The Season of Gemini

 

"Gemini" by Christine Graves via Nightcafe Studio

Hello, my darlings. Welcome to the season of the twins. Yes, we are smack dab in the middle of the zodiacal season of Gemini. Beginning May 21st and going through June 20, the twins dominate the sky and those born under their watch.

I'm planning on doing this as a whole series throughout the rest of this year and into next. I know, I should have started this in January, but I just came up with it. So, today's as good a time as any. I won't claim to be someone who knows all there is about zodiac signs and horoscopes and all that. I just love the stories behind the signs.

The mainstream theory behind the basis of Gemini is the Greek story of brothers Castor and Pollux. These brothers were half-brothers as they had different fathers. Pollux was the son of Zeus and, as such, was immortal. Castor, on the other hand, was the son of a mortal king and could therefore be killed.

During a battle, Castor is killed, and Pollux is inconsolable. He begs his father, Zeus, to take his immortality away from him so he may follow his brother into Hades. Zeus comes to a compromise and allows the brothers to spend half the year in Hades and the other half in the Heavens as the constellation Gemini.

Although this story is the most well-known, the Babylonians believed the constellation to be the great twins Meshlamtaea (The One who has arisen from the Underworld) and Lugalirra (The Mighty King). Furthermore, the Egyptians knew the constellation as the cosmic twins Shu and Tefnut. Twin children of the creator god, Aten. It is thought that they are represented on the Dendera Zodiac as the constellation of Gemini.

People born under the sign of Gemini are known to be "the life of the party". They're usually up for anything, will always keep the mood light and fun, and are always on the lookout for the next good time. Not because they're frivolous, but because they get bored easily and need something to keep them busy. 

Geminis are highly intelligent and make great storytellers. Some think Geminis are scatterbrained, but the truth is that because of their dual personality, they find it hard to make decisions. They can see both sides of any issue and find the truth in both sides of any argument.

Geminis are ruled by the planet Mercury, and as such, they enjoy great conversations, traveling, and learning new things. 

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood are Geminis, including Chris Evans (June 13th), Angelina Jolie (June 4th), and my favorite...Johnny Depp (June 9). Other Geminis include Marilyn Monroe (June 1st), Bob Dylan (May 24th), and Prince (June 7th). 

If you're a Gemini, embrace your creativity. Find that place inside of you where your dual personality brings all your dreams to a point. Celebrate the unique moments in your life that only you can feel. However, remember to keep yourself grounded and focus on the task at hand. 

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!

Revamping the Library

 

Hello, my darlings. How do you like the new banner? I love libraries, especially the old, kinda creepy ones. That's where the best books are...and the darkest stories.

A few years back, I'd started a blog called Library of the Ancients. I had a great plan for the site. I was going to create posts about a wide variety of ancient histories and legends, along with links to more information, links to books on the subject, and shops where like-minded items could be purchased. Unfortunately, my timing sucks, and life threw my cool idea out the window.

Well, I'm going to try again. I absolutely love this blog, and I'm determined to make this a little library of information on histories, mysteries, and mythologies. And the older I get, the more I want to know about ancient religions and stories I'd never thought of before.

I'm not quite sure just how I'm going to catalogue everything yet, but I'll figure it out. When I try to do it on paper, I get overwhelmed and constantly second-guess myself. I'll get there. 

I've always had a love for ancient history and strange legends. Not just the ancient ones, but more modern mysteries as well. I thrive on it. It used to drive my grandmother crazy. She was a devout Christian and just knew I was going to hell because of it. My dad just told her to leave me alone as I'd grow out of it. Yea, that didn't happen. But I always looked at it as not just understanding the Christian faith, but all faiths. I understood at a very young age that these stories weren't just myths and legends; they were someone's religion.

I also fell in love with the ancient stories such as King Arthur, Beowulf, Queen Mebd, and so many more. I wanted to know all I could find about ancient kings and queens such as Alfred the Great and Boudicca. I just found it all fascinating.

I want to create a place where all those stories, religions, and legends can co-exist. Tales about vampires next to stories about blood-letting rituals. Sounds dark, and it kind of is, but it's oddly interesting. I'll be adding places you can find more information, links to books and videos on mysteries and legends, and weird tidbits of information just to make you think.

