Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion: A Study in Survivals

GENERAL INDEX

Ablutions, at weddings and at funerals, 555
Aborigines, regarded as wizards, 248;
their relations with invaders, 244
Absolution, and dissolution, 401;
of the dead, 396 ff.
Achaeans, religion of, 521 f.
Adonis, story of, 582;
story of, how interpreted, 580;
as type of the initiated, 582
Aeschylus, popular beliefs utilised by, 437 ff., 459 f.;
religious sympathies of, 523
Aetolus, story of, 273
Agamemnon, as revenant, 438
Alastor, application of word, 465 ff.;
as proper name (in Homer), 473;
as term of abuse, 477;
derivation of word, 471;
development of meaning of word, 475 f.;
meaning of, 476;
original meaning of, 472
Alastores, 462 ff.;
not originally deities, 467 ff.
Allatius, on vrykolakes, 364 ff.
Amorgos, oracle of, 332
Amulets, 12–13, 21, 140
Amymone, story of, 593
Ancient language, attempted revival of, 30
Angels, exorcism of, 68;
good and bad, 288;
worship of, 42
Animals, unlucky species of, 307
Anointing, of the dead, 557
Anthropomorphic conception of God, 52
Antigone, as ‘bride of Acheron,’ 551
Antiphon, on blood-guilt, 443
Aphrodite, 117–120;
‘eldest of the Fates,’ 120;
mystic rites of, 580
Apis, story of, 459
Apollonius of Tyana, 257
Apostasy, 409
Apple, symbolic usage of, 558
‘Arabs’ (a class of demons), 211, 276 f.;
identified with vrykolakes (q.v.), 277
Ariadne, story of, how represented on sepulchral monuments, 598
Aristomenes, 76
Arrogance of Greeks, 29
Art, in relation to religion, 1
Artemidorus, on death and marriage, 553 ff.
Artemis, 163–171;
as huntress, 165;
as the Moon, 165;
bathing of, 164–5;
displaced by S. Artemidos, 44;
modern character of, 169;
offerings to, 170
Asclepius, in serpent-form, 274 f.;
re-incarnation of, in mock-mysteries, 589
Ass-centaurs, 235 and 237 f.
Athene, and the owl, 207;
succeeded by Virgin Mary, 45
Athenians, religious sympathies of, 523
Attis, 586
Augury (see Auspices)
August, certain days sacred to Nymphs, 152
Auspices, 308 ff.;
affected by number, 313;
from any movement of birds, 311;
from cry of birds, 311;
from flight of birds, 311;
from posture of birds, 311;
modified by position of observer, 312
Avengers, dead persons as, 438
Avengers of Blood, ancient names for, 462 ff.;
their resemblance to modern vrykolakes, 458
Axe, double-headed, as religious symbol, 72
‘Baboutzicarios,’ 217
Bacchic rites, 38
Baptism, exorcisms at, 15;
neglect of, 409
Beast-dances, 224 ff.
Bed-chambers, in temples, 587
Beehive tombs, original use of, 94
Bells, worn at popular festivals, 224 ff.
‘Binding’ and ‘loosing,’ 397
Binding-spells, 19;
means of loosing, 19
Birds, as messengers, in modern ballads, 316 f.;
as messengers of particular gods, 309;
colloquial application of word, 315;
in popular ballads, 315;
still acknowledged as messengers of heaven, 315;
which classes observed for auspices (q.v.), 308 f.;
why selected for divination, 308
Black-handled knife, as charm, 286
Blessing the waters, 197
Blood-guilt, ancient conception of, 451;
Attic law concerning, 443;
penalties for, 453;
Plato’s legislation concerning, 444
Blue beads, as amulets, 12
Body and soul, relation of, 361 ff., 526 ff.;
re-union of, 538
Bones of the dead, how treated after exhumation, 540 f.
Boreas, 52
Breast-bone of fowl, divination from, 327
Bridal customs (see Wedding, Marriage)
‘Bridge of Arta,’ The, 262 f.
Brumalia (in Greece), 221
Burial (see also Cremation, Inhumation);
demanded by ghosts, 431;
lack of, 407 f., 427, 449;
lack of, as punishment, 457
Buzzing in ear, as omen, 329
Callicantzari, 190–255;
afraid of fire, 202;
beast-like elements in, 203;
compared with Centaurs, 253;
demons or men?, 207–211;
description of, 191;
description of smaller species of, 193;
development of superstition concerning, 254;
dialectic forms of name, 211 ff.;
footgear of, 221; general habits of, 194;
how outwitted, 196–200;
identified with Centaurs, 235;
identified with were-wolves, 208;
offerings to, 201, 232;
originally anthropomorphic, 206;
origin of name, 211 ff.;
power of transformation possessed by, 204, 240;
precautions against, 200–202;
resembling Satyrs and Centaurs, 192;
sources of their features and attributes, 237 ff.;
stories concerning, 196–200;
their activity limited to Christmastide, 221;
their relation to Satyrs, etc., 229 ff.;
two main classes of, 191;
variously represented, 190;
whether demons or men originally, 209 ff.;
wives of, 200
Callicantzaros, The Great, 195
Callirrhoë, as sacred spring, 555
Candles, thrown into grave at funeral, 512
‘Captain Thirteen,’ a folk-story, 75
Carnival, celebrations of, 224 ff.
