If you were living in ancient Greece which deities would you pay homage to?

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Sun Jul 22, 2001 4:17 pm

Hey Minerva, the man you just described... Well, it don't exist!

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Jul 22, 2001 7:06 pm

@Craig, anyone who claimed they worshipped *all* the Greek gods would be judged full of hubris (well, full of something, and I *think* it's hubris). Hubris is a pride that overlooks the mortality of humanity, and leads to punishment by the gods--usually something grisly.

So, I'd watch out if I were you. You don't want to get a visit from the Erinyes, do you?

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Sun Jul 22, 2001 10:40 pm

I would pay homage to Hermes. And tell him to say hi to everyone else for me. After all, Hermes was the messenger of the gods!

Vivien · Post by **Vivien** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 12:21 pm

Vehemence: Hermes was also a 'trickster', the biggest thief of the gods

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 1:22 pm

All but one

hermetic · Post by **hermetic** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 1:30 pm

As fable stated, it'd be quite odd if you actually worshipped all the gods only because there was a deity for practically everything from the sky & sun to that booger in your nose.

The best way to look on it is that the commoner looked up to a set of the more central gods (more or less like the Judaeo-Christian God) and called upon the more minor ones when it was needed (like Roman Catholic saints). You'd never consider invoking Eleithuyia, the goddess of childbirth, until the day came when you entered labour, but you'd be thanking Hera all throughout the nine months to ensure your well-being.

@fable: why Zeus Zagreus and not just Zeus? The epithets applied only to prayer and ritual, and different epithets would be used for different reasons throughout the course of the day. If some really annoying person dropped by your house, you'd utter a prayer to Zeus Xenos to send them away, but you're still just invoking plain old Zeus. What is Zeus Zagreus anyway, some agricultural incarnation?

Hermes rocks

ThorinOakensfield · Post by **ThorinOakensfield** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 6:19 pm

I'd worship Aphrodite. Also maybe Apollo because he was the guardian of Hector, who for some reason is my favorite character and probably the best mortal warrior.Maybe also Hera because she would get pissed if you didn't and Bacchus because he brings such joy into our hearts with alcohol.
Eros is the roman name for cupid, and sometimes is the son of Aphrodite or companion.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 7:01 pm

Of the older titans, Atlas. Of the 12 titans in Olympia, I'd choose Pallas Athena, my schoolmates used to call me that (and some less flattering names

) when I was a kid

Of minor gods, I'd pay homage to Terpsicore (Muse of dance, one of the 9).

Originally posted by Nippy:
I would say Hippocrates or Ares, I know it's two extremes but I liked them, also Morpheus, I love sleep!

Sorry to be picky, but Hippocrates was not a god, he was a philosopher and physician who lived during the Golden Age of Ancient Greek, about 460-370 BC. He is often called the father of modern medicine and wrote about health issues like separating medicine and treatment from philosophisc speculation. If you are looking for a god related to medicine, maybe you mean Aesclepios, son of Apollo?

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 8:22 pm

Hermetic writes:
why Zeus Zagreus and not just Zeus? The epithets applied only to prayer and ritual, and different epithets would be used for different reasons throughout the course of the day.

Zeus Zagreus isn't Zeus, but Zagreus born of Zeus and Semele. He was considered to embody the purified essence of the Olympians. While young, he was slain by the Titans. Zeus, discovering this, slew the Titans with a thunderbolt, and he mixed their ashes with Zagreus' still beating heart.

Thus humankind came into being: something of the Gods, and something of the Beasts. And in worshipping Zeus Zagreus, O foreigner to our lands, we worship that which is divine in us, even as we also acknowledge and embrace our lowest nature.

hermetic · Post by **hermetic** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 2:23 am

Hmmm...I remember something about Zagreus now. Isn't the myth related to the Bacchic mysteries somehow, or the Orphic? Those tales of the Titans vs. Olympians remind me of Lovecraft - Ancient Ones vs. Elder Gods. Very good Sci-Fi is Greek Myth eh?

Re: mortal heroes such as Hector, I must say that I was always a big fan of the Bigger Ajax in the Iliad. And I dig Teucer too. Odysseus is my idol though, being the quintessential fighter/thief of the bunch. I practically worship him and other mythological figures such as Achilles in my real life. Of course my worship is ala Joseph Campbell, that is I can relate to the ordeals of these heroes. The passion stories of saints and martyrs in medieval Europe served the same purpose.

Ubik · Post by **Ubik** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 3:02 am

EXCUSE ME????

Nodoy pays homage to the one and only Ubik, top of the tops, ubiquitus, ever-seing, ever-lasting (

) ever-spaming, G.O.D. of pervertness????

Are you serious?

Kneel before me, mortals, for I have returned to Earth to erase all the false gods and regain my kingdom

Brink · Post by **Brink** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 3:06 am

Originally posted by Ubik:
....to erase all the false gods .....

This sounds a little familiar

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 3:21 am

Originally posted by Ubik:
EXCUSE ME????

Nodoy pays homage to the one and only Ubik, top of the tops, ubiquitus, ever-seing, ever-lasting ( ) ever-spaming, G.O.D. of pervertness????

Are you serious?

Kneel before me, mortals, for I have returned to Earth to erase all the false gods and regain my kingdom

How about me, then? Will you erase me as well??

Ubik · Post by **Ubik** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 4:12 am

Minerva, dearest and most wise, how could I possibly count you in "the false gods"???

you can reign by my side, if you wish

Mr Sleep · Post by **Mr Sleep** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 4:25 am

You forgot to mention the small print...it reads......

"Anyone who partakes in any relations be it by or under Ubik in his chain of command, then they must endure a Caligula esque orgy for 72 hours straight"

Be warned SYM!

EDIT:
"What Ubik said to me at the end of the day,
Caligula would have blushed,
Youv'e been in the house too long he said,
and i naturally fled,
In my life,
why must i give valuble time to people who i'd much rather, Kick in the eye."

[ 07-24-2001: Message edited by: Mr Sleep ]

Gruntboy · Post by **Gruntboy** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 8:56 am

Ancient Greece? NO thank you.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 10:13 am

@Grunt, surely you're not suggesting that you wish to forego the Ancient Greek gods for--Ubik?

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 12:00 pm

Originally posted by Ubik:
Minerva, dearest and most wise, how could I possibly count you in "the false gods"???

you can reign by my side, if you wish

Thank you.

I'm not sure about "by your side", though...

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 1:38 pm

Originally posted by C Elegans:
 I'd choose Pallas Athena, my schoolmates used to call me that (and some less flattering names ) when I was a kid

I used to be called the human encycliopediea once don't know why

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 1:40 pm

Maybe you sold them from door-to-door.