In Search of Greek Heroes: Ajax

Welcome to my summer series for this year, In Search of Greek Heroes, where I hunt for the facts and myths behind the greatest Heroes of ancient Greek religion. Today we are looking for the mighty Ajax. You may have heard of Him before in less epic narratives. If you look on or underneath your sink, He's probably a household name you know. The toughest cleaning agents ever made for common man have been named after Him. But the real man comes to us from Homeric Epic, The Iliad. Hellenists like myself go to great expense and labor to furnish and decorate their temples, sanctuaries, treasuries and libraries, so I was delighted when Ajax became the Patron Hero of my temple this year.

When I teach about this great Hero, I normally begin by telling people that there were, in fact, two Ajaxes, those being Ajax the Great and Ajax the Lesser. The one normally worshiped is Ajax the Great. Of course that's not to say that Ajax the Lesser cannot be. All of the great men of Homer are considered Heroes, even some who were not Greek. While Achilles was the greatest warrior of the Hellenes, Ajax was by far of the greatest stature and strength, referred to as the Bulwark of the Greeks, possessing a fearless character and a highly intelligent mind, probably notably when it came to battle and strategy. He was also known primarily as a defensive fighter of the Greek lines, camps and ships, and a man of great honor and nobility. In fact, there are no Homeric depictions of Him initiating a fight, only defending against attacks, and after the duel between Him and Hektor, which is called as a draw, the two men exchange gifts with one another. Ajax was also notable for fighting to recover the bodies of dead Greek warriors for proper honor and burial. One of the most favored of the Greeks by the Gods as well, as Poseidon, at one point in The Iliad, uses His trident to restore Ajax's strength.

Ajax met His untimely end when the Trojan War starts to come to a close. There are different explanations as to why it happened, but it is generally accepted that He committed suicide. If true, we know today that there are lots of reasons why veterans of wars meet these ends. But one of the great things about Greek religion is that while something such as suicide is not admired, it is always possible to be redeemed from errors. Just because you commit an offense in this life, does not mean you cannot ascend to higher levels in your more enlightened State. After His death, Ajax received Heroic honors, worship and even festivals in the Greek world. The island of Salamis even hosted a temple and statue to Him, along with a festival called Aianteia. He also became a Hero of Attika who received worship by the Athenians and statues in His honor.

At the turn of the 21st Century, archaeologists began to excavate around the area where it was believed that the residence of Ajax or at least His family once stood, on the island of Salamis. They brought to the surface a palace of over 8,000 square feet. The structure, it was found, had been abandoned around the time of the Trojan War. Pausanias, the ancient Greek traveler and writer who lived in the Roman times, reported that abnormally large bones had been found on the seashore of the former Trojan landmass, near the Greek City of Sigeion. These, he wrote, were declared those of the washed out grave of Ajax. The bones were ordered to be reburied by the Emperor of Rome. There appears to be no modern coordinates for these remains or their new burial site.

My Temple's Prayer to Ajax

written by me.

O' great Ajax,

colossal to men,

noble to Heroes,

holy to Gods,

as our sacrifices pour out,

and burn sweetly to you,

bless our prayers,

that your strength empower us,

and your shield and spear defend.

Watch our backs,

guard our temple,

protect what is ours,

and clothe our bodies and minds in the armor or heaven.

In the Goodness of Ajax,

Chris Aldridge.

Church Taxation: Religious Persecution Disguised As Progress

Before reading this post, I want to make it clear to everyone that I am neither democrat or republican, or liberal or conservative by label. I consider myself a free thinker and a Constitutionalist. I'm an American, my policy is common sense, and my belief is that if it helps people, I am for it, if it hurts people, I am against it. My political doctrine is the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the rights of humanity. One will find that I have supportive and opposing things to say about both major parties. Neither one is completely right in my book. In fact, they both believe and do many wrong things. That's why if there was a viable 3rd party option, I may vote for them.

For many years, the Left side of the political aisle has been demanding that churches be taxed. Admittedly, they are mainly focused on mega Christian churches that rake in untold sums of money, with filthy rich pastors and priests that give little to no contribution to society. However, there would be much more to it than that, and I don't think the goal of the political Left is to actually tax for the purposes of societal stability. If that were their goal, they could more easily and more efficiently do so by taxing the super rich individuals of the country, like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. They have more money than some nations on this planet. 

