KLLPLREE -MAGIC-A cope manual of a uniu magial sste bs o the classical leens of anient Greece. MURRYHOP Ilustrated byMartinJones THEAQUARIANPRESS Wellingborough,Northaptonshire Firstpublished1985 MURRYHOPE1985 Thibookisoldsubjecttotheconditionthatitshalnot,bywayof tradeorotherwie,belent,re-sold,hiredout,orotherwiecirclated withoutthepubliher's prorconentinany formof bindingorcover otherthanthatinwhichiti publihedandwithoutasimlarcondition includingthiconditionbeingimposedonthesubsequent purhaser. BrtishLibraryCataloguinginPublictionData Hope,Murry PracticlGreekmagic. 1.Occultsciences I.Title 133BF141l ISBN0-85030-30-X The Aquarian Pre ipartof the Thorson PblihingGroup PrinteandboundinGreatBritan whatwearetoourinwardvision,andwhatmanappearstobe sbspecaeaeteritati,canonlybeexpressedbywayofmyth. Mythismore individualand expresses lifemoreprecisely thandoes science.' CarlGustavJ ung ToJed withaHeroine' s loveandgratitude. CONTENTS Introduction PARTONE:THETHEORY 1 .TheMythologicalHistoryandOriginsofthe Page 9 GreekMagcalSystem13 2.TheOlypiaTake-over26 3.ThePatheonof Twelve31 4.TheMinorDeities45 5.Non-Humans,FabulousBeastsand NatureDivinities 53 6.TheEleusinia62 7.OrphismandtheLesserRtes67 8. TeOracles72 9.Magica SybolismBehindtheHeroicAdventures79 10.The Esoteric SignifcaceofOlympus82 11.ThePhilosophers,Astrology andGreekLogic88 12.TheEgyptianandOtherExternalInfuences92 PARTTWO:THEPRACTICE 13.TutelageandTutorage 95 14.TheOccultNaturesandFunctionsof theTwelve Olympians10 8PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC 15.WorkingwiththeMinorDeities,Fabulous BeastsandNatureDivinities109 16.TheNatureandPowerofPan 114 1 7. TheMajorSymbolsEmployedinHeroicMagic 118 18.TheGreekDeitiesofHeaing14 19. TheTwelveLaboursofHerculesandtheir EsotericMeanngs143 20. Invocation,Evocationg adSecretRites 154 21.Reconstrctingthe AncientOracles159 22.NegativeForcesandHowtoCombatThem162 23.ChoosingtheHeroicRole1 67 24. SomePracticalAdviceandSuggestions 171 Bibliography174 Inde175 INTRODUCTION Magicisconcernedwiththeconversionof unversalenergies into practicalfrequenciesthatcanbe utilizedaccordingto the needsof theoccasion& These energies in themselvesare totally neutral ,havingnoaffliationwithanybelief,systemor personalityeitherhereonEarthoranywhereinthecosmos,theirmanifestationatthemagicallevelbeingcoloured entirelybythenatureandintentionof theuser. Althoughoverthecenturiesmanhasdevisedmany methodsofeffectingthisprocess, therealizationwill inevitablydawnonhimthatwhatheisbasicallytryingto materisthepowerofhisownmind.Mindovermatterisby nomeansaesotericasmanyoccultistsandmysticswould haveusbelieve& Becauseofrecentforwardstridesinholistic healingtheconceptofself-programming,forexaple,is slowlyacquiringcredenceamongthemorestalwartbastions ofmedicalorthodoxy.Thisdoesnotimply,of course,thatit isaeasyandtrouble-freedisciplinefor,likeeveryhingelse inlife,itneedstobeproperlylearned,digestedand understoodbeforeitbecomessafelypractical. Asastudyandseriouspractice,however,itcbe approachedinmanywaysandat manylevels, someof which havebeenclassifedoverthecenturiesintowhatare termed occultschools,systemsortraditions.Theseschoolscarrythe infuenceof thecultureinwhichtheyfrstfourishedandof theindividualgrouporfaiththatgavebirthtothemand 10PRCTICALGREKMAGIC fosteredtheirinfancy.Someoftheoldertraditionssuchas theEgyptian,IndianandChaldeahavenaturalyatered considerablyoverthecenturesassuccessivemagi,teachers adreformershavelefttheirmak.Buttheessencestill remainstoberediscoveredbytheardentseeker. Magicandphilosophyformeaveryreapartofearly Greeklifeinthatthebasicreligoncontanedmorethana spruklingofoccutovertones.LiketheearlierEgyptian macasystem,theGreekschoolsprangfromseveral sources,someclearlyprimitiveandotherssuperimposedby i ncomngculturaltides.Astimeprogressedtheoldreligions gavewaytothepopularmysterycults,thebestknownof whichate probablytheOrphic,Dionysiac and Eleusinian,but thereisfarmoretoberevealed,aswesha see. TheGreekmagicalquestissymbolizedbythecultofthe heroormortawho,in pursuitof his divinty,issubjectedtoa seriesofpersonalinitiationswhichtaketheformof mythologicaldeeds.Thesechallengesappearinpracticaad of-timesvery earthlyform,inspiteofa generoussmattering offabulousbeastsandaccompanyingelementalphenomena, plussometimelyhelpfromOlympus.Butfromaoccult standpoint they are purely allegorical and simply representthe triasoftheaspiringhumansoulwhosequesttakeshimi nto theuniversebeyondthedimensionsofearthlylfeand experience,wherehemayeventuallybereunitedwithhis source. TheGreekswerenothingifnotlogica;theyemployed iagnatve and psychologcally interesting termsofreference todescribethementaljourneysunderkenbythoseheroic i ntiates whoset forthfrom theirterrestrial originstoconquer thepathtoMountOlypus,thusgainingtheirrightofentry intothecompanyofthegods. TheGreek or Heroic Pathis the way of the individual albeit withalittleassistancefroman'innerplanes'tutor and one or maybemoretutelaydeities.Butitdoesnotca forgroup efforand,althoughmauy occultistsof Greek inclination may choosetoworshipu templeform,ultiatelytheaspirng Herostandsaoneandmust faceandcope withthe 0uC0mugtideofmonsters,gremlnsandtreacheroushuman,in 800l0u tohsownmentalweaknessesadspiritual shorcomngsg ifheistoattantohisspirituagoal. Aformidabletak,prhaps,butu 8CC0t08uCc Wlh the INTRODUCION1 1 Law of Equalities the weaponr avaableto theaspiringHero isequalypowerfuLSo,aslongaduerespectispaidtothe tutelary deities(or,inmoregeneraloccultterms,cosmiclaws areobserved)andappreciationshownfortheirbounty,the apiringHerowillovercomehismortaldependence,master hsegoandreceivehiswell-earnedaccolades.Shouldhefail " eitherhimselforthose'powers'whosefavourshehas electedtoreceive- thepriceorpenaltycouldbeheavy.As JamesDupont(1606-1679)observed:'QuemJuppitervlt perderedementatprius- (Whomthegod[s]destroyhe[ they] frstdrive mad) e Ofcourse,itisnotinreality the'god(s)'who cause the insanity buttheman'smisuse or rejectionof the god aspectswithinhimselfthatcanbrngaboutamental imbalancevaryingindegreeaccordingtothenatureand misdirectionoftheseenergies.So,whilethelonepathmay appeareasierinthatonehasonlyoneselftoplease,the burdenofindividualresponsibilityisacorrespondingly greaterone. Butitisapaththatcanbeconquered;theanswerstothe riddles and direcions for victory are clearly written within the philosophyofGreekmagic,asweshalsee. PARTONE THETHEORY 1.THEMYTHOLOGICALHISTORY ANDORIGINSOFTHEGREEK MAGICALSYSTEM u ordertouncovertherootsofwhatcanbebroadly classifiedasGreekmagic,itisnecessarytoexanethe esoterc/religiousheritageandculturabackclothagainst whichitdeveloped,whilealsoconsideringtheearlyGreek mysticaandmagicalconsciousnessinthelightofthe paticularbrandoflogicsostronglyassociatedwiththat ethos. RobertGraves,inhisbookTheGreekMyths,isofthe opinionthatanystudyinvolvingGreekmythology,orallied credos,shouldbeginwithaconsiderationof thepoliticaand religioussystemsexistinginEuropeprortothearrivalof the Ayan invaders from thedistant north and east.The whole of NeolithicEurope,he tellsus,hada remarkablyhomogeneous systemofreligiousideasbasedontheworshipofthemanytitledmothergoddess,whowasalsoknownandacceptedin LibyaadSyria.AncientEuropedidnotappeartohave gods,onlyagoddess,theconceptoffatherhoodnot,atthat period,having found its way intoreligiousthought.The great goddesstooklovers,butforpleasureratherthatofather childrenforher.ShewasassociatedwiththeMoonand,as such,appearedintripleformasmaiden,nymphandcrone, latterlytypifedbyArtemis,AphroditeandHecate.Atone periodeachformwasdepictedasthreepersons,makingnne inall;butinrealitythesewereallfacetsoftheonegreat motheroruniversagoddess. 14 PRCICALGREEKMGIC Gravesexplans,'Timewasfrstreckonedbylunations, adeveryimportantceremonytookplaceatacerainphase oftheMoon;thesolsticesandequinoxesnotbeingexactly detemined,butapproxiatedtothenearestneworfulMoon.Thenumbersevenacquiedpuliasanctity,because thekingdied attheseventhfullMoonafterthe shortestday.' Later,whenitwasthoughtthatthesolaryearhadonly36 days,plusafewhours(Graves,p.lS),itwadividedinto months- lunarcycles- ratherthanfractionsofthesolar cycle.Thesemonths,Gravestellsus,wereknowna 'commonlawmonths',eachbeingtwenty-igtdays,a asociatedwiththemenstrualcycleinwomenandthetrue periodoftheMoon'srevolutionsintermsoftheSun.The seven-ayweekwasaunitofthecommonlawmonth,the characterofeachbeingdeduced,itseems,fromthequality attributedtothecorrespondingmonthoftheking'slife. Thirteen-monthyearssurvivedamongEuropeanpesatsfor morethanamilleniumafertheacoptionoftheJulian calendar;thiteen,thenumberoftheSun'sdeath-month,has neverlostitsevilreputationamongstthosewhohavetheold religiondeeplyembeddedintheirsubconsciousorpsyche. AccordingtotheLaousseEncyclopdiaofMytholog, wellbeforethepeoplewhomwenowknowasGreekshad emergedfromprimtivebarbarism,asmallpocketof civilizationwhichhadareadystaredtofowerinthethird millenniumexstedinthebasinoftheAegeanSea;itreached itsapogeetowardsthesithcenturyscwhenitspreato continentalGreece,startinginAgolis(Mycenae).Itwas subsequentlydestroyedinthetwelfthcenturybyDorian invasions. InthisAegeancivilizationreligioncertainlyhaditsplace, butwearetoldthatthereisinsufcientarchaeological evidencetoallowanexactestimateofitscharacerand elements.Feishism,itwouldappear,wamuchtheorderof theday,theworshipofsacredstones,pillars,weapons,trees andanimasbeingpredominant.Later,whenananthropomorphicconceptionofdivinityarose,theCretanpantheon wasformed80 themyhswereborn. TheAegeansfollowed thereligiouspatternfavouredbythe surroundingcountriesandculturesofthetie,theirman deityappearinginfeminineformasageatgoddessor universalmother.Inadditiontoembodyingaltheattributes HISTORYANDORIGINSOFGREEKMAGICIS adfunctionsthatmodernreligionsbestowupontheir patriachalgod,shealsosybolzedferilityandher infuencewasbynomeanslmitedtothesphereofhuman eprienceandconsciousness.Shecaredequalyforanimals, plats,mineralsandallivingthings.Thewholeuniversewa her domain,which meant thatshewas mistress of heavenly or etra-terrestrialactivities,aswellasaorders oflifeuponthe plaetEah. This'greatgoddess'appearedinmanyforms,sometimes crouching,sometimesstanding,ofennude;butthebestand mostfamousrepresentationshowsherinadresswitha founcedskirtandacorsagethatleftthebreastsexposedin trueCretanstyle.Theheadgearvariedfromahighly decoratedturbanortiaratofree-fowinglocks. Doubtlesstherewerenumerousvariationsofthegoddess themefromplacetoplace,accordingtothe natureand iclinationsoftheindigenouspopulations.Sometimesshe appearedasavegetationdeityorasaseagoddessconveyed acrossthewavesinamagicalboat;atothertimesshewas evisagedasawarrior ladyescortedbyalion,orastheEarth goddessaroundwhomtheserpents of wisdomand knowledge entwined.Hernamewedonotknowforsure,butclassical conjecturehaitthatshewasprobablyRhea.Zeuswas sometimesreferredtoasherson,atraditionrevivedby HesiodinhisTheogony.Twoothernamesbywhichsheissometimesknownare DictynnaandBritomartis.Dictynna,whomtheGreekscalled 'the goddessofthe nets',wasno doubtconnectedwithMount Dicte,amountaininCretethatwaslatersaidtobethe birthplaceofZeus.Thiswouldthereforebeher'mother goddess'role;whileasBritomartis,'thesweetvirgin',she assumedthemaidenarchetypeinmuchthesamemodeas Aemis,thevirginhuntress. TheAegeangreatgoddessdidhaveamate,however,ad thenameAsterius(thestarry)hascomedowntous.HereemergeslaterunderthenameAsterion,kingofCrete,who