A Vocabulary Lesson

It has been brought to my attention that there are certain terms that are often used without definition in the Hellenic blogosphere and even in publication. Here, then, for you, I will create a little glossary. If I am missing a term you would like to have defined, please leave it in the comments.

devotee: someone who is worships a particular god is a devotee of that god – generally, this worship is more than what they give to other gods. people are unlikely to list off more than a few gods that they are a devotee of even if they actively worship dozens

discernment: distinguishing between what is real and what is your imagination

evocation: the calling forth of a god – this may be found embedded in a prayer, and a god’s response or lack thereof is up to them

hymn: a song in praise of a god

matron: a married woman, especially one who is mature and staid or dignified and has an established social position, a woman who has charge of the domestic affairs of a hospital, prison, or other institution, or a woman serving as a guard, warden, or attendant for women or girls, as in a prison – this is not the feminine version of patron

miasma: spiritual pollution – see article

offering: anything that you give to a god

patron: a god who rules over your area of work, the one you would pray to if you were having a problem or needed help (some use this term for their whole life rather than just their work)

PCPG: Peer Corroborated Personal Gnosis – see the definition for UPG for a definition of personal gnosis, but this is basically that which a number of people have found to be true independently of each other (so, it’s not when one blogger writes about it and then a lot of other people believe them) either through intuition or revelation.

prayer: anything that you say to a god – you do not need to pray for something, per se

shrine: this is a place that you build as a “home” or “resting place” for a particular god or group of gods – it is a place where you leave offerings for them and may keep things that you have given to that god that are more permanent in nature. It is often decorated and contains an image or statue of the god.

storax: a type of incense resin also known as styrax that comes from the Turkish Sweetgum tree (liquidambar orientalis), not what is commonly sold as storax (also called benzoin) that comes from a different plant entirely

UPG: Unverified Personal Gnosis – this is something that someone believes to be true about the gods, cosmology, theology, or natural law that they do not have evidence for, neither practical nor historical. It can be from intuition or divine revelation.

working with: People who use the term “work with” usually mean one of two things. The first is that they’re involved in some kind of magical practice and they think a particular god helps them in that endeavor. They may or may not be correct in that line of thinking. The second thing that folks can mean is that a god has some goal in the world, and they need people to do particular things to help them achieve that goal. They will then generally call into service folks with the skill sets they need who also have enough signal clarity to understand what they are to do and who wants them to do it. Occasionally, a person has only one of those features, so a god will set about making the other feature available to them through that person.

worship: to pray and make offerings to

Apollon’s Garden

It’s spring! For those of you with private spaces to plant things (community gardening is not a good idea right now; please stay home!), a garden in honor of Apollon is a beautiful possibility. Which plants you can plant does depend on where you are, but you could also make a container garden on your deck or patio, the steps leading up to your apartment, or even inside your room.

Bay Laurel, Melia Phosphorou

The bay laurel is the most obvious plant to plant in honor of Apollon. It is his most sacred plant. I used to have one in a pot in my bedroom when I lived in America, and while in Greece, I saw it flourish everywhere. If you live in a climate where you can plant this outside, it can grow really quite tall and can even serve as a hedge. Apollon has several epithets related to this plant. The first is Δαφνειος (Daphneios), which is translated sometimes as to whom the laurel is sacred and of the purifying laurel as well as just as laurel and of the laurel. There is also Δαφνηφόρος (Daphnephoros), which is translated as carrier of the bay branches, he who carries the laurel, he who carries the branches of laurel, and bearing a wreath of laurel – all quite similar in meaning just worded a bit differently by different writers and translators.

Larkspur is another idea for your garden. It is sacred to Apollon because it grew where his lover, Hyakinthos, died. You can read more about that here.

As Apollon Myricaeus, he is bearer of heath. Why is he the bearer of heath? I have no idea. If you’d like to plant some heath (also known as broom and gorse) in your garden for inspiration and then do some research into the matter, I would love it if you would then record your findings and submit them to the devotional.

