She is a warrior goddess who protects cities. Hestia, goddess of the hearth, the fireside, architecture, domesticity, the family, the home, and the state. The Aztec Religion and Gods of the Ancient Mexica, Tlaloc the Aztec God of Rain and Fertility, Tezcatlipoca: Aztec God of Night and Smoking Mirrors, Xipe Totec: Grisly Aztec God of Fertility and Agriculture, Tonatiuh, the Aztec God of the Sun, Fertility and Sacrifice, Quetzalcoatl - Pan-Mesoamerican Feathered Serpent God, Chalchiuhtlicue - Aztec Goddess of Lakes, Streams, and Oceans, The Founding of Tenochtitlan and the Origin of the Aztecs, Profile of Huehueteotl-Xiuhtecuhtli, Aztec God of Fire, Tlaltecuhtli - The Monstrous Aztec Goddess of the Earth, History of Animal and Plant Domestication, Chalchiuhtlicue. Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and the home, and Artemis was the goddess of the moon and the hunt. Indeed, the relationship with Iolaus was enshrined in Thebes, where male couples of the day could be found "exchanging vows and pledges with their beloved at his tomb," according to historian Louis Crompton. Apollo Olympian god of music, poetry, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, sun, light and knowledge. - Artemis, goddess of hunt, was either aroace or a lesbian according to many people. Retells the famous tales about Fionn mac Cumhail (or Finn McCool) and the band of Irish warriors known as the Fianna. However, that ended poorly when Myrmex pretended to have invented the plow, one of Athena's creations, and Athena turned the girl into an ant. And while some stories list Daphnis, the inventor of pastoral poetry, as the son of Hermes, other sources claim him to be the god of speed's favorite lover. Artemis didn't want to get married or have sex with men because in those days a woman attaching herself to a man would mean giving up her autonomy and independence. She is the mother of Balder. Size queen. Hod is the blind god of winter who kills his brother Balder and is in turn killed by his brother Vali. The Dagda was the supposed father of several other important figures in Irish mythology including the goddess Brigid and Bodb Derg who featured a key role in the tale of the Children of Lir. The names of Celtic gods and the names of Celtic goddesses that occur often in Celtic mythology are listed below.. It is said that the games were founded in memory of Lughs foster mother Tailtiu, who was also thought to be a goddess.. Friday is named for her. The real question, then, is whether old Greek writings reflect an idea of asexuality similar to our modern one. He only earned his name C Chulainn (Irish for Hound of Culainn) after killing the trusted guard dog of Culainn in self defense, by accurately hitting a sliotar (ball used in the Irish game of hurling) down its throat as it attacked him. - Athena, goddess of widsom, was a lesbian. Tlaloc's main shrine was the second shrine after Huitzilopochtli's, located on top of the Templo Mayor, the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan. Male lovers in the Trojan War? Pan frequently was depicted in sculpture chasing both women and men around with his always-erect penis and oversized scrotum. A myth traced in origin to the Boeotia region mentions a relationship between Narcissus and the smitten Ameinias, whom Narcissus would eventually grow tired of before sending him a sword as a kiss-off. Her Roman equivalent is Minerva. NarcissusA figure mostly known for his obsessive vanity, this son of a nymph and a river god would spend his last days gazing at his own reflection, but the first man he showed affection for was not himself. id love to hear more on this topic from people with bigger brains than I. Above: Alexander Kiselev, Apollo and Hyacinth (1884). C Chulainn or Cchulainn features often in the Ulster Cycles of Irish mythology. Take for example: 1. The accuracy of this suggestion is still debated by scholars.. The relationship provided the foundation of the custom of paiderastia, the practice of Greek men at the time maintaining erotic relationships with adolescent boys on the side. Both the gods of Lugh and the Dagda are supposedly buried in the sacred center of the island of Ireland, Uisneach. Each group supervises one aspect of the universe: the heaven or the sky; the rain, fertility and agriculture; and, finally, war and sacrifice. Xipe Totec (pronounced Shee-peh Toh-tek) is Our Lord with the flayed skin. Xipe Totec was the god of agricultural fertility, the east and the goldsmiths. The Dagda, god of agriculture, weather, the seasons and time is one such example. He is primarily the, Water was considered a sacred element and. Despite being married, C