Younger vs older Gods
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2004 12:00 am
Salvete
A while back, someone on a another emaillist pointed out that most pagans who worship Hellenic/ Roman Gods usually end up worshipping younger Gods like Apollo, Artemis, Hekate, Athena,Dionysus and Hermes, but few are drawn to older Gods like Zeus, Poseidon and Hades.
Especially Hades is one who is more than likely left out due to his associations with death and afterlife.
I think the problem here lies with connection or feeling connected with the Gods. Its certainly understandeble to have affinity for the younger Gods, because they are more asscoiated with things that affect us daily while Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, not to mention Hestia, Hera and Demeter are more or less left out due to their associations with government, controle, force (Zeus)- horses, earthquakes, sea (Poseidon)- death,afterlife (Hades)- marriage, children (Hera)- chastity, home (Hestia)- earth, farmers, etc... (Demeter).
These are the things that come to mind when thinking of the elder Olympian Gods. I don't know what the rest thinks of when thinking of these Gods. I doubt that this is limited to Hellenic paganism, but does other pagan traditions rooted in antiquity share the same "problem"? I don't necessarly think it is a problem, but I would like to hear some other thoughts ont he mtter.
valete
Quintus
A while back, someone on a another emaillist pointed out that most pagans who worship Hellenic/ Roman Gods usually end up worshipping younger Gods like Apollo, Artemis, Hekate, Athena,Dionysus and Hermes, but few are drawn to older Gods like Zeus, Poseidon and Hades.
Especially Hades is one who is more than likely left out due to his associations with death and afterlife.
I think the problem here lies with connection or feeling connected with the Gods. Its certainly understandeble to have affinity for the younger Gods, because they are more asscoiated with things that affect us daily while Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, not to mention Hestia, Hera and Demeter are more or less left out due to their associations with government, controle, force (Zeus)- horses, earthquakes, sea (Poseidon)- death,afterlife (Hades)- marriage, children (Hera)- chastity, home (Hestia)- earth, farmers, etc... (Demeter).
These are the things that come to mind when thinking of the elder Olympian Gods. I don't know what the rest thinks of when thinking of these Gods. I doubt that this is limited to Hellenic paganism, but does other pagan traditions rooted in antiquity share the same "problem"? I don't necessarly think it is a problem, but I would like to hear some other thoughts ont he mtter.
valete
Quintus