The first problem is that there has to be equality and fairness in the tax system. In other words, you can't tax Christian churches and leave all the other religious organizations alone. The government would have to tax every religious institution, including ones even as small as in the Pagan community. A tax rate could endanger the ability of minorities to exist, who have already had to fight tooth and nail for decades just to get the same Constitutional rights as Christians and other major religions. So the consequences of getting at someone like Joel Osteen is that every other religious organization will be bound beside him. They, of course, won't have the same tax rates, but their financial stability can still be shaken. You think that church taxation will get rid of mega churches, but it will actually ensure that they are the only ones that can never be threatened with extinction, because they will have the money to pay the taxes. It's everyone else who won't. Not to mention that to bring mega Christian churches into the tax pool, would mean that the law would have to give them an equal voice and representation in government. Do you really want to see Pat Robertson or Kenneth Copeland debating policy with the government? I certainly don't. In fact, I am terrified by the thought. Keeping them tax free, I would argue, actually preserves the separation of church and state, which the mega Christian churches would love to see gone. They're not scared of you taxing them. They're probably actually praying that you do. 

The second issue is that not all religious organizations that have money are greedy. There are groups, majority and minority, who donate and community organize for good social causes. You might think that churches, temples and other religious organizations with lots of money, or even a moderate amount of money, choose to keep it all for themselves, and that is simply not true. Even Pagans, as small as their groups are, have been known to raise funds and give charitable donations to hospitals and food pantries that total into very significant amounts. My own temple, in fact, which is Greek Polytheistic, has operated a food donation charity since 2011. In my area of the country, you'd be hard pressed to also find a town that does not have a food bank, thrift store, or a social safety net that is operated by a large church. It's simply not true that all religious people and groups keep all their money for empire and domination, as some would have you believe. 

The third issue is what I have seen clearly with the political Left. Not all, but a significant number, and what I think is the actual motive behind religious taxation, and that is to get rid of religion all together. Many of them, by their own admission, do not think you actually have the right to live your religion beyond the doors of your church or temple, or whatever your organization may be called. The problem is that thanks to the Constitution, religion cannot be outlawed, and so what the opponents do instead is something to drive religion out of existence, like proposing heavy taxation on religious groups. If groups can't afford to exist, they will close down, and you have just banned religion without touching the 1st amendment. In my view, it's the same reason they want to be able to sue gun manufacturers for things that they had nothing to do with, so that people will be too afraid to make anymore guns, and thus the Left has just banned guns without having to fight the 2nd amendment. They can't get through the Constitution. Our founders made it hard for a reason. And so they have to find ways to get around it if they want to take down people and things they don't like. Money is the best way to do that.

You may not like someone's religion, and that's fine, there are many religions I don't like. Or you may not like religious people at all, and that's fine too. But they have the right to a life of their choosing the same as everyone else, and the same as you.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Chris Aldridge.

Plague Conquered By Hero Veneration

Ancient Greek religion is, of course, ripe with mythology, but just because it's called a myth doesn't mean it's untrue, and second, we know that myths were often centered around real events, such as the Trojan War. While reading a new book today called Seers, Shrines and Sirens, I came across a Hero I had never before learned about, which is why I encourage Hellenists, no matter how long they've been at study and practice, to always read something new. They may discover a new Hero, God or story to their life and knowledge. The stories and histories of ancient Greece speak regularly about a veneration, sacrifice or action that delivered people from plagues, famine and destruction. In this case, I found new information on these instances, which I suppose spoke to me directly because we today are just now coming out of our own plague, Covid19.

The Hero is named Trophonios. Although sources say that it was not officially decided whether He was a God, Spirit or Hero, the Oracle of Delphi seems to have called Him a Hero. His Cult center was located in Boeotia, Greece, in an area called Livadeia. Trophonios was the legendary builder of the Temple of Apollon at Delphi itself, along with a man named Agamedes, and died 7 days after (the 7th day of each New Moon being sacred to Apollon). But this was not His only great feat or adventure. According to the historian Pausanias, He constructed a secret treasure chamber for the king of Boetoia, a fortune which He and His partner Agamedes tried to steal. Trophonios got away from the traps set by the king, but His partner was killed. Trophonios then went into an unknown cave location in the City of Livadeia and was never seen again.

