple in Karnak show evidence of daily devotions by the queen and her priestesses. No other examples exist of exclusively female worship in ancient Egypt.

Evidence exists that it was the pharaohs Hatshepsut and Thothmose III who were responsible for the earliest versions of the Mut Precinct. Excavations at the precinct first led archeologists to believe that the temples were built by Amenhotep III because of the presence of several statues of the goddess Sekhmet bearing his name. However, it is now believed that they were brought here after his death at a time when Mut and Sekhmet were closely associated.

Over the centuries, more additions and improvements to the Mut temple precinct were done by pharaohs such as Rameses II, Rameses III, and Taharqa, who was also king of the Kush.

Facts About Mut

  • Mut’s name is written with the hieroglyph for vulture;
  • The many titles given to Mut over the years included Mother of the Gods, World-Mother, and Lady of Heaven;
  • Mut became the eye of Ra after Amun merged with Ra;
  • The custom of depicting Mut wearing the Double Crown of Egypt was begun by Hatshepsut. Stating that she was one of Mut’s descendants, Hatshepsut brought prominence to the goddess in the ancient Egyptian pantheon;
  • One of the many aspects of Mut was a composite deity by the name of Mut-Isis-Nekhbet, known as the Great Mother and Lady. In this form she was depicted as a winged goddess with three heads – that of a lion, a vulture, and a woman with different headdresses. She also had lion-like feet and an erect penis;
  • Her’s temple precinct at Karnak was called an Isheru and remained an important religious center for nearly 2,000 years. Fed by an underground spring, it is the largest preserved Isheru in Egypt today;
  • The Greek Ptolemaic dynasty maintained the temple of Mut, adding their own decorations;
  • After the conquest of Egypt by Rome at around 30 BC, the Roman emperor Tiberius rebuilt the site when it was flooded. While some of his successors maintained its upkeep, it eventually fell into disuse.

Goddesses – Selene, 2nd Generation Greek Titan

Selene – Greek Titan Goddess of the Moon

Selene, goddess of the moon, truly represented the moon itself to the Greeks. Although she counts as a goddess in her own right, Selene often gets associated with archer goddess, Artemis, who is also a moon goddess. These two goddesses have additional association with HECATE.

Selene is a Titan goddess. Titan gods and goddesses were actually the divine beings that preceded the OLYMPIAN GODS and goddesses. The first of these divine beings emerged from the primordial and originally called GAEA mother and URANUS father.

Titan Gods and Goddesses and Cross-Cultural Origins

Among the first generation of the Titans were PHOEBE, THEMIS, and CRIUS. Some of the stories about these GODS AND GODDESSES may have been borrowed from cultures like Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and Persia. (This area was known as the ANCIENT NEAR EAST.)

Selene, however, was not directly related to Uranus and Gaia. Rather was the child of Titan goddess and god, Theia and HYPERION. EOS, goddess of the dawn, and HELIOS, god of the sun, were Selene’s siblings.

SELENE FACTS
Name(s): Selene
Rules over: The Moon
Title: Titan Goddess Of The Moon
Gender: Female
Symbols: Crescent (Lunar), Torch, Bull Horns
Sacred animals: Horses
Items: Chariot, Billowing Cloak
Parents: Hyperion and Theia
Consort: Endymion
Other significant others: Retinue: – Hesperus, Astra. Siblings: – Helios and Eos
Children: Fifty daughters (The Menai) and Narkissos to Endymion;

Pandia, Nemea and Ersa to Zeus;

Four Horae to Helios; Mousaios
Roman name: Luna

Selene’s Distinction Among Moon Goddesses

Additionally, although the ancients considered Hecate and Artemis counted as lunar goddesses, only Selene was the moon itself. She is said to have driven the moon chariot. This heavenly vehicle got its power from white horses. It drove across the sky, providing the night with its light.

The moon goddess love a mortal man named Endymion. It is said that Selene watched him while he slept beside his cattle. According to some legends, the pair had 50 daughters. One account even makes Endymion and Selene as the parents of NARCISSUS, the hunter of the ancient world who felt infatuated by his own beauty.

An Affair With Zeus

Although most often associated with Endymion, some accounts tell of Selene’s affair with ZEUS. This pair also had quite a few children, according to some retellings of the legend. In other stories, it is said that it was Zeus himself who gave Endymion immortality.