marriedEuropaafterheradventurewithZeusandfromthen onwardsappearedto have assimilated the attributesof thesky godhimself.The Cretan god can be identifiedby the mingling oftheanimalandthehumanfeaturesofwhichhisnature appearstohavebeencomposed.The bullwasadoptedbythe Aegeansaasymbolofstrengthandcreativeenergyand 16PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC becamean importat featurein Cretan legends and beliefs.In hisanimalformthebullgodwastheMinotaurandasa humanhewasMinos.LaterHellenizationinduced considerablemodifcationsinalltheearlierAegeanbeliefs andlegendsandthey donotreappearuntiltheheroic legends ofclassicalGreece,whenthey(andother earlierphenomena) serveasbizarreencounters,testinggroundsandenemiesor alliesoftheheroesofold. TheGreekpantheoncanbedatedbacktotheHomeric epoch.Thenumerousdivinitiesofwhichitwascomposed appearintheIladandtheOdyseywiththeirtypical characteristicsandpersonalnatureandlegends,butthepoet tellsusnothingoftheirorigins.Zeusismentionedasbeing theson of Cronus,whileOceanusand hisspouseTethys were saidto havespawnedbothgodsandmortals.Wearebackto ouremergencefromtheseatheme,ratherafterthestyleof theearlier Egyptiandepictions(BritishMuseum)whichshow thebirthplaceofthegodsassomewateryEdentothewest. LaterintheirhistorytheGreeksthoughtitproperto providetheirgodswithagenealogyandahistory.Hesiod's Theogony,writtencircatheeighthcenturyac,istheoldest Greekattemptatmythologicalclassifcation;itpresenteda cosmogony,asmuchasatheogony,thatwasoffcially recognizedasworthyofsomestatusorgeneralacceptance withinthecommunitiesofthetime. Fromthesixthcenturyac,however,untilthebeginningof theChristianera,othertheogonies,whichdepatedwidely fromtheHesiodictraditions,emergedundertheinfuenceof Orphism.ButtheOrphicmysterieswereknownonlytothe initiatedandwerethereforenotnormallyavailabletothe generalpopulace.Theywereasorathertoostrongly AsiaticallyfavouredtobespecifcallyGreekincharacter. Inordertodiscover and analysethoseocculttraditions that contributedtowhatmaybebroadlytermed'Greekmagic'a considerationoftheearlycreationmythsis essential,as these dothrowsomeconsiderablelightonourquest,withRobert Gravesagainasourmajorsourceofreference. ThePelasgianCreationMyth InthebeginningEurynome,thegoddessofallthings,rose nakedfromchaosbutfndingnothingsubstantialfor herfeet torestupon shedividedtheseafromthesky,setthe windsin HISTORYANDORIGINSOFGREEKMAGIC17 mtionandcommencedtheworkofcreation.Thegreat lntOphionwasherfrsteffortandaftercouplingwith hsheassumedtheformofadoveandlaidtheuniversal e.AtherbiddingOphioncoiledseventimesaboutthisegg Wll ithatchedandsplitintwo.Outtumbledallthatexists,herchildren,theSun,Moon,planets, starsandEarthaswe se andknowit.EurynomeandOphionmadetheirhomeon MountOlympus, butheupsetherbyclaimingthathehad createdtheuniverse,soshebruisedhisheadwithherheel , kickedouthisteethand banishedhimto the darkcaves below theEarth. InadditiontotheBiblicalreverberances,thistalepresents uswithsomehighlyinterestingmetaphysicaldata.Eurynome emergesasyetanotherprototypeoftheVirginMary,the latterfrequentlybeingdepictedcrushingtheheadofthe serpentbeneathherfeet;whiletheOphion/Luciferinference isblatantlyobvious.Itisinterestingtocomparethisversion withthe EgyptianlegendwhereRa,theSungod,assumesthe Eurynome role,whilehis old enemy Typhonis put to fight by his daughter,the cat goddessBast;a good example of how the achetypecanmanifestaseithersexaccordingtocurrently fahionabletrendsinreligiousorphilosophicalthought . Toreturntoourgoddess.Next ,wearetold,she' created lhc sevenplanetarypowers,settingaTitanessandaTitan overeach. Theia andHyperionfor the Sun;Phoebeand Atlas fortheMoon;DioneandCriusfortheplanetMars;Metis andCoeusfortheplanetMercury;ThemisandEurymedon fortheplaetJupiter;TethysandOceanusforVenus;Rhea andCronusfortheplanetSaturn. Butthefrstmanwas Pelasgus,ancestorof thePelasgians;hesprangfromthesoil ofArcadia,followedbycertainothers,whomhetaughtto make hutsand feed uponacorns, andsew pigskintunicssuch apoorfolkstillwearin EuboeaandPhocis.'(Graves,p.27) . SoitwouldappearthatatsomepointthePelasgianscame intocontactwithasophisticatedtheogonythatinfuenced boththeircultureandlifestyle.TheirkinshipwiththepreOlympiangoddesscultisalsoobvious. TbeHomericandOhicCreationMytbs According to Orphic tradition,black-wingedNight,a goddess whomeventhemajorgodsheldinawe,wascourtedbythe WindandlaidasilveregginthewombofDarkness.From 18PRCTICALGREEKMAGIC this egg Eros emerged to set the universe in motion.Eros was double-sexed,golden-winged,hadfour heads and sometimes roared like a bull or lion,hissedlike a serpent,or bleated like aram.NightnamedhimbothEricepaiusandProtegenus Phaetonanddweltwithhiminacave.She displayedherself asatriad:Night,OrderandJustice.Beforethiscavesatthe mothergoddessRheaplayingonabraendrumtocompel man' sattentiontoheroracles.Eros(alsocalledPhanes) createdEarth,Sky,SunandMoon,butthetriplegoddess ruledtheuniverseandhersceptrepassedtoUranus . TheOrphiccultitself willbedealtwithinalaterchapter, buf there are afewdetailsworthyof commentat thispoint, notablythe' cosmicegg'themewhichconstantlyrecursin these myths .Certain psychics in our present day and age, who clamtobeincontactwithcivilizationsfrom otherpartsof theuniverse,havebeengiveninformationconcerningthe breedinghabitsofaparticularracewhichwassupposedly responsibleforthe' seeding'ofEarth.Thesepeople apparentlyreproducedthemselvesthroughanexternalova system,thefertilizedseedgrowingineggformoutsidethe wompandnotthroughanextendedperiodofinternal gestationsuchasweexperiencehere. AnotherinterestingpointconcernsthenatureofEros himself.Theloveprincipleisoftenbandiedaboutonour planetaseitherareproductiveconvenienceorasourceof carnalpleasure;esoterically,itshigheroctavesareinvolved withapurerandtruersetof cosmicvaluesastaughtbythe greatteachersandenlightenedonesdown the ages.TheEros figureof Orphicmythis duallysexed;itsanimaandanimu areperfectlybalancedanditsfourheadssignifythefully realizedfourfoldnatureofaspirituallyascendedbeing,the elementalqualitieshavingbeenmetandmastered.Muchof thisteachingwouldappeartohavecreptintoGnostic Christianity,leavingitsmark,forexample,onthefour evangelistsandthegolden-wingedseraphim.Thetriple goddessstoryobviouslyrelatestopre-Aryangoddesscults, theinfuenceofwhichstillprevailsinmodernWiccaand amongthosewhohavestriventore-establishtheolderpreChristianfaithsinaprofoundefforttodiscovertheirrea spiritualroots.Sofar,threedistinctinfuencesemergefromthisenquiry: theobviousandwell-documentedmatriarchatradition;the HISTORYANDO'GINSOFGREEKMAGIC19 Qoreviolentpatriarchaldeitiesortheconquerorswhotook overthereinsbyforce;andadeeperandmoresignifcant sathatechoedprofoundlythroughoutthepantheonsof toseearlyperiods.Thelatterrepresentsthemagicalor eteric teachings of a older and spiritualy advanced people whomwe maydesignateSumerias,Mu'ans,Atlanteans,or ea-terrestrials,accordingtoourfaithorinclination. TeOlympianCreationMyth AccordingtoHesiod,inthebeginningwasChaos,vastand dak.ThenappearedGaea,thedeep-breastedEarth;and fnal yEros,the' love thatsoftens hearts' .FromChaoswere borErebusandNightwho,- uniting,gave birthin their tum toEtherandHemera.GaeaboreUranus,theskycrowned wthstars' whomshemadeherequalingrandeursothathe entirelycoveredher' .Thenshecreatedthehighmountains ad'thesterilesea'with itsharmoniouswaves.Gaea reigned spremebeforetheOlympicdynastywasestablished;not only did this matriarcha deity create the universe and bear the rae of godsbut,we are informed,she created man.She was asoagoddessofprophecy,theoracleofDelphihaving originallybelongedtoherbeforeitpassedintoApollo' s hands at a later date.She was venerated at Aegae,Delphi and OlympiaandhadsanctuariesatDodona,Tegea,Spartaand atAthensnearAreopagus. The universe havingbeenformed,itremainedfor the gods to people it.Gaea united with her son Uranus to produce the frstrace,theTitans. Thesepeoplearenotclearlyaefned, theirnamesupposedlybeingderivedfromtheCretaword meaning' king' .In Greecetheywereultimatelyhonouredas the ancestors of men and to them wasattributed the invention of the arts and magic.This rather suggests that they may have hadAtlanteanconnections,possiblyagroupofcolonizers from the' old country'whoarrivedonGreekshoresinthose earlydaysanddisplayedculturalorscientifcknowledgefar aheadoftheircontemporaries;hencethelaterPrometheus tale involving the theftof fre thatdid not,it would seem,do muchfor mankindinthelongrun. These early Greeklegendscertainly lend credence to similar storiesofanadvancedpeoplewhoappearedasfrom nowhere,bringingcivilizationadsomeformof technology withthem.Itissurelylogicaltoconsiderthatanything 20PRCTICALGREKMAGIC scientificortechnicalwouldappearas'magic'tomore primitive peoples. Of course,for those who cannot accept the Atlantistheory,thereisalwaysSumeriatofallbackon, althoughtherewouldnotappeartobeanabundanceof evdenceinsupportof the manytalesrelatedbythosepostFloodhistorianswhoseobservationshighlightedsomanyof the early epics,myhsandlegends.The Titans,for example, havemuchincommonwithIreland'sTuathadeDanaans, while theQuetzalcoatlstoryhasafamiliar ring about it .One couldgoon... Therewere,wearetold,twelveTitans,sixmaleandsi female,anumberwhich is highly signifcant in Greekmagic.They were named Oceanus,Coeus,Hyperion, Crius,Iapetus, Cronus,Theia,Rhea,Mnemosyne,Phoebe,Tethysand Themis. UranusandGaeathenproducedtheCyclopes, Brontes,SteropesandArges,whoresembledtheothergods buthadonly one eye inthe middleof their forehead.Finally theyborethreemonsters,Cottus,Briareusand Gyges,clled the Hecatoncheires or Centimaes, whose horrifc appearance sodisturbedtheirfatherthatasoonastheywerebornhe shutthemupin thedepthsof theEarth. Gaea,itseems,did not approve of this rejection of her offspring,so she planned aterrible vengeance against herspouse. From gleaming steel shefashonedasharpsickle or harpeand told herchildrenof herplan.Teywereallhorrifedandrefusedtoco-operate, a except Cronus,herlastborn,who agreed to carry outthe dastardlydeed.WheneveningfellUranus,accompaniedby Night,j oinedhiswifeandunsuspectinglywenttosleep. Cronus,whohadbeenhiddeninthebedchamberbyhis mother,thenfelluponUranus,castratedhimwiththesickle andcatthegenitasintothesea.Fromtheterriblewound blackblooddroppedand,seepingintotheEarth,gavebirth to the Furies,another set of monstrous giants,and to the ash trenympths,theMeliae.Thedebristhatfoatedonthe surfaceof thewavesbroke intowhite foam from which was bornthebeautifulyounggoddessAphrodite(foamborn). Thecosmologicalnatureofthismyhnaturallyaccords withthelegendsofotherearliernations,notablythoseof Sumeria,Mesopotamia,Asia andSouth America.The Popul Vuhtells us that'the sea piledup and sticky substances rained fromthesky';foodsanddisastersarewellrecordedinthe BabylonianGilgameshepic,Hebrewlegendsandsecret HISTORYANDORIGINSOFGREEK MAGIC21 Egytiantraditionsthathavebeenhandeddownviaoccult sourcesoverthe centuries.TheChinesebelievethese events tohavetakenplaceinthereignoftheEmperorYatou, duringwhichtimetherewasnolightfordays,fresand volcanoes eruptedad the seas rose agrily&The Mayas tell us thattheSungodrefusedtogvelightforfourdays,afer whichagreatstwithatailappearedinthesky.Doubtless al thesemyths,aswellastheGreekstory,refertosome recorded cosmologic event that infuenced the history of the day and no doubt affected climatic conditions throughout the gobe Thisbrings us toournext consideration:atwhatpointcan wedivideprimitiveobservationsofnaturaldisastersfrom alegoryandmagicalknowledge? Gravescategorizestruemyhasfollows: 1.Philosophicaallegory,ainHesiod' scosmogony. 