More About Goddesses: The Roman Goddess Diana (New Column)

More About Goddesses: The Roman Goddess Diana 

by Tim Kavi

Diana is known as the goddess of giving birth, the hunt and the moon in Roman mythology. She is commonly associated with the woodland, possessing the power to control animals and communicate with wild animals. She is also commonly associated with the woodland, particularly oak groves, which are considered a sacred place associated with her worship.

Diana is commonly associated with other gods and goddesses that harness similar abilities to her own. She is one of the three maiden goddesses in Roman mythology who swore to never marry to keep their powers and abilities pure. Minerva, goddess of wisdom and Vesta, goddess of the home, hearth and family, joined Diana and took these vows of virginity, which were honored by priesthoods devoted to their orders. Diana is also commonly associated with her family ties, being the daughter of Latona and Jupiter as well as the twin brother of Apollo. She is often seen as working alongside the water nymph Egeria, who acts as an assistant midwife and Diana’s servant in Roman mythology. The woodland god Virbius will also commonly work alongside Diana.

Symbolism of the Goddess

Diana is often seen accompanied by deer or dogs, representing her power over the hunt. She will commonly carry a bow and arrow for a similar purpose. She was originally worshipped in wild places or in the mountains and is commonly drawn or depicted in forest areas. Over time, a temple to Diana was built along the forested shores of the Lake Nemi, an area that came to be known as Diana Nemorenesis. A shrine to her was also built on Aventine Hill for the lower classes and slaves to worship her. Male priests in her order are said to have fought to the death to become one of her own.

The festival to honor Diana was held on August 13, which was simultaneous with the festival of Hekate.

Associations of Diana with Nature

Diana is commonly used by groups that would like to collect more closely with nature, often taking on the role of Mother Earth for less traditional worship. She protects the menstrual cycles of women, encouraging them to honor their bodies and live in tune with the nature which controls them. Alters to Diana have often presented pictures of the moon, deer, dogs, white candles, clear quartz, jasmine, lavender or honey. These note her purity and her love for the outdoors while also honoring the pure light of the moon in which Diana controls.

More About Goddesses: Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory

More About Goddesses: Nike, The Greek Goddess of Victory

by Tim Kavi

This goddess may be referred to as the winged goddess Victory or Nike in the Greek tradition, or as Victoria in Roman legends. She personifies victory, speed and strength and acts as one of the dominant deities of the panthenon. Victory is also commonly shown as the goddess which oversees battle or peaceful competition. She is commonly shown on Greek coins and artwork that often depicts her with her hand outstretched toward the statue of Athena within the Parthenon. She may be shown with a palm branch, torch or sash, and will frequently wear golden sandals.

In most cases she is depicted with wings and as a close companion to Zeus and Athena. Her wings are typically considered to be those of a swan, though some depictions also show her with eagle wings as Victory was known to tend to eagles. In some cases she is shown with a staff, wreath of victory or riding in her chariot. Nike has no spouse or children. She is always depicted as being quite fit, and tends to be noted for her skills as a charioteer, and swiftness when in flight or running. In some cases she is considered to help with courting, love or childbirth.

Nike was born of Styx and the titan Pallas, though some legends refer to her father as Ares, the God of War. She is the sister of Zelus, Bia and Kratos which represent, zeal, force and strength respectively. Legend has it that Styx brought Nike to Zeus when Zeus was calling for allies to fight in the Titan War, in spite of the fact that Nike was in fact half Titan. She is most commonly depicted as participating in the battle of Titanomachy.

During this battle Victory flew across the battlefields, rewarding any responsible for victory with fame and glory. This is also considered to be her weakness as Nike is rather inconsistent about awarding victory to those who worship her. She was appointed to be the charioteer with her siblings acting as sentinels by the throne of the gods. Aside from such legends, Victory does not have much mythology to call her own.

Sites of Worship and Statues

One of the most well-known statues of Nike was located on the island of Aegean in Greece. This statue is known as Nike of Samothrace, which is now held in the Louvre in Paris. She is also shown many times in the Acropolis in Athens. While the Parthenon in this area is dedicated to Athena who provides skill and wisdom during war, there are many references to Nike here as these goddesses are considered to be close friends. Nike is considered to preside over the temple of the acropolis in Megara.

