Sunaikia and the Full Moon (July 2015)

So tonight, at sundown, we celebrate Sunaikia and the Full Moon. In my former religion this would be considered the Blue Moon. But, as I don't follow it, it's a time to honor Selene and Artemis. However we add the additional holiday of Sunaikia today, as well. As this is the last day of the month of July I will be adding that this coming Monday I will be ordering the final three mini statues of the gods. They are Hephaestus, Apollo, and Zeus. I'm also going to the hardware store and get shelves for the beginning of what my Hellenic space will become.

I'm thinking about getting remakes of Greek plates and vases for each god and goddess of the Pantheon, but that will be many months, or even a couple of years, away. Smile! At least I can say that I have some kind of goal in life. I think the space will look really nice when I'm done. I hope that your month has been wonderful and may the gods bless you all in the month of August.

Hymn to Hercules

So I'm posting another hymn to the gods. This one is the last one for the month of July. I hope that you had a great month and may your August be just as good.




I will sing of Heracles, the son of Zeus and much the mightiest of men on earth. Alcmena bare him in Thebes, the city of lovely dances, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had lain with her. Once he used to wander over unmeasured tracts of land and sea [5] at the bidding of King Eurystheus, and himself did many deeds of violence and endured many; but now he lives happily in the glorious home of snowy Olympus, and has neat-ankled Hebe for his wife.

Hail, lord, son of Zeus' Give me success and prosperity.

Kronia (2015)

Tonight, at Sundown, is Kronia. This festival honors Kronos, who is the father of the Olympians. I don't actually honor Kronos, even though there are Hellenists that do. I believe it has everything to do with the fact that he ate his children. However, for those that do, I hope that you have a good one and may Kronos bless you.

Hymn to The Mother of All the Gods

Now I'm going to say that I was confused by this title 'Mother of All the Gods.' If anyone could tell me which goddess that is being mentioned I would be very happy. I get this hymn from the Perseus Digital Library.

I Prithee, clear-voiced Muse, daughter of mighty Zeus, sing of the mother of all gods and men. She is well-pleased with the sound of rattles and of timbrels, with the voice of flutes and the outcry of wolves and bright-eyed lions, [5] with echoing hills and wooded coombes.

And so hail to you in my song and to all goddesses as well!

Hymn to Artemis

This is the hymn to Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. Sister to Apollo and daughter of Zeus and Leto. I hope that you enjoy this hymn and I got it from Perseus Digital Library.




First Hymn to Artemis

Muse, sing of Artemis, sister of the Far-shooter, the virgin who delights in arrows, who was fostered with Apollo. She waters her horses from Meles deep in reeds, and swiftly drives her all-golden chariot through Smyrna [5] to vine-clad Claros where Apollo, god of the silver bow, sits waiting for the far-shooting goddess who delights in arrows.

And so hail to you, Artemis, in my song and to all goddesses as well. Of you first I sing and with you I begin; now that I have begun with you, I will turn to another song.


Second Hymn to Artemis

  I sing of Artemis, whose shafts are of gold, who cheers on the hounds, the pure maiden, shooter of stags, who delights in archery, own sister to Apollo with the golden sword. Over the shadowy hills and windy peaks [5] she draws her golden bow, rejoicing in the chase, and sends out grievous shafts. The tops of the high mountains tremble and the tangled wood echoes awesomely with the outcry of beasts: earth quakes and the sea also where fishes shoal. But the goddess with a bold heart [10] turns every way destroying the race of wild beasts: and when she is satisfied and has cheered her heart, this huntress who delights in arrows slackens her supple bow and goes to the great house of her dear brother Phoebus Apollo, to the rich land of Delphi, [15] there to order the lovely dance of the Muses and Graces. There she hangs up her curved bow and her arrows, and heads and leads the dances, gracefully arrayed, while all they utter their heavenly voice, singing how neat-ankled Leto bare children [20] supreme among the immortals both in thought and in deed.

Hail to you, children of Zeus and rich-haired Leto! And now I will remember you and another song also.

Aphrodisia (2015)

So tonight, at sundown, we celebrate Aphrodisia along with Aphrodite, Hermes, Hercules, and Eros. Another word was mentioned by Baring the Aegis and that was Peitho (Persuasion). I know that Peitho is very connected to Aphrodite, how else would it be here. However I'm just going to focus on Aphrodite and not Peitho. I hope that you all have a good one.

Hymn to Hera

Time for me to post my hymn to Hera, the Queen of the Gods. I hope that you enjoy this hymn and may Hera bless you. I got this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.




Hymn to Hera (Short Version)

I sing of golden-throned Hera whom Rhea bare. Queen of the immortals is she, surpassing all in beauty: she is the sister and the wife of loud-thundering Zeus, —the glorious one whom all the blessed throughout high Olympus [5] reverence and honor even as Zeus who delights in thunder.

Been Hellenic for Eleven Months

So today marks eleven months since I started this blog and journey. I will admit that it's been a very exciting time and I feel most blessed to be on this journey and experiencing all the wonderful things that came with it. My four statues came in, which I'm so happy about, and I feel that I'm much closer to my goal then I was months ago. My plans for the coming month of August will be to buy floating shelves so that I can put my photo of Agathos Daemon up and Hecate as well.

I'm going to have my main shrine to the gods, in the middle which ever deity that is to be honored during the coming month. It's going to be a very interesting experience to see my shrine become what I've wanted it to become for a long time. I want to thank everyone that is following me on my blog and I hope that you have a wonderful remainder of your month.

The Athenian Month of Hekatombaion Begins (2015)

Well, it's offical, we are now in the first Athenian month of 2015-2016. It has been one wild ride and I'm glad to of been apart of it. The following holidays happen during this Athenian month and I do hope that you all have a good one.

July 16: Nourmina
July 17: Agathos Daemon
July 18: Athena
July 19: Aphrodite, Hermes, Hercules, Eros, and Aphrodisia
July 21: Artemis
July 22: Apollo
July 23: Poseidon and Theseus
July 27: Kronia
July 31: Sunokia and the Full Moon: Honoring Selene and Artemis
August 5: Sacrifices to the Kourotrophos
August 7-14: Panathanaia
August 8: Libations to Hermes
August 14: New Moon 'Hena Kai Nea'

I hope that you all have a good one and may the gods bless your month.

Note: I will be combining my Hecate ritual that I do from the book that I bought and my Athena ritual that I created.

New Moon (July 2015)

So tonight, at sundown, we honor Hecate in whatever manner that you've chosen. As I've written before I clean my ritual room, I try and clean the house, and I throw out what I have collected during the month. I do hope that you all have a good one and may your new month be blessed by the gods and be well.

Euro Drama and the Cultural Present

The Euro drama in Greece has come to an end, though I don't think that it will ever end. The Greek government has come to a deal with other European nations to get a huge bailout of 96 Billions dollars. Included in this deal is the horrible part of selling some of their national treasures to raise more money. This means that items that are normally found in museums could end up in a museum in England or other places.

That's what I get from the whole 'selling some of their national treasures' from. The Greeks consider this deal 'humiliating' to them and I agree. I'm going to give the full article as Yahoo has a bad habit of making it hard to find anything. Let me know what you think.

Athens (AFP) - Greeks were rattled Monday by news the nation's jewels might be snatched as collateral as part of a bailout deal slammed as 'humiliating'.

"We avoided an exit from the eurozone," said sharply-dressed retired businessman Michaelis Sarides, as he sipped a coffee at a bar in central Athens.

"But I warn you, if they take the Acropolis from us, it's war," he said darkly.

The outline deal thrashed out between the 19 eurozone nations in strained overnight talks calls for Greece to push through a range of reforms to secure a bailout worth up to 86 billion euros ($96 billion). Without it, the country's economy will collapse and Greece could crash out of the eurozone.

But among the key measures Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will have to rush through parliament is the creation of a controversial debt repayment fund, which aims to raise 50 billion euros ($55 billion) by selling off valuable Greek assets.

"They can't take a part of the country," said an aghast Lefteris Paboulidis, who owns a dating service business.

"Has that happened anywhere else so it can happen here? The situation is dramatic."

