I personally love that idea! đ
You could really focus in on more modern uptakes with this as well, having festivals only on the days youâre already off of work/school, and get into it with friends or community members.
I love it!
Tag: Hellenic
Songs for the Theoi
Aphrodite:Â I am Trying to Break Your Heart // Wilco | Take Me to Church // Hozier | This Girl // Punch Brothers | Landmine // Pearl and the Beard | The Ballad of Mona Lisa // Panic! at the Disco | Last Night on Earth // Green Day | If I Die Young // The Band Perry | Out Tonight // Cast of Rent | Rhiannon // Fleetwood Mac
Apollo: Heavy Metal Drummer // Wilco | Libertango // Astor Piazzola | Devilâs Head Down // Pearl and the Beard | Heretics // Andrew Bird | Romeo & Juliet // Dire Straits | Satin Summer Nights // Paul Simon ft. cast of Songs from the Capeman | Ukulele Anthem // Amanda Palmer | Casimir Pulaski Day // Sufjan Stevens
Ares: String Quartet (op. 27), Mvt IV: Finale // Edvard Grieg | Black Skinhead // Kanye West | Babe Ruthless // Angel Haze | Yet // Pearl and the Beard | String Quartet no. 11 // Dmitri Shostakovich | Holiday // Green Day | Letâs Kill Tonight // Panic! at the Disco | So What // P!nk | Crown // Run the Jewels | New Yearâs Day // U2
Artemis: Wolf // First Aid Kit | Either Way // Wilco | Hummingbird // WIlco | Battle Cry // Angel Haze | Yellow Flicker Beat // Lorde | Magnets // Lorde | Tiger Mountain Peasant Song // Fleet Foxes | Blue Ridge Mountains // Fleet Foxes | Furr // Blitzen Trapper | Wolverine // Sufjan Stevens | When I Was a Boy // Dar Williams | Blackberry Blossom // Michelle Shocked
Athena: Academia // Sia | Space Oddity // David Bowie | Dark Matter // Andrew Bird | Bravado // Lorde | Last of the American Girls/Sheâs a Rebel // Green Day ft. Cast of American Idiot | Plasticities // Andrew Bird | Imitosis // Andrew Bird
Demeter: Adagio for Strings // Samuel Barber | Loved and Alive // Jim and the Povalos | Iowa // Pearl and the Beard | The Circle Game // Joni Mitchell | Landslide // Fleetwood Mac | Woodstock // Joni Mitchell | Proserpina // Martha Wainwright
Dionysos: Chandelier // Sia | Gasoline // Halsey | GDFR // Flo Rida, Sage the Gemini | St. Jimmy // Green Day ft. Cast of American Idiot | Fiery Crash // Andrew Bird | Teeth // Lady Gaga | Sin Wagon // Dixie Chicks | German Sparkle Party // The Something Experience
Haides: You // Pearl and the Beard | Golden // Fall Out Boy | Boulevard of Broken Dreams // Green Day | Hell is Chrome // Wilco | John Wayne Gacy, Jr // Sufjan Stevens | Live and Die // The Avett Brothers | One // U2
Hephaistos: Sim Sala Bim // Fleet Foxes | The Once and Future Carpenter // The Avett Brothers | Take âem Away // Old Crow Medicine Show | Radioactive // Imagine Dragons | Gwyn, Lord of Cinder // Dark Souls soundtrack
Hera: Prodigal Daughter // Pearl and the Beard | Rumour Has It // Adele | Single Ladies // Beyonce | Heirloom // Sufjan Stevens | Donât You Worry Child // Swedish House Mafia | Youâre Aging Well // Dar Williams | St. Judyâs Comet // Paul Simon | Hide and Seek // Imogen Heap
Hermes: Lie, Cheat, Steal // Run the Jewels | Travesty // invoke | Twin Skeletonâs // Fall Out Boy | Bitch, Look At Me Now (Two Weeks) // Childish Gambino | Wing$ // Macklemore | Jesus of Suburbia mix // Green Day ft. Cast of American Idiot | Fiery Crash // Andrew Bird | Irrational Anthem // Plain White Tâs | Long Way Around // Dixie Chicks | Smooth Criminal // Michael Jackson | Poker Face // Lady Gaga | Chicago // Sufjan Stevens
Hestia: Miss Missing You // Fall Out Boy | Home // Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes | Our House // Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young | Fatima // Kânaan | Round Here // Counting Crows | Angel of Montgomery // Bonnie Raitt | Baby Blue // Bob Dylan | Welfare Music // The Bottle Rockets | When Iâm Gone // Phil Ochs
Nemesis: Goodbye Earl // Dixie Chicks | Two Black Cadillacs // Carrie Underwood | Better Than Revenge // Taylor Swift | Not Ready to Make Nice // Dixie Chicks
Persephone: Keep You On My Side // CHVRCHES | Good Death // Pearl and the Beard | Death Valley // Fall Out Boy | Just One Yesterday // Fall Out Boy | River // Pearl and the Beard | 21 Guns // Green Day | Uma Thurman // Fall Out Boy | Die Die Die // The Avett Brothers | The Cave // Mumford and Sons | Walk On // U2
Poseidon: Swimming // Pearl and the Beard | Hurricane // Panic! at the Disco | Armchairs // Andrew Bird | Swimming // Florence + the Machine | Lusitania // Andrew Bird ft. Annie Clark | What the Water Gave Me // Florence + the Machine | Never Let Me Go // Florence + the Machine | Northern Downpour // Panic! at the Disco
Zeus: Panthers // Wilco | Weather Systems // Andrew Bird | Beautiful Day // U2 | Rain King // Counting Crows | American Girls // Counting Crows | Deja Vu // Crosby, Stills, Nash, & YoungÂ
@asphodel-grimoire @winebrightruby look at this labor of love
Chalkeia Rite
Honoring: Hephaistos and Athena as patrons of artisans and craftworkers
Date: 30 Pyanepsia (~ 11 November per HMEPA)
Region: AthensItems needed
Bowl of water and stick (incense, punk, or natural) to light and douse
Candle, matches or lighter to light the stick
Bowl of barley
Offerings (wine or some other drink)
Libation bowl
Cup
Crafting implements to be blessed; these can include things like knitting needles, crochet hooks, paintbrushes, woodcarving tools and so forth.
