THE GREEK/ROMAN PANTHEON:

Written and paraphrased from books read and notes taken by Cameron Ulisix Booth.

Greek	Roman
Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athene/a Demeter Dionysus/Bacchus Eros Eos Hades Hecate Hephaestus Hera Hercules Hermes Hestia Kronos Leto Pan Persephone Poseidon Zeus	Venus Apollo Mars Diana Minerva Cerces Bacchus/Liber Cupid/Amor Aura Pluto, Dis Pater Hecate Vulcan Juno Hercules Mercury Vesta Saturn Letona Faunus Persepina Neptune Jupiter/Jove*

Jove* as in by Jove or by the god/s as in swearing in Roman pantheon.


APOLLO
A sophisticated sun god illuminating the intellect and civilizing the Greek pantheon. Under his domain are beauty, medicine, and the arts including music, dance and poetry as well as youth. The archer celestial, he shoots golden arrows from afar—dispelling disease and ignorance according to his views. “Lord of the Silver Bow” As an Olympian, he is the god of music, poetry, art, the dance in classical times he came to be regarded also as the god of plastic art, of science and philosophy; the god of intellect and the enemy of barbarism. He protected the flocks and herds, the patron of founding towns and colonies who helped build the walls of Troy and Magara and to whose oracle (Delphi) all went before setting out to establish colonies. He is the god of healing, Alexicaucus (Avatar of Evil), who was called on to dispel plagues and heal sickness and we is the god of prophecy. Above all he is the god of light: of the physical light that dispels darkness, of the light of spring and summer that puts the winter to rest, of the spiritual and moral light that dispels the darkness ignorance from men’s minds and evil from their hearted. The worship of Apollo is one of the most potent of the forces brought Greek civilization to full flower.
When Leto was about to bear her children by Zeus she fled throughout the world. No place would receive her, for jealous Hera, wife of Zeus, had declared that Leto could not bear her children in any place where the sun shone. At last she came to the floating isle of Delos. Delos gladly received Leto, but she feared that her future son, “the Archer King,”


Like his twin, Artemis, he displays grace of movement and skill in hunting. They are fiercely proud of each other and theirs shared principles of artful vigorous skills. The awkward rudimentary strength of other sun gods is replaced with the honed abilities of refined athletic prows. The kouros statue represented the Grecian ideal where youth and vigor find perfection.

Apollo, Leates-son of Leto, with high moral code and religious discipline presides over initiations (a boy to a man), lustral rites and expirations. His solar rays were said to cleanse his subjects and the role of healer is the utmost deity by removing spiritual or physical cause of all maladies.

His musical skills are said to tame the wild beasts by purifying resonating tunes. Once he lulled Ares the god of war to slumber with his golden lyre’s musical spell symbolizing moderation. Like Zeus he embodied and epitomized the codes of law as in the case of Orestes for the crime of murdering his mother to which Apollo said she wasn’t a real parent.

Purposes to which one might want to approach Apollo are to request a cleansing, add civilizing principle, to become more creative in writing, theater, dance or song as well as sporting skills or to assure sportsmanship in an event. And let’s not forget divinatory needs for it is his oracle at Delphi (Pythoness, the priestess to whom) so many kings and warriors went to seek guidance. (Delphi=womb) The motto engraved at Delphi “know thyself.” These qualities can become an anthology for other situations. With evoking most gods one should know their field of expertise and function in such matters.

Hermes as a babe slew some of Apollo’s prized cattle and was dealt with in a just and note worthy manner. Some say that the lyre was created from a tortoise shell at this time to appease his wrath. In any situation remember to balance out the night there is Apollo’s (Phobebus’) sister, Artemis (Phoebe) to think about within the same pantheon. His priest set their site on locating oracles and scryers. Cherry Laurel contains cyanide, which is said to induce delirium, foaming at the mouth and other symptoms of divine possession. Laurel became his plant, as is hallmark by Britain’s title for the national poet, Laureate, the laurel crowned one.

The beast of several forms, Apollo, was a wolf (Apollo Lycaeus), a mouse (Apollo Smitheus) or the golden-maned lion (Apollo Chrysocomes). He fully laid claim to the goddess abilities of prophecy, poetry, music, magic and healing on way to become the noble sun god. His priesthood adopted the Muses, the Graces, even the great serpent (Apollo Python) also known as Sol Niger (Black Sun) during a nightly journey to the underworld. The Egyptians called him Apep or Apothis, the dark serpent. The Bible named him Apollyon (Spirit of the Pit) in the New Testament.

In the early mentions of Apollo it was as a subordinate to the goddess as her dog or wolf faced door guardian (Spirit of the Pit) or Anubis or Cerbereus. Four Hittite altars founded in Anatolia were dedicated to a god named Apulunas, Garden of the Gate, the forerunner to Apollo Lycaeus. And finally he was canonized as Benedictus (Good-speaker) to become St. Benedict.

