Greek Mythology: Zeus

Zeus is the youngest son of Rhea and Cronus...
He was the Greek God of the Sky, and the King of the Gods...

Symbols: Eagle, Bull, Oak Tree, Thunderbolts, Olive Tree

How Zeus ended the cycle of Children overthrowing their fathers: The story of Metis & Zeus
Metis was the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and was Zeus' first wife. When she got pregnant Zeus feared the cycle of children overthrowing their fathers would repeat. So to end the cycle he swallowed Metis instead of just the child... When Metis gave birth it was inside Zeus began to have a "splitting headache" and Athena to spare you the details was born out of Zeus' head. (Making Athena one of the only Goddesses to be considered wise and not driven by the irrational emotion that most women are driven by) and by giving birth to Athena ended the cycle of mother allegiances killing the father... By this time Zeus had remarried to Hera and Hera was angry that Zeus had a child "without the need of a woman" and decided to have her own child by herself... Hephaestus (who I will talk about in a different post)...

www.crystalinks.com/zeus.html

*really don't like the cherubs in this picture I'll explain later... but this is a famous painting of Zeus and Hera... despite what others may post it as... you can tell by the eagle under Zeus' feet (one of his symbols) and the peacock behind Hera (one of her symbols)...

Zeus had many children with many different people... Some of them were:
(First Wife Titan) Metis: Athena
(Goddess) Demeter: Persephone
(Titan) Leto: Artemis and Apollo
(Titan) Mnemosyne: The Muses
(Titan) Themis: the Seasons and the Fates
(Oceanid) Eurynome: the Graces
(Goddess) Maia: Hermes
(Goddess) (Wife) Hera: Hebe (Youth), Eileithyia (Childbirth), Ares (Offensive War and Bloodlust *and yes there is a reason for the distinction)
(Goddess) Nemesis: Helen (of Troy)
(Mortal) Alcmene: Heracles (Demi-God)
(Moral) Danae: Perseus (Demi-God)
(Mortal) Semele: Dionysus (God)
(Mortal) Europa: Minos

Zeus and one of his Consorts... can you see jealous Hera in the upper left corner?

If there was one thing Zeus was very known for besides his affairs it was his punishments:
I have already posted about Prometheus...
There was also though Tantalus who killed his son as a sacrifice (food) for the gods: He was charged to be in Tartarus for all eternity having food and drink just out of his reach... what does his name sound like I wonder... lol
King Salmoneus made his subjects worship him as Zeus: He was condemned to riding around in a bronze chariot loudly imitating thunder...

Greek Mythology: Prometheus and Man

Prometheus was a titan god of forethought... When you read Hesiod Prometheus is really the Hero to Man who he created. Problems for Prometheus started when he played a trick on Zeus... when he placed 2 sacrificial offerings for the Olympians 1 being beef hidden in the stomach of an ox... the 2nd bull bones covered in fat... Zeus chooses the 2nd and from then on humans would keep the meat for themselves and burn the bones wrapped in fat for the gods. This angered Zeus and to take revenge on mankind he took fire away.

Prometheus tortured by the eagle by Christian Griepenkerl (1839-1916)

Feeling sympathy for humanity Prometheus stole fire and hid it in a Fennel stalk and gave the gift of fire back to humans.... which further angered Zeus punishing both Prometheus and Man... Zeus had Hephaestus make Pandora the first woman out of clay... and her story speaks for itself when it comes to how humanity was punished (and no Pandora did not have a box it was a jar). Prometheus however was chained to a rock and his liver was eaten out daily by an eagle (a symbol of Zeus)... then during the night due to his immortality his liver would regrow only to have the cycle repeat the next day... This continued till he was freed by Hercules (but thats another complete story within itself)

Tools of the Magickal Trade: Wands, Chalice, Bell, Pentacle and Censer

Okay so I am going to power throw the last 5 of the tools...

