|
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
L
M
N
P
R
S
T
V
Z |
|
AMALTHEA- Cretan goat goddess, who suckled the infant Zeus when Rhea was hiding him from Cronus. Some say she also suckled Pan.
ANGURBODA- Teutonic. The Hag of the Iron Wood, wife of Loki, mother of the Wolf Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent,and Hel. ANU, ANANN- Irish. A form of the major Irish mother goddess; overlaps with Dana. Worshipped in Munster as a goddess of plenty. Gave her name to the Paps of Anu, twin hills in Co. Kerry. In her dark aspect, she formed a Fate trinity with Badhbh and Macha. APHRODITE- ('Foam-Born') Greek Goddess of sexual love. She was born of the bloody foam of the sea where Cronus threw the genitals of his father Uranus after castrating him. Married, on Zeus's orders, to the lame Smith God Hephaestus, and unfaithful to him with the war God Ares. She was in fact an ancient East Mediterranean Goddess and can be equated with Astarte. ARACHNE- Greek Spider Goddess. A Lydian girl skilled in weaving, she dared to challenge Athene to compete with her. The contest was held, and Arachne's work was faultless: impudently, it portrayed some of the Gods' less reputable deeds, including Athene's father Zeus abducting Europa. Furious, Athene turned her into a spider, doomed eternally to spin thread drawn from her own body. But the Spider Goddess is more archetypal than this story suggests: spinning and weaving the pattern of destiny like the Moerae or the Norns, and enthroned in the middle of her spiral-pathed stronghold like Arianrhod. ARADIA- Italian (Tuscany) Witch Goddess, surviving there into this century. Daughter of Diana and Diana's brother Lucifer (i.e. of the Moon and Sun), she came to Earth to teach the witches of her mother's magic. ARAIDNE- Cretan and Greek. The Daughter of King Minos of Crete, who with her cunning thread helped Theseus find his way into the labyrinth to kill the Minotaur, and out again. She eloped with him, but he abandoned her on the island of Naxos. She was consoled by Dionysus, who in her Naxos cult was regarded as her consort. ARIANRHOD- ('Silver Wheel') Major Welsh Goddess. A star goddess. Her palace was called Caer Arianrhod (Aurora Borealis), Goddess of time and karma. Mother aspect of the Triple Goddess in Wales. Goddess of beauty, the Moon, fertility and reincarnation. Mother of Llew Llau Gyffes by her brother Gwydion. Her consort Nwyvre ('Sky, Space, Firmament') has survived in name only. Caer Arianrhod is the circumpolar stars, to which souls withdraw between incarnations, she is thus a Goddess of reincarnation. Honoured at the Full Moon. ARTEMIS- Greek Nature and Moon Goddess. Daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo (though a day older). She probably absorbed a pre-Indo-European Sun Goddess, and her twinning in classical legend with the Sun God Apollo may stem from this. The Greeks assimilated her to a pre-Greek mistress of wild beasts. Bears were sacred to her, and she was associated with the constellation Ursa Major. ASTARTE- Canaanite version of Ishtar; fertility goddess. Astarte was also the Greek from the name Ashtart. Tends to merge with Asherat and Anat, and with the Egyptian Hathor. She came to Egypt; Rameses II built a temple honoring her, and she and Isis were said to be firm friends. (Also see Inanna and Venus.) ATHENA- Greek, a Warrior Goddess, yet also one of the intelligence and the arts of peace. Protector of towns, above all of Athens. BANSHEE- (Bean Sidhe , 'Woman Fairy') Irish. Attached to old Irish families ('the O's and the Mac's'), she can be heard keening sorrowfully near the house when a member of the family is about to die. Still very much believed in, and heard. BEAN-NIGHE- ('Washing Woman') Scottish and Irish. Haunts lonely streams washing the bloodstained garments of those about to die. BEFANA- ('Epiphany') Italian Witch Fairy who flies her broomstick on Twelfth Night to come down chimneys and bring presents to children. BEYLA- Servant of Frey, wife of Byggvir. Her name is thought to be related to a word for "cow", and she the protectress of dairy work; the alternate suggestion is that "Beyla" is related to "bee", so that Beyla and Byggvir might be the givers of mead and ale. BONA DEA- ('Good Goddess') Roman Earth Goddess of Fertility, worshipped only by women; even statues of men were covered where her rites took place. BRIGHID, BRIGID, BRIGIT, BRIT- Irish