Apollo’s lost male loves: Cyparissus, who accidentally slew one of Apollo’s stags was turned in a cypress tree; and Hyacinthus, a Spartan, whom the west wind blew gales of air at causing the discus that he and Apollo were tossing to hit and kill him. Where the blood fell sprouted the flower bearing his name and the pedals spell out in blue- violet “Ai, Ai!” the grief stricken cries of Apollo at his lover/friend’s demise.

Other names by which he was called were/are: Phoebus Apollo (=bright), Delian Apollo (=Delos born), Pythian Apollo (Serpent/dragon that he slew), Loxias (=tricky as his prophetesses spoke in tongue). Another plant mythos linked to Apollo were the laurel due to Daphne.

The muses:
Calliope - Epic poetry
Clio - History
Erato - Lyre/love poetry
Euterpe - Tragedy
Melpomene - Hymns and pantomime
Terpsichore - Dance
Thalia - Comedy
Urania - Astronomy

His nature: music, poetry, medicine, prophecy, archery and light. His personality traits are logical, objective and vengeful. His main sanitary is Delos and Delphi. His amours include Calliope, Cassandra, Cyparissus, Cyrene, Daphne, Dryope, Hecuba, Hyacinthus, Koronis, Marpessa, Ocyrrhoe, Stilbe, Thalia, Urina and others. Apollo never married. His children were Amphissus, Artstaeus, Asclepius, Linus and others.


Apollo an Ode:
To Leto in the free floating – Delos isle
This a story of old
APOLLO, son of Zeus, the sun god was born.
The Fates upon him did smile,
The whole isle was showered in gold…
Matching his flaxen hair like grains of barleycorn.
Afterwhich the isle was anchored and ceased to float…
Not born in Tegyra in Boeotia, nor Zoster in Attica, nor Ortygia, in Ephesus…
On Olympus he had given a concert the gods were filled with delight
At the age of four he made a flute of the horns of a goat--
that had been shot by Artemis, his sis.
He, that was born to take back the night.
On way to Thebes he passed through Euboea and Pieria
On passing Onchestus crossing the Cephissus River
At Phocis found his oracle only to be dissuaded
He slew a dragon that guarded a spring at (Delphi) Cisia.
Gifted by Hephaestus with bow and arrows in quiver
Leaving the dragon in the chasm “the place of the rotting,” (sulfur) is equated.
Seven years for the murder of the dragon, he did atone.
His temple did stand as the Delphian god to the Cretan
ship--
As he’d appeared as a dolphin alone.
Radiant Apollo, Apollo Parnopius, Acesius, Patronus, Archegetes, Proterius, and
Boedromius each his name…
Persuaded by Hera in conspiracy to blind Zeus then as a shepherd he stood alone
Calliope, Thalia, Aira, Dryope, Creusa, Cyrene, Daphne as well as, Leucippus, Paris and Hyacinthus have tasted his lips
Then as a baby Mercury after killing his heard of cattle gave him the lyre of his fame.
Treasured-- by him is wolf, swan, hawk, raven, snake, mouse and grasshopper, laurel and palm tree
Agraeus, Plantanistius, Theoxenius, Spodius and Moerantes he has been named.
God of tripods, flocks and herds, Lycius, the destroyer of those that prey on a flock
The Spartans hold the Hyacinthia in the pre-autumn when crops are harvested through
history…
(Like Lammas or Laughsad, a sun Sabbath, even though a diminishing amount of daylight—)
Apogees of him in youthful manhood, nude or slightly draped w/arrow, bow, lyre,
serpent or dolphin carved in granite or marble—rock—
to his fame.
A god of sun--who cleanses, adds civilizing principle, of creative in writing, dance or song and heals through rays of sunlight.
[To so many people the sun god has had some many names and ideologies, but my heart I’ve given like plummeting young Icuras is given to that of APOLLO.
(Even popular Star Trek featured a lamenting Apollo)
A rhyming history of my favorite god]

ARTEMIS
The huntress in the Greek pantheon, Artemis (Diana, Saranynu, and Mother of Creatures) is as equally skilled with her silver bow and quiver full of arrows. Some times the Crone or waning moon; she like Hecate, would lead the nocturnal hunt. She chose to run free with boars, wolves and hinds over the domestic female role of the time. Chaste, she remains in her youthful state strong willed, determined and forever active seeking out her own pleasures. Ever loyal to her priestesses, enough so to turn one into a willow to keep her ever virgin when she was about to get raped. She is the ideal goddess for the independent thinking woman or lesbians. With her traits of being active and lunar firmly planted but psychic intuition would be a great place to request her guidance. Though her psychic abilities maybe a little primitive they no less hit the mark. Artemis is the ideal-goddess for any aspiring witch, especially a young one. Artemis is the patron to the amazons, the one-breasted womyn of war on the isle of Lemnos. Also, Phoebe, Artemis groves became deer-gardens (tiergarten and djurgarden) once the scene of feats.

As the Great She Bear, Ursa Major, she was the ruler of the stars, the protector the axis of the world. Berne means city of the she bear. In Britain and Ireland Robin Hood is said to be Robin son of Art. She was canonized St. Ursula derived form the Saxon word for she-bear. The Buddhist named her Goddess Maritchi and the Taoist’s Holy mother Ma Tsu P’o with similar attributes.

