The Birth of Dionysus

Father Zeus fell in love with His daughter Persephone and amorously pursued Her. The affair continued for several years before Hera became suspicious of Her husband's actions. She would often ask Him why he ventured to the Underworld so often. The dank dark depths of that place were hardly suitable for His shinning brilliance. Zeus answered saying things like He was visiting Hades or He was tending to the shades in Elysium. None of these answers seemed to add up so Hera followed Her heavenly husband one day. 

In the disguise of an old matron Hera trailed Zeus into the Underworld. The dismal souls left on the shores of the Styx discomforted Her greatly. Eventually She followed Zeus all the way up to the Palace of Hades. The great black spires rose up from the rocky landscape like nails ran through a thin board. Hera watched as Zeus sneaked to the courtyard where Persephone kept Her orchards. Very carefully Hera hid Herself behind a pillar and just watched. At first nothing seemed to be amiss. Zeus was just standing their admiring the delicate blooms that gave Persephone comfort in Her martial prison. Then suddenly Persephone appeared garbed in a pink gown. The two then lied together and Persephone conceived. Hera was furious over this but She knew She could not openly contest Zeus's actions or punish Persephone for giving in to His advances. Instead Hera swore to seek vengeance upon the product of Their secret union. 

In the following spring just before Persephone left to rejoin Her mother on earth the Goddess gave birth. The child came out easily and with a brilliant glow. He carried on his head two small horns and a crown of serpents. The smell of fresh pine permeated the air around Him. Persephone named Her child Zagreus or Great Hunter. Zagreus instantly became the pride of Olympus but to conceal His true parentage Persephone claimed that the child was of Hades and no other. 

All the Gods gave Him various gifts to mark His birth. Zeus even named the child heir of Olympus and sat Him upon the throne garbed in royal attire. This greatly angered Hera. Not only had the child been a product of one of Zeus's affairs but now He was lined up to rule over Her and the rest of the Gods. But She had a plan and would soon commence it. 

She stole away once again to the Palace of Hades but this time to visit Her dark brother. She told Him about Persephone and Zeus's treachery and how the child Zagreus was not His. This angered the usually cold and solemn Hades. He asked Hera what She would have Him do. Hera replied asking Her brother for the keys to Tartarus that way She might free the Titans to slay Zagreus. Hades gladly gave Her the keys and off She went. Once the Titans were properly motivated Hera sent them after the child Zagreus. They lured Him off the throne with a rattle and wooden bull. After that the Titans pounced upon the child and devoured His flesh. In the end all but Zagreus's heart was destroyed. 

This event filled Zeus with a rage never before seen in the Cosmos. He grabbed His lightning bolts and dawned His golden armor before chasing down the murderous Titans. He then with the help of Athena and Hermes slew them all in the most painful heinous of ways. Once the battle ended Athena took the heart and gave it back to Her father. He hid it away in His thigh for many years. From the ashes of this great battle Prometheus crafted the first humans. They would have in them the divinity of Zagreus the purest of Gods and the barbarism of the cruel Titans.

Zeus began to court the Princess Semele of Thebes late in the winter and in her He planted the heart of Zagreus. The earth was still frozen and the nights long but the warmth of the divine child growing inside her gave Semele a certain cheer in those dreary months. Eventually the snow receded and Apollo returned from His Ethiopian abode to warm the land once more. Semele left the palace to go meet her love in the mountain groves surrounding Thebes. She walked through the pine woods listening to the songs of the birds and the chatter of the squirrels. Once she reached her destination Zeus came down to her in the form of a dazzling youth with sharp blue eyes and near silver hair. The two laid together surrounded by the sounds and smells of the awakening earth. Little did the two know that Hera sat nearby watching and scheming. The Goddess decided to avenge Her honor by punishing Semele and the product of her womb in one fatal stroke.

The next day Hera disguised Herself as Berenice Semele's most trusted friend. Hera went to Semele and asked her why she was so happy even through the darkest of winter. Semele's heart was so full of joy and love that she had to tell someone about her immortal lover. Semele told Hera everything that had transpired since Zeus first took interest in her. She even told her that she believed she was pregnant. It was this minor confirmation that gave Hera the sign to continue with Her plan. Hera skeptically refuted what Semele said. She told Semele that if Zeus was truly her lover than she should ask Him to give her a sign. Distraught Semele left that palace in search of Zeus. 

In the woods Zeus went to her. He did his best to comfort the princess but nothing seemed to work. Because of this Zeus made a fateful vow. He promised by the Styx that He would give anything to Semele that she asked of Him. This finally stopped Semele's sorrow.

Later that night Hera went to Semele in her dreams. The Goddess planted more seeds of doubt in the princess's heart. Semele jolted up and ran to Berenice's room but before she got there Hera possessed the servant. Semele asked Berenice what she should do to prove that her lover truly was Zeus. Hera told her to do as her dreams advised and ask to see His true form. Eventually Semele relented to the idea and decided to seek Zeus out the next day. 

She found her lover sitting on a rock near the top of a stony hill. She went to Him and reminded Him of His vow. Then she asked Him to reveal His true form to Her and squelch any doubt that lived in her heart. Zeus knowing that this would cause the death of His beloved Semele begged her to choose something else. Sadly Semele refused and kept pushing the matter. Zeus could not resist her anymore and took off His fleshy disguise. The brightness and heat that radiated off from Father Zeus scorched Semele's body. Zeus managed to save His unborn child from Semele's womb before her death.

Zeus gave the child to Hermes and ordered Him to carry it off to Naxos far beyond the reach of Hera where Selinous could raise the boy in peace. Hermes did as ordered. The child was called Dionysus and He grew up to be a handsome young boy. The nymphs who cared for Him as a child soon found themselves infatuated by His beauty and charm. Dionysus grew up in the tutelage of the satyrs nymphs and of course old Selinous. Eventually the young god would discover wine and leave Naxos in search of His identity and origins but those are stories for another time. 

My World Mythology Class

I decided to take a mythology class this semester because I felt that it would be an easy A. Sadly, I found myself thrust into an environment full of misinformation and ignorance. My teacher, who shall remain nameless, has absolutely no background in the myths or beliefs of the ancients. She simply picked up the textbooks and began regurgitating the idle speculations and pure fantasies of Donna Rosenberg. 

In the books the author puts forth several historically incorrect ideas and words them as if they are fact. Here's a short list of her delusions. 

