chaotic-reveries:

twistedingenue:

winebrightruby:

stars-and-candybars:

Can someone on the Hellenic end of tumblr help me out real quick? I’m new to this and I’m not sure what the epithets/the words after the gods’ names mean

Epithets are specific titles that narrow down which aspect/role of the god you’re addressing. (Most of them. Some of them are poetic/obscure and we’re not sure what they mean exactly.) “Phoibos Apollon” means something like “Bright/Shining Apollon” and would be a way to address him as a god of light and the sun. “Apollon Paian” refers to “Apollon the Healer” or “Apollon the Deliverer” and would be a way to address him as a god of healing or savior. 

There are also historical epithets that reference a place a god was worshipped or where a major temple stood (Hera Argeia – of Argos, Hera Samia – of Samos).

That’s a very brief overview that’s glossing over a lot of exceptions, but basically you can think of epithets as titles (as in, of nobility) that come from a variety of different sources.

My favorite explanation has always been –Barbie.

You have President Barbie, Flight Attendant Barbie, Doctor Barbie, Mommy Barbie. Each tells you something about her, her job, her role, and so forth. Sometimes she’s a mermaid, sometimes she roller blades.

So it is with the gods. Aphrodite is both Killer of Men and She of the great butt. You’re highlighting parts of her.

She of the Great Butt 😂😂😂