Like many ordinary Greeks, he was sceptical that the deal would bring about any improvement to their lives.

- Worse for years to come -

"It would be better not to have a deal than the way it was done because it will certainly be worse for the years to follow," the 35-year old said.

"I would have preferred something else to happen, such as Grexit, where we would have starved in the beginning but dealt with it ourselves."

Ilias, a 26-year-old civil servant, insisted that "the important thing is for the country to be better off -- not so much if we stay in Europe or not, that is the last thing to think of."

 "If we stay in Europe and the country goes from bad to worse, I can't see anything positive about that," he said.

Haralambos Rouliskos, a 60-year-old economist, described the agreement with Greece's eurozone partners as "misery, humiliation and slavery".

His feelings were echoed by Katerina Katsaba, a 52-year-old working for a pharmaceutical company, who said: "I am not in favour of this deal. I know they (the eurozone creditors) are trying to blackmail us."

But despite belief in many quarters that radical left PM Alexis Tsipras has been taken to the cleaners by Europe, she added: "I trust our prime minister -- the decisions he will take will be in the best interests of all of us."

Among the measures demanded that would directly affect citizens are lifting a ban on Sunday trading for shops, opening up ownership of pharmacies and opening up closed professions such as ferry transport.

"I think the terms agreed for the bailout are going to make life very hard for all of us. But I agree with the idea of Sunday openings... it can only help the economy," said Melina Petropoulou, 41, the manager of a women's clothes shop.

But in an upmarket jewellery store across the street, office manager Gianna Georgakopoulou, 43, protested that "everyone thinks we Greeks are lazy but we work hard. With Sunday gone, when are we supposed to rest?"

- Hashtag hostility -

Others inside the country, and in other EU member states, took to Twitter to express anger at the deal and perceived bullying of Greece by Germany.

A hashtag, #ThisIsACoup, was trending widely in Greece, France, Germany and Britain as they claimed that Greece was effectively being stripped of fiscal sovereignty.

"Germany is destroying Europe once again," tweeted @KostasKainakis, whose profile says he is a marketing lecturer in Athens.

"The Germans could not do it with tanks so now they try it with banks Trying to STEAL Greek assets BrITS MUST vote to get out," opined a tweet from Britain by @AllanSkerratt, who said he was a non-partisan retired soldier and ex-teacher.

Prominent commentators such as Paul Krugman, the Nobel-winning economist who writes for the New York Times, helped propel the term into the mainstream.

Krugman wrote: "The trending hashtag #ThisIsACoup is exactly right. This goes beyond harsh into pure vindictiveness, complete destruction of national sovereignty, and no hope of relief."

Sad day for Athens

Hymn to Hecate

This is the hymn to Hecate. Enjoy! I got this hymn from the site The Living Wiccan. A site that I don't normally go on, but I was looking for a hymn to Hecate. I know, I know, there are better sites.




Hecate of the wayside ,who frequents crossroads, Lovely dame, of earthly, watery and celestial frame, around tombs, in a saffron veil arrayed, pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade;  destroyer, solitary goddess, hail! The world’s key bearer, never doomed to fail; In stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, and drawn by bulls, unconquerable queen; leader, nymphe, nurse on mountains wandering, hear the suppliants who with holy rites thy power revere, and to the herdsman with a favouring mind draw near…

Sacrifices to Zeus the Savior and Athena the Savior (2015)

Tonight, at sundown, we start the last Hellenic festival of this Athenian month of Skirophonion. This isn't just the last Athenian festival of the month, but also of the year. We end it officially tomorrow when we honor Hecate. I find this a fitting end to this month and I'm excited about the coming, new, Athenian year. I hope that you all will have a good one and may Athena and Zeus bless you.

Note: I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Athena and Savior and Zeus the Savior is connected to Zeus overthrowing his father and saving the soon-to-be humanity from being subject to Kronos and Athena the Savior is talking about Athena protecting and saving her people from enemies. I'm going to have to do more research on this.

Hymn to Aphrodite

This is the hymn to Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. As well as sexuality! Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.






