“I can’t find any good introductory information about Hellenic Polytheism” is often the first thing out of someone’s mouth when they stumble across a Yahoo! Group, public forum, or other place where Hellenists meet and discuss our religion.
If you’re one of these brave seekers, chances are that lists of twenty-seven essential books compiling the works of Plato, Julian Augustus, and every other member of the ancient Hellenic intelligentsia is not what you’re looking for.
Most down-to-Earth people want to research what we are getting into before we become a member of the Julian Society or order a $400 copy of Drew Campbell’s guide to Hellenism as it stood at the beginning of the 21st century. As a beginner, you will most likely either use the library or the Internet ... and a librarian for both if you’re sensible.*
I have called this the 2010 edition because I’m fairly sure that as online resources mature, some of them will be replaced (and I have called it the 2010 edition because I’m looking at the year that just closed and not the one that’s beginning). They have been divided into spheres of influence.
Title: Theoi Greek Mythology: Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature & Art
Author: Aaron J. Atsma
Link: http://www.theoi.com
Theoi Greek Mythology is like a multi-tool for Hellenic Polytheists. It contains information about most deities, popular or obscure, along with excerpts from major Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman texts in the deity descriptions. Because many Hellenic prayers often involve a litany of divine epithets, this site is also useful for familiarizing yourself with some of the more popular ones (i.e., Apollon Noumenios for Apollon of the Noumenia). When Theoi Greek Mythology went down about a year ago, it sent about 40% of the people I know into a state of panic.
Title: Hellenic Household Worship
Author(s): Christos Pandion Panopoulos (ed. & tr.: Lesley & Rathamanthys Madytinos)
Link: http://labrys.gr/index.php?l=householdworship
Hellenic Household Worship discusses the deities of the household and their function within the household cultus (worship). The guide provides extensive images and notes. Christos Pandion Panopoulos is associated with Labrys, one of several Hellenic (Greek) organizations committed to the restoration of the Greek Gods.
Title: Perseus Digital Library 4.0
Responsible Party: Department of Classics, Tufts University
Link: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu
Perseus describes itself as an ongoing practical experiment in digital collection development. They have a large number of Classical texts, retrievable using the Search tool, and a tutorial for new users. Texts include the Homeric Hymns and most of the other primary texts (works written by ancient writers, not modern commentary) Hellenic Polytheists will recommend to you.
Title: HMEPA (Hellenic Month Established Per Athens)
Link: http://www.eyesfortheuniverse.com/hmepa/
HMEPA provides Athenian festival information and the coinciding Gregorian calendar dates. While Athenian festivals are most popularly observed in the modern Hellenic Polytheistic community, many individuals have created their own festivals or modified the Athenian ones to give the religion some local color. Others have completely abandoned the Attic calendar in favor of reconstructing those of other ancient city-states.
Title: Greek Rituals, Temenos Theon
Author: Kyrene Ariadne
Link: http://kyrene.4t.com/rituals.html
Temenos Theon outlines many ritual practices, such as prayer and celebratory ritual, along with some guidelines for properly conducting a ritual without offending anything important. Kyrene Ariadne, this guide’s creator, is a long-standing member of the American Hellenic Polytheistic community.
Title: Liturgical Resources, Sponde!
Link: http://sites.google.com/site/spondelibation/home/reconstruction-of-hellenic-polytheistic-practices/liturgical-resources
Sponde! provides essential, down-to-Earth information about offerings, prayer, and libations — including how to differentiate between a sponde and a khoe. I have linked to the liturgical resources, which contain the bulk of Sponde!'s ritual information.
Title: Delphic Maxims
Author: Seven Sages (attributed)
Link: http://mirrorpalace.wordpress.com/delphic-maxims/
The text of the Delphic Maxims consists of 147 guidelines for human behavior. While some other guidelines exist (such as the Commandments of Solon), this is by far the most popular. While I personally find Maxim 95 a bit sexist, most of the list provides a holistic look at how to approach life, death, and everything in between. The version here is provided by Laria, a member of the community, and is well-formatted when compared to other freely available versions.