Another flower with a possible connection to Apollon is lupine. Some scholars believe that his epithet Θέρμιος (Thermios) means he of the lupine flowers or of lupines. This is somewhat controversial, and I’m not sure why he is connected to lupines, but you could plant some and hope to find out. If you do find out, be sure to share what you find in the comments below, or better yet by submitting to the devotional.

Budding Cornel Tree by Manfred Richter

Apollon’s epithet Κάρνειος (Karneios) has several disputed translations, but one of them relevant to our garden is he of the cornel tree. Now, I have not been able to find out why Apollon has or would have a particular connection the cornel tree in particular, but perhaps one of you know or would be interested in undertaking that research? If you would like to write about Apollon’s connection to any of the plants I’ve discussed here today or any of his other epithets, please do submit to the devotional. It is still very much a work in progress.

Ash Tree, by Alicja

Another tree for which Apollon has an epithet is the ash. He is known as Apollon Μελιαιος (Meliaios). The connection here may be a confusion or syncretism between the Meliai, the ash tree nymphs, and a particular Melia who was an okeanid nymph of the Ismenian spring in Thebes. She was beloved of Apollon and bore him two sons – Ismenos and Teneros.

Autumn Lake Plane Trees by Evgeni T.

Apollon really does have quite a few epithets related to trees that I haven’t had the opportunity to fully research yet. As Πλατάνιστιος (Platanistios), he is he of the plane tree. Do you know why? I don’t know why. I would like to know why. Comments are welcome, but submissions to the devotional are better!

Pistachio Tree

I love pistachios, always have, but I honestly had no idea that they were sacred to Apollon or connected to him in any way until I started researching his epithets. As Apollon Τερμινθέως (Termintheus), he is of the pistachio grove. It is possible that these as yet unexplained tree epithets just come from the type of trees that a particular group chose to plant as a sacred grove for Apollon, which does imply that should you want to plant a grove for him, you can choose any tree you like and give him an epithet accordingly.

Apollon has another epithet, Ώρομεδον (Horomedon), which while not connected to an individual type of plant, it does connect to his relationship with growing things. It has been taken by some to mean ruler of seasons or ruler of time and refers to his connection to the horae because in Peloponnesian cults, the horae and Apollon were both called on to promote the growth of plants. As Ζωόγόνος (Zoogonos), he is generative or producing life – surely an epithet under which he would be honored by your garden. You could choose any plant that you especially like and dedicate it to Apollon Horomedon or to Apollon Zoogonos..

As Υλάτης (Hylates) , Apollon is the god of the grove, and as Ναπέυς (Napeus), he is worshipped in groves. If you have a wooded area or would just like to plant several trees in your yard, creating a small grove for Apollon Hylates would be a wonderful devotional act that is also helpful for the environment.

If a vegetable garden is more your speed, don’t forget some corn. As Apollon Sitalkes, he is the protector of the corn. Not to mention that dried husks can be used to make dolls, which can also make adorable (and biodegradable) icons and offerings.

As Apollon Όριος (Horios) he is the god of boundaries. If you use any of these plants (or any other) to form a boundary between your property and your neighbor’s, you can surely dedicate those plants to Apollon ask that he guard your property and keep boundaries clear.

I hope you have a beautiful and healthy spring full of flowers and growing things! Hail Apollon!

Worshipping Hestia

I have been worshipping Hestia for so long now that I don’t remember when I started. Her worship is an integral part of Hellenismos as we make offerings to her first and last, so ideally, she should be receiving an offering every time we make an offering to any other god.

Once upon a time, I built a shrine for her above the set of cabinets that was above my stove. As she is the goddess of the hearthfire and I had a gas stove (with a pilot light), this was an ideal location in my home. Now, she shares a shrine with the other deathless ones above my desk. Many people build shrines for her in the most central parts of their homes or on the mantels of their fireplaces.

One of my most regular offerings to Hestia alone was the first portion of anything that I cooked from scratch. I didn’t cook from scratch often, so it was kind of a big deal. I cook from scratch multiple times a day now, so I don’t make this offering so much anymore. It doesn’t feel special to me anymore, at least right now.

