#Aidoneus

[that-guy-in-the-chiton]

My & @a-gnosis’ Hades hanging out.

[imagineee-123]

Ode to Aidoneus (Hades)

Oh, sweet God of the dead, protect my soul

Your darkness consumes all and keeps us whole

Aidoneus, giver of wealth, the one unseen

Keeper of the departed, our endings foreseen

Rolling waves, leading to your tender embrace

Oh, the fear of your presence is misplaced

A respectable, fatherly being

Your watchful eye and doting, oh-so-freeing

Your eternal black, revered by the moon and stars alike

The realm of Hades’ where there is only night

Lost souls, wallow and pray

You are the light to lead our way

The lingering smoke of a candle wick burnt

You, to which our spirits will return

May their trepidation turn to serenity

As they learn, you are not our enemy

Mortal life is far too brief

Though I know you’ll bring comfort to our grief

Your Kingdom, mysterious and homely

How I know your arms will hold me

Oh, praise be to Hades and His arcane caress

There will be a day I must feel the kiss of death

And in His domain, there will be no rain

For I will know I am loved

This is an original poem. Please don't repost elsewhere! (At least not without credit or permission.) Thanks to @vibeswithrenai for the Hades themed dividers.

[aidoneusmusic]

started recording my concept album, STYKS, whenever i could over the last couple days and here’s a completely unmixed, mostly raw version of somethin im working on right now :)))) also this was recorded on my phone so nothing in this video indicates how the final product will sound other than the song structure lol

lyrics:

A step too far and the earth cracks beneath my feet

Just loud enough to make you turn your gaze to me

Persephone

(Say it out loud)

What am I hiding from?

(Say it out loud)

What am I hiding from?

Had my head below the surface for so long that I forgot my lungs could breathe

Any words would flee from me, for as I heard you speak I felt the air recede

And I can’t think

Though my courage took a while

You surprised me with a smile

And the distance feels like miles

Til you offer me your hand

And though I cannot explain it

I am terrified to break it

So I hesitate to take it

Yet I do, and here we land

— to be continued…..

[infernalzeus]

Valentine’s offering to King Father Hades 🖤💜❤️

Praise be to you, King Hades! Thank you for guiding and guarding me. I love you beyond measure. Having you in my life as my patron has truly made me who I am today, and I am forever grateful for you. Khaîre!

[littleeyesofpallas]

Okay okay catching up on Bleach because I was putting it off...

So the soul king has an actual name now and it's apparently Adnyeus(?*)[アドナイェウス] which at a glance I thought was some kind of weird mashup of Hebrew Adonai[אֲדֹנָי] and Latin deus as a kind of play on Yhwach's name being based on the tetragrammaton. But actually it's just the name Aidoneus[Ἀϊδωνεύς] which was an old epithet for the Greek Hades, supposedly meaning "The Unseen" which somewhat superficially fits for the Soul King as a king of the dead/underworld.

*(I have no idea where anyone is getting these romanizations I see flying around...)

It's actually not the first time the name has come up. some eagle eyed fans caught that what appears to be "ADNYEUS" was shown back in episode 6 of TYBW in Ryuuken's notes, above the illustration of the castle Silbern. And then at the end of the previous season the anime added a chant to Yhwach's Auswählen that ran:

Kakageyo Gin no Monshou, Haiiro no Sougen, Hikari ni Uzumoreta, Enkan no Michi, Menou no Gankyu, Ougon no Shita, Zugai no Sakazuki, ADNYEUS no Hitsugi. Kakageru mono wa, Omae no Shinzou: AUSWÄHLEN [掲げよ 銀の紋章 灰色の草原 光に埋もれた円環の途 瑪瑙の眼球 黄金の舌 頭蓋の盃 アドナイェウスの棺 掲げるものは お前の心臓 聖別(アウスヴェーレン)] "Raise up Crest of Silver, Ash-colored(gray) Meadow, Circular Road hidden in (the) Light, Eye(s) of Agate, Tongue of Gold, Grail* of Skull, Coffin of Adnyeus. That which is Raised up is Your Heart: Auswählen."