So, come along and see where this takes us. I can't promise miracles, but maybe I can convince the "others" to help me shape their stories and bring them all back to life.

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

Nyx, Goddess of the Night

 

"The Goddess Nyx" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Before the Olympians or Titans, there were the Primordials. The first beings who sprang directly from Chaos itself. These Primordials included Gaia (Earth), Eros (Love), Erebus (Darkness), Tartarus (the Pit), and Nyx (Night).

Hesiod portrayed Nyx as an evil being. He claimed that Nyx self-conceived a brood of children that included doom, misery, and deceit. However, she is also mother to the gods of sleep, dreams, and peaceful death. In conjunction with her brother, Erebus, she bore Aether (divine air) and Hemera (day). 

I'm one of those people who feel more alive at night. I've always been a night owl (my grandmother's term). I find it hard to believe that Nyx was a purely evil deity. A dark entity, yes, but not a purely evil one. I think she was seen as evil because in those days, it was dangerous to be out at night. Things ate you in the night. You could lose your way in the night. We learned to be wary of things that go bump in the night.

I used to write for a multi-character blogging community. Each of us wrote in the voice of one of the Greek gods. I wrote as the goddess Demeter, while another young woman wrote in the voice of Nyx. I loved the way the author portrayed the goddess. She wrote Nyx as someone who roamed through the seedier side of humanity, while maintaining her status as a most ancient deity. She was hard, cold, matter-of-fact. However, at the same time, she had a soft side. This young author brought Nyx to life, as both a hard-hearted demoness and a kind-hearted matron. It was magical.

In my mind, Nyx is a dual deity. She's hard when she has to be, but soft when needed. Her embrace can both terrify you and comfort you at the same time. She can give you peace in her realm or fear. It all depends on your actions.

As a kid of the 70s, I see Nyx as an old-school, retro superhero. She would have been badass, while still being that person you'd call when in trouble. I loved 1970s comic books, and she would have fit right in. I always had a thing for the darker characters. 

"Retro Nyx" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

I completely understand why she was seen as an evil entity. She wasn't just the ruler of the night; she was the night. The ancient Greeks believed she rode across the evening sky, her starry cloak flowing out behind her and blanketing the Earth. 

I've always felt like a child of the night. I'm more comfortable at night. I'm more inspired at night. My grandmother was the same way. I remember her always staying up late playing solitaire and drinking coffee. Perhaps we're descendants of Nyx. Now that would be cool.

What are your thoughts? Do you fear the night, or embrace it? Is Nyx an evil entity or just a mother watching over her clan? I'd love to know.

Until next time, my friends, I bid you a good Nyx.
Miss Chris!!!

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Christine Graves has been writing for more than 30 years. She runs several blogs including Priestess of Words, Collected Keepsakes, Promptly Creative, and Mystic Realms, all of which are part of her company, Graves Publications. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com, in which she runs a few publications.

When Serpents Surrounded the World

 

"Eve and the Serpent" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate". Genesis 3:13

I hate snakes. I think most people do, though there are a few out there who seem to think they're cool. My daughter is one of them. She has a rock python, and I have no desire to ever see it, let alone hold it. 

Snakes and serpents have made their way into almost every religion since the dawn of time. As someone who was raised in the Christian church, I've been taught the story of Eve and the Serpent in the Garden of Eden since childhood. But as I grew older, I realized that this was but one of many stories about snakes and serpents.

Greek mythology had two great serpents in its pantheon. Typhon and Python. Typhon was said to be the offspring of Gaia and Tartarus. A giant being whose only purpose was to cause chaos. It was said that Typhon battled with Zeus and was eventually thrown back into Tartarus and sealed beneath Mount Etna. 

Python was also a child of the mother goddess, Gaia. However, this creature was chased and killed by the god Apollo, which led to the establishment of the Oracle of Delphi. Though there are several versions of this myth, most claim that Python was sent to chase Leto, mother of both Apollo and Artemis, and keep her from giving birth to the twins. The name of Delphi was then known as Pythos, and the oracle was called a Pythia. 

