Athens, Greece
“In the beginning Man created God…. And Man gave unto God a multitude of names….”
— Jethro Tull
Any time a gap in the understanding of natural phenomena exists, mankind has found it necessary to fill that void. Where no scientific explanation is evident, a deity is often inserted.
Why do earthquakes happen? It must be Poseidon stomping his trident.
Trying to understand the concept of Love? Aphrodite will explain.
What happens when we die? (Insert a God, and the explanation you prefer, here.)
In the time of Homer (8th or 9th century BCE), the human race began to contemplate its origins. The nature of Man, Earth, Sky, Water, Light, Darkness, Sun, Moon, Stars, Planets, Love, War, Birth, Death, and a thousand other phenomena, of which there was little scientific understanding, came under scrutiny.
So many questions. So many gaps to fill. So many Gods required to fill all those holes.
Today, Bear and I interacted with Gods created to explain the inexplicable.
We are in Athens, where a pantheon of Gods emerged.
Our first experience with the mystical occurred within minutes of arrival in the city. We checked into a hotel and stepped onto the balcony of our room where this vision appeared.
The Acropolis, with the Parthenon lit up, and the constellation Orion rising above it.
I have witnessed very few things in my lifetime that literally took my breath away, but this moment was one of them.
Despite 18 hours of travel time and some serious fatigue, I had trouble getting to sleep. I returned to the balcony several times to admire the Athenian skyline before I was able to shut the day off.
In the morning, I awoke to Athena.
The name of the ancient Greek settlement of Athens is often attributed to the goddess Athena, but it is the other way around. Athens was here before the Greek gods arrived. Athena took her name from the city.
Athena – Rembrandt
The Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens is dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, and war.
Athena gave the world her symbol, an owl, an enduring representation of wisdom.
We spent the day at the Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum, where we interacted with hundreds of Gods and Heroes of Greek Antiquity. I will tell you about a few of them, but I am not finished with Athena yet.
Athena had no mother; she was born from Zeus‘ forehead by parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction).
The word “parthenogenesis” and “The Parthenon” are both based upon the Greek word parthénos (‘maiden’ or ‘virgin’).
There are numerous myths involving virgin births, but not many where the father is doing the birthing.
Poseidon, God of the sea, oceans, storms, earthquakes, and oddly, horses.
According to legend, Poseidon fashioned the horse from the sea foam and breathed life into it.
If you have been to the doctor lately you may have noticed this symbol.
The Rod of Asclepius logo is borrowed from Asclepius, God of Healing and Medicine
The snake, which sheds its skin, was revered for its talent of rejuvenation.
Demeter is the goddess of agriculture, harvest, grain, fertility, and seasons. Her Roman name is Ceres, from which we get cereal.
When you eat your Shreddies tomorrow morning, thank Demeter.
While we are on the topic of aircraft, the Canadair PT-107 Argus was a military surveillance plane, named after the ever-vigilant,100-eyed Greek God, Argus.
On the walk up to the Acropolis, we passed the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The theatre, completed in AD 161, has been used as a venue for music concerts for 1865 years.
I would love to see a concert at the Odeon. Even better, wouldn’t it be a thrill to perform at this ancient venue?
I can’t sing, and three-balls-juggled-poorly won’t attract enough attention to fill the seats of the Odeon.
British rock band Coldplay recorded at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in 2024. The venue doesn’t appear until the mid point of this video, but I assure you that Dionysus – God of Theatre, and Apollo – God of Music would both approve.
Bear occasionally suffers from migraines. I don’t mean to diminish her suffering, but these Greek Caryatids have been holding the weight of the Erechtheion on their heads for 2432 years.
Not one of them has ever complained.
This Caryatid receives a lot of complaints in Greece.
She is part of a collection of artwork removed from the Parthenon between 1801 and 1812. The British Ambassador at the time, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, collected the classical Greek sculptures and transported them to The British Museum in London. Lord Elgin claimed that he rescued the artworks, fearing they would be damaged or destroyed under Ottoman Rule at the time.
Greek historians see it differently. They refer to the disappearance of The Elgin Marbles using words like vandalism and looting.
The empty spot on this Caryatid display at the Acropolis Museum is reserved for their sister, currently on vacation in London.
Bear and I walked the Acropolis until our feet gave out.
Sore feet were our Achilles heel, so to speak…
The lessons Ancient Greeks imparted through their Gods have endured for millennia. People have lived and died in an endless cycle, but the words of the ancients are constant, perpetuated through their contrived Gods.
Enduring wisdom has given the Greek Gods …
…Immortality.
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Autumn Downey
In high school I read and reread the Glorious Adventure by Richard Halliburton. So glad you are moving the story forward in our time and providing all these fascinating backgrounds!
Russ Paton
Thank you. They are timeless adventures, it is fun to live them where they originated.
Autumn Downey adowney@sasktel.net
A great first day and a lot of steps you had. Thank you. What a wonderful sight to see Orion above the Acropolis! I speak to him frequently here in Arcola too.
Russ Paton
I thought about Dad when I saw Orion yesterday, he also chatted with the Hunter regularly.
Keith MacDonald
Loved it. Thanks Russ.
Russ Paton
🤩