#Gortyn

[whencyclopedia]

Gortyn

Gortyn is located on the Mesara plain of central Crete and was an important settlement throughout antiquity from the Minoan to Hellenistic periods. In Roman times the city went on to gain even more importance as the capital of the Roman province of Crete and Cyrene. The site today is particularly noted for the Gortyn Law Code, a lengthy wall inscription created in the 5th century BCE which is the earliest such example in Europe.

Learn more about Gortyn

[coffeenewstom]

Kretisches Kaffeetagebuch: Matala - Shopping mit Hippie-Vibes

Als John Bowman 1962 hier aufschlug, gab es noch kein Hippies. “Ein weiterer lohnender Ausflug von Festos ist der Besuch des kleinen Badeörtchens Matala, des antiken Metallon, das neben Levin einst Hafen von Gortis war. Von der Festos Hügelkuppe bei einer kleinen Tafel “Matala” nach links ab. (…) Durch flachgewelltes einsames Land fällt das Strässchen langsam gegen das Meer und führt in einer…

[a-mythologynerd]

I MADE A DINOSAUR ARCHAEOLOGIST AND I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. HIS NAME IS GORTYN. The pattern is by “Crocheted by Bogusia” on Etsy and comes with the plinth hat, the scarf, the vest, magnifying glass, and backpack (and Dino himself!)! I freehanded the holdable trowel, the tiny tool/small pickaxe, the munsel book, the pottery shed which are in his bag for easy access on the dig! I love him so much

[mass-effect-galaxy]

Some random photos from my winter trip to Crete

[hedgewitchgarden]

Minotaur and Labyrinth coin

Minted in Gortyn, Crete, c. 425-360 BCE.

Obverse: Minotaur in a kneeling-running stance to right, its head facing forward.

Reverse: Labyrinth, in the form of a swastika, five pellets in a floral pattern at the center, four sunken squares in the corners.⁣

Magick & Spiritual Art 

[aliciavance4228]

We know that the Sphinx was sent to plague the Town of Thebes, and here are some sources which state that:

Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 539 ff (trans. Weir Smyth) (Greek tragedy C5th B.C.) : "[During the war of the Seven against Thebes Parthenopaios (Parthenopaeus) threatens the Thebans with the image of the Sphinx embossed on his shield :] Nor does he take his stand at the gate unboasting, but wields our city's shame on his bronze-forged shield, his body's circular defence, on which the Sphinx who eats men raw is cleverly fastened with bolts, her body embossed and gleaming.

Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes 773 ff : "For whom have the gods and divinities that share their altar and the thronging assembly of men ever admired so much as they honored Oidipous (Oedipus) then, when he removed that deadly, man-seizing plague (kêr) [i.e. the Sphinx] from our land."

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. 52 - 55 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "While he [Kreon (Creon)] was king, quite a scourge held Thebes in suppression, for Hera sent upon them the Sphinx, whose parents were Ekhidna (Echidna) and Typhon. She had a woman's face, the breast, feet, and tail of a lion, and bird wings. She had learned a riddle form the Mousai (Muses), and now sat on Mount Phikion (Phicium) where she kept challenging the Thebans with it."

According to Pseudo-Apollodorus, it was Hera the one who sent the Sphinx. However, there are other sources which either state or imply the fact that she was sent to Thebes by other god(s).

What I found curious about it though is the town (Thebes), the king of it (Kreon) and the existence of a certain Plague. For those who don't know, in the myth of the Coronides Kreon was the one who managed to piss of Hades by refusing to allow the burial of the dead warriors of the army of the Seven Against Thebes. As a response, he and Persephone sent a plague to that town, and were appeased only by the sacrifice of Orion's daughters, whom they eventually took pity of:

Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 25 (trans. Celoria) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : "When plague seized Aonia [Boeotia] and many died, there were sent officers to consult Apollon's oracle at Gortyne. The god replied that they should make an appeal to the two gods of the underworld [Haides and Persephone]. He said that they would cease from their anger if two willing maidens were sacrificed to the two. Of course not one of the maidens in the city complied with the oracle until a servant-woman reported the answer to the daughters of Orion [the two Koronides (Coronides)]. They were at work at their loom and, as soon as they heard about this, they willingly accepted death on behalf of their fellow citizens before the plague epidemic had smitten them too. They cried out three times to the gods of the underworld saying that they were willing sacrifices. They thrust their bodkins into themselves at their shoulders and gashed open their throats. And they both fell down into the earth. Persephone and Hades took pity on the maidens and made their bodies disappear, sending them instead up out of the earth as heavenly bodies. When they appeared, they were borne up into the sky. And men called them comets."

So all these three elements are present in both myths. At first you would think that this might be a coincidence, but then I found this fragment from Phoenissae by Euripides and...