Norse mythology also has two stories about large serpents. One is called Nidhogg and is thought to reside at the base of the world tree. It was believed that the creature gnawed on the roots of the tree of life and was seen as a representation of death itself.

The other Norse serpent was Jormungand, or the Midgard Serpent. Said to be a child of the trickster god, Loki and the giantess, Angrboda. The serpent had grown quickly after birth and was thrown into the sea. Soon, it grew so large that it encircled the entire Earth, biting onto its own tail. It was believed that the serpent would fight with the god Thor, bringing about the battle of Ragnarok.

"Thor and Jormundand by Frolich", published 1895, Wikimedia Commons

Not all snake deities are seen as evil. In both Buddhist and Hindu religions, a creature known as a Naga is seen as a guardian. Nagas are believed to be part human and part serpent and were depicted as having multiple serpentine heads. 

The ancient Aztecs worshipped a wind god called Quetzalcoatl: the feathered serpent. It was thought he would clear the way for the rain gods to come through. He was also seen as the god of merchants, the arts, and knowledge. He was greatly revered by the Aztec priests.

The Aboriginal Australians believe their creator god is a deity known as "The Rainbow Serpent". This deity is both a giver of life and the great destroyer. The title "Rainbow Serpent" was coined by an English anthropologist. However, most clans have their own names for the creator god.

The worship of snakes and serpents goes back to the dawn of time. A few of the stone pillars at the 12,000-year-old site of Gobekli Tepe depict snakes along with several other animal forms. Sir Arthur Evans discovered idols of a female priestess or deity holding snakes in her hands on Crete, and there is a rock in Thailand called The Great Snake Rock that looks eerily like a very large, petrified snake. 

"Minoan Snake Goddess" courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Myths and legends of serpents tell us that humans have had a love/hate relationship with this creature of millennia. They have twisted their way into our cultures and intertwined themselves into our lives. Though I'll never be a fan of these creatures, I have to admit that they've always been a part of our lives. 

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Christine Graves has been writing for more than 30 years. She runs several blogs including Priestess of Words, Collected Keepsakes, Promptly Creative, and Mystic Realms, all of which are part of her company, Graves Publications. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com, in which she runs a few publications.

Hecate, Mother of Magic

 

"Hecate" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Hecate, Goddess of Witchcraft. Not an Olympian, but a goddess feared and revered by gods and humans alike. She who is called upon at the moment of birth and in the throes of death. Guardian of the crossroads, possessor of the keys, and only deity able to traverse all three worlds: sky, Earth, and the underworld. 

I love Hecate. I have to admit, I didn't know much about her as compared to the other Greek gods. It wasn't until 2018 that I came to know this silent goddess. 

I used to write for a multi-writer blogging community that each wrote as the voice of an ancient Greek god who had decided to reemerge in the 21st century. I didn't write as Hecate, however. I chose to write as my favorite goddess, Demeter. 

As I did so, I had to interact with another writer who wrote the part of Hecate. I learned quite a bit about the goddess while forming my posts, and fell in love with her. 

Hecate was the daughter of Asteria and Perses, both second-generation titans. Asteria was the titan goddess of falling stars, night sky divinations, and prophetic dreams. Perses was the titan god of destruction. 

Though a titan herself, Hecate chose to side with the Olympians during the Titanomachy. As a reward, Zeus granted her the keys to the gates between worlds.  Hesiod wrote in his Theogony that Zeus honored Hecate above all others. She was granted access to the skies above, the land and oceans upon the Earth, and keys to the gates of the underworld. She was even allowed to keep all of her attributes she'd inherited from the titan gods.

She was the protector of warriors and horsemen, fishermen and seafaring merchants, and nursemaid to the young. Her image was placed in doorways and gateways as a way to protect the inhabitants from evil spirits. 

She was the goddess of magic and witchcraft, crossroads, and ghosts. She was usually depicted carrying a torch and accompanied by dogs. It is thought that shrines to Hecate were built at three-way crossroads, and offerings were left to her at midnight. 