Goddess of Fertility and Inspiritation, daughter of the Dagda; called 'the poetess.' Often triple ('The Three Brigids'). Her characteristics, legends and holy places were taken over by the historical St. Bridget. BAST- Egyptian Goddess of household cats. CALLISTO- ('Most Beautiful') Greek Moon Goddess, to whom the she-bear was sacred in Arcadia. Envisaged as the axle on which everything turns, and thus connected with the Ursa Major constellation. Linked with Artemis, often called Artemis Callisto. CARMAN- Irish. Wexford Goddess, whence Gaelic name of Wexford, Loch Garman (Loch gCarman). CERRIDWEN- Welsh Mother, Moon and Grain Goddess, Goddess of Nature, wife of Tegid and mother of Creirwy (the most beautiful girl in the world) and Avagdu (the ugliest boy). Owner of an inexhaustible cauldron called Amen, in which she made a magic draught called 'greal' ('Grail?') from six plants, which gave inspiration and knowledge. Mother of Taliesen, greatest of all Welsh bards. Most of her legends emphasize the terrifying aspect of the Dark Mother; yet her cauldron is the source of wisdom and inspiration. It is her Sacred Cauldron of Wisdom that allowed Taliesin to become enlightened. When she discovered that Gwion had tasted of her cauldron, she chased him through a variety of mutable shape changes until at last she caught and consumed him as a grain of wheat. This caused her to give birth to Taliesin. CLIONA OF THE FAIR HAIR- Irish. South Munster Goddess of great beauty, daughter of Gebann the Druid, of the Tuatha De Danaan. Connected with the O'Keefe family. CLOTA- Scottish. Goddess of the River Clyde. CYBELE- Greek. Originally Phrygian, finally merged with Rhea. Goddess of Caverns, of the Earth in its primitive state; worshipped on mountain tops. Ruled over wild beasts. Also a Bee Goddess. DAMARA- British feritility goddess, associated with the month of May. DAMONA- Continental Celtic cow or sheep goddess. DANA, DANU- The major Irish Mother Goddess, who gave her name to the Tuatha De Danann ('Peoples of the Goddess Dana'), the last but one occupiers of Ireland in the mytholigical cycle. DEMETER- ('Earth-Goddess-Mother') Greek goddess of the fruitful Earth, especially of barley. Daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Her brother Zeus, tricking her in the form of a bull, made her the mother of Persephone. DEVANA- Slavonic. (Devana to Czechs, Diiwica to Serbians of Lusatia, Dziewona to Poles) Goddess of the hunt. Young, beautiful, she rode a swift horse through the forests of the Elbe and the Carpathians, with a pack of hounds. Name for Diana. DIANA- Roman equivalent of the Greek Moon and Nature Goddess Artemis, and rapidly acquired all her characteristics. Like Artemis, classically regarded as virgin but originally a Sacrificial-Mating Goddess. Originally from Latium, a goddess of light, mountains and woods, and probably first a pre-Indo-European Sun goddess. One of her sanctuaries was at Lake Nemi, where her priest was an escaped slave, who had to kill his predecessor in single combat to take the office - and then hold it against would-be successors. DIONE- Phoenician/Greek. Also known as Baltis. A Nature or Earth Goddess, overlapping with Diana and Danae. Daughter of Uranus and Gaia. Married her brother Cronus, who gave her the city of Byblos. DISCORDIA- Roman Goddess of Discord and Strife, who preceeded the chariot of Mars. Greek equivalent Eris. EIR- Goddess of healing, patroness of health-care workers, called on against sickness or injury. She is one of the goddesses on the mountain called Lyfia ("to heal through magic"), and gives both physical and psychic means of healing; shamanic healing, especially, falls into her realm. ERIN- Irish. One of the Three Queens of the Tuatha De Danann, daughters of the Dagda, who asked that Ireland be named after them. FREYA- Freya is probably the best-known and best-loved of the goddesses today. Her title simply means "Lady"; her original name is not known. Freya is the "wild woman" among the deities of the North: free with her sexual favours (though furious when an attempt is made to marry her off against her will); mistress of Odin and several other gods and men; skilled at the form of ecstatic, consciousness-altering, and sometimes malicious magic called seidhr; and chooser of half the slain on the battlefield (Odin gets the other half). Freya's chief attribute is the necklace called