O snow-capped Cithaeron, dear to Artemis, holy vale of leaves, crowded with wild animals, would that you had never reared the one exposed to die, Oedipus, Jocasta's child, when as a baby he was cast forth from his home, [805] marked with a golden brooch; and would that the Sphinx, that winged maid, monster from the hills, had never come as a grief to our land with her inharmonious songs, she that once drew near our walls and snatched the sons of Cadmus away in her taloned feet to the untrodden light of heaven, [810] sent by Hades from hell to plague the men of Thebes; once more unhappy strife is coming into bloom between the sons of Oedipus in home and city. For never can wrong be right, [815] nor can there be good in unlawful children, their mother's birth pangs, their father's pollution; she came to the bed of her son. . . .

So if you try to combine both the myth of the Kronides and Euripides' Phoenissae you come to the conclusion that Hades not only that was responsible for that plague, but he also sent the Sphinx to Thebes as well.

So my theory is that Hades and the Sphinx were probably friends, or at least on good terms with each other. I mean, if you go by the version where she is the daughter of Typhon and Echidna then she isn't the only one of their children Hades would love.

[andijaart]

+++🙏🏻God Bless🕊️+++

Venerable Eumenius of Gortyn, Bishop

MEMORIAL DAY OCTOBER 1

You have adorned your life with fasting, having loved the poor, and therefore you have distributed all your possessions, shining with virtues like the sun, comforting the weeping and rejoicing the sorrowful. And ask Christ for us, we pray, according to your prayers, Father Eumenius, forgiveness of sins.

💫International Orthodox Art Corporation Andcross May the blessing of the Lord be upon you!

[dionysianfreak]

Are there any myths with both Apollo and kore/Persephone

hello friend ! off the top of my head, I couldn't think of much. though, I'm not the one to go to for mythology questions honestly, im not super knowledgeable in that area. i do know of two from Theoi.com, though ! they're not full myths, but moreso local legends or inspired writings

"[Apollon] obtained from the Moirai (Fates) a privilege for [King] Admetos, whereby, when it was time for him to die, he would be released from death if someone should volunteer to die in his place. When his day to die came . . . [his wife] Alkestis (Alcestis) died for him. Kore (Core) [Persephone], however sent her back, or, according to some, Herakles battled Haides and brought her back up to Admetos."

— Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 106 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.)

"When plague seized Aonia [the land of Thebes in Boiotia] and many died, there were sent officers to consult Apollon's oracle at Gortyne. The god replied that they should make an appeal to the two gods of the underworld [Haides and Persephone]. He said that they would cease from their anger if two willing maidens were sacrificed to the two. Of course not one of the maidens in the city complied with the oracle until a servant-woman reported the answer to the daughters of Orion [the two Koronides]...As soon as they heard about this, they willingly accepted death on behalf of their fellow citizens...They cries out three times to the gods of the underworld saying that they were willing sacrifices...Persephone and Hades took pity on the maidens and made their bodies disappear, sending them instead up out of the earth as heavenly bodies. When they appeared, they were borne up into the sky. And men called them comets."

— Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 25 (trans. Celoria) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.)

hopefully this helps :)) if anyone else knows any please feel free to add on.

[snacking-on-art-2022]

Statue of Isis-Persephone holding a sistrum. Temple of the Egyptian gods, Gortyn. Roman period (180-190 C.E.)

[eclecticharmonytimemachine]

Georges Chevalier - Gortyne, Crète, Grèce. Entrée du temple d' Apollon. 1927

[xerohourcheese]

Especially when you jump off the Sync point above Gortyn, miss the water completely, and think "well that's Kassandra's teeth knackered!"

That wince when you reach level 20 in AC Odyssey and can’t take falling damage anymore but still sometimes land awkwardly

[whencyclopedia]