The axis mundi was also associated with male gods, as the Serpent or the World tree more or less phallic symbol, little bear the son Callisto, the fairest one. And in the Near East Mead–tree, Mjotvidr or Mutvidt, the Mother-Tree was acclaimed to give forth birth-giving, fruit- or milk-producing tree. Some times associated with St. Blaze as in some temples men were bled from the throat then later bull.

As Artemis the many-breasted was always the nurturer, goddess of fertility and birth. To whom Titian is said to have penned “Artemis is a prisoner; Apollo performs cures.”

Her dominion was the hunt, the moon and wild animals. Artemis’s personality traits included independent, nature loving, ruthless and chaste. She was the first born of the twins of Leto and Zeus. Her primary sanitary was in Ephesus. She never took a lover or mate. Her symbols were/are the bow and arrow and the crescent moon.

It came to me in that exact moment
Like lightening flashing it came.
They said, “We love you” and I felt
Their unconditional love
The twins loved me, Artemis and Apollo
His sun was overcast in the misty fog—looking at he moon.
United in time the two spheres hung in the heavens
Round and full, white blinding in the clouded blue-gray sky.
I knew they loved me.
I had been chosen a lifetime ago.
I had offered willow and laurel, frankincense, myrrh, even hyacinth petals
In prayers and studies book after book—
Devouring everything I could about them
Then today, a moment of time
They said, “We love you.” Not reason nor rhyme
The twins loved me, Artemis and Apollo.
As above so below as below so above--
I felt complete in this radiant truth
That they loved me…
Cameron Ulisix Booth.





If god were the sun
And goddess the moon
Apollo and Artemis
In this likely tune

If the was never a Christ
Would we wear togas still?
Would there be gladiators
Down for the kill



Oh, the romance of gods
Have passed there prime
Who names in granite stone?
In the technology of time
We, now, but stand-alone.

Hermes, Hera, Zeus and Aries...
Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Poseidon...
The oracles, fates and furies...
As one begins a story once up on...

The all the faded glory of days gone by
Heralding rainbows, thunderbolts and sunsets
I am no less, no more, just I
To remember the life I’ve lived and regrets

That I could remember those days of old,
To be where the golden age begun...
Mystic shadows and showers of gold...
If god were the sun--
By Cameron Ulisix Booth, Thursday, May 10, 2007




APHRODITE
Goddess of beauty and mother to Eros, the god of love, Aphrodite is ideal to petition before a rhinoplasty or any cosmetic surgery. But she was much more than that she was the triple goddess as well (maid, mother and crone) at one time she was the Fates (Moirai). She ruled the natural law of the material clan. She was Dea Syria, too--also know as Asherah or Astate. Born form sea foam the Queen of the Sea and Ay-Mari, the sea.

By the early Christian her temple were turned to those of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Panaghia Aphroditessa, All-holy Aphrodite. She had many emanations s a Thousand-Named Kali, Mari and Moria but Marina and Pelagia and Stella Maris, Goddess of childbirth; Hymen, Goddess of marriage, Venus, goddess of sexuality and the hunt; Androphonos, the Destroyer of Men. Lastly she was identified with Isis. Anchises, with who she begot Aeneas and was castrated, named “he who mates with Isis.” The month of April (Aphrillis) is named for her as on the ancient Roman calendar the month of Venus. Aphrodite’s triple headed union was Enema, Dike and Irene (older, destiny and peace). Aphrodite Columbia was called the Dove of Peace.

Her domain was/is love, beauty and fertility. Athene’s personality attributes include beautiful and bewitching. Her parents are said to be either Uranus, or Zeus and Dione. Her lovers were Adonis, Anchises, Ares, Butes, Hermes and others. Aphrodite’s children were Aeneas, Eros, Eryx, Harmonia, Hermaphrodite and Priapus. The animals that she held dear were doves and sparrows. My favorite classical painting of her is Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.

She was always casting spells on gods and mortals making them fall in love/lust. So, Zeus punished her by making her fall hopelessly for Anchises, a Trojan prince while he was tending his cattle. Determined to have him she set about her temple rubbing herself with ambrosia oil and headed out to hunt and seduce him. Wolves, bears, panthers and lions followed in her wake. Nevertheless, she appeared before him in disguise in flowers, ornaments and a sheer drape of fabric as a mortal girl. The moment he saw her he was filled with utmost desire—but also hesitation. Luminous as she was he feared that she was a nymph, grace or the goddess that she was. But which of these was she? To cover all possibilities he according to Homer calling out “Artemis, Leto, golden Aphrodite or well born Themes or gleaming eyes Athene…” She, inventing a personal history, assured him that she was a real girl. She even said her father, Otreus, would give him a dowry of gold and gifts. He fell into her snare. He defended that would be useless to postpone the marriage. After consummating their love she revealed her true self. In fear and weak from lovemaking he begged for his life only to be told that he would befall no harm. If he had been immortal she would have married him but their son not born, she would bring him to Anchises. She warned him that if anyone asked whom the mother was that he was to keep his council. He, one day while drunken, spoke of this to a wood nymph, a radiant flower. But he spoke of it and he was slain by a thunderbolt. Thus war ended as the city of Troy burned. Aeneas, their son, was the only child of Aphrodite to aspire to maternal feeling

Epictetus: “The anger of an ape—the threat of a flatterer: ---these deserve equal regard.”