Brisingamen, which she bought from four dwarves at the price of four nights of her love. This necklace is sometimes seen today as embodying her power over the material world; the necklace has been the emblem of the earth-goddess since the earliest times. This goddess drives a wagon drawn by two cats, perhaps large forest-cats such as lynxes, and is seen today as the patron goddess of cats and those who keep them. As a battle-goddess, she also rides on a boar called Hildisvini (Battle-Swine). Like Odin, Freya is often a stirrer of strife. As Gullveig ("Gold-Drunkenness"), she came among the Aesir to cause trouble. She was stabbed and burnt three times, but arose from the flame each time; through this torment, she transformed herself into Heith ("the Glorious"), mistress of magic, in a typical shamanic initiation. This also seems to have started the war between the Aesir and the Vanir. Freya is sometimes seen as a fertility goddess, but there are no sources suggesting that she was called on to bring fruitfulness to fields or wombs. Rather, she is a goddess of riches, whose tears are gold and whose "daughters", in the riddle-poetry of the skalds, are precious objects. However, the giants are always trying to take her away from the gods, and it is clear that this would be a great disaster: she was obviously known to be the embodiment of the holy life-force on some level. Perhaps because of this, Wagner gave her some of Idunna's attributes, making her the keeper of the golden apples without which the folk of Asgard would wither and die. Old Norse Freyja, Old English Freo, Modern German Frau, Wagnerian Freia, Modern English Frowe. FRIGGA- ('Well-Beloved, Spouse, Lady') Most revered of the Teutonic Goddesses. Wife and sister of Odin. Frigga is the patron goddess of the home and of the mysteries of the married woman. She is seen as Odin's match (and sometimes his better) in wisdom; she shares his high-seat, from which they look out over the worlds together. Frigga is especially concerned with keeping social order. She is called on for blessings when women are giving birth and for help in matters of traditional women's crafts (spinning, weaving, cooking, sewing) and the magics worked thereby. Frigga can also be called on by mothers who want to protect their children. In olden days, this was especially the case with sons going out to battle, for whom their mothers would weave or sew special protective items. She is also called Hlin (protectress). Frigga is the mother of Balder, and is often thought of as still mourning for him. She is a seeress, who knows all fates, though she seldom speaks of them. Her hall is called Fensalir - "marsh-halls". She has a handmaiden called Fulla and a messenger named Gna. Despite the likeness of names and the similar relationship to Odin, Frigga should not be confused with Freya, who shares none of her essential traits. Her only departure from strict social behaviour is that during one of Odin's journeys away from Asgard, she is said to have taken his brothers Vili and Ve as husbands; however, this probably shows the queen-goddess as the embodiment of sovereignty. Her name is also not directly related to the English slang-word, though the two derive from the same original root ("love, pleasure"). Old Norse Frigg, Anglo-Saxon Frige, Old High German Frija, Wagnerian Fricka. GAIA- ("Earth") The "deep-breasted," the primordial Greek Earth Mother, the first being to emerge from Chaos. She was regarded as creating the universe, the first race of gods, and humankind. GEFJON- Her name means "giver". With a plough drawn by four sons whom she bore to a giant and changed into oxen for the purpose, she ploughed the island Zealand (the main island of Denmark) away from the Swedish mainland, later mothering the chief dynasty of Danish kings. She is clearly a goddess of fruitfulness in some aspects; however, she is also the protectress of maidens and their modesty, and unmarried women are said to go to her hall after death. GLAISRIG, GLAISTIG- Scottish undine, beautiful and seductive, but a goat from the waist down (which she hides under a long green dress). She lures men to dance with her and then sucks their blood. Yet she can be benign, looking after children or old people or herding cattle for farmers. GORGONS, THE- Greek. Three daughters of Phorcys and his sister Ceto. Winged monsters with hair of serpents, they turned men to stone by their