This divine magic trick made Endymion forever young. However, it came with a cost. Endymion was given the choice (by Zeus) of when he would die. The mortal opted for eternal sleep, thus granting him his youth, but it was a youth he could not enjoy. Selene visited Endymion each night in his place of rest near Mount Latmos.

Titans, Shamans, and Mystery Religions

Scholars who study the TITANS say that some of the rituals and stories associated with gods and goddesses like Selene existed to support ancient shamanistic practices.

As Selene’s Greek identity morphed into its Roman one, Selene became LUNA. Although some legends say that she as well as Hecate and Proserpina were triune goddesses, that wasn’t necessarily the case. Rather, the identities of these goddesses became one over the course of time.

Luna/ Selene was the moon goddess. As such, she was revered as on of the most important deities for agriculture. Luna/ Selene was given a temple on Palatine Hill. A mystery cult revering Luna/ Selene rose up. This would support the assumption that the stories of goddesses like Luna/ Selene were part of ancient shamanistic rituals in daily life

These rituals started first in families and clans, according to THE MET, and then were adopted by society itself until they were celebrated nationwide within the city-states of the ancient world.

The Purpose of Mystery Cults

Mystery cults in the ancient world have an air of secrecy to them. According to some scholars, these religious cults existed so that people could perform birth and death rituals.

It should additionally be noted that Selene sometimes merges with Diana/ARTEMIS as the same goddesses. In this form, she then also becomes the goddesses of the hunt. However, even as the goddess of the hunt, she is ever and always still a moon goddess.

Her Depiction

Selene (and her counterparts) are depicted in ancient art wearing a moon symbol (usually crescent.) While she is most often shown as riding horses, some portrayals have her driving an oxen team. When this happens, her crescent moon is formed from the bull’s horns.

Who was the Greek Goddess of the Moon?

The Greek goddess of the moon was Selene. She was often depicted as a beautiful woman with a crescent moon on her forehead, riding a chariot pulled by two horses or oxen.

In Greek mythology, Selene was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and the sister of Helios (the sun) and Eos (the dawn).

Selene was also associated with the goddess Artemis, who was sometimes referred to as the “Mistress of Animals” and was known to hunt by moonlight.

SOURCE: <a href=”https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/selene/”>Selene: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net</a&gt; – Greek Gods & Goddesses, February 7, 2017

Goddess – Tykhe, also known as Tyche, Greek Goddess of Chance, Fate and Fortune

Greek Goddess – Tykhe, also known as Tyche

Tykhe, also known as Tyche, was the Greek goddess of chance, fate and fortune. She represented not only the positive aspects of these characteristics but also the negative ones. The ancient Greeks thought she was the reason for unexpected events in their lives, good and evil. For example, if someone had much success in life without having to try hard, people said that Tyche blessed him at birth. When someone worked hard but still had bad luck, they thought this goddess was responsible.

 

Who Were Tyche’s Parents?

According to Hesiod, a Greek poet, she was the daughter of OCEANUS and TETHYS while others thought that ZEUS was her father. People from various Greek regions worshiped Tyche, but she was especially popular in Athens. Athenians believed that this goddess favored their city. Some of her other famous sites of worship included temples at Argos and THEBES.

 

Tyche’s Appearance & Traits

When the ancient Greeks honoured her beneficial traits, they usually referred to her as Eutychia or Eutiykhia, goddess of prosperity, success and good fortune. Tyche was usually pictured with wings, a regal staff and a crown. However, many images also showed her with other items. These objects related to various traits. For example, when she was pictured holding rudders or a wheel, it meant that she was directing world events.

If she had a horn of plenty, she was a giver of abundant prosperity and wealth. When Tyche was balancing on a ball, it symbolized unstable fortune that could come and go, just like a ball might roll in any direction. In later times, she appeared wearing a blindfold and was shown with other assorted items that suggested risk and uncertainty.

In Rome, this goddess was known as Fortuna. To the Romans, Fortuna was much more important than Tyche to the Greeks. Additionally, Fortuna was not pictured with wings or a ball, especially in later times. This suggests that the Romans only saw her as a goddess of good luck who blessed mankind with beneficial fortune.