If you’re one of these brave seekers, chances are that lists of twenty-seven essential books compiling the works of Plato, Julian Augustus, and every other member of the ancient Hellenic intelligentsia is not what you’re looking for.
Most down-to-Earth people want to research what we are getting into before we become a member of the Julian Society or order a $400 copy of Drew Campbell’s guide to Hellenism as it stood at the beginning of the 21st century. As a beginner, you will most likely either use the library or the Internet ... and a librarian for both if you’re sensible.*
I have called this the 2010 edition because I’m fairly sure that as online resources mature, some of them will be replaced (and I have called it the 2010 edition because I’m looking at the year that just closed and not the one that’s beginning). They have been divided into spheres of influence.
General Information: Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, and Nature Divinities
Title: Theoi Greek Mythology: Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature & Art
Author: Aaron J. Atsma
Link: http://www.theoi.com
Theoi Greek Mythology is like a multi-tool for Hellenic Polytheists. It contains information about most deities, popular or obscure, along with excerpts from major Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman texts in the deity descriptions. Because many Hellenic prayers often involve a litany of divine epithets, this site is also useful for familiarizing yourself with some of the more popular ones (i.e., Apollon Noumenios for Apollon of the Noumenia). When Theoi Greek Mythology went down about a year ago, it sent about 40% of the people I know into a state of panic.
Household Religion
Title: Hellenic Household Worship
Author(s): Christos Pandion Panopoulos (ed. & tr.: Lesley & Rathamanthys Madytinos)
Link: http://labrys.gr/index.php?l=householdworship
Hellenic Household Worship discusses the deities of the household and their function within the household cultus (worship). The guide provides extensive images and notes. Christos Pandion Panopoulos is associated with Labrys, one of several Hellenic (Greek) organizations committed to the restoration of the Greek Gods.
Hymns and Other Primary Texts
Title: Perseus Digital Library 4.0
Responsible Party: Department of Classics, Tufts University
Link: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu
Perseus describes itself as an ongoing practical experiment in digital collection development. They have a large number of Classical texts, retrievable using the Search tool, and a tutorial for new users. Texts include the Homeric Hymns and most of the other primary texts (works written by ancient writers, not modern commentary) Hellenic Polytheists will recommend to you.
Keeping Time
Title: HMEPA (Hellenic Month Established Per Athens)
Link: http://www.eyesfortheuniverse.com/hmepa/
HMEPA provides Athenian festival information and the coinciding Gregorian calendar dates. While Athenian festivals are most popularly observed in the modern Hellenic Polytheistic community, many individuals have created their own festivals or modified the Athenian ones to give the religion some local color. Others have completely abandoned the Attic calendar in favor of reconstructing those of other ancient city-states.
Libations and Other Rituals
Title: Greek Rituals, Temenos Theon
Author: Kyrene Ariadne
Link: http://kyrene.4t.com/rituals.html
Temenos Theon outlines many ritual practices, such as prayer and celebratory ritual, along with some guidelines for properly conducting a ritual without offending anything important. Kyrene Ariadne, this guide’s creator, is a long-standing member of the American Hellenic Polytheistic community.
Title: Liturgical Resources, Sponde!
Link: http://sites.google.com/site/spondelibation/home/reconstruction-of-hellenic-polytheistic-practices/liturgical-resources
Sponde! provides essential, down-to-Earth information about offerings, prayer, and libations — including how to differentiate between a sponde and a khoe. I have linked to the liturgical resources, which contain the bulk of Sponde!'s ritual information.
Morality
Title: Delphic Maxims
Author: Seven Sages (attributed)
Link: http://mirrorpalace.wordpress.com/delphic-maxims/
The text of the Delphic Maxims consists of 147 guidelines for human behavior. While some other guidelines exist (such as the Commandments of Solon), this is by far the most popular. While I personally find Maxim 95 a bit sexist, most of the list provides a holistic look at how to approach life, death, and everything in between. The version here is provided by Laria, a member of the community, and is well-formatted when compared to other freely available versions.
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