The veneration of the Hero, seemingly, did not return to the City until the people in later history suffered a plague. Upon consulting the Oracle of Delphi, they were advised that a Hero was angry for not being venerated. If they could locate His resting place and worship Him, the plague would cease. When they eventually found the Cave of Trophonios, where His body apparently resided, the plague vanished. Legend has it that a shepherd was led to the discovery by a swarm of bees, hence the Hero's connection with the honey-making insects. The Cave was used in ancient times as the residence of the Oracle of Trophonios. We know it existed because Pausanias himself visited the Cave and the Oracle, and describes the experience in detail. You can read the account by clicking here.

So how do we venerate this very ancient Hero today? I have actually begun collecting charms for my daily clothes that I am going to bless as amulets of Heroes. This one I have chosen for Trophonios is below.

The bee, as explained above, is sacred to Trophonios, and the crown above is His association with the royalty of His land which ended up contributing to His Heroism. The gold represents the purity, light and genuineness of Apollon and His center at Delphi, Delphi being a place that the Hero had a notable hand in building. Finally, as His Oracle was a famous one, the silver stands for the mystical side of life. This charm, of course, was not created with such intent. I found it at a local craft store, but such beautiful things can be easily found and made into religious and spiritual items. The Amulet or Charm of Trophonios is used to invoke the Hero into my daily life, but also to protect against plague and injury when worn, and to invoke good fortune and wealth. Everything about this Hero is handsomely connected as well, and thus makes so much sense. Bees are sacred to Trophonios who was a servant of Apollon, who is the Healing God, and honey from bees is scientifically a curative antibacterial element for preventing infections. Plagues are also caused by infections, which the Hero banished when He was invoked in the ancient setting. 

To my understanding Trophonios is a Hero who can be prayed to for good health, protection against disease, healing, escaping hard situations, and prophecy. He is the Patron of Boeotia, architects, beekeepers, doctors, medicine and oracles. Offerings to Him naturally would be honey, gold and silver.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Chris Aldridge.

How To Build Your Own Pagan/Polytheistic Community

For 10 years, I have successfully owned and operated my own ancient Greek temple as its Head Priest, eventually building a physical temple location and sanctuary in Machesney Park, Illinois. I have called my temple simply "Temple Of The Greek Gods." Over the years, people have asked me for advice on how to build their own temple or Pagan community in their area. These inquiries have compelled me to write this entry. I can tell you from experience that it takes strength, knowledge, and wisdom to run a longstanding or lifelong community. You have to truly want it. If you do, then let's begin.

Who Are You?

The first question is, who are you? You may think it's an easy question, but you'd be surprised how many people struggle with their identities. What is your religion? Are you positively sure that's what you are and you're not going to change it? Are you certain this is your lifelong path, your true identity? You'll need to make that ultimate conclusion. If you have any doubts whatsoever, consider waiting until you are positive. Exploration is fine, and you will only benefit from it.

Secondly, what kind of religious or spiritual community do you want to establish? Obviously, I speak from an ancient Greek viewpoint, so mine would be a temple. However, I feel that any Pagan or Polytheist can use this information to their advantage. So what do you want to build? A Temple? A Coven? A Grove? A Church? Exactly what is it?

And lastly, what kind will it be? Even Polytheists and Pagans have denominations and paths. A Hellenic temple can be either Reconstructionist or Neo-Pagan, or like mine, a place for anyone who wants to worship the Greek Gods (although the temple rites and beliefs themselves are traditional and Reconstructionist). Not only do you need to know your religion and the kind of organization you want to build, but also where the area of focus is going to be within said community.

Write The Laws

ByLaws are necessary for any legitimate organization. Not only are they going to make your operations run smoother, but most states require ByLaws in order for them to recognize the organization. Think of it as your organization's constitution. Take your time, sit down, and write out everything you want the organization to uphold and follow. Create the clergy office, ranks, membership, and codes of conduct for all actions that the organization will or could take. For an example, see my own temple's ByLaws by clicking here.

