#goddess epithets

[fierysword]

[Sophia] is mother, wife, lover, beloved, virgin, and bride (cf. Job 28; Proverbs 1-9; Sir 24:1-2; Wis 7:21-26). Sometimes it is said that she is now hidden and unapproachable (Job 28:13; Sir 1:20-32); in other texts (Wis 7:24-27; Sir 1:10, 15; 6:20-22) she can be found by those who seek her and who are among the elect.

Wisdom Has Built Her House: Studies on the Figure of Sophia in the Bible by Silvia Schroer

[batsflyaway]

epithets for aphrodite !

𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏

androphonos - killer of men

this epithet doesn't mean actual men i believe, just means like killer of people since men can be a general term for humans! could be wrong though <3

anadyomene - goddess rising from the sea

aphrogenia - foam born

i feel that the idea of a goddess rising from the sea is something so special, standing up from the foam, feeling the waves lap at her legs. i think these bring me close to her in the idea that it gives her a sort of human nature, and it's comforting that i can imagine and feel these things at the beach, that she felt once too.

areia - of ares; the warlike

aphrodite enoplios / hoplismena - armed

to me, these represent the times when love is not necessarily perfect, when it has its downs. it's kind of hard to explain, but she's a very comforting goddess to me, and these epithets represent when i need defence, she will be here to guard me. personally, these epithets link her to artemis as well as ares, obviously!

epistrophia - she who turns to love

erototrophus - mother of love

these two epithets are very very special to me, especially erototrophus. i call her mother aphrodite, because i feel like we have that relationship where i'm like her daughter (not literally lol, just the dynamic we have) and these loving epithets just hit that spot where she feels perfectly comforting, motherly and loving to me.

kopois - of the garden

this epithet helps me connect her to nature, especially the idea that roses bloom where she walks. i think it's gorgeous that she is surrounded by lush greenery in a pretty garden lol. i think this epithet also can connect her to artemis!

mechanitis - skilled at inventing

i can't really explain why i like this epithet, i just do. maybe it's because i like a smart woman, maybe it's because i worship athena and i feel this epithet is very athena-y, i don't know.

nikêphoros - bringer of victory

occasionally, i pray to aphrodite for stuff outside of her domains, and this epithet i love to use for prayers for school/tests, stuff i really want succession in, etc, plus i just think it's cool!

ourania - heavenly

this epithet is a beautiful epithet, and i love to use it in prayers. it's just such a nice adjective for her i think!

philomides - laughter-lover

to me this epithet really showcases the different forms of love. laughter-loving to me means loving laughter, no matter who it's with. your friends, your family, your partner, even a stranger. laughter is such a special thing that spreads love.

symmakhia - ally in love

ally in love is how she feels when times get tougher for me, especially in relationships. she's there to uplift me, to support me and comfort me when i need it.

kypria - cyprus-born

this epithet is mostly just a location one, obviously, but i do like it!!

i hope these epithets were explained enough, and possibly helped/interested you!!

𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏𓂃﹏

[undeadwhilealive]

Aphrodite Epithets

Philommeidês(Φιλομμειδης) - Laughter-Loving

Philommêdês(Φιλομμηδης) - Genital-Loving

Aphrogeneia(Αφρογενεια) - Foam-Born

Khryseê(Χρυσεη) - Golden

Dia(Δια) - Diving, Shining

Dios Thugatêr(Διος θυγατηρ) - Daughter of Zeus

Pothôn Mêtêr(Ποθων Μητηρ) - Mother of Desire

Eustephanos(Ευστεφανος) - Richly Crowned, Well Girdled

Ourania(Ουρανια) - Heavenly, Divine(Love)

Pandêmos(Πανδημος) - Common to All People(Love)

Makhanitis(Μαχανιτις) - Deviser, Contriver

Epistrophia(Επιστροφια) - She who Turns to (Love)

Apostrophia(Αποστροφια) - Averter of (unlawful desires)

Kataskopia(Κατασκοπια) - Spying, Peeping

Psithyristês(Ψιθυριστης) - Whispering

Praxis(Πραξις) - Action(Sexual)

Melainis(Μελαινις) - Black(Of Night)

Symmakhia(Συμμαχια) - Ally(In Love)

Apatouros(Απατουρος) - Deceptive One

Nymphia(Νυμφια) - Bridal

Migôntis(Μιγωντις) - Union(Marital)

Dôritis(Δωριτις) - Bountiful

Hêrê(Ἡρη) - Of Hera(Of Marriage)

Morphô(Μορφω) - Of Shapely Form

Ambologêra(Αμβολογηερα) - Postponer of Old Age

Nikêphoros(Νικηφορος) - Bringer of Victory

Areia(Αρεια) - Of Ares, Warlike

Hôplismenê(Ὡπλισμενη) - Armed

Euploia(Ευπλοια) - Fair Voyage

Pontia(Ποντια) - Of The Sea

Limenia(Λιμενια) - Of The Harbour

Xenia(Ξενια) - Of The Foreigner

These might not be all of them, I apologize if I missed any.

Big thanks to Theoi.com for helping me out on this post.

[keysatthecrossroad]

Epithets of Hekáte

Epaine - Awe-Inspiring

Hekáte, we praise Your many names,

We sing Your many deeds,

We adore Your many blessings.

Queen of Witches, Epaine,

You are the holder of the keys,

The guardian of the Gate,

The keeper of both the Cosmos and the Liminal.

Hekáte, Mother of All, all will hail You!

[star-of-zeus]

This is my very polite and formal invitation for Apollo and Artemis followers to remember who Helios and Selene are. If you're syncretizing that's all fine and dandy but recognize that you're syncretizing! Question your view of the mythology of your religion! Greek mythology varied by region and time, there is no one "definitive" story or version... so of course the interpretation of the "sun god" or "god associated with the sun/light" or "moon goddess" or "goddess associated with the moon" can become blurry and conflated, but like... you think you just feel out of a coconut tree? you exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you. /ref /hj

Helios and Selene are Titans. As far as I'm concerned, they deserve respect. If you're making choices to view Apollo and Artemis as sun and moon gods, I just want to make sure you know that choice is deliberate and there are other (in my opinion cooler - points to Helios and Selene) options. But that's just my rant and personal opinion. Religion is personal and individual, but I will say that it does frustrate me to no end sometimes to see new worshippers babble about Apollo Sun and Artemis Moon and when you ask if they know who Helios and Selene are they stare at you blankly. Now let me say one last time before some rabid Apollo and Artemis devotees start barking - the interpretation of the Twins as solar/lunar deities is not incorrect, it was just not a part of the "original" versions of the gods. If you're reading this as a follower of either Apollo or Artemis and you don't know the Titans I'm talking about... my dear friend it's time to do some research once more. Blessings to you all on this nice summer afternoon. I'm gonna go squint at Helios in my yard now.

[laurusamystic]

Happy Elaphebolia ! Hail Artemis Elaphebolos 🏹🦌

[lucabyte]

@ ur latest comic. both funny good shit with potential angst, 10/10, the red and funeral clothes are a really interesting detail

but. ok. i glanced over it again (distracted) and kinda idly went ha. big eye and partially hidden face, sorta reminds me of a kid

and then it kinda hit me, how fucked up that would be? teen-ish siffrin as mal du pays. recently lost their entire country and newly stranded. homesick, as someone young would feel especially intensely. or hell, maybe even younger than when the country disappeared. there's the kid siffrin used to be. in funeral getup. idk idk idk something about it

the red and the funeral stuff is something i picked up from the general fandom miasma and while USUALLY im a big whiny crybaby about canon compliency ill admit the funeral stuff is fucking banger and backs itself up with enough Genuinely Cogent Theme Stuff (homesickness, nostalgia, grief, mourning all being tied up together & the game's preextant repeated emphasis on funerals & siffrin's own unfamilarity/that whole confirmation in act 5 that they don't remember their own funerary rites) that i let myself draw it as a treat. for me. yay

& yeah. huh. drawing them with the big eye (and lack of eyebrow emphasising their forehead under the fringe) does make them look younger doesn't it. hmm. hmmm. hmmmm.