*notably in one of Uryuu's German chants, the Japanese word for a [杯]:"sake cup" was paired with the German word Gral:"Grail", and [盃] and [杯] are alternate kanji for the same word. At the most literal the chant in Japanese just uses the word for "sake cup" like the one he uses for the schrift eucharist, but I feel like the more implicitly western imagery evoked by "skull Grail" or maybe "...chalice" is more in line with the ongoing aesthetic of Quincy spells

I'm not actually in a position to go doing a real deep dive on this but it does seem like at a glance there are associations with that alternate title with a specific incongruous variation of the god of the underworld--that is to say: characterizations of him under this epithets are not consistent with other more common interpretstions-- where he's actually got a lot of strong sun iconography. This of course maps almost perfectly with a bunch of stuff I've ranted on about a few different times in my Bleach ramblings.

Incidentally it is also the scientific namesake of the Papilio aidoneus... a black butterfly... In the first place Bleach's hell-butterflies were already a play on the real world association of butterflies and death, often either as psychopomps or themselves the souls of the dead. That they tie back in to the Soul King himself isn't too big a stretch.

As for this "triplet world" thing... We were already told that Hueco Mundo isn't actually it's own formal realm, it's the interstitial realm that just naturally exists in the space between one world and the next. So it kinda annoys me that this feels like it's really only being acknowledged because after the fact it's just where a big chunk of Bleach's plot happened, rather than actually being cosmologically on par with the other two.

Anyway the translations going around I notice are a little sloppy, mostly in that a few are clearly just machine translated and so ignored the use of Bleach specific terminology, like "reishi" and "kishi" so here's my quick breakdown of it (thank god it's short...)

原初の海から分かたれた尸魂界,現世, 虚圏の三つの世界。 The Three Worlds of Soul Society, This (the mortal) World, Hueco Mundo divided* from the Sea of Origin. 遍く魂魄の流れを司る礎であり, かつ世界の楔たる存在によって, The universal flow of spirits is the foundation to control, as well as the lynchpin of the world which is due to existence, 霊子の世界,器子の世界,砂の楽土の三世界が分離され, the Three Worlds of The World of Reishi, The World of Kishi, The Paradise of Sand are detached*, 『生』と『死』が隔てられた。 "Life" and "Death" were isolated*.

*so interestingly all three of these different words could be translated into english as "separated" but seem to be fairly distinct contextual differences: the first means like cutting one big thing up into smaller things the "A came from B" dynamic being the focus, the second means to be separated out almost like being categorized, and the third is to be isolated or alienated.

So first it's saying the three worlds came from one sea of origin, and that the flow of spirits between those three worlds is the key to existence being what it is, which is to say three distinct realms where death and life are these things that can never coexist. All of which is stuff we really already knew.

Also we're supposed to have just completely forgotten about Hell since it's not the current plot line, I guess? If anything the Three Worlds should be Soul Society, the Material World, and Hell, with Hueco Mundo as the interstitial void/aether, like it was originally defined as. That would at least map more sensibly onto the buddhist 3 realms of

Form(Humans & animals: those bound by their physicality)

Formless(Deva & Asura: those who exist in a hightened mental/spiritual state)

Desire(Preta & those in Hell: those defined by their strong need for what they lack)

Maybe that only real point of interest is the reference to Hueco Mundo as suna no rakudo[砂の楽土], a "paradise of sand." In this voice I think the idea is that if life and death being separate realms is a bad thing that Yhwach seeks to rectify, then by being an inbetween realm, Hueco Mundo is a paradise, because it's a place of neither life nor death? But if it is a place of rest and comfort then I wonder if that doesn't validate my thoughts on the Vastolorde being the natural path of development for a soul in reincarnation afterall?

That aside, this mostly just lines up with existing Buddhist/Hindu parallels that were always pretty obviously implied but not so directly touched on. Once again things I've babbled about in some form or another already... I'm not about to go digging them all up right now.

[igotsnothing]

Kore🌸

[lil-antares-in-sky]

The Look of Love 💗🌊

[khaire-traveler]

Death comes in many forms.

It can come in the literal form - the ending of a life.

It can come in the form of loss with the finality of any relationship.

It can come in the form of transformation, shedding your old skin to replace it with something new.

It can come in the form of learning, replacing old knowledge that's no longer useful or accurate.

It can come in the form of music after the end of your favorite song.

It can come in the form of relief when a moment of strong tension is finally released.

It can come in the form of breath - an exhale leaving your body.