Create A Physical Establishment

There are 2 main steps to creating a physical establishment. The first is to make a physical building or gathering place. It doesn't matter how small it is, or even if it's just a place in nature that you all go to from time to time. You have to start somewhere, and from that point, you will continue to get new ideas and find new opportunities for material growth. When I first started my temple, we didn't even have a place to gather. It was just a cheaply and often badly made wordpress website in High Point, North Carolina. From there, as I moved from place to place with my family, we rented and bought places that had extra rooms and grounds that could be used for temple purposes. 

The second is to be active as clergy. As a Priest or Priestess, not only do you run your organization, you are spiritual support for your members and friends. Besides operating the organization and leading its rites, decide what services you will perform for people. Examples: Rites of Passage, Marriages, Funerals, Blessings, Counseling, Prayer Requests, Public Speaking. If you are always there for your people, they will grow to trust and respect you. They may even come to love you. However, always be humble toward others. I have also seen this as a problem in some Pagan circles. People with high positions or experience, can get cocky and obnoxious. Be humble, compassionate and have an open ear to others. Have your own beliefs, but never ever think you know everything. People will be completely turned off by you.

Consider Incorporation

A number of religious organizations file Articles of Incorporation with their states. Each State has its own requirements, but it basically puts you on file with the State. The government recognizes you as a real entity, recognizes you as its clergy, and is a pathway to 501C3 status. Incorporation is not required at all, but it could be beneficial.

Keep Leadership Closed

I feel this is one of the most important qualities of a Pagan organization today, and that is what I call closed leadership. Over the years, I've seen too many Pagan groups that have been ripe with power grabs, and in the end, some of the organizations were just decimated. Let it never be open to interpretation, debate or vote that you are the one and only owner and head leader of the temple. If people don't like it, let them leave. Do not tolerate anyone who tries to seize power or authority in any way. Kick them out. If and when you do decide to appoint lower level officers to help you in the functions and duties of your organization, take time to know them. Only ordain and allow people into control who you have no reason whatsoever to distrust. I have operated my temple for 10 years. To this day, I still only have 1 lower officer who I have ordained. He works as the 1st Priest of my Cabinet. As Solon would have said, don't be hasty to make friends.

Keep All Forms of Drama Out

Whether it be clergy, members or friends of your organization, don't allow drama to enter it in any way. For instance, if I see someone on my temple's Facebook page insulting, disrespecting, or even laughing at a post in a way that is obviously meant to cause offense, I ban them without question. Not only will keeping drama out of your organization make it stronger and more credible, it will create a far safer and welcoming environment for people who are sincere. You also want your organization to be taken seriously, which will not happen if someone sees bickering and fighting.

Don't Be Political

The United States and the world have an array of political ideologies, and neither one fully agrees with the other, sometimes even violently or abusively. You yourself, or anyone in your organization, can be political on their own and in their own name, but do not bring it into your organization. I myself can be quite political privately sometimes, but I have never posted any of it on my temple's Facebook page or made it a part of my temple speeches or rites. As an example of what is political, think of it this way. Talking about LGBTQ rights is perfectly fine. Talking about how dumb a politician is, is political. As a Priest or Priestess, you want to be a humanist. You don't want to make anyone feel excluded or in danger when they come through your doors. Do not talk political, nor make a political belief part of a membership or clergy requirement. The only exception would be people who espouse hate. Always kick hate out without question, even if they do it on their own time. Someone who is a member of a hate group for instance, should have no place in your organization.

Open a Serious Website and Publish Serious Writings

There is nothing quite like a professionally made website for an organization. It will help people find and learn about you. You also do not have to spend a lot of money on it, you simply have to make it look professional and organized. My temple's site is operated through blogspot, and costs a whole $12 a year to keep active. Keep things updated on it, and post seasonal newsletters. My personal website and blog is also hosted by blogspot, which brings me to the next point. One does not have to have a separate website for this. That's just the way it happened to work out for me. But write and publish serious writings on your religion, your religion's history, and even your own personal experiences on a regular basis, and post them on your website. Your writings are theological and philosophical sources that will help others in your spiritual community find guidance and place. Whatever kind of site you open, for the love of the Gods, make sure you purchase your own domain. I hate it when I see places still attached to things like "freewebs" or "blogspot." If you're not serious enough to spend $12 a year on a domain, what does it show to others?

