Charon, the ferryman of the Greco-Roman underworld, was born from a union of the primordial embodiments of night (Nyx) and darkness (Erebus). Charon’s many siblings included Aether… Read more “Charon: Old Man and the River”
Tag: Persephone
Beasts are Rational, part 2: On Eating Flesh
To recap part 1: The setup: Odysseus wants Circe to disenchant his men from their animal forms, and Circe argues that they are happier as animals than… Read more “Beasts are Rational, part 2: On Eating Flesh”
Cerberus: Hound of Hades
We’ve seen many a mythical dog. There was Yudhistara and the black dog at the gates of heaven from the Mahabharata; there was Fenrir, who bit off… Read more “Cerberus: Hound of Hades”
Inanna Prefers the Farmer: Marriage, Sex and Divorce in Ancient Sumeria
Imagine this: two men, one a farmer, the other a shepherd, attempt to win divine affection. In the end, the deity favors the shepherd. Now, this might… Read more “Inanna Prefers the Farmer: Marriage, Sex and Divorce in Ancient Sumeria”
An Account of Ancient Matters: A Shinto Creation Story
Izanagi (He Who Invites) and Izanami (She Who Invites) were the eighth pair of primeval Kami (deities) and were tasked with creating the world. They were given… Read more “An Account of Ancient Matters: A Shinto Creation Story”
Demeter in the Mortal Realm
In many re-tellings of the story of Persephone and Demeter, the focus often becomes Persephone. Brutally abducted by her uncle and swept into the Underworld where she… Read more “Demeter in the Mortal Realm”
The Union of Cupid and Psyche, part 4/4: Psyche in Hell, and the Wedding of Cupid and Psyche
Psyche in Hell: So far, with the help of the ants, the reeds, and Zeus himself, Psyche had completed all of Aphrodite’s increasingly demanding tasks. For the… Read more “The Union of Cupid and Psyche, part 4/4: Psyche in Hell, and the Wedding of Cupid and Psyche”
Who Mourns the Sirens?
Sirens are often mistakenly thought of as a monstrous counterpart to the mermaid; evil temptresses lurking in the sea foam waiting to lure innocent sailors to their… Read more “Who Mourns the Sirens?”
Triptolemus: The Greek Demi-God of Agriculture.
As we sit munching on our toast each morning, there are few of us that would even think to thank the demi-god Triptolemus. The one who, according… Read more “Triptolemus: The Greek Demi-God of Agriculture.”
Eat The Fruit: Persephone and Demeter
There’s one thing you don’t do if you find yourself in Hades, the Greek underworld: You don’t eat the fruit. Now, everyone in the Greek mythosphere knew… Read more “Eat The Fruit: Persephone and Demeter”