SOURCE: <a href=”https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/tyche/”>Tyche: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net</a&gt; – Greek Gods & Goddesses, September 13, 2018

Goddesses and Gods – The 21 Main Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

The Egyptian pantheon includes all the gods created by the falcon-headed Sun god Ra. Egyptian gods include many gods with animal heads (Horus, Set, Anubis, Thoth, Bastet, Sekhmet, Ra) and others with human heads (Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, Amun).

We will see together in this article:

  • The gods Ra, Apep, Aten, and Sekhmet involved in the creation of the Universe
  • The gods Set, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, and Horus involved in the tragedy called “myth of Osiris”
  • The gods Anubis, Thoth, and Ammit involved in the judgment of the Egyptian dead
  • The other important gods: Khepri, Amun, Ptah, Taweret, and Sobek

Let’s begin without further ado by discovering the first of these gods and the creator of the Egyptian world: Ra, the falcon Sun god.

 Ra –

The creation of all the other gods by Ra

The primordial function of Ra in the Egyptian Universe

Apep

Aten

Osiris

Isis

Horus

Set

Nephthys

Sekhmet

Bastet

Hathor

Anubis

Ammit

Thoth

Khepri

Ptah

Amun

Taweret

Sobek

click here to read information presented about the 21 main Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Goddesses and Gods – A List of Sun Deities

I will use this list to do a more in-depth post on these deities in the future.

Name Nationality/Religion God or Goddess? Notes
Amaterasu Japan Sun Goddess Major deity of the Shinto religion.
Arinna (Hebat) Hittite (Syrian) Sun Goddess The most important of three Hittite major solar deities
Apollo Roman Sun God
Freyr Norse Sun God A fertility god associated with the sun.
Helios Greek Sun God Before Apollo was the Greek sun god, Helios held that position. Helios road a chariot.
Huitzilopochtli (Uitzilopochtli) Aztec Sun God
Hvar Khshaita Iranian/Persian Sun God
Inti Inca Sun God The national patron of the Inca state.
Liza West African Sun God
Lugh Celtic Sun God
Mithras Iranian/Persian Sun God
Ra Egypt Mid-day Sun God An Egyptian god shown with a solar disk. Center of worship was Heliopolis. Later associated with Horus as Re-Horakhty. Also combined with Amun as Amun-Ra, a solar creator god.
Shemesh/Shepesh Ugarit Sun goddess
Sol (Sunna) Norse Sun Goddess She rides in a horse-drawn solar chariot.
Sol Invictus Roman Sun God The unconquered sun. The title was also used of Mithras.
Surya Hindu Sun God Rides the sky in a horse-drawn chariot.
Tonatiuh Aztec Sun God
Utu (Shamash) Mesopotamia Sun God

Goddesses and Gods – 7 Ancient Pagan Gods We Still Love Today

The old pagan gods—those legendary figures out of Norse, Greek, Roman, and many more belief systems—are fascinating subjects. These gods had all of the emotional fallibility of human beings, yet the all the power of the gods they were, and in their stories, they proved capable of shocking levels of pettiness, jealously, and downright cruelty. They were also, however, capable of great kindness, heroism, and justice, making for a set of truly interesting characters. They were us, but moreso.

It’s no wonder, then, that many of these gods that featured in stories thousands of years ago are still prominent in our contemporary fiction. We see them in our superheroes and action stars, who can be thought of as the great grandchildren of the original pagan gods.

But those gods that have survived the millennia with their names and stories intact are the ones we love the most—something about their personalities, their struggles, or their stories intrigues us. They’re the most compelling of them all, so let’s explore them by taking a look at 7 ancient pagan gods we still love today.

Click here to read about the following Gods and Goddesses

Loki

Zeus

Hercules

Odin

Thor

Shinigami

Hel

The Immortality of Entertainment

The fact that we’re still telling stories about these gods and goddesses thousands of years after their heyday is amazing, and these particular 7 beings have a special appeal that goes beyond the norm.

Maybe it’s because they’re powerful. Or perhaps it is because we wish we could affect the world like they do. But likeliest of all is that their larger-than-life personalities and stories simply allow us a glimpse of the extremes of life that few of us ever get to experience.

And that is why the gods will never die.