Hold At least 3 Public Events a Year

My temple holds at least 3 public events a year. That's the advice I would give to others as well. It doesn't matter what kind they are, but hold enough throughout the year that you are regularly active. If you go too long without doing anything, people will think you have closed or aren't serious.

Do Not Rely On Generosity

Truth be known, if I had waited for others to help me fund and build my temple, I would still be waiting. My entire temple and sanctuary and everything in them were paid for and built entirely by me. No matter how many products and services I have offered, there has never been anywhere near enough money to create anything that I have now. Unfortunately, you can only rely on your own labors to build the things you want. It's perfectly fine to be open to donations, but don't let that be any source of income for your organization, unless you manage to turn it into a multi-million membership. 

Never Become Discouraged

The most important factor in keeping a minority organization above water is to never become discouraged by anything. You will have times when you feel like the project is going slow, you might even be bored at times. But keep focused on the larger picture, and that is the life and purpose of your organization. Even if you have a low membership, use your sources to reach out to interested people and teach about your religion and philosophy. That's why you're there, not to be the most famous. When I started my temple's Facebook page, I had to work for years before it reached the thousands of supporters it has now. My page has over 3,000 likes, which for a religion as small as mine, is outstanding. I even beat some of the local Universalist churches.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Happy Building,

Chris Aldridge.

In Search of Greek Heroes: Jason

Welcome to my summer series for this year, In Search of Greek Heroes, where I search for the facts and myths behind the greatest Heroes of ancient Greek religion. Today we are looking for the courageous Jason.

Jason, it is believed, lived from 1287 to 1247 BCE, being born royalty to King Aeson and Alcimede of the Kingdom of Iolcus in Thessaly. Before Jason could assume the throne, however, His uncle Pelias overthrew His family and seized power. 

One of the most interesting things about Jason's story in terms of examining His life and history, is that for a notable time, historians argued that the story of Jason's voyage, as written, could not be true because the ships of His time could not have survived those waters for such a long journey. However, in 1984, an adventurer by the name of Tim Severin decided to test that theory. He reconstructed an ancient Greek ship of the time period with his own crew and successfully sailed the entire distance, proving that it could have been done. The skeptics were completely debunked. The story of Jason and the Argonauts was a solid possibility. To read his book, The Jason Voyage, is to see just how horrendous and painful such a trip would have been for ancient men. It's one reason why all of the Argonauts are Heroes. Tim Severin sadly passed away last year, leaving behind a life of remarkable adventure work and exploration.

Jason's most notable adventure and success is the achievement of the Golden Fleece. For years, people have wondered what it actually was. To speak simply, it is the wool of a special kind of ram, golden and winged. Gold can indeed by intertwined with thread, so it's very well possible that there was a fleece that has been beaten in with gold or gold lining. In fact, the land where it allegedly resided was known to be rich in gold. The Fleece itself represented Kingship and Authority. After the overthrow of His royal parents, He was sent to be raised by the wise centaur known as Chiron before returning home to reclaim His throne. Meanwhile, the tyrant Pelias received a prophecy from a local oracle, to be wary of a man wearing only one sandal.

On Jason's journey home, He had one of the simplest but also one of my favorite adventures of His life. Coming to an old woman at a river crossing, He took her upon His back and waded through to the other side, losing a sandal along the way and also not realizing that the old woman was Hera in disguise, Queen of all Gods. She blessed the young man for His kindness and also because She did not like Pelias. Upon meeting Him, and seeing the one-shoed youth, He made Jason a deal. If He could capture and return with the Golden Fleece, he would step down and give the throne back to Him. The legendary object was located in Colchis, which is the modern day nation of Georgia, on the far East of the Black Sea.

Jason did not go alone, however. He assembled a crew of Heroes and also a Heroine (Atalanta, the only female aboard), naming them all Argonauts, after the name He gave the ship, Argo. When they finally made it to Colchis after many amazing encounters and adventures, the king of the realm was in possession of the Fleece, but would only relinquish it to Jason if He preformed a series of tasks successfully. The first was plowing a complete field using fire-breathing and bronze hooved bulls known as the Khalkotauroi. The second was to sow dragon's teeth in the field, which resulted in the resurrection of stone warriors from the earth, whom He defeated. The king, however, still did not want to give it up. Helped my Medea, a legendary witch and sorceress, Jason found the oak where the Fleece hung, guarded by a deadly dragon. Medea used her spells to make the dragon fall into a deep sleep. Jason took the Fleece and headed for home.