Cat, jumping over dead person, 410;
omens drawn from, 328
Caves, haunted by Nymphs, 160
Cenotaphs, 490
Centauros, son of Ixion, 242
Centaurs (see Callicantzari), 190–255;
and Lapithae, 242;
as wizards, 248 f.;
compared with Callicantzari, 253;
general character of, 246;
Heracles’ fight with, 253;
how represented in Art, 247;
in Hesiod, 242;
in Homer, 243;
in Pindar, 241;
popular conception of, how affected by Art, 252;
Prof. Ridgeway’s view of, 244 ff.;
various species of, 235, 237;
whether human or divine in origin, 241 ff.;
why called ‘Beasts,’ 245 ff.
Cephalus, 601
Cerberus, 97, 99
Character of modern Greeks, 28 ff.
Charms, 286
Charon, 98–117;
addressed as ‘Saint,’ 53;
ancient literary presentation of, 106;
as ferryman, earliest mention of, 114;
brother to Uranos, 116;
identified with Death, 114
Charon’s obol, 108, 285;
as charm to prevent soul from re-entering body, 434;
custom of, how interpreted, 405 f.
Charos, appearance of, 100;
as agent of God, 101–4;
as archer, 105;
as ferryman, 107;
as godfather, story of, 102;
as horseman, 105;
as pirate, 107–8;
as warrior, 105;
as wrestler, 104, 105;
Christianised character of, 101;
coin as fee for, 109;
functions of, 101;
household of, 99;
in connexion with Christianity, 101;
originally Pelasgian deity, 116;
pagan character of, 105
Charun, Etruscan god, 116
Child-birth, precautions against Nereids observed at, 140;
precautions at, 10–11
Children, conceived or born on Church-festivals, how afflicted, 408;
liable to lycanthropy, 208;
preyed upon by Gelloudes, 177;
preyed upon by Striges, 181;
stricken by Nereids, how treated, 145;
suspected of lycanthropy, how treated, 210
Chiron, 241 ff., 248;
as magician and prophet, 248 f.
Cholera, personified, 22
Christ, accepted as new deity by pagans, 41
‘Christian,’ popular usage of word, 66
Christianity, became polytheistic, 42;
and paganism, 36
Church, influenced by paganism, 572 f.
Churching of women, 20
Clement of Alexandria, on the Mysteries, 570, 572;
on rites of Aphrodite, 581
Clytemnestra, ghost of, 474
Cock, as victim, 326
Cocks, superstitions concerning, 195
Coin, as charm, 111;
placed in mouth of dead persons, 108, 405;
placed in mouth of dead persons, various substitutes for, 112
‘Comforting,’ feast of, 533
Common origin of gods and men, 65
Communion with gods, philosophers’ views of, 296
Conquering and conquered races, relations of, 244
Conservatism, religious, 95, 295, 337
‘Constantine and Areté’ (ballad), 391 f.
Continuity of Greek life and thought, 552
Convention, literary, 429
Corpse, re-animation of, 112 (see Re-animation, Resuscitation)
Corycian cave, 161
Courage of Greeks, 28
Cremation (see also Funeral-rites), 485 ff.;
ceremonial, 496, 512;
ceremonial substitute for, 491;
Christian attitude towards, 501;
combined with inhumation, 494;
disuse of, 501 f.;
for disposing of revenants in Ancient Greece, 416;
for disposing of vrykolakes, 411;
in theory preferable to inhumation, 488 f.;
in recent times, 503;
introduced by Achaeans, 491;
motives for, 502 f.;
preferred to inhumation, 500 f.;
revival of, 502;
serving same religious end as inhumation, 491 ff.
Crockery broken at funerals, 520
Crow, 309;
exception to ordinary rules of divination, 310
Curses, 387 ff., 409;
diagnosed by their effects, 396;
executed by demonic agents, 448;
fixity of, 417;
in Euripides, 418;
in Sophocles, 419;
operation of, 447;
parental, 391 ff.;
revoking of, 388 f.
Custom-dues, for passage of soul to other world, 285
Customs-officers, celestial, 284
Cybele, rites of, 586
Daemons, Plutarch’s theory of, 583 f.
Danaids, as types of unmarried women, 592
Dances, 34
Dead, messages to the, 345;
worship of the, 529 note 1
Dead persons, as messengers to the other world, 344 ff.;
what kinds of food presented to, 533 f.
Deadly sins, 425 ff.
