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The Grotto of the Nymphs, from Pierre Louÿs’ The Songs of Bilitis by Willy Pogany (1926)

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Nike

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Greek Gods 101: Nike

Nike is a goddess of victory. Excluding the universal offerings, some common offerings include:

Trophies, Medals, Etc.

Awards or Diplomas

Crowns

Sashes

Coins

Photos of Victories, Wins, or Simply Competitions

Sports Equipment (i.e. Volleyball, Baseball Bat, Etc.)

Country or Territory Flags

For devotional acts, some activities that can be done for her include:

Participating in Competitions

Protesting

Learn About Certain Wars or Battles

Celebrating Victories (Especially Through Song)

Achieving Goals

Planning Out Ways to Achieve Your Goals

Playing Sports

She is celebrated in a few Athenian holidays:

Synoikia

Niketeria

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chb cabin aesthetics: 13/?

🏆🗡️ Nike - Cabin 17 🪽🥇

You are the best / You seem to stand out from the rest / Ooh, your intentions / To be more than an honorable mention / You must feel that victory / Release that energy and ride like the wind / With fire in your eyes, shake those butterflies / Go ahead and go for the win now

“Victory” - Kool & the Gang

(feel free to send me moodboard requests!)

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Nike Goddess of victory

"To Nike, Fumigation from Manna. O powerful Nike, by men desired, with adverse breasts to dreadful fury fired, thee I invoke, whose might alone can quell contending rage and molestation fell…”

Orphic Hymn 33 to Nike (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.)

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Nike / Victoria

(Flowers & herbs: Gladiolus, Peony, Carnation, Camellia, Laurel.)

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Please Lady Nike, by your hand may the Edmonton Oilers win the Stanley Cup. All who contend, who strive and who spar, are yours; all who sport and play, for joy or for glory, are yours; all who wage war, who clash and who kill, are yours. Golden Nike, blessed goddess, we seek your favor, to heighten their skill when it may be lacking, to augment their might where it may be wanting, to grant them strength of will and swiftness of step, to steady their hands, to lead us to triumph. Glory to the Gods!

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Homeric Hymn 21 to Apollon

"Φοῖβε, σὲ μὲν καὶ κύκνος ὑπὸ πτερύγων λίγ᾽ ἀείδει, ὄχθῃ ἐπιθρώσκων ποταμὸν πάρα δινήεντα, Πηνειόν: σὲ δ᾽ ἀοιδὸς ἔχων φόρμιγγα λίγειαν ἡδυεπὴς πρῶτόν τε καὶ ὕστατον αἰὲν ἀείδει. Καὶ σὺ μὲν οὕτω χαῖρε, ἄναξ, ἵλαμαι δέ σ᾽ ἀοιδῇ."

"Phoibos, of you even the swan sings with clear voice to the beating of his wings, as he alights upon the bank by the eddying river Peneios; and of you the sweet-tongued minstrel, holding his high-pitched lyre, always sings both first and last. And so hail to you lord! I seek your favour with my song."

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Apollo,

If I close my eyes I feel I could sink into the sea,

I could taste Delphi in the air,

I could breathe and breathe and breathe it all

Into me.

King, friend, mentor, all you seem to be,

In grief in mourning or in,

The melodies that carry upon the breeze.

I understand nothing I understand nothing,

I see the paths spread out from me in jagged lines,

I turn myself in circles, I turn myself in circles I

Close my eyes.

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For Apollo's Blessing

How should I describe thee?

Fair golden locks and a smile that could kill.

Youthful, joyous, stern, and wrathful.

Destruction and life, hand in hand.

You are a danger most beloved.

Beaming, glowing, gold of light,

Blood-soaked, hunter of man, silver of bow.

Arrows of plague rain upon the guilty.

Soft, gentle hands heal the ailing innocent.

Lord Apollo, it is you, The Destroyer,

It is you, the Life-Giver!

It is your displeasure that kills.

It is your great joy that we prosper!

Through you we may experience

The luxury of education, poetry, and the arts.

Through you we may know our fate,

For good or ill,

And I pray, gracious, most beloved of Gods,

That it is for good!

Dearest God, fair of heart and fair of complexion,

You most beautiful and kind,

I acknowledge your great and mighty power,

And pray for your favor.

Please, Shining One, radiant and benevolent,

Look upon me kindly,

And grant me your blessing,

That I may carry your courage in my heart.

May I know my power, and be wise to use it.

Lord Apollo, I thank you for hearing this prayer,

And for your many blessings.

