A friend has been writing an assignment on Dionysus. The Hellenistic God of booze and questionable life choices. I found her enthusiasm for the subject infectious and it has led to a lot of discussion, debate and reading. I also mentioned in my post on Camulos that in particular Gods of war often come in… Continue reading Aspects of the Gods
Author: Richard Darch
Poetry: Words of the Gods
Words have power. This seems to be a universal truth that transcends culture and time. George the Poet said in his podcast that “nothing is ever said without reason, even if it’s a lie”. Words are important and they convey meaning, not just meaning intended. This is particularly evident in what we know of the… Continue reading Poetry: Words of the Gods
Sarah Jupe: Murder at the Pure Drop
The rain fell in the city, the scream sounded. “Murder, Police Murder!” crowds shuffled, an impenetrable wall of the disinterested. The blood flowed and the rain fell.
Battle of the River Idle: A nation is born.
One of the most incredible events in this history of Britain. A story full of passion and intrigue, glorious and sinister characters, a battle that defined the political landscape of post-Roman Britain. An event which, for the first time, elevated a king of this island above all others to the status of Bretwalda. A point… Continue reading Battle of the River Idle: A nation is born.
The Lady and the Asp
The old man sits at his desk, frowning in concentration. The candlelight throws shadows into into his wrinkled skin, giving him a statuesque appearance. At last, he sighs, relaxes his face, and dips his pen into the inkwell. For better or worse it is a story that should be told. In 1850 I was newly… Continue reading The Lady and the Asp
Camulos: The Lost God
The Romans brought a lot to the world. Incredible construction and logistical techniques, bleeding edge technology, technical democracy and law. They also wrote the textbook on cultural genocide. It’s well established that as a rule the Romans absorbed cultures and traditions, blending them with their own interpretations. However this process significantly, yet subtly changes those… Continue reading Camulos: The Lost God
Exorcism: The Ghost of Dorothy Durant
Every now and then I come across a folktale that should be chilling but as I progress logic takes over and it gets reduced to merely silly. More than once I have laughed until it hurt over ghost stories that have reduced others to tears. There are two reasons for this, firstly my treacherous brain… Continue reading Exorcism: The Ghost of Dorothy Durant
Romani non Invicta: Brennus the Badass
Rome in the fourth century BCE was not the imperial powerhouse we would recognise from the history books. It was a fledgling nation. This however didnt mean it lacked any of the narcissism, hubris and self-entitlement of its later glory days. Rome had only been founded a century earlier but already its ambassadors and its… Continue reading Romani non Invicta: Brennus the Badass
Mylings: Who you gonna call?
A particularly interesting story from Scandinavia relates to apparitions called Mylings. They seem to be the manifestation of social history, superstition and twinging collective consciences. Life in northern Scandinavia was hard, there isn’t much in the way of fertile land, the winters are long and cold with very short growing periods for crops. Starvation and… Continue reading Mylings: Who you gonna call?
The Three: King Hereafter.
The triple goddess is not a new or unique concept. The grouping of three women, typically represented as the Maid, the Mother and the Crone appear to have independently sprung up in folklore any mythology all around the world. The idea that concepts like this emerge independently seems unlikely until you realise that its far… Continue reading The Three: King Hereafter.