Post by Elix on May 7, 2007 11:42:02 GMT -5
As I said in an earlier post I came across a bit of interesting info
that I thought may be of some value to those who seek a more
historic basis for the kin type known as Therians,more specifically
wolf-type folk.This is just a bit of info mind you.I hope that it
stimulates a Therian with a scolarly bent to pursue it and
other,similar avenues for a more compelling discussion on possible
historic foundations for our folk.
Again,this information is not pursued to all of it's ends.The
references will be listed at the end.I strongly encourage any and
all interested parties to run with it.Enjoy!
Zeus Lykaios
In the same era as King Kekrops of Athens there was a king among the
Arkadians known as Lykaon,very roughly 1525BC.Where Kekrops is the
first person to have indicated Zeus was the chief deity among the
greek pantheon by adding Hypatos (Supreme God) to his name,Lykaon
added Lykaios (of the Wolf) at roughly the same time-among other
things making reference to a more primal aspect of Zeus.Whereas
Kekrops sacrificed special temple cakes by fire in the highly
civilized temple to Zeus in Athens,Lykaon
"...brought a human baby to the altar of Zeus Lykaios,and sacrificed
it,pouring out it's blood upon the altar,and according to the legend
immediately after the sacrifice he was changed from a man to a wolf."
This account has a concrete historical footing-the Precinct of Zeus
Lykaios has in fact been located on Mount Lykaios in Arkadia and it
dates from at least the 6th century BC.This site is currently being
fully catalogued by a team from the University of Pennsylvania.He-
wolves were kept in the sanctuary as "sacred animals".Many of the
images of Zeus from the area showed him dressed in wolf-skins
according to both Pliny and Augustine.The temple itself was
noteworthy in that no shadows were cast within it.Noone was allowed
inside.Those who made their way in regardless assumed the status and
name of "stag" and were obliged to take to flight to save their
lives from the Arkadians.
There are many slightly different accounts as to what went on at the
temple.The more recent account (2nd century AD) reads
"On the highest point of the mountain is a mound of earth,forming an
altar of Zeus Lykaios...On this altar they sacrifice in secret to
Zeus Lykaios.I was reluctant to pry into the details of the
sacrifice,let them be as they are and were from the beginning."
An older account-from no other than Plato,states that a particular
clan would gather on the mountain to make a sacrifice to Zeus
Lykaios in which a single morsel of human entrails would be
intermingled with an animals.Whoever ate the human flesh was said to
turn into a wolf and could only regain human form if he did not eat
again of human flesh until the next 8-year cycle had ended.Other
accounts put the cycle at 9 years.
There are two other wolf-people who are mentioned by name in the
texts I have researched.One of them was a boxer who participated in
the Olympic games named Damarkhos,an Arkadian of Parrhasia who was
supposed to have been turned into a wolf for 9 years before being
able to assume human form again.Another was named Demetrius,about
whom I have discovered little other that he was also local to the
area and was a participant in a ritual on the mountain.There is a
long tradition of the locals being tied very closely with wolves and
the two previously mentioned people participated in the ritual
around puberty.
And now for speculation.I would hypothesize that the locals were
what we would today refer to as Therians.Not only Therians but
hereditary Therians.There is a body of literature dating from at
least the 420's BC to at least the 2nd century AD that would seem to
support this.Local participation only (indicating family
ties),puberty being a part of the catalyst,the taste of human flesh
being another part.A compelling argumant could be made.I am curious
if that tradition or a survivor tradition is still local to this day
in that area.I am also curious if there are similar traditions
elsewhere.Perhaps some of the Therian wolf community of today can
trace ancestry to this or similar circumstances.
A few side notes-It is believed by locals that Mt.Lykaios wa swhere
Zeus was reared.There is a place on the mountain that was called
Kretea of old and it was there,not on Krete,that Zeus was left to be
raised.As a part of Zeus' origin it has been said that as payment
for those who raised him would no longer have their flocks suffer
the depredations of wolf attacks.Closely associated with Zeus'
temple on the mountain are a sanctuary of Pan (called the Lycaen in
some legends) and a statue of him in the actual sanctuary of Zeus'
temple.Pan was supposedly born there.