Chulainn is also known for his many affairs including with, In addition to his abilities as a warrior, C Chulainn terrified his enemies by flying into a. Lada, goddess of beauty and fertility. Deichtine decided that her son should be reared by seven nobles to ensure that he received a wide ranging education. HermesThe wing-heeled messenger of the gods was said in multiple myths to have male lovers. Hestia is described as a kind, forgiving and discreet goddess with a passive, non-confrontational nature. Salmacis hides until he strips to bathe in her lake. Ultimately, Iphis fell in love with Ianthe, a woman, and was betrothed to her. Associated with fertility and agriculture, hisorigins can be traced back to Teotihuacan, the Olmec and the Maya civilizations. Saint Brigid founded a monastery in County Kildare on the site of a sacred place dedicated to the goddess Brigid. However, some later Greek writers did come to treat Artemis as inherently asexual and as an opposite to Aphrodite. Aglaia is one of three daughters to Zeus and the Oceanid Eurynome. Despite being married, C Chulainn is also known for his many affairs including with Aife, with whom he has a son and the Scandinavian Princess,Derbforgaill who turned into a swan to be with him. Dionysus. Above: Hans Sebald Beham, Heracles and Iolaus dispatching the hydra with club and fire, PoseidonAccording to Pindar's First Olympian Ode, Pelops, the king of Pisa, once shared "Aphrodite's sweet gifts" with the ocean god himself. The Pseudo-Apollodorus also said Apollo had been with Thracian singer Thamyris in the first man-on-man relationship in history. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. The Dagda is the Celtic god of. She first taught earthly craftsmen to make chariots of war and cars variously wrought with bronze, and she, too, teaches tender maidens in the house and puts knowledge of goodly arts in each one's mind. Important Aztec Gods and Goddesses. According to Ovid, he never took another female lover after that -- but did love other young men in Thrace. Centeotl (pronounced Cen-teh-otl) was the god of maize, and as such he was based on a pan-Mesoamerican god shared by Olmec and Maya religions. Above: Logios Hermes (Hermes Orator); marble, Roman copy from the late first century B.C.-early second century A.D. after a Greek original of the fifth century B.C. Watch. One ritual to ensure a fruitful harvest in the coming year was the annual coupling of the Dagda with his wife, the Morrigan goddess at the feast of the Samhain (on 1 November). 1 ESO. - Hermes, menssager of the gods, was bisexual as well. A myth traced in origin to the Boeotia region mentions a relationship between Narcissus and the smitten Ameinias, whom Narcissus would eventually grow tired of before sending him a sword as a kiss-off. Reporting this earned him a blinding by Hera. However, many scholars now consider this myth as a creation of the Franciscan friars during the post-Conquest period. According to Ovid, he never took another female lover after that -- but did love other young men in Thrace. Hestia was the eldest daughter of Cronos and Rhea. Forseti - God of justice, peace and truth. Aeolus Greek god of the winds and air Aether Primordial god of the upper air, light, the atmosphere, space and heaven. Brigid was the goddess Celtic people turned to when they needed to be healed. Bri - Ruler of Prehistory, the first god and father of Borr. The hunt especially was important to them, and if they didn't have her blessing, then the hunt would not turn out very well. He is also connected with life and death. Nicoletta Maestri holds a Ph.D. in Mesoamerican archaeology with fieldwork experience in Italy, the Near East, and throughout Mesoamerica. to a lesser degree.. Above: Felice Giani, The Marriage of Poseidon and Amphitrite (1802-1805), OrpheusThe legendary poet and musician may be best known for the story of his journey to the underworld to retrieve his wife, Eurydice; he failed to do so when he succumbed to temptation and looked at her before both had returned to the world of the living. She also had an adopted son, Erichthonius. But when Zeus disguised himself as Artemis, she was lured into the goddess's embrace. Their roles appear to be more all encompassing than just related to birth and children. iva, goddess of love and fertility. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and sex. It was at this point that he also first encountered another famous Irish goddess, The Morrigan. The goddess ine is strongly associated with the feast of midsummer and the summer sun. I don't know much about Hestia and only a bit about Artemis, so I'll leave the discussions of them to others who know more. This website saves cookies to your browser in order to improve your online experience and show you personalized content. She is occasionally depicted as having flames coming out of her hair. NikeAguaraguazu. He was able to make a dramatic entrance on his horse-pulled chariot that could ride upon the waves. Of these three Aphrodite cannot bend or ensnare the hearts. Above: John Macallan Swan, Orpheus (1896), HermaphroditusPerhaps the earliest literary reference to an intersex person concerns this child of Hermes and love goddess Aphrodite who as a youth encountered the nymph Salmacis, who attempted to seduce the youth and asked the gods that their forms be permanently joined. His horned appearance may have been an inspiration for the depiction of Satan with horns. Elli - Goddess of old age. She is always an advocate of rationality, and neither love nor sexuality are entirely rational impulses. Pelops for a time was taken to Olympus by Poseidon and trained to drive the divine chariot. At this time, the Dagda was living in Newgrange and Aengus tricked him into letting him live there permanently. He is credited with the creation of a large hunting game. In addition to his abilities as a warrior, C Chulainn terrified his enemies by flying into a frenzied rage in battle. Above: Enrique Simonet, El Juicio de Paris (1904), ErosWhile the best-known myths of Eros depict the son of Aphrodite as a fertility god -- the version that proved inspirational to the popularized Roman god Cupid -- later Greek myths portrayed Eros as one of several winged erotes, and the one regarded as a protector of homosexual culture, according to research in the scholarly book Among Women: From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World. Nor yet does the pure maiden Hestia love Aphrodite's works. Above: Jean-George Vibert, Narcissus, ApolloThe sun god, one of the most important in all literature, was also quite the libertine. Much turns on whether "bend" means "influence at all" or "arouse desire to such an extent that consquences would ensue," but it is certainly less than "ensnare," and that she has no influence at all on all three is a probable reading. I don't know exactly why I am writing this post, and I know that nobody else cares, I just think that it's interesting, especially in our society where sex is so valued above almost everything else, that a completely asexual woman could be viewed as one of the most powerful and respected dieties to ancient greek society. Clodhna, was the daughter of the sea god Manannan and like him, also has a special connection to the Celtic Otherworld., In Irish folklore,Snann was responsible for the overflowing of a well that led to creation of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland. Do I need a thermal expansion tank if I already have a pressure tank? The Symposium goes into some manner of detail on this point about Eros, describing maleness and sexuality as effectively identical concepts with no real distinguishing factors. I am not familiar with the Greek sources enough to know whether the detail of Hermaphroditus being uninterested in sex with Salmacis is them. In Navajo mythology, Tsohanoai is the husband of the goddess of seasons, Estsanatlehi. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, warfare and craftsmanship. When Prosymnus died before that deal would be consummated, the god created a wood phallus to ritually fulfill the promise, according to research by a number of Christian historians, including Hyginus and Arnobius. There are actually several Celtic goddesses connected with water. Asexual Goddess Births Starting in the Epic period of Hinduism (400 B.C.E. Size queen. She was also the Goddess of more things then you can count - most notably, wisdom, stratigic and honorable warfare (not fighting for the sake of fighting, that was Ares' realm) and the crafts - and she seems to have been either directly or indirectly responsible for what seems like most of the great myths that were told. As the wife of the god of the underworld, Isis was also one of the main deities concerned with rites for the dead. In the Golden Age, mortals and gods mingled freely. She is known as the mother of the god Enki/Ea as well as the mother goddess who gave birth to the cosmos and all the gods. This post contains affiliate links. October 11, 2016 in Romantic and Aromantic Orientations, So, who's interested in talking about the sexuality of mythological greek gods, here are some statements, pls correct me if i'm wrong: :). At times, these names could be used interchangeably. Hathor (Egyptian: Het-Hert) - One of the most important goddesses, linked