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I shall recall, nor let me forget, Apollo who shoots from afar, At whom the gods in Zeus's dwelling tremble as he goes. μνήσομαι οὐδὲ λάθωμαι Ἀπόλλωνος ἑκάτοιο, ὅντε θεοὶ κατὰ δῶμα Διὸς τρομέουσιν ἰόντα -Homeric Hymn to Apollo (no. 3), lines 1-2

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prayer journals >>>>

I found a really nice notebook with a gorgeous fig pattern on it, I definitely wanna use it for dionysus but idk what I'd use it for. Writing prayers maybe? Idk yet I'm sure I'll think of something

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Man, I crave a physical community for hellenic polytheists like me. I want so badly for some kind of group to spring up here in the states so that I can have that kind of tangible community experience again, it's one of the things I actually miss the most from my time in Eastern Orthodoxy. I hope that someday we can have temples, perform rites and just.. thrive. I want that so badly.

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i need to expand my outreach in the community pls message xx my names evelyn, i’m 18 :)

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you ever think about how kind the gods are? because I cannot wrap my head around it. they're just so so kind and loving, I'm -

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this is your reminder that the gods love you. you are not a bother or an annoyance for asking them for help. they love you and they wish the best for you <3

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Does Hellenism have a Holy Book? Or like a Bool with Rules,Customs,Offerings etc?? Kinda like a Bible :>

Hey there, sunshine! ☀️

Hellenic paganism doesn't have one single piece of holy scripture like Abrahamic religions do. Our texts are a little more scattered. We have the Homeric Hymns and the Orphic Hymns, each are a collection of hymns and prayers to the gods. There is also Hesiod's Theogony, an epic 1000+ line poem that details the genealogies of the gods, and also Hesiod's Works and Days, which is more on the subject of morality and farming, but includes good lessons on how to interact with the gods.

You can buy these online in the forms of physical books, but there should also be free pdf versions of them out there, as well as websites that have the entire collection of hymns written out.

As for a text that gives instructions regarding customs and offerings, there isn't one set, singular text that I know of. We learn from historical and archaeological research, from writings like those listed above, and from each other. There are modern books on Hellenic paganism and its practices written by scholars that you could look for. Some are expensive though, and if you do enough digging on the internet yourself, you should be able to come up with some information.

I could teach you a couple basics right now.

1. Be clean when praying

There is a line in Hesiod's Works and Days that reads, "Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus after dawn with unwashen hands, nor to others of the deathless gods."

This line refers to the custom of washing our hands before giving offerings or libations to the gods. There is a water we make, I think with burnt herbs in it, called khernips that is used to clean our hands. You don't have to use it though (I don't) and simply washing your hands normally works just as well. I believe it also symbolises being generally clean. Being ready for your day and in a good state when presenting yourself to the gods is important, I think.

2. How to pray

Here is a post I found about how to pray in Hellenic paganism. I found it very helpful and I've been pagan for years now, so I think it could help you. (Link)

Also a note, we have a version of "amen" that can be said at the end of prayers, if that sense of closing off makes prayer easier for you. I know it did for me. The word is "khaire", and as I understand it, it means "blessings" or "good wishes". You can say it to someone or to close a prayer.

EDIT: "Khaire" or "khairete" can be used. They both mean "hail" or "farewell" or "blessings". "Khaire" is to address one, and "khairete" is to address a group.

3. Ouranic and chthonic

Quick run down on ouranic and chthonic. Ouranic means celestial, and it is how we refer to gods who live on the surface and in Olympus. These include Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite, etc. Chthonic means underground, and it is used to refer to gods who live in the Underworld. These are Hades, Persephone (half the year at least), and Thanatos.

In Ancient times, offerings to ouranic deities were either libations poured to them in a bowl or cup or the smoke of burning food. It is believed that the essence of the food would be carried up to the gods through the smoke. Looking at this in modern day, incense smoke is an excellent offering and we can leave food offerings and libations out on the altar along with a lit candle.

Offerings to chthonic deities usually went in the ground, so that it may be absorbed through the earth and reach the gods in the Underworld that way. Usually libations were poured out on the ground and food offerings buried in a dug hole. If you have a garden or pot plants and your offerings are safe for them then the practice can be replicated that way. I've also seen people use boxes on the altar, putting offerings inside and closing it, symbolising burying it.

Or you can simply treat chthonic deities the same as ouranic deities when giving offerings. Whatever works best for you, but this is what was done traditionally.

4. Read the myths

Read the myths of the gods you wish to worship. You learn a lot and can come to your own conclusions about your worship by learning about their stories and roles in society.

This may all seem like a lot now, and not having one singular piece of decisive scripture can be challenging if you're used to having one, but it does get easier. You'll settle and find your feet. Knowing these things will become second nature, and you will build your own practice based on them. No one's worship looks the same, especially with paganism, and that's as it should be.

Thank you so much for asking, sunshine! So sorry for the long response, but I figured I'd rather leave you with some starting points and things to investigate. Please feel free to send another ask or dm me in future if you have any more questions.

Khaire! ☀️