#greek deities

[templeofelysium]

who was zagreus?

hey y'all, on the post "who are the chthonic deities?" i got a comment asking about Dionysus not being included in the list. ever since then i've been thinking a lot about doing more research on the god Zagreus, who Dionysus is a reincarnation of.

Zagreus, the main character of the video game series Hades, is very different to the mythic Zagreus. mostly in the way that there really wasn't a lot of lore about Zagreus, at least not the same level as Dionysus. most of his stories come from Orphism, or the cult following of Orpheus.

DOMAIN: god of pitfalls, game hunting, and chthonic sacrifices

BIRTH AND DEATH: before she is given to the Underworld, Demeter hides her daughter Persephone away in a cave to ward off her many suitors. however, Zeus, as is typical of his mythic self, changes form into a drakon (a dragon-serpent), and makes love to her, conceiving the horned child Zagreus. the infant is then brought to Mount Ida, where he is to be raised in much the same way as Zeus himself. even as a child, Zeus takes a liking to Zagreus and whisks him away to Olympus, intending him to be his heir. there he is allowed to climb the heavenly throne and wield Zeus' lightning bolts.

however, Hera then becomes jealous, and incites the Titans to kill him while she distracts the boy with toys. the Titans then chop him to pieces, and in some stories, they then cook and eat the corpse.

Zagreus is also identified as the son of Hades and Persephone, however, and other sources use Zagreus and Hades interchangeably. whether this is a separate deity from Orphic Dionysus-Zagreus or not, the two are now intrinsically linked.

REBIRTH: Zeus, finding out about Zagreus' death, enacts his rage on the Titans with great rain and lightning, and blasts them apart. from these remains, the Orphics said, humanity arose (giving us the evil nature of Titans and good nature of Gods). Zeus then goes to rescue what he can of Zagreus' remains (or Athena does), and all that is left is his heart. there are many different versions of what happens next, whether Apollo is given the remains to be buried and Zagreus is reborn as Dionysus by Rhea/Demeter OR Zeus makes a potion of what is left of his son and gives it to Semele, who births Dionysus.

Dionysus' association with Zagreus would further explain his ability to go and bring people back to life, including his mother Semele and wife Ariadne.

SYNCRETISM: Dionysus-Zagreus is often compared to Osiris, and his rebirth with the help of Isis (who is associated as Demeter). the posthumous conception of Horus, as well, may relate to the "second birth" of Dionysus from Semele's dead body. there is further evidence relating the mysteries of Osiris/Isis and the mysteries of Dionysus/Demeter.

SOURCES: theoi.com wikipedia britannica

[evslight]

digital offering for King Zeus, i’ve felt connected to him lately

[sol-niczka]

The aftermath of "God Games"

Some Epic: the Musical fanart I've done in the recent months!! I have more so I'll probs post that too lmao, but yeah, this one's my favorite so far I think <3

[gotstabbedbyapen]

It's always "Hades isn't bad or cruel, his deeds are just metaphors of the inevitable death" or "Hades kidnapping Persephone represent the premature death".

But when the argument "Zeus has numerous affairs and many children because he represent the fertile rain" is brought up, all nuance is suddenly out of the window and Zeus is just a womanizer who can't keep it in his pants.

[ivettaflowerblooom]

I feel like we don't give enough appreciation to the fatherly side of the gods. How about Zeus, who taught young Artemis archery? How about Poseidon, who proudly made Triton his herald? How about Ares, who carefully brushed Eros' wings? How about Hades, who lovingly lulled baby Zagreus to sleep? How about THAT

[dream--interrupted]

Demeter and Hestia

[witness2caesar]

This is just a quick reminder that this blog is not a safe place for you if you are a terf. Especially if you try and push the fucked up idea that Aphrodite does not love trans women. I am trans myself and won't tolerate my sisters being disrespected by miserable radfems. Ty.

Lady Aphrodite loves everyone. Including trans people.

[ouicakearts]

"Why hello, hello, there, little godling" - Aphrodite

[apollon-worship]

devotional acts for Lord Apollon if you can’t have an altar or want to feel closer to Him:

listen to music!

sit out in the sun

write poetry

draw Him! you may not be the best at drawing but i’m sure He’d like to know how you depict Him

dance to music

create a playlist for Him (songs that remind you of Him or ones that you think he would enjoy)

sing along to music (you may not like your singing as the god of music, He would appreciate it)

if you take any medication, take it if you haven’t already!

being kind to people

celebrating pride

reading poetry if you don’t know how to write (or are too lazy to learn. it’s okay.)

listening to lyre music

maybe learn the lyre if you have the time (and money)

eating citrus fruits

painting

taking care of yourself. He is the god of healing, He would want you to be healthy

every 7th of the month, celebrate Him!

