Water is strongly associated with healing and both the Celtic goddess Brigid and Saint Brigid are connected with the healing power of wells. She was primarily known the Goddess of the . Other myths also disclose Achilles was struck by the beauty of Troilus, a Trojan prince. It only takes a minute to sign up. In order to marry her, Aengus had to correctly identify her as a swan among 150 other swans, which he was able to do. - Hermes, menssager of the gods, was bisexual as well. 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. Are there recorded instances of asexuality in the body of ancient Greek writings? Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Siebog, god of love and marriage. As far as she was concerned, love didn't equal sex. 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. Like the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt and Rome, there is always a supreme being keeping watch over all. Now you might ask: how do I pick these gods? As noted on Owlcation, this may have been a heterosexual ending, but the love story was laced with LGBT themes. 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. During his female years, Teiresias became a priestess of Hera, married, and even had children, according to Hesiod. It was at this point that he also first encountered another famous Irish goddess, Ultimately the Morrigan predicted C Chulainns violent death and a, Unfortunately there is very little information found in the surviving Medieval Irish texts about Danu. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The Dagda, god of agriculture, weather, the seasons and time is one such example. bu yeah on a short note i always fell in love with the virgin goddesses of any religion, hell i was raised catholic and to this day the only person i ever pray to is the virgin maryand even that rarely. 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. Well I choose them by two things, the first is if they are known virgins or restrain from relationships, the second is if they're influenced by Aphrodites magic. 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. IsisThe Egyptian goddess, also worshipped by Greeks, is known for solving a gender identity issue of yore. Alternatively, he also had a self-navigating boat called Sguaba Tuinne or wave-rider, which seems advanced even in the technology era of today! DionysusBest known as the Greek god of wine, Dionysus was also the god of intersex and transgender people. Deichtine decided that her son should be reared by seven nobles to ensure that he received a wide ranging education. You can find the links to the blogs here. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and sex. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Also, the older-younger thing had a class dynamic. In Aztec mythology, Tonatiuh governed the era under which the Aztec believed to live, the era of the Fifth Sun; and it is Tonatiuh's face in the center of the Aztec sun stone. There is a case to be made about the humanity itself (or some of it) being asexual at first. Related pages [ change | change source] Demigod Divinity This page was last changed on 10 February 2023, at 02:08. During his female years, Teiresias became a priestess of Hera, married, and even had children, according to Hesiod. At birth, Plato was given the name Aristocles, after his grandfather, according to the 3rd century Greek historian Diogenes Laertius. CallistoThis nymph follower of Artemis took a vow to remain a virgin and could not be tempted even by Zeus, at least in male form. Codex Magliabechiano/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. Above: Caravaggio, Amor Vincet Omnia. Athena really did not have any interest in sex at all. Pandora's arrival and the subsequent disasters mark the end of the Golden Age of Man. 3 Comments. Lir is thought to have taken over the role of sea god from his father, the god Lir. As a god he had immense power and influence. Wolfgang Sauber/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0. ZeusAlthough a famous philanderer who sired countless demigods by every peasant girl in need of an explanation to her parents, Zeus also selected the young mortal Ganymede to serve as his cupbearer on Mount Olympus. - Hermaphrodite, god(dess) of androgyny, was intersex, androgynous and nonbinary. Frigg is a Norse goddess of love and fertility. 1 ESO. Dionysus. The notion of reincarnation is that deceased family members make their journey back to life as a new baby in the same . Jarilo, god of fertility and springtime, sometimes regarded as god of lust and passion. after killing the trusted guard dog of Culainn in self defense, by accurately hitting a sliotar (ball used in the Irish game of hurling) down its throat as it attacked him. The Aztecs, the Late Postclassic civilization that the Spanish conquistadors met in Mexico in the 16h century, believed in a complex and diversified pantheon of gods and goddesses. Pan frequently was depicted in sculpture chasing both women and men around with his always-erect penis and oversized scrotum. Seemingly not all of them, Lugh is said to have been speared and drowned in. No emphasis seems to be placed in any writings on the absence of sexuality in the Greek gods. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Hod is a son of Odin. There was no definitive list of the three goddesses that made the collective Morrigan or Morrigna. Among Women: From the Homosocial to the Homoerotic in the Ancient World. Why not check out the, Top 10 Irish American Presidents with Irish Roots, Waterville: The Complete Charlie Chaplin Guide. Ovid is Roman, not Greek, of course. Asexual Goddess Births Starting in the Epic period of Hinduism (400 B.C.E. Bri - Ruler of Prehistory, the first god and father of Borr. - Athena, goddess of widsom, was a lesbian. The accuracy of this suggestion is still debated by scholars.. The incident drew a curse upon the city of Thebes. This name means Lugh of the long arm in Irish. 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. There are many holy wells scattered across Ireland dedicated to Saint Brigid some of which may have previously been connected with Brigid, the Celtic goddess of healing. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The relationship provided the foundation of the custom of paiderastia, the practice of Greek men at the time maintaining erotic relationships with adolescent boys on the side. PanOf course, many mythological texts and artworks connect Daphnis to the satyr Pan, god of music. Rios Codex/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. The goddess ine is strongly associated with the feast of midsummer and the summer sun. We don't even have any evidence that the men outnumbered the gods significantly. In a dream Aengus falls in love with a beautiful maiden, There was a catch that Caer was stuck in the form of a swan and was only able to return to a human form for one day every second year. Above: Peter Paul Rubens, Artemis and Callisto, The AmazonsThe original race of warrior women, the Amazons of myth lived in a society free of men, one where the powerful women would only have heterosexual sex once or twice a year -- for reproductive purposes only -- with male slaves abducted from neighboring villages or taken prisoner during wars, according to Strabo. Well most of them cheated on their spouse anyway. A few more things that I find interesting about Athena and her asexuality is that she really does seem sexless in the way that she acts. 650 Views. Lugh is thought to have been the father of demi god and famous Irish warrior, Are Celtic gods immortal? The names of Celtic gods and the names of Celtic goddesses that occur often in Celtic mythology are listed below.. Bustin' Out! While Artemis, for example, could have sexual desires without contradicting her status as the goddess of the hunt (or even the goddess of virginity - she was abstinent, not necessarily asexual), the whole concept seems to go against Athena's essential nature. Muse, tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite the Cyprian, who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land rears, and all that the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Cytherea. Mary M. Innes; Penguin Books, 1955, p. 101104). 10 of 10 Tlaltecuhtli, Earth Goddess As another example, Eros is often referred to as being one of those omnipresent entities in male interactions in Greek culture. Retribution payments for certain crimes were also paid in cattle according to the old Irish Brehon laws. Cattle were seen as a measure of wealth by the Celts, so it could have been only natural for them to have a deity dedicated to cattle and their fertility. Her brain and the way that she thought and acted seemed to have characteristics of both. These LGBT Greek gods and demigods prove gay culture is no modern invention. Having successfully completed the challenges, C Chulainn proceeded to attack the castle of Emers father and kill many in the process before eloping with the maiden. Do we want tags for literary movements and periods? https://www.thoughtco.com/deities-of-mexica-mythology-170042 (accessed March 4, 2023). Interested in more Irish Celtic mythology? Can I tell police to wait and call a lawyer when served with a search warrant? After the gods changed him back, Zeus asked who enjoyed sex more, men or women. If you click on one of them, we might receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). - 400 C.E. It was at this point that he also first encountered another famous Irish goddess, The Morrigan. Pelops for a time was taken to Olympus by Poseidon and trained to drive the divine chariot. She is said to be responsible for the rage and fury of a battle and her terrifying scream can kill or paralyze a man. Her name means the exalted one in old Irish. She is often associated with abundance and plentifulness. Yeah, this is still a very interesting answer. She was one of the most important goddesses to the daily lives of the romans and the greeks because she was the one who looked out for and protected their homes. In Rome, the Vestal Virgins (the servants of Hestia, who kept the fires of Rome burning) were some of the most respected people in the realm. At times, these names could be used interchangeably. Then he also transformed into a swan and flew with her to his home in the Br na Boinne.. katepanomegas/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0. Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt, wilderness, moon and archery. (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.). The Pseudo-Apollodorus also said Apollo had been with Thracian singer Thamyris in the first man-on-man relationship in history. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Here, I mean asexuality to be the total absence of sexual attraction, with anyone. The creature of both sexes was frequently depicted in classical art as a figure with womanly breasts and form but with male genitalia. Several areas in Scotland and Ireland are named after Manannan, including Mannin Lake (County Mayo), and Mannin Island (County Cork). In later times, her role is taken on by Tiamat. I've heavily restructured the question to hopefully be a little clearer about what, exactly, I'm looking for. The Virgin Mary - the mother of Jesus and one of the most respected women probably in the world. Hod. The goddess Flidas (or Flidais) is this deity with her special focus on domestic cattle and milking. There are several divine mother goddess figures in ancient Celtic mythology. The hunt especially was important to them, and if they didn't have her blessing, then the hunt would not turn out very well. 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.. I'm not catholic (or any sort of Christian, or any sort of religion, actually) but I think I have prayed to the Virgin Mary before. (I note that it is wide spread that Dionysius married Ariadne, against the abstinent view.). For example, the Morrigan was sometimes referred to as Badb, the Crow, even when clearly not referenced as part of a trinity. Badb and Nemain were the wives of Neit, the Irish god of war. With her, he is the father of two children: the god of war and the god of fishing. (Note: "virgin" means "no sexual relations with men" in ancient Greek works. Good, fruitful harvests were critical for the survival of Celtic people and animals, so it is easy to see how central a role this god played in the Celtic pantheon. However, that ended poorly when Myrmex pretended to have invented the plow, one of Athena's creations, and Athena turned the girl into an ant. Ares God of war. Still, beyond this, many of the Greek gods are described as sexually promiscuous. Ameinias, desperately depressed over the rejection, killed himself. 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. Maestri, Nicoletta. Her cloak is said to have extended until the plot of land was sufficiently big enough to support a monastery. Tlaltechutli (Tlal-teh-koo-tlee) is the monstrous earth goddess. His name means Hummingbird of the Left and he was the patron of war and sacrifice. Half goat. If so, is there both asexuality in the Pantheon and asexuality outside of it, or is it just one of the two? Some myths suggest a romantic relationship between Hermes and the hero Perseus. In some myths, Pandora is the first woman, created by Hephaestus for Zeus to punish humanity. He is believed to have led the Tuatha d Danann to victory over the invading army of Fomorians as depicted in the Battle of Mag Tuired., It is said that Lugh initiated a special games event, known as the Tailteann Games or Assembly of Tailti that focused on horse racing and martial arts that ran over the last two weeks in July and culminated with the start of the harvest celebration of Lughnasadh on 1 August. 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. Apollo Olympian god of music, poetry, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, sun, light and knowledge. Forseti - God of justice, peace and truth. Many of the other gods wanted to marry her, but she would have none of it. she became a he. 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. For her, love was what most people feel for their brothers and their sisters, so she was quite suprised and disgusted when he tried to have sex with her, and left immediatly, of course. Half man. As the wife of the god of the underworld, Isis was also one of the main deities concerned with rites for the dead. Aetna (aka Aitna) - Nymph Goddess of the volcano Mount Etna, located in Sicily. (This might make it hard to demonstrate asexuality through the absence of sexual writings.). Above: Antonio Verrio, The Gods on Mount Olympus (1690-1694), AchillesThe Greek hero Achilles was invulnerable excepting his famous weak heel, but a male shieldbearer broke through the warrior's romantic defenses. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Of these three Aphrodite cannot bend or ensnare the hearts. Above: Rossi Domenico, Pan and Apollo (circa 1704), engraving. Huitzilopochtli (pronounced Weetz-ee-loh-POSHT-lee) was the patron god of the Aztecs. She is a warrior goddess who protects cities. Associated with fertility and agriculture, hisorigins can be traced back to Teotihuacan, the Olmec and the Maya civilizations. She also set her sights on C Chulainn and tried unsuccessfully to seduce him. She is always an advocate of rationality, and neither love nor sexuality are entirely rational impulses. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? In addition to the connection of the holy wells, Brigid and Catholic Saint Brigid are also connected by the feast day of February 1st. Aglaia - The Goddess of beauty, splendour, glory and adornment. I posted this at the livejournal community, and it's become a pretty interesting topic, so I thought I would post it here. So what happened the rest of the year? Enjoyed this post? Tlaloc (pronounced Tlh-lock), the rain god, is one of the most ancient deities in all Mesoamerica. There are plenty of instances of goddesses sleeping with mortal men. The son of Hermes and Aphrodite, he was a remarkably beautiful youth, but uninterested in sex.