Thursday, July 14, 2011

Krónos

Years ago, I once dreamt that I went into the Underworld. I was to be paired with - married to - a god. To my surprise and at the moment, horror, it was to be with the Titan Cronus. Maybe I'm too quick to judge, honestly.

In the Attic calendar he is celebrated during the month of Hekatombaion, in the ancient festival called Kronia (this year it falls on July 21st) though I feel I should honor him is confusing - I've debated adding his name to honourings during the noumenia as a Khthonic deity. Some accounts place him in Tartarus with other Titans while others name him as King of Elysium.

The Romans had a different view of him, he was essentially Saturn and the merry December festivals were named after him, along with the day of the week - Saturday.

Orphic Hymn to Saturn
Fumigation from Storax

Etherial father, mighty Titan, hear, great fire of Gods and men, whom all revere:
Endu’d with various council, pure and strong, to whom perfection and decrease belong.
Consum’d by thee all forms that hourly die, by thee restor’d, their former place supply;
The world immense in everlasting chains, strong and ineffable thy pow’r contains
Father of vast eternity, divine, O mighty Saturn [Kronos], various speech is thine:
Blossom of earth and of the starry skies, husband of Rhea, and Prometheus wife.
Obstetric Nature, venerable root, from which the various forms of being shoot;
No parts peculiar can thy pow’r enclose, diffus’d thro’ all, from which the world arose,
O, best of beings, of a subtle mind, propitious hear to holy pray’rs inclin’d;
The sacred rites benevolent attend, and grant a blameless life, a blessed end.

0 comments:

XXVII. TO MERCURY

Hermes, draw near, and to my pray'r incline, angel of Jove, and Maia's son divine; Studious of contests, ruler of mankind, with heart almighty, and a prudent mind. Celestial messenger, of various skill, whose pow'rful arts could watchful Argus kill: With winged feet, 'tis thine thro' air to course, O friend of man, and prophet of discourse: Great life-supporter, to rejoice is thine, in arts gymnastic, and in fraud divine: With pow'r endu'd all language to explain, of

care the loos'ner, and the source of gain. Whose hand contains of blameless peace the rod, Kerukeion, blessed, profitable God; Of various speech, whose aid in works we find, and in necessities to mortals kind: Dire weapon of the tongue, which men revere, be present, Hermes, and thy suppliant hear; Assist my works, conclude my life with peace, give graceful speech, and me memory's increase.


[banner source]

  © Blogger template 'Darken' by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP