Byzantine Christogram

Double metousia today since I couldnt do the midweek post however I'm still adjusting to a change of work hours so today some Christian #byzantine art featuring birds.

Back to #greeknewtestament next week !

I do love the corner knot patterns in this #mosaic and note the use of the Alpha Omega symbol!

Sirens

#sirens #greek myths

While the #Harpies and their sister Iris were daughters of Titans although serving Zeus the Sirens were probably death spirits or fever demons since their use and appearance on funerary objects suggest they had other functions apart from beguiling sailors.

Regardless of who their parents are (the stories vary) they are always described as living on islands near Sicily or in the Adriatic. 

Another possibility is a distorted memory of sacred islands guarded by priestesses in bird costumes?

The Sirens are never mentioned as preying on women only men?

A beautiful thing

#matthew26 #greeknewtestament #biblestudy

In #Matthew26 the disciples complain about a woman coming into the dining room and pouring expensive scented oil over Jesus' head. Its very expensive oil "barutimou" in an alabaster which is white marble jar. They felt it should have been sold for charity.

Unspoken however may have been a concern that the Temple officials would be further provoked by this action as it could have been seen as consecrating Jesus as a ruler!

Some people wonder if  the woman was Mary Madgalene.

Let us focus on Jesus' response.

He calls her action beautiful! "kalon ergon"becuse she did it for him"eis eme"  not for herself!

Some scholars write about the "the poor will always be with you" but I want to draw your attention to the chilling words further along,

"for this woman by throwing this ointment/oil upon my body for entombment made me ready"

More prophecies fulfilled.

Extravagant acts of generosity are okay but so are regular acts of charity.

Perhaps we should balance both?

Remember Jesus approved of this because the act benefited another.

Also it was a party? A time and place for everything!

Harpies as young Girls

#harpies #Birds #goddesses

The Harpies literally the Snatchers are the daughters of Thaumas son of Pontos and Gaia and the Oceanid Electra. Apollonios Rhodios in his Argonautica describes them as monsters

They are said to have lived in a cave on Mt Dicte on the island of Thrace and had the role to sinning those who sinned against the gods.

Other artists had different ideas. The Harpies shown here appear to be young girls though the position and shape  of the wings suggest that maybe young boy dancers in costume for a play are being depicted? Also there are 3 Harpies not two.

Their older sister was Iris goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods in the oldest epics.

Chi Rho Symbol

Something simple today. A png to download. #chirho #easter #christ #typography

I was tempted to do an elaborate Celtic style construct of spirals within spirals and knots but opted for minimalism instead. Enjoy. Use it as a capital or whatever.

Artemis or Aphrodite with Bird you decide

This image could been Artemis as lady of the Beasts or Aphrodite with a dove.

In the Archaic period Artemis wasn't always depicted as a huntress with bow and arrow.

While it was found near a temple to Artemis that site is noted for a diversity of art depicting a variety of gods so its not impossible that a statute of Aphrodite might be on the precincts of the temple to another deity. This happens at several sites.

Why its PALM Sunday

#palmsunday #GospelofJohn #greeknewtestament #bibletrivia
 Lets face it Easter in its current state is a horrid muddle or folk pagan seculary myths and commericalizations and a few actual Christian traditions. However it is PALM SUNDAY

WHY SUNDAY?

We don't know the exact date but have a statement by John 12:1 it was 6 days before Passover.
 Bear in mind for centuries in Europe Sundays were one of the few days off people had from work.

John is also the only Gospel writer who clearly states cut branches of date palms were used.

John 12:13 baia toon phoinikoon "Phoenician" palm branches ... the date palm.

Matthew 21:8 says cut branches ekopton klados
Mark 11:8 uses stibados kopsantes which could also be rushes grasses or other plants
Luke 19 only mentions clothes.

Now in some countries where date or other palm branches are not available different spring plants are used but many churches try to ship in date palm branches for authenticity.

While there was other palm species the date palm was the most common in the first century and this century.

Possibly John stresses the use of date palms because they were a scared symbol throughout the Middle East and linked to royalty.