• there was once a great matriarchal society that worshiped a single goddess by many names
• all ancient cultures would host a competition for the males and the winner would be slaughtered and ritually cannibalized by the priestess queens
• a patriarchal society came and destroyed the matriarchies as well as introducing the idea of a male divinity
• the Minoans were destroyed by a massive land invasion by one of these patriarchal societies

Honestly, this author must have read all the Wiccan books from the 70's to believe this crap. Or she somehow managed to translate Linear A because all of the information she gives as fact occurred before the Hellenic Dark Age and thus before our written record. She also has this bit in almost every chapter talking about how the main goddess in the story is somehow a triple goddess with lunar aspects. Once again, she obviously does not know her history. The idea of triple goddess as we know it today was invented by Middle Age Christians in fictional texts. There is no definitive proof that the Celts had a triple goddess or any other culture for that matter. 

The teacher's arrogance and disrespect makes me want to barf. She likes to use air quotes when she refers to any god other than the Christian one. She gave an entire lecture to us about how all of the pagan gods just wanted worshipers and sacrifices because they are insecure. She takes a very linear view of the myths and assumes that the pagans believed them to be literal fact like zealot Christians believe the Bible to be. She can't pronounce a damn word to save her life. She very rarely gets her history right, even when it isn't straight from the textbook. She will make things up when confronted with a question that she doesn't know the answer to. The part that irks me the most is that she teaches three classes of 30ish students every semester every year. That's about 180 people that she sends off into the world each year with this warped, false idea about paganism, history, and foreign cultures. She might as well be a communist set out to "reeducate" the masses. 

I went into her room after school one day and told her that I'm a Hellene and have been for nearly 7 years. I then told her that I found certain parts of the text to be inaccurate and offensive to my religious beliefs. Her answer to my issue was "What am I supposed to do about it? I'm going to teach the class from the book." I was so angry about this answer. Her justification for not listening to me was that she doesn't know my "credentials". What the hell are credentials when you are talking about my faith? That's like telling someone that a book written by a Muslim on Catholicism is more accurate than the words of the pope. It's absolutely ridiculous. Also it's not like she has to use the books written by Rosenberg. There is another teacher who teaches the same course in my school. He use Edith Hamilton's book coupled with the Eddas and Vedas to teach his classes. 

I've decided to send my teacher a copy of every article I've ever written as well as links to sources on Hellenism, Heathenism, Hinduism, and Kemeticism at the end of this year. Hopefully she gets her head out of her ass and realizes that she needs to stop brainwashing the future generations of America. 

The Human Map

The idea that we are pure, spiritual beings bound to flesh exists in many of the various philosophical schools of Greece and Rome. This idea is also very common in Eastern religions, like Buddhism. Orphism is the main Greek school that teaches a cycle of rebirth and transcendence. But the following ideas are a mixture of Orphism, Pythagoreanism, Buddhism, and my own thoughts. Enjoy

I divide the human into three distinct parts. The first part consists of our physical being. The second part is our emotions and impulses. The third part is our logic and reasoning. I believe that this logic and reasoning, being the only thing that separates us from other animals, is our soul or at least our connection to the divine. Our Soul is constantly working to tame our Heart and thus free itself from the Flesh. To relate this back to the myths, I like to look at the fire's of Prometheus as the Soul but I'll write more on that later. 

We grow our Soul and strengthen its power by practicing Wisdom. Wisdom is simply acting in a way that causes maximum pleasure and minimal pain. Every aspect of our being is geared towards achieving pleasure, but sometimes we find ourselves buried deep in dukkha (a Sanskrit word encompassing all forms of discomfort). The Flesh may lead us towards things like food or drugs for pleasure. The Heart may lead us towards sex or vanity. These things are not bad by any means. Alone however, they can become obsessive and drive us to extreme ends of the spectrum causing much pain. The Soul is what introduces temperance and moderates the the Flesh and Heart.

To be continued...

The Pythia

The Pythia or Oracle of Delphi is easily the most famous ancient seer in all of history. According to legend Apollo came down to the land surrounding Delphi. The people of the surrounding villages told tales of a fierce dragon who was the child of Gaea. This dragon lived in a cave and abducted young women from the villages. The dragon would lay with the women in his cave and they would be given the gift of prophecy. 

Apollo sought to slay this dragon and end the abductions so he grabbed his great silver bow and went to the cave. He slew the great dragon Python and freed the current oracle. The villagers were so gracious that they constructed a great temple complex around the cave and instated annual games to honor Apollo. In return Apollo gave the mortals a moral code to help them live more virtuous lives. This code is comprised of a 130ish phrases carved throughout the temple complex. 

The Pythia had to audition for the job. Women from all across Greece would come and attempt to horse the god Apollo. If he chose the woman she would treated as his mortal bride. She was expected to remain celibate until her death. She was not allowed to own land or property. Instead she was expected to live within the temple and surrounding area. Once a month on the full moon she would venture into the cave system under Apollo's most holy shrine. There she would sit on a brass seat supported by three legs. This seat suspended her over a crack in the earth where the god would enter the sanctuary. Once there she would place laurel in her mouth and enter a trance. 

The Pythia would utter answers to the questions posed to her. Often times these answers were in a hexameter format. This format can't really be done in English because of the phonetics of our language. The answers would be interpreted by an attending priest and then given to the inquirer. The inquirer was expected but not compelled to give an offering to the god and to the temple. 

This ritual would repeat itself until winter. Once winter came Apollo retreated from earth and went to Olympus. This meant that he was absent and unable to ride the Pythia. In his stead Dionysus gave the Pythia her power. This is just one way that the relationship of Apollo and Dionysus is illustrated. 

Some archaeologists speculate the volcanic fumes seeped up from the chasm and allowed the Pythia to enter trance. Personally I think this is a very likely explanation of the depths of her trance and accuracy of her prophecies. I have noticed that shallow trance only allow for a shallow possession and thus a weak connection between yourself and the divine. I very powerful entheogen like volcanic fumes would be powerful enough to account for the aforementioned things. 

The Temple of Delphi was officially closed in 389 AD by Emperor Theodosius. The temple was soon burned. However the Pythia gave us two things one she prophesied the return of the Gods and she said this to Emperor Theodosius 

"Tell the king; the fair wrought house has fallen. 
No shelter has Apollo, nor sacred laurel leaves; 
The fountains are now silent; the voice is stilled. 
It is finished." 