He eventually did reclaim the throne, but had an extremely hard life afterwards. It was not a glorious reign. Jason died in 1247 BCE, while sleeping under the Argo one night. The stern, rotted from years of use and disrepair, fell and crushed Him.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Chris Aldridge.

Note To The Reader

Thank you so much for taking time to read my latest writing. Without your viewership, my site would have no purpose. The upper right side column of the site holds some of my best books if you wish to read more of my materials. Thank you again, because while Polytheism and Paganism are growing religions, we are still a minority, and Hellenism is a minority within that minority. Your readership and financial support makes it possible for Hellenists like me to continue helping and representing our religious community and likeminded people. To this day, I have published over 300 posts on history, myth and religious practice for our people. If you have already read all of my books, you may send a donation to my PayPal address at chriswaynealdridge@gmail.com. May the Gods smile on you.

In Search of Greek Heroes: Bellerophon

Welcome to the new series I have decided to dedicate my blog to this summer, In Search of Greek Heroes, where I search for the facts and myths behind the greatest Heroes of ancient Greek religion. Today we are looking for the magnificent Bellerophon.

Also known as Bellerophontes, His name means either Wielder of Missiles or Slayer of Belleros. If the latter, it means that this name was given to Him later in life. Therefore, the question would then be, what was His original name? It has been suggested to have been Hipponous. However, this name was also given to other figures in ancient Greek history. It appears to have been a general title for certain kinds of men. If Bellerophon was not His original name, we may never actually know what it was. His birth and death dates remain unknown, but is believed to have lived before Herakles, who, according to some, lived around 1303 to 1259 BCE, which means Bellerophon predates the Trojan War. Writings of Him go as far back as Hesiod and Homer, who lived during the Archaic Age, around 750 to 650 BCE.

According to His story, Bellerophon was the Prince of Korinth (a City that, in Bellerophon's life, was actually called Ephyre), born to Poseidon and the mortal woman Eurynome, who was queen and wife of the King Glaukos. Growing into a man of superb strength, ability and beauty, He was admired by the people of the City, but when He accidentally killed His brother, He was exiled to find a way to purify Himself of the killing, as would have been ancient Greek custom. Murder, and we are lead to believe here, even manslaughter, was considered to be among the worst of pollutants upon a human being, and in order for them to be a blessing to the City or be in the presence of the Gods again, they would have to be purified of the pollution. 

In Argos, He found a man who could and would purify Him, King Proetus. Being restored to good standing as He was, His hard times were just beginning. The king's wife wanted to sleep with Bellerophon, but the Hero refused her, being of such honor to not offend or wrong the man who had given Him such wonderful hospitality and assistance. However, the wife became enraged at the rejection, and falsely accused Bellerophon of raping or attempting to rape her. She demanded that her husband execute Him, but the king did not want the pollution. So he sent Bellerophon to the King of Lycia in Asia Minor with a note saying to kill the young Hero. The King of Lycia also refused for the same reasons. However, The Lycian king thought of a way around the offense. He sent Bellerophon to kill an infamous beast that had been ravaging the countryside, a horrid creature known as the Chimera, half lion, snake and goat.

Athena gave Bellerophon a golden rein by which He could tame the winged horse of the Gods, Pegasos, and use him to destroy the monster. Upon the back of Pegasos, the Chimera was unable to strike Bellerophon in any way. There are conflicting accounts as to how Bellerophon killed the beast. One says He shot it to death with arrows. Another that He placed a clump of lead onto the end of a spear and rammed it down the throat of the fire breathing monster. When it melted, she died. And finally, that He used the lance to stab her to death.

He then returned to Proetus, who was not finished devising ways to kill Him. He sent the Hero on a campaign against the mighty Amazon women whom He also defeated. Nothing the king tried could conquer the young man, and he concluded that He must truly be loved by the Gods. Proetus gave Bellerophon his daughter in marriage. But during His life among mortals, He began to think of Himself as a God, and wanted to fly to Olympos on Pegasos. The horse, however, threw Him off and He crashed back down to Earth. We are told He lived out the rest of His life with His injuries.