if you have money, donate to LGBTQ+ people in need

[starlight-sage]

ꕥ ᴅɪᴏɴʏsᴜs • ɢᴏᴅ ᴏғ ᴡɪɴᴇ, ᴠᴇɢᴇᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ғᴇʀᴛɪʟɪᴛʏ, ғᴇsᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ, ʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟ ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇss, ʀᴇʟɪɢɪᴏᴜs ᴇᴄsᴛᴀsʏ, ᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʟ ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴀᴛᴇʀ ꕥ

[apolloslyrics]

☀️Deities☀️

I see so many people criticizing others over their relationships, or lack thereof, with their deities, so here are some reminders:

Not having deities is okay.

Having just a devotional relationship with your deities is okay.

Having a working relationship with your deities is okay.

Playing games with your deities is okay.

Harmless jokes with your deities are okay.

Doing fun things with your deities is okay.

Doing devotional offerings for your deities is okay.

Giving physical offerings to your deities is okay.

Not being able to do certain offerings for deities is okay.

Having an altar for your deities is okay, no matter the size.

Not having an altar for your deities is okay.

Laughing with your deities is okay.

Crying with your deities is okay.

Having genuine conversations with your deities is okay.

Being unable to hear/see deities is okay.

Being able to hear/see deities is okay.

Not being able to communicate through divination is okay.

Using divination as a key element in communication is okay.

Not calling on deities during spellwork is okay.

Asking deities to help during spellwork is okay.

Asking deities for help in general is okay.

This is your relationship with your deities in your practice. Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. 🫶

It's 2am, please forgive me if there are any mistakes!

[templeofelysium]

some ancient greek holidays

these holidays follow the lunar/athenian calendar, so I will either be providing the moon phase or Athenian date and the corresponding Gregorian months. also this is pretty obvious but these are just very general descriptions of these holidays, to give you an idea of which you think you'd like to practice. no one is forcing you to do every single one of these, nor is it expected. do whatever works for you.

if there's anything you think I should add, let me know

HEKATE'S DEIPNON

when: during the new moon phase purpose: honor Hekate and the souls of the restless dead, cleanse self and home activities: a meal set out at Hekate's altar (often including garlic, raw eggs, cake, leeks/onions, or fish), a sacrifice (usually of an animal, but it can be your choice), and burning of incense and/or cleaning house as purification deities honored: Hekate, the dead

NOUMENIA

when: the first day a sliver of the moon can be seen purpose: a day of rest and feasting activities: offer frankincense, flower garlands, wine, and barley cakes on the altars that had been cleaned the day before deities honored: household gods like Hestia, Hermes, Hekate and Zeus, celestial deities like Apollo and Artemis, or personal protective deities (like Athena was for Athens)

AGATHOS DAIMON

when: the day after Noumenia purpose: it's personal to each family but is often a ritual to honor the intermediary(ies) between mortals and gods, and to ask for things like good luck or protection activities: wine/other libations, offerings placed on an altar personal to the Agathos Daimon which can include incense, food, and things related to snakes deities honored: deities commonly associated with snakes, like Dionysus and Hermes, as well as the goddess of luck, Tyche, and Zeus, who is often called Agathos Daimon

RURAL DIONYSIA

when: during the month of Poseideon (december/january), but the festivals often happened on different days depending on the place purpose: honoring Dionysus and cultivation activities: a procession of men carrying phalluses, girls carrying baskets of bread, people with water, bread, cakes, and wine). dancing and singing contests, possibly even dramatic performances, and choruses of dithryambs. deities honored: Dionysus

CITY DIONYSIA

when: 10th-17th of Elaphebolion (March/April) purpose: honoring Dionysus activities: a reenactment of Dionysus being rebuffed from Athens, one or several dramas/plays, dramatic competitions, singing and dancing, feasting and offerings (especially of bread or phalluses)/libations (often of wine) deities honored: Dionysus

PANATHANEA

when: 23rd-30th of Hekatombaion (July/August) purpose: celebrating the birth of Athens activities: a huge procession showing off a large tapestry woven by only women, a torch race, a meal of meat for everyone in the city, athletic games deities honored: Athena

THARGELIA

when: 6th (for Artemis) and 7th (for Apollo) of Thargelion (May/June) purpose: celebrating the birthdays of Apollo and Artemis activities: the beating and banishment of an ugly man and woman (as purification, but you could just do the usual cleaning and incense burning) on the 6th. offerings of the first harvests were given to Apollo (but you could just cook a dish and offer part of it), a procession of children carrying a wreath with fruit, honey, wine, oil, and bread along with singing on the 7th. deities honored: Artemis and Apollo

