Two Questions
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Re: Two Questions
Okay so I met this guy who claimed to be Hellenistic in religion and he was wearing two cuffs of copper and said that they symbolized that he served the Gods willingly, the next time I saw him he had leather cuffs that had a pentagram etched on them. When I asked him why the pentagram if he was Hellenistic he said it was a symbol used for Hecate. Are both of these an accurate description of what one should do? Is the pentagram thing true? because I have only ever seen pentagrams used for wiccan religions and Satanism. please any and all help welcome in clearing this up.
Nikoletta- Newbie
- Posts : 21
Join date : 2014-10-02
Age : 27
Location : Georgia
Two Questions
Oh my goodness …
Those are examples of some of the total nonsense you'll find on the Internet.
No , both of those things are totally false. Wearing metal cuffs has absolutely nothing to do with anything in Classical religion, and although the five-point star did exist (as a mostly mathematical symbol) it was not a religious symbol, and has nothing at all to do with Hekátē.
This individual you mention is almost certainly a modern, eclectic occultist, drawing inspiration from 'mass market wicca' and a bit from Hollywood movies (I'm guessing that's where the cuff idea came from).
This is the kind of trash that's circulated on the Internet. Thank you much for seeking to clear it up.
Those are examples of some of the total nonsense you'll find on the Internet.
Are both of these an accurate description of what one should do? Is the pentagram thing true?
No , both of those things are totally false. Wearing metal cuffs has absolutely nothing to do with anything in Classical religion, and although the five-point star did exist (as a mostly mathematical symbol) it was not a religious symbol, and has nothing at all to do with Hekátē.
This individual you mention is almost certainly a modern, eclectic occultist, drawing inspiration from 'mass market wicca' and a bit from Hollywood movies (I'm guessing that's where the cuff idea came from).
This is the kind of trash that's circulated on the Internet. Thank you much for seeking to clear it up.
Re: Two Questions
Thank you!!!!! Okay so I am not completely crazy! This guy has been "practicing" for four years now and I did not want to challenge him since in a less than a week I hit my year of faith. I thought maybe I had misread something or not read some book. Okay thank you very much on all accounts this definitely put my mind at ease. Oh and one more question is the full moon considered a power moon and what does that mean? This same guy went to a cemetery last night for the full moon to worship Hades. I thought full moon was for Artemis?
Nikoletta- Newbie
- Posts : 21
Join date : 2014-10-02
Age : 27
Location : Georgia
Re: Two Questions
I've never heard the expression "power moon", so I assume that's Wiccan too!
The classical Greeks didn't usually worship the Moon (or the Sun, except in Rhodes). As a goddess, the Moon was Selene. By Hellenistic times (after Alexander the Great), the idea had got established that Apollo was connected to the Sun, so then they decided that his sister must be connected to the Moon. The connection between Hecate and the Moon came later still, in the Roman period.
The Greeks didn't usually worship Hades, either.
As for cemeteries, the only time you went there was to make offerings at the tombs of your ancestors. A character in a play says "We sacrifice to them with offerings, just as we do to the gods, make libations, and ask them to send good things."
The classical Greeks didn't usually worship the Moon (or the Sun, except in Rhodes). As a goddess, the Moon was Selene. By Hellenistic times (after Alexander the Great), the idea had got established that Apollo was connected to the Sun, so then they decided that his sister must be connected to the Moon. The connection between Hecate and the Moon came later still, in the Roman period.
The Greeks didn't usually worship Hades, either.
As for cemeteries, the only time you went there was to make offerings at the tombs of your ancestors. A character in a play says "We sacrifice to them with offerings, just as we do to the gods, make libations, and ask them to send good things."
DavidMcCann- Sinior Member
- Posts : 130
Join date : 2014-04-20
Location : London
Re: Two Questions
Well said, DavidMcCann.
There is no such concept as a 'power moon' – that smacks of modern neo-occultism.