Finding Bellerophon isn't an easy task, as traces of Him are not anywhere near as readily available as people such as Alexander for instance. 

One of the most compelling things is the Tomb of Bellerophon that still stands today in Lycia, which is a rock-cut temple tomb near Tlos, an ancient citadel in southern Turkey. This tomb was discovered empty. However, the porch has a relief of Bellerophon slaying the Chimera that can still be seen today. The tomb and those around it are not easily accessible, but people still visit and enter the structures.

The tomb is only dated to the 4th century BCE. However, it's also possible that the remains of the Hero could have later been placed there. Today, we have bodies from Egypt dating back thousands of years. Why couldn't the ancient Greeks or Lycians have had remains that dated back about a thousand? The tomb also appears to hold 4 to 5 chambers, which could have been used for the wife and children of Bellerophon or His descendants. No one knows. It's a place of great mystery and intrigue.

Moving on from the tomb, I decided to look for Bellerophon in the mentioning of regions outside of Greece as well. The Amazon warriors, whom He fought, were thought to be Scythians, as called by the Greeks, who are Iranian in origin. This means they were Persians. So is there any mention of Bellerophon in Persian history or myth? For starters, there are creatures in Persian myth that have a resemblance to the Chimera, those being the Manticore and the Shahmaran. What the Chimera actually was, if something different such as a deformed beast, we may never know, but there are similar mentions of this creature in the myths of the East as well as the West. While  Bellerophon was not found in Persian religion by my research, the creature that is central to His story, we might conclude, was in one form or another.

Bellerophon remains one of the most beloved and worshiped Heroes of ancient Greek religion to this day, where He will continue to be found in the hearts, minds and prayer books of so many.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Chris Aldridge.

Note To The Reader

Thank you so much for taking time to read my latest writing. Without your viewership, my site would have no purpose. The upper right side column of the site holds some of my best books if you wish to read more of my materials. Thank you again, because while Polytheism and Paganism are growing religions, we are still a minority, and Hellenism is a minority within that minority. Your readership and financial support makes it possible for Hellenists like me to continue helping and representing our religious community and likeminded people. To this day, I have published over 300 posts on history, myth and religious practice for our people. If you have already read all of my books, you may send a donation to my PayPal address at chriswaynealdridge@gmail.com. May the Gods smile on you.

The Greeks Kept Plague Away Through Piety and Physicians

The ancient Greeks were no strangers to disease. In fact, no human culture ever has been. The Greeks knew that disease and disorders were an issue, which is why they had doctors and physicians. The ancient Greeks were the forefathers of modern medicine. They were also highly spiritual and pious people who often gave more to their Gods than they did to themselves, and it was no different when there was a virus going around. They used medicine, doctors, prayer and sacrifice to combat it. They did not think either method was a waste of time. Plato himself wrote about the success the Athenians once had in keeping infection out of their City through spiritual means in the Dialogue of Symposium. 

"I shall try to go through for you the speech about Love I once heard from a woman of Mantinea, Diotima - a woman who was wise about many things besides this: once she even put off the plague for ten years by telling the Athenians what sacrifices to make." 

Plato was not a writer of fiction. He recorded the actual events of his society and the people around him. The Greeks, for an ancient people, knew quite a bit about the medical field, but no matter how much knowledge they gained or philosophy they discussed, it never made their Gods irrelevant or unnecessary. In fact, any good thing that happened or was discovered, was naturally followed by thanks to a God or Gods for the success. They did nothing without their Gods. Or, in other words, they knew that without their Gods, they could accomplish nothing. 

Therefore, even now as we face another virus or plague, I don't think we should forget the importance of our spirituality and the salvation and care that it can bring to us. A while back, I was talking with a member of my temple who lives out of state. They claimed they contracted Covid19 and that Apollon instructed them on how to get rid of it. They have since made a full recovery. I note in this story that neither this person nor Apollon turned away from the medical field. In fact, Apollon IS the God of medicine. If we examine this person's story carefully, we see the hallmark of a Greek mindset, which is the combination of spirituality and science. Science is the pursuit of truth, and the Gods are the truth.

In the Goodness of the Gods,

Chris Aldridge.

Work Cited: Plato Complete Works, edited by John M. Cooper, page 484, 201d.