THESMOPHORIA

when: 11th-13th Pyanepsion (October/November) purpose: honoring Demeter's loss of Persephone to the Underworld activities: a procession of women up to a space where men were banned, sexual activity was abstained from, they lived primitively (fasted and sat on a floor of branches), and sacrificed of piglets in the first days. then had feasts and prayed (often for things Demeter could provide, like good harvests or fertility) on the last day deities honored: Demeter and Persephone

DIASIA

when: 23rd of Anthesterion (February/March) purpose: honor Zeus Chthonius activities: solemn but joyful night rites of sacrifices, sheep/pig shaped pastry offerings, feasting, dancing, and hymn chanting deities honored: Zeus

KRONIA

when: 12th of Hekatombaion (July/August) purpose: honor Kronos (and to some extent Rhea) activities: feasting in large groups, where slaves can join their masters at the dinner table. like an early version of Labor Day deities honored: Kronos

THEOGAMIA

when: 27th of Gamelion (January/February) purpose: to celebrate the anniversary of Hera and Zeus' marriage activities: feasting, offerings/libations, and possibly also hosting a person's own marriage deities honored: Hera and Zeus

[boymanmaletheshequel]

Different flowers and the Hellenic deities they correspond with: a masterlist:

🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️

- Anenome 🌹Aeolus, Aether

- Aster 🌹 Astraea

- Amaranth 🌹Artemis

- Allium 🌹Poseidon, Hecate

- Asphodel 🌹hades, Nyx, Persephone, Hecate

- Bluebell 🌹Circe

- Buttercup 🌹Apollo

- Black eyed Susan 🌹Tyche, Nemesis

- Bleeding heart 🌹Aphrodite

- Chrysanthemum 🌹 Heracles,

- Carnation 🌹Artemis, Aphrodite, Ares, Dysnomia, Zeus

- Cornflower 🌹Demeter

- Crocus 🌹Apollo, Hermes

- Cosmos 🌹Astraeus

- Cyclamen 🌹Persephone, Hekate

- Dandelion 🌹Apollo, Hekate

- Daisy 🌹Hebe, Hephaestus, Artemis, Persephone, Aphrodite

- Daffodil 🌹 Apollo, Eirene, Proteus, Hades

- Delphinium 🌹Poseidon, Amphitrite, Britomartis

- Daylily 🌹 Hyperion, Aether

- Forget me not 🌹 Mnemosyne, Dionysus, Zeus

- Foxglove 🌹 Artemis, Ares

- Gardenia 🌹Athena, Aphrodite

- Geranium 🌹Circe, Aphrodite

- Gladiolus 🌹 Apollo, Nike

- Goldenrod 🌹Demeter

- Heather 🌹 Heracles, Hera

- Heliotrope 🌹 Helios

- Hollyhock 🌹Hestia

- Hyacinth 🌹 Apollo

- Honeysuckle 🌹 Aristaeus, Hestia

- Iris 🌹 Iris, Pistis

- Jasmine 🌹Aphrodite, Athena, Morpheus, Nyx

- Lily 🌹Hebe, Hekate, Hera

- Lily of the valley 🌹 Persephone, Melinoe, Prometheus, Hades, Hekate, Nyx

- Lavender 🌹 Asclepius

- Lilac 🌹Pan

- Morning glory 🌹 Apollo, Eos

- Marigold 🌹 Apollo, Deipneus, Dionysus

- Nasturtium 🌹Hephaestus, Nike

- Orchid 🌹 Dionysus

- Peace Lily 🌹Tyche, Harmonia, Hera

- Poppy 🌹Ares, Asclepius, Epione, Morpheus, Hygeia, Demeter

- Peony 🌹 Aphrodite, Apollo

- Pansy 🌹Apollo, Dionysus

- Phlox 🌹 Eros

- Rose 🌹Aglaea, Aphrodite, Clymene, Eris, Eos

- Sunflower 🌹 Demeter, Apollo

- Sweet pea 🌹Aphrodite

- Snowdrops 🌹Chione

- Tulip 🌹 Eirene, Aphrodite

- Violet 🌹Aphrodite, Persephone, Zagreus, Dionysus

- Veronica 🌹Demeter

- Vervain 🌹Artemis, Aphrodite

- Water Lily 🌹Tethys, Zagreus, Hera

- Yarrow 🌹 Aphrodite, Hermes, Pan

- Zinnia 🌹 Zeus

🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸🏛️🌸

[sol-niczka]

War siblings!! Ares and Athena <3

Tried to capture how I see them both as well as I could, in real life and Epic the musical

(This is the reference photo btw)

[starfacenix]

gods after devotees put really… unique offerings on an altar