[crazycatsiren]

I honestly don't know how radfems can claim Aphrodite hates sex workers when her epithets include hetaira (courtesan) and porne (prostitute).

[chthonioi]

Epithets of Nyx

Khaosgenetor — chaos-born.

Nyktelios — night revealing, night-bringing.

Kelainḗ — black.

Mélaina — black one.

Erebennḗ — dark one.

Hierá — holy.

Ambrosíē — ambrosial, divine.

Oloḗ — ruinous.

Euphrone — kindly, cheerful.

[artemisiansanctuary]

Epithets for Artemis

Agrotera - Of the Hunt Agreia - Of the Wild Elaphaea - Of the Deer Daphnaea - of the Laurel Tree Cedreatis - Of the Cedar Tree Caryae/Caryatis - Of the Walnut Tree Limnaea/Limnatus - Of the Lake Heleia - Of the Marshes Eurynome - Of Broad Pastures Lycaea - Of the Wolves Leucophryne - Of the White Bird Paedotrophus - The Nurse of Children Philoeirax - The Friend of Young Girls Orsilochia - The Helper of Childbirth Selasphorus/Phosphorus - The Light Bringer Soleira - The Saviour Hemerasia - She who Soothes Hymnia - Of the Hymns Hegemore - The Leader of Dances Ariste - The Best/The Excellent Eucleia - Of Good Repute Calliste - The very Beautiful Basileis - The Princess Ehiereia - The Priestess Heurippa - The Horse Finder Peitho - The Persuasive Pyronia - Of the Fire Potnia Theron - Mistress of Animals Io-khéira - Pourer of Arrows/Delighting in Arrows Hecate - Far-Shooting Chryselacatus - Of the Golden Distaff/With Shafts of Gold. Chrysenius - Of the Golden Reins Chrysothronus - Of the Golden Throne Celadeinus - Strong - Voiced Celadeine - Lady of Clamours Potnia Thea - Goddess Queen

[helpmeimblorboing]

One thing I don’t like about modern portrayals of the Greek myths is this tendency to portray Aphrodite as, essentially, either goddess Regina George, or a flat “girly-girl”, like honey no. (Again, valid interpretation- still not one I like)

This is a complex, multifaceted goddess - so multifaceted, in fact, that she had multiple forms and epithets, including at least one (1) male form named Aphroditus, usually depicted with an erect phallus

Aphrodite Ourania, the daughter of Ouranos, heavenly and spiritual and far separated from the works of man, goddess of the celestial love and homosexual desire

Aphrodite Apotrophia, the goddess of love in Thebes, who expelled from the hearts of man lust and sinful pleasure

Aphrodite Areia of Sparta, warlike and fierce, lover of Ares, the armored one. Worshipped through the Hybristica, when women took on the traditional roles of men

Aphrodite Pandemos, daughter of Zeus and Dione, goddess of common, sensual pleasure, worshipped alongside her companion Peitho, goddess of persuasion, goddess of heterosexual desire

She of the common man, whose sanctuary was erected by philosopher Solon and paid for by the escorts and prostitutes she was the patron goddess of - well, according to the records, mostly the hetairai, the high-class escorts, but I always assumed that that was because the pornai, their cheaper counterparts, simply couldn’t afford it

Melainis, the Black One. Androphanos, Killer of Men. Anosia, the Unholy One. Tymborychos, the Grave-digger, but also Eleemon, the Merciful, also Genetyllis, Mother, also Morpho, the Shapely

And so, so much more than “just a girly-girl” (not that there’s anything wrong with that interpretation)

[fierysword]

From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens when the waters become hard as stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen? (Job 38)

Image source (x)

[thescarlettbitch]

Epithets of Inanna

So, I thought for an embarrassingly long time that epithets were priests/priestesses. I was wrong. I also thought they only existed for Greek or Roman deities. I was also wrong.