Optional: Materials for making a peplos to be presented at PanathenaiaIn the ritual script, italicized text refers to directions and actions and isnât meant to be spoken.
Procession
Assemble and prepare to process to the altar.
We go to the holy place with reverence and love, to honor the gods.
Proceed to enter the sacred space.
Purification of participants
Light the stick or incense and extinguish in the bowl of water, creating lustral water.
May all be made pure who wash in this water.
Pour water over the hands of each person so that they may rinse their face and hands in the lustral water.
Purification of space
Pass the bowl of barley among the participants so that each may take a handful of barley.
May all that is profane be gone from here!
Each person throws barley onto the altar, gently if indoors, with force if outside.
Invocation
We call to Athena of the steel-grey eyes,
whose will it was that built the walls of Athens,
whose wisdom brought into being an age of greatness.We call to Hephaistos of the fire and the forge,
whose keen eye and strong arm made from stone unrefined
the strongest of shields, the sharpest of blades.O gods whose favor falls on the diligent
and the deft, the artist and the artisan,
the seamstress and the smith, the wright and the weaver,
all who work with craft and skill, whose hands grow calloused,
whose eyes grow dim, we ask your blessing on our art.If ever we have honored you, poured out sweet wine
in reverence and love, O great ones, deathless ones,
hear now our prayers, grant now your blessings. Praise be to you!Statement of purpose
We gather today to celebrate the Chalkeia, the day of Athena and Hephaistos, patrons of craft and art. On this day we praise and honor the gods for their many gifts to humankind, we thank them for the skill and inspiration they provide us, and we ask their blessing on the tools we use in doing their work.
Blessing of crafting implements
Place crafting implements on the altar.
To Athena, who shapes the maker and the mind,
to Hephaistos, who crafts things of beauty and strength,
to you gods who guide the hands and hearts of menand women as we bring into the world
that which has never been before: we thank you
for your gift of art and inspiration, we thank you
for your counsel and the vision you provide.
O gods of the workbasket, gods of the hammer
and tongs, we ask your blessing on these tools
that we may be strong and skillful in our work.Remove crafting implements from the altar.
Creating the peplos to be presented at the Panathenaia
If you plan to craft a peplos for Athena to use in celebrating the next Panathenaia, now present the materials youâll be using to make itâfor example, yarn if youâll be knitting, crocheting or weaving it, or fabric if youâll be sewing it.
Great Athena, mistress of foresight, good advisor,
whose art and skill are unsurpassed, whose goodness
and bounty are far-famed, peerless goddess whose gifts
to mankind are well known, to you we promise
the gift of a new peplos, to be made by hand
with care and reverence from these materials.Hold up materials.
O goddess, may you bless our work, may you be pleased
with our efforts and our devotion.Remove materials from the altar.
Libations and offerings
Pour wine, milk, or other liquid offering into cup; hold up filled cup.
To noble Hestia, who ever comes first and last,
We offer this drink; all praise to you, O Hestia!Pour out some wine into the libation bowl; hold up cup, refilling if necessary.
To great and gracious Athena, child of mighty Zeus,
We offer this drink; all praise to you, O Athena!Pour out some wine into the libation bowl; hold up cup, refilling if necessary.
To clever Hephaistos, great of strength, great of art,
We offer this drink; all praise to you, O Hephaistos!Pour out some wine into the libation bowl; hold up cup , refilling if necessary.
To noble Hestia, who ever comes last and first,
We offer this drink; all praise to you, O Hestia!Pour out some wine into the libation bowl; hold up cup, refilling if necessary.
We share this drink among ourselves with love for the gods
and gratitude for all we have been given.Pass the cup among the participants.
Thanks
We thank you, O gods, for your presence this day
as we celebrate your festival with reverence and joy.
We thank you, O gods, for your many blessings,
for the great gifts you grant to men and women.
With love and devotion we praise and honor you.Close
We leave this holy place, with reverence and gratitude for all we have been given. The rite is ended.
Step away from the altar and leave the sacred space.
For more information on ritual format, see my other blog.
A PDF version of the ritual script is available here.
Persephone Epithets
Azesia– âof the Dried Fruitsâ and/or âWho Seeksâ. The epithet is shared with her mother, Demeter. It is possible the double meaning is intended to link them while referring to their separate aspects.
Brimo– âthe Angryâ or âthe Terrifyingâ. An alternative interpretation places the meaning as âof the Crackling Fire.â This epithet was most commonly shared by Persephone, Demeter, Hekate, and Cybele. However, many Goddesses are known to be called by this name. The interpretation of âthe Crackling Fireâ refers to Hekate bearing the torches during the initial search for Persephone.
Carpophorus– âBringer of Fruitâ. This epithet was specific to Persephone in the role of Kore. She shared it with Demeter. This was a common epithet used at their temple in Tegea.Â
Chthonia– âof the Earthâ or âSubterraneanâ. This is an epithet common to any deity who journeys to the Underworld. Notably, it is shared by Hades, Persephone, Demeter, Hekate, Hermes, and Dionysus.
Daeira– âKnowing Oneâ. Demeterâs and Persephoneâs Mystery traditions were one of the first and most well-known. Persephone comprehended the mysteries of living and death. She knew the mechanisms of the Earth.
Deione– âDaughter of Demeterâ.
Despoena– âThe Ruling Goddessâ or âThe Mistress.â This epithet is shared by Persephone, Demeter, and Aphrodite.
Eleusina– âof Eleusisâ. This epithet is shared by Persephone and Demeter. The main area of their worship was the town of Eleusis in Attica.
Epaine– âthe Fearfulâ. It is not that Persephone herself was afraid, but her worshipers praised her because of how they feared her.
Hagne– âPureâ or âHoly Oneâ.
Hercyna– âof the Stone Enclosureâ. This is a poorly understood epithet. In my opinion, it refers to her domain in the Underworld.
Kore– âThe Maidenâ. This is an alternate name for Persephone and was her original name before joining Hades in the Underworld. It can be used for her at any time.
Leptynis– There is no solid interpretation of this epithet. Leptins were small Greek coins used in ancient times, so I often think this means âof the Coins.â This would work because her husband was Hades, Lord of Riches and coins were used as payment to enter the Underworld.
Megala Thea– âGreat Goddessâ.
Melitodes– âSweet as Honeyâ. Persephone, as seen above, was considered to be a terrifying Goddess. This epithet was used as a way of invoking her softly, with compliments.
Praxidike– âBringer of Justiceâ.
Protogone– âFirst Bornâ. This is another poorly understood epithet. I interpret it as a nod to Persephone as Demeterâs first-born child. (Zeus had many Goddesses he considered to be his Queen. Demeter was one of them, and Persephone is often considered to be their child from this time.)
Soteira– âSaviorâ. An epithet shared by many Goddesses including Artemis, Persephone, Athena, and Eunomia. In Laconia and Arcadia, this was commonly used by worshipers of Persephone. A similar epithet is shared by Hades and Dionysus, as well as many other Gods.
(Source: theoi.com- Titles of Demeter & Kore: Ancient Greek Religion)
I hope this is a helpful list for anyone interested in worshiping Persephone. These are her main epithets. I took out alternate spellings and epithets which had the same meanings but were less widely known than the ones shown here. If you are interested in ideas on when to use these epithets or inspiration based on them, shoot me an ask!
Hellenic Welcome Wagon
Just a list of resources that I cite most often for folks interested in Hellenismos. Most of these sources are taken from other tumblr users or other online forums. Please note that tumblr research is no excuse not to do book research. Â
Hellenismos? Whatâs that?
More about Hellenic PolytheismÂ
Even More about Hellenic Polytheism, the recon edition
How do you do the thing?
How do I introduce myself to a deity?
Hereâs the thing about Patrons in a Hellenic context
Example of how to give offering
How to worship: Khthonic vs. Ouranic
Reconstructionist vs Non Recon
Alter/Shrine Stuff, what should go on it?
How do I learn more?
Online Documentaries and Video Resources
Find more resources in my Hellenic Resources tag
hello! newly practicing hellenic polytheist here. i was wondering if you could help me out a bit? i’ve always felt a connection with hestia especially. i’m sorry, im not sure what im really asking. are there any definite do’s and don’t’s i should know about, in general?
Do: Pray. Â Offer. Â Start out small. Â Pray on the days where you feel like praying, and especially pray on the days where you donât feel like praying. Â Find a friend who can assist you with divination. Â Learn about miasma.
Donât:
Fear miasma (since it happens to everyone). Â Stop your practice because you donât feel like youâre good enough. Â Stop your practice because you made a mistake.
Mistakes happen; our understanding grows, and we change how we do things.
The Carving Witch 