Death, as penalty for bloodguilt, 455;
conceived as a form of marriage, by Sophocles, 549 ff.;
conceived as a form of marriage, in modern dirges, 546 ff.;
conceived as a wedding with Persephone, 595;
how personified in the Alcestis, 115;
in correlation with marriage, 553;
represented as a wedding on sepulchral monuments, 597 f.;
sudden or violent, 408, 427
Death-struggle, 288, 289;
how eased, 389
Decomposition (see Dissolution)
Degeneracy of mankind, 294
Deities, gregarious or solitary, 70;
non-Christian, how denoted, 67;
pagan, local names for, 69
‘Delivering unto Satan,’ 406
Demeter (see also Mysteries of Demeter), 79–98;
and Poseidon, modern story of, 86;
as corn-goddess, 562;
character of, 92;
Cretan legend of, 579;
displaced by S. Demetrius, 44;
dwelling-place of, 92;
evidence for identity of, 92;
her priestesses officiating at weddings, 590;
horse-headed, 87, 252;
in Homer, 522;
in modern story, 54;
modern functions of, 93;
modern titles of, 89;
modern worship of her statue, 80;
mysteries of (see Mysteries);
represented by S. Demetrius, 79;
stories of her union with men, 579 f.;
story of, compared with story of Christ, 576;
where originally domiciled, 93–96
Demeter and Persephone, modern legend of, 80;
symbolism of myth concerning, 88;
unity of, 88
Demetrius Poliorcetes, story of, 587
Demons, exorcism of, 68
Despoina, 579;
marriage with, 596
Deucalion, 93
Devils, entering bodies of dead men, 416;
exorcism of, 68
Devil, responsible for resuscitation of dead persons, 402
‘Diana,’ 164
Dionysus, and Prosymnus, story of, 585;
displaced by S. Dionysius, 43;
festivals of, 228–230;
identified with Adonis, 599;
identified with Hades, 585, 599;
in scenes on sepulchral monuments, 598 f.;
marriage of the ‘queen’ with, 583;
mystic rites of, 582
Dioscuri, 286
Dipylon-cemetery, excavations in, 494
Dirges, 347;
character of modern, 549;
examples of modern, 546 ff.;
purpose of, 519, 549
Diseases, caused by demons, 22
Dishonesty of Greeks, 31
Disintegration (see Dissolution)
Dissolution, and absolution, 401;
best secured by cremation, 502;
desire for, a feature of Pelasgian religion, 524;
distinguished from annihilation, 525, 538;
summary of ancient views concerning, 526;
time required for, 486 ff.;
why desired, 515 ff.
Divination, at weddings, 326;
by chance words, 303 ff.;
by lot, 303;
by sacrifice, 264, 318;
‘domestic,’ 327;
from birds (see also Auspices), 308 ff.;
from breast-bone of fowl, 327;
from chance words, in antiquity, 305;
from demeanour of victim, 326;
from eggs, 331;
from involuntary movements of limbs, etc., 329;
from meetings on the road, 306;
from pig’s spleen, 325;
from sheep’s shoulder-blade, 321 ff.;
from sieves, 331;
from water, 332 f.;
methods of, compared, 298;
suggested divisions of, 298;
various branches of, 298
Dog howling at night, significance of, 328
Dogs, 32
Donkey, ill-omened, 307
Dragons, as guardians of buried treasure, 281;
in folk-story, 82;
popular conception of, 280;
story of, 281 f.
Drama, primitive, 224–6;
restrictions of, 429;
rudiments of, 35
Dreams, 300 ff.;
deliberately induced, 303;
ecclesiastical use of, 301
Dress, at weddings and at funerals, 557
‘Drumlike’ (as description of dead bodies) (see τυμπανιαῖος), 370
Drunkenness, when permissible, 303, 533
Dryads, 151
Eagle, 309
Easter, 575 f.;
celebration of, 572 ff.
Ecstasy, in ancient religion, 37;
religious, 294 f., 576
Eleusinian mysteries (see Mysteries of Demeter)
Eleusis, excavations in cemetery at, 495
Empusa, 174, 175
Entrails, inspection of victim’s, 320, 325
Ephialtes, 21 (note 2)
Epiphany, observance of, 197;
superstitions concerning, 221
Equality of men and gods, 604
Erinyes (see Furies)
Eros, 118–120
‘Eternal drunkenness,’ 39
Ethical influence of Christianity, 39
Eudaemonia, as goddess, 602
Eumaeus, reception of Odysseus by, 32
Euphemistic names for deities, 69, 70
Euripides, popular form of imprecation utilised by, 418
Evil Eye, amulets against, 13;
animals affected by, 11–12;
cures for maladies caused by, 14;
effects of, 10;
inanimate things affected by, 12;
in Greece, 9–15;
means of averting, 14;
persons affected by, 11;
to whom attributed, 9–10;
widespread belief in, 8
Excommunication (see also ‘binding’ and ‘loosing’), 401;
causing non-dissolution, instances of, 398 ff.;
effects of, 386, 396 ff.;
origin of, 406;
pagan influence on doctrine of, 401 f.
Execration (see Curses, Imprecations)
Exhumation, 540;
at end of three years, 487
Exile, as punishment of homicide, 445, 455
Exorcism, by witch, 14–15
‘Fair Lady of the Mountains,’ 166
Faith-cures, 60, 62
Fallmerayer, 25
Fasts, strictly observed, 574
Fate, 289
Fates, the, 120–130;
appearance of, 124;
at birth of Athena, 130;
character of, 125;
distribution of functions among, 127;
functions of, 124, 127;
inexorability of, 122;
invocations of, 122, 128;
number of, 124;
offerings to, 120, 121, 125;
prayer to, 123;
seen or heard, 125–6;
the lesser, 127–8;
visits of, 125;
wrath of, 126
Festival-dress, as heirloom from mother to daughter, 537
Festivals, popular, 34, 35;
survival of pagan, 221 ff.