Interestingly enough a violent earthquake shut the chasm just days before the temple burned effectively causing the fountains to be silent and the voices stilled. 

Most Hellenes hold to the last prophecy that Apollo will return and take back his house. I for one look forward to that day.

The Nursing of Demophoon

Background

This story happens during Demeter's search for Persephone. The world is cold and fruitless. People and animals alike are starving, crying out for the blessings of Demeter to return to the barren earth. 

(the following is my telling of the story)

The Nursing of Demophoon

As Demeter travels the earth, covered by a dark mourning veil, She comes to a tiny village outside of Athens. She walks into the town and sits under a barren pomegranate tree to mourn the loss of Her beloved daughter before continuing the search. The branches are brittle with death and snap as the wind blows against them. 

An older woman and her attendants walk past the disguised, mourning goddess. The older woman, undoubtedly of noble birth, approaches the Goddess. She invites Her into her home and offers Her food and water despite the great famine plaguing the land. Later in the evening, after the disguised Demeter had Her fill, the noble woman (Metaneria) asked Her about Her journeys. 

Demeter told Metaneria and the rest of the court the story of a loving mother and her lost child. She spoke of the mother's grief and the empty pit the loss caused. Demeter finished Her story with words of hope about how the mother will be united with her daughter soon. 

Metaneria was so moved by this that she offered her own child, Demophoon, to the Goddess's care in an attempt to console Her. Demeter saw in the young boy that same spark of life and vigor that had shone so brightly in the eyes of Her daughter. 

Brightly Crowned Demeter accepted the honor and nursed the child as Her own. She spent several days there tending Demophoon. In those days life slowly crept back to the sleepy village. 

Metaneria noticed something odd about her child one day. She took note of how his eyes began to show age as if he had lived many lives and had the wisdom of them all. He never cried and refused to play with his many toys. Instead the child would stare off at the sky or the earth with a contemplative look. Metaneria decided that Demophoon's new nurse had something to do with his odd behavior. 

One night she went to the door of the Goddess's room and looked in. She saw the Goddess anoint the child with some strange liquid and feed him an odd substance. Both of these strange things smelled like a fresh spring meadow and glimmered with an aura of power. After Demeter did these things She placed the child in the fire. 

Metaneria was horror struck and burst through the door screaming at the woman. Demeter jumped up from Her seat by the hearth and snatched the child from the flames. She was so angered by Metaneria for her intrusion and behavior, that She tossed the child to the ground. Demeter then turned towards Metaneria and shouted how She was blessing the child to rid him of age, death, and decay. She told Metaneria how her son would have lived like a god on earth and how he would have been the wisest of men. Mourning Demeter then told Metaneria that her sons, the sons of Eleusis, must construct Her a temple and conduct Her most holy mysteries there in penance. 

Metaneria accepted the Goddesses judgement and She left to continue Her search. 

Analysis

This myth has many key parts that hold deep spiritual knowledge.

My interpretation of the characters is as follows

Metaneria-the human ego

Demophoon-the human soul

Demeter-enlightenment/the Gods

In the beginning of the story we see xenia (hospitality) in the Queen Metaneria. She sets an example for proper behavior towards strangers even under difficult circumstances. 

Next we see Mateneria surrender her son to the Goddess. This is symbolic of how humans must surrender ourselves and expose our most vulnerable parts in order to find enlightenment. This involves a lot of personal work with our own fears and impulses. We have to learn how to break down the ego (the part of our personality that develops over time and reacts without thinking) in order to find enlightenment.

Now we see Demeter nursing the child and putting him in the flames. Nursing, in this case, is symbolic of expanding our wisdom, compassion, and understanding. Humans who have these traits and bear them always already live like gods. Fire has been associated with cleansing and enlightenment for thousands of years. By putting the "soul" in the fire Demeter is cleansing it of its impurities. This goes along with the Orphic view of the universe and reincarnation. (shocker :P)

 And lastly we see Mateneria (the ego) become upset when she sees Demophoon (the soul) get so close to enlightenment. This, very simply, shows how we have a tendency to be our own worst enemy. We procrastinate, act impulsively, hold grudges etc and this all keeps us from attaining enlightenment and living like the Gods. Here is a quote from the Dhamapada  "Those who know that their time on this earth will come to an end cease their quarrels immediately." This quote in its very essence  shows the nature of enlightenment. "As the rain breaks through and ill thatched roof so too does passion (impulse) break through an unreflecting mind." This quote from the same book shows how enlightenment can be attained, through reflection and the wisdom/mental discipline that comes with that. 

Priests in the Hellenic/Roman Faith

The history behind the various priesthoods is extensive. Because of this I will avoid a history lesson and talk purely about modern clergy.


First of all I do not and probably never will claim the title of priest or any other religious title. My reasons for this will be illustrated in the following post.


My experiences with those who would call themselves "priest" have been rather lacking. These people are almost always self ordained and severely lacking in experience. Sadly, I've even met a few people who believe that a certificate from the state suddenly makes them the Pontifix Maximus (pretty much a pagan Roman pope). In all reality I spit on those certificates and use them to light my fire to Vesta. The state has no more authority over me and the pagan community than the Ayatollah or Pope. If a prospective pagan wishes to become a clergyman, then they must go through a religious organization of some sort. Only then will they have the authority to make that tinder (the certificate) worth something.


Now I realize that there really aren't many pagan groups out there, and that this denies many worthy people from claiming the title. My answer to this is very simple. If you are a pagan and want to claim a title, but there are no groups around you then start your own. I suggest that you halt your ego and think this through first. Here a few questions you should ask yourself and meditate on for at least two months to a year before starting:

1. Why do I want to become a clergyman?
2. By what authority do I claim this title?
3. Do I have the leadership skills necessary for the job? 
4. Do I have the people skills necessary for the job?
5. Do the Gods back this decision? (use augury)
6. Do I know enough about my religion and deity/deities to function as a proper priest?
7. Will people follow me?
8. Do I have an organized hierarchy and set or rituals prepared to tend to my temple's needs/wants?
9. Do I have the finances necessary to start a temple?
10. Do I have the ability to successfully serve as a representative of my temple and faith?
11. Do I have the time to serve my temple and gods?

There are many more questions and ins and outs you should consider but that list is pretty comprehensive. After your group has gotten to about 7-10 members not including yourself, and has been active for two years, you can think about applying to the state. 