What is an epithet? An epithet is an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned, according to the Oxford dictionary. So anything from "Earth-Shaker Poseidon" to "The Man Of Steel Superman".

And so, I give you, Epithets of Inanna. She has many Geographical ones, so I won't be including those, as they just mean like "matron of here" "ruler of here" etc.

Dilbat - Venus, the planet

DUMU dEN.ZU - Daughter of Sin

Gugkalla - Precious Carnelian

Ḫud2 - Morning

Kakkabī - Of The Stars

Mulanadiri - The Ruling Star of Heaven

Ninanna - Lady Of Heaven

Ninanšelaʾa - Lady Hanging in the Sky

Ningalanna - Great Lady Of Heaven

Ninsianna - Red Queen Of Heaven

Sig - Evening

Šarrat-šamê - Queen of Heaven

Uranna - Horizon

Usan - Evening

Agušaya - The Whirling Dancer

Annunitum - The Martial One/The Skirmisher

Irnina - Victory

Labbatu - Lioness

Ninintina - Lady Of Warriorship

Ninme - Lady Of Battle

Ninragaba - Lady Horsewoman

Ninšenšena - Lady Of Battle

Ninuĝnima - Lady Of The Army

Ama - Mother, Female, Venerable Woman

Bēlet-bīti - Mistress Of The Temple

Bēlet-dūri - Lady Of The City Wall

Bēltu - Mistress

Gula - Great

Kur - Mountain

Malūkatum - Having Far Reaching Advice

Mašrê - Goddess Of Wealth

Ningubarra - Lady With Loose Hair

Ningula - Great Lady

Ninigigun - Lady With Colorful Eyes

Ninkurkurra - Lady Of The Lands

Ninmesharra - Lady Of The Countless Me

Nun - Princely

Šarratum - Queen

Šiduri - She Is My Protection/Young Woman

Telitu - The Skilled One/The Capable One

She has what feels like a million ones with disputed meanings.

Thank you for reading <3 what's your favorite?

[keysatthecrossroad]

Epithets of Hekáte

Nyktophaneia - Night-shining

Hekáte, Mistress of the Moon,

Queen of Witches, bearer of torches.

Guide us to Your garden, Nyktophaneia!

Set Your Hounds up on the path,

Shine the way, glorious Goddess,

Let us venture forth beyond the crossroads!

[thefloweredblade]

“Oh, Goddess of life…”

E-offering to Lady Aphrodite Despoena. Khaîre, mother! I love you!

(All images found on Pinterest)

[laurusamystic]

Happy Elaphobolion!🏺

Elaphebolion was the ninth month of the ancient Attic calendar, roughly aligning with March and early April in today’s Gregorian calendar. The month was significant for the celebration of the Elaphebolia festival, dedicated to Artemis Elaphebolos, meaning Artemis the Deer-Slayer.

The Elaphebolia festival was marked by offerings and rituals to honour Artemis for her role as a huntress and guardian. A key part of the celebration was the preparation of special cakes called “elaphoi,” shaped like deer, symbolizing Artemis’ dominion over wildlife and her hunting skills. These cakes were made from flour, honey, and sesame seeds, serving as both a symbolic offering and a way for the community to come together in worship.

In addition to offerings, the Elaphebolia festival likely featured processions, prayers, and other activities aimed at gaining Artemis’ favour for successful hunts and protection from wild animals. As part of the broader religious and agricultural calendar, Elaphobolion also marked the seasonal transition and preparations for spring.

This year, 2025, the festival of Elaphebolia falls on March 6th.

March 6th is also the day that pre-orders for my indie deck, Wisdom of Artemis Oracle, will officially open to the public. As a lifelong devotee of Artemis and a dedicated Hellenic Polytheist, I chose this date to align the deck’s release with one of her most significant festivals—one that is also a personal favourite of mine. The deck features 47 of Artemis’s sacred epithets, including Artemis Elaphobolos. 🏹🦌

Hail Artemis!