First is wands is connected to the element of Air and the Gods. There are a lot of particulars that authors talk about when it comes to how you find your wand to the wand length but I again think its up to the person using it... I never could find a wooden wand that felt right so I use small stone wands instead. I'm sure if the right one comes around I will get a wooden wand but this is a tool I really struggle with personally. Even though I was given a beautiful wand made out of a rose bush. The wand can be used to draw symbols in the ground, draw power in and create circles even mix your cauldron. Again I don't do this personally but are things you can do.

Chalice: I waited a long time to buy a really nice hand made one but before that I just used a wine glass... A chalice can be made of almost any substance just make sure that it is not toxic and safe to drink out of... and keep it separate from other regular glassware. A symbol of the goddess and fertility and connected to the element of Water.

Bell: It doesn't have to be a bell... the idea is the sound... many use a drum for example. The bell rings send out vibrations that are often sounded that ward off evil or negativity and signal certain sections of a ritual. It is another symbol of female aspects.

Pentacle: Obviously the symbol of all the Elements but also of Earth because most Altar Pentacles are made of stone, wood, or metal.

Last is the Censer: Obviously connected with Fire. A censer is a fire safe container that you burn incense in... it can be filled with either sand or salt that disperses the heat. The incense can be in many forms cones, sticks, or loose raw. Make sure when you burn things that you check if the item your burning might be poisonous.

Greek Mythology: The Fall of the Titans (part 2)

The Titan Themis and her son Prometheus side with Zeus. The war between the Titans and the Olympians lasted 10 long years. At the very end of the war the Titans sent out Typhon who was a terrible beast. Typhon was fathered by Tartarus and Gaia known as the "father of all monsters" with his wife Echidna. He was said to have the upper body of a man... lower body of a great serpent dragons for each finger and wings... he was said to be taller then the sky...

www.theoi.com/Gigante/Typhoeus.html

Eventually the Olympians win and the 3 brothers divide the realms Hades is the oldest male heir and claims the birth right of the oldest male to rule the heavens but Zeus argues against it saying that he is the one that freed the others and they all agree to "draw lots" kinda like the shortest straw loses.... Well we all know who lost. Zeus was given the Heavens, Poseidon the Seas, and Hades against his birth right was given the dreaded Underworld.

Yet again the Cyclopes and the Hecatonchires (Hundred-handed Giants) were imprisoned in Tartarus... even though they helped the Olympians. As for the Titans that fought against the Olympians... were punished. Some were sent to Tartarus and others who were particularly against the Olympians were selected for special punishments.

Ex. Atlas was forced to hold up the Earth for all eternity.

Tools of the Magickal Trade: Athame and Bolline

You read a lot of restrictions in books when authors describe tools for magickal uses... In Wicca especially Athames can only be dull black handled doubled edged knifes that have a blade 9 inches long... This is simply not true... That is according to that author when it comes to tools follow your gut is my advise.

The Athame is a knife that usually has a dark or black handle, and is only a ritual tool. According to Scott Cunningham this is due to the fact that black absorbs energy.The Athame is usually dull and is not used for cutting anything physical it is a double edged knife. It is connected to the element of Fire and is a viewed as a phallic symbol connected it more with the God aspect then the the Goddess. Some use a sword instead of this tool but that would have to be used if a lot of space is in your working area.

On the other hand the Bolline is usually the white handled knife and is sharp and is more practical. It is used to inscribe, cut things such as herbs, cords and wax.

Personally this is probably some of my favorite tools. Yet none of them follow the standards that I read in books. I prize the knifes my 2 Athames and my Bolline. I use them for many purposes during rituals and spell work. I have 1 small Athame that is made out of metal that I have had for years. Then I got another 1 recently made out of Wood. Then my Bolline is a small wooden handled  knife with a metal blade.