"The Altar of Hecate" by Christine Graves via Bing AI

Hecate plays a part in the myth between Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, goddess of spring. In the myth, Persephone is abducted by the god Hades and taken to the underworld to be his queen. Nobody seems to have seen the abduction, and Demeter goes into mourning. Her grief and anger keep her from her duties of helping the crops to grow, and the world is plunged into a frigid famine.

When it's determined that Persephone is with Hades, Hecate guides Demeter to the underworld to retrieve her daughter. The problem is that Persephone had eaten a few pomegranate seeds and had to remain in the underworld. A compromise was made, and Persephone could return to the Earth for half of the year and had to live with Hades for the other half. Hecate was said to be the young goddess's guide.

Though a dark entity, Hecate was neither good nor evil. She was a shadow in the night, protecting nocturnal travelers. She tended to the creatures of the night and was thought to travel with two large, black dogs. 

Hecate was a goddess who could be called upon for a myriad of issues. She was the keeper of young and old, child of the night, and guardian of boundries between worlds. Though more widely known gods and goddesses ruled over the world, Hecate ruled over the darker version of each. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

"Witchy Woman" by the Eagles, courtesy of The Eagles YouTube channel

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Christine Graves has been writing for more than 30 years. She runs several blogs including Priestess of Words, Collected Keepsakes, and Mystic Realms, all of which are part of her company, Graves Publications. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com, in which she runs a few publications.

Could King Arthur and Beowulf be Based on the Same Person?

 

"Beowulf" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

I've always loved stories about great warriors going out on wild quests to win the heart of a fair maiden or gain wealth and power. I was raised on those stories. I loved the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. When I was 12, the movie Excalibur came out. Then, a year later, came Conan the Barbarian. I ate it up with a spoon.

However, I was a freshman in high school before I heard of Beowulf. I'm sure it was something we discussed in English Lit class. However, I was hooked from the moment we started studying. An ancient warrior who goes off and saves a kingdom from a savage beast and its mother. Facing death each and every step of the way. Going on to win the day and was crowned king of his people. It had all the hallmarks of a great epic. But it also made me think. What if the Beowulf and Arthur legends are based on the same faded memory?

According to experts, the story of Beowulf is set between the 5th and 6th centuries, based on historical details found in the poem. Arthur is first named in a text from the early 9th century, but is thought to have taken place shortly after the Romans left Britannia. The oldest known version of the Beowulf epic was written sometime in the 10th century, while the version of the Arthurian legends, as we know them, is thought to have been written in the 12th century. It is therefore thought that the legend of Beowulf is older than Arthur. 

The first mention of Arthur was made by a Welsh monk by the name of Nennius. He didn't call Arthur "king". He called him "Dux Bellorum", meaning "Lord of the Battle". The name Beowulf is thought to mean either "Bee-Wolf" or "Bear Wolf". However, there is another school of thought that says it means "Battle Wolf".  Also, some experts believe that the name "Arthur" has been modernized from the original word "Art", meaning "Bear". So, again, both individuals share an attribute. Their contemporaries may have referred to them as "Bear".

I do need to mention that the story of Beowulf takes place in Denmark, while the legend of Arthur is said to take place in England. Many scholars believe, however, that Arthur is based on a local Welsh hero or deity. Beowulf is probably based on an ancient Scandinavian folklore, or possibly an actual warrior whose name is lost to history.

It would be plausible for both legends to come from a single, distant source. Beowulf was said to be a Geat, a warrior tribe from southern Sweden. In the poem, he travels to the court of Hrothgar, king of the Danes, a tribe from Denmark. With both tribes being seafaring people, it wouldn't have taken much for stories of a great warrior to travel between the region of the Geats and Danes, to Northern Scotland. 

"Northern Europe" courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

If you've read anything about the Celtic tribes, you know they were a vast, warrior society. However, each region had its own cast of larger-than-life characters. Each clan had its own heroes it loved to brag about. Heroes such as Finn McCool, who helped build the Giant's Causeway, and Cu Chulain, who fought against the infamous Queen Medb of Connaught in the Cattle Raid of Cooley. Could Arthur and/or Beowulf be a manifestation of either of these demigods? Or just a local legend that took on a life of its own?