Hestia is a goddess with whom I have built a relationship that doesn’t feel very personal. I don’t go to her especially to ask for anything or if I have a problem. I pray to her out of thankfulness and praise, not out of need. To me, she is modest and calm, deeply capable and slow to react. Even if it weren’t traditional practice to pray to her first and last, I would still pray to her and give her offerings just for the love Apollon bears her. He (along with Poseidon) once courted her to be his wife. She refused and became an eternal virgin who rules over all sacrifices, but while not his wife, she still tends the house of Apollon.

Prayers to Hestia
The Homeric Hymn to Hestia – there are two
Underflow: Prayers to the Gods of Olympus – Hearthstone has written quite a few – use the search bar on her blog.
Devotion: Prayers to the Gods of the Greeks – This book also contains quite a few lovely prayers.
Orphic Hymn No. 83
First and Last: A Devotional to Hestia – This book contains the Homeric Hymn to Hestia (trans. Shelmerdine) set to Bogorditse Devo by Rachmaninov by yours truly as well as a number of great pieces by others in our community

A Hymn to Epione for Relief of Pain

I was blessed by the muses tonight. I’ve wanted to write a song, a plea, to Epione for several months now, but I didn’t have the right music in my head. I normally wouldn’t ever post a song online that I’d just written – you never know what it will sound like in the light of day tomorrow, next week, or next month, but I am feeling moved to share this one. This is very much a rough draft, so please do give me your feedback.

Epione, Epione, Epione
Fair and gentle you are
in face and form and charm
Io Epione, Epione, Epione
Pain, I feel pain, pain beyond what I can stand
Epione, Epione, Epione
I pray for your grace, for your gentle outstretched hand
I pray, for your grace, please come and find me.
Io Epione, Epione, Epione
Epione, Epione, Epione,
Praise Epione, Epione, Epione

You can listen to it here.

Blessings Big and Small

I just returned home last night after spending two weeks learning to scuba dive in the Philippines. Poseidon blessed me with getting to see sea turtles (green turtles and hawksbill turtles) on nearly every dive, and on the one dive where I did not see any turtles, I was mere meters from a passing whale shark.

My trip home was full of stress and anxiety with countries canceling all flights to China (both the Philippines and Korea doing this affected me) and airlines changing their flights with very little notice (which also affected me). I ended up getting to spend four days in Korea with a friend I rarely get to see (instead of a two hour layover) and then a cheap flight to Taipei where I was able to get a flight back to China. The airline caused me a lot of stress in changing the flight from Shanghai back to where I live and making the connection absolutely impossible, but as I was running around the airport trying to get the airline to change my flight, I thought, well, maybe this is Hermes helping me to not be on a flight with someone who has coronavirus. I found another flight on another airline that I could afford (even if unhappily) and that got me back to my city in time to make it through all of the health checkpoints and into my apartment complex before I wouldn’t be allowed in until tomorrow (which my original flight would not have done). I am now under quarantine with my temperature being reported twice a day, but here’s to hoping that Apollon and Hermes have kept me safe.

I was making offerings to Artemis this morning, and today I used a prayer called Prayer to Artemis for the Protection of the Beasts by Hearthstone where as I was praying, I started thinking about how coronavirus jumped to humans, and I prayed to her to keep those civet cats and monkeys and other animals who can pass diseases like this to humans out of human hands, keeping both them and us safer.

The friend I was with in Korea is both very active in his religion and very respectful of the fact that we do not share the same one. He was telling me why he loves being Christian so much, and honestly, everything he was talking about is what Apollon has given me – the knowledge that I am never walking alone in this world.

As I was in various airports over the past few days, I passed many shops selling bags and luggage (I really do love bags), many of which are anti-theft. My last anti-theft bag died two years ago, so I’ve not been using one at all this year (didn’t travel much last year). Still, Hermes has kept me safe from thieves. A huge blessing.

I made it home. Thanks be to Hestia, to Apollon of the Roads, to Hermes, patron of travelers, to all the gods who helped get me here.

My sister and mother have been sending me more pictures and videos of my new baby nieces, both of which I haven’t met yet. Thanks to Leto and Artemis for protecting them.