Victory’s Role Today

Victory or Nike is often depicted on logos and awards including Nike, Inc., the Victory Metal from World War II and the Rolls-Royce logo. But perhaps she is most important to women. She represents a strong female character that ever faithful to her friends, who was both capable of standing alongside her counterparts and rewarding their actions which she finds favorable.

This essay (along with others) is included in my latest essay collection: More About Goddesses! (which you can purchase in the left margin of this blog!)`--TK

More About Goddesses: Minerva, the Roman Goddess of the Arts

More About Goddesses: Minerva, the Roman Goddess of the Arts by Sir William Smith (Guest Blog Post)

Minerva is called Athena by the Greeks. The Greek goddess is spoken of in a separate article. [Athena]. Minerva was one of the great Roman divinities. Her name seems to be of the same root as mens; and she is accordingly the thinking, calculating, and inventive power personified. Jupiter was the 1st, Juno the 2nd, and Minerva the 3rd in the number of the Capitoline divinities. Tarquin, the son of Demaratus, was believed to have united the 3 divinities in one common temple, and hence, when repasts were prepared for the gods, these 3 always went together.

The Later CapitoLine Dieties:
Juno, Jupiter and Minerva

She was the daughter of Jupiter, and is said to have sometimes wielded the thunderbolts of her father. As Minerva was a virgin divinity, and her father the supreme god, the Romans easily identified her with the Greek Athena, and accordingly all the attributes of Athena were gradually transferred to the Roman Minerva. But we confine ourselves at present to those which were peculiar to the Roman goddess.

Being a maiden goddess, her sacrifices consisted of calves which had not home the yoke. She is said to have invented numbers; and it is added that the law respecting the driving in of the annual nail was for this reason attached to the temple of Minerva. She was worshipped as the patroness of all the arts and trades, and at her festival she was particularly invoked by all who desired to distinguish themselves in any art or craft, such as painting, poetry, the art of teaching, medicine, dyeing, weaving, and the like. This character of the goddess may be perceived also from the proverbs to do a thing skillfully even mindlessly, i. e. to do a thing in an awkward or clumsy manner; and with Minerva's blessing even the efforts of a stupid person may be they who (are) presumed to set right an intelligent one.

Minerva, however, was the patroness, not only of females, on whom she conferred skill in sewing, spinning, weaving, but she also guided men in the dangers of war, where victory is gained by cunning, prudence, courage, and perseverance. Often she was represented with a helmet, shield, and a coat of mail; and the booty made in war was frequently dedicated to her. Minerva was further believed to be the inventor of musical instruments, especially wind instruments, the use of which was very important in religious worship, and which were accordingly subjected to a sort of purification every year on the last day of the festival of Minerva. This festival lasted 5 days, from the 19th to the 23rd of March, and was called QuintArius, because it began on the 5th day after the ides of the month. This number of days was not accidental, for we are told that the number 5 was sacred to Minerva,

The Table in the Wilderness (new poem)

The Table in the Wilderness
by Tim Kavi

the table
in the wilderness
where the Goddess
and I broke bread

lies broken
in the aftermath
of history

many have returned here
they look for you
and cannot find you

but You do not
come to every place
only because You
are within

you are every place
already
where we are
where we go

If only they knew it
would call upon you
O Goddess
in the disorder
Concordia
is the present one

bring me peace
as the ravens feed
the wild eyed ones

eyes darting
only you can cure
the madness
in the return

dear departed
Goddess
return again

found in the heart
always there
in a gentle touch
a loving stare

a hand that reaches
to the bowed down
that says to the lowest
come up hither
to higher ground

I see a table
spread with the finest
delights
the greatest silk linen

the most beautiful of all
thank you for being
here again

in this wilderness
of existence
found again

there are the singing ones
loosed in tongue
there are the dancing ones
loosed in leaps
like gazelles
stepping between mountainous rocks

a flower springs
in the desert
where did it thirst?
how did it drink?

I see You
every time
a manifestation
in our love

hasten
hasten
hold us again
we are waiting

at the table
in the wilderness
of Your love.