ARES
The red god, the god of war and strife, Ares, Mars is said to be Etruscan fertility-savior Maris. The New Year sacrifices are held on March, which began the year for the Romans, and Tyr, Tiw, or Tig to the Indo-Germans. His sacrifice day is Tuesday. Ares is said to have been conceived by a Zeus and sprite not Hera. His emblem is a circle with an arrow in the upper right-hand corner.

His parents were Hera and Zeus. His honored sanitary is located in Thrace and all points north of Rome. He was partnered with Aerope, Aglaurus, Aphrodite, Rhea Silvia, and Bellona (whose followers included human sacrifice in her worship). His children were Aeropus, Aiappe, Deimos, Harmonia, Hippolyta, Phobos, as well as Romulus and Remus and others.



ATHENE
Holy virgin, Merneva, goddess of wisdom, war, law and civilization, weaving. Olive trees, helmet, armor, shield or aegis with medusa’s face upon it and lastly a small statue of Nike are her symbols of the noble patron of Athens. She was the daughter of Metis and Zeus. Some insist on her virginity, older traditions say that she had such suitor as Hephaestus and Pan. She was united with the phallic Pallas, the “Palladium” was a ligam, Athene Parthenos (virgin goddess of the temple), Grey-eyed Athene (for wisdom and eye color), Aegis-bearing Athena as she also conveyed Zeus’s aegis and Athene Pronaos (to be sacrificed to at the opening of Apollo’s temple in Delphi). She beat out Neptune who offered horses to the future citizens but the olive tree, her gift, offered food, oil for heat and lamps as well as weaving materials. Isis Athene means “I have come from myself” but some say that she sprang form Zeus’s head after he swallowed her mother Metis, female wisdom. She punished one of her priest turning her into a gorgon s she had profaned her temple by having sex in it with Poseidon, Medusa. Thus her followers sometimes wore snakehead masks in the Athene the Destroyer aspect, able to turn men to stone. Her symbol is an equilateral triangle upon a equilateral cross. About the 5ht or 6th century the early Christians rededicated her temple as those of the Virgin Mary. Her symbol is a circle with a cross at the bottom center. Lest not forget the Achrne (, weaver and spider) myth where the prod weaver competed with the jealous goddess and lost being tuned into the spider.

Epictetus: “Do not give sentence in another tribunal till you have been yourself judged in the tribunal of Justice.”

DEMETER

Goddess of harvest, divine leader of the four Seasons, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, her dominion was grain, agriculture, fertility, motherhood and loss. (Demeter + mother in Greek. Delta or triangle = female-genital sign, the letter known a vulva, in Celtic – duir, in Sanskrit dwr, and in Hebrew delath. Demeter’s trinity is symbolized by the triangle-door-yoni.) Her personality traits included persistence, bounty and maternal interests. Sanctuary was the Eleusisian Fields. Eleusis meant “advent.” Lovers included Zeus, Poseidon, Lasion and children were Persephone (Kore), Philomelus (the inventor of the chariot a gift to his father Poseidon), Parius, Ploutus, Arion and Despona. Her symbols included stalks of grain, snakes torch and crown. She was worship way into the Middle ages by pagan in Greece. Early Christian were opposed to Eleusinian rite because of the sexuality involved despite the regeneration and forgiveness of sin. Never forgetting Demeter rustic still belief. Along with the Jewish mysteries the Greeks believed that “an ear of corn reaped in silence” a sacrifice in the shibboleth.


DIONYSUS
He was the god of wine, ecstasy, appetite and vegetation. Noted characteristics were licentious, immoderate and joyful. Dionysus’s wife was Ariadne, the parents of Oenopion and others by mortal women. Sacred animals were Leopard, panther, bull and goat. Loyal friend of Pan and nature lover in his own rite, attributes/emblems were a leafy crown of ivy and grape leaves, cymbals, tambourine, the thyruss, a vine-wrapped wand of reed/stock of fennel topped with a pine cone. It was written about him that he had split personality and many trials due to his mental state, represented by a dual face coin to match his “manic-depressed” states of being. He would soar with followers to ecstatic heights only to fall into a pit of despair wandering lost in the wilds of the forested areas finding solace in the company of flora and fauna (often accompanied by his true friend Pan, who looked out for him). (If he only could’ve found the middle ground.)

Epictetus: “It stamps a man of mean capacity to spend much time on things of the body, as to be long over bodily exercises, long over eating, long over drinking, long over other body functions. Rather should these things take the second place, while all your care is directed to the understanding.”