While I was in the Philippines and Korea, I had much more access to news than I usually do. I was able to read a lot about the coronavirus and be more strategic in my decisions and actions. Thanks be to Athena for keeping me informed and helping my decision making process.

I believe that Hebe is the goddess who teaches us to serve others, to put the welfare of others above our own. Thanks to her, I have returned home to teach my students instead of bailing on them and fleeing to the United States. I was also able to be patient with a friend who can at times be selfish and self-serving, but I don’t think he sees himself that way. He has also always been helpful, but usually there’s something in it for him. I am able to let things go and get along with him, and if you knew me personally, you might understand more about this blessing.

Due to the emergence and spread of the coronavirus, I have had someone who I wasn’t sure ever thought about me anymore contact me to make sure that I am ok and to offer her advice (her way of caring). Thanks to Hera and Aphrodite for keeping this connection alive.

In the Philippines, there is this Filipino rum that locals mix with lime juice and drink with lots of ice. It’s actually really tasty. I was staying at a family-run diving resort, and the uncles there were really into sharing this rum. At times, I needed to claim headache and put my hand over my cup because my cups became impossible to empty, but their hospitality and inclusion was genuine and appreciated, and the rum was the sort of alcohol that makes everyone just a bit happier. Blessed by Dionysos.

In the Philippines, I saw more stars than I’ve seen in years. Blessed by Maia.

The Chinese government is really cracking down and trying to isolate the coronavirus. I might not agree with all of their actions, but they are most certainly imposing order, and may be finally teaching folks around here the finer points of personal hygiene. In addition, all of my flights landed safely. Blessed by Zeus.

My facebook account is essentially inaccessible forever now because they won’t let me in without a code sent to a cell phone number that I haven’t had in three years. Other people have been surfacing to share memories. Blessed by Mnemosyne.

When people ask why the gods won’t do x in order to prove that they exist, remember the lessons of Semele.

I had great weather during my trip – the sun shone every single day. Blessed by Helios.

The moon was beautiful over the sea, and it peeked at me from between buildings once I reached cities. It was full the last two days I was traveling. Blessed by Selene.

I have been sleeping well. Waking up early without being exhausted. Blessed by Morpheus.

Consider your blessings both big and small. Which other gods can you find blessing you every day? Give an offering of thanks.

Zeus and Apollon

Zeus, father of Apollon and king of the gods, has quite a large number of epithets, and quite a few of these are shared with his son. If you worship either Zeus or Apollon under any of these epithets or are curious about them and would like to do more research, I encourage you to submit a piece (prose, poetry, prayer, art, and academic papers are all encouraged!) to the devotional.

Άγήτωρ (Agétor) means leader and ruler. It is perhaps more obvious why this epithet belongs to Zeus than why it belongs to Apollon, but we should remember that Apollon, in his oracles, speaks the law of Zeus.

Άγώνιος (Agónios) means helper in struggles or who helps in contests, or maybe just of contests. Translating epithets has certainly turned out to be tricky business. This epithet actually also belongs to Hermes, for obvious reasons, but seeing as how Zeus and Apollon also had ancient games (the Olympics, the Pythian Games) held in their honor, it makes sense to call on them for help as well. Perhaps you can find other connections?

Άγοραιος (Agoraios) means god of the agora. The agora is the open public space used for assemblies and markets, so quite a few gods have this epithet.

Άλεξίκακος (Alexíkakos) has been translated in quite a few ways that all mean very similar things – he who wards off evil, restrainer of evil, he who diverts calamity, averter of evil, and then also plague healer. Apollon was given this epithet by the Athenians because he stopped a plague during the Peloponnesian War. What about Zeus? Care to dig into it?

Καταιβάτης (Kataibátes) is another epithet with quite a few translations, some similar and some not. I have seen it translated as he who grants a happy return home (from war or abroad), who comes down, who leads down, and he who descends. In Zeus’s case, this epithet often refers to his thunder and lightning, which descends from the heavens, and he had an altar under this epithet at Olympia. What do you think it means for Apollon? Apollon and Zeus also share this epithet with Hermes – would you like to find the connection between all three?