Here is another reason why I don't care for the "clergy" we have running around these days. They tend to be politically charged and on the fringes of politics at that. It's perfectly fine to have an opinion about politics, because almost all of us do. However, if you should voice is privately as a clergyman because you are ALWAYS representing your temple and faith. NEVER should a priest/priestess participate in any political movement that does not directly concern their community, and NEVER should a priest/priestess discuss politics or political figures on any thing public and or dedicated to their temple/faith. It is pure stupidity to do so. You turn away people from opposing political views that wish to learn about your faith/temple. You get involved in the dung slinging of political media. You tarnish your temple, faith, and gods by involving them in petty junk like that. People don't understand that as a clergy member you have to sacrifice certain things. Having a public opinion about politics and candidates is one of those sacrifices. Exceptions to this rule would be things like local community politics. For example, signing a petition to keep a historic building from being torn down, or hosting a peaceful protest against pagan discrimination. 

The discrimination thing brings up a third point I'd like to make. A few "clergymen" I've met become politically hyperactive as a way of self validating their title. These people tend to find discrimination in places where it truly just doesn't exist. I realizes that they are trying to be helpful to the community, but I personally just want them to slow down. When they do this they make all pagans look sue happy and ready to jump down peoples' throats over the tiniest things. In reality this damages the cause of pagan organization more than it helps it. 

Another issue I've seen is that some clergymen can't call it what it is. In other words they claim to represent a faith but they only do it half way. This is because they lack the fundamental understanding of a novice. Please for the love of all that is holy research your religion and practice it for a good number of years before trying to get up and call yourself a priest/priestess. I can guarantee you that if you haven't been an active practitioner for at least five years your understanding is greatly lacking. This is especially the case in those who are coming from a different faith entirely. For example, those coming form Wicca into Hellenism tend to have some very obvious Wiccan undertones. The same goes for any religion. Think of it like prescribed medications. The doctor generally makes you wait a while before he gives you a new medications to try. The reason being is that the first one has to exit your system so it doesn't mix and cause damage. The first religion you were a part of needs time to exit your thought/practice so that way it doesn't mix and muck up the new one. People wanting to become Catholic have to go to school for it and everything. People wanting to become clergy or a member of any faith need to extensively study it before claiming membership or a title. Hell even the Wiccans have their year and a day rule. 

I realize that solo practitioners sometimes wish to serve their deity in a more intimate way and priest/priestess just seems perfect. I've been there too. But I urge others to look at the situation and realize that there are better, more appropriate ways to serve your deity. Begin calling yourself a devotee and incorporate certain practices that bring you closer. I find that setting aside a period of time each day just to meditate on Dionysus helped fill the desire I had to serve Him more. Talk to other about your deity, or take up hobbies that They would approve of. 


Lastly, I'd like to talk about tradition and clergy. There were almost never priests or priestesses who represented every deity in a pantheon. Logically this makes perfect sense. You are a single, mortal human. How can you possibly understand every deity well enough to call yourself a priest/priestess of them? In all honesty you will never understand a single deity completely, let alone a whole host of them. Even the Pontifix Maximus of Rome served only Jupiter. 

10 Reasons Why the Myths Are Not Factual

This will just be a quick list of reasons why

1. the majority of them were written by poets not clergymen
2. they portray the Gods in a light that I find to be contrary to Their true nature
3. I've learned more form the myths by looking at them symbolically as opposed to literally
4. the myths are simply too fanciful
5. science explains the methods of the Gods not fictitious stories
6. why would the Gods reveal Their histories and stories to only a handful of people or anyone for that matter?
7. believing religious stories is a trap and only breed radical fundamentalism
8. the myths make the Gods out to be hypocrites since They "rape" etc but the words of Apollo (Delphic Maxims) tell us not to
9. the commonalities between mythologies show that the Divine has tried to communicate certain moral or spiritual truths to us rather than record a history
10. not even the ancients took them seriously (Cicero, Aristotle, Socrates, Cato the Elder

Syncretism and the Blending of Faiths

Syncretism is a process that generally happens when two polytheistic faiths come in contact with one another. It is the revelation of two or more deities being one in the same based on mythology, cult worship, and dominion. This was a very common occurrence, especially in the areas under Greek (Greco-Egyptian) or Roman (Gallo-Roman) influence. 


Herodotus identified several Egyptian deities with Greek ones in his Histories. Most famously you see Thoth being equated to Hermes, Amun being equated to Zeus, and Osiris being equated to Dionysos. The Greco-Egyptian pantheon was a melding of Greek and Egyptian ideas based on the similarities found in both religions. It was generally seen in the port cities like Alexandria, and it picked up a following during the Ptolemaic dynasty.


Also in Greece you can see an adoption of deities from the Thrace, Asia Minor, and several other places. Deities thought to have been adopted from other peoples include Hekate, Dionysos. There are two traditions that suggest Dionysos is not of Greek origin. The first is from Herodotus, who says that Melampus brought the cult to Greece from Egypt. The second traditions states that Orpheus, a Thracian, brought the cult to the Greeks. Other bits to consider include, Semele being a non Greek name, Dionysos association with leopards, and his travels to India. Leopards and India might not seem like that big of a deal, but if you look at Hinduism, specifically the god Shiva, you'll see the significance. Shiva is more or less the spitting image of Dionysos except for skin color. (Shiva has blue skin) Even the cult practices and associations are the same for the two deities. Honestly though, this shouldn't come as a surprise since the Indians and Europeans share common ancestry and thus common religious practices. Trade between the two cultures would have helped preserve the similarities. 


Roman syncretism happened a lot as Rome came in contact with the Greeks and northern tribes (Germanic and Gallic). Anyone who has studied mythology or history will tell you about the striking similarities between the Roman and Greek faiths. But contrary to popular belief the two are not one in the same. The Religio Romana is very different from Hellenism. The mythologies are the same but the worship and view of the Gods is not. The Romans had a religion before they came in extensive contact with the Greeks. Romulus and King Numa are the supposed founders of the Roman faith. The religion centered around numina (spirits) that ruled every aspect of life. These spirits were not depicted in art since all human creations are impermanent and the numina were not. Once the Romans began to trade and conquer Greek cities there was a religious shift. The old laws gave way to new ones and the numina were given faces, the faces of the Olympians. The Romans identified many of their deities with those of Greece and thus the misconception was born. Greco-Roman syncretism was so perfect and flawless that many people believe what I stated earlier, that they are one in the same. 