Cherry Wood handle and Maple Wood Hilt

Other side is my name in Runes

You couldn't cut paper with this... lol

The top is a crescent moon

It took me a while to find a Bolline that I really like and though it says that your Athame has to have a Black handle and your Bolline a white one. I don't necessary believe that to be a rule but a guideline... Especially for beginners in the craft it helps but if you find an Athame or Bolline that you connect to you but the it doesn't have the "appropriate" color handle there are things you can do to make it work... Like tying a ribbon around the hilt. So the most important thing first is to find one that you are connected to.

In my opinion the standards that authors give to readers about what their tools should be should not be taken as the end all be all. It is not mandatory what they tell you they are simply giving what they do and as you grow in the path you have chosen or are making for yourself keep in mind that you are given the opinions of others and that it up to you to twist and mold it to what works for you.

Greek Mythology: The Fall of the Titans (part 1)

 Zeus ...
Zeus grew up preparing to overthrow his father Cronus. Gaia gave a "poison" to Zeus when he was ready to finally go through to overthrow Cronus. Zeus slipped it into his drink and Cronus became very sick and regurgitated all of his 5 children first came the rock that he had swallowed and the children followed in reverse order Hestia being the last to be expelled becoming the first and the last born of the Olympians... (lol fun fact)...

Lol... its kinda hard to explain

Zeus then freed the rest of Gaia's "monster" children and in exchange that they would help his against the Titans but the Cyclops went even further in giving Zeus the gift of thunder bolts, Hades the Helm of Darkness (makes the wearer invisible), and Poseidon a Trident.

Greek Mythology: The Reign of the Titans

The 12 major Titans
Hyperion:  God of light. With Theia he is the father of Helios (the sun), Selene (the moon) and Eos (the dawn).
Iapetos: God of mortality and father of Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Atlas.
Koios: God of intellect and the axis of heavens around which the constellations revolved.
Krios: The father of Astraios, Pallas, and Perses.
Cronus: The leader of the Titans he is the father of the first Olympians... and the Titan God of Time
Mnemosyne: Goddess of memory and remembrance and the mother of the Nine Muses.
Okeanos: God of the "Earth-encircling" river Okeanos, the font of all the Earth's fresh-water.
Phoebe: Goddess ofthe "bright" intellect and prophecy and wife of Koios.
Rhea: Goddess of female fertility, motherhood and generation. Sister and Wife of Cronus and Mother of Hestia, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Zeus.
Tethys: Wife of Okeanos and the mother of the rivers, springs, streams, fountains, and clouds.
Theia: Goddess of sight and the shining light of the clear blue sky. Wife of Hyperion and mother of Helios, Selene, and Eos.
Themis: Goddess of divine law and order.

Rhea and Cronus

Other Titans:
Asteria: Goddess of nocturnal oracles and fallings stars. Mother of Hecate.
Atlas: Son of Iapetus condemned to carry the heavens upon his shoulders.
Eos: Goddess of the dawn
Helios: God of the sun and guardian of oaths
Leto: Goddess of motherhood and mother of Artemis and Apollo
Metis: Goddess of good counsel, advise, planning, cunning, craftiness and wisdom... her story is very interesting and I will definitely be posting it in a different blog.
Perses: God of destruction
Prometheus: God of forethought and crafty counsel and creator of mankind.
Selene: Goddess of the moon
Styx: Goddess of the Underworld river Styx and personification of hatred.

Selene

..................

After Cronus overthrew his father Ouranos Cronus took power and decided to lock up all the "monsters" (all of Gaia's children who were not Titans) in Tartarus... Then Cronus married his sister Rhea... After a while though Cronus started to fear that his children would overthrow him as he overthrew his own father... but Rhea wanted children. Cronus could not have it so he came up with a solution... every time she gave birth he would swallow them. So she eventually gives birth 5 times and each time he would swallow them... but on the 6th pregnancy she talked to her mother Gaia and when she gave birth she hid her son (Zeus) in a cave on the island of Crete... and disguised a rock in a bundle of blankets and Cronus thought that was the end of the problem