As the cradle of European civilization and a meeting place of diverse cultures, Crete is a magical island that stands apart in the heart of the Mediterranean sea. Its prominent place in world history dates back to the mysterious and fascinating Bronze Age civilization of the Minoans, who were building lavish labyrinth-like palaces at a time when Athens was just a village. In the Odyssey, Homer describes Crete as a rich land, filled with countless people who speak several languages. The location of this mountainous island, at a crossroad of three continents, has been a natural outpost of consecutive invaders, including the Greeks, Romans, Venetians, and Ottomans, who have left their mark on Cretan culture. Remainders of Crete's extraordinary past are scattered all over the island. Today, travellers come to explore and discover not only its five-millennium-old history but also its extraordinary natural beauty and diversity. As I journeyed through the Cretan landscape, I visited its most important ancient sites, including the famous Minoan palaces, but also veered off the beaten track to explore the lesser-known archaeological remains. In this tour of western Crete, I invite you to delve into the long and rich history of this fascinating island. The Minoan civilization emerged on the island of Crete in the Early Bronze Age at the end of the third and beginning of the second millennium BCE. It flourished from c. 2000 BCE until c. 1500 BCE with the establishment of centres, called "palaces" by modern archaeologists, that concentrated political and economic powers, as well as artistic activities. Of particular significance was the religious role played by the palaces in the cult of the Mother Goddess. These impressive edifices were built at Knossos and Malia in the northern part of the island, at Phaistos in the south, and Zakros in the east, all sites with a rich agricultural hinterland and direct access to the most important sea routes of the time. The British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans discovered the first of these palaces in Knossos in 1900 CE and named the people who built them after the legendary King Minos. It was King Monos who, according to tradition, ordered the construction of a labyrinth in Knossos to hold the Minotaur, the mythical half-man, half-bull creature. The Minoan culture spread throughout the entire eastern Mediterranean world and its stunning art and architecture deeply influenced the Mycenaean Civilization (1600-1100 BCE) that would succeed it. After the downfall of the Mycenaeans, Crete was ruled by various ancient Greek city-states until the Romans conquered the island in 69 BCE and made Gortyn their capital. Under Roman rule, Crete re-emerged as a major cultural centre and became the joint province of Crete and Cyrenaica and a centre of early Christianity. When the Roman Empire split into two, Crete was made part of the Eastern Empire. It continued to prosper during the Byzantine era until it faced repeated Arab raids and, ultimately, full conquest in the 820s CE. Today the central and western parts of the island are blessed with archaeological treasures which include the famous sites of Knossos, Phaistos and Gortyn but also Aptera, Phalasarna and Eleutherna, all with significant architectural remains as compelling evidence of Crete's long and varied history.

[coffeenewstom]

Kretisches Kaffeetagebuch: Palast von Phaistos

Die Götter sind uns wohl gewogen. So interpretierten wir jedenfalls den Halo rund um die Sonne – eine Art Regenbogen bei strahlendblauem Himmel – den wir bemerkten, als wir am Parkplatz vor dem Palast ausstiegen. Wir waren sehr neugierig, gilt doch Phaistos, auch Phaestos und neugriechisch Festos, als als Gegenentwurf zu Arthur Evans Rekonstruktionen in Knossos. Hier wurde nicht rekonstruiert.…

[fmpkingmidasandthethief]

Mazes research:

The Shining 1980: This maze has a complex but simplified design. It includes lots of different paths and directions that either lead you forward or to a dead end. It is also simplified because it is symmetrical in almost every way. This can be seen quite easily from the bird's eye view. In the movie, this Maze has a truly mysterious and scary atmosphere to it which pretty much sums up the film as a whole as well as my theme of Illusion.

Best Mazes in the world: This website includes several Mazes from across the globe that each have their own unique shaping and style. The two designs I liked in particular were probably the Dream Maze from China which had multiple mini mazes as well as a large one each with their own twist and feature like the part that has a deer carved into it. I also liked the Bago Vineyard Maze in Australia because it uses one simple shape to create something more. these are all spectacular Maze designs that I could try and implement into a design of my own.

Hercules Labyrinth: In this myth a brave man named Hercules is tasked with rescuing someone from this mystical Maze and killing the beast within which turned out to be a creature called a minotaur. This Beast was half-man, half-bull and had developed a taste for human flesh which is why it was contained in this labyrinth. Many still believe that this myth could have been real with the locals of Crete in Greece saying that it existed in the town of Gortyn. The Maze was a perfect circle with only one way in and one way out and obviously a minotaur. I like this design because of it's unique shaping for a maze that I don't think I will use as In my game as I have already made a grey box design for my game and this is shaped as a square.

[dropfromthesky]

3 new videos!

i forgot to post the links for these, oops--

[ID: a screenshot from YouTube of 3 YouTube videos. from left to right, their titles, durations, views, and days posted are:

"Phaistos Hills Synchronization | Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey," which is 56 seconds long, has 2 views, and was posted 15 hours ago (January 9th at 12pm PST);

"Gortyn Waterfall Synchronization | Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey," which is 36 seconds long, has 2 views, and was posted 1 day ago (January 8th at 12pm PST);

and "[TWITCH VOD] assassin's creed isn't assassin's creed-ing the odyssey so hades is played instead," which is 57 minutes and 49 seconds long, has 18 views, and was posted 2 days ago (January 7th at 12pm PST) /END ID]

i hope you'll enjoy them! :3c

[g0ddess0fthehunt]

Callimachus, Hymn 3 to Artemis 184 ff (trans. Mair) (Greek poet C3rd B.C.) :

"Which of the Nymphai dost thou [Artemis] love above the rest . . . Beyond others thou lovest the Nymphe of Gortyn, Britomartis, slayer of stags, the goodly archer."