Julius Caesar and Tacitus are famous for writing things like "The whole of Gaul worships Mercury." These claims are just proof of the the global view of deities in ancient Rome. Obviously the Gauls didn't worship Mercury per say, but they did worship a god so similar that they were thought of as one. Tacitus also wrote of a mother goddess in Germania that he identified with Isis. He wrote extensively about the cult practices surrounding that mother goddess and how they were more or less the same as the Egyptian cults of Isis. Also in Gaul, as well as other part of the empire, you see adoption.


Mithras and Sol Invictus were adopted form Persia, and Isis was adopted from Egypt. These deities were given their own priesthoods and temples in Rome and Roman controlled lands. Lastly you see foreign deities being incorporated into Roman mythology. In Gaul Epona, a tribal horse goddess,  became a companion and possibly wife of Mars. Things like this were very common throughout the ancient world. 


Modern syncretism is frowned upon in some circles. Usually the people who view it negatively are fundamental reconstructionists but that's beside the point. We shouldn't shun away from this practice. However, at the same time we need to be cautious of it. Eclecticism is the result of pagans going all willy nilly with syncretism. An example of bad syncretism would be a Heathen doing a Roman ritual for Kwan Yin. Obviously those three faiths shouldn't be mixed like that. Extensive research should be done before you equate one god to another. Even more research should be done before you design a ritual to honor said god. And you should always honor the deity in accordance to their name. Instead of doing a Roman style ritual for an Asian deity, do an Asian one. Even the ancients new this. Roman rituals to a Gallic god were in the Gallic style. What made them Roman were the people who participated, the language used, and a few ritual tools used. 


When I employ syncretism I state the foreign deity (Freyr) and then the Hellenic/Roman deity (Liber/Dionysos). I also am sure to make the ritual suit the practices surrounding the foreign deity. In this case I utilize a drinking horn, bells, Futhark runes, etc This is a sign of respect to the culture, heritage, and deity. You may be wondering why does it matter which culture I match with which name if they are the same deity? Think of it like this, if someone calls out your name and then tries to have a conversation with you in a foreign language would you understand it? Probably not, and the same thing applies to rituals and the Gods. The phrase "When in Rome do as the Romans do" pops into mind.

Adonia

The Adonia is a celebration of the myth of Aphrodite and Adonis. For those of you who don't know, the two were lovers but Adonis was killed too soon. A boar gave him a mortal wound during a hunting trip. The youthful prince traveled down into Hades, and there he caught the eye of Persephone. She refused to give him up until Zeus brokered a deal. Adonis would live in the Underworld with Persephone, but when Persephone left Adonis would live with Aphrodite.


There are many traditions for this holiday, including the construction of an Adonis Garden. The garden was built on the roof of the home by the women. They would fill it with fast growing plants like lettuce, fennel, etc The garden would be carefully maintained and treated with love. Once the plants began to emerge from the ground, the garden would then be destroyed. The plants were either crushed, burned, or thrown into a river. This act is symbolic of Adonis's early death. A similar tradition is the construction of effigies from grasses or flowers. They were buried in coffins or cremated with the burial rites of a real human. Yet another traditions includes a divine drama portraying the marriage of Adonis and Aphrodite. The inclusion of this drama gives the Adonia a rebirth quality. Adonis is buried and mourned during the first few days. But towards the end of the festival you have marriage celebrations as the prince leaves Persephone to be with Aphrodite. Boars and other types of pigs were a common offering during this time. The reason being, is that they were responsible for Adonis's death.


According to the myth, the rose got its red color as a result of Aphrodite and Adonis. When Adonis was struck by the boar Aphrodite was far away in Her temple. She heard the cries of Her love and ran to be by his side. In the process She stepped on a plant with white flowers and many thorns. Her divine blood spilled over the petal and stained them red.


During the Adonia this year I am offering 30 poems, pork, wine, roses, and I am reading the myth aloud. Also I am constructing an altar especially for this holiday. Me making an extra altar is a rare event. Naturally, I'm going to decorate it with flowers and red cloth. I'm also going to include representations of the phallus and womb during intercourse. I have a stone shaped like a phallus so all I need is a womb. I may end up using a sea snail shell and just putting the stone in it. Theses are just rough plans for the altar.

Altars and Tools

Hellenism is a religion that more or less requires an altar or some sort of sacred space with a few basic tools. Many pagans when they just start out feel pressured to buy every tool and spend tons of cash on expensive decorations and statues. In reality though, tools don't have to cost sixty dollars a piece and be adorned with vast amounts of shiny metals or crystals. The ancients did not have the luxury to go out and buy intricately made items just for the sake of religion. Religious tools back then were both sacred and practical. The blade you use to cut the weeds could also be the blade you use during sacrifices. The bowl you drink water from could be the container for your dinner. The list goes on and on. My tools and altar consist of only two things especially bought for a sacred purpose and nothing else. Those two items are mute, stone carved figurines used to represent the Gods according to Nuministic tradition. Other than those two things the rest of my tools and altar consist of things I've found in nature (flat rocks) or things lying around my house (a kitchen knife). My point in this is to show you that tools don't have to be fancy, and that it is fine to use whatever is at hand if you can't afford or have no desire to go out and buy things.

Now then I'm going to talk about a Hellenic altar and a few things you should expect to see and strive to get. I will be using the Roman names since they are the ones I know best. The uses and placement remain the same in Greece.

A Sacred Fire-This fire will be the symbolic hearth of your family and a representation of Hestia. Since most of us can't keep a constant flame in our homes, I find that using a single candle works well. When this candle begins to burn too low you should light it and transfer the fire to a new candle. Also candles should be blessed and dedicated before being used on the altar. Color is irrelevant. 

Lucerna-This is the alternative to a candle. It is basically an oil lamp. 

Patera-A Patera is just a simple dish used to hold offerings to the Gods and spirits. 

Turibulum-These are just containers to hold incense. Incense is an offering to the Gods and spirits when it is lit. The remains of the incense can either be buried if you feel they are sacred or discarded if you feel they are not. 

Accera-This is the same thing as the Turibulum except it holds resins and other non traditional forms of incense. 

Salinum-Salinums are just containers to hold salt that has been blessed and cleansed. This salt is used to purify the sacred space. 

Gutus-This is a libation bowl. Traditionally it would have a cover over it to ensure that the offering remained clean. Wine, milk, and olive oil were very common libations. 