Death comes in many forms.

[applebrooklyn]

You assumed that I could make you feel it was worth it

But all I ever did was drag you down

And bring you in and out through hell again

My goddess of light, and spring and all things good

—"Persephone in the Garden", Aidoneus

[tatelangdon29]

Started reading Lore Olympus again yesterday, not my comfort read but okay can we please talk about this line?? this beautifully crafted line!!

Aidoneus (Hades) is literally one of the most respectful guys.

Also loads of appreciation for Rachel Smythe!!

[dionysianfreak]

What are your views on myths? Also is it true that Homer and Hesiod (myths? Views?) existed wayyy before they even wrote anything? Does that mean those views are "true" because they were believed in for years? Also just wanted to ask: are Hades and Pluto the same? (Sorry for the long question!)

hello dear ! :)) no worries about the long question ! it gives me a lot to think about. since there's a lot going on in this ask, I'll break this into pieces so that it can be a little more comprehensive ! 💕

what are my views on mythology ?

complex, to be honest. in my personal religious practices it doesn't come up often. I tend to use mythology to understand how the ancient people viewed each other/their culture, rationalized the unknown, or dig for religious clues/beliefs found between the lines. some mythological writings are the only evidence for Deities we would never have known about otherwise, as an example.

i also view it as an amalgamation of historical art pieces that are crucial in understanding ancient Hellenic society, culture, morals, and centers of worship. plays and myths were how people entertained each other ! many myths were born from very impactful worship centers, such as the lake in Argos where Dionysos was said to enter the underworld. mythological stories are captivating and dramatic because they were meant to capture the attention of everyone and be memorable enough to continue being told.

ultimately, even though I don't put religious weight onto mythology, it would be wrong to ignore it entirely. the people who practiced helpol were listening to these stories and remembering them, and THAT itself is important.

is it true that Homer and Hesiod's views/writings existed before they lived to write them ?

this is a complicated question. if we want to get technical, all philosophies are informed from the views before them. new world views end up combined with old ones in a neverending philosophical cycle. religion is an evolutionary practice, meaning (in most cases) it will constantly change over long periods of time. we see this in written sources that tweak the details of an otherwise unchanged storyline.

Homer is an especially complex case because we aren't even sure that Homer was a literal person. even if he was, we know VERY little about his life. I commonly see people speculate that (if he was real), he was probably born in the 8th century B.C.E.. Hesiod is usually believed to have lived in the 7th century B.C.E.. for context, the Mycenaean/Minoan civilizations were around as far back as 2900 B.C.E.. that's over 2,000 years of culture, religion, and life BEFORE these great writers were even conceived. their writings were a culmination of 2,000+ years of culture and a snapshot of creativity and history for a small window of time. so yes, it's true their principles are informed from years of previous cultivation but that doesn't make their accounts false.

Homer is a little special though, because the Illiad was based on a real-life war and we only know this war happened because of Homer. His story isnt necessarily a retelling of the war, but it used the war as a major event of the tale. the Illiad is the whole reason we found Troy in the first place and know of the real-life conflict between them and the Achaeans. we have absolutely no idea if the events he describes, such as the war starting over Helen, are actually true. it can be compared to how people now will write fiction about people or events during real life wars, like the story of a non-real soldier during the very real WWI.

Hesiod is different in the sense that his works are more like didactic poems and are generally believed to have some kind of moral lesson. He has more historical information than Homer just because his works focused more personal analogies and information on his/ancient Hellenic life. Homer's stories were an oral tradition meant to entertain and preserve a very impactful war. with Hesiod, we get a peek into beliefs, culture, and life from that time period, but that doesn't make his account the correct one. his experiences and values are not universal in the slightest.

finally, the most important piece of context is that Homer and Hesiod's works appear right after that area of the world went through their dark ages. this means that around 1100 B.C.E., we have little to no written sources of significance. written language was not prioritized for whatever reason and, for the most part, we have no idea what was going on mythologically. these periods most likely prioritized oral tradition and some theorize that "Homer" may be a lost word attributed to the oral tradition of these times. this is pure speculation because we cannot know without a written source.