Fire, kept burning at grave-side, 507 ff.;
omens drawn from, 328
Fishing-net, as prophylactic, 21
Five, ominous number, 307 (note 1)
Flood, modern traditions of the, 93
Folklore, antiquity of, 8;
as clue to ancient religion, 7;
laws of, 8
Folk-stories and ancient myths, relation of, 76
Foreign cults naturalised in Greece, 580
Forestry, superstitions relating to, 158
Fortieth day after death, customs and beliefs concerning, 486 ff.
Foundation-stone, ceremonial of laying, 264
Funeral-customs, 345 ff., 496 ff.;
assimilated to marriage-customs, 560;
compared with marriage-customs, 554 ff.;
in relation to the Mysteries, 593 f.
Funeral-feasts (see also Memorial Feasts), 532 f.
Funeral-meats, 533 f., 535 f.
Funeral-rites, Christian and pagan contrasted, 501;
Homeric, 492;
in Dipylon-period, 494;
Mycenaean, 493;
purpose of, 485 ff.;
why necessary for due dissolution of body, 490
Funerals, Solon’s regulations concerning, 346 ff.
Funeral-usage, summary of conclusions concerning, 513 f.
Furies, as agents of Clytemnestra, 448;
as personified Curses, 448;
in Homer, 522;
origin of Aeschylus’ conception of, 460 f.
Furtwängler, on death conceived as wedding, 597
Future life, Achaean conception of, 521 f.;
conceived in general as resembling life of gods, 525;
Homeric conception of, 516 ff.;
material character of, 524;
modern conceptions of, 518 f.;
Pindaric conception of, 518
Garlands, at weddings and at funerals, 557 f.
Garlic, as prophylactic, 140
‘Garlic in your eyes,’ 14
Gello, 71;
by-names of, 179;
story of, 177
Gelloudes, 176–9, 211;
activities of, 179;
cure for injuries inflicted by, 179
Genii, 255–291;
confused with victims offered to them, 267, 271 ff., 276 f.;
definition of, 256;
how related to the place or object which they inhabit, 259;
in form of bulls, 261 f., 277;
in form of dragons, 262, 280;
in form of snakes, 258, 259, 272 f.;
in Homer, 269;
in human shape, 275;
mating with Lamiae, 276;
of air, 283 ff.;
of bridges, 262;
of buildings, 259–275;
of churches, 261;
of houses, 259;
of human beings, 287 ff.;
of mountains and caves, etc., 280 ff.;
of water, 275 ff.;
offerings to, 260, 274;
sacrifice to, 262 ff.;
sacrifice to, in Ancient Greece, 269 ff.
Gennadius, story of, 399
Getae, human sacrifice among the, 350
Ghosts, asking for burial of body, 431;
conventionally substituted for revenants in ancient literature, 429;
haunting neighbourhood of tombs, 430 f., 433;
in ancient literature, 427;
a modern Greek notions concerning, 428
Giants, story of, 73
Gifts to the dead, 493, 528 ff.;
how regarded by the Church, 531 f.;
in form of clothing, 536 f.;
in form of drink, 536;
in form of food, 533 ff.;
in modern Greece, 532;
in the classical-period, 530 f.;
in the Dipylon-period, 530;
in the Homeric Age, 529;
in the Mycenaean Age, 529;
motive for, 531, 537;
on what days presented, 530 f.;
until what date continued, 539 f.
Goat-skins, worn at certain popular festivals, 223 ff.
God, as controller of weather, in popular phrases, 51;
modern applications of word, 48
‘God of Crete,’ 74
Godhead, ancient view of, 65;
attainable by men, 604 f.
Gods, character of Greek, 526;
Greek conception of, 292 f.
Good Friday, 572 ff., 574 f.
Gorgons, 184–190;
and Scylla, 188;
appearance of, 184;
as deities of the sea, 188;
character of, 185;
compared with Sirens, 187;
depravity of, 185–6
Gorgon, meaning of the word, 186
Goshawk, 311
Guardian-angels, 288
Guardian-spirits, in ancient Greece, 290
Hades, 97;
house of, how conceived by Homer, 517;
modern presentment of, 518, 549
Hair, as source of strength, 76;
cf. 83
Hare, unlucky to meet, 307
Hawks, 309
Headache, magical cure of, 22
Healing, miraculous, 60, 302
Hebrew religion, contrasted with Greek, 3
Helena, 286
Helios, displaced by S. Elias, 44
Hemlock, 578
Hera, as type of women, 591;
cults of, 591;
wedding of, 599
Heracles, 469
Hermes Agoraeus, oracle of, 305
Hermes, as escorter of the dead, 544;
succeeded by S. Michael, 45
Heroes, in form of serpents, 273
Heron, 309
Hesiodic Ages of mankind, 294
Hesperides, 282
Hiccough, as omen, 330
Hippolytus, oath of, 418
Holy Ghost, rarely named by peasants, 51
Holy Week, 572 ff.