First Hymn to Aphrodite (Somewhat small version)

I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and beautiful, whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Cyprus. There the moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of the loud-moaning sea [5] in soft foam, and there the gold-filleted Hours welcomed her joyously. They clothed her with heavenly garments: on her head they put a fine, well-wrought crown of gold, and in her pierced ears they hung ornaments of orichalc and precious gold, [10] and adorned her with golden necklaces over her soft neck and snow-white breasts, jewels which the gold-filleted Hours wear themselves whenever they go to their father’s house to join the lovely dances of the gods. And when they had fully decked her, [15] they brought her to the gods, who welcomed her when they saw her, giving her their hands. Each one of them prayed that he might lead her home to be his wedded wife, so greatly were they amazed at the beauty of violet-crowned Cytherea.

Hail, sweetly-winning, coy-eyed goddess! Grant that I may gain the victory in this contest, [20] and order you my song. And now I will remember you and another song also.

Hymn to Aphrodite (short version)

Of Cytherea, born in Cyprus, I will sing. She gives kindly gifts to men: smiles are ever on her lovely face, and lovely is the brightness that plays over it.

Hail, goddess, queen of well-built Salamis [5] and sea-girt Cyprus; grant me a cheerful song. And now I will remember you and another song also.

Libations to Athena (July 2015)

Today, according to Hellion, we pour libations to Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom. This isn't going to be a long post but I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Libations. I've noticed that this libation is perfect for Athena as this is the month that we celebrate liberty and democracy. I hope that you have a great Libation to Athena and may she bless you all.

Hymn to Ares

This is the hymn to Ares, the God of War. I was going to put his hymn up on the fourth but decided against it. I thought that the fourth was better for Athena. Unlike in the Roman pantheon, Ares wasn't considered a nice god. He was war like and even his own father, Zeus, hated him. I hope that you have a good day and enjoy this hymn.

I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library






Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden-helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defence of Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, [5] stern governor of the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptred King of manliness, who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth! [10] Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice from my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul. Restrain also the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread [15] the ways of blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of death.

Hymn to Athena

In honoring of Independence Day I'm posting the Hymn to Athena. I really find this hymn to be fitting for this day and I will be doing a small ritual to Athena today. For without her we wouldn't have the democracy that we do have. And I do believe that Athena had her hand in the founding of this country. Enjoy and have a wonderful Independence Day.

Note: This hymn comes from the site Perseus Digital Library.







First Hymn to Athena

I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. Wise Zeus himself bare her [5] from his awful head, arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: great Olympus began to reel horribly [10] at the might of the bright-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the bright Son of Hyperion stopped his swift-footed horses a long while, until the maiden Pallas Athena [15] had stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad.

And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis! Now I will remember you and another song as well.


Second Hymn to Athena

Of Pallas Athena, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with Ares she loves deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go out to war and come back.

[5] Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness!

Ordering Hermes, Demeter, Dionysus, and Aphrodite

So today, a little bit after one in the morning, I ordered my four statues that I will be putting on my shrine when their months come around. And they are Hermes, Demeter, Dionysus, and Aphrodite. With the seasonal months just three months away I wanted to get them, as well as the last three statues, before the cold months come around. That was my goal at the beginning of this year, to get all twelve statues of the gods.

Even if they are just mini's.

Now I'm not saying that pictures of the gods aren't as good as statues of the gods, but they do look prettier and I love them. I do intend to start buying busts and medium size statues of the gods once I"m done fulfilling my vow that I made to myself. I found a wonderful medium size statue of Hera and Demeter, which I hope the seller (different one from the one that I"m going with) still has them. He also has three busts of Aphrodite, Artemis, and Athena.

When I get them, and future statues in, I will be showing them off. I hope that you all have a wonderful remainder of your week and may the gods bless you.

Full Moon (July 1, 2015)

So tonight is the Full Moon and, unlike in Wicca, we honor Selene and Artemis. I really do love the Full Moon, though I do wish that it didn't bring all the crazies out and crime didn't go up. We pour libations, give offerings, say our hymns, and pray to Artemis and Selene. The ones that represents the actual moon and the light of the moon.

I hope that your time with Selene and Artemis are wonderful.