Libations to Ares (2014)

Today is Libations to Ares, the god of War. I view Ares as the god that will get us through this winter that's coming up. The weather has turned cold and we look to him for strength. I look up to him during this months to get through the harsh winter. I think that's the most important thing. He makes us tough and he doesn't back down. I hope that your Libation will be good and that Ares blesses you.

A Collection of Images: Part 26

Below: 97A. Athenian lady guided by a torch-bearer in silenus costume and hunting boots, on a skyphos by Polygnotos, in the possession of Oskar Kokoschka.

97B. A less distinguished couple, on the other side of the same skyphos.

Below: 98. Enthronement of a youth as Dionysos, on an Attic cup krater of the Classical period. Copenhagen, National Museum.

99. Reception of a Mitrephoros at night, on an Attic chous. New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A Collection of Images: Part 25

Below: 93. Children miming the rites on Choe's Day on an Attic chous. New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Below: 94. Girl swinging over an open pithos, on an Attic hydria. Berlin, Staatliche Museen.

Below: 95. Swing game over an open pithos, on a chous by the Eretria painter. Athens, Vlasto Collection.

Below: 96. Festive preparations of a distinguished woman, on a chous by the Meidias painter. New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A Collection of Images: Part 24

Below: 89. Rite around a liknon containing an ivy-crowned mask, on a chous by the Eretria painter. Athens, Vlasto Collection.

Below: 90 Attic deities, on a large Attic cup krater by the Kekrops painter. Adolphseck, Schloss Fasanerie

Below: 91. Hermes and the winged souls of the dead beside a half-buried pithos, on an Attic lekythos. Jena University.

92A. Singers of the dithyramb, on a fifth-century Attic krater. Copenhagen, National Museum.

Below: 92B. Cloaked man being abducted by two women with thyrsoi, on the other side of the same krater.

A Collection of Images: Part 23

Below: 87. Comic phallophorial, on a black-figure Attic cup. Florence, Museo Archeologico.

Below: 88A. Sabazios and the Great Goddess of Asia Minor enthroned, on a krater painted by Polygnotos. Ferrara, Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

Below: 88B/88D. Ecstatic dance by the initiates in honor of the divine pair on the Polygnotos krater.

Election Day

Today is Election Day, the day that we go and vote for people that we really hope, and pray, will represent us and not the rich. Electing someone to an office is the byproduct of Athenian democracy. And while our democracy is different than theirs (we elect women and we consider everyone, minus those that are coming into their country illegally, citizens) it's also different in another way.

In ancient Athens everyone came to discuss things that were important to the function of society. Now we have to watch as others tell us what laws they want to pass, even if we don't like them. The only voice that we have is at the poll and not in the daily activity of the government. We have to hope and pray that their decisions don't harm the society as a whole. The democracy of today also has the power to overturn laws that the people have passed.

We have a constitution and a Bill of Rights. But those rights are expanded upon, even if the people don't want those expanded on. We have Freedom of Religion, something that the Athenians would really appreciate, and we have Freedom of Speech. Sometimes, I'm thinking, that most would wish that we had some control over speech. If someone harms society, like an elected official, we can't vote, as the people, to kick him out. We have to have others to decide when enough is enough. We have bad mayors, corrupt people that get in using money, and many other things that the ancient Athenians wouldn't of liked.

So in many ways our society is better, but in some, it's not. So I hope that all Hellenist get out there and vote and kick those out that we don't like, or we believe is making our state look bad. Hope your vote counts.

A Collection of Images: Part 22

Below: 84. Women ladling wine before the Dionysos idol in the Lenaion, on an Attic stamnos. Rome, Museo di Villa Giulia.

Below: 85: Variation of 84 with dancing women, on an Attic stamnos. Naples, Museo Archeologico Nazionale.

Below: 86A. The child Dionysos at the Lenaia, on an Attic stamnos. Warsaw, National Museum.

Below: 86B. Dionysian women with wine at the Lenaia, on the other side of the Warsaw stamnos.