Homicide, Delphic tradition concerning, 444, 480;
Plato’s legislation concerning, 451
Honey-cakes, as diet of genii, 274
Honey, as food for the dead, 533;
chief offering to Nymphs, 150;
offered to the Fates, 121
Hospitality of Greeks, 31
Human sacrifice, 262 ff., 273, 276;
a modern conception of, 341 ff.;
as means of sending a wife to some god, 583;
long-continued in Ancient Greece, 343;
modern story of, 339, 436;
substitute for, 583
Humour, popular sense of, 69
Hylas, modern parallel to story of, 161
Hymenaeus, legend of, 552
Iasion, as type of the initiated, 579
Icarus, 76
Icons, 301
Idolatry, popular inclination towards, 59
Image, magical treatment of, 16
Immorality of ancient deities, 39
Immortal fruit, 281 f.;
waters, 281
Immortality, doctrine of, 350 f.
Imprecations (see also Curses), 387 ff.
Incantation, against whirlwinds, 150
Incorruptibility (see also Vrykolakes), 384;
ancient imprecations of, 417 ff.;
Apollo’s threat of, 421;
as punishment of blood-guilt, 456;
ecclesiastical view concerning, 396
Inhumation (see also Funeral-rites), 485 ff.;
ceremonial substitutes for, 489 f.;
combined with cremation, 494;
serving same religious end as cremation, 491 ff.;
the Pelasgian rite, 491
Initiated, future happiness of the, 563 f.;
hopes of the, 578 f.
Ino, parallel to story of, 138
Insanity, popular view of, 299
Inspiration, 299
Interment (see Inhumation)
Intoxication, when permitted, 303, 533
Iphigenia, sacrifice of, 270
Iron, as prophylactic, 140
Islands of the Blest, 520
Itching of hand or foot, as omen, 330
Ixion, 242
Kalándae (festival of the Kalends of January), 221
Ker, 289 f.
Key laid on breast of corpse, 109, 112
Knife, black-handled, as charm, 20, 172
Kore (see also Persephone); as representative of the initiated, 578;
story of, how represented on sepulchral monuments, 597 f.
Laceration of checks, etc., at funerals, 346
Lamentation, at funerals, 347
‘Lame Demon,’ The, 195
Lamia, ancient conception of, 175;
of the Sea, 171;
responsible for water-spouts, 172
Lamiae, 174–6;
character of, 174;
mated with genii, 276
Lamp, in Prytaneum, 513;
‘The Unsleeping,’ 508;
thrown into grave at funeral, 512;
why placed in graves, 505 f.
Language, as evidence of tradition, 35
Law governing evolution of Greek folklore, 206
Leaven, damaged by Evil Eye, 12
Left hand, unlucky, 312
Left to right, lucky direction, 312
Lenormant, on death conceived as a wedding, 601
Leprosy, penalty for eating pig’s flesh, 87;
why named by Aeschylus among penalties of blood-guilt, 453 f.
Lightning, as instrument of God’s vengeance, 73;
persons and objects struck by, 73
Literature, in relation to religion, 2
‘Loosing,’ 397;
equivalent to both ‘absolution’ and ‘dissolution,’ 401
Love, as the bond of feeling between men and deities, 603;
in relation to the doctrine of the Mysteries, 606
Love-charms, 18
Lucian, on offerings to gods, 335
Lycaean Zeus, 352
Lycanthropy, 208, 239 f.;
in children, 380;
infants liable to, 183
Lying-in-state, 497
Madness, 299;
among penalties of blood-guilt, 454
Magic, 15–25;
sympathetic, 16, 521
Maniotes, the, 441
Mankind, of same race as gods, 65, 604
Marriage and death, correlation of, 533
Marriage, arranged by Athenians between Athene and Demetrius Poliorcetes, 587 f.;
as ‘initiation,’ 590;
association of the Mysteries with, 590 f.;
binding-spells to prevent consummation of, 19;
mimetic, as culminating point of Mysteries, 589;
mimetic, enacted in many cults, 577–587;
of men with deities, 545 ff.;
of men with deities, as a religious doctrine, 560 f.;
of men with deities, as mystic doctrine (summary), 602 f.;
the Sacred (ἱερὸς γάμος), 591
Marriage-customs, compared with funeral-customs, 554 ff.;
transferred to the funeral-rite, 560
Masks worn at popular festivals, 222 ff.
Matrimonial prospects, divination concerning, 303
Meat, excluded from funeral-repasts, 532
Medea, 463, 468
Medicine, popular, 21
Megrim, cure of, 23
Memorial-feasts, 486 ff.;
dates of, 534;
real purpose of, 534 f.;
significance of the dates of, 539
Men elevated to rank of daemons, 211
Messages to the dead, 344 ff.
Metamorphosis (see Transformation)
Metempsychosis, Plato’s theory of, 604 f.
Miastor, application of word, 463 f.;
meaning of, 477 ff.;
original meaning of word, 465
Miastores, 462 ff.
