hellenicsun - Tumblr blog

[hellenicsun]

Historically we needed the Gods to look like us to feel that we were being taken care of, and our human concerns can only be believably supported if our caregivers resembled us. The fear of people who are different is similar to the fear of other predatory animals. If an entity is not cooperating with us, they must be competing with us. Even in politics, there is a temptation to vote on lines of human identity instead of policies and the reasons behind them. There is also a narcissistic pressure to force religious figures to appear in the same ethnicity of worshipers. Familiarity is comfortable and difference uncomfortable. Like a sports team where the members wear the same jersey, we naturally cooperate with those who look like us. “Ethiopians say that their gods are snub-nosed and black, Thracians that theirs are blue eyed and red haired…But if oxen or horses or lions had hands or were able to draw with their hands and accomplish the same works as men, horses would draw the figures of gods as resembling horses and oxen as resembling oxen, and each would make the gods’ bodies have the same bodily form as they themselves had.” Richard Bukowski. "The Presocratics: Xenophanes." Psych Reviews, 25 January 2020. http://psychreviews.org/the-presocratics-xenophanes/ The section in italics is quoted from Xenophanes. The portion in bold was bolded by Bukowski.

Seems to me this is what's behind those demands one sees so often these days for artists to depict the gods as "realistic" in appearance."

Nationalists and white supremacists want to see art of the gods mirroring what they think of as modern Greeks and Romans to confirm their political understanding of the past - and because difference makes them uncomfortable

Meanwhile, mythology frequently describes deities taking on any form they choose - natural phenomenon, animals, gigantic anthropomorphic beings, or in the guise of regular humans.

Perhaps that's why ancient artists usually depicted their anthropomorphized deities in unrealistic colors: to express their understanding that no, the gods aren't human, they sometimes borrow the human shape when they allow mortals to see them, a form intended to comfort rather than terrify.

Left: Hephaestus hands in the new Achilles' armor to Thetis (Iliad, XVIII, 617). Attic red-figure Kylix, 490–480 BC.Altes Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hephaistos_Thetis_at_Kylix_by_the_Foundry_Painter_Antikensammlung_Berlin_F2294.jpg

Right: Seated Dionysos holding out a kantharos. Interior from an Attic black-figured plate, ca. 520-500 BC. From Vulci. British Museum, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dionysos_kantharos_BM_B589.jpg

EDIT: I can't believe someone replied to this post with, "This is why all the WOKE stuff is bullshit." I never in my wildest dreams thought anyone would regard this post as endorsing racism.

I blocked that person.

And I edited this post slightly, hoping to make my point more clear, which is: Although he Theoi sometimes assume a comforting/familiar human form, they're divine beings, NOT human, so insisting the Theoi be depicted ONLY as "white" or "ethnic Mediterranean" people today is disrespectful to them as well as racist af.

Bukowski says in the quote above, "There is also a narcissistic pressure to force religious figures to appear in the same ethnicity of worshipers." That means "to force religious figures to appear in the same ethnicity of worshipers" is a selfish thing to do. It's racism.

For any other idiot who hasn't figured it out, I am utterly opposed to racism, identitarianism, nationalism, misogyny, misandry, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, ageism, antisemitism, and xenophobia. There’s probably a few more; you get the idea. THAT"S WHY I MADE THIS POST.

By the all gods, racists are fucking stupid.

[hellenicsun]

in life, i sing the names of my Gods—my King and Queen. Zeus and Hera dearest, whom watch over us and offer us comfort from the pain of our threaded lives. in the heavens above where all life has and will come. She will teach me to love deeper than I have ever known and He will shake down my foundations to help me build them stronger. I will reach my hand out to my fellow life, a stranger that waters the plants of a home I do not live in. my life will celebrate the world and the ways my time here will change it.

in death, I will finally breathe the names of my Gods—my new King and Queen eternal. Kore and Plouton whom dwell deeper than i will ever know. below the soil where all life cultivates and will flourish. She will water the tears of my loved ones and He will offer them the riches of grief from which they will build a new life without me. I will return to the soil from where I came, sustenance for the children that come after me. my death will celebrate the earth and the future that will be built atop my bones.

[hellenicsun]

May Apollo grant us the healing from our pain and trauma.

May Apollo swiftly help us through the pain, anger, and sadness which we feel.

May he also shine his light on the dark gently showing us what we need to work on and get through.

May we thank Apollo for the greatness that's with us now and yet to come.

@devoted-to-the-gods @alatismeni-theitsa @apollo-phoibos @apollon-witch @dandthegods @dandthegods-notreligiousblog @goldenlyre @honeyedawn @hellenic-norse-kemet @karlywithbirds @luminarycanary @of-lightandlyric @piristephes @verdantlyviolet

[hellenicsun]

So this October I started my degree doing Ancient History & Archaeology, and all was fine and dandy UNTIL THIS MORNING. And here I’ll tell you why for a second I considered going home:

• 7am I wake up being blasted in the face by a fire alarm that sounds like a screeching bird with a megaphone, and whilst you might think 7am is a normal time to wake up, as a uni student it is not. The past two days we’ve been woken up by uni staff so we were all excited to have a lie in! Not anymore though, because we had to rush out of our beds and try and figure out where to go. It also started raining, which was so fun! 🥲

• I get back to the flat, go back to sleep and wake up to my flatmate slamming the kitchen door as if he’s trying to fight it, then went to check my IPad to see what work needs to be done, and voila! I see my assignment which was supposed to be due 12pm on Sunday has actually been changed to 12pm Friday. I also have a full day tomorrow and library work and a seminar after lectures, so I’ve only had today to do my assignment (and I’ll maybe pull an all nighter to get through it since I’m not done!).

