Mother of Hermes! and still youthful Maia! John Keats These days, flowers blossom in reckless abandon, and colors grace my sight. When I open the front or back door, the world is filled with the scent of jasmine–mysterious, sweet, and tantalizing. New ideas germinate in my mind. Vivid stories appear on the page. Springtime energy… Continue reading Fae Friday: Beltane Lady
Tag: Zeus
Mythic Monday: Naming Hercules
Why is Hercules named after his arch enemy? Connections empower our fascination with mythology. Hercules is the Roman form of the Greek hero, Heracles, son of Zeus and a mortal woman, Alcmene. According to traditional Greek myth, throughout much of his life Heracles suffered a relentless hounding from the goddess Hera. As the wife of… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Naming Hercules
Mythic Monday: Cancer the Crab
The glory of Cancer the Crab shows that even a wrathful Hera can be soft hearted toward one of her trustworthy minions. Although the outcome was not in Hera’s favor, she bestowed eternal life on her faithful helper. The basic myth of the immortalized crab comes from the time of Hercules’ twelve labors. As the… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Cancer the Crab
Mythic Monday: Gemini the Twins
Gemini stems from a Latin root word meaning twins or twinning. The myth surrounding the zodiacal constellation Gemini centers on twin brothers Castor and Pollux. Two men impregnated their mother Leda, the human king of Sparta and Zeus, the king of the gods. This bestowed immortality on Zeus’ son Pollux, while his brother Castor retained… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Gemini the Twins
Mythic Monday: 6 Despicable Dads
Yesterday we celebrated the terrific fathers and the strong, loving men in our lives. Today we examine the flip side. The Greek myths are known for being violent and bloodthirsty. One doesn’t have to look too hard to find a number of atrocious fathers. For their dire deeds, they always got their comeuppance. Tantalus –… Continue reading Mythic Monday: 6 Despicable Dads
Mythic Monday: 13 Magical Mothers
Magical mothers give birth to powerful children whose fame withstands the poisonous erosion of time. Let’s tour a smattering of those maternal immortals: Demeter’s treasure was her daughter Persephone. When Hades whisked Persephone away to his dim, underworld abode, Demeter’s stark grief created the earth’s first winter. Ana (also called Anu and Danu) is the… Continue reading Mythic Monday: 13 Magical Mothers
Mythic Monday: The Old Sea Goat
In the modern zodiac a goat symbolizes the astrological sign of Capricorn. In older traditions, however, and still sometimes today, the goat is a special variety of creature– a sea goat, half goat and half fish. The earliest known origin of depicting Capricorn as a sea goat occurred around 1,000 B.C.E. in Babylonia, the cauldron… Continue reading Mythic Monday: The Old Sea Goat
5 Reasons I Love the Summer Olympics
In ancient Greece nearly 3,000 years ago– 776 BCE– athletic games were held in Olympia in honor of Zeus. Nations and city-states set aside politics and rivalries to engage in fierce competition for the winner’s crown, the laurel leaf, symbol of Apollo. Today, the Summer Olympic games are larger than ever, creating lasting memories for… Continue reading 5 Reasons I Love the Summer Olympics