Midday, dangers of, 79
Miracles, expected by common-folk, 59;
genuine, 60;
sham, 60
Mirrors, superstition concerning, 10
‘Mistress, The,’ 89;
marriage of, 97
‘Mistress of the Earth and of the Sea,’ 54, 91, 579
Monotheism, compared with polytheism, 40;
no popular tendency towards, 3
Morality, little connected with ancient religion, 37
Mormo, 175
Mountain-nymphs, 148
Mourners, conduct of, 347;
professional, 347
Mouse, omens drawn from, 328
Mouth, as exit of soul, 111
Mummers, at Christmastime and at Carnival, 223 ff.;
representing Callicantzari, 227
Mumming, a survival of Dionysiac festivals, 229 ff.
Murder of kinsman, 425;
legal punishment for, 457
Murdered men as avengers (see Avengers, Revenants)
Murdered persons, avenging their own wrongs, 437 ff.;
bodily activity of, 438;
future lot of, 434 f.;
mutilation of, 435;
personal activity of, 440 ff.;
returning in bodily form, 438
Murderers, future punishment of, 434 ff.;
penalties incurred by, 453 ff.
Mutilation of murdered persons, 435
Mysteries, alleged impurity of, 569 f.;
allusions to, in Tragedy, 550;
associated with funerals, 594 f.;
associated with wedding-rites, 590 f.;
benefits secured by participation in, 38;
Christian attitude towards, 569;
containing no doctrine alien to popular religion, 567;
grades of initiation in, 566;
main doctrines of the, 569;
openly performed in Crete, 568;
of Aphrodite, 581 f.;
of Cybele, 586;
of Demeter, (see below Mysteries of Demeter);
of Dionysus, 582;
parodied by the false prophet Alexander, 588 f.;
Sabazian, 585;
summary of doctrines taught by, 589 f.;
summary of argument concerning, 602 f.;
their doctrines kept secret, 567;
their promises summarised by Theo Smyrnaeus, 566
Mysteries of Demeter, Achaeans excluded from, 567 f.;
ancient references to, 563 f.;
Christian attitude towards, 578;
compared with modern celebration of Holy Week and Easter, 572 ff.;
dramatic nature of, 577;
their effect on spectators, 576;
held in great veneration, 562 f.;
how understood by participants, 578 f.;
Pelasgian in origin, 567;
safeguards of morality in, 577 f.;
specific charge of impurity against, 577;
test of linguistic purity imposed at Eleusis, 568;
their kinship with Christian beliefs, 576;
their promises based on ideas of popular religion, 565;
their promises summarised, 565
Naiads, 159
‘Nailing,’ magical rite, 17
Nationality, 27
Nereids (see also Nymphs, Sea-nymphs, Mountain-nymphs, Tree-nymphs, and Water-nymphs), 130 ff.;
animals susceptible to influence of, 135;
appearances of, 131;
bride-like appearance of, 133;
by-names of, 132;
called ‘she-devils,’ 149;
children carried off by, 150;
confusion of different species, 153;
consorts of, 149;
cruelty of, 139;
cures for mischief done by, 145;
depart at cock-crow, 137;
description of, 132–4;
domestic accomplishments of, 133;
dress of, 133;
famed for skill in spinning, 134;
festival of, 153;
forms of name, 130 (note 3);
general precautions against, 144;
in old signification, 146;
inconstancy of, 135, 138;
longevity of, 156;
magical kerchief of, 136;
male, 149;
means of protection against, 140;
not immortal, 156;
offerings to, 140, 150;
responsible for whirlwinds, 150;
‘seizure’ by, 142;
story of wedding-procession of, 149;
supernatural qualities in dress of, 136;
theft of children by, 141;
their love of children, 140;
their marriage with men, 134;
their relations with men, 134–9;
their relations with women, 139;
transformation of, 137;
widespread belief in, 131;
with feet of goat or ass, 133
Nether world (see Under-world)
Nomocanon de excommunicatis, 397
Nomocanon concerning vrykolakes, 365, 402 f.
Non-dissolution (see also Vrykolakes), 366;
ancient imprecations of, 417 ff.
Numbers, lucky and unlucky, 313
Nymphs (see also Nereids), 130 ff.;
not immortal, 156;
punishment for violence done to, 584;
seizure by, 142
Oedipus, curse pronounced by, 419
Offerings, how affected by Christianity, 337;
to Artemis, 170;
to Callicantzari, 201;
to genii, 274;
to gods, motive of, 335, 336 f.;
to Nereids, 140;
to Saints, 58, 337;
to the dead (see Gifts), 493
Oil, spilling of, as omen, 328
Olive, foliage or wood used in funerals, 498 f.
Olympus, as abode of the Fates, 128
Omens (see Divination);
from dripping of water, 121
Oracle of Amorgos, 332
Oracles, 305, 331 ff.
Orchestra, 35
Oreads, 148
Orestes, how spurred on to vengeance, 441 f.;
with what penalties threatened by Apollo, 421
Orithyia, 601
Orphics, 38
Orphic tablets, 595 f.
