Greek Mythology
This is blog for my fiancé, who loves Hercules and Greek Mythology.
Orion
ORION was a handsome giant gifted with the ability to walk on water by his father Poseidon. He served King Oinopion of Khios (Chios) as huntsman for a time, but was blinded and exiled from the island after raping the king’s daughter Merope. Orion then travelled across the sea to Lemnos and petitioned the god Hephaistos for help in recovering his sight. Lending him his assistant Kedalion, the god directed the giant travel to the rising place of the sun, where the sun-god would restore his vision. Upon returning to Greece, Orion sought out Oinopion, but the king hid himself in an underground bronze chamber to avoid retribution.
After this the giant retired to the island of Delos or Krete and became a hunting companion of the goddess Artemis. He died while in her service and was placed amongst the stars as the constellation Orion. The circumstances of his death are variously related. In one version he desired to marry the goddess but her brother Apollon tricked Artemis into shooting him with an arrow as he was swimming far out at sea. In another version, Artemis killed him deliberately after he raped her attendant Oupis. However the most common story was that Orion bragged he would hunt down all the beasts of the earth, and so Mother Earth sent up a giant scorpion to destroy him. Both the giant and scorpion were placed amongst the stars, one rising as the other set. (x)
Image: The Fountain of Orion, in Messina, Italy
30 Day Greek Mythology Challenge: Day 9, Zodiac or Constellation Myth
Greek goddess of discord, strife, and rivalry.
Eris is often depicted as a daimon of strife. She is the daimon daughter of Nyx, first-born elemental Goddess of the night. In some tales, She is the daughter of Nyx and Erebos
In Greek mythology, Eris was the…
“A fun caricature by Eric Goldberg of me as Hercules and Eric as Phil.” - Andreas Deja
mythology meme ─ [2/9] greek gods/goddesses
Chronos (Ancient Greek: Χρόνος) in pre-Socratic philosophical works is said to be the personification of time. Chronos was imagined as an incorporeal god. Serpentine in form, with three heads—that of a man, a bull, and a lion. He and his consort, serpentine Ananke (inevitability), circled the primal world-egg in their coils and split it apart to form the ordered universe of earth, sea and sky. He is not to be confused with the Titan Cronus. He was depicted in Greco-Roman mosaics as a man turning the Zodiac Wheel. Chronos is usually portrayed through an old, wise man with a long, gray beard, such as “Father Time”.
greek mythology/myth picspam series » persephone
“Disconnected from life and the real world, disconnected from all that is pain. The place that I call my kingdom has driven many mortals insane. To this place I mean to take you, I have so much to show, lay down your flowers my love to this place we must go. Seasons change when I go to Hades. / Why do you kick, why do you scream? Do you not know what lies ahead? You will sit beside me as my queen, here in the realm of the dead. You were promised to me by my brother, this may give you much grief. You can cry all you want for your mother once you feast from oblivion, you will never leave.”
[1/1] mythology ➝ greek
In the begining there was only chaos. Then out of the void appeared Erebus, the unknowable place where death dwells, and Night. All else was empty, silent, endless, darkness. Then somehow Love was born bringing a start of order. From Love came Light and Day. Once there was Light and Day, Gaea, the earth appeared.
(Source: joffrys)
Aphrodite Anadyomene (clay figurine, Athens, Archaeological Museum).
The Necromanteion or Nekromanteion was an ancient Greek temple of necromancy devoted to Hades and Persephone. According to tradition, it was located on the banks of the Acheron river in Epirus, near the ancient city of Ephyra.
The ancient Greeks believed that the souls of the dead entered the underworld though subterranean fissures, and that in special cases like this, arrangements could be made to communicate with the dead. This was used as an opportunity to commune with lost loved ones, and also to seek out the future telling skills of the dead.
Visitors wishing to communicate with the dead would have entered the dark chamber and followed specific rituals outlined for the protection from and communication with the dead which would have taken several days. When ready, a priest would usher them deeper inside for a ritual animal sacrifice, and through three gates symbolic of Hades.
Pilgrims expected to see the images of the dead as shadows against the flickering lantern light. These visions may have been enhanced by the special diet recommended in the days before entering the sanctuary, which some have described as including hallucinogens. Interestingly, inside the underground chambers, archaeologists have found mechanical contrivances which may have been used to enhance the appearance of animated dead. After a session with the dead, pilgrims were forbidden to talk about what they learned for fear of Hades claiming their own lives in exchange.
More recently a Greek-American study of towers in the area suggested that the ruins may have been the base of an agricultural tower, and the underground chambers storage areas for water or grain, rather than mystical communication with fortune-telling dead.
At least for now, the place remains officially identified as the Necromanteion, and has been preserved as such.