2.'Aetiological'explanationofmythsnolongerunderstood, asinAdmetus' syokingofalionandaboartohischarot. 3.Satireorparody,asinSilenus' saccountof Atlantis. 4.Sentimentafable,asinthestoryofNarcissusandEcho. S.Embroideredhistory,asinArion' sadventurewiththe dolphin. 6.Minstrelromance,asinthestorof CephausandProcris. 7.Politicalpropaganda,asinTheseus'sfederalizationof Attica. 8.Moralegend,ainthestoryofErphyle'sneklace. 9.Humorousanecdote,asinthebedroomfarceofHeracles, OmphaleandPan. 10.Theatricalmelodrama,asinthestoryofThestorandhis daughters. 11.Heroicsaga,asinthemainargumentoftheIad. 12.Realisticfiction,ainOdysseus'svisittothe .Phaeacians. The Greek Myth,VolI,p.12 Itisessentialforthestudentofmagictobearallthesepoints inmindorhecouldbecomelostinamorassofconfusing data,most of whch is totally unrelated to the deeper spiritua oroccult issues;butsortingthe truemagical wheatfromthe 22PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC chaffoffolklore,superstitionandhistoricalvagariesis alwaysaHerculeantaskso,aslongasthisis frmly borne in mindfromthe onset of thestudy,adegreeof safety may be found withinitslogic. Thosereaderswhowishtorefertothefnerdetailsof Greekmythologyarerecommendedtoperusetheworksof RobertGravesorProfessorCarlKerenyi ,inwhose scholarship they may indulge to their heart' s content.Here we aredealingprimarilywithanoccultanalysisandnotwitha study of the classics,so let us returnonceagain to those early characterswhosenatureandfunctioncarrysomedegreeof magicalorpsychologicalsignificance. TheTitanIapetushadfoursons:Menoetius,Atlas, PrometheusandEpimetheus .MenoetiusandAtlaswere punishedbyZeusfortheirpartintheTitans'revolt, MenoetiusbeingdespatchedtodarkestErebuswhileAtlas wascondemned to stand before the Hesperides on the edge of theworldandbearthevaultofheavenonhisshoulders. Prometheus,whose mainweaponwould appear to havebeen cunning,had a differentfate and played animportantrolein thelegendaryhistoryandoriginsofhumanity;duringthe revoltoftheTitanshekeptaprudentneutralityandwas actuallyadmittedintothecircleofimmortals,buthe entertainedasilentgrudgeagainstthedestroyersof hisrace andconstantlyfavouredmenagainstthegods . RobertGravespostulatesthattheTalmudicarchangel MichaelwasthecounterpartofPrometheus,nodoubton accountofthesimilaritybetweenthestoryofPrometheus using clay and water to fashion the first men in the likeness of godsintowhomAthenebreathedlife,andthestoryof Jehovahactinginasimilarfashion to create Adamandthen Eve,the latter having points in common with Pandora,as we shallsee.Obviously bothstoriescamefromthe same source. GreekphilosophersdistinguishedPrometheanmanfromthe imperfectEarth-borncreation,partof whichwasdestroyed by Zeus and the rest washed away in the Deucalionian Flood, inmuch the same way thatGenesisCh.6talksof' sonsof God' and 'daughters of men' as if they were different races or species.Some of the earlier Greek accounts would also appear tohavebeenborrowedfromtheGilgameshepic,notablyin thewritingsof Ovid.Prometheus,whose name is said to mean ' forethought'and HISTORYANDORIGINSOFGREEKMAGIC23 ; 8W8SlK8`, W8S IcQulc0 l0 h8Vc gVcu mcu lhc gll 0 Ic(WmChhcSl0cI0mlhc0Igc0McQh8cSluS.Lulf8gc0Dylhc,0l, ZcuS, Wh0 W8S 8Ic80y lh0I0ughly 8ugcIc0 Dy.I0mclhcuS C0uSl8uly 8V0uIug mcu ag8uSl lhc g00S,OI0Ic0 Mch8cSluS l0 8Sh0u C8y 8u0 W8lcI ul0 8 D00y 0,@8lDc8ulylh8lW0ul0cqu8l8umm0Il8 g000cSS, 8lc8SluQQ8I8uCc. P lhc 0VulcS DcSl0Wc0 gllS u0u lhlS:O08luIc Wh0 W8S C8llc0 8u00I8, cXCcQl McImcS Wh0ScQIug C0uSSlc0 0 8 W8lQc0 mlu0. ZcuS lhcu Scul hcI 8@ll0 mclhcuS 8u0, 8llh0ugh I0mclhcuS h80 W8Iuc0 hlSOI0lhcI 8g8uSl 8CCcQlug gllS I0m LlymQuS, mclhcuSwa0c0 Dy hcI Dc8uly, WcC0mc0 hcI 8u0 m80c 8 l8Cc. forhcI 8m0ugSl mcu. 8u00I8 C8IIc0 u hcI 8ImS 8 gIc8lV, uC0lIcClly C8c0 hcI `D0X`. hcu Shc I8Sc0 lhc 0 80 lcIIDlc 8Cl0uS Wlh WhlCh l h80 Dccu c0 cSC8c0adSIc80 8CI0SS lhc 8Ilh 8m0ug m8uKu0. Luly M0Qc 0000l y 8W8y.ZcuS, l SccmS, W8S Sll u0l 8Clc0 S0 hc IcS0lVc0 l0M hl8lc lhc hum8u I8Cc Wllh 8 0cugc. ul 0uCc 8g8luI0mclhcuS lcul hS 80 l0 m8uKu0 Dy W8Iulug hlS S0uuC8ll0u Wh0, 0u lhc 80VCc 0 hS 8lhcI, C0uSlIuClc0 8uK lu WhlCh l0 l8Kc Icugc Whcu lhc W8lcIS I0Sc. t0I uluc08yS 8u0 uuc ughlS LcuC8l0u 8u0 hlS Wlc 08lc0 0u lhcD8ul0cS, Dul 0u lhc lculh 08y lhc 00Wu0uI Cc8Sc0 8u0 lhclW0 SuIVlV0IS WcIc 8Dc l0 0ScmD8IK 0u lhc CIcSl 0 N0uulLlhIyS 0I N0uul 8Iu8SSuS. LcuC8ll0u 0cIc0 u 8 S8CICcto ZcuS lhc g00, l0uChc0 Dy mS Qcly, QI0mSc0 l0 gI8ul hlmhsISl WSh 8u0 LcuC8l0u IcQucSlc0 lhc IcucW8l 0 lhc008u I8Cc.Plh0ugh Qc8Cc h80 Dccu C0uClu0c0 DclWccu ZcuS 8u00MKu0, I0mclhcuS W8S m80c l0 SucI ScVcIcy 0I hlSUCKcIy 8u0 lhclS hlS 8g0ucS, WhCh8IcWcll00Cumculc0uU mylhS, WcIc u8ly 8SSu8gc0 Whcu hc W Iclcc0 DyM0ICucS 8l 8 l8lcI 08lc.1hc 0CCul SlgmC8uCc 0 lhlS Sl0Iy lS 0DV0uS l C0uCcIuS cVcI IcCuIIug lhcmc 0 8 gI0uQ 0 c0Qc Wh0 Q0SScSSc080V8Cc0 Ku0Wc0gc 0 D0lh SCuCc 8u0 m8gC WhCh lhcy8Vl0 8 I8C Wh0WcIcu0l SQIlu8ly 0I S0m8lC8ly cV0Vc0600ugh l0 m8Kc g000 uSc 0 l. hc Icc 0 Ku0Wc0gc06Vll8Dy C8IIS lS S8CICc0 S8Vl0uI, I0mclhcuS ]0uugl0 I8uKS 0 lh0Sc WlS00m g00S Wh0 SucIc0 0I lhcIOmQll0u 0 m8uKu0 Dul S0 g8uc0 Ku0Wlc0gc 8u02 PRCTICALGREEKMAGIC furtheredtheirownspiritualevolutionasaresult . The storyof theFloodappearsinthemyths andlegendsof manylandsathough,perhaps,theBiblicalversionand Plato'sstoryofAtlantisareprobablythebestknown.The rescueof PrometheusbyHercules(Heracles)indicatesman' s abiitytofreehimselffromthekarmicwheelthrough initiationandinnerunderstanding;inotherwords, through thequestof theHeroicPath. Equal occultsignifcance lies in the next piece of ' myh'we shallexamine, naelythefour(somesayfve)agesofman. Thefrstmen,weaetold,whowerecontemporariesof Cronus,enjoyedcompletehappinessintheGoldenAge. Hesiodtellsus that theylived like gods, freefromworryand fatigue;oldageddnotaffictthemad,theyrejoicedin continualfestivity.Theywerenotimmortabuttheydied peacefulyasthoughin'sweetslumber .Altheblessingsof theworldweretheirs;thefruitfulEarthgaveforthits treasuresunbiddenadthepeopleatefruitandhoneyand drakthemlkof goats.Aftertheirdeaththepeopleof the Golden Age became benevolent genii,protectorsand tutelary guardiansoftheliving.Theybestowedgoodfortune,were the patrons of music and helped men to uphold justice if their spiritualadvicewasheardadfolowed. Nextcame theSilver Age whichwas matriarchal.Although thesepeopletendedtobequarrelsomeandsubjecttotheir womenfolk,itdidnotappear todo themmuchharm athey livedto be ahundredyeasoldormore.Theydidnotmake war or kill each other;neither didthey offer blood sacrifces; andtheyweregoodagriculturalists.Teyhavebeenequated withtheMinoansbysomeexperts,butmoregeneral ywith theearlyEuropeangoddessworshippersalreadymentioned. LegendhasitthatZeusdestroyedthem. ThesepeoplewerefollowedbyaBraenorBronzerace who' felllikefruitfromAshTrees' .Theirmenwererobust and deligted ony in oaths, meat eating and warlike exploits. 'Theirpitilessheartswerehardassteel ,theirmightwas untaeableadtheirarmsinvincible. ' Accordingtoone sourcetheyendedbycuttingeachother' sthroats,while aother account has it that 'black death' seized them all; these wereourinvadersfrom the northwhoworkedin bronze,no doubt,theashtree(Yggdrasil)beingahighlysignifcant symbolin theirsystemof religiousbelief. HISTORYANDORIGINSOFGREEKMAGIC25 AfertheBronzeAgeHesiodplacestheHeroicAge, peopledbyvalantwarriorsbegottenbythegodsofmoral mothers .Teyfoughtbefore Thebesandunderthewalsof Troy; they were the heroes of Greece who dwelt in the Elysian Fields. But the morewidespreadopinionwasthat the Bronze AgewasfollowedbytheIronAge, orcontemporaryage,a periodofmisery,crme,treacheryandcrueltywhenmen respecneithertheirvows,norjustice,norvirue'.This explaationis saidtoaccount for theprogressivedegeneracy of man. Our owncommentis that we areobviously partof the latter aeandcanonlyclngtothepioushopethatthroughthe HeroicPathoftriaandlabourwewillcompletethecircle adreturnonceagaintotheGoldenAgeof enightenment, happiness,understandingandlove. 2.THEOLYMIANTAK-OVER After Cronus had reduced hisfather Uranus to impotence he liberatedhisbrotherstheTitans- withtheexceptionof the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires -and set himself upas chief of the new dynasty.Creation continued with many more deities, mortalsandfabulousbeasts assuming identity.Thesearefar toonumeroustodescribeinthisworkandnodoubt constitute a hotch-potch of religious allegory,natureenergies andrulerswhocameardwent.Wecanpickupthestoryat the pointwhere Cronus mated withhissister,Rhea,who gave him threedaughters- Hestia,DemeterandHera;and three sons- Hades,PoseidonandZeus. A oracularpredictionthatCronuswouldonedaybe overthrown by one of his childrencaused him greatconcern, so much in fact that he feltobliged to swallow each of them as theywereborn.Rheawasoverwhelmedwithgriefand questionedwhyitshouldbeherdestinytopartwithher offspring in this peculiar fashion.When her time approached to givebirth to Zeusshesought the helpof herown parents, UranusandGaea,tosavethechild.Ontheiradviceshe travelled to Crete and broughtforthher son in a deep cavern in the forestsof Mount Aegeum.Gaea looked after the child, while Rhea wrapped up a large stone in swaddling clothes and presentedittoCronuswhoimmediatelyswallowedit . Gaea carried her grandson toMountIda(orMountDicte) wherehewascaredforbytwonymphs,IdaandAdrasteia, THEOLYMPIANTAKE-OVER27 ad entertained by the Curetes.Some scholars claim the latter tohavebeenaprimitivetribeof theregion,butthegeneral opinion is that they were earth spirits or nature energies.Later theyweredeifedfortheirservicestothefatherof thegods andtempleswere erectedtothem,notablyat Messina. Shelteredfromhisfather' sire,Zeusgrewtomanhoodin theforestsofIda.HiswetnursewasthegoatAmaltheia,a wondrousbeastofwhomevenimmortalswentinawe.In gratitudeZeusplacedheramongtheconstellationsandfrom herhide,whichnoarrowcouldpierce,theaegiswas fashioned.Tothenymphshegaveoneofherhornswhich containedan inexhaustiblesupplyof whatever food ordrink wasdesired.Thisbecame thefamouscornucopiaor hornof plenty,asymbolwhichalsoappearsinthelegendsand magicalsystemsof manyotherpantheons. The oracle that had made the prediction to Cronus had not lied.UponreachingmanhoodZeusplannedtopunishhis father;accordingtoApollodorus ,thegodsummonedMetis tohisaidandsheadministeredtoCronusadraughtwhich caused him to vomit the stone, plus his own children whom he hadswallowed.Vanquishedbyhisson' smighttheoldgod wasdrivenfromtheskyanddespatchedtosomefar-fung corneroftheuniverse,atleastaccordingtotheHomeric account,butothersourcesinsistthathe wassentto the ends oftheEarthtodwellinbliss,orplungedintomysterious slumberinThule.ZeusplacedthestoneCronushad disgorgedatthefootof MountParnassustobearwitnessto hisvictoryand'tobeonedayintheeyesofmortalsa monumenttothesewonders' . Thisfamousstonewas preserved atDelphi for many years .The era of the Olympians hadbegun. In thestoryof themutilationof Uranusthemessagemust surelybe thatanepochin thedevelopmentandevolutionof Earthwasbroughttoanendbythepassageoftime,after whichagentleandmoreenlightenedage(theGoldenAge) emerged.Movingononceagain,theoracularprediction