For all the similarities between Arthur and Beowulf, there are just as many differences. Could the legends of both Arthur and Beowulf be long forgotten memories of a mighty warrior? Or several perhaps? Of are they ancient tales of even older stories told around the fires of the Celtic clans? 

Perhaps they are the ancient origins of our modern-day superheroes. Proof that we, as humans, will always be drawn to great heroes who come when we need them most, simply to save the day. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

Christine Graves has been writing for more than 30 years. She runs several blogs including Priestess of Words, Collected Keepsakes, and Mystic Realms, all of which are part of her company, Graves Publications. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com, in which she runs a few publications.

Erotic God to Impish Cherub--The Story of Eros and Cupid

 

"Gods of Love" by Christine Graves via Leonardo AI 

and NightCafe Studio

 

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. Okay, technically it's the day AFTER Valentine's Day, but what's a day when it comes to love? 

One of the most common symbols of Valentine's Day is Cupid. The cute little cherub that flits around on his little wings and shoots arrows into the hearts of lovers who then fall in love and live happily ever after. But here's the thing. That's a more modern conception. 

I've always been a fan of ancient history and knew that Cupid was the Roman god of love. The child of the Goddess of Love, Venus and the God of War, Mars. But that's not where this god originated. In fact, the Greeks had dibs on the God of Love long before Rome was a thing. 

In the earliest depictions, Eros was one of the primordial gods, coming forth from Chaos itself. He was the embodiment of passion and sexual love, hence the term "erotic". Over time, he became an associate of--then the child of--Aphrodite, Goddess of Love. 

Eros was usually depicted as a winged youth, but not a child. Though he was known to shoot his arrows into the hearts of humans and gods alike, he was usually shown with a lyre or symbols of fertility. One of his most famous stories was in the myth of Apollo and Daphne. 

After Apollo had mocked the young god on his archery skills, Eros decided to get his revenge by shooting one of his love arrows into the Olympic god's heart. Apollo fell passionately in love with a nymph named Daphne and began to pursue her relentlessly. 

Daphne had no intention of allowing Apollo to ravage her, so she prayed to her father, a minor river god, for help. The river god transformed his daughter into the Laurel Tree, which would become sacred to Apollo.

It was said that no one was immune to Eros' arrows. Not even himself. In the story of Eros and Psyche, the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, had become angered that a mortal woman (Psyche) was attracting more attention than herself. She sent Eros to force the woman to fall in love with the most vile human alive. However, when he saw the girl, he fell hopelessly in love. Some stories say it was because he'd accidentally pierced himself with one of his arrows, others say it was simply because of her beauty.

Once Rome hit the scene, they shamelessly took over most of the Greek deities, including Eros. However, in Rome, he was called Cupid and was portrayed as the mischievous son of the Roman gods of Love and War, Venus and Mars (or Vulcan, depending on the myth). 

Cupid was a very minor deity in the Roman pantheon and was seen as just a naughty little boy. However, there was still a myth about him and Psyche, which is odd since he was seen as not much more than a baby. 

It wasn't until nearly a thousand years after the Romans had left the British Isles that he came into his own. Artists such as Michaelangelo added depictions of Cupid to their works, giving him a more Christian angelic feel. Which, again, is odd in that he was originally the god of physical love.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Cupid became a symbol for the Valentine's Day holiday. It was around this time that lovers began sending each other cards declaring their love for each other. As a way to cash in on the trend, cardmakers used the symbol of the little winged baby with bow and arrow as their messenger. And it stuck.

Today, most people don't think of him as a Roman deity or a Greek god. He's just a silly little boy who goes around shooting lovers in the heart with his passion-dipped arrows. Because nothing says I love you like getting shot in the chest. 

Stupid Cupid by Connie Francis--

Smurfstools Oldies Music Time Machine

Until next time,
Christine Graves--AKA--The Librarian

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Christine Graves has been writing for more than 30 years. She runs several blogs including Priestess of Words, Collected Keepsakes, and Mystic Realms, all of which are part of her company, Graves Publications. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com, in which she runs a few publications.