Καθάρσιος (Kathársios) means the purifier but has also been translated as the atoner. Apollon is well-known as a god of purification, and Zeus had a temple under this epithet in Olympia.

Κλάριος (Klarios) has been translated in some very different ways that are actually related. I have seen both supervisor over cities and colonies and distributing by lots or of lots. The last one is probably the most accurate, but as a κλάρος is an allotment of land, you can see where the connection came from. For Apollon, this has often been connected to both his roles as an oracular god and as a god of colonists. According to Pausanius, a hill near Tegea was sacred to Zeus Klarios.

Λύκειος (Lykeios) is an epithet whose meaning is hotly contested. The translations vary from of the wolf, wolf-slayer, protector from wolves, wolf god, deliverer from wolves, and of wolves to of the light, light bringer, giver of light, and born of light to destroyer to born in Lycia. It is from this epithet that Apollon gets his association with wolves, but as he is also the preeminent god of light, that association is also clear. As for Lycia, well, Delos isn’t in Lycia, but there are some who say that Leto came from there, and some argue that even though many call Apollon the most Greek of gods, that he was actually originally a foreign god who came to Greece by way of Turkey. In Zeus’s case, this epithet is a little clearer yet wholly different. It refers to his worship on Mt. Lycaeum in Arcadia. Zeus and Apollo also share this epithet with Pan (who has his own reasons for it). Care to weigh in on the mystery?

Μοιραγέτης (Moiragétes) has been translated as leader of the moiroi (meaning ruler of fate) and guide of the moirae. For Apollon, this was one of his epithets at Delphi, where he shares the will of Zeus.

Πατρώος (Patroios) has multiple translations, but they pretty much all mean the same thing (in context) – he of the ancestors, father, protector of families, protector of the Ionians, and ancestral. This epithet is used for any god to whom the people trace lineage or whose worship has been handed down from their ancestors. Zeus was an ancestor god in Athens and in any area where the kings descended from Heracles.

Φυξιος (Phyxius) means protector of fugitives. It was an epithet of Zeus in Thessaly.

Σώτερ (Sóter) means savior. It was used for Zeus in several places, and in addition to Apollon, it was also used for Helios and Dionysos.

Χρυσάορος (Khrysàoros) means with sword of gold or wearer of the golden sword. Zeus had a temple under this epithet in Caria, and this epithet was shared not just with Apollon but also with Artemis and Demeter. Many people don’t think of or perhaps easily forget that Apollon has a golden sword (and a golden bow as well as a silver one). Would anyone be interested in working on the connections between this epithet and any of these deities and Apollon?

I support the Xenia Declaration.

The Xenia Declaration is very simply a value statement regarding the upholding of xenia. By saying that I agree with or support the Xenia Declaration, I am saying that I agree with and agree to uphold the spirit of xenia as stated in the declaration. It is not all-inclusive.

There has been some controversy over the Xenia Declaration, and in my opinion, some attacks that are based in misunderstanding. I do not personally know the writers of the Declaration, nor do I personally know most of the other people who signed it. I’m also not part of any of the organizations that agreed to it. The only thing that we have in common is that we say that we agree with the text of the Xenia Declaration. That’s it. By signing, I am not supporting or condoning any behavior by any other signer that is either contrary to the Declaration or that I think is wrong for some other reason. We are not a group; we are individuals.

The writers of the Declaration have removed some names and/or organizations because someone else provided them with evidence that the signer does not, in fact, uphold the ideals of xenia. However, I do not believe that they should be expected to monitor or vet each person or organization that signs. If you see a name listed that you know (and have evidence to support your claim) should not be there, contact them. If you provide them with evidence, they will likely remove the name. However, by signing the Declaration, I am not in any way, shape, or form suggesting that I condone behaviors (such as sexual assault) that may have been committed by a co-signer.

The writers of the Declaration are human and fallible. I am sure that some mistakes will be made. I still agree with the statement that they wrote. If you think that you have been unfairly removed or you think a name is there that should not be, please contact them, but don’t suggest that the rest of us support something that isn’t xenia.