Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

21 December 2025 02:47

“It was not just for him to speak so,” quoth Ferdiad; “for it is not cowardice or lack of boldness that he hath ever seen in me by day or by night. And I, speak not so to him, for I have it not to say of him. And I swear by my arms of valour, if it be true that he spoke so, I will be the first man of the men of Erin to contend with him on the morrow, how loath soever I am to do so!”

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 23:28

And when Medb got Ferdiad drunken and merry, great rewards were promised him if he would make the fight and combat.

Then said they, one and all, those gifts were great. “’Tis true, they are great. But though they are,” said Ferdiad, “with Medb herself I will leave them, and I will not accept them if it be to do battle or combat with my foster-brother, the man of my alliance and affection, and my equal in skill of arms, namely, with Cuchulain.”

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 23:25

Then were messengers and envoys sent from Medb and Ailill to Ferdiad. Ferdiad denied them their will, and dismissed and sent back the messengers, and he went not with them, for he knew wherefore they would have him, to fight and combat with his friend, with his comrade and foster-brother, Cuchulain.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 23:17

Great was the plight and strait of Cuchulain during that time, for he was not a day or a night without fierce, fiery combat waged on him by the men of Erin...

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 07:56

Going to get back to one of my favorite heroes Cuchulain and his most tragic tale.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 01:28

Swarog

Slavic God of smithing and fire.
Possibly the one who forged Perun’s lighting and chariot for the battle with the Serpent of Chaos.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

19 December 2025 01:10

True, some so-called minor gods were theriomorphic, from Ancient Greek thēríon (θηρίον, "animal") and morphē (μορφή, "form, shape"), and had the shapes of beasts (e.g., Achelous, Pan). Irrespective, all the gods had corporeal forms and attendant prototypically human motivations, be they biological, environmental (especially social), or psychological.

Olivier Serrat

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

16 December 2025 00:41

Polyphemus (a Cyclops who does not know justice or law) is reproached by Odysseus for not following the traditional laws of hospitality set by Zeus: Odysseus’ party acted as suppliants but Polyphemus did not heed their pledge and acted against the aidôs.

G.Giorgini

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

15 December 2025 10:27

Aidôs, which is usually translated as ‘respect’ or ‘shame’, identifies modesty and propriety in one’s attitude and due respect for gods and men.
We experience aidôs when we feel that a certain conduct or circumstance could deprive us of our reputation (doxa). We may conclude that we act according to aidôs when we behave according to the standards of our society in our interactions with men and gods.

G.Giorgini

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

13 December 2025 09:57

Chodové Family by Jaroslav Špillar

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

13 December 2025 06:14

Chods (Chodové) are an ethnic group from Western part of the Czech Republic known as Bohemia. Chods are known for their walking hammer-sticks as well as a special folk costume which includes footwear and hats made for long walks in the forest and mountain regions of Bohemian borderland. The latter is reflected in the word Chod itself which means the one who walks, patrols the forests. A rare example of an occupational identity effecting an ethnic one. Chods have their own dialect of Czech and a strong identity despite their unfortunately small numbers.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

12 December 2025 02:04

The Valkyrie
Ferdinand Keller

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

09 December 2025 07:39

Perseus constellation by O.Nikityuk

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

08 December 2025 18:23

Viking # 2 by O.Nikityuk

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

06 December 2025 05:11

Homosexuality in the Ancient Greece

The myth of Ancient Greece being a homo utopia was popularized by Oscar Wilde, a 19th c. homosexual poet. Despite it’s popularity today, the idea is baseless as Greek texts tell a different story.
In Athens, homosexuals were obliged to declare their vice in ecclesia, after which they lost all civil rights. If they hid their perversion, they were ostracized or executed. Derogatory nicknames e.g. euryproktos (wide anus), chaunoproktos (gaping anus), and lakkoproktos (anus like a pit) were applied to them.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 23:29

“Ye men,” spake Medb, in the wonted fashion of stirring up disunion and dissension, as if she had not heard Ferdiad at all, “true is the word Cuchulain speaks.” “What word is that?” asked Ferdiad. “He said, then,” replied Medb, “he would not think it too much if thou shouldst fall by his hands in the choicest feat of his skill in arms, in the land whereto he should come.”