Hades was indeed, very rarely worshipped (except by 21st-century edgy-type who like to do anything to seem weird and taboo). The forms of Hades (Pluto, Serapis, Eubulus) who did receive worship were worshipped in the same ways as any other deity – certainly not at cemeteries. In Classical Graeco-Roman religious thought, aside from devotions to the souls of those interred there, cemeteries would fall under the category of extremely impure sites. Death was among the most powerful kinds of religious pollution in Greek and Roman thinking. It was said, with only a few exception, that the Gods shun death.
As DavidMcCann explained, the moon is associated with the divine sphere-of-influence of Ártemis. However, the sort of obsession with holding meetings and rituals on the full moon is a largely wiccan idea – it does not come from Graeco-Roman religion.
Oh and one more question is the full moon considered a power moon and what does that mean? This same guy went to a cemetery last night for the full moon to worship Hades. I thought full moon was for Artemis?
There is no such concept as a 'power moon' – that smacks of modern neo-occultism.
Hades was indeed, very rarely worshipped (except by 21st-century edgy-type who like to do anything to seem weird and taboo). The forms of Hades (Pluto, Serapis, Eubulus) who did receive worship were worshipped in the same ways as any other deity – certainly not at cemeteries. In Classical Graeco-Roman religious thought, aside from devotions to the souls of those interred there, cemeteries would fall under the category of extremely impure sites. Death was among the most powerful kinds of religious pollution in Greek and Roman thinking. It was said, with only a few exception, that the Gods shun death.
As DavidMcCann explained, the moon is associated with the divine sphere-of-influence of Ártemis. However, the sort of obsession with holding meetings and rituals on the full moon is a largely wiccan idea – it does not come from Graeco-Roman religion.
Re: Two Questions
I've been looking into Hades, so I thought I'd pass on the information.
In his guide to Greece, Pausanias only found one temple dedicated to Hades under his own name. It was in Elis, only used once a year, and only the priest was allowed inside. The poor man must have had a lot of cleaning to do!
But Hades was worshiped under the name Plouton, derived from ploutos "rich in grain". Evidently he was envisaged as working with Persephone. Plouton was worshiped at Mitylene and Sparta, and usually depicted standing with a cornucopia. At Eleusis, Hades was just referred to as The God.
Plato said the name Plouton was a recent euphemism (Cratylus) and that in his ideal state there'd be a festival in the 12th month for Hades under his real name (Laws). He adds that brave people shouldn't be afraid of a name, suggesting that some people must have though it inauspicious to speak of death.
In his guide to Greece, Pausanias only found one temple dedicated to Hades under his own name. It was in Elis, only used once a year, and only the priest was allowed inside. The poor man must have had a lot of cleaning to do!
But Hades was worshiped under the name Plouton, derived from ploutos "rich in grain". Evidently he was envisaged as working with Persephone. Plouton was worshiped at Mitylene and Sparta, and usually depicted standing with a cornucopia. At Eleusis, Hades was just referred to as The God.
Plato said the name Plouton was a recent euphemism (Cratylus) and that in his ideal state there'd be a festival in the 12th month for Hades under his real name (Laws). He adds that brave people shouldn't be afraid of a name, suggesting that some people must have though it inauspicious to speak of death.
DavidMcCann- Sinior Member
- Posts : 130
Join date : 2014-04-20
Location : London
Re: Two Questions
DavidMcCann wrote:Plato said the name Plouton was a recent euphemism (Cratylus) and that in his ideal state there'd be a festival in the 12th month for Hades under his real name (Laws). He adds that brave people shouldn't be afraid of a name, suggesting that some people must have though it inauspicious to speak of death.
Plato was always well-spoken. The name "Hades" merely neans "Hidden One; unseen;secret." The name is nothing to fear if one knows why the God has this name.
Thrasyvoulos- God Member
- Posts : 283
Join date : 2013-04-15
Age : 30
Location : Misery (Missouri)
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