I know that in a lot of mythologies there are several gods or goddesses who have specific animal associations. For example, Artemis in Greek myth is associated with deer, Athena is associated with owls, and the Morrigan in Celtic myth is associated with ravens. I've been wondering lately, is there anyone associated with ladybugs? I'm also curious about fireflies and nightingales.
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Silver Member
- May 2013
- 2847
- Shamanic Practitioner & Green / Hedge Witch with Hellenic leanings
- West Virginia
- Can't never did nothing till it tried!
Re: Gods/Goddesses with animal associations
Not that I am aware of. Yet the danger of generic assumption is that the lessor know associations go unpublished in the pagan community. Figure using Artemis she is associated with Deer (stags specifically) yet also associated with Boars, Bears, the Swallow, to a lessor extent dogs and even to a specific type of fish which eludes my memory at the moment. Then one also has to consider what a name is. Consider Hekate and her association to polecats. On the surface one might equate that to the Skunk yet that would be wrong. In archaic Greece the polecat was the common name for the animal we call a weasel today. So you not only have to look to what the common name of a thing is but also have an idea of what many archaic names were.I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!
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Re: Gods/Goddesses with animal associations
Originally posted by monsno_leedra View PostNot that I am aware of. Yet the danger of generic assumption is that the lessor know associations go unpublished in the pagan community. Figure using Artemis she is associated with Deer (stags specifically) yet also associated with Boars, Bears, the Swallow, to a lessor extent dogs and even to a specific type of fish which eludes my memory at the moment. Then one also has to consider what a name is. Consider Hekate and her association to polecats. On the surface one might equate that to the Skunk yet that would be wrong. In archaic Greece the polecat was the common name for the animal we call a weasel today. So you not only have to look to what the common name of a thing is but also have an idea of what many archaic names were.
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Silver Member
- May 2013
- 2847
- Shamanic Practitioner & Green / Hedge Witch with Hellenic leanings
- West Virginia
- Can't never did nothing till it tried!
Re: Gods/Goddesses with animal associations
Originally posted by Tarn View PostIsn't Hecate also associated with dogs? Also, not to contest you, just making a comment: I've never heard of Her being associated with weasels, or polecats. Learn something new every day.
There are two specific stories of her punishing women or taking pity upon them for being turned into a polecat or weasel.
HEKATE & THE WITCH GALE
Aelian, On Animals 15. 11 (trans. Scholfield) (Greek natural history C2nd A.D.) :
"I have heard that the land-marten (or polecat) was once a human being. It has also reached my hearing that Gale was her name then; that she was a dealer in spells and a sorceress (Pharmakis); that she was extremely incontinent, and that she was afflicted with abnormal sexual desires. Nor has it escaped my notice that the anger of the goddess Hekate transformed it into this evil creature. May the goddess be gracious to me : fables and their telling I leave to others."
While it is presented in a number of spots this transcription is from http://www.theoi.com/Khthonios/Hekate.html#Galinthias
HEKATE & GALINTHIAS
Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 29 (trans. Celoria) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"At Thebes Proitos had a daughter Galinthias. This maiden was playmate and companion of Alkmene, daughter of Elektryon. As the birth throes for Herakles were pressing on Alkmene, the Moirai (Fates) and Eileithyia (Birth-Goddess), as a favour to Hera, kept Alkmene in continuous birth pangs. They remained seated, each keeping their arms crossed. Galinthias, fearing that the pains of her labour would drive Alkmene mad, ran to the Moirai and Eleithyia and announced that by desire of Zeus a boy had been born to Alkmene and that their prerogatives had been abolished.
At all this, consternation of course overcame the Moirai and they immediately let go their arms. Alkmene’s pangs ceased at once and Herakles was born. The Moirai were aggrieved at this and took away the womanly parts of Galinthias since, being but a mortal, she had deceived the gods. They turned her into a deceitful weasel (or polecat), making her live in crannies and gave her a grotesque way of mating. She is mounted through the ears and gives birth by bringing forth her young through the throat. Hekate felt sorry for this transformation of her appearance and appointed her a sacred servant of herself."
Aelian, On Animals 12. 5 (trans. Scholfield) (Greek natural history C2nd A.D.) :
"The inhabitants of Thebes, although Greeks, worship a marten [Galanthis], so I hear, and allege that it was the nurse of Herakles, or if it was not the nurse, yet when Alkmene was in labour and unable to bring her child to birth, the marten ran by her and loosed the bonds of her womb, so that Herakles was delivered and at once began to crawl."
Hecate was the ancient Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea. She was depicted as a woman holding a pair of torches. Her Roman name was Trivia.
Gali'nthias
(Γαλινθιάς), or, as Ovid (Ov. Met. 9.306) calls her, Galanthis, was a daughter of Proetus of Thebes and a friend of Alcmene. When the latter was on the point of giving birth to Heracles, and the Moerae and Eileithyia, at the request of Hera, were endeavouring to prevent or delay the birth, Galinthias suddenly rushed in with the false report that Alcmene had given birth to a son. The hostile goddesses were so surprised at this information that they dropped their arms. Thus the charm was broken, and Alcmene was enabled to give birth to Heracles. The deluded goddesses avenged the deception practised upon them by Galinthias by metamorphosing her into a weasel or cat (γαλῆ), and dooming her to lead a joyless life in obscure holes and corners. Hecate, however, took pity upon her, and made her her attendant, and Heracles afterwards erected a sanctuary to her. At Thebes it was customary at the festival of Heracles first to offer sacrifices to Galinthias. (Ov. l.c.; Ant. Lib. 29; Aelian, Ael. NA 12.5.) Pausanias (9.11.2) relates a similar story of Historis.I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!
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Re: Gods/Goddesses with animal associations
Sorry if someone already answered this, didn't have time to read previous responses
I know there is an association with nightengales...I believe there is a story that the first nightengale was once a human who got transmuted. Oh yeah, just checked the web. The first was once a girl named philomela, who after being raped and mutilated got revenge and turned into a nightengale. Can't remember who changed her though, sorry
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Re: Gods/Goddesses with animal associations
Originally posted by alternatingSelves View PostSorry if someone already answered this, didn't have time to read previous responses
I know there is an association with nightengales...I believe there is a story that the first nightengale was once a human who got transmuted. Oh yeah, just checked the web. The first was once a girl named philomela, who after being raped and mutilated got revenge and turned into a nightengale. Can't remember who changed her though, sorry
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