Goddesses and Gods – Celtic – Medb – Legendary Queen of Ireland and Belenos – The Shining God

Celtic Goddess Medb – Legendary Queen of Ireland

The story of Queen Medb is one of Ireland’s greatest legends. This goddess in the flesh was fierce, seductive, beautiful, and most importantly powerful. No man could be king of Ireland’s ancient sites of Tara or Cruachan without first becoming her husband.

Table of Contents

Who Is Medb?

Early Life: Queen Medb’s Beauty and Husbands

Myths Involving Medb

Medb – Symbolic Meanings

Medb in Popular Culture

FAQs About Medb

Conclusion

Celtic God – Belenos The Shining God

A Celtic Deity, also known as Belen, Belenus, Belinus, Bellinus, Bélénos, Belennos, Belenos, Bel, Bilé: The Shining God

Belenos is unusual in Celtic belief, as this deity (under the various version of his name) is known throughout the Celtic world. He is also remembered in place names and personal names throughout the Celtic lands. His symbols are the horse an wheel and his name means ‘The Shining God’. He is one of the Celtic high gods, and is probably a solar deity.

Possibly one of the most widespread of all the Celtic deities he is known from Italy (Cis-Alpine Gaul), Gaul, Britain and Ireland.

In Britain the personal name Bellinus occurs at Binchester (Vinovia), County Durham a name derived from the god-form Belenus, the native Brythonic form of which would be Belenus. Traces of this name having been found at Maryport. To the continental Brython the Cult of Belenus possessed a particular status in that it is mentioned in a number of Classical Literary sources. Ausonius was a poet from Bordeaux, writing in the later 4th century AD and alludes to sanctuaries to Belenus in Aquitania. Tertullian talks of the cult of Belenus in the Norican Alps (Apologeticus 24,7); and Herodian mentions Belenus’ worship at Aquileia in North Italy (History of the Empire after Marcus,8,3.6). In Ireland Beli is known as Bilé and is referred to as ‘The Father of Gods and Men’.

The Celtic fire festival on the first of May, known as Beltane, (the fires of Bel) is probably derived from the name of this deity. Beltane fires were lit to encourage the sun’s warmth. These fires also had restorative properties and cattle were herded between them before being loosed on the new spring pastures. From this it is likely that Beli was a fire deity, a patron of flame and the sun’s restorative powers (which explains his classical association with Apollo). Originally he may have been a pastoral deity and in Cymric myth is associated with cattle, sheep and cropt. Though this may be because Beltane was the time that herds were moved to the high pastures.

His symbols were the horse (as shown, for example, by the clay horse figurine offerings at Belenos’ Sainte-Sabine shrine in Burgundy), and also the Wheel (as illustrated on the famous Gundestrup Cauldron).

The Irish Bilé is a god of death and husband to Dana. In the tale of Lludd and Llefelys, the folk memory of Beli represents him as Belen o Lŷn, son of Manogan and father to Lludd and Llefelys. Both Beli and Lludd lend their names to sites in London; Billingsgate and Ludgate, respecitvely. Beli’s name is also found in the name of one of the most notable Brythonic chieftains before the Roman invasion, Cunobelinos (or, in Brythonic, Cunobel), the hound of Bel.

In Gaulish mythology Belenus’ consort was the goddess Belisama.

It is unlikely, as some have suggested, that the Cymric deity Beli Mawr is etymologically related to Belenos, as though the migration of Brython to old and middle Cymric this is far more likely to yield the name Belen or Belyn. Indeed, this is the name which we see in the Cymric form (Cynfelen) of the Catuvellauni leader during the Claudian invasion of Britain, Cunobelinos (the hound of Belinos). Inded, the tribe name Catuvellauni itself means ‘The Host of Belinos’ and their most well-known leader Cassivellaunos’ name means ‘The Devotee of Belenos’. There is also the figure of ‘Belen o Leyn’ who figures in triad 62 0f the Trioedd Ynys Prydain and is preserved today in the place-name Tyddyn Belyn near Tudweilog on the Llŷn Peninsula ELlSG. Rather, Beli Mawr is more likely derived from the name of the Gaulish deity Bolgios.

Belenos’ name is derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic elements *belo- (bright/shining), the deicific particle -n- and the masculine ending -os. Thus Belenos is ‘The Shining God’.