Owl-faced Athene, 207
Owls, 309, 310, 311
‘Ox-headed man,’ The, (popular story), 278
Pagan customs, inveteracy of, 46;
deities, how denoted, 67
Palmistry, 329
Pan, 77–9
Panagia, portraits of, 301
Paradise, popular conception of, 519
Parga, evacuation of, 503
Parthenon, Christian use of, 45;
figures in east pediment of, 130
Patriotism of Greeks, 28
Patroclus, funeral of, 348 f., 529
Patroclus’ ghost, 429;
why desirous of burial, 516
Pausanias, on human sacrifice, 353
Pedantry of Greeks, 30
Pelasgians, religion of, 522 f.
Peleus (see Thetis)
Pentacle, 113, 406
Perpería, 24
Persephone (see also Kore, Demeter);
‘bridal-chamber’ of, 595
Pharmakos, 355 ff.
Pheneos, Lake, 85
‘Pheres,’ 243
Philinnion, story of, 413, 433
Phlegon, story of revenant narrated by, 412 ff.
Phlya, mystic rites at, 587
Physique of Modern Greeks, 26, 27
Pig’s flesh, taboo, 87;
spleen, used for divination, 325
Plague, personified, 22;
personified as trio of female demons, 124
Pollution, 425;
ancient conception of, 451;
of bloodguilt, 445
Polydorus, ghost of, 429
Polynices, doom of, 420
Polytheism, compared with monotheism, 40;
merits of, 292;
modern, 47, 48;
popular bent towards, 54
Pomegranate, symbolic usage of, 558 ff.
Poseidon, 75–77;
as healer, 46
‘Possession,’ by angels or devils, 68;
by devils, 144;
by the devil, as punishment, 406
Poultry, divination from, 312
Prayer, usually accompanied by offerings, 335
Predestination, 122
Priest, unlucky to meet, 306
Prometheus, legend of, 74
Prometheus’ prophecy of Zeus’ downfall, 552
Prytaneum of Athens, shape of, 96
Psellus, on divination, 321, 324
Pulcra montium, 167
Punishment after death, 419 ff.
Purification, from bloodguilt, 451, 483;
means of, 357
Purity, confusion of physical and moral, 37
Pythagoras and Zalmoxis, 351
‘Queen of the Mountains,’ The, 163
‘Queen of the Shore,’ The, 163
Quince, symbolic usage of, 558 f.
Rail (ornith.), 309
Rain-charm, 23
Rain-making, 49
Ram, as victim, 326
Rat, unlucky to meet, 307
Raven, 309
Re-animation (see also Resuscitation, Vrykolakes), 384;
of corpses left unburied, 449;
of dead body by the soul, 432 ff.
Religion, Achaean and Pelasgian elements in, 522 f.;
character of Greek, 2, 294, 361 f., 545;
complexity of Greek, 4
Religious feeling, dominance of, 5–7;
literature, absence of, 2–5
Resuscitation (see also Re-animation, Vrykolakes), 388;
of dead persons, how viewed by the Church, 402 ff.;
of dead persons, summary of Hellenic belief concerning, 434
Retribution, doctrine of future, 523;
exactitude of, 453 ff.;
law of, 435
Revenants (see also Vrykolakes);
ancient names for, 462 ff.;
ancient Greek instances of, 412 ff.;
as Avengers of blood, 434 ff.;
as Avengers of blood, summary of ancient belief concerning, 461;
as Avengers of blood, their traits transferred to the Furies, 460;
called up by sorcerers, 404;
contrasted with ghosts, 427;
different species of, 384;
distinguished from ghosts, 416;
exacting their own vengeance, in ancient literature, 438;
Greek conception of, 394;
harmless type of, 394 f.;
Hellenic conception of, 412;
in ancient literature, 430, 438 f.
Rhapsodes, 34
Richard, le Père, on vrykolakes, 367
Ridgeway, on cremation and inhumation, 491
Right hand, lucky, 312
‘Riotings,’ The, 226
River-gods, 277, 280
Rohde, on cremation, 492
rosalia, 45
Sabazian mysteries, 585
Sabazius, in form of snake, 586
Sacrifice (see also Human Sacrifice), 335 ff.;
at launching of ship, 266;
at laying foundation-stone, 264;
at opening of quarry, 265;
at weddings, 326;
human, 262 ff.;
to genii, 276;
to genii, Slavonic influence upon, 268
Sacrifices, classification of, 338
Sacrificial omens, 319
Saints, functions of, 55;
functions suggested by names of, 56;
offerings made to, 58;
sometimes reputed immoral or malign, 56;
substituted for ancient gods, 43;
with titles denoting locality, function, etc., 55;
worship of, 42
S. Artemidos, cures children ‘struck by the Nereids,’ 44;
successor to Artemis, 44
‘Saint Beautiful,’ 164
S. Catharine, 303
S. Demetra, at Eleusis, 80;
Eleusinian legend of, 80
S. Demetrius, successor to Demeter, 44
S. Dionysius, successor to Dionysus, 43
S. Elias, responsible for thunder, 52;
successor to Helios, 44
S. Elmo’s light, 286
S. George, displacing Theseus or Heracles, 45;
legend concerning, 261
‘S. John of the Column,’ 58
S. John the Baptist, 37, 304
S. Luke, as painter, 301
S. Michael, successor to Hermes, 45
S. Nicolas, 340;
patron of sailors, 287;
superseding Poseidon, 75
Salt-cake, 303
Salt, dissolving of, as magical ceremony, 388 f.