References:
Pausanius,"Guide to Greece"
Strabo,"Geography"
Plato,"Republic"
Various,"Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology"
A.B.Cooke,"Zeus,a Study in Ancient Religion",vol.1
James
that I thought may be of some value to those who seek a more
historic basis for the kin type known as Therians,more specifically
wolf-type folk.This is just a bit of info mind you.I hope that it
stimulates a Therian with a scolarly bent to pursue it and
other,similar avenues for a more compelling discussion on possible
historic foundations for our folk.
Again,this information is not pursued to all of it's ends.The
references will be listed at the end.I strongly encourage any and
all interested parties to run with it.Enjoy!
Zeus Lykaios
In the same era as King Kekrops of Athens there was a king among the
Arkadians known as Lykaon,very roughly 1525BC.Where Kekrops is the
first person to have indicated Zeus was the chief deity among the
greek pantheon by adding Hypatos (Supreme God) to his name,Lykaon
added Lykaios (of the Wolf) at roughly the same time-among other
things making reference to a more primal aspect of Zeus.Whereas
Kekrops sacrificed special temple cakes by fire in the highly
civilized temple to Zeus in Athens,Lykaon
"...brought a human baby to the altar of Zeus Lykaios,and sacrificed
it,pouring out it's blood upon the altar,and according to the legend
immediately after the sacrifice he was changed from a man to a wolf."
This account has a concrete historical footing-the Precinct of Zeus
Lykaios has in fact been located on Mount Lykaios in Arkadia and it
dates from at least the 6th century BC.This site is currently being
fully catalogued by a team from the University of Pennsylvania.He-
wolves were kept in the sanctuary as "sacred animals".Many of the
images of Zeus from the area showed him dressed in wolf-skins
according to both Pliny and Augustine.The temple itself was
noteworthy in that no shadows were cast within it.Noone was allowed
inside.Those who made their way in regardless assumed the status and
name of "stag" and were obliged to take to flight to save their
lives from the Arkadians.
There are many slightly different accounts as to what went on at the
temple.The more recent account (2nd century AD) reads
"On the highest point of the mountain is a mound of earth,forming an
altar of Zeus Lykaios...On this altar they sacrifice in secret to
Zeus Lykaios.I was reluctant to pry into the details of the
sacrifice,let them be as they are and were from the beginning."
An older account-from no other than Plato,states that a particular
clan would gather on the mountain to make a sacrifice to Zeus
Lykaios in which a single morsel of human entrails would be
intermingled with an animals.Whoever ate the human flesh was said to
turn into a wolf and could only regain human form if he did not eat
again of human flesh until the next 8-year cycle had ended.Other
accounts put the cycle at 9 years.
There are two other wolf-people who are mentioned by name in the
texts I have researched.One of them was a boxer who participated in
the Olympic games named Damarkhos,an Arkadian of Parrhasia who was
supposed to have been turned into a wolf for 9 years before being
able to assume human form again.Another was named Demetrius,about
whom I have discovered little other that he was also local to the
area and was a participant in a ritual on the mountain.There is a
long tradition of the locals being tied very closely with wolves and
the two previously mentioned people participated in the ritual
around puberty.
And now for speculation.I would hypothesize that the locals were
what we would today refer to as Therians.Not only Therians but
hereditary Therians.There is a body of literature dating from at
least the 420's BC to at least the 2nd century AD that would seem to
support this.Local participation only (indicating family
ties),puberty being a part of the catalyst,the taste of human flesh
being another part.A compelling argumant could be made.I am curious
if that tradition or a survivor tradition is still local to this day
in that area.I am also curious if there are similar traditions
elsewhere.Perhaps some of the Therian wolf community of today can
trace ancestry to this or similar circumstances.
A few side notes-It is believed by locals that Mt.Lykaios wa swhere
Zeus was reared.There is a place on the mountain that was called
Kretea of old and it was there,not on Krete,that Zeus was left to be
raised.As a part of Zeus' origin it has been said that as payment
for those who raised him would no longer have their flocks suffer
the depredations of wolf attacks.Closely associated with Zeus'
temple on the mountain are a sanctuary of Pan (called the Lycaen in
some legends) and a statue of him in the actual sanctuary of Zeus'
temple.Pan was supposedly born there.
References:
Pausanius,"Guide to Greece"
Strabo,"Geography"
Plato,"Republic"
Various,"Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology"
A.B.Cooke,"Zeus,a Study in Ancient Religion",vol.1
James