regarding the eventual overthrow of Cronus would appear to suggest that certain far-sighted persons,anticipating the onset ofaneworder,strovetosuppresstheoncomingtideof development,much of which appeared to them to be negative ad retrogressive.Thestonerepresentedencapsulatedenergy whch,whenreleased,initiatedthenextage.Occultlyitis 28PRCTICALGREEKMAGIC necessartoconsidertimeasanenergyorpowerinitsown right,whichthepeopleoftheGoldenAgeofCronus understoodandwereable to manipulate.Withthedeparture oftheoldgodhisenergieswerewithdrawnandthis knowledgewaslost;thenewracewhoassumedsupremacy, beingwarlikeandmaterialistic,lackethescientifcor magicalknow-howoftheirpredecessors.Thenextepisode in our littledramawillservetothrowevenmorelghtontothis areaof study. The Titans,withtheexceptionofOceanus,were jealousof theOlympiansandwishedtoregaintheirstatusby reconqueringthekingdomofwhichtheyhadbeen dispossessed.Adreadfulbattlebetweenthegodsandthe Titansensuedwhichresultedinthelatterbeingfnally defeated,boundinchainsandcastintothedepthsofthe Earh.Hereweseethefnaldownfalorendofthosebeings, whoevertheymighthavebeen,whoweretheteachersand alliesof mankind.The recordssuggest acosmologicadrama, involvingnaturaphenomena,whichpreeededtheeventual Flood. . The strugglewiththeTitanswasfollowed by a warwith the giants.The giants had sprung fromthe blood of the mutilated Uranusandweredistinguishedbyotherfeaturesawellas theirsize.Butthegodsalonewereunabletotriumphover these monstrosities and needed the helpof a mortal man.This manwaHercules,whoseescapadesweshallconsiderlaterin thisnarrative. Manyearlyrecordsaboundwithstoriesof giantsorpeople of considerablylargersizethanpresentdayHomosapien. Accodingto the Bible'therewere giantsin theearhinthose days 'andoneonlyneedstorefertosomeofthemammoth structuresscatteredaroundtheEarthforconfrmationof the widecoveragethisbeliefreceived. Itisconceivablethatduringtheearlydaysofthisplanet' s evolutiontherewereracescontemporary,perhaps,withthe Saurias,whichwere latterlyrenderedextinctinsomemajor cataclysmdescribedinthemythsintermsofawarbetween HeavenandEarth.InhisbookAtlantiandtheGiantsthe FrenchscholarDenisSauratpostulatedthatthesizeand heightof people couldbe deterinedby the gravitational pull of the Moon,anyslight ateration involving distances between theEarth,itssatelliteandtherestofthesolasystebeing THEOLYMPIANTAKE-OVER29 hghlysignifcantinthegrowthfactor.Nodoubthis hyothesiswillnotmeetwiththeapprovalofmany,butthe conceptofunsuspectedmutationsoccurringbetween prototypemanandHomosapiensasweknowhimtodayis cerainlyworthconsideration. Moretimecannotbespentonthedetailaccompanying teselegendsg however,anditisimportantfromamagical stadpointthatweaimtoanayseourprimetarget:the Olympiansg theinatureaddeeds. UnderZeustheimmortalsformedasocietywithitsown lawsandhierarchy. Firstcaetwelvegreatgodsand goddesses:Zeus,Poseidon,Hephaestus,Hermes,Aesand Apolo;Hera,Artemis, Hestia,Athene,Aphroditeand Demeter.Otherdivinities, suchaHelios,Selene,Leo, Dione,Dionysusg TemisandEros,sharedtheOlypic heightss ThecouiersoftheOlympians, swornintheir serice, weretheHorae, the Moerae,Nemesis, the Graces, the Muses,Iris,HebeandGaymede. Hades,althoughbrother ofZeus,didnotresideonOlympuswherehisbrotherwasin comand,butchoseto dwellwithhisladies,Persephoneand Hecate,inhisownsubterraneanempire. AarraementhadbeenmadebetweenZeusandhis brothersthatechhadhisownterritory:Zeusthesky; Poseidontheseasandwaters;andHadestheunderworld. Athoughfromtimetotimeterritorialdisputesinvolving imortas,heroesand mortalsdid aise,forthe most partthe brotherseachkepthissideofthebargain. TherewasonyonepowertowhomZeuswassubjectand thatwasMoros,ordestinye ButAphrodite' sfamousgirdle waalsoaprotectionagainstthe thunderboltsof Zeusand,if shechosetodefecthisshaftswiththsmagicalad,eventhe fatherofthegodscouldnotwin:avaidpointertothereal powerbehindtheloverayinitspurestformTheOlympianswerecreditedwithhumanpasionsad quaities.Love,hatred,angerandenvywereknowntothem andtheycruellypunishedayonewhoquestionedtheir authorityorupsettheminanyway;butequallythey showeredfavoursonthosewhoreveredandhonouredthem withgifts. Herewehaveaclearindicationofaculturethat imposedterrestrialvauesupontheirheavenanditsresident deities.Teysawthegodsintheirownimageandlikeness,just amay people i n ourpresentday ad age ae inclinedto 30PRCTICALGREEKMGIC visualie' God'isome patriarchal form that accords wilh the customsadcultureinwhichtheyhavebeenraised.Itisin thisapectthattheGreekadearlyEgyptiareligous conceptsdiverge;the Egyptianswere abletoaccepta supreme deityinformsotherthantheirown,oreveninthe8DSlI8Cl.Thiscouldhavebenduetothestrongerinfuenceimposed upon their infat culture by those'outsiders', who left suchan indelibleimprintontheirethos. 3. THEPANTHEONOFTWELVE LetusnowconsidertheOlympiansindividuallyandanalyse theirnatureandqualitiesinametaphysicallight . Zus AccordingtoLarousse,thenameZeuscontainstheSanskrit rootdyauandtheLatindies(theday),suggestingthe luminoussky.Zeuswasthereforeruleroftheskyandal atmosphericphenomena.Thewinds,theclouds,the beneficialrain,andthedestructivethunderandlightning cameunderhiscommand. Being' al high'hewasvenerated inlofy placessuchasmountantops.Hehadhisownoracle atDodonabutoccasionalyborrowedtheuseof Delphifrom Apollo.Theoaktreewassacredtohiforobviousreasons adheisofendepicted wearing acrowof oakleaves .Heis consideredbysomeauthoritiestohaveoriginatedaasolar deityonaccountofhissanctuaryinAcadaonMount Lycaeus,therootof thewordlycaeu meaning' lght' . Zeusisshownasamaninthefullnessofmaturity,of robustbody,withthickdarkwavingorcurlingharanda bead.Hewearsalongmantlewhichleaveshischestand rghtarmfree;thesceptreisinhislefhandandthe thunderboltandeagleathisfeet.Hismagicalcolouris imperialpurple. BeforeZeusinsta edHeraafirstlady of Olympus he had severaealierunions,thefrstofwhichwastoMetis 32PRCTICALGREEKMAGIC (wisdom)who,Hesiod tellsus,knew more things than all the godsad men together .Gaea andUranuswarnedZeusthatif hehadchildrenbyMetistheywouldbemorepowerfulthan heandeventually dethrone him.So,whenMetiswasabout to givebirthtoAthene,inordertoforestallthishaadZeus swallowedthemotherandherunbornchild,thusavoiding anyfutureproblemsandatthesametimeembodying wisdom. HisnextwifewasThemis,daughterofUranusandGaea. Themisrepresentedthe law which regulates both physicaland moraorder.HerchildrenweretheHoraeorseasons, Eunomia(wiselegislation),Dike(ustice),Eirene(eace)and fnalytheFatesorMoerae,sometimesreferredtoas daughtersofNight .EvenwhenshewareplacedbyHera, ThemiscontinuedtoremainnearZeusasadviser;henceher placeaongtheimmortalsinOlympus.ZeuseventuallymarriedHera,althoughtheirrelationship hadbeenalongestablishedone.Therearemanylegends concernngthisdivinecourtshipy thebestknownofwhichis probablyPausanas' s accountof Zeus visiting hissister inthe form of acuckoo in distress upon which the kindlyHera took pity.Renownedforgettinghisownamorousway,Zeus promptlychangedbacktohisOlympianformtoclaimthe fulflmentofhisdesire.Hera,however,resistedanditwas notuntilhe promsed tomarryher that shefnallysuccumbed tohisadvances.Althoughtheweddingceremonywa solemly clebratedonOlypus ,thisby no means put an end toZeus' sinclinationsad,inspiteofHera'sjealousyand constateffortstothwartherhusband' sajjaires,he continued topursueboth goddessesad mortal women ake.OnecouldwriteabooksolelyaboutZeus' s exploitsbutat presentweareconsideringtheesotericimplicationsofhis nature anddees.Zeusrepresentedthose patriarcha energies thatswampedthepreviouslymatriarchallandsoftheold goddess,their manifestation beingthe impositionof themae willoverthefemalebysheerphysicalstrength.Underthe formerregimewomenhadruledbyintuitiveguidanceg the utilizationofnaturalEarthpowers,agricultureandgenera fertilty.Theconquerngracessawthingsinadifferentlght, however,theiraggressiverulersbeingabletotakewhomthey wishedwhentheywished,bybruteforce,intheiraorous pursuit .Zeushimselfrepresentedmaculineenergyinits THEPANHEONOFTWLVE33 kinglymodefor,aswellasbeingsomethingofaeffective ' stud ,the godwaalsoafairgiverof lawand order.Itisnot surprising,therefore,thathisinfuenceisassociatedwiththe planetJupiter in astrology since he appears as a bastion of the establishmentandasortof ' EdwardVII'character, loved by manyinspiteof hisobvious'human'traits . TheZeusenergiesmanifestthroughthemuchsoughtafter qualitiesof justice,leadership,popularityandchaisma,one ofmanygoodreaonswhytheOlympiansystemofGreek . magiccouldplay8 importantroleinourmodernworld. Hera OriginallyhernamewassaidtobederivedfromtheLatin wordformaster- hers- and8 oldGreekwordmeaning 'earth' ; butnowitisthoughttobeconnecedwiththe Saskritword svar (thesky).So,like hercelestiaspouse, she wasadeityoftheupperregionsoftheair. Heresoteric attributesweresoonforgottenamongapeoplewhowere nothingif not'earth-earthy' ,soshe wasdesignated patroness of marriageanda phasesoffemininelife.Hera i s depicted as awomanof severe beautyandnobility; shewearsaveilandiswellclothedasbefitsthemodestyof a matron.Hersymbolsarethesceptresurmountedbythe cuckoo,apomegraate- representingconjugalloveand fruitfulness- andthepeacock.HerdaughterHebeisoften shownbesidehermother. Herarepresentswomanlystabilityinamaleorientated society,heronlylneofdefencebeinghermaritalstatusand - leesfaceit - suchhasbeenthelotofwomenofherkind sincethedawnof theFourth/FifthAge. Thecuckoostoryis typicalof so many ladies who trapped their men into marrage bybecomingpregnant.Herais thefaithfulwifeandmother, alwayshovering inthe backgroundbut ,nevertheless,angered byherhusband' sinfdelities. Jungdividedwomenintofourmainarchetyalcategories: Mary,themother;Eve,thetemptress ;Helen,theheroine; andSophia,theintellectual .Thisthemeisre-echoedby EdwardWhitmontinhisbookTheSymbolic Quet inwhich he suggests that all womenunconsciously identifythemselves with the mother,the hetairaor courtesan,the Amazon, or the medium.Hera splaceinboththesecategorizationsis obvious.PRCTICALGREKMAGIC stories of Zeusand Hera are,aswithm8yof the gods, toonumeroustorecountinthiswork80not alrelevantto theheroicquest,sowewillabridgeourscriptaccordingly. Athene WhenZuS swalowedhiswfeMetisshewasheavywith child.Shortly afterwards the god wasaffictedwith a dreadful headacheandsoughttheaidof Hephaestus(orPrometheus accordng tosomeaccounts)whosplit hisskullwithabrone aetorelievethepain. Asthewoundopened,outsprang Athne shoutinga triuphant cry of victory, fully armedand bradishingasharpj avelin.BothHeavenandEawere awestruckbythemiracle,itseems,andthe' bright-eyed goddss assumedaspecialplaceinallhears . AthenewasawarriorgoddessandnotevenAes,godof war,coudmatchher inbattle.Sheworeagoldenhelmetand overhershoulderwasslungtheaegis, whichhadbeen fashionedfromthehideof thgoatAmaltheia.Thefnished productcameintheform of a breastplateorcuirass,fringed andborderedwithsnakes,with, thehorrifyngheadofthe Gorgoninthecentre.Inthe Trojanwarsshesidedwith Greeceandeventualyenteredintotheaffraypersonally, fellingtemightyAreswithablowfromhermagicspear. Shealsopatronizedheroesandprotectedthebravead vaiantandmanywerethefavourssheconferredupon Herculesduringtheperodof his trias.Shewasessentiallya virgngoddess- someachievementamongsttheDonJu8Softhetime- andhighlyskiledincertaindomesticcrafts. Wevngandembroiderywere two artsin whch she excelled adthefnishedaricleswereavailableforthoseimoras