EROS

Bisexual deity of erotic love, identical with Karma of the Hindus. It was said emerging form the womb of Mother Knight was Eros Zeus is said to stand in awe. Eros is most worthy of honor and the oldest of deities was pen by Plato. The kind savior, Eros was later replaced by the older worship of sexuality as a primary life force. Also, Cupid, to the Romans was said to be the son of Venus and mercury (Herm-Aphrodite) signifying the sexual union. Thus, cupidity was once used as an alternative for the word lust. Or charity from the Latin for caritas was an alternative for sexual/ sensual love. In the renaissance it became amoretti the little love shown as winged babies and his neophyte bum was the inspiration of the shape to the heart as seen on modern valentine’s cards. The talismans for Eros were winged phalli not babies, made of ivory, bronze or scented woods; his symbol were the white dove, the red rose and all fragrant white flowers like night blooming jasmine to which the Italian slang for penis is uccello, “the little bird.”

Shakespeare wrote, “we are the only gods of love”.

Epictetus: “Of pleasures, those which occur most rarely give the most delight.”

To meet you is to know you.
To know you is to want you.
To want you is to need you.
To need you is to love you.
And loving you is the sole reason for my existence.
By Cameron Ulisix Booth, summer solstice in Indiana, 2006


The FATES, the Horae
Not just another set of triple goddesses but the spinner, measurer and cutter of the threads of human existence: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos also, to the Romans-Fortuna Tisiphone, Allecto and Megaera. In most societies they were weavers and in Greece under the jurisprudence of Zeus and Athene, often time the intercessory for honorable mortals. If the weaving fates were induced not to cut a thread of life at pinnacle moment, the individual would be spared but if not they would surely die. Magic charms were based on this notion. Other names for the fate among the Greeks were Tyche, Dike and Nemesis. The word “fates” is synonymous with faeries. During the burning time it was said that women who saw faeries were seeing demons.

In so many stories faery godmother’s (the fates, again) held the new born babes fussing over them, granting wishes and foretelling the future during the dark ages parents would chain a dog to the door of the baby’s room and leave food suffs as deterrents to a bad outcome.

KORE
Greek Holy Virgin, inner soul of the Mother Earth (Demeter); a name spread far from earliest designation. Variations include Ker, Car, Q’re, Cara, Cerces, Core, Sanskrit Kaur or Kauri, alternative to Kali. To the Romans she was the ever-youthful goddess of the olden times, Car or Cara. Also connected with the Spartans as Kareneia festivals. Sometime called Artemis Caryatis in the east. Kore, in Coptic religion was a great power with seat in Alexandria in the 4th century A.D. Her festival is held January the 6th, which later became Epiphany. The Kore fest is for the birth of the New Year god Aeon to the virgin whose nude statue is encircles in the temple seven times in line of procession. The Koreion traveled to Britain becoming Krin or the Feast of Ingathering towhich became the Feast of our lady of mercy among the Christians.

Kore was abducted by Pluto another instance of god upsurpation of the goddess’s power according to Gnostic lore. “Plutonis Zeus… doesn’t possess the nourishment for all living mortal creatures, for it is Kore that bears the fruit. “ Kore return like Persophone’s is the returning of vegetation and spring. Pupil reflection is known as Maiden or Kore’s Eye. In the Old Testament it is said that the daughter or soul was “the apple of thine eye.” And an apple has a Kore.

HADES
Born of Maia and Zeus, god of the underworld, Lord of Death, god of Hidden riches, he was consort of Hecate, Kore or Persephone. Pre-Roman god known as Eita or Adewas, the phallic, was the hidden god in the womb of the earth. His domain was divided into the Eleusision Fields (place of the good and just) and Tartaras (place of the bad and warriors). Known as Pluto or Pluton, Dis Pater, Lord of Riches, the inlaid treasures of the gems and ore hid within the bowels of the earth. He was to know the location of each piece or load of earthly bounty. When associated with the Christian devil this belief persisted through time. Hades was thought a leading resident of hell named for Hel, the goddess.

His personal character was grim, relentless frightening and weak. Other lovers were Leuce and Minthe. Dear to Hades and in a place of honor were Ceberus, the 3 headed infernal dog. Emblems and token attributed to hem were the scepter, cornucopia and crown.

HECATE
Goddess of the witches, magic and sorcery, she was a triple deity: a moon goddess in heaven, huntress on earth and the mother goddess welcome to all women in childbirth. Honor, victory and fame were some of the gifts she’d bestow on honored believers. As the Greeks became more patriarchal her image waned like the moon. Zeus had once revered her according to Hesiod. To rid the matriarchal hold on women the philosopher/writers penned that she had stole the rouge pot of Hera only to be sent to the underworld; yet maybe other disarmed for aiding in childbirth throwing her into the Acheron. To this day she is said to haunt cemeteries, crime scenes and crossroads especially in Rome during the 4th century BCE—remember by the statues and pendants with three faces. And was honor by sacrificed of dogs, black lambs and honey. Accompanied by a pack of hounds she is said to wander moonless nights as if looking for bearing or a focal point searching out those that had been murdered or buried inappropriately. Now as Persophone’s representative she’s the queen of ghost and ghouls, patron of witchcraft and the conjurer of nightmares. Shakespeare honored her in King Lear by conjuring heart a pivotal moment “By the sacred radiance of the sun, - The mysteries of Hecate, and the night,” he states as he does the fatal mistake of renouncing his loving daughter, Cordelia.