with the sky, the sun, sexuality and motherhood, music and dance, foreign lands and goods, and the afterlife. His prayer too is granted, and the pool of Salmacis was reputed to take away the virility of men. There doesn't seem to be anything to suggest that Dionysius doesn't experience sexual attraction, irrespective of whether he partakes in it. And didn't Athena get born by popping whole out of Zeus's head? In order to marry her, Aengus had to correctly identify her as a swan among 150 other swans, which he was able to do. Aphrodite was, in fact, widely worshipped as a goddess of the sea and of . So this is more an avenue for research than a definitive answer. Artemis/Diana - The Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. As a mother goddess figure, she is most usually associated with, Some scholars have argued that Danu may be, The crow symbol is thought to connect with, in Irish). Since Victorian times, it has been suggested that he is the god of sun and light, due to his name which means light or brightin Irish. Delling - God of the dawn. The Greek word aphros means "foam," and Hesiod relates in his Theogony that Aphrodite was born from the white foam produced by the severed genitals of Uranus (Heaven), after his son Cronus threw them into the sea. Among them: Abderos, who kept the mares of Diomedes for Heracles but was eaten by the beasts; Hylas, Heracles' companion when he sailed on the Argo, who was eventually kidnapped by nymphs in Mysia; and Iolaus, who help cauterize the necks of the hydra when Heracles famously chopped off the beast's many heads. Athena didn't catch the innuendo. Like the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt and Rome, there is always a supreme being keeping watch over all. Male lovers of the god included the satyr Ampelos and the famously handsome Adonis. a more solid source for that version of the Erichthonius story. - 400 C.E. Other myths also disclose Achilles was struck by the beauty of Troilus, a Trojan prince. Above: Diego Velazquez, The Triumph of Bacchus, a.k.a. ZeusAlthough a famous philanderer who sired countless demigods by every peasant girl in need of an explanation to her parents, Zeus also selected the young mortal Ganymede to serve as his cupbearer on Mount Olympus. In some myths, Pandora is the first woman, created by Hephaestus for Zeus to punish humanity. She is said to be responsible for the rage and fury of a battle and her terrifying scream can kill or paralyze a man. It is said that upon hearing the news that Boann was pregnant, the Dagda attempted to hide the pregnancy by keeping the sun still in the sky for 9 months so that the gestation would take place in the space of a day. Bisexual. In order to marry her, Aengus had to correctly identify her as a swan among 150 other swans, which he was able to do. There is one story in which the god [Hephaestus] was told by Ares that Athena wanted to make love to him, so when she asked him to make her some new weapons, he said that the only payment he would need was her love. Alastor - God of vengeance and family feuds. Anyone would like to add anything i missed? He was the patron of knowledge and learning and also a creative god. The Goddess Athena - Asexuality and the Gods, AVEN Unofficial discord and other resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, July/August/September 2022 - Asexual Dating. She was a very powerful goddess as well, very strong willed. Above: Athena, center, in a mural by John Singer Sargent, AphroditeWhile the goddess of love is not identified prominently as lesbian herself, the Greek poet Sappho (as in sapphic) of Lesbos (yes, as in lesbian) told many homoerotic tales and named Aphrodite as the greatest patron and ally of lesbians and homosexuals within the Greek pantheon of gods. C Chulainn was a skilled and dedicated warrior from an early age, and was always eager to join in the physical training sessions of the older boys. After the gods changed him back, Zeus asked who enjoyed sex more, men or women. As another example, Eros is often referred to as being one of those omnipresent entities in male interactions in Greek culture. Can I tell police to wait and call a lawyer when served with a search warrant? In the General Post Office (or GPO) in Dublin, Ireland there is a sculpture by Oliver Shepard of C Chulainns final moments.. Danu is the mother goddess of Ireland and of the Tuatha d Danann. Most of the evidence supporting the worship of Cernunnos was found in Gaul (the name given to France by the Romans) and Britain, with less influence in Ireland. Above: Antonio Verrio, The Gods on Mount Olympus (1690-1694), AchillesThe Greek hero Achilles was invulnerable excepting his famous weak heel, but a male shieldbearer broke through the warrior's romantic defenses. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. NarcissusA figure mostly known for his obsessive vanity, this son of a nymph and a river god would spend his last days gazing at his own reflection, but the first man he showed affection for was not himself. Patroclus's death at the hands of Trojan Prince Hector sent Achilles into a rage in which he killed Hector and dragged his body around Troy. Pan frequently was depicted in sculpture chasing both women and men around with his always-erect penis and oversized scrotum. I don't expect that the ancient Greeks shared our modern conception of asexuality (though I'd definitely be open to an answer discovering that they did). In one myth, she she fell in love with the hunter Orion, but only after being friends for a while. I think of the most greek gods as pansexual, no pun intended.Why would Zeus care which sex he has sex with, as he has sex with everything that's available? Majorities or pluralities of Muslims (66%), Christians (68%), Sikhs (57%) and Buddhists (39%) say "there is only one God.". Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Each became the river goddess of their respective rivers.. Sigils Emblems Insignias Collection. We don't even have any evidence that the men outnumbered the gods significantly. In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Artemis ( / rtms /; Greek: ) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. He prays to his parents in turn: O my father, and my mother, grant this prayer to your son, who owes his name to you both: if any man enter this pool, may he depart hence no more than half a man, may he suddenly grow weak and effeminate at the touch of these waters. The Pseudo-Apollodorus also said Apollo had been with Thracian singer Thamyris in the first man-on-man relationship in history. She is biologically female - and a very beautiful one, given how the other gods wanted to marry her - but she did not act really like a female or a male. Seemingly not all of them, Lugh is said to have been speared and drowned in Loch Lugborta(or Loch Lugh) in County Westmeath, by the sons of Cermait after he killed their father. Above: Felice Giani, The Marriage of Poseidon and Amphitrite (1802-1805), OrpheusThe legendary poet and musician may be best known for the story of his journey to the underworld to retrieve his wife, Eurydice; he failed to do so when he succumbed to temptation and looked at her before both had returned to the world of the living. Plato was a wrestler who competed in the Isthmian Games, a Greek athletic event similar to the Olympics. Patroclus's death at the hands of Trojan Prince Hector sent Achilles into a rage in which he killed Hector and dragged his body around Troy. Callisto and Arcas were later put in the stars as the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Set around the 3rd century C.E. Muse, tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite the Cyprian, who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land rears, and all that the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Cytherea. First is the daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis, bright-eyed Athena; for she has no pleasure in the deeds of golden Aphrodite, but delights in wars and in the work of Ares, in strifes and battles and in preparing famous crafts. Somebody pointed out to me the topic on LJ (it was Naissur9, who doesn't come here much anymore) and I read it there. Another belief revolves around reincarnation. I'm going to have to poke through the sources you linked, too. He was closely related to Tlaloc and is usually represented as a young man with a maize cob sprouting from his headdress. Athena, goddess of wisdom, warfare and craftsmanship. - Dionysus, god of the parties, was bisexual. By some accounts, she was Callisto's lover before the nymph was raped by Zeus. He is known for single-handedly defeating the army of Queen Medb in the Battle of Cooley, as the Ulstermen were unable to fight due to a curse previously placed on them. While many of the other greek gods - men and women alike - were promiscous, Athena was completely asexual, and not because she was a "pure" goddess of chasity or something. Alastor God of family feuds and avenger of evil deeds. There are several divine mother goddess figures in ancient Celtic mythology. It appears that Manannn took over the role of the sea god from his father, although some tales suggest that Lir was the god of the ocean and Manannn was the god of the sea.
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