admoraswhopleasedher.Shewasextremely jeaousof herskil inthsfeld, however,asillustratedinthestorof Aache. Aeasinwhichshe could also bestowbeneftswereheing adheathg andsheiscreditedwithinventingthefute.In additiontothetoolsof thewarorheremblemwatheowl adshewasuniversallyacknowledgedasthegoddessof wisdom. ThereissomethingoftheEgyptianHathorinAthene's nature.Hathoralsoplayedadualrole,Sekhmetbeingher warorpersonaandheralter-egothenourishingad dometicatedpatronesofwomen=THEPANTHEONOFTWELVE35 Athenecould be generous 'tothose whoimpressed her;the aid andbenefitsshe bestowed upontheheroesemphasize the esoterctruththatwisdomisanessentialprerequisiteforthe successfunegotiationoftheordealsandintiationsofthe HeroicPath,physicalstrengthaonebeinginsuffcientThe portrayalofthewarriorarchetypeinfemaleformisitself occultlysignifcant ,theindicationbeingthatthe' Sophia'or wisdomaspectofwomancansometimesexertamore civiliznginfuencethanthephysicallystrongerandmore logicallyorientatedmaleprinciplewhichdominatestoday' s world.But time holds the key to wisdom' s fna vicory (a the Egyptianssowiselyobservedinthenatureoftheirgod Thoth/Tehuti) andwehave not yet reached that point in our evoluionary cycle at which thefnalact of the drama will be witnessed. ApoUo Ithas beensuggested thatthe etymology of Apollo' s nae is uncerain.The old Greekverbmeaning'torepelor setaside' is one explanation and another links it with the English word ' apple' .The latterisinterestinginthe light of BobStewat' s book,WhoWaSt George?,whchsuggestsmorethanone correspondencebetweentheBritishpantheonsandthe Horus/ApollofguresofEgyptianandGreekmyhology. BecauseofhisconnectionwiththeHyperboreansheisalso thoughtof aaNordicdivinity,broughtby theGreeksfrom thenorhduringthecourseoftheimgrations.Thereare manyquestionmarksintheclassicsconcerningApollo, notably his role in the Trojan war,which we will leavefor the scholarstoargueoutaongstthemselves. Apollowa above all things a solar or lght god.He was the sonofLetoandtwinbrotherofArtems.Letowathe daughterofCroeusad Phoebe and aformermateof Zeus.Whenpregnantwith his chdren,LetowaspursuedbyHera andwanderedtheEaseekingaplacetorestherselfand givebirh;but,asHera' s furywas so great,none would assist or receive her.Hera decreed that she could only give birhin a placewheretheSun's- rays never pnerated;so, inorderthat thiscommandshouldnotbedisobeyed,Poseidonrasedthe waves like a domeoverthe islandof Ortyga,atthe same time achoringitinthedepthsoftheseawithfourpilars. After Apolo' sbirththeislad' snamewaschagedtoDelos,'the briliat' . 36PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC Hera dideverythingshecould to delay thebirthbykeeping Ilithyia,goddessofchildbirth,outoftheway, sofornine daysand nghts Leo suffered atrociously.FinalyIris went to OlypusandfetchedIlthyiaforherandLetowasableto producefrstAremisandthenApollo. EvenduringhischildhoodtheexploitsofApolowere manyandhisinfantencounterwiththeserpentPyhon ehoesearliermyths. Butmostof al Apolloisknownforhis oracleatDelphi .How he came to acquire thissite is a story in itselfandinvolvessomeseafaingfolkwhomheapproached inthe form of adolphin;he persuadedthem tosettle in harsh Pyhoandinvokehsaidas'theDelphina e Aswehave alreadyexplaned,otherdeitiesmadeearlierclaimstothe Delphic oracle,but it wasprobably under Apollo' s protection andtutelagethatitthrived.DoubtlessthereisanEarth ' energsouce' ,orpowercentre,intheareathatstimulates therighthemisphereofthebran,ortheAnachaka prhaps,whichcouldbetappe byanyonepossessingthe corretmagica' knowhow . Apollowasthecelestia.archerwhosearrowswere infallible;hewasgodofmusicians- thelyrebeinghis instrument-patronof prophecy,representativeof allforms ofaadbeautyadbelovedbrotherofAemis.Heis depicedasahadsomegolden-hairedyouth,athleticand perfetlyproporioned.Hisconstantcompanionswerethe Muses,aboutwhomwesha speakinalaterchapter-Occultlyherepresentedthesolaforceinallitsapects. Aemis TwinsisteroftheSungodg Artemiswasgoddessof the chase andof forests.Becauseof oneof hersymbols,thebe,she is oftenconfusedwithCalistoand, ratherliketheEgptian Horus,thereweresevera(earler)versionsof herarcheye, notablythefertiltygoddessofEphesus.AtemisW8worshippedaanagriculturadeityinAcadiaadsome connectherwiththeCelticgoddessofBernewhosesymbol waasoashe-bear.AherbrotherwastotheSun,soW8AremistotheMoong butsheisnotsolelyalunadeity. Aemiswas,like Atheneg avirgingoddessadshe showe nomercytoanybeingwhodaredattempttoviolateher person.Legendhasitthatonlyoncedidshefalinloveand thatwaswithOrion,thehunter.Herbrother,towhomshe THEPANTHEONOFTWELVE37 was very close,was jealous of this affectionand contrived,by atrick,to causehissister accidentally to shoother lovedone. Bothchildrenlovedtheirmotheradsparednoeffortto protectLetointimesof dangerordistress . WhenshewasbornArtemsapproachedherfatherwitha requestforeternalvirgnity;abowandarowlikeApollo' s;theoffceofbringinglight;adasaffronhuntingtunic. Animalsgeneralyweresacredtoher,butshehadlittle patience with people at times andseverely punished those who made a nuisanceof themselves or refusedto abide by the laws of herdomains. One of the translations of her name is said to mean' safeandsound' or' shewhohealssickness' .Another gentletrait in her legendary characterwasa love of musicand shehadagoodsingingvoice.AsArtemiHymniashe rejoicedinsonganddanceandwouldsingwhileherbrother accompaniedheronthelye. Aremis is representedcarrynga torch,which is moresolar thanlunarincharacter.Herformisthatof ayoungvirgin, slmandsupple,beautifulinasevereway;hergarmentis short,her feetare shod and she is accompaniedby an animal , usuallyadogorhind.TheoldArtemisof Ephesuswasquite different,however,hvingmoreincommonwiththepreHellenicmother goddesseswhosenaturewasdecidedly lunar. Becauseofthetrialshermotherunderwentprortoand duringherbirh,shepresidedoverchildbirth,togetherwith Ilythya,andsheisalsoprotectorof womenagainstpersona violation.Herhealingpowersaremoreofamentalthana physicalnature,inspiteoftheruggedout-of-doorstypeof personabestoweduponherby the Greeks, while her brother presidesoverthecuringofphysicalinjuries. BothApolloandArtemiswerehuntersandskiledin marksmanship.Thereisadeeplyesotericmeaningtothis pariculararchetype:thehunterhuntsforsouls,hisorher ' prey'representingaspirituagoal.Thebowandarow thereforecarprofoundoccultsignfcanceintheGreek system;theyrepresentthe positiveandnegative aspectsof the personality,the anima/animus,whichneedto be stretchedto theirfnesttensionbeforethe'target'canbeachieved.The GreeksequatedApolloandArtemiswiththe Egyptiandeities HorusandBastandtherearemanysimilarities,although Bastis somewhatgentler inchaacterthan AcadianAremis,especiallyinherdomesticmode,whileApolloassumesfar 38PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC morehumanattributesthanhisEgyptiancounterpart.But thenone hasto take intoaccount the fact thatany archetype willbe colouredandreclothedaccording to the natureof the indigenouspopulationandaferwardsremodelledbythe religiousfashionsandpoliticaldesignsofsuccessive generationsof conquerors. Hermes EarliertimessawHermesin thepastoralrole.In fact hecan betracedbacktoPelasgianandThracianoriginsandwas greatlyhonouredbytheshepherdsofArcadia;buthewas alsoassociatedwithmovement,action,andthewindor ElementofAir.Allkindsofproft,lawfulandunlawful, cameunderhisrulership,aswellasgamesof chance.With thegrowthanddevelopmentof theclassicalGreekpantheon Hermesassumedthe roleof patronof travellers,or theearly Greekequivalentof themoderndayStChristopher.Likethe EgyptianAnubishewassometimesconsideredas psychopompus or conductor of souls,and there would appear tobepointsatwhichthetwoarchetypesblend.Traveland commercewerecertainlyhisscene,aswerelearningandall forms of mentalactivity and agility. As messenger to the gods he assumes certain of the qualities of theBiblicalangels,but the delicacy of some of his Olympic missions aso hints atthe gifsof diplomacyandtact . Hermes is represented in the athletic mode,as wouldbeft a divinerunner.Hisbodyisshownaslitheandgraceful ,his hairisshortandcrisp,andhisattitudeisofonewhois listeningandlearning.Mostlyhewearsaround,wingedhat or petasusandhisfeetareshodwithwingedsandals.Inhis handheholdsthecaduceus,theinsigniaofthemedical profession,whichsymbolizesthebalancenecessaryforgood healthandwellbeing. TheemblemsofHermesarehighlysignificantandspeak more for his occult role than the many stories of his deeds .He iscreditedwiththeinventionofthelyrewhichhegaveto Apolloinreturnfor thecaduceus,together withsomesheep he had supposedly stolen from the Sun god.Here we have an exchangeof energiesbetweentwomajorarchetypes,Apollo bestowinghismedicalskillsuponHermesandinreturn assuming a more aristic and musical role.In other words, the storyistellingusthatintheGreekpantheonthehealing THEPANTHEONOFTWELVE39 powers of theSunare passedfromtheinstinctiveornatural therapeuticmodesto the logicalandreasonngapproach that is so much a part of the Greek nature and character.Hermes' practicalmedicalskillis underlined inhisreplacingof Zeus' s severednerveswhichhadbeencutby themonsterTyphoeus duringtheperiodwhenheheldthegreatgodincaptivity. Hermes'son,Pan, wasalsoahealingdeity,butaferPan' s alleged' death'thehealingenergiesofnaturewhichhe representedbecameabsorbedintothemorerationalGreek ethos, withHermesassumingtheoverallhealingrole. Ars Ares'namewould appear to indicate his nature inmore than onetongue. TheSanskritrootmargavebirthtotheVedic marts,orstormdivinities,whiletheGreekrootmeansto 'carryawayordestroy' .Originallyof Thracianorigin,Ares was not the nicest of characters,it would seem.In addition to apredilectionforcombatforitsownsakehehadarather nastytemperandhissquires,DemosandPhobos(fearand fright)plusEris(strife),naturallydidnotendearhimto people.Asherepresentedblindenergyanduncontrolled passion,Athene was his natural enemy since her martiaskills were coupled withwisdom and intelligence,so the angry Ares hardlyhadachanceagainsther.Needlesstosay,Areswas notthehappiestofloverseither.Althoughhemanagedto interest Aphrodite in his advances purely on the ground of his manlyattributes,hewascaughtintheactbyHephaestus, whichtalewillshortlybetold.Aphroditeborehima daughter,Harmonia,aclearesotericmessagethatlovecan tameforceandbringharmony. Aresisshownasaheftywariorweaingacrestedhelmet. But,apartfromtheobviousassociationswithraw,untamed energy,hehasnospecifcsymbolsorattributesandevenhis military associations are somewhat dubious.However, he was one of the Olympians and how his archetype is handled by the aspiring Herois highly important to those who would pursue the Greekoccultpath,' discipline'beingthe operativeword. Hephaestus Smithgodsappearedinthepantheonsof mostof theearly cultures.AgniwastheVedicgodoffreandheah;Britain haditsWaylad;EgytitsPtah,themastercraftsman;and 4PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC soforh.There is a' gnomey'quality about Hephaestus which bringshiminlnewiththosearchetypeswhoarerather unprepossessinginappearancebuthighlygifted.According toHomerpoorHephaestuswasactuallyborn lame,although somesourcesinsist thathe receivedhis injury in another way.Hismother,Hera,appalled by his deformity, threw him from theheightsbuthiscreativeskillssoontookhimbackthere agan. Hephaestusmanagedtogainthelovegoddessherselfaa bride. Needesstosay,thiscausedhimafewOlympian