HERA
Having had experience herself, she aids the wives who husband has more than just a wondering eye that might want to keep him in toe. Though she’s been more than severe in dealing with the objects of Zeus’s affection so be wary in how you approach this deity. The irreplaceable queen of the Greek pantheon, feisty, competitive and innovative, she most certainly is no martyr. Peacock is her chosen symbol as well as fire and the seven-headed hydra.

Her domain is marriage and family. Hera’s personality borders on extremes of jealousy, vindictive and power. Her attributes/symbols are the scepter and crown. (Being one of the several children that didn’t escape being eaten by their father, Kronos, only to be rescued by her later husband Zeus through a trick of their mother Rhea who fed him a stone instead of her youngest son, Zeus, saving him that ending.) Her children, some of which, were conceived without the simplest contribution of her husband, Zeus, or nay-other male deity/mortal. For instance she stuck her hand in the earth and prayed to Gaia and conceived the largest monster ever born (Typhon). There is dispute where Zeus was the father of Ares, later writing of Ovid say that the roman goddess Flora touch Hera with a flower from the Bella Dona plant and she became pregnant with the god of war. Eris, the goddess of strife is said to be the offspring of Night. The cripple Hephaestus, god of fire and crafts, was born from the fruit of her anger when angry with husband Zeus. Daughters by Zeus were Hebe, the goddess of youth, the original cupbearer pouring out the nectar ambrosia (said to give immortality) gods (but later replaced, as the Greek pantheon became more patriarchal, by Ganymede, Zeus’s ever young male lover); Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth could cause worshipers to have a painless births or prolong them according to Hera’s wishes. And Tiresias, the transgender, was another offspring of Hera and a mortal man. His adventures as a young woman began when he hit his staff a gift of the gods on two mating snakes. As a woman he became a most successful prostitute then seven-years later she saw two snakes mating again and with her staff struck both of them changing into a man again. (There was the water nymph, Caenis, who upon personal request Poseidon turned her into a man.) At times of strained relations with Zeus she just self impregnated.

Althea
By Cameron Ulisix Booth, Imbolig, 2006 for Althea Noridge-Orr
Athene, Innana, Sekmet, Hera…
It was you that I once loved
You alone; it was you
Walking brother, trees
In mist of green, grey and blue…
Rusty hair and visage bright
My goddess lady of blue moon’s light…

Athene, Innana, Sekmet, Hera…
Sister, teacher, friend so true
Walking brother, trees
In mist of green, grey and blue…
Rusty hair and visage bright
My goddess lady of blue moon’s light…

Athene, Innana, Sekmet, Hera…
From your breast knowledge grew.
Walking brother, trees
In mist of green, grey and blue…
Rusty hair and visage bright
My goddess lady of blue moon’s light…

Athene, Innana, Sekmet, Hera…
It is you that I loved
Your family and mate, too.
Walking brother, trees
In mist of green, grey and blue…
Rusty hair and visage bright
My goddess lady of blue moon’s light…


HERMES
The swift-footed, eloquent and duplicitous messenger of the gods, whose, symbol is a half circle upon a circle upon a cross and represented by a winged chapeaux and winged sandals. Also the god of magic, letters, speech, commerce, literature, travel, borders and occult wisdom is identified with Thoth. Born of Hera and Zeus, Hermes the patron of children and heroes, to some he was originally united with Aphrodite in one body (Hermaphrodite). Thus his feminine nature was said to have lead to the invention of civilized arts, measuring and weighing, astronomy and astrology, music (inventor of the lyre gift to Apollo after slaying his chosen herd of cattle to feed the Olympians.) and deviation by knucklebones. He helped the Fates compose the alphabets. His caduceus turned all that it touched to gold thus the god of the alchemist. His phallic spirit protected the crossroads from ill. The Saxons worshiped him as Hermeseul or Irminsul. The Arabs in both numbers and alchemical systems extensively associated Hermetic magic. Mercury is said to be the son of the Moon (Mya). The Greeks called him Psychopomp, Conductor of Souls. It was mercury that transferred Dionysus from the womb to Zeus’s thigh. Hermes Mercury Trismetigistus was a contemporary of Moses. Hermetic magic is called Mercurius as it has both male and female serpents intertwine on a stick or wand.

Lovers included Aphrodite, Dryope, Hecate, Persephone and many others bearing Cephalus, Hermaphrodites, Pan and other children.

Epictetus: “Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as we speak.”

