Monolithic Statue of Tlaltecuhtli from the Aztec Templo Mayor, Mexico City. Did asexuality as a concept ever appear in Greek writings? Edit: Totally different meaning without the "with each other" clause. Related pages [ change | change source] Demigod Divinity This page was last changed on 10 February 2023, at 02:08. 52 Queer Gods Who Ruled Ancient History - pride.com ine, the goddess of the summer and summer sun and Grian (asgrian means sun in Irish) was the goddess of the pale winter sun., Water was considered a sacred element and Manannn the sea god is one of the most notable of all the gods in Irish mythology. I think of the most greek gods as pansexual, no pun intended.Why would Zeus care which sex he has sex with, as he has sex with everything that's available? Male lovers in the Trojan War? Given all their relationships, the Celtic gods family tree is a complex one! Muse, tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite the Cyprian, who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land rears, and all that the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Cytherea. As a child C Chulainn was known by the name of Stanta. Call him mythology's original transgender person. And for those who think same-sex nuptials are a 21st-century invention, Apollo also was in a relationship with Hymen, the god of marriage. Seemingly not all of them, Lugh is said to have been speared and drowned in Loch Lugborta(or Loch Lugh) in County Westmeath, by the sons of Cermait after he killed their father. No emphasis seems to be placed in any writings on the absence of sexuality in the Greek gods. Why not check out the, Top 10 Irish American Presidents with Irish Roots, Waterville: The Complete Charlie Chaplin Guide. Another belief revolves around reincarnation. A mix of stories from ancient history and mythology merged together by bards or the kings poets to record important family history of kings. Irish mythology is rich in tales gods and goddesses and their rituals, battles, revenge and sexual encounters. His sword, Moralltach, or the Great Fury given to him by thegod of the sea, Manannan mac Lir, was one of his prized possessions. He was king of the glorified race of the Tuatha d Danann, who were known for their superior skills and knowledge, particularly on the battlefield. Codex Telleriano-Remensis/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. Among them: Abderos, who kept the mares of Diomedes for Heracles but was eaten by the beasts; Hylas, Heracles' companion when he sailed on the Argo, who was eventually kidnapped by nymphs in Mysia; and Iolaus, who help cauterize the necks of the hydra when Heracles famously chopped off the beast's many heads. Despite his strong protests and attempts to throw her off, she forcibly entwines herself around him. Indeed, the relationship with Iolaus was enshrined in Thebes, where male couples of the day could be found "exchanging vows and pledges with their beloved at his tomb," according to historian Louis Crompton. Some of the main Celtic deity types and main gods and goddesses of each are listed below.. Asexual Greek Gods | Wiki | Ace Alliance Amino Goddess of Running Water, Xipe Totec, God of Fertility and Sacrifice, Ph.D., Anthropology, University of California Riverside, M.A., Anthropology, University of California Riverside. It is in the Cattle Raid of Cooley that Flidias had a magical herd of cattle who produced so much milk that they could supply for the entire army every seven days. The quintessential example, the way "asexuality" is used nowadays, would be if someone in some situation were to turn down a sexual situation - not because they didn't want to have sex with them, but rather because they just didn't feel like having sex, as a whole, with anyone. Thanks for contributing an answer to Literature Stack Exchange! In a dream Aengus falls in love with a beautiful maiden, There was a catch that Caer was stuck in the form of a swan and was only able to return to a human form for one day every second year. I'm not catholic (or any sort of Christian, or any sort of religion, actually) but I think I have prayed to the Virgin Mary before. She is said to be responsible for the rage and fury of a battle and her terrifying scream can kill or paralyze a man. Welcome to the first episode of the history of asexuality! Are there any myths where Artemis or Athena fell in love with women? Saint Brigid founded a monastery in County Kildare on the site of a sacred place dedicated to the goddess Brigid. This post contains affiliate links. The goddess ine is strongly associated with the feast of midsummer and the summer sun. Badb and Nemain were the wives of Neit, the Irish god of war. As another example, Eros is often referred to as being one of those omnipresent entities in male interactions in Greek culture. She then jumps in. Bisexual. Besides dalliances with numerous nymphs, Apollo was also lover to Macedonian Prince Hyakinthos, who died catching a thrown discus, then turned by the god into the hyacinth flower. ', We're Ready to Stan 'Swarm,' a New Horror Series Based on the Beyhive, Ellie & Riley's Kiss in 'The Last of Us' Censored in Some Regions. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. - Zeus, god of the thunder, was bisexual. In some myths, Pandora is the first woman, created by Hephaestus for Zeus to punish humanity. There are four Cycles or groupings in Irish mythology: Most of the legends of the deities come from the Mythological Cycles and the later Ulster Cycles (ca. ThoughtCo, Jul. Hestia was the eldest daughter of Cronos and Rhea. A gay cupbearer on Mount Olympus? The creature of both sexes was frequently depicted in classical art as a figure with womanly breasts and form but with male genitalia. Nicoletta Maestri holds a Ph.D. in Mesoamerican archaeology with fieldwork experience in Italy, the Near East, and throughout Mesoamerica. After the gods changed him back, Zeus asked who enjoyed sex more, men or women. Bri - Ruler of Prehistory, the first god and father of Borr. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Pandora's arrival and the subsequent disasters mark the end of the Golden Age of Man. Above: Rossi Domenico, Pan and Apollo (circa 1704), engraving, DionysusBest known as the Greek god of wine, Dionysus was also the god of intersex and transgender people. In another story of rape, ine exacted revenge by turned her offender, Additionally, the goddess Brigid associations include, Interestingly, Brigid is thought to have been a. Brigid was the goddess Celtic people turned to when they needed to be healed. However, some later Greek writers did come to treat Artemis as inherently asexual and as an opposite to Aphrodite. Above: Enrique Simonet, El Juicio de Paris (1904), ErosWhile the best-known myths of Eros depict the son of Aphrodite as a fertility god -- the version that proved inspirational to the popularized Roman god Cupid -- later Greek myths portrayed Eros as one of several winged erotes, and the one regarded as a protector of homosexual culture, according to research in the scholarly book Among Women: From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World. Should I clarify that with an edit? In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Artemis ( / rtms /; Greek: ) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. FebruaryMarch 2023 topic challenge: the works of Arthur Koestler, MarchApril 2023 topic challenge: Hayy ibn Yaqdhan / Philosophus Autodidactus, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. The Goddess Athena - Asexuality and the Gods, AVEN Unofficial discord and other resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, July/August/September 2022 - Asexual Dating. Above: Diego Velazquez, The Triumph of Bacchus, a.k.a. In Navajo mythology, Tsohanoai is the husband of the goddess of seasons, Estsanatlehi. Danu is occasionally referred to as Anu, although some sources may indicate that Anu was another goddess completely. I think Athena definatlly screams Asexual, when you just look at her character and the way she acts and does things, and what she stands for. Ovid is Roman, not Greek, of course. However in the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, we read. First is the daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis, bright-eyed Athena; for she has no pleasure in the deeds of golden Aphrodite, but delights in wars and in the work of Ares, in strifes and battles and in preparing famous crafts. Athena was the protector of Athens, the capital of Greece, and it was from her that the city took it's name. Size queen. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. She is occasionally depicted as having flames coming out of her hair. With her, he is the father of two children: the god of war and the god of fishing. Are there tables of wastage rates for different fruit and veg? While homosexual love was definitely not news to the ancient Greeks, would all of humanity be involved in homosexual love until the first human woman came? The only difference between men and gods was that the latter were immortal. Retells the famous tales about Fionn mac Cumhail (or Finn McCool) and the band of Irish warriors known as the Fianna. Callisto and Arcas were later put in the stars as the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. His shrine was decorated with blue bands representing rain and water. The Symposium goes into some manner of detail on this point about Eros, describing maleness and sexuality as effectively identical concepts with no real distinguishing factors. Above: Enrique Simonet, El Juicio de Paris (1904), ErosWhile the best-known myths of Eros depict the son of Aphrodite as a fertility god -- the version that proved inspirational to the popularized Roman god Cupid -- later Greek myths portrayed Eros as one of several winged erotes, and the one regarded as a protector of homosexual culture, according to research in the scholarly book Among Women: From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World. Some scholars have argued that Danu may be associated with water and may in fact have originated from the River Danube that flows through Europe. bu yeah on a short note i always fell in love with the virgin goddesses of any religion, hell i was raised catholic and to this day the only person i ever pray to is the virgin maryand even that rarely. Mutually exclusive execution using std::atomic? Suggested Deviants. The real question, then, is whether old Greek writings reflect an idea of asexuality similar to our modern one. Sigils Emblems Insignias Collection. Then he also transformed into a swan and flew with her to his home in the. Also - isn't "Athena wanted to make love to [Hephaestus]" something of a direct counterexample to her asexuality? she became a he. While tolerance is often presented as a sign of civilization's advancement, a reading of Greek mythology reveals greater acceptance of homosexuality in ancient Athens than can be boasted within today's world religions. Above: Jean-Baptiste Regnault, Education of Achilles (1780-1790). Her name means the exalted one in old Irish. Often, the origins of the Aztec gods can be traced back to those from earlier Mesoamerican religionsor shared by other societies of the day. Dionysus (1629), HeraclesThe famous hero had a number of male companions through his many trials. In the General Post Office (or GPO) in Dublin, Ireland there is a sculpture by Oliver Shepard of C Chulainns final moments.. Danu is the mother goddess of Ireland and of the Tuatha d Danann. The goddess Flidas (or Flidais) is this deity with her special focus on domestic cattle and milking. There is much scholarly debate on this topic and no clear conclusions. (From Ovid, Metamorphoses, trans. Osiris was a god responsible for taking care of the departed souls in the next world. The incident drew a curse upon the city of Thebes. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. - Hermes, menssager of the gods, was bisexual as well. Pandora's arrival and the subsequent disasters mark the end of the Golden Age of Man. Good, fruitful harvests were critical for the survival of Celtic people and animals, so it is easy to see how central a role this god played in the, One ritual to ensure a fruitful harvest in the coming year was the annual coupling of the Dagda with his wife, the, Some of the Dagdas most prized possessions included an, The Dagda was the supposed father of several other important figures in Irish mythology including the goddess, The Dagda is not thought to have welcomed the news of the arrival of, It is said that upon hearing the news that Boann was pregnant, the Dagda attempted to, It is possibly fitting then that Aengus, the, One story exists of how the Dagda when assigning land to his children, he forgot to leave land for Aengus. The Goddess Athena - Asexuality and the Gods - Asexual Musings and Most of the discussion around women in Greek culture seems to revolve solely around sexuality. There are several divine mother goddess figures in ancient Celtic mythology. There is one story in which the god [Hephaestus] was told by Ares that Athena wanted to make love to him, so when she asked him to make her some new weapons, he said that the only payment he would need was her love. Anyone would like to add anything i missed? - 400 C.E. Athena didn't catch the innuendo. In order to marry her, Aengus had to correctly identify her as a swan among 150 other swans, which he was able to do. Lines 9601022 of Hesiod's. It is likely that the early Christian Church decided to incorporate Brigid in the form of Saint Brigid of Kildare into their teachings to appeal to her worshippers.. Macha is more usually connected with the land and its fertility and is seen as a protector. Perhaps a case can be made for Hermaphroditus. I find it interesting how there are so many virgin goddesses in relgions, and how respected they usually are. Artemis was very wild and independent. His image has black stripes on his face and he carries an obsidian mirror. Legend states that Lugh was also a bit of a trickster and is sometimes known as the Celtic god of mischief. Chalchiuhtlicue (pronounced Tchal-chee-uh-tlee-ku-eh) was the goddess of running water and all aquatic elements. I've always been a pretty big mythology nerd, and Athena was always my favorite of the gods, from any culture. Thanks! However, that ended poorly when Myrmex pretended to have invented the plow, one of Athena's creations, and Athena turned the girl into an ant. C Chulainn or Cchulainn features often in the Ulster Cycles of Irish mythology. Forseti - God of justice, peace and truth. Retribution payments for certain crimes were also paid in cattle according to the old Irish Brehon laws. Also, the older-younger thing had a class dynamic. The Morrigan Irish War Goddess: The Complete Guide - MythologySource Above: Zeus and Ganymede, artist and date unknown. Above: Rossi Domenico, Pan and Apollo (circa 1704), engraving. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Gifted with the ability to shapeshift, she has the capacity to take many forms, but commonly takes the form of a crow. 12 African Gods and Goddesses: The Orisha Pantheon She was one of three virgin goddesses in the Greek pantheon, and I don't really believe that they had these three virgin goddesses because they believed that sex was a sin, because to their society, it most certainly wasn't. ), While there isn't a whole lot of evidence either way, the speculation I've read about whether Athena had sex with anyone seems to have trouble differentiating between Athena as an asexual figure or an abstinent one. There are a few gods and goddesses in ancient Greek mythology (assuming you count that as part of literature) who lead virgin lifestyles. As I remember younger men would couple with older men prior to marriage in Greek culture. After the gods changed him back, Zeus asked who enjoyed sex more, men or women. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Interestingly, Brigid is thought to have been a pagan goddess in pre-Christian times and later transitioned from a goddess to a saint. Gods and Goddesses from the AI's eyes #shorts #short #aiart #midjourney #god #goddess #ai #aigenerated #shortvideo By some accounts, she was Callisto's lover before the nymph was raped by Zeus. Can I tell police to wait and call a lawyer when served with a search warrant? Artemis didn't want to get married or have sex with men because in those days a woman attaching herself to a man would mean giving up her autonomy and independence. In some accounts she is Odin's wife, making her foremost among the Aesir goddesses. PanOf course, many mythological texts and artworks connect Daphnis to the satyr Pan, god of music. Her name means she of the Jade Skirt. The stories a myth, so it's going to sound really strange, but here it is. Above: John Macallan Swan, Orpheus (1896), HermaphroditusPerhaps the earliest literary reference to an intersex person concerns this child of Hermes and love goddess Aphrodite who as a youth encountered the nymph Salmacis, who attempted to seduce the youth and asked the gods that their forms be permanently joined. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. He was also connected with rightfulness, especially in terms of kingship. Tlaltechutli (Tlal-teh-koo-tlee) is the monstrous earth goddess. She is the mother of Fand, the goddess of the sea and of the lover of Fergus mac Rich, who apparently needed seven women or just Flidas to satisfy his sexual appitite., While there are many different Celtic deities, they can be sometimes grouped together according to certain aspects. Some myths suggest a romantic relationship between Hermes and the hero Perseus. Asexual Goddess Births Starting in the Epic period of Hinduism (400 B.C.E. There are plenty of instances of goddesses sleeping with mortal men. Bisexual. Best known as the Greek god of wine, Dionysus was also the god of intersex and . I find it interesting that such a sexual society had three virgin goddesses. In addition to the connection of the holy wells, Brigid and Catholic Saint Brigid are also connected by the feast day of February 1st. A study of Athena by Karl Kerenyi links her virginal nature to her relationship with her father. Athena, Artemis, and Hestia come to mind as examples. During his female years, Teiresias became a priestess of Hera, married, and even had children, according to Hesiod. As a crow, she would fly over the battlefield and either, The frenzy of battle is connected with the aspect of, Good, fruitful harvests were required to provide for the people and animals, therefore much emphasis was placed on gods and goddesses that represent fertility, such as, There are several stories that connect ine to. As far as she was concerned, love didn't equal sex. She is a triple goddess with two other sisters who are also confusingly also called Brigid and each of the three Brigid goddesses has one main attribute. While many of the other greek gods - men and women alike - were promiscous, Athena was completely asexual, and not because she was a "pure" goddess of chasity or something. This list includes Etruscan, Greek, Roman, Norse and Meitei versions of similar gods and goddesses. Among them: Abderos, who kept the mares of Diomedes for Heracles but was eaten by the beasts; Hylas, Heracles' companion when he sailed on the Argo, who was eventually kidnapped by nymphs in Mysia; and Iolaus, who help cauterize the necks of the hydra when Heracles famously chopped off the beast's many heads. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Each became the river goddess of their respective rivers.. She was primarily known the Goddess of the . In a way, I've always admired witches (=the good, white magic ones), though I'm not into Wicca/witchcraft myself. So this is more an avenue for research than a definitive answer. Above: Francois Joseph Navez, The Nymph Salmacis and Hermaphroditus. Mayahuel(pronounced My-ya-whale) is the Aztec goddess of the maguey plant, the sweet sap of which (aguamiel) was considered her blood. Set around the 3rd century C.E. Short story taking place on a toroidal planet or moon involving flying, How to handle a hobby that makes income in US. You Might Like Asexual Goddesses Published: Jun 19, 2020. Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, the moon, and the protector of girls and animals. Functions Above: Zeus and Ganymede, artist and date unknown. The Dagda Celtic god is believed to be the father of the gods and is thought of as a strong, manly figure with the knowledge and wisdom of the druids. Other tales link him romantically to the sea goddess Fand. This website saves cookies to your browser in order to improve your online experience and show you personalized content. The Pseudo-Apollodorus also said Apollo had been with Thracian singer Thamyris in the first man-on-man relationship in history. Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses - Namma (goddess) The Dagda is the Celtic god of. Where does this (supposedly) Gibson quote come from? A few more things that I find interesting about Athena and her asexuality is that she really does seem sexless in the way that she acts. Obviously, by itself this doesn't tell us anything about Athena's own sexuality, but symbolically it connects her with the idea of asexuality from the very beginning of her life. She is known as the mother of the god Enki/Ea as well as the mother goddess who gave birth to the cosmos and all the gods. This is a series I started about asexual greek gods. HermesThe wing-heeled messenger of the gods was said in multiple myths to have male lovers. By. Some of these gods and goddesses of Celtic mythology were revered across the Celtic world, whereas others seemed to have been less well known and worshiped only in certain regions or specific locations. Xipe Totec (pronounced Shee-peh Toh-tek) is Our Lord with the flayed skin. Xipe Totec was the god of agricultural fertility, the east and the goldsmiths. Either romantic love or sexual desire would be, in some sense, a departure from the pure reason which characterises Athena. In addition to his abilities as a warrior, C Chulainn terrified his enemies by flying into a frenzied rage in battle. DionysusBest known as the Greek god of wine, Dionysus was also the god of intersex and transgender people. Aphrodite | Mythology, Worship, & Art | Britannica Didn't seem to be as much of a phenomenon among the rest of society in old Greece. Her brain and the way that she thought and acted seemed to have characteristics of both. He is known for single-handedly defeating the army of Queen Medb in the Battle of Cooley, as the Ulstermen were unable to fight due to a curse previously placed on them. Deals with the adventures and challenges of the warriors, kings and queens around the 1st century C.E. I don't expect that the ancient Greeks shared our modern conception of asexuality (though I'd definitely be open to an answer discovering that they did). Son of Baldr and Nanna. Plato Greek Gods & Goddesses Can airtags be tracked from an iMac desktop, with no iPhone? However, many scholars now consider this myth as a creation of the Franciscan friars during the post-Conquest period. She prays that the two of them will never be separated, and as a result, Hermaphroditus becomes a hermaphrodite. In comparison to Roman gods, many Celtic deities often represent multiple different aspects and had more all-encompassing powers. Ameinias, desperately depressed over the rejection, killed himself. The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (1485), depicting Venus, the Roman goddess of sex and beauty. But when Zeus disguised himself as Artemis, she was lured into the goddess's embrace. Most of the evidence supporting the worship of Cernunnos was found in Gaul (the name given to France by the Romans) and Britain, with less influence in Ireland. The Dagda is not thought to have welcomed the news of the arrival of Aengus. Maestri, Nicoletta. Examples include the goddess Danu the supposed mother figure of the mythical superhuman race called the Tuatha d Danann and the goddess Ermas, who is said to have given birth to triple goddesses of the Morrigna.. In another story of rape, ine exacted revenge by turned her offender, Gerald, Earl of Desmond into a goose.. Hesiod wrote that after this tryst was discovered, Callisto was turned into a bear before she gave birth to son Arcas. - Athena, goddess of widsom, was a lesbian. As a mother goddess figure, she is most usually associated with, Some scholars have argued that Danu may be, The crow symbol is thought to connect with, in Irish). Above: Pentheus Scorns The Prophecies of Tiresias, AthenaThe goddess of wisdom and patron of Athens was a virgin by nearly every mythological account but did express a romantic attraction to the Attic maiden Myrmex. Her name means "The one who give and devours life" and she required many human sacrifices to sustain her. Alastor God of family feuds and avenger of evil deeds. The god Lugh, (also spelled Lug or Luga) is one of the most notable of all the Irish deities and equates to the pan-Celtic god of Lugus. Irish mythology usually depicts the sun as being feminine and interestingly there appears to have been two goddesses connected with the sun. Before the wedding, Iphis prayed in the Temple of Isis for a solution, and voila! And while some stories list Daphnis, the inventor of pastoral poetry, as the son of Hermes, other sources claim him to be the god of speed's favorite lover. I've heavily restructured the question to hopefully be a little clearer about what, exactly, I'm looking for. Brigid was the goddess Celtic people turned to when they needed to be healed. By Read our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy to get more information and learn how to set up your preferences. Reporting this earned him a blinding by Hera. There doesn't seem to be anything to suggest that Dionysius doesn't experience sexual attraction, irrespective of whether he partakes in it. What exactly were all those men doing before she came? She acquired the land from the King of Leinster by promising to only take as much ground as her cloak covered. I didn't know what asexuality was when I first got into mythology, but now I've decided that Athena - one of the most powerful gods in any mythological culture - was completely and totally asexual. One of many forms of the Eye of Ra. Above: Johann Georg Platzer, The Amazon Queen Thalestris in the Camp of Alexander the Great, TeiresiasThe blind prophet of Apollo was most famous in Greek myth for being transformed from a man into a woman for seven years. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

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