gaze. They were Euryale and Stheno, who were immortal, and Medusa who was mortal and killed by Perseus. GRIAN- ("Sun") Irish. A Fairy Queen with a court on Pallas Green Hill, Co. Tipperary. Also a general Goddess symbol. GRUAGACH, THE- ("The Long-Haired One") Scottish. Female fairy to whom the dairymaids used to pour libations of milk into a hollow stone. GULLVEIG- ("Gold Branch") Teutonic. A giantess and sorceress, one of the Vanir, whom the Ęsir tried to kill. This caused war between the Vanir and the Ęsir, which the Vanir won. Vanir and Ęsir seem to have been two early Nordic people who eventually merged. GWENHWYFAR, GUINEVERE, GUENEVA- Arthur's queen. Traces of Triple Goddess. HABONDIA, DAME HABONDE, ABUNDIA- Medieval witch goddess name, doubtless implying "abundance". Referring to the goddess Nicheven. HATHOR- Egyptian. An ancient Sky Goddess; Ra's daughter by Nut, or his wife; sometimes the wife or mother of Horus the Elder, Goddess of pleasure, joy, love, music and dancing. Protectress of women and embodiment of the finest female qualities. HECATE- Dark Goddess of the Moon. Patron of Magick and Witchcraft. Greek, originally Thracian and pre-Olympian; at the same time a Moon Goddess, and Underworld Goddess and a Goddess of magic. HEL, HELA- Norse Goddess of Death, Ruler of the underworld. Teutonic Goddess of the kingdom of the dead, not considered as a place of punishment. Daughter of Loki and Angurboda, and sister of the Midgard serpent of the ocean encircling the Earth, and of the devouring Fenris-wolf. Half her face was totally black. Hel-Ruler of the kingdom of death, the Prose Edda describes her as half-black, half-white (she is sometimes seen as half-rotting, half alive) and of grim and unmistakable appearance. Her name may originally derive from the buried slab-rock grave-chambers of the Stone Age. The Hel-word is known to all branches of the Germanic speech, and clearly very old, but there is some question as to whether the goddess was recognized as an independent person before the Viking Age. The Prose Edda, probably suffering from semantic contamination (the use of the English word Hell for the frightful Christian afterworld), describes her hall as full of horrors, but older sources make it rather pleasant, and indeed a close reflection of the idealized god-house seen in descriptions of Valhall (Hel and Odin have much in common, in fact). The specialization of the Germanic afterlife into the glorious Valhall where the chosen battle-dead go and the hideous Hel where everyone else ends up is probably a product of Christian influence on the retelling of Norse god-lore; our earlier sources offer far more options (going to the hall of the deity to whom one is closest, dying into a hill or rock where the other ghosts of one's family dwell, remaining as the guardian of a stead, being reborn in a child who bears one's name and/or lineage), and the name Valhall does not become specialized for Odin's hall until the middle of the tenth century, when it was probably a description rather than a proper name. There is no evidence for the worship of the goddess Hel in elder times, but there are several folk who work with her today. Also called Hella. HESTIA- ('Hearth') Greek. First daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and oldest of the Olympians. Goddess of domestic fire and of the home in general. Poseidon and Apollo both wanted to marry her but she placed herself under Zeus' protection as eternally virgin. She received the first morsel of every sacrifice. Roman equivalent Vesta. HOLDA- Norse Goddess similiar to Hel. Holda- A goddess known through German folklore, her name means "the Gracious One". She has much in common with Frigga, being the patroness of spinners and the keeper of social order, especially enforcing taboos about working on holy days. She is also said to be the keeper of the souls of unbaptized (or sometimes simply young) children, and women who want to bear children ask for them at her well. Holda also appears at times as the leader of the Wild Hunt. According to one tale, it was she who taught humans how to plant and process flax. When it snows, Holda is supposed to be shaking out her feather-bed. IDUNNA- the goddess who keeps the apples of youth, by which the gods stay ever-young. Loki arranged for the etin Thjazi to abduct her, but then was forced to get her back, a deed which ended in Thjazi's death. Apples are