headachesbuthecontrivedtokeepherintheend,in spiteof theadvacesshereceivedfromawholehostofgods, godlings, heroesadmortals. Loveandcreativity,itwould seem,gohandinhand. AlthegodsandgoddesseshadrecoursetoHephaestus' s sklsatdifferenttimes,hiscraftsmanshipbeingunquestionably thebest therewasaound Olympus or anywhere else. He couldalso use this to hisown advantage,amay be evidenced inthestoryofhisfaousnetSuspectinghiswifeof infdelity,heforgeda nesofinethatit -ouldnot beseen yet sostrongthatitcouldnotbebroken.AsAphroditeshared hercouchwithAes,Hephaestusstoleuponthecoupleand watedforthemtofallasleep,whereuponhespreadthenet overthemadinvitedthewholecompanyofOlympusto comeadseehowhehadbeentreated.Someofthegods snggeredatthesight,whieseveraofthegoddesseswere downightshockedoraffronted,butmoreattheinvasionof privac tha in prudishness.Zeusfna y persuadedhim to let temgo afterextractingapromisefromAesto paytheprce ofhisadultery.OnerathersuspetsthattheGreekswere pointingoutthefollyof washingone' sdirtylineninpublic! Hephaestus' sfamousnet,however,becameanimporant magicatool ,theuseofwhichwillbeexplaneinalater chapter. Thelaesmithgodisdepictedasshortandswaty,the upperpaofhisbodyappeaingalmosttooheavyforhis legs .Onhisheadhe wearsaconicalbonet andinhishads heholdsthehamerandtongs,bothhighlypotentoccut sybols. Aphrodte Thestoryof Uraushasaeadyfurnsheduswiththelegend THEPANTHEONOFTWELVE41 of the birthof this goddessfrom the ' foam' ,althoughHomer describesherasthedaughterof ZeusandDione.Aphrodite correspondstoseveralotherdeitiessuchatheBabylonian IshtarandtheNorseFreya.Onesourcesuggeststhather nameisafeminineformofZeus,ratherindicatingaidefnedpersonaltyof debatableorigin.Theanswer probably lesinthefactthattheloveprinciplewassostrongly acknowledgedbythepeoplethatacharacterhadtobebuilt uparoundit . Aphroditewatheclassicbeautifulwoman,fair-haired, blue-eyed,voluptuous:Jung' s' Eve' , thetemptressad archetypalsexsybol .Shewascapableofarousing passionatedesiresinanyoneinwhomitpleasedandamused hertosodo. WiththeexceptionofAthene, Artemisand Hestia,allgods,heroesandmortalsyieldedtoherpower, althoughonoccasionsshereceivedadoseofherown medicine,aswithherAnchisesadventure,Zeusbeingthe culpritinthatinstance9 Thegoddessoflovehadherownretinue,thebestknown chaacterofwhichwasundoubtedyEros.Consideredby many to be purely a personifcation of a cosmic force, his role wastocoordinatetheelementsofwhichtheunverseis composed. Erosbroughtharmonytochaos,thuspermitting thecontinualdevelopmentof life.Thereis little agreementas tohisoriginsadseveralpaentshavebeenallotted tohim. Thepopularconcept,however,isofAphroditeinthe maternaroleconstantlyhavingtopunishheroffspringfor causingsomuchhavocamonggodsandmen8Heisdepiced aawingedchidwithabowandarow,thedartsofwhch ' frepassionin allheartsatwhichtheyaeaimed' . Itislittle wonderthatthisarchetypeended up with thegoddessof love herself,ashisassociationwithbothfecundityanderoticlove isobvious. AphroditewasalsoaccompaniedbytheGraces,whowere fatheredontheOceanidEurnomebyZeus.Thesewere happy,pleasantdivinitieswhosepresencespreadjoy, sweetness and charm# Although given may naes by various earlywriters,theyaregeneralyacceptedasbeingAglaia,EuphrosyneandThalia.Ascompanonsto the goddessthey attendedhertoietteandaidedinheradormentforspecial occasions. TheGraceswereprobablynaturedeitiesoriginally, 42PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC 8SSDCI8lc0 Wlh lhc Spriug 0I SummcI. Pgl88 w8S caled'the brilat' ; EuphrDsycg 'shewhorejoicesthc hc8tl`, 8u0h88, `Shc WhD DIDughl 0W0IS`. N8gC8lly Sc8kug thcy representthenaturabeautythatattendspurelove,bIngugjoyandgl80uc8stoa Wh0 cXQctcuCc it. Pphro0itc S mostpotentoccultsymbolwasundoubtcdy hergirdleWhchW8S SlI0ug 0u0ugh tohaltcVcu lhcthunderboltsofZcushmScl, 8 SuIc u0C8llDu lh8l DVc iSultimatelylhc mostpowerful ,DtCc u lhc uuVcISc.Posidon PoseidonW8S lI80lDu8ly lDI0 D lhc Sc8. hc Grekssaw him8 lhc brotherofZcus8lh0ugh, 8CCDI0ug l0 other sources,hc Qtc-08lc0 ZcuS, being8u Dl0 clg8u 0cllyWh0Sc uucuCc h80 lcIc0 lhIDugh I0m prmliVelmcs+Pllh0ugh 8 mcmDcI 0 lhc gD0ly CDmQ8uy D LymQu8,0Scl0Du W88 8lW8yS SuD]cCl tohisDrothcr S SDVcIcgu8ulhDIly. P8luI8lly lhc D0 Ch8Q Complanc0 fromtimeto lme, Dul h8Vug Ch8Igc D uDl only the sea but 8SD a l8kcSgrivers8u0 W8lcIW8yS hc was' QfcSculc0 Wlh many oppoHunlicsl0 l8Kc hS tcVcugc.ThereareS0mc verulcIcSlug m8gC8 C0uuDl8lDuSassociatedwthlhS gD0 hstransport,forexample.One depCl0u ShDWS hD t0ug in8 Ch8IDl 0I8Wu byTritons bloWing conchshels,Dul inthc m0Ic p0pularcpIeScnt8ton his C8tI8gc S `0t8Wu by WhlcSlcc0SWlh goldcnmanesad shod iDIDuZc .hccult of theWhlc h0ISc h8SSuChSll0ugC0uuc0uS Wlh P0sedDnthatthesuggestionD 8 buk WlhtheCelticg000cSS Q0u8 Cw Dl D0 gu0tc0. u 800lDu l0thewhitehorse,al mauc l0 W8S S8CIc0 tohimadhlSm8gC8 sybolwaslhc trident.hc SIDDcS D hS nature8u0dedsemphasizelhc QDWcI 0 theElement0 8lcI, Dul 88hS Kug0DmS WcIc SuD]cCl l0 lh0 ullm8lc 8ulhDDly 0 ZcuS,DI0 D 8I, Uc mcSS8gc mustsurelybelh8l ulcllcCl islhcSlrongcI DICc u lhc lDug Iuu, hc8dbeigthebetterjudge thah8Il.Hea hc LIOK WDI0 hetiameaS hBh, lhc Ql8Cc u lhc hDuScWhcIc Ic W8 DuIuc0, DD0 W cokeadI0m WhChWmmU 0c0m0r were derved. tcW8Svery mpor8t to prmtvepeopleu m0Ic W8y8 lh Duc, al QIDV00 8THEPANTHEONOFTELVE43 diaoguebetweenmenandgodsvathesacrificialfames. Hestia was therefore a fery goddess,like Hephaestus.But her frewasofthedomesticsort,aroundwhichthefailycould gathertofndtogetheressandcontinuity.Thecirclewas sacred to Hestia and her temples were always chaacterzed by thisform.HeroriginsaeobscueadneitherHesiodnor Homerappeartobefailiawithher.Shewaavirgin goddesswhochoseamodestexistenceinspiteofthe splendourof Olympus.Her mienwas one of reserveddignity and repose,whichserved to contrast her with the more robust or famboyantfemale Olympians.Athough unmarried and a virgin,Hestiaprotectedtheheahandhomeandensured continuityandstabilityinallmattersinwhichshewa invoked.Sheisdepictedsometimesseated,sometimes standing,but always still , tranquil and of modest demeanour. Demeter Goddessofthesoilandallgrowingthings,Demeterhad muchincommonwiththeoldmothergoddessesGaeaand Rhea,her nae being derivedfrom the root wordsfor' earh' and' mother'whichnaturallyconnetedherwiththe Underworldandallgrowingthingsissuingfromthesoil .In Acadiashewasdepictedwithahorse' sheadandbeaingin onehandadolphinandintheotheradove.TheGreeks themselveslinkedherwiththeEgyptianIsis,butthehorse' s head could alsoput her in line wththe Celtic horse goddesses. MagicallyDemeterishghlyinteresting.Hertempleswere often found in forests and were called'megara' .They became asociatedwithsecretritesandorgiesand,ofcourse,the famousEleusinia;butitisinher maternalaspectthatsheis bestknown,appearingasasomewhatsad-looking,goldenhared lady crowned with ears of corn or a ribbon and holding eitherasceptre,earsof corn,oratorch. The story of Demeter and her beloved daugter Koreis well known.Hades,brotherofZeus,snatchedthemaidenwhile shewasoutpickingfowersonedayandclamedherashis bride,Zeusapparentlyhavinggivenhispermissionforthis deed. Manywerethe trials of poorDemeterwhileshe strove toreclamherdaughterand,becauseofherdistress ,she withdrewherenergiessothat nothing wouldgrowonEarth adbothgodsandmenwereforcedtopleadwithherto restoreherbounty.Demeterwasadamant; shewouldnot 4PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC permit the Earth to bear fruit untilshe hadseen herdaughter again.Zeus eventually sent Hermes to Hades with a request to return the maiden who had been renamed Persephone.Hades grudginglycompliedbutmanagedtopersuadehertoeata fewpomegranateseeds beforehand,thesebeing thesymbolof marriage,whichpermanentlysealedtheunion.Whenonce againshefellinto her mother' s armsDemeterquestioned her astowhethershehadeatenanythingwhilewithinHades' domainsbecause, ' If thouhastnoteatenthoushaltlivewith meonOlympus.Butifthouhast,thenthoumustreturnto thedepthsof theEarth. 'Poor Persephoneadmittedthatshe had eaten the pomegranate seeds,much to Demeter' s chagrin, butasacompromiseZeusdecidedthatPersephoneshould dwell one-thirdoftheyearwithherhusbandandthe remainingtwo-thirdswithhermother.Demetersettledfor thisbargainandonceagaintheEarthbroughtforthfruitin abundanceandallthingsfourished.Beforeshereturnedto OlympusDemetertaughtherdivinesciencetotheleadersof men,thusinitiatingthemintohersacredMysteries,the Eleusinia,which will bedeatwith inaseparatechapter . ThesetwelveOlympiansandtheirrespectiveretinueswere woven from the fabric of older themes and fashioned by those culturesthataffectedtheprevailinginfuenceofthetimes. Newpantheonsareusuallyformedfromtheremnantsof olderones;ahealthyprobe into the psychology of those who accptedandpropagatedthemcangivetheoccultseekera fairdegreeofinsightintothearchetypalmanifestations appropriatetotheperiodinworldhistory,general evolutionaytrendsandcontributoryimprintof theethosin question.Withoutashadowofdoubtcivilizationoverthe ensuingcenturiesowesmuchtothecultural,logical,albeit hiddenmagicalinfuenceof the denizensof MountOlympus andtheircreators. 4. THEMINORDEITIES TheGreekpantheonsaboundwithlessergodsandgodlings, not allof whichcarry a strong magicalinfuence afaras the Olympiansystem isconcerned.Butas there willundoubtedly be many pursuants of the Heroic Path who may feel drawn to seektheirtutelaryservices,afewofthemoreprominent personalitiesaredeservingof mention. DivinitiesoftheUnderorld Hades While many may classify Hades as a major deity, he functions outsidethemanOlympianmagicalstream,althoughthe regionsoverwhichheruleddoplayanimportantroleinthe Greekmysticalscene.Inhisowndomains,theUnderworld, Hadeswasabsolutemaster.Hewasperfectlyhappyinthis subterraneanenvironmentandonlysurfacedontwo occasions:toabductPersephone,andtoseekhealingfora woundinficteduponhimbyHercules .Heworeahelmet whichrenderedhim invisible,so if and when he did choose to taketheoddearthlyj aunt,nonebuttheinitiatedwould olserehispresence.Hadeswasalsoknownby thenameof Pluto,fromtheGreekwordploutonmeaningwealthor riches,an aspectof his nature whichobviously alludes to the treasures to be found deep within the Earth itself.So it is little wonderthathisgoodoffcesweresoughtformateriagan 4PRCICALGREKMGIC ratherthaninhsroleasrulerof the chthonic regions. Heate OrignallyaThracianMoongoddess,Hecateisoften cnfusedwithAtemisashernameissaidtoderivefroma feminneformofoneofthetitlesofApollo- the' fardarer' .Sheisusuallyconsideredasthethirdmemberof the trpleMoongoddessunitinwhichsherepresentsthecrone, AemisbeingthemadenandDemeterthemother(or Aphrodite,thenubilewoman,depending onthespecifc trplicity).HerpowerembracedboththeskyandtheEath adthegiftsshebestowedincludedwisdom,vicoryand weath.Awaysthe alyof Zeus,she wasgeatly respectedon Olypus, althoughitdidnotappeartobeherlottodwell there.One legendtellsof howsheincurredHera'swrathby steaing hermake-up to give to Europa.In fleeing to Earhto ecapethepunshmentofthemotherofthegods,Hecte soughtshelterinthehouseofamortal. womawhohad just gvenbirthtoachild,acontactwhichrenderedHecte impure.Sothatherpristinestatecouldberestored,the Cabeiriescoredher to Acheron and henceforth she became a dvnityof theUnderworld.AsPrytania,queenof thedead, herareaofmagicincludedpurfcations,expiations, enchatmentsadmagicalchas.Alhauntings, both pleatadunpleaant,wereattributedtoherandher mions, her most