HEPHAESTUS
The Pre Hellenic black smith of the gods, deity of artisans, craftsmanship, fire and the forge, cast down by Zeus from Olympia for trying to protect his mother Hera after her attempts to punish one of his many trysts. He was said to marry Aphrodite and begot Eros, as well as affections and was on good terms with, Thetis, the sea-goddesses. He, also, married Charis and Aglaia that both bore him Cacus, Erichthinices, Periphetes and others. Other lovers were Caberro, Actre and more. His honored animal was the mule and attributes are all metal tools. Hephaestus was associated with volcanoes, Vulcan, and lightening as well as Amazonian smiths who were also lame. His major shrine was located the isle of Lemnos.

HESTIA
Goddess of home and “good-fire” – her name means the hearth. Hestia was the daughter of Rhea and Kronos. Personality traits included retiring, independent, serene and chaste. Her main sanctuary was in Rome. And honored animal of choice the ass. She was worshiped and tended by Vestal Virgins. Their powers extended to all altars and hearths according to Cicero. Most pagans offer her -- the last crumbs and wine to be spilt on the ground after a Eucharist as an honor of hospitality and her guardianship. As a true matriarch she never had a consort or husband.

Epictetus: “If thou remember that Gods standeth by to behold and visit all that thou doest; whether in the body or in the soul, thou surely wilt not err in any prayer or deed; and thou shall have gods to dwell with thee.”

PAN
The green god -- bearded hirsute half goat and half man in appearance, Pan, was a musician and a god of sexuality and male virility. All woodland creatures he held dear as he traveled about playing his panpipes the progenitor of all fauns, wooing maidens and nymphs. Pan was the king of Arcadian satyrs is said to be one of the oldest Greek gods. Pan has chosen all the Dionysian Maenads as consorts, as well as Athene, Penelope,

Salene and many archaic forms of the goddess. Amon-Ra to the Egyptians, Panopolis was the Greek for their holy city. As a pre-verdic animal spirit, he was long associated with Hindus as a fertility god, Pancika and lover of the primal Mother-goddess, Hariti who sucked numerous animals spirits as many breasted Diana sucked the forest creatures, -- their King Pan. In medieval times pagans who worshiped Pan were accused of worshiping the devil at this juncture Satan grew horns, a tail and hoofs and was unremitting in lust. Many authors wrote of Pan, Shelly, Bryon and Wilde.

HYMN TO PAN…


Thrill with lissome lust of the light,
O man! My man!
Come careening out of the night
Of Pan! Io Pan!
From Cicly and from Arcady!
Roaming as Bacchus with fauns and pards
And Nymphs and Satyrs for thy guards,
On a milk-white ass, come over the sea
To me, to me.
Come with Apollo in bridal dress
(Shepherdess and Pythoness)
Come with Artemis, silken shod,
And wash thy white thigh, Beautiful Bod,
In the moon of the woods, on the marble mount,
The dimpled dawn of the amber fount!
Deep the purple of passionate prayer
In the crimson shrine, the scarlet snare,
The soul that startles in eyes of blue
To watch thy wantonness weeping through
The tangled grove, the gnarled bole
Of the living tree that is spirit and soul
And body and come over the sea,
(Io Pan! Io Pan!)
Devil or God, to me, to me,
My man! My man!
Come with trumpets sounding shrill
Over the hill!
Come with drums low muttering
From the spring!
Come with flute and come with pipe!
Am I not ripe?
I who wait and writhe and wrestle
With the air that hath no boughs to nestle
My body, weary of empty clasp,
Strong as a lion and sharps as an asp –
Come, O come!
I am numb
With the lonely lust of devildom.
Thrust the sword through the galling fetter,
All-devouring, all begetter;
Give me the sign of the Open Eye,
And the taken erect of thorny thigh,
And the word of madness and mystery
O Pan! Io Pan!
Io Pan! Io Pan, Pan! Pan, Pan! Pan!
I am a man:
Do as thou wilt, as great as god can,
O Pan! Io Pan!
Io Pan! Io Pan, Pan! I am awake
In the grip of the snake.
The eagle slashes with beak and claw;
The gods withdraw:
The great beasts come, I am borne
To the death of the horn of the unicorn.
I am Pan! Io Pan! Io Pan, Pan! Pan!
I am thy mate, I am thy man,
Goat of thy flock, I am gold, I m god,
Flesh to thy bone, flower to they rod,
With hoofs of steel I race on the rocks
Through solstice stubborn to equinox.
And I rave; and rape and I rip and I rend
Everlasting, world without end
Manikin, maiden, maenad, man,
In the might of Pan.
Io Pan! Io Pan, Pan! Pan! Io Pan!




insert on the right side - faun from brit.dooz

Pipe, Pan Pipe
Like a gentle breath blow, Pan
Over reeds in crescent form.
Play me a tune, dear god
That I might dance for you.
I am but a mere man
Around the bale fire’s warmth
Upon this earthen sod
Do not bid us adieu!
My heart races at the beat
Of cymbals and tambourine…
In this merry contredanse and reel
Around the blaze, around the heat
To the earth we connect
We dance to careen
With our feet, hands and heart, we feel
As if ‘round the may pole – erect
To this ancient beat.
Pipe the pipes, O, Pan, O, Pan
We dance in measure, merry—
To sing the songs of old—
So here we are this eve of May
In this group, I m but a man
A witch, philosopher and faery
Melody a beauty to behold
Yes, pipe, blow and play!
by Cameron Ulisix Booth, Beltane,2006 for Annie De Courtenay



