While the story of Noah and the great flood is one of the most influential events in humanity, the Nephilim (Giants) are the culripts leading to the Bible’s explanation of the Lord’s decision to restart life on Earth
(Btw, whose relatives had couches/furniture similar to this? Pretty sure we all knew someone who did... I was told once that the reason they're not around anymore was that they were EXTREMELY flammable... Which makes this picture just a little bit darker, imo.)
I managed to do some of the housework I planned to do and finished my cooking before 6pm. I'll do the laundry after I submit the article this week though. Sometimes you have to make these choices.
Lemon Sherbet ice cream (Waitrose). So good.
Today's super-chill music (to help me calm TF down): Dr. Dog, Helado Negro, Cigarettes After Sex, Khruangbin.
Made some massive changes to The Book Ring since the last time I've shared it here! Here's what's new.
• New responsive layout
• Member Directory page
• Post submission form for members to upload posts on what they're currently reading. Form includes their name/website to encourage web visitors to their sites.
• Members "Currently Reading" section with RSS feed!
"‘O #Helios, send me as far over the earth as is my pleasure and yours, and may I make the acquaintance of good men, but never hear anything of bad ones, nor they of me.’
And with these words he threw the frankincense into the fire."
Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana 1.31
🏛 Stater of Tarentum, struck under Alexander of Epiros, 334–330 BCE, today in the MFA, Boston
"You'll find sheep and cattle grazing there; they belong to a god, all-seeing, all-hearing Helios. If you leave these unharmed--if you set your mind only to return--all of you may still reach Ithaka, though with much misery. But if you harm them, then I foretell destruction alike for your ship and for your crew."
Homer, #Odyssey
"To Helios (Sol), Fumigation from Frankincense and Manna. Hear, golden Titan, whose eternal eye with matchless sight illumines all the sky. Native, unwearied in diffusing light, and to all eyes the object of delight"
Orphic Hymn 8 to Helios
🏛 #Helios, Roman silver and gold finger ring, dated ca 2nd century CE
Helios, the Sun, rises another day, illuminating a #NewYear. #Helios was associated with the turn of the year as he passes through the constellations of the zodiac:
"The golden #Sun [Sol-Helios] rules his circuit, portioned out in fixed divisions, through the world's twelve constellations."
Virgil, Georgics 1.231
"But having gone down into Hades because of his wife & seeing what sort of things were there, he did not continue to worship #Dionysos, because of whom he was famous, but he thought #Helios to be the greatest of the gods, Helios whom he also addressed as Apollon."
Eratosthenes, Placings Among the Stars 24
🏛 Detail of a #fresco from #Pompeii, today in the Napoli MAN
The festival of Natalis Invicti, the birthday of Sol, was celebrated on 25 December. The Iranian god #Mithras is often depicted feasting with him, being a sun god too.
🏛 Relief of Sol Invictus (with a halo of sunlight) and Mithras (to his right) feasting together. Found at Fiano Romano, near #Rome. Dated 2nd-3rd century CE.