Advertisement
Hey guys, in researching a more-and-more likely Erasian seasonal calender for my MS. in progress ["Whence the Witches' Sabbat": the working-title], I cracked open my copy of Prof. Philippe Walter's book, "Christianity: The origins of a Pagan Religion" [English tr. published through Inner Traditions], and learned about a little known (well, he's "little known" to me, anyway!) Roman god of sowing who was celebrated on the Calends of February known as Helernus. I was wondering if anyone, here, might know of a source that I could turn to in research more about his cult and celebration, etc.
Some other evidence I've found for a potential Eurasian seasonal calendar is the Chinese seasonal portals that roughly align with the Irish-Gaelic seasonal portals (particularly the OS dates); there's a Greek opening of Spring in February; and Lithuania, for example, heralds the onset of Spring on about 1 February...not to mention Imbolc. Another fascet I noted in my research was that most IE hearth-goddesses happen to have a feast-date in very early february, as well. Moreover, I've been able to trace many of the heart-gfoddess traditional to the shamanic regions of Siberia, Mongolia, and the Asian realms, etc. :o) There are so many IE hearth-goddess similarities that I don't understand how Prof. Ronald Hutton can deny that Brigit/Brigantia is, in no way, related to this IE phenomenon! Such commonalities also include: protection of a home from lightning; birds; hearths; virginal attendees [Hutton declares that they were an Irish intimation of the Greco-Roman model, despite the obvious differences which is so often over-emphasizes when it serves his personal beliefs! He even declares that Brigantia and Brigit were culturally unrelkated local phenoms., despite the source evidence we have proving that the branch of the Brigantes tribe settles Kildare, Ireland, where Brigit's cult was so well established]; the swastika motif; the association with water and salt; and I'm sure I could think of many others if given half a chance at this late hour.
Take Care,
Wade
Some other evidence I've found for a potential Eurasian seasonal calendar is the Chinese seasonal portals that roughly align with the Irish-Gaelic seasonal portals (particularly the OS dates); there's a Greek opening of Spring in February; and Lithuania, for example, heralds the onset of Spring on about 1 February...not to mention Imbolc. Another fascet I noted in my research was that most IE hearth-goddesses happen to have a feast-date in very early february, as well. Moreover, I've been able to trace many of the heart-gfoddess traditional to the shamanic regions of Siberia, Mongolia, and the Asian realms, etc. :o) There are so many IE hearth-goddess similarities that I don't understand how Prof. Ronald Hutton can deny that Brigit/Brigantia is, in no way, related to this IE phenomenon! Such commonalities also include: protection of a home from lightning; birds; hearths; virginal attendees [Hutton declares that they were an Irish intimation of the Greco-Roman model, despite the obvious differences which is so often over-emphasizes when it serves his personal beliefs! He even declares that Brigantia and Brigit were culturally unrelkated local phenoms., despite the source evidence we have proving that the branch of the Brigantes tribe settles Kildare, Ireland, where Brigit's cult was so well established]; the swastika motif; the association with water and salt; and I'm sure I could think of many others if given half a chance at this late hour.
Take Care,
Wade
posted by:
|
Iowa
|
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Re: Helernus [A Roman God]?
Sat, October 18, 2008 - 5:51 AMHelernus is mentioned once in Ovid's Fasti: VI.105-106 (he was the father of Carna (older Crane) the nymph who was born in his grove and lived there; she was the guardian of door hinges).
Adjacet antiqui Tiberino lucus Helerni:
Pontifices illuc nunc quoque sacra ferunt.
Inde sata est Nymphae, Cranen dixere priores,
Necquicquam multis saepe petita procis.
[Ovid, Fasti VI.105-108.]
The ancient grove of Helernus is near the stream of the Tiber ;
even now do the Pontiffs bear thither the sacrifice.
From him was born a Nymph (the men of the olden time called her Crane);
ofttimes was she wooed by many a suitor, but in vain.
[transl. by Henry T Riley]
In Ovid Fasti II.67-68., some read "lucus Helerni" instead of "lucus Asyli". So that may be a second reference.
Tum quoque vicini lucus celebratur [Asyli | Helerni],
Qua petit aequoreas advena Tibris aquas.
On that day too, the grove of the neighboring [Asylum | Helernus] is resorted to by the crowds,
where the Tiber from afar rolls onward to the ocean waters.