Worship in Daily Life

Most people, especially beginners, try to separate religion from the rest of their life. This divide is natural due to our altars and rituals etc, but it is detrimental to spiritual growth. We must become our religion and realize that the Gods and spirits are around us always. There are things we can do or are currently doing throughout our day that pay homage to these great beings. For example, when I'm on stage I dedicate my performance to Dionysus. I open myself up and feel His presence in the endless halls of the theaters and vastness of the stage. But no you don't have to do something grand like that to worship the Gods. Just recognizing Them throughout your daily life is enough dedication to make Them smile.


When you're outside look up at the sun and remember Apollo Lord of Light. Or look down at the earth and plants, thanking Demeter Goddess of the Green for Her bounty. Opening yourself up like this to the Gods will provide you with extra insight into the workings of the divine, not to mention a deeper connection to the divine itself. It's almost like the idea that only those who believe in fairies can see them. Well only those who seek and recognize the Gods can truly know Them.


The Gods will not seek us out. They have no true need for converts. It is us who must go out into the wilderness and into our hearts to find Them.

Herbs In My Practice

Herbs and other plants play a huge role in the modern pagan community. I classify herbs not by planet or element but by deity. There is a mythological and  historical basis for associating certain plants with certain deities. I simply picked it up and modernized it. Here are a few samples of my herb chart.


Oak-Zeus (historical)
Maple-Hera (historical)
Oats-Apollo
Roses-Aphrodite (historical)
Morning Glory-Dionysus/Persephone
Sage-Hades/Hermes
Onion-Artemis
Nutmeg-Apollo/Hades
Corn-Demeter
Holly-Zeus
Pepper-Ares
Hyacinth-Apollo (historical)


I agree with the Hoodoo idea that every creation is marked by its creator with a purpose. In the case of the natural world the Gods are the creators. To understand what a specific gemstone or plant is meant to do all you need are you senses and your intuition. Observe the plant in nature or on your dinner plate. Pepper burns like the temper of Ares so why not associate it with Him? Morning glory is both a hallucinogen and a vine so why not associate it with Dionysus?


The Cosmos is as complex as those who created it. By understanding the Gods and the natures of Their creations you can gain a better knowledge of the spiritual world. In an herb guide you will see several plants listed with the property of love. Aphrodite's blessing isn't nearly that simple though. Yes, rose and maple can bring you love but what kind of love? Maple is a much more mellow energy. It causes stable relationships to blossom or fire back up. Roses on the other hand are a bit more on the lustful side. Their thorns cause a much more potent, intoxicating romance. To distinguish between the two the ancients associated them with different deities. Hera got the maple with its hard wood and slow growth. Aphrodite got the rose and all of its fast paced romantic glory.


The practice of observing the natural world to learn its spiritual qualities is ancient. Sadly, the great amount of information we are exposed to on a daily basis has desensitized us to this art. You'd think that since paganism is supposed to be an earth based religion that more people would put the books down and use the earth as their teacher.

Gardening

I finally finished putting in my garden today. At first I was dreading the terrible, arduous labor involved with tilling fresh land by hand. It made my back ache just thinking about it. But when I actually got out there and felt the earth in my hand and the sun on my face I felt connected. It was like I was feeling the pulse of Gaia and the tender touch of Demeter. Yes the work was hard and the pain was there but the feelings I had were true.

Monday I will do a ritual to bless the boundaries of the garden and ask the daemons to aid in the growing. Once my crops and herbs bear fruit I'll take the first of it to my outside altar and give it to the goddess Demeter Anesadora and the local daemons. Naturally Dionysus will receive His fair share as my patron and as lord of nature.

I think that it is important for us as Hellenes, especially those of us following the earthly gods, to work with the earth itself. Rather that be taking a walk through the woods now and then or starting a garden in the backyard, it is a way for use to connect. The best place to find the Gods is not at an altar chanting hymns but out in the dirt, rivers and winds. The Gods are all around us we just have to know where to look. 

Gods bless

Hestia

Hestia (Vesta) is easily one of the most motherly goddesses within the Hellenic faith. Let's go back to the beginning of Hestia, back before Zeus and Hades and all the other Gods.


Chronus had just received the prophecy that one of his own children would overthrow him but his wife Rhea was pregnant. Rhea Mother of the Gods was pregnant with the first Olympian baby Hestia. Upon Her birth She was snatched from Her mother and swallowed whole. There Hestia would grow and wait for Zeus to free Her and Her siblings.


After the Titan War and rebirth of the Cosmos Hestia married Zeus. Alas Their marriage wasn't meant to be. Zeus and Hestia split up and Zeus married Hera instead. Hestia swore an oath of celibacy and began tending to the hearth of Olympus.


There are also two other myths that say that Poseidon and Apollo tried to court Hestia but She refused. To stop anymore would be suitors Hestia asked Zeus to allow Her to take an oath of celibacy and tend to the hearth.


So now we'll skip forward to the ascension  of Dionysus. There are only twelve thrones in Olympus meaning that there can only be twelve Olympian reigning there. Dionysus, the son of Zeus and Semele, had braved the Underworld and spread His cult to the world. Finally He was ready to ascend to Olympus but there was just one problem. All the thrones were occupied. Hestia, out of compassion for humanity and a desire to keep the peace, gave up Her throne in Olympus. She journeyed down from that paradise to live among mortals and aid them when She could.


There were no grand temples in Her honor in Greece. Across the sea in Rome there were many great temples to Vesta (Hestia). The famous Vestal Virgins served the Goddess and maintained Her sacred flame in the heart of Rome. Hestia in both Greece and Rome was given the first and last of every offering. She was also honored in every home shrine. Making family meals was seen as a sacred task and a form of worship to the Goddess.


I honor Hestia nightly at my altar. She and the daemons are prayed to first and given the first offerings. I also worship Her in conjunction with Hephaestus (Vulcan) since both are gods of fire and both can be seen as representing the ideal married couple.


Here is a copy of the invocation I use before giving offerings to Hestia.
"Hestia Queen of Man Guardian of the Holy Flames
Hear my prayers this night and accept these humble offerings."


Any Hellene regardless of patronage or slant should show great respect to Hestia. She is the most prominent deity within the home and can withhold Her blessings of prosperity and peace at any time. In my personal experience I find Her to be a very loving, levelheaded goddess. Hestia's compassion is truly boundless.


Gods bless

Poem to Dionysus

Here is an old poem I wrote as an offering to Dionysus. 

Wild Pan play your chords in joyous tones
And may all rejoice for the return of the light
Call the Bacchae forth to these sacred stones
Be merry for He causes oppression to take flight


Dionysos Trigonos our triple formed king
His compassion is infinite so let us drink and sing
His sword shall destroy all inhibitions so be free
Toss aside your chains to come revel with me


Feel no pain of heart nor mind nor body
For Dionysos Manikos walks among us mortals
Allow His gifts of ecstasy to open new portals
And lose yourself in His untempered orgy


Dionysos Lusios we remember Your story
And on this night we seek Your glory

Miasma

Pre Ritual Practice and Miasma

In Hellenism and the Religio Romana (Ancient Roman Religion) there was a belief in ritual impurity known as miasma. Things that could cause you miasma include:

-contact with dead animals or people

-sex

-menstrual blood

-negative thoughts or feelings

-dishonesty

-giving birth

There are a few other minor causes but those are the main ones.

It is believed that entering a ritual with miasma is offensive to the Gods and could compel Them to ignore your prayer. Now obviously not every god looks upon miasma the same way. For example many rites of Venus (Aphrodite) and Dionysus involve sex but this isn't your usual run of the mill barn house quickie. Worshipers regardless of what the rite involves has to cleanse themselves of miasma. This cleansing essentially removes the uncleanliness and prepares your mind body and soul for the ritual and whatever it entails. Essentially everything that occurs as a result of a ritual does not cause miasma. So sex and death from sacrifices and what not does not cause the worshiper to become unclean in the eyes of the Gods.

Ways to Cleanse Miasma

To cleanse yourself of miasma you would prepare some lustrial water by filling a small dish with regular water add salt to it. Then wave incense over the water and plunge a lit stick into the water. All the while you would recite a prayer asking the Gods to purify this water.

After the lustrial water is prepared you would recite the Purgation Prayer and put some of the water on your hands face chest and hair. Lastly take some incense and allow it to roll over your body and wash away the finial bits of impurity and negativity. It isn't necessary to do the final incense purification but the lustrial water is a must to all serious Hellenes.

Purgation Prayer

HAEC AQUA A CORPORE IMPURITAS MODO SIMILE PLUMBO AD AURUM ELLUAT

PURGA CARNEM

PURGA MENTEM

PURGA ANIMUM

Translation

Here is a very rough tanslation

May this water wash away the impurities like lead to gold

Cleanse my body

Cleanse my mind

Cleanse my spirit

Daemons Demons What's the Difference?

Honestly there isn't a difference besides language. Daemons is Latin and demons is English. Both are descendants of the Greek word daimon, which means spirit. In both Hellenism and the Religio Romana (Roman Religion) daemons played an important role. The following are the classifications of daemons as seen in the RR.

Larvae/Lemures-the malicious spirits of the Underworld, more often than not they are the abused restless or forgotten dead

Lares/Manes-the benevolent spirits of the ancestors and Underworld, the subclass of Lares are the Parentes who are the spirits of immediate relatives

Penates/Panes-earth spirits that also made sure that the family was fed, there are also Penates that watch over certain features of the earth and certain acts in cities/daily life

Genius-this spirits is the guardian angel of the Religio Romana, the Genius of the Pater Familias (patriarch) was worshiped as a god and believed to watch over the entire family, the Genius of the emperor was also worshiped as a god

In Hellenism there were two basic classifications of daemons. The first was the Agathos Daimon which watched over individuals and families. It was worshiped in the home. The second classification is very general and encompasses all spirits of the earth and life.


In both faiths the daemons were worshiped and viewed as almost intermediaries between us and the Gods. Since daemons are closer to humans than the Gods it was common place to pray to them first. Another important role they played was as guardians. They protected the wild places of the world in addition to humanity. As I mentioned above they do have a darker side. Some daemons are spirits of war, death, greed, and negativity in general. There are also, as I said, daemons that are the spirits of the angry dead. Naturally these spirits didn't merit worship like the benevolent ones. To help combat the more negative daemons several rituals were developed. One involves the Pater Familias and the family driving away the negative daemons by making loud noises and spitting black beans on the floors.


The origins of the non human daemons is still up for debate. My holds that they are the spirits of the race of Golden Men left here by the Gods. The Romans tended to believe something along the lines of daemons are byproducts of life/creation. Once again this reflects the very animistic roots of the RR.


This is the first of a series of posts on daemons. This topic is very deep and requires a bit more time to explain.


Gods Bless

My Hellenic Virtues

Many Hellenes take their virtues from the Delphic Maxims. I choose to follow Marcus Aurelius's list of virtues instead for several reasons. The first is that Latin translates to English better than Greek so we can gain a better understanding of the true meaning of these words. The second reason is that there are hundreds of Delphic Maxims and not all of them make sense to us now and days. 


Here is the list of virtues 


Auctoritas 
This is maintaining an understanding of your social standing and working towards improving it. 


Comitas 
This is remaining friendly and open to people. It also can also mean that you remain loose as opposed to rigid in life. 


Clementia 
This virtue tells us to be kind and merciful to people as well as hospitable. 


Dignitas 
This means that we should take pride in ourselves and maintain our self worth. 


Fermitas 
This means that we should be decisive in our actions and stick to a project that we have started until the end. 


Frugalitas 
This virtue tells us to be frugal and avoid over indulgences and the passiveness they tend to create in people. 


Gravitas 
This means that we should be responsible and understand the consequences of our actions in any given situation. 


Honestas 
This means that we should build and maintain a respectable reputation in society. It also means that we shouldn't do anything to shame ourselves or family in public. 


Humanitas 
This virtue means that we should remain civilized and pursue things like the arts and knowledge throughout our lives. 


Industria 
This means that we should work hard at whatever we do. 


Pietas 
This is easily the most important virtue and the deepest. It means that we should be loyal to the natural order of things in nature in the home in society and in our faith. We must remain faithful to our country our homes our families and our gods. This virtue also tells us that we should honor tradition and work to ensure the survival of those traditions.


Prudentia 
This means that we should be prudent and thoughtful before committing to a course of action. 


Slubritas 
This virtue means that we should keep our home and person clean. We should also keep ourselves healthy. 


Severitas 
This means that we should exercise self restraint when needed and have a powerful will. 


Veritas 
This last virtue tells us to be honest to everyone including ourselves. 


