He was able to make a dramatic entrance on his horse-pulled chariot that could ride upon the waves. Above: Zeus and Ganymede, artist and date unknown. 3. Why is it so hard for so many people now to do the same? Asexuality has been around for a long time, and some of those asexuals were very well respected by their societies. 12 African Gods and Goddesses: The Orisha Pantheon - Athena, goddess of widsom, was a lesbian. She acquired the land from the King of Leinster by promising to only take as much ground as her cloak covered. He is credited with the creation of a large hunting game. In addition to the connection of the holy wells, Brigid and Catholic Saint Brigid are also connected by the, For a long time she was associated as being a, Lugh, is one of the most important of all the gods of the Celts. 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. For her, love was what most people feel for their brothers and their sisters. 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. Greek Gods List Names of the Greek Gods - Greek Gods & Goddesses Lada, goddess of beauty and fertility. Are Celtic gods immortal? As the wife of the god of the underworld, Isis was also one of the main deities concerned with rites for the dead. 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). ingls. 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. Then he also transformed into a swan and flew with her to his home in the Br na Boinne.. 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. Nor does laughter-loving Aphrodite ever tame in love Artemis, the huntress with shafts of gold; for she loves archery and the slaying of wild beasts in the mountains, the lyre also and dancing and thrilling cries and shady woods and the cities of upright men. There is one story in which the god Hephestis, (I can't spell his name, but it's close to that) 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. As I remember younger men would couple with older men prior to marriage in Greek culture. Either romantic love or sexual desire would be, in some sense, a departure from the pure reason which characterises Athena. I am not familiar with the Greek sources enough to know whether the detail of Hermaphroditus being uninterested in sex with Salmacis is them. Functions Delling - God of the dawn. His name means Hummingbird of the Left and he was the patron of war and sacrifice. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Alastor God of family feuds and avenger of evil deeds. The stories a myth, so it's going to sound really strange, but here it is. There is much scholarly debate on this topic and no clear conclusions. The notion of reincarnation is that deceased family members make their journey back to life as a new baby in the same . I like this answer - I really do - but I think I'm going to abstain from voting, because I'm not sure it's a strong enough case for her representation of asexuality. Thanks for the help! Despite being married, C Chulainn is also known for his many affairs including with Aife, with whom he has a son and the Scandinavian Princess,Derbforgaill who turned into a swan to be with him. Half man. Also, the older-younger thing had a class dynamic. Half man. (Just in case you were wondering, it is not completely clear whether the god Lir was the same individual named Lir in the Children of Lir.). Are there tables of wastage rates for different fruit and veg? - 400 C.E. she became a he. Also - isn't "Athena wanted to make love to [Hephaestus]" something of a direct counterexample to her asexuality? Athena was the protector of Athens, the capital of Greece, and it was from her that the city took it's name. Tlaloc (pronounced Tlh-lock), the rain god, is one of the most ancient deities in all Mesoamerica. Aengus skill with poetry was thought to be so great that he was able to break magic spells with this gift, such as the one placed on tain in the love story with Midir. 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. Also, we're talking about beings that had not exclusively sex with humans, meaning not only mythical creatures but animals, or being themselves in animal form and having sex. Eir - Goddess of healing. The Morrigan goddess is usually thought of as the Celtic goddess of war and sometimes the Celtic goddess of death, but she has strong association with fertility and sovereignty as well. 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. Maestri, Nicoletta. Pelops for a time was taken to Olympus by Poseidon and trained to drive the divine chariot. The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (1485), depicting Venus, the Roman goddess of sex and beauty. Welcome to the first episode of the history of asexuality! The names of Celtic gods and the names of Celtic goddesses that occur often in Celtic mythology are listed below.. He was closely related to Tlaloc and is usually represented as a young man with a maize cob sprouting from his headdress. IsisThe Egyptian goddess, also worshipped by Greeks, is known for solving a gender identity issue of yore. 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. The three sisters are known as the three Charities or Graces. PanOf course, many mythological texts and artworks connect Daphnis to the satyr Pan, god of music. sexuality - Are there recorded instances of asexuality in the body of He covered the mounds in mist so as to make them invisible to outsiders. It was sort of like marriage prep and mentoring, plus the cult of youth and beauty (nothing changes, eh?) Yeah, this is still a very interesting answer. Pandora's arrival and the subsequent disasters mark the end of the Golden Age of Man. While Homer never explicitly states a gay relationship between Achilles and sidekick Patroclus, many scholars read a romantic connection between the two, as only Patroclus ever drew out a compassionate side to the famously arrogant warrior. Enjoyed this post? Thanks for contributing an answer to Literature Stack Exchange! 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. Interested in more Irish Celtic mythology? Above: Felice Giani, The Marriage of Poseidon and Amphitrite (1802-1805), OrpheusThe legendary poet and musician may be best known for the story of his journey to the underworld to retrieve his wife, Eurydice; he failed to do so when he succumbed to temptation and looked at her before both had returned to the world of the living. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Hod is a son of Odin. Researcher Johanna Hypatia-Cybelaia writes that lesbian and gay devotees worshipped her as Artemis Orthia, and that lesbian port Pamphilia referred to the goddess in hymn as Artemis Pergaea. She tried unsuccessfully to seduce him and when this failed, she sought revenge for his spuned rejections by attacking C Chulainn in the form of an eel, a wolf and a heifer. Feel free. C Chulainn or Cchulainn features often in the Ulster Cycles of Irish mythology. Set around the 3rd century C.E. Greek gods and goddesses. Today we are discussing the three virgin goddesses of the Greek pantheon, Hestia, Athena and Artem. Plato Greek Gods & Goddesses Hermaphrodite was actually male(the son of Hermes and Aphrodite) but he was fused with a nymph who fell in love with him and became a symbol of marriage(the literal fusing of a man and woman). Brigid was the goddess Celtic people turned to when they needed to be healed. For example, the Morrigan was sometimes referred to as Badb, the Crow, even when clearly not referenced as part of a trinity. In greek culture heterosexual males would engage in sexual activities with each other. Some of the figures from the Mythological Cycle are again present in this cycle. 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. 1 ESO. Elli - Goddess of old age. He is usually portrayed wearing a flayed human skin representing the death of the old and the growth of the new vegetation. 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. It is possible that some might have been asexual. C Chulainn was a skilled and dedicated warrior from an early age, and was always eager to join in the physical training sessions of the older boys. Do we want tags for literary movements and periods? - Zeus, god of the thunder, was bisexual. She is the mother of Balder. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. He was also connected with rightfulness, especially in terms of kingship. Before the wedding, Iphis prayed in the Temple of Isis for a solution, and voila! In nearly every work of Greek literature that is tangentially related to sexuality (which, we've got to admit, is quite nearly most of the well-known ones), sex is treated as universally desirable, and is a locus of control and power. Offerings to ine have also been made at Lough Gur in County Limerick. Above: Athena, center, in a mural by John Singer Sargent, AphroditeWhile the goddess of love is not identified prominently as lesbian herself, the Greek poet Sappho (as in sapphic) of Lesbos (yes, as in lesbian) told many homoerotic tales and named Aphrodite as the greatest patron and ally of lesbians and homosexuals within the Greek pantheon of gods. Antique fresco from Pompeii. vegan) just to try it, does this inconvenience the caterers and staff? Above: Chrysippus, kidnapped by Laius, looks for his father Pelops running behind the chariot; Volute Krater image (320 B.C.). I posted this at the livejournal community, and it's become a pretty interesting topic, so I thought I would post it here. Above: Isis (seated right) welcoming the Greek heroine Io as she is borne into Egypt on the shoulders of the personified Nile, as depicted in a Roman wall painting from Pompeii. Hathor (Egyptian: Het-Hert) - One of the most important goddesses, linked with the sky, the sun, sexuality and motherhood, music and dance, foreign lands and goods, and the afterlife. Athena didn't catch the innuendo. She is said to be responsible for the rage and fury of a battle and her terrifying scream can kill or paralyze a man. In comparison to Roman gods, many Celtic deities often represent multiple different aspects and had more all-encompassing powers. But I'm going to focus specifically on Athena. Maestri, Nicoletta. Gods and Goddesses from the AI's eyes #shorts #short #aiart #midjourney Few Indians believe 'there are many gods'. Among Women: From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World. Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube touches on this topic briefly in their video on Endymion. The Hill of Knockainy (orCnoc ine) in County Limerick was an important site, where ritual blessings to this Irish goddess were carried out. Interested in more Irish Celtic mythology? At birth, Plato was given the name Aristocles, after his grandfather, according to the 3rd century Greek historian Diogenes Laertius. On the other hand, she was the goddess of the crafts, many of which (such as weaving) are more associated with women. Actividad de Greek gods and goddesses - es.liveworksheets.com This is a concept distinct from both celibacy (not having sex for a particular reason) and abstinence (not having sex by choice). After the gods changed him back, Zeus asked who enjoyed sex more, men or women. She was very well respected by the people who worshipped her, and very important to their society. Hestia, goddess of the hearth, the fireside, architecture, domesticity, the family, the home, and the state. The Aztec Religion and Gods of the Ancient Mexica, Tlaloc the Aztec God of Rain and Fertility, Tezcatlipoca: Aztec God of Night and Smoking Mirrors, Xipe Totec: Grisly Aztec God of Fertility and Agriculture, Tonatiuh, the Aztec God of the Sun, Fertility and Sacrifice, Quetzalcoatl - Pan-Mesoamerican Feathered Serpent God, Chalchiuhtlicue - Aztec Goddess of Lakes, Streams, and Oceans, The Founding of Tenochtitlan and the Origin of the Aztecs, Profile of Huehueteotl-Xiuhtecuhtli, Aztec God of Fire, Tlaltecuhtli - The Monstrous Aztec Goddess of the Earth, History of Animal and Plant Domestication, Chalchiuhtlicue. Another belief revolves around reincarnation. Callisto and Arcas were later put in the stars as the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. She was primarily known the Goddess of the . She was also the Goddess of more things then you can count - most notably, wisdom, stratigic and honorable warfare (not fighting for the sake of fighting, that was Ares' realm) and the crafts - and she seems to have been either directly or indirectly responsible for what seems like most of the great myths that were told. Well most of them cheated on their spouse anyway. Additionally, the goddess Brigid associations include fire, flames and light. It was at this point that he also first encountered another famous Irish goddess, The Morrigan. 