#aphrodite cult

[alchyjam]

Beginner altar set up for Lady Aphrodite and Lord Apollo.

[mylittleversaille]

Every day I see more and more pop myth takes that make me want to pull my eyelashes out. No, Ares was not a protector of women. No, Aphrodite was not a war goddess (and you know what, being the goddess of sex and lust and beaut is okay!). No, Hera is not an irredeemable villain. No, Zeus is not evil incarnate. No Achilles isn’t without fault or some ‘gay softboi’ icon (he’s literally presented in the Iliad as someone who is proud to a fault. You’re supposed to recognize that he’s selfish and arrogant). No, Demeter was not an overbearing mother nor was Hades some sort of misunderstood, brooding knight in shining armour. Medea is allowed to commit heinous crimes and still be a sympathetic character. Jason… deserves all the hate he gets, respectfully.

Off the top of my head, I think Helen is one of the few people who gets complex, interesting characterization in modern retellings and discourse, ironically enough. She’s allowed to be vain and aware of her own beauty while also often having a great deal of agency. At the same time, she is frequently depicted as both victim and as offender. She’s allowed to want to be in Troy, but also to miss her husband and daughter.

Some days I feel like I could write essays about pop mythology and the way people reduce mythological figures to one dimensional caricatures. And how these retellings are never as progressive as people think, fixing some issues but exacerbating others. I do think retellings end up being an excellent resource for identifying what social issues bother us and how we would like to address them.

For example, we see a lot of feminist retellings that want to show women as capable of the same things as men, and in so doing they reject or deride their own femininity. But a retelling that is ultimately saying that masculinity is more interesting or valuable than femininity isn’t a truly feminist retelling, but it does show us that our society struggles to find femininity compatible with strength or courage.

[deathlessathanasia]

Is it true that Hera and Aphrodite can be given each other's name as epithets? In what contexts does this happen?

The one instance of this sort that I am aware of is Pausanias' mention of a goddess named Aphrodite Hera at Sparta, to whom women offer sacrifice at the time of their daughters' marriages: "An old wooden image they call that of Aphrodite Hera. A mother is wont to sacrifice to the goddess when a daughter is married." (Paus. 3.13.9

[kore-siciliana]

UPG: On the nature of the gods, ancestors, and maybe also mystery cults

What is a god but many of the blessed dead coming together in an afterlife.  Many joined together across space and time to form a consciousness. Together they can speak and act and live.  To me that is the mystery cult.  What is a blessed afterlife but joining with a god.  And when you pray and libate to a god you become part of them.  In life and death you then can join with many gods and in life they live close to you. 

They love to come together around you.  Each time you pray and give offerings you add to them as a god.  You give part of yourself and those blessed dead that are always around us can join to become part of that god to be near you. 

Giving to a god is also a way to give to the blessed dead or our ancestors.  There then is a way that ancestral gods mean something.  Our ancestors can remember what it means to be part of a god they themselves sacrificed to.  Though I should say, that doesn’t mean you cannot worship gods who are not ancestral to you.  You still help a god come together around you by giving to them. 

So libate! The gods live and they live around us. They can hear and feel us and they are always with us.

[chaoticnutcase]

[n-o-eyes]

sketches in between fancier wips

[m1ssnovember]

Spring is for

Romantic poetry, reciting and acting out Shakespeare, roses, fresh pomegranates each day, classical music, Hellenism, Latin and Greek, vulgar girlhood, morbid longing for the picturesque

[askbishopschildren]

Shamura and the other bishops, what's your opinion on Aphrodite's cult? Are you enemies? Allies?

*I feel I need to say this, but Shamura and Kallamar don't know that Aphrodite is trans, as he transitioned after he left those two and Narinder

[chigirisprincess]

i just saw a photo of a recently unearthed ancient greek medallion of aphrodite wow it is so gorgeous but also i still feel that it is so disrespectful that they dug up the a 2000 yr old grave. while archeological discoveries contribute such valuable information to history it still makes me very sad that this woman’s final resting place was disturbed and likely will not have her medallion re-buried with her

[littleblondesoprano]

Just found out my birthday is/was celebrated as Fortuna in Ancient Rome (Fors Fortuna) and I am so pumped. I never knew she existed! Fortuna is the goddess of luck, chance, and fate - and also linked to a bunch of other gods, but in Pompeii they found a link between her and Isis, making her Isis-Fortuna.

Anyway, I just think it's really neat!

[alchyjam]

I’ve lit a candle for Aphrodite and Apollo and I was just wondering what it means cuz Aphrodite’s candle is burning really low and Apollo’s is going all over the place?

[deathlessathanasia]

I love how every time Hera asks Aphrodite for her magic love girdle, be it during the Trojan War in the Iliad, during Jason's adventures in Kolchis in the argonautica of Valerius Flaccus or during Dionysos' Indian War in the Dionysiaca, Aphrodite is always "Sure bestie, here you go, happy to help!"