You might want to read down to verse 16 where John says that the disciples did not understand egnoosan  this as first to prooton but later remembered the events though Johns reference to things that had been written makes me wonder if he was thinking of not just Old testament prophecy but also Marks gospel which may have been written before John's. Or some kind of protogospel was circulating and various people were creating their own versions. Of the four gospel writers Mark and Luke were not eyewitnesses but Matthew and John would have been there.

So John is our witness that the branches were palms and hence Palm Sunday!

Next week since its Easter some GREEK Byzantine Christian art though a goddess NOT Ostara may make an appearance in the mid week post!

Consider the Quail

Consider the #Quail

Ever wonder what ancient cooks used for eggs before the jungle fowl was domesticated?

Or ducks or geese?

For most of us Quail eggs and meat are luxury items.

Ever wonder why there are no references to sweet cakes or omelettes or other deserts in Homer and why they don't start getting mentioned until Aristophanes?

No or few eggs for cooking! Duck and geese eggs would have been seasonal.

Quail however are small birds that can be trapped with nets and raised for both eggs and meat.

However you still would have had to have spare grain to feed them!

While they will eat a variety of grain ... you have to have surplus to feed them hence quail eggs and meat as a luxury item , hunted or farmed, in ancient Greece and Europe.

They can't thrive on table scraps like some chickens.

Thats why many scholars think references to cakes in lyric poetry were references to cakes of pressed dried fruit .

See my previous post and the notes and  translation of the swallow song.

CHiRho

#ChiRho

No bible study today I'm recovering from a stomach bug!
Instead  a little something extra for Easter

The Greek letters Chi and Rho the first letters of Christ often appear in Christian art even in areas and eras where Latin had replaced Greek.Here's my rough attempt at a ChiRho. You're welcome to play with it further! I'm attempted to draw a more detailed Celtic spiral one but that could take hours!

Swallow Song Two Notes and Draft

#swallowsong #greeklyricpoetry

Next installment a more polished version!

This is a rough DRAFT with Notes

SWALLOW SONG

Source Lyra Graeca and other D. Campbell texts

Recorded byAthenaeus in Doctors at dinner

citing a book by Theognis on Rhodian Festivals

Note Dialect is Doric

ἦλθ̓ ἦλθ̓ χελιδὼν (she) comes comes aorist swallow

καλὰς ὥρας ἄγουσα, fine seasons / hours times – as ending doric bringing

καλοὺς ἐνιαυτούς, fine years plural returning again ?

ἐπὶ γαστέρα λευκά, upon stomach belly white

ἐπὶ νῶτα μέλαινα. upon back black (swallows b+w)

παλάθαν σὺ προκύκλει cakes you roll out

prob preserved pressed fig or dried fruits

ἐκ πίονος οἴκου out of ??? house

pionos fat oily rich in slang ?

οἴνου τε δέπαστρον of wine and cup/ and cup of wine

depastron < depas

τυροῦ τε κάνυστρον. Of cheese and basket a basket of cheese

usually a not u cane / wicker baskets

καὶ πύρνα χελιδὼν and wheat loaves (for) swallow

καὶ λεκιθίταν and pulse “bread'” some kind of bean cake

or porridge served cooked in pan

οὐκ ἀπωθεῖται. πότεῤ ἀπίωμες ἢ λαβώμεθα;

not you it drive away apootheoo whether or not will we get

• mes ending doric apeimi nor will we go away

εἰ μέν τι δώσεις. εἰ δὲ μή, οὐκ ἐάσομες.

If any u give if and not we will not relaese let go

ἢ τὰν θύραν ϕέρωμες ἢ τὸ ὑπέρθυμρον

neither or the door we will carry away subjunctive / future or the lintel?

ἢ τὰν γυναῖκα τὰν ἔσω καθημέναν.

Or the woman wife inside sitting ?

μικρὰ μέν ἐστι, ῥᾳδίως νιν οἴσομες.

Small little she is easily nin =ionic min it her him enclitic form autos

fut form of pheroo we will carry away

ἄν δὴ φέρῃς τι, μέγα δή τι φέροις.

anything whatever you bear to us let it be big

ἄνοιγ̓ ἄνοιγε τὰν θύραν χελιδόνι.

Open open fut form The door to swallow

οὐ γὰρ γέροντές ἐσμεν, ἀλλὰ παιδία.

Not for elders we are but children