Not following these virtues won't land you a spot in Tartarus or anything like that. The biggest reason why these should be followed is because they build one's honor and the Gods listen more closely to a man with honor than a thief. The only virtue on this list that the Gods have punished people for breaking before is Pietas. There plenty of stories of people committing patricide/matricide or betraying their city and the Gods turning Their backs on them for it.

Magic and Hellenism

To really get anywhere on this topic I will first define magic. Magic to me is the ability of human beings to influence their environment through ritual or religious means. By this definition prayer is a form of magic as well as things like psyching yourself up before a big game or test.


Almost every recon I have met says that magic is hubris and they point to the story of Medea to back it up. The following is how I would back their argument.


Now then let's start off by looking at two gods within Hellenism that are often times associated with magic Hermes Trismegistus and Hekate. Hermes T (Trismegistus) did not exist within the Hellenic pantheon until after Alexander conquered Egypt. The Greeks who settled there associated Hermes with the Egyptian god of writing the moon and magic Thoth. Eventually the settlers viewed the two as the same god and thus Hermes T was born. So if you are wanting to be a Hellene and justify your use of magic with the worship of Hermes T you are wrong. Now then there are groups of Hellenes out there that worship like the ancient Alexandrians did. To do that they combine many Greek and Egyptian practices including the worship of Hermes T and the use of magic. To add even more validity to this there is historical proof backing the vast majority of their practices.


Next is Hekate who every pagan knows but few understand. She was a titan first and foremost and according to most myths a very mean one. However Zeus let Her keep a portion of the Heavens the Earth and the Seas as Her dominion. Hekate's worship in ancient Greece was very limited in scope. As a modern Hellene though the myths shouldn't be viewed literally. There were no large ornate temples to Her like there was for the Olympians. Instead people set up tiny altars to the goddess within their homes to ward of thieves. Other than that Her worship was primarily to help during pregnancy and protect the family from malicious curses. Notice the emphasis on the word protect because She never advocated the use of magic. Those out there in the pagan community who say Hekate is a goddess of magic and witchcraft are simply misinformed. There are a few myths that talk of Hekate using magic herbs to accomplish something (usually poisoning or healing) that to the ancients would have been a miracle. Today however we look at that and call it medicine and or chemistry. There are no myths where Hekate is casting a circle calling the elements and all that other jazz. Long story short since Hekate never advocated the use of magic She cannot be used to defend our use of magic.


Lastly on the recon side I will talk about hubris. Hubris is believing yourself to be a god or equal to a god. In all honesty I see a very valid argument here about modern witchcraft and it being hubris. A lot of practitioners like to say things like "I work with ____ goddess/god" or they don't include that Gods in their magic at all. This is hubris in its prime. We are not equal to the Gods like the statement "I work with ____" implies. If your magic works at all it is because a god decided to help you or at least not stop you.


The following will be my counter arguments and my personal views on magic.


I practice magic according to my definition. Your definition may be different and that's fine but here we are talking about mine. There truly is no counter argument to Hermes T and Hekate. Everything I talked about above is fact and you can't successfully challenge facts.


The hubris argument does have a counter though and it is all dependent on how you practice magic. Here is my ritual order in a nutshell:


-self purification
-sacred space established
-calling out to the Gods with prayers and titles
-listing my wants/needs
-making a promise to the Gods in return for aid
-offering something to the Gods
-disestablishment of sacred space


This is how I would practice magic or cast spells or however you want to phrase it. The things in this order that make it not hubris are #1 I call the Gods to help me #2 I leave offerings to the Gods as both a sign of humility and graciousness and #3 throughout this whole process I never solely rely on my own strength because I am not a god and if the Gods didn't want me to have _____ I wouldn't. Something else that must be remembered is that the Gods are not compelled to help you just because you give Them offerings. To think that at any point during a prayer or ritual is hubris and will undoubtedly lead to your unhappiness.
Morally I think it is okay to practice magic so long as you are humble and remember you are only getting what you want because of the Gods.

Liberalia

Liberalia is traditionally a holiday to celebrate the first wine of the year and mark the passing of childhood for young Roman men. This ancient holiday involved wine libations to Liber Pater (Dionysus) and the destruction of bullae charms given to males upon birth to guard them from malice. The mother would collect this charm and set it on the household altar as an offering to the Lares Penates and Genius of the family. In addition games were held and upper class families would often return to the fields and work the land for a day. Another groups of citizens celebrated at this time were the bee keepers. There is a Roman myth about how Dionysus taught the satyr Silenus to use mud when gathering honey from hives. Because of this women would bake honey cakes and offer them to the God in His temples. 

Now I lack many of the things that the Romans had during this festival. To compensate for this I wrote my own schedule and rituals to guide me through the three day of the LIberalia. I celebrated Dionysus in His three form Phanes Zagreus and Dionysus.

On the first night I created an altar of white and black to symbolize Phanes and His wife Nyx who created the Cosmos. In the center of this altar I put a large white candle and then recited the story of creation.

"In the beginning there was but Chaos Time and Compulsion

However a spark was born a light to bring order and warmth

Phanes who's wings shone like the rising sun

Phanes who's words ordered the Heavens to be still

Phanes who's love brought forth life to a desolate place

In His loneliness He forged Himself a wife as black as night

Along with Nyx the Cosmic Egg was created and hatched

Male and female light and dark warmth and cold

Peace and love would not last for the Titans waged war

Patricide was on their minds and evil in their hearts

All seemed dark until Zeus sought recompense for His father's sins

Olympians and Titans fought all the while destroying the Cosmos

Through the blood and sweat the Olympians were victorious

Yet They were left to reign over an empty world

Zeus King of the Gods searched for a solution to this dilemma 

Phanes who's mercy recreated the world had the answer

He willingly sacrificed Himself to be a part of the new world

Zeus consumed the God and with Him His power"

On the second night I celebrated Zagreus in His raw primal power. I tossed pine ivy and dogwood flowers all across the room and altar. Around midnight I opened the first bottle of wine this year and poured a libation to Dionysus then the household gods. After that I drank some myself and dawned my vine wreath. About an hour later I began my ecstasia dancing. That combine with the chanting let me reach trance rather quickly. At about 3a.m. I began the Bloody Feast after reciting the story of Zagrus. (I'll spare you another long winded verse) From there I just continued celebrating and basking in Zagreus's greatness. 

The third and final night was in honor of Dionysus. I prayed to the God and offered libations of wine. This night was mostly full of contemplation and the such. I also recited some of my favorite lines from literary works. Needless to say a lot of Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde was quoted that night. 


Gods bless