But whatever, people are allergic to nuanced and complicated dynamics in Greek mythology and also forget that the gods are not regular literary characters with characterizations and relationships that need to be consistent, so of course their dynamic is reduced to girl hate and Hera slut-shaming (damn I hate this term but can't find a better one) Aphrodite even though they are actually quite respectful towards each other when they interact and are perfectly willing to collaborate when their interests align. They oppose each other in the Judgement of Paris and the Trojan War (and Hera is the goddess of marriage obsessed with people being loyal to their spouses while Aphrodite is the goddess of promiscuity and free love who thinks marriage is lame, duh) so obviously they must hate each other in all contexts.

[chaoticnutcase]

“The Birth Of Suburbia” Photographer  Rosaleen Ryan, 2012

[n-o-eyes]

💐

[askbishopschildren]

Just because wynaut, yall can have the few voice claims I got for these guys

Apollo: Stolas, Helluva Boss

Gaia: Dolores, Encanto

Loki: Husk from hazbin hotel but more southern

Iluquim: Affogato Cookie from Cookie Run Kingdom

Aphrodite: Lou, ugly dolls

[floatyflowers]

Dark! Percy Jackson Reverse Harem x Reader|| Chapter Two

<<< Chapter One

Your eyes widen when you see Chiron being half horse half man.

"You are a centaur"

Chiron chuckles at your shocked expression.

"Indeed, I'm, and I'm here to guide you"

"Thank you, sir"

"Are you not going to greet me, (Wrong name)?"

You turn your eyes to stare at the dark haired dark eyes man with confusion.

"My name is (Y/n)" you correct him before asking "And you are?"

"Dionysus"

"As in the god who has a cult?"

"That's me, I miss my cult"

You nod in agreement, unsure if that was meant to be humor or a genuine confession.

"Yes, I used to rule an entire cult in ancient Greece. They all worshipped me and offered me sacrifices."

You feel a twinge of unease at the thought of being in a cult, especially one led by a god like Dionysus.

Still, you don't want to be rude, so you just smile politely and say.

"That's... great."

Dionysus nods, seemingly satisfied with your response.

"Well then," he says,

"Shall we continue on? I can show you around the camp and introduce you to some of the other demigods."

Chiron frowns, looking at Dionysus, finding his behaviour strange.

Dionysus is never friendly towards any demigod.

But now, he is offering to show you around.

Chiron never understood the gods obsession with you.

He assumed it has something to do with your powers.

"There is no need, but thank you for the offer, Luke showed me around the camp"

You say before turning towards the centaur.

"I will be going now if that's all"

The moment you take your leave, Dionysus sighs in disappointment.

"If only she was my daughter"

°°°

The cabin is all pastel pink and surrounded by flowers and cherubs statues, and it is also close to Aphrodite's cabin, which is not surprising.

But what made you uncomfortable is the glass window in your room.

You will need curtains for that later.

What is surprising is that you found tons of gifts on your bed and your wardrobe is filled with clothes.

And a note that says 'From your beloved grandmother. Aphrodite'

Also there are gifts from different deities.

For example, Hermes gave you a golden caduceus pendant with a blue diamond.

Apollo gave you healing potions.

Ares gifted you a dagger and also has a note with it 'Sharp enough to kill your enemies'

But what astonished you the most is the gift from Etos, it's a music box.

A cherubs music box, when you turn it on, it starts playing very enchanting music.

There is a long letter too.

My sweet demigoddess,

I write to you on this fine day to express my deepest love and adulation for you.

Your strength, courage, and power all demonstrate your divine ancestry, and your beauty and grace shine with the warmth of the sun.

My heart aches for you from far away, and all I desire is to embrace you in my arms and to watch you flourish with all that you are and can be.

This music box is a gift from me, once it starts playing, all monsters will flock away from you.

From your father,

Eros.

The strong fragrance on the letter makes you calm down.

To be honest, you don't hate Eros even though he never was by your side when you grew up.

Maybe the new life for you here, isn't bad after all.

°°°

"Capture the flag? As in fighting other demigods? no thank you"

You say, walking by Percy's side.

The boy showed up at your doorsteps first thing in the morning, and asked you to walk with him.

"Don't worry, I will protect you, if you stay by my side" 

You stop and look at Percy and cross your arms over your chest.

"Why did you tell Luke that I'm your girlfriend?" you inquire.

Percy smiles.

"Because you have always been my girlfriend, remember in grade one where you wanted to marry me and made a promis-"

You quickly stop him, your cheeks heating up from the childhood memories.

"I was a child"

"I don't care, a promise is a promise"

"What if I fall for another?"

Percy shrugs, with the smile still on his face.

"It would be like Icarus flying too close to the sun"

You raise an eyebrow but he continues.

"Another might get close to you but they will never reach you before they fall to their deaths"

Chapter Three >>>