Satan, delivering persons unto, 406
Saturnalia (in Greece), 221
Satyrs and Centaurs, closely related, 236
Satyr-dances, 229
Scylla, replaced by modern Gorgon, 188;
parentage of, 173
Scyros, faith-cure at, 62
Sea-nymphs, 146
‘Seizure,’ by Nymphs, 142
Serpents, as incarnations of heroes, 274
Shadow, as genius, 289
Shadow-victims, 265
‘She-devils,’ Nereids so called, 149
Sheep-dogs, 32
Shooting-stars, 286
Shoulder-blade of sheep, used for divination, 321 ff.
Sieve, employed to detain Callicantzari, 196–7
Sieves, divination from, 331
Sileni, 230
Silicernium, 535
Sins, deadly, 409 f., 425 ff.
Sirens, 187
Slavonic immigrations, 26;
influence on belief in vampires, 376 ff.
Sleep and Death, 543
Sleeping in churches, 61
Small-pox, personified, 22
Snake, as genius of Acropolis, 260;
auspicious in house, 328;
bearded, 274;
unlucky to meet on road, 307
Snakes, as manifestations of deities, 275
Snake-form, assumed by genii (see Genii)
Sneezing, as omen, 330
Socrates’ familiar spirit, 291
Sophocles, popular form of imprecation utilised by, 419
Sorcery, punishment of, 409
Sosipolis, story of, 272
Souls (see Ghosts)
Soul and body, relations of, 361 ff., 526 ff.;
re-union of, 538
Soul-cult, Rohde’s theory of, 529, note 1
Soul, emancipation of, 515 f.;
Homeric conception of, 517 f.;
Socrates’ teaching concerning, 516
Spitting, to avert malign influences, 14, 307
Stars, baneful influence of, 10, 11
Stoat, unlucky to meet, 307
Striges, 179–184, 211;
Italian origin of, 180;
intercourse of devils with, 416;
precautions against, 181;
prey upon children, 181;
stories concerning, 182–3
Strigla, 282
Sucking-pig, as victim, 483
Suicides, 408
Sun, relics of worship of, 44
Surrogate Victims, 355
Swallow-song, 35
Sympathetic magic, 264
Taboo, 87, 357
Taenarus, descent to Hades at, 45
Tartarus, 98
Telonia, 284;
local usages of name, 287
Temples, as treasuries, 96;
converted to churches, 45
Tenos, Church of Annunciation at, 45, 58;
faith-cures at, 60;
miraculous icon of, 301
Thargelia, 356
‘The Beautiful One of the Earth,’ 97
‘The Great Lady,’ 163
‘The Lady Beautiful,’ 163
‘The Lamia of the Sea,’ 171
‘The Lamia of the Shore,’ 171
‘The Mistress,’ 89;
marriage of, 97
Theseum, Christian use of, 45
Theseus, 469
Thesmophoria, 87
Thetis, modern parallel to story of, 137
Thracians, funeral-rites of, 500
Thread of life, 124
Three, ominous number, 307 (note 1), 487
Thunderbolt, 72
Thunder-god, 50
Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus, martyrdom of, 222
Titans, story of, 73
Titles of saints, sources of, 55
Tolerance of pagans, 42
Torches, at funerals, 505 ff.
Traditions, popular and literary, 432
Trance, 69
Transformation, magic power of, 86, 249;
power of, attributed to genii, 276;
power of, how indicated in Art, 251
Transmigration of souls, Plato’s theory of, 604 f.
Treasure, guarded by dragons, 281
Treasury of Atreus, original use of, 94
Tree, supporting the world, 155
Tree-nymphs, 151;
confused with water-nymphs, 153;
woodcutters’ precautions against, 158
Trees, not to be cut or peeled on certain days in August, 152
Tuesday, unlucky day, 313
Tutelary genii, fed on honey-cakes, 274
‘Twelve Days,’ The, 221
Twitching of eyebrow, as omen, 329
Unburied (see Burial, lack of)
Under-world (see also Future life);
Homeric conception of, 517 f.;
modern presentment of, 549
Uninitiated, future fate of the, 563 f., 592
Unmarried, funeral-rite of the, 556;
future fate of the, 592
‘Unsleeping Lamp,’ The, 540
Vampires (see Vrykolakes);
characteristics of Slavonic, 387;
modern Greek conception of, 363 ff.;
Slavonic treatment of, 410 f.
Vampirism, causes of, 375, 407 ff.;
imprecations of, 387;
instances of, 367 ff.;
widespread belief in, 371 ff.
Vendetta, 440 ff.
Vengeance for blood-guilt, extended to whole communities, 459;
for homicide, Delphic tradition concerning, 444 ff.
Vengeance for murder, effected by a curse, 446 f.;
effected by demonic agents, 448;
exacted by murdered person, 435 ff.;
incumbent on next-of-kin, 440;
legally incumbent on next-of-kin, 443 f.;
methods of, 453 ff.
Vesta, temple of, 96
Victim, as messenger, 340 ff.;
elevated to rank of genius, 267 