PERSEPHONE
Goddess of the underworld, her domain as well as death, Persephone personality traits included youth and a gentle ways. The daughter of Zeus and Demeter, her main sanctuary was in Elesusis. Kore, maiden, girl and Proserpina were some of the names early man gave her. Lovers that she had taken were Zeus, Hermes and her husband was Hades. Symbols were the pomegranate, stalks of grain and crown. Artist representations Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Proserpine and Abduction of Proserpine by Niccole dell’Abbante.

The story of seasons: Persephone was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld. Demeter pined for her absence and didn’t change the seasons from winter to spring so Zeus sent Hermes to strike a deal with Hades to release her. So Hades agreed but for every pomegranate seed she ate she’d have to return to him each year. As she reached the gateway with Hermes to the upper world she swallowed three seed, thus 3 months of winter each year.

POSEIDON
The god of the seven seas, Neptune, was the yeilder three pronged of the triton. His domain is the seas, earthquakes and horses. As the oldest son, his characteristics were being wrathful and strongly independent often standing up to his youngest brother, the father of the gods—Zeus. Liaisons: Aerthra, Alcyone, Celaeno, Demeter, Gaia, Halia, Libya, Medusa, Theophane and so many others. His only wife was the also pansexual, Aphrodite. His children were Alcinous, Antaeus, Arion, Cercyon, Charybdis, Chrysaor, Despona, Halirrhothiuss, Lamia, Pegasus, Polyphemus, Thesus, Triton and so many others. Animal held dear to Poseidon were dolphins, fish, horses, rams and bulls.

On way to succeeding to ravage the nymph, Theophane, he turned himself into a ram. As a results the birth begot the Golden Fleece. His relationship with bulls was that they were sacrificed them to him. In some practices before a sea excursion black bulls were led to the sea and then tied to be drowned by Poseidon himself. Drowning as well as many other ways to him also sacrificed horses. Poseidon is honored with being the creating of horses and inventing horsemanship. During his competition with Athene for the honor of being the god of what later became the Athenians in anger at loosing he struck his trident and trotted off as a horse. As a way of getting back at Athene for her victory he slept with Medusa in Athene’s temple coming to her as a horse. (Athene in anger turn her into the first gorgon and in shame used her face on her aegis. And Perseus beheaded her to use it to stop the Kraken form harming Cassiopeia after being punished by Demeter for her mother saying in Demeter’s temple just how radiant that Cassiopeia was even brighter that the goddess Demeter herself… Poseidon then got back at Demeter by ravaging her as a hose, once more. The off spring was Arion, the black maned horse who was rightfooted as a man and Despona whose name could only be spoken in the Eleusinian Mysteries.)

Epictetus: “A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.”

ZEUS
Father of the Greek pantheon and the heaven’s hurler of thunderbolts, the romancer of god and mortals alike is linked to Zu the Storm-Bird. His chosen animal was the eagle. His wives were first Metis, then Hera. His lovers were countless but here are a few: Demeter, Eurynome, Ganymede (the Trojan prince mercury arranged this liaison with Ganymede’s father receiving horse to seal the deal), Leda, Leto, Maia, Mnemosyne, Thetis and other immortals; Aegina, Alcmene, Antriope, Danae, Europa, Io, Leda, Semele and so many more mortals. His children were Artemis and Apollo, Ares, Athene, Dionysus, Eileithyia, Eris, Hebe, Hermes, Persephone, Polydeuces, the four Seasons, the Fates, the Graces and many-many other immortals; Aecus, Amphion, Epaphus, Helen of Troy (from Leda), Hercules (from Arcmene), Minos, (from Danae) Perseus, Pallux (also from Leda), Rhadamanthus, Sarpedon and many more mortals. Unlike the Jewish or Christian dogmas were not the creator or law giver but rather the duties of the Goddess-Mother, Rhea, Hera, Gaea in all her forms the “Virgin Mother of the God.” Like Lucifer came down with lightening raining down to fertilize the mother earth. He became the ruler of Olympia –Platonic patriarch even claiming to give birth to Athene. “With spread of Platonic philosophy” the matriarchal beliefs faded to and patriarch among the Greeks which de-evolved womyn into breeders and unpaid workers.

Epictetus: “…Thou that weildest Heaven’s bolt, save men from their ignorance;
Scatter its night from their souls, and grant them to come to that Wisdom
Wherewithal, sistered with Justice, thou rulest and governest all things;
That we, honored by thee, may requite Thee with worship and honour,
Evermore praising thy works as is meet for men that shall perish;
Seeing that none, be he mortal or God, hath privilege nobler
Than without stint, without stay, to extol Thy Law universal.”

Please offer any suggestions or corrections your in put would be most appreciated