so, in summary, Homer wrote of events that did exist but we can't know how accurate his account was. Hesiod and Homer wrote of many different things that were inherently passed down to them via oral tradition that changed along the way. it changed because all cultures and religions change. we have no way of knowing exactly where most of the mythos we have originated, especially because a lot of them came down from the dark ages. this does not mean that their views were not their own, just that it's nearly impossible to not be impacted by previous generations.

does this mean their views are "true"/the correct ones ?

no, it doesn't. it's generally harmful to try and find "correct" sources because no region in the ancient Mediterranean could agree. every person will have a slightly different worldview. there are certainly ideas that unify helpol and ideas that contradict most areas of it, but religion is not a tangible science with strictly true or false information. there is a LOT of grey.

so, in my opinion, no one has the "correct" views. Hesiod was correct within his own philosophy/theology and Homer was correct about details of his stories, but that will not be correct for every single person who lived in ancient Greece. all we can do is gather the information we are given and try to find common ground.

are Haides and Pluto the same ?

I'm not an expert on Haides's worship, so someone please correct me if I misspeak. before Rome, Haides was also known by His epithet Plouton, meaning "The Lord of Wealth". some sources call Him Aidoneus or Plouton due to a stigma around speaking His name and a fear of inviting a VERY kthonic God closer. some sources seem to treat Haides and Plouton as two distinct Gods. regardless, Haides was known as a God of wealth due to His association with Persephone/Demeter and because ancient currency literally came from underground. coins were made from metals mined very deep below the surface, the underworld.

Haides was absorbed into the Roman Pantheon when Greece was taken by Rome. He was conflated with a local wealth Deity i believe, or it may have been a local plant fertility God, or both. when this conflation happened, the Greek spoken name of Plouton became the name of a God of riches and wealth named Pluto/Dis Pater. the big ideas for both God's are nearly the same—underworld Gods called upon for riches and plant fertility. I know there are many characteristic differences and unique cult practices that don't allow room for people to claim They are the exact same Deity. if anyone knows the details, feel free to correct me or add !

some people argue that Haides and Pluto are the same, but this is not a unique sentiment when speaking about Greek and Roman Gods. those who retained many of Their Greek features and associations are especially vulnerable to this idea. most people don't know that the Roman Gods are often all combinations of two or more Gods. it just so happens that Greek culture had a particularly distinct impact on Roman state religion.

so basically, no Haides and Pluto are not the exact same God. They each have features and cult practices that are unique to Themselves, even if They are very similar on the surface.

[that-guy-in-the-chiton]

Nyx, Erebus & Tartarus welcoming Aidoneus (later Hades) to the Underworld.

[imagineee-123]

Cleaning up and painting these candle holders I thrifted for Hades' altar

Attempting to soften sticker residue on bottom with white vinegar atm

[aidoneusmusic]

this is a LONG one but it’s a HUGE sneak peak. not NEARLY finished, but getting somewhere. i just love isolating the vocals at random times when i’m listening back, makes me feel like a DJ lmao. lowkey harmonies are a way of stimming for me

i had to have at least one musical theatre style ensemble number in there, and this one is called Theoxenia (the feminine form of a word meaning “the entertaining of a god or gods by humans”).

It’s very vaguely inspired by Greek laïko, or urban folk music, and is meant to represent the shades / residents of the underworld celebrating Persephone’s arrival + Hades’ return.

[infernalzeus]

Blessed Spring Equinox, King Hades 🩷

Blessed and kind King of the dead, hear our prayer. Noble god of the underworld, though your heart may ache, you still provide for us. Blessed Altor, you nourish the very earth which we stand on, providing us vegetation and riches beyond compare. Without you, we’d have nothing. My beloved King, your tears may fall now, but the pain will once again cease when your righteous wife returns to your loving arms. We thank you for the blessings and gifts you’ve bestowed upon us. Evermore will we honor your sacred name. Khaîre, Tellumo! Khaîre, Pluotos! Khaîre, Rusor! Khaîre, Amenthes! We love you! May this offering warm your heart and bring some comfort to you.

🩷🩷🩷

[lillysilvermoon]

My favorite epithets of King Hades

Agesilaus (Ἀγησίλαος) - The Leader Aidoneus - (Ἀїδωνεύς) - The Unseen Necro Soter (νεκρός σωτήρ) - Savior of The Dead Eukles - The One With Good Reputation Isodetes (δέω) - The Imparcial Judge