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. And no: it only says Hephaestus ". Asexuality has been around for a long time, and some of those asexuals were very well respected by their societies. Her brain and the way that she thought and acted seemed to have characteristics of both. She is always an advocate of rationality, and neither love nor sexuality are entirely rational impulses. The ancient Celts were polytheistic and are thought to have worshiped over 400 Celtic gods and goddesses, although it is difficult to pinpoint an exact figure. and also known as the Ossianic Cycle. Asexual Goddesses by NikeAguaraguazu on DeviantArt Manannn mac Lir, also known as Manannn or simply Manann was the son of Lir. Aphrodite, ancient Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, identified with Venus by the Romans. Patroclus's death at the hands of Trojan Prince Hector sent Achilles into a rage in which he killed Hector and dragged his body around Troy. Spurned, Ciconian women would eventually tear Orpheus apart during a Bacchic orgy. He also once made a journey to Hades and was guided by the shepherd Prosymnus, who led the way in exchange for the chance to make love to the party god. Wolfgang Sauber/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0. Call him mythology's original transgender person. 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. Retells the famous tales about Fionn mac Cumhail (or Finn McCool) and the band of Irish warriors known as the Fianna. People of the ruling class - think Plato, for example - got to participate in ephebeophilia, to coin a word. 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. Mutually exclusive execution using std::atomic? 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.. 52 Queer Gods Who Ruled Ancient History - pride.com t. e. In Hindu mythology, there are deities or heroes whose attributes or behavior can be interpreted as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender ( LGBT) or have elements of gender variance and non-heterosexual sexuality. Athena, goddess of wisdom, warfare and craftsmanship. Short story taking place on a toroidal planet or moon involving flying, How to handle a hobby that makes income in US. Above: Jean-Baptiste Regnault, Education of Achilles (1780-1790). There is a case to be made about the humanity itself (or some of it) being asexual at first. His horned appearance may have been an inspiration for the depiction of Satan with horns. List of love and lust deities - Wikipedia she became a he. Above: Francois Joseph Navez, The Nymph Salmacis and Hermaphroditus. These LGBT Greek gods and demigods prove gay culture is no modern invention. The Dagda was the supposed father of several other important figures in Irish mythology including the goddess Brigid and Bodb Derg who featured a key role in the tale of the Children of Lir. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Quetzalcoatl is also linked to the idea that the last Aztec emperor, Moctezuma, believed that the arrival of the Spanish conquistador Cortes was the fulfilling of a prophecy about the return of the god. Lugh, is one of the most important of all the gods of the Celts. NikeAguaraguazu. A gay cupbearer on Mount Olympus? Rios Codex/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. Male lovers in the Trojan War? In a variation of the Hyacinth myth, it was Hermes' lover Crocus who was killed by a discus thrown by a god before being turned into a flower. Jupiter, Juno and Minerva composed the Capitoline Triad - that is, the 3 main Roman Gods who went to replace the Archaic Triad of Jupiter, Mars and Quirinus, a god whose origins were found in Sabine mythology. Well, many scholars suggest the idea of a lesbian culture is just modern fantasy, though there is art from the time that depicts Amazonian Queen Penthesilia accepting a love gift from a Thracian huntress. Spurned, Ciconian women would eventually tear Orpheus apart during a Bacchic orgy. One of many forms of the Eye of Ra. Above: Hans Sebald Beham, Heracles and Iolaus dispatching the hydra with club and fire, PoseidonAccording to Pindar's First Olympian Ode, Pelops, the king of Pisa, once shared "Aphrodite's sweet gifts" with the ocean god himself. Some myths suggest a romantic relationship between Hermes and the hero Perseus. Ameinias, desperately depressed over the rejection, killed himself. 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. A study of Athena by Karl Kerenyi links her virginal nature to her relationship with her father. September 8, 2006 in Asexual Musings and Rantings. In order to marry her, Aengus had to correctly identify her as a swan among 150 other swans, which he was able to do. Then he also transformed into a swan and flew with her to his home in the. Anyone would like to add anything i missed? Such deities are known as pan-Mesoamerican gods and goddesses. (This might make it hard to demonstrate asexuality through the absence of sexual writings.). This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Nor yet does the pure maiden Hestia love Aphrodite's works. The hunt especially was important to them, and if they didn't have her blessing, then the hunt would not turn out very well. Pan frequently was depicted in sculpture chasing both women and men around with his always-erect penis and oversized scrotum. I think so, yes. As a god he had immense power and influence. 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. Forseti - God of justice, peace and truth. 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. Hestia, goddess of the hearth, the fireside, architecture, domesticity, the family, the home, and the state. - Athena, goddess of widsom, was a lesbian. There was a prophecy that if Metis had a son, the son would overthrow Zeus as the king of the gods, so when she got pregnant with Athena, Zeus ate her.