• I though, “oh it’s only 500 words it’ll be fine!” But ohhhh no no no. Silly me. I had to find two city plans (one of Athens in 400BC and one of my home city), but wait, it can’t be off the internet, it had to be scanned from a book or article. And so I searched high and low for my Athens plan, and after about three hours I finally got one I could use. But then it came to my home city and turns out there’s no books or articles with a city plan of it in! Lovely. So I’ve picked some random map of the city centre and I’m hoping for the best.

• Then, 5 mins ago, I decided I can finish things at some point tomorrow night since I’m not even writing anything that makes sense, but I just realised I’ve got to wash my dishes before I can even think of relaxing. And to make matters worse, one of my flatmates has all her friends round in the kitchen (which is fine — except I look like a sleep deprived rat lmao).

I swear I’m just stressed and I actually love uni, but dear gods I need to catch a break!

[hellenicsun]

I need everyone to read how Socrates described the etymology of Hades’ name. This is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful descriptions of the God in antiquity

[hellenicsun]

phoebus apollon, apollon musagetes, apollon aegletus,

khaire, radiant lord, hear my praise and prayer!

if i have ever offered you incense, libation, or praise,

consider heeding my request!

radiant lord, it is you who commands muses of arts,

king of the muses, commander of the paint brush,

may your shining light fill my heart

with creativity and make the fruits of my labors lush.

i create in your name, gracious apollon, as an act of love

for you, to honor your gifts of the arts to mankind,

and i ask you to help me rise above

my own fear, insecurity and doubt that blinds

me and keeps me from creating as well

as i know i can. allow my creativity to come out of its shell.

phoebus apollon, apollon musagetes, apollon aegletus,

thank you for hearing my prayer!

kharitos, blessed lord!

[hellenicsun]

Moving into uni tomorrow! So excited (but also nervous — every time I’ve tried cooking something that’s not in a frying pan I’ve set either myself or the oven on fire?) and I’m so so happy because I’ll finally be able to be open about my religion :) obviously there will be people who don’t understand or who are disrespectful (my AH lecturer already made fun of Zeus during the open day — he seems like a nice guy but I was silently apologising to Zeus for that one. It was a funny joke to be fair though), but I’ll be able to have a shrine without hiding it and I won’t want to be around people that are disrespectful anyways. Being three hours away from everyone I know has it’s perks!

[hellenicsun]

This is so beautiful!!!

Apollo shrine, Italy, by Associazione Tradizionale Pietas

[hellenicsun]

Literally nearly punched an old lady on the bus this morning 😍 got on the bus and asked the bus driver for a ticket to where I was going, and it took quite a while since the machine was slow, about two mins later these old ladies start walking down the bus and get off (there’s room for about two people to fit past me whilst I’m stood there) and one of them turns round and goes “it’s polite to wait until everyone is off the bus first”??? I nearly spun round and went “maybe if you didn’t walk so fucking slow I would’ve seen you and waited” whilst simultaneously head butting her, but I figured that wouldn’t be polite. So instead of practicing my WWE skills on a bag of wrinkles, I decided to ignore her. Every day my gods challenge me with having to hold in my anger due to old people.

*through gritted teeth* every day i choose to be kind *barely restraining myself from violence* i choose to have compassion *tamping down the vicious bloodlust inside me* i choose to care and to be kind and to love

[hellenicsun]

Sometimes the gods will tell you things you don't want to hear. Things you wish weren't true.

Sometimes they'll give you advice that feels too difficult to follow.

Sometimes the gods will challenge you to do better and be better.

It's not a personal attack. It's their desire to watch you grow and become happier and more fulfilled. They can see what you want and they know how to help you cut a path to it.

It isn't a test. It isn't a trick.

It's simply love.

[hellenicsun]

Hi my name is Guinevere and I love Apollo.

[hellenicsun]

e-offering for lord apollo ♡

[hellenicsun]

Apollo Aegletes

He who shines bright

Bringer of energy to the exhausted

Shining beautiful prince

May your light continue to warm my soul

Bringer of hope to the hopeless

Glimmering handsome lord

Thank you Lord Apollo for everything you bless me with

Thank you for blessing me with your light and warmth

[hellenicsun]

- War Music by Christopher Logue

[hellenicsun]

i sing to ares, lord of  war & the ever sharp blade.  oh, unweary helper of men,  guide me with your strength & lead my weary feet forward.  unwavering god, drive away the fear in my heart & give me  the next day to fight on ���

[hellenicsun]

Please Reblog is Your Blog is Safe for Non-Binary People.

If my mutuals can’t rb this then we can’t be mutuals

[hellenicsun]

“How can anyone who, while worshiping Zeus the God of Companions, sees their neighbors in need and does not give them a penny - how can they think they are worshiping Zeus properly?”

— Julian, Emperor of Rome, Letter to Arsacius, High-priest of Galatia (via honorthegods)