frequent visitations apparently taking place atcrossroads,nearburiaplaces,orthescenesofcrimes. Trple-facedfguresof thegoddesswerethereforefrequently foudatcrossroadsandtheewereinevitablyhonouredon teeveof thefullMoon.Thecrossroadretaineditssinster reputationformanycenturies,thebodiesofsuicidesor violentcrimnalsbeingburiedthereithehopethatHecate wouldfndthemquickyaddespatchthemhastilytoher doman,thusremoviganypossiblenuisancefactorthey mgtconstituteforthelocasneaby.Shewaaccompanied ontheenocturnalwanderingsbyaretinueofinfera houds. Perphone ThestoryofPersephone,orKore,havingalreadybeentold, al thatremainsfordscussionatthisjunctureisthe eyologyofhernaeandherspeiallydeigatedareaof THEMINORDEITIES47 magicaactivty.ThenamePersephonecanbebrokendown into two halves,the frst of which means' to destroy' while the latterstemsfromtherootword'toshow'- ' shewho destroysthelight' .Anotherinterretation givenis' da ing brilliance' .Not being originally an infernal deity, Persephone thereforepartakesofthefavourofbothkingdoms-OlypusandtheUnderworld- whichbringsusbackto Demeterand the Eleusinan connection.The Mysterieswould appeatobetellingusthatinordertoparakeof thebright lightof wisdomwe mustalsocome to knowandconquer the darkerregions,bothoftheatralunderworldandourown self. Persephone' sattributeswerethebat, nacissusand, for obviousreasons,thepomegranate.Shewaseldominvoked asadivintyinherownrightonaccountofherclose associationwithhermother,Demeter,theMysteriesof Eleusisbeingsharedequallybetween thetwogoddesses.Her magicalenergiesare,therefore,encapsulatedin thatMystery cultandallthatitimplies. DivinitieswthOlympianAssociations Dionysus Semele,daughterofKingCadmusofThebes, caughtthe amorouseyeofZeusandaloveaffarensued.Hera, however,eterallyjealousofherhusband' sinfdelities, disguised herself as a nurse andslyly suggested toSemelethat sherequestherlovertoappeartoherasherealywas,for howelsecouldshebesurethathewasnot,infact,some feafulmonster!Realizngthedestructiveeffectsucha manifestationwould haveon Semele,Zeusbeggedher not to ask such afavour,butSemele was adamant and the father of thegodswas compromisedintoapositionwhere,in order to keephisword,hewasobligedtodisplayhisfullradiance.Beingunabletoenduresuchdazingfre,Semelewa immediately consumed and the childshe caried in her womb would alsohaveperishedwere itnotfor athickshootof ivy whichmiraculouslycreatedagreenscreenbetweenthe unbornbabeandthe celestialfreofZeus.Gatheringupthe infant,Zeusencloseditinhisownthigh;whenitstimewas comehe drewitforthwiththe aidofIlythiaand so Dionysus waborn.4 PRCTICALGREEKMGIC The myhstelusthatZeusmadeseveralmoreattemptsto shield DionysusfromHera' swrath,episodesduringwhich thosewhoaidedhiseffortswereseverelypunshedbyHera, usuallybybeingdrivenmad.Uponhisreachingmanhoo HerabestowedasimilarfateonpoorDionysus,who consequentlyspenttheensuingfewyearsroaingtheworld in the companyof his tutor,Silenus,and a wild bandof satyrs admaenads.Thestaffwhichhecarredwasivy-twinedand tippedwithapinecone; calleda'thyrsus' ,thisisapowerful sybolinGreekmagicasweshallsee. After manymoreyearsofwadering,plunder,madness, destruction and suffering,Dionysuswas fnayestablisheda divineandwelcomedintoOlympusbyhisfather,Zeus,the gentleHestiastandingdowntogivehimherseat. AthoughthereaemanyinterpretationsoftheDionysian legend, notablRoberGraves' suggestion thatitrefers tothe spread of thevine cutacrossEurope,AsiaandNorthAfrica and itsaccompanyingside-effects,the whole story can also be submitted foroccultormetaphysicaanalysis, whereit assumes afamoreinteresting signifcance.Athoughthe laterassociationbetweenOrphismandDionysiacriteswillbe dealtwith inChapter7, thereisonecogentpoint worhyof commentatthisjuncture:Dionysusbasically represents mankind. Hismadness, destructivetendencies,drnkenness adhedonismwereal negativetrats whichhewasobligedto overcomebefore he couldattaitogodhood.Inotherwords, during theprocessofexperiencingadconquering his weaknesseshewas ,like eachandeveryoneof us,a god in the making. Bornofaunonbetweenmortawoma adthe divine fre,helivedthroughthemadnessofdestructive msunderstadingandtheblindnessofinebriatedfolly, slowly riddinghimselfof thoseshacklesthroughaprocessof gradualself-developmentadeventuamindcontrol .A uderstandingadknowledgeofhistutor,thesaty Silenus, is oneof thedeepermysteriesof Olympiamagc,aweshall see. Pan It isgenerallyagreedthatHermeswathefatherofPa,but hismotherissometimementionedabeingeitherDryope, the nymph Oeneis,orPenelope,wifeof Odysseus.Themore convincingstory,however,isthatths bengn Acadian deity THEMINORDEITIES 49 watheproductofaunionbewenHermesand thegoat Amatheia,oreventhesonof CronusandRhea. TheOlympians,itseems,exploitedPan.Apollowheedled theaof prophecyfromhimandHermescopiedapipehe hadleftlyingabout,claimeditashisowninventionand promptly sold it to Apollo.In spite of his' divinity' ,the story watoldthatnewsofPan' sdeathcaetoasailornamed Thaus. Aspiritvoicesupposedlyinstructedthemariner to proclaim,upon reachingPalodes,that the great god Pa wa dead! ButwhatThaus,whowasaEgytiang probably repeatedwastheceremonallament,' Theal-greatgod Tamuz is dead! ' ,which he could have misheard somewhere on his travels.Durng Plutarch' s time,in the latter half of the frst century AD,the old god was appaently very muchalive, shrines,altarsandcavesdedictedtohimbeingregulaly frequented. Occultly,Paishighlysignificant .Inadditiontohis magcalsyrinxthereisthefamous'Pancl' ,thenotesof which will be dealtwith andexplanedinPartTwo. nems WehavealreadyconsideredThemis' s relationshpwithZeus andthehighregardheheldforhercounsel .Anotherstory telshowshemadeApolloapresentof theoracleatDelphi whichshehadinheritedfromhermother,Gaea. Themiswasagoddessofjustice.Herepithetsoteira suggestsa protection of the justand punishngof the wicked. AsawisdomgoddessshewasknownaEuboulos,thegood counselor.HertaskonOlypusalsoinvolvedmaintaining goodorder,regulatingceremonialeventsandpresidingover publcassemblies-He6osandSelene AthoughtheGreeksconsideredApollotobe thegodof the solarlight,theorbof theSunitselfwasaccordedaseparate divinity,Helios.Thecultof Hellosprobablyoriginatedina muchealierpantheon that pre-dated the Olympiansby many centuries .Helios drove a chariot that was drawn by a team of magnfcent white winged horses whose names were Lampon, Phaeton,Chonos,Aethon,Astrope,Bronte,Pyroeis,Eous andPhlegon. 50PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC JustasHeliosguidedthechariotoftheSunacrossthe heavensfromeasttowestso,asherbrotherretired,Selene commencedherlunarjourneyacrossthenightsky.Her vehiclewasnotalwaysachariot,however,asshewas sometimesshownmountedonahorseormule. Occultly,HeliosandSelenerepresentthe' lights'in astrology,theirinfuencesrelatingtonaturalforcesrather thanspecificarchetypes.Althoughninenamesaregivenfor thesteedsofHelios,heistraditionallyshowninachariot drawnbyonlyfourhorsesrepresenting,nodoubt,the quarternaryprinciple.Thenumber'9'hasadditional signifcance:asthelastsinglenumberitisassociatedwith Marianorphysicalenergywhile,accordingtoHermes Trismegistus,thehorserepresentspurifiedpassion,the implicationbeingthatthepersonalenergiesneedtobe mastered(reinedin)ifthesolarpoweristobeharnessed successfully. Selenealsoconnectswiththenumber'9' throughtheQabalisticSephirah,YesodtheFoundation, whichinspiteofitslunarorpassiveconnotationshasa masculineoractiveaspect . Dione OriginallyaPelasgiandivinity,Dionewasthedaughterof OceanusandTethysand, accordingtosomesources,the motherofAphroditebyZeus .Hercloseassociationwith ZeusmaybeevidencedinthefunctioningoftheDodona oracle,herpriestessesapparentlyshaingtheoraculargifs equallywith the priestsof Zeus . Ilythia ThereweretwoIlythiasatoneperiod,bothdaughtersof Hera, who presided over birth and brought relief to women in painwithlabour.Nochildcouldbebornunlesstheywere presentandnomothercouldfindrelieffromherpains withoutthem.AlthoughArtemiswaslaterworshippedas goddessofchildbirth, onaccountofherownmiraculous birh,shedidnotappeartointerferewiththesetwominor goddesses in any way.Later,Ilythia became a singledivinity, but the truthisthather archetype hadprobably been carried downfrompre-Hellenistictimesandcouldbe tracedback to Minoa and earlier.Ilythia is usually depicted kneeling,with a torchin one handand the otherhandextended in a gesture of encouragement. THEMINORDEITIES5 1Irs Apersonifcationoftherainbow,Iriswasthesisterofthe Harpiesandoneof_ theOlypianmessengers.Inherdivine formsheappearedclothedinalongtunic,herhairwasheld by a bandeau and she carried acaduceus .Golden wings were attachedtohershouldersand,likeHermes,shewasoften depictedwearingwingedsandals. Athough she mainy served Zeus,Iriswas devoted to Hera; inadditiontocarryinghermessages,shealsoeffectedthe goddess' s vengeance.She was obviously a caring sort of deity forthemythstellushowshewelcomedtheothergodson theirreturntoOlympus,unharnessedthesteedsfromtheir chariots and brought them nectar and ambrosia. The fact that sheisshowninsuchabenevolentlightconveysthemessage thatlife' sstormsareoftenfollowedbyarainbow,from whichilluminationwemayreceivesolace,goodnewsand hope. HebeandGanymede HebewasworshippedbytheGreeksasagoddessofyouth sinceshepersonifedthebeautifulyoungmaidenwhonever aged.Thedutiesofdivinecup-bearerwerehersuntilshe incurredHera' swrathoversomeminorincident,whenshe wasreplacedbyGanymede.Butthemotherofthegods fnally repented and,whenHerculeswaseventuallyadmitted totheOlympiancompany,shegavehimHebe towife.Ganymedewas veneratedatSicyonandPhliusconjointly with Hebe. He is depicted as a beautiful adolescent youth in a Phrygiancapandwassometimescarriedthroughtheairon thebackofaneagle.Zeuswasparticularlystruckwith Ganymede' s beautyandarrangedforhimtoassumethe role of hispersonalcup-bearer. The magical lesson to be learnedfrom these two godlings is thatwhilebeautyof form andfacemight,atcertainstagesin ourdevelopment,appeartoaidourascentupthespiritual ladder,theycanalsochainustoalifeofservice.And, athoughthebeingwhosecupwebearmayassumedivine apectsinoureyes,thisparticularrolemusteventuallybe relinquishedif theaspiringHero istostandalone and be his own perso in thecosmicschemeof things.52PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC Zagreus BeforeheruncleHadeswhiskedherofftotheUnderworld,Persephone gavebirth to Zeus' s son,Zagreus. TheCuretesof Crete,ormaybeitwastheKorybanteswhoguardedhis cradle,butwhoeverwasresponsiblefelfoulofZeus sold enemies,theTitans,whocameunderdisguisebynightand stole theinfant .In hisattempttoescapefrom theirclutches, Zagreuschagedformmanytimes,becomingZeusinagoatskin,Cronusastheraingiver,alion,ahorse,ahorned serpent,a tigerandabull .AtthefnalpointtheTitansseized himbythehornsandhastilydespatchedhim.Athene happenedtowitnessthedreadfuldeedand,noticingthat Zagreus' s heartwasstillintact,enclosedit in a gypsum fgure intowhichshebreathedlifesothathebecameimmortal . Zagreus' slaterassociatonorpossibleidentifcationwith Dionysusisnodoubtathrow-backtotheviolentritesthat were common to both godlings prior to the civilizing infuence ofthephilosophers. To do j usticetothenatureadpersonatyofa theminor deitieswoud reachwellbeyond thescopeof thispublication+Theaforegoingg therefore,isrenderedpurelyasagenera guidelineorstartingpointfromwhichthededicatedstudent of theHeroicPathmaystepforhintohisownlineof study adinvestigation. 