one of the oldest and holiest symbols of life and rebirth among the Germanic folk, appearing as grave-gifts from the Bronze Age onward. The Troth's quarterly journal is named after this goddess. INANNA- (Also Kown as Venus, Ishtar) Sumerian Goddess of War, Knowledge, Lust and Love. The Sacred Whore with a heart of Gold, Goddess of Warriors and Protectors, patron of sacred love. ISIS- Egyptian. The most complete flowering of the Goddess concept in human history. Daughter of Earth God Geb and Sky Goddess Nut. JUNO- Protector and special counselor of the Roman state and queen of the gods. She is a daughter of Saturn and sister (but also the wife) of the chief god Jupiter and the mother of Juventas, Mars, and Vulcan. As the patron goddess of Rome and the Roman empire she was called Regina ("queen") and, together with Jupiter and Minerva, was worshipped as a triad on the Capitol (Juno Capitolina) in Rome. As the Juno Moneta (she who warns) she guarded over the finances of the empire and had a temple on the Arx (one of two Capitoline hills), close to the Royal Mint. She was also worshipped in many other cities, where temples were built in her honor. The primary feast of Juno Mucina, called the Matronalia, was celebrated on March 1. On this day, lambs and other cattle were sacrificed to her. Another festival took place on July 7 and was called Nonae Caprotinae ("The Nones of the Wild Fig"). The month of June was named after her. She can be identified with the Greek goddess Hera and, like Hera, Juno was a majestical figure, wearing a diadem on the head. The peacock is her symbolic animal. A juno is also the protecting and guardian spirit of females. KALI- Hindu Goddess of Love, Birth and Death, Destruction. Personification of Creation, with Life given and Life taken upon the same coin. LADY OF THE LAKE- Arthurian. In some legends Vivienne (or Viviane); in others, Vivienne was the daughter of the Lady of the Lake by Dylan, son of Arianrhod and Gwydion. In Thomas Mallory, the Lady of the Lake is called Nimue. LEANNAN SIDHE- Irish fairy lover, succubus. In the Isle of Man she is malevolent and vampiric. LILLITH -In Hebrew legend, she was Adam's first wife, who would not subordinate herself to him and was turned into a demoness. LORELEI- German. A beautiful siren who sat on a cliff above the Rhine, luring boatment to their death with her songs. LUNA- The Roman Moon Goddess, identified with Diana and the Greek Selene. MEDUSA- Greek. The only mortal member of the three Gorgons. Her hair was turned to serpents by Athene because she dared to claim equal beauty with hers. Her gaze turned men to stone. MINERVA -Roman. Wife of Jupiter, forming a triad with his other wife, Juno. MORGAN- ('Of the Sea') Arthur's half-sister Morgan le Fay; but would seem to be a much older Goddess, possibly the Glastonbury Tor one, for her island is Avalon. MORRIGHAN, THE, MORRIGAN, MORRIGU- ("Great Queen", "Specter Queen", "Supreme War Goddess" or "Queen of Phantoms or Demons") Irish/Celtic. The Dark aspect of the Celtic Triple Goddess. Crone aspect of the Goddess. Great Mother. Moon Goddess. Great White Goddess. Queen of the Fairies. Patroness of priestesses and Witches. Queen of the Witches and Goddess of Magick. Associated with revenge, night, magick, prophecy, wisdom, war and peace. Possibly a pre-Celtic Moon goddess.In her Dark Aspect, she is the Goddess of War, Fate and Death. As a War Goddess, she reigned over the battlefield, helping with her magick, but did not join in battles. The "Washer at the Ford" (seem washing bloody laundry prior to battle by those destined to die). With her, others like Fea (Hateful), Nemon (Venomous), Badb (Fury) and Macha (Battle) encouraged fighters to battle-madness. Marries the Dagdha at Samhain. Daughter of Ernmas, and sometimes a collective name for all three of her daughters; see Badhbh. Her symbol was the raven or crow. Like many Goddesses, She was a shapechanger. She often turned into a raven or hooded crow. The carrion crow is her favorite disguise. Could also appear as a beautiful Maiden or an ugly Hag. Tradition says she has nine loosed tresses on her head, a sign of her connection with the Ninefold Goddess of the Cauldron. Goddess of rivers, lakes, and fresh water. Once she confronted the Celtic hero Cu Chulainn, attacking him in the forms of a crow, a gray wolf and a hornless red heifer. He was able to fight all of them off, but she had