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 23:26

Then did Medb despatch the druids and the poets of the camp, the lampoonists and hard-attackers, for Ferdiad, to the end that they might make three satires to stay him and three scoffing speeches against him...Ferdiad came with them for the sake of his own honour and for fear of their bringing shame on him, forasmuch as he deemed it better to fall by the shafts of valour and bravery and skill, than to fall by the shafts of satire, abuse and reproach.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 23:18

Then the men of Erin took counsel who would be fit to send to the ford to fight and do battle with Cuchulain, to drive him off from them at the morning hour early on the morrow. With one accord they declared that it should be Ferdiad…the own, dear, foster-brother of Cuchulain. And fitting it was for him to go thither, for well-matched and alike was their manner of fight and of combat.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 23:17

The four grand provinces of Erin were side by side and against Cuchulain, from Monday before Samain-tide to Wednesday after Spring-beginning, and without leave to work harm or vent their rage on the province of Ulster, while yet all the Ulstermen were sunk in their nine days’ ‘Pains,’ and Conall Cemach (‘the Victorious’) sought out battle in strange foreign lands paying the tribute and tax of Ulster.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

20 December 2025 01:45

Weles (Veles) is a Slavic God of poetry and magic who rules the Underworld where he hosts the dead. Weles is also a God of riches and trade since the Underworld is full of valuable gems and ore. In folklore it’s described as a place similar to the world above, but lifeless and still. Even trees in the Underworld are made out of precious metals.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

19 December 2025 01:55

The conception of gods in human terms was ultimately challenged: Xenophanes (ca. 560–478 BCE), the earliest known social critic of anthropomorphism, delivered trenchant attacks on the immorality of the gods in the Greek pantheon. Socrates (ca. 470–399 BCE) particularized his criticism of dissolute exploits: Hesiod, Homer, and other poets were to blame for telling tales in which gods—and so-called heroes—set a bad example. He was accused of corruptive behavior, put on trial, and executed.
Still, Xenophanes, Socrates, and others such as Euripides (ca. 480–406 BCE) helped propagate monotheism.

Olivier Serrat

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

16 December 2025 23:30

One of the basic maxims of ancient Greek ethics was the injunction to “help friends and harm enemies”.
We only need to look at Plato’s Republic I. Polemarchus gives a definition of justice which–he believes–will be accepted by everybody for being so traditional, obvious and widespread: justice, giving each person their due, means “helping friends and harming enemies”. We usually fail to recognize how revolutionary is Socrates’ ethics, which commands that the just person never harm anyone.

G.Giorgini

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

15 December 2025 10:30

In the Iliad Apollo upbraids Achilles for his behavior towards Hector after his defeat: he acted with a cruel heart, “like a lion”, without pity or aidôs.

In his wrath Achilles did not pay the customary, due respect to the body of his adversary, who had always acted honorably.

G.Giorgini

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

14 December 2025 01:03

Thetis was originally a sea nymph whom Peleus won by wrestling with her. She soon abandoned his house and only returned from time to time to look after her son, Achilles. Nymphs are often mothers of mythical heroes.

M.P.Nilsson

Art: Thetis dipping Achilles into Styx by Peter Paul Rubens

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

13 December 2025 09:48

A Chod by Jaroslav Špillar

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

13 December 2025 04:24

Been a while since the last time I asked for reader’s feedback. What do you guys want me to explore? Leave suggestions in the comments.

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

11 December 2025 03:20

Scythian idols by V.Slepchenko

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

08 December 2025 23:23

Viking # 3 by O.Nikityuk

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

08 December 2025 03:04

Viking # 1 by O.Nikityuk

Aryan Paganism, Traditions and Art (APTA)

05 December 2025 23:52

Dumezil was an atheist and obviously saw Gods as just ideas. This is the reason behind his disregard for details too. Reducing Gods to archetypes/functions etc is like saying that since John and Jack are both male, wear glasses and work as engineers they are secretly the same person! Of course we don’t do that with people since we know they are real, but when it comes to Gods such generalizations are often tolerated since the wast majority are atheists even in (self-proclaimed) Pagan circles.