5. NON-HANS,FABULOUS BEASTSANDNATURDIVINITIES There were, believe it or not ,times in the histor of man when hewasawareof theexistenceofotherlife"forms,energiesor mndsequalyaspowerfulandintelligentashisown,if not moreso! Priortotheonsetofhisspirituablindness,ma padduedeferencetothedenizensofotherdimensionsand theenergiesthatensouledriverandstrea,forestandcave, windandfe.Inthemyhs,namesareaccordedbothtothe groupelementalsoulandtothosespiritsthatindividuated fromit,afew examples of whichare given here.However,we aeonlyskiringtheedgesofthsstudysothereis considerablymoretobelearedbythosewiththetime, inclinationanddedicationnecessaryforitspursuit. TeSatrs Said by someauthoritiestorepresent elementaryspiritsof the forests and mountains, satyrs were but one of many groups of beingswhichwerepartlyofhumanandpartlyofanmal form.Theyaredescribedashavinglowforeheads,snub noses,pointedearsandhairybodies,goats'tailsandcloven hooves.AccordingtoGraves,themostfamousof thesewas Silenus, whose nae means' Moon man' .Larousse, however, designatestheSi/eniaawholeandseparatespecies,being orignaly genii of springsand rivers,in whchcae they would havemoreincomonwiththemyhological'waterhorsesthanthesatygenus.Asourowninnerplanes'teaching S4PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC accordswithGraves'interpretation,forthepurposeofthis bookwewillleaveSilenusinsatyrform. Silenuswastraditionallyconsideredtobealoud,j ovia, permanentlydrunkensortoflout ,whoalsopossesseda never-endingsourceofknowledgeandinnatewisdomwhich hesawfittodispenseoncertainoccasions,notablyhis encounterwithKingMidaswhenheexpoundedtheAtlantis storyinsomedetail .AstutortoDionysus,Silenus accompaniedhischargeduringthewild,maddaysofthe godling' sinitiations.Plato,however,feltnoirreverencein comparinghismasterSocrateswithSilenus,sowhatisthe answer,andwhyshouldanugly,drunkenold half-mao,halfbeastholdsomuchmagicalsway? Ofcourse,aswithallGreekmagic,thereisaninner mysteryinvolved.Satyrs,centaurs,sileni ,unicornsor winged horsesmayformpartof amuddledunrealitytosome people, inmuchthesamewaythatpinkelephantsarejokingly associatedwiththestateofinebriationbut,inanother dimensionorparalleluniversethatco-existssimultaneously withandwithinourown,theyarerealities !Manmay accidentallypeerintothisuniversewhenseriouslyill ,inhis ' cups' , orundertheinfuenceofhallucinogenicdrugs because,onsuchoccasions ,thediscardingofprogrammed conditioningallowsthebarrierstodropsufficientlyforthe veiltobetemporarilydrawnaside.ButtotheInitiateof the HeroicPaththeseuniversesareavailableforviewingatwil, thespirituadevelopmentoftheviewerbeingtheonly decidingfactorastothenatureandintensityofthe revelation.Tothe uninitiated soul Silenus and his ilk may well appearashedonisticinebriates,becausesatyrsandcentaurs areof thenatureofPaninthattheyactasmirrorsinwhich manmayconfronthimself!OncetheheroicInitiatehas learned tobreak from the' collective'and programme his own mindwithoutresortingtostimulantsofanykind,hewillsee thesatyrsandtheirfriendsastheyreallyareandcometo knowhimselfintothebargain. Thegodlingwithinhimwill have started to stir in its gestation and the satyrs, centaurs and theirassociates,beingfullyawareoftheirtutorialrole,will stepforwardtohelphimonhisway.ThefactthattheGreekheroeswereusuallybornofagod toamoralmotheris initself anindication thatthegodforce wasalreadysufficientlymanifestwithinthemtobringabout FABULOUSBEASTSANDNATUREDIVINITIESSS theessentialindividuationwhichisa' must'foreveryoccult initiate. TheCentaurs Formingpartof thecortegeof Dionysus, the centaurs had the torsoandheadofamanwhiletheremainderoftheirbody wasofahorse.Etymologically,thenamecentaursignifes 'thosewhoroundupbulls'(Larousse,Encyclopediaof Mytholog),whichmakesourequestrianfriendssoundlike a groupofmythologicalcowboys !But,liketheirsatyrfriends, thecentaurswere aso renownedfortheirwisdom.Itwassaid thatChiron,inparticular,waseducatedbyArtemisand Apolloandhe,inturn,pasedhisknowledgeontomanyof the heroes.Whenwounded byHercules Chiron exchanged his immortalityforthemortalityofPrometheus,asacrifcefor whichZeusplaced himamongthestarsasthe constellationof Sagittarius. Inearlierchaptersweconsideredthenatureanddeedsof Prometheus,theTitan,andhisspecifcroleintheevolution ofmankind.Chiron' snoblegesture,therefore,tellsusthat theinhabitantsofthatparalleluniverse,whichourmortal eyesaeasyetunabletobehold,haveenteredatemporary stateoftransition(death)inordertoallowPrometheusto fnishthe takhe commenced with his gift of fre.When man haslearnedtomaster thedivinefre within hissoul,thenwill theworldofChironbeoncemoreopen tothescrutinyof all . Untilsuchgoldentimes,however,theprivilegeisreservedfor thosewhoseheroicdeedsofself-discipline,loveanduniversal understandingearnthemtherighttoleanfromChironand hiscontemporaries. Pegasus WhenthegorgonMedusawasdecapitated byPersus,the childrenshewacarryingbyPoseidon- Chrysaorthe warior,andPegasusthewingedhorse- sprangfromher deadbody.Bothhadbeenconceived,ratherirreverently,in thetempleof thegoddessAthene,whichapparentlycaused thatdivinepersonage considerableoffence. ThemortalBellerophon,sonofGlaucus,wasaskedto destroytheChimaera,afre-breathingshe-monster.Before settingoutonthismissionheconsultedtheseer,Polyeidus, whoadvisedhimthatthesuccessofhismissiondependedon 56PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC hiscatchingandtamingthefabledPegasus .Bellerophon sought the beastand found him drinkingfroma pool .Using a goldenbridlewhichAthenehadconvenientlypresentedto him,he wasable to catchPegasus,mounthimandset off.So successfulwastheteamofmanandwingedhorsethat Bellerophon sservicesasaheroweremuchsoughtaferby mortalsandimmortalsalike. Oneday,however,he overstepped the mark by presumptuously undertaking a fight toOlympuson the backof Pegasus.Zeus ,beingaffrontedby such conceit,sent a gadfy which stung Pegasus under the tail , causing him to rear and send his rider tumbling back to Earth. Pegasuscompletedthej ourneytoOlympus,wherehewas greetedbyZeusandtheothergods.Athough the ancient Egyptians are,perhaps,better known for viewing the immorals in forms other than those of Homo sapiens,theGreekswere justas muchbelieversintheoccult factthatdivinitycanassumeanyform,asmaybeevidenced inthisPegasusstory.Bellerophon,forallhisheroism,had notyetattainedtogodhood,butPegasusthehorsewas welcomedintothedivinecompany.Alessoninhumilityfor man,perhaps?FortheInitiate,defnitely.An interesting point to note:Aquarius,whose energiesrule theNewAge,falsundertheconstellationofPegasus .Perhaps, duringthe Aquarian Age, we are destined t o witness theunitingofmanwithsomeof the moremisunderstoodor rejectedfacetsofexistenceoutsidehisownenvironment, togetherwithaspirituaacceptanceofthoseanimasthat dwellwthhimonhisownplanet. Notallthefabulousbeastswereasgentleandevolvedas Pegasus,however.There were an equal number of 'nasties'to becontendedwith.Thesewereusualyseenasconglomerationsof whatevertheGreeksof thosetimessawasbeing ugly or horrendous.Itisnotdiffculttosorthewheatfrom thechaff;a little logicdoesthe trick,soonedoes not need to be all that mysterious about it.Many of the'creatures of evil' whichtheheroesweresentforthtodisposeofrepresent apectsofthe' self'whichneedtobefaceduptoand conquerede But more of thiswhen wesetabout analysing the Laboursof Herculesinalaterchapter. TheMuss As god of music,Apollo was always accompanied by a group FABULOUSBEASTSANDNATUREDIVINITIES57 ofsupernaturalsknownastheMuses.Thesevariedin number,theoriginalthreebeingMeleteg MnemeandAoide, while the namesof Netey MeseandHypateweregivento them atSicyon.InLesbossevenMuseswereacknowledged,while thePythagoreansfavouredeightofthem.Ninewerefinally chosen:Clio,Euterpe,Thaia,Melpomene,Terpsichore, Erato,Polyhymnia,UranaandCaliope- Eachhasaspecifc functionasfollows: Clio:Museofhistory.Hersymbolsweretheheroic trumpetandclepsydra. Euterpe:Patronessofthefute,thisbeinghersymbol . Thalia:OriginalyabucolicMuse,shelaterbecame patronessofcomedy.Sheisdepicedcarrngthe shepherds'staffandcomicmak-Melomene:TheMuseoftragedye Shecarriedthetragic maskandtheclubofHercules -Terpsichore:Mistressoflyricpoetryandthedance.The citharawaherattribute. Erato:Museoflovepoetry.Polyhymnia:OriginallyMuseofheroichymns, shewas laterdesignatedMuseofmimicaandshownina meditativeposewithherfngeronhermouth+Urania:AsMuseofastronomyUraniahasasher attributesthecelestialglobeandcompass.Caliope:Tesenorof thenineMuseswashonouredas museofepicpoetryandeloquenceg hersymbolsbeingthe stylusandtablets-TheHore ThenameHoraesignifeaperiodoftimewhichcabe appliedtotheyear,seasonorhour.TheHoraewere meteorologicaldivinitieswhoshoweredtheeathwithrain, withoutwhichnothingcouldgrow- Latertheyweresaidto presideovernatureitselfandtheorderoftheseasons,but therewasconsiderableconfusionatotheirtruerolesevenin thosedistant times.They variedin number,with the pople of AthensfavouringThalo,thebringeroffowersandCarpo 58PRACTICALGREEKMAGIC whobroughtfruit,whileHesiodcountedthree:Eunomia, DikeandIrene(orEirene);Eunomiasawthatlawswere observed,Dike watched over justice,and Irene ensured a state ofpeace.OnOlympustheyhadspecialtasks,oneofwhich includedguardingthegatesofheaven.Eunomia,Dikeand IrenewerethedaughtersofZeusandThemis .Theywere shownasbeautifulmaidenswithfowinghair,golden diademsandlightfootsteps.Theylovedtodanceandoften accompaniedtheGracestoformpartof Aphrodite' s retinue. Theywerealsothehelpersofchildrenandyoungpeople generally,towhomtheyshowedmuchtendernessandcare. DeMoeraeorFates Homersawthesebeingsasrepresentingman' s individuaand inescapabledestiny;itwasonlyHesiodwhotreatedthemas minordivinities.DaughtersofNight,theywerethreein numberandwerenamedClotho,LachesisandAtropos. Clotho,thespinner,personifedthethreadoflife; Lachesis,chance,thekindlyelementof goodluckthatwe allhopewill appearatsomepropitioustimeinourlife, whileAtropos stoodforthosefatalistic conditionsthataregenerally designatedasbeingkarmicfromwhichwewouldappearto havenoescape.TheMoeraeshadowthewhole ofaperson's life. TheyarrivewithIlyhiaatthe momentof birthandare presentatthepointof deathwhenitistheirdutytoseverthe cord.InancientGreecetheywerealsoinvokedatthetimeof marriagetoensureahappyandlastingunion. TheKeres Whenitwasdestinedthatapersonshouldmeetwitha diffcultorviolentend,thisoneroustaskwasexecutedbythe Keres,whoweresometimescalledthe'DogsofHades' .This ratherunpleasantgroupofspectresapparentlydidthedirty workfortheMoerae,buttheywerenotaloneinthistask,beingassistedby theErinnyes. TheErnnyes Asoknownbysomeathe' DogsofHades' , thislittle chthoncbandwereentrustedwiththespecialmissionof punishingthecrimeofparricideandtheviolationofoaths adpromises.Nodoubtmanyoftheaforementionedwere FABULOUSBEASTSANDNATUREDIVINITIES59 purelypersonifcationsofmoralideasorprinciples,aswas Nemesis,forexample,and the seriousstudentshouldhaveno diffcultyinsortingonefromanother. Cerbers Guardianof the gatestoHades'Underworld,Cerberuswasa mightywatchdogwithfftyheadsandavoiceof bronze.His parentswereTyphoeusandEchidna. Sometimeshewas depictedwithonlythreeheadsbutbristlingwithserpents.Eitherway,hewasaprettyterrifyingsortofcharacterand onceinsidehisgatestherewaslittlechanceofescape. TheUnderworldwassurroundedbytheriverSty andin order tocross this, or anyof the subterraneanwaterways,one neededthehelpoftheoldferryman,Charon.Unlessthe deceasedpresentedCharo