the last laugh, when he was dying in battle years later, she turned into a hooded crow and perched on his dying body as his enemies approached to finish him off. she did not actually fight, but urged on her chosen armies and intimidated the ones She wanted to lose with Her fearsome war cries. she survived into medieval times as Morgan Le Fay, the witch who haunted King Arthur and his knights. "Like Macha, the Crone aspect of the Morrigan, Morgan as Mother Death cast the destroying curse on every man." -- Barbara Walker, The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. NEHELENNIA- Dutch. She is portayed with a dog and a basket of apples, and she was sometimes described as holding a horn of plenty. A statue of her dating from the first century has been found in Walcheren, on of the islands now forming the Dutch province of Zeeland. On this island was the Temple of Nehellenia. Possible fertillity goddess. NEMESIS- Greek. Daughter of Erebus and Nyx. Goddess of divine anger, against mortals who offended the moral law, broke taboos or achieved too much happiness or wealth. NICNEVEN- Scotland. "Divine", "Brilliant". Witch Goddess. Said to ride through the night with her followers at Samhain. Tradition places her night according to the old (Julian) calendar, on 10 November. During the Middle Ages she was called Dame Habonde, Abundia, Satia, Bensozie, Zobiana, and Herodiana. NIMUE- Arthurian. Thomas Mallory's name for the Lady of the Lake. NOSTILUCA- Gaulish Witch Goddess. PANDORA- ("Gift of All") The Greek Eve, fashioned in clay by Hephaestus on Zeus' orders to punish Prometheus for having stolen fire from heaven. Her name means that each God or Goddess gave her an appropriate gift. Zeus gave her a box which she must not open. She did open it, and all the evils that plague humankind came out of it. All that was left at the bottom was Hope. PERSEPHONE- Greek and Phoenician. Originally a purely Underworld Goddess, became a corn-seed Goddess, daughter of Demeter. PYTHIA- ("Pythoness") Greek. Serpent Goddess, daughter of Gaia. RHIANNON- ("Great, or Divine, Queen") Welsh fertility, enchantments and Otherworld Goddess. Goddess of birds and horses. Her name means "Great High Queen", and she rode a beautiful white mare, which symbolized power and rulership. Birds which accompanied her on rides were said to sing so sweetly that listeners could sit entranced for years. She was known to grant the wishes of those who could ask what they want, and scorn those who could not. SATIA- Medieval witch goddess name, doubtless implying "satisfaction". Referring to the goddess Nicneven. SCATHACH- ("The Shadowy One" or "She Who Strikes Fear") Sgathach or Skadi. Irish/Scottish. Warrior woman and prophetess. The Goddess of martial arts. The destroyer aspect of the Dark Goddess. A great sword warrior and instructor. Patroness of martial arts, prophecy, blacksmiths and magic. Native to the Isle of Skye. Living in Albion (Scotland). Taught the martial art to Cuchulainn. Also, like her daughter Uathach ("The Very Terrible") his lover. Seductive female warrior with red hair, with a combination of leather and lace, silk and metal. Apparently, Scathach has often been mixed up with Skadi or Skadhi. SEHKMET- Lion Headed Egyptian Goddess of War and Hunting Cats. SELENE- Greek Moon Goddess, daughter of Hyperion and Theia, and sister of Helios (the Sun) and Eos (Dawn); though sometimes said to be the daughter of Zeus or of Helios. SOPHIA- ('Wisdom') A Gnostic Aeon; but Wisdom personified as female was earlier also characteristic of Hebrew and Greek-Hebrew thinking. TAILTIU- Irish. Foster-mother of Lugh, who instituted the Tailtean Games, central event of the Festival of Lughnasadh (1 August), in her memory. TENEMIT- Egyptian Underworld Goddess, who gave ale to the deceased. VALKYRIES, THE- Teutonic. In late Scandinavian myth, they brought the souls of those slain in battle to Odin. VENUS- Roman. Originally a Goddess of Spring and protectress of vegetation and gardens, was a minor deity till she became assimilated to the Greek Aphrodite in the second century BC. VESTA- ('Torch, Candle') Roman Goddess of fire, both domestic and ritual. Daughter of Saturn and Ops. Domestically she presided over the hearth and the preparation of meals. VIVIENNE, VIVIANE- Arthurian. Sometimes referred to as the Lady of the Lake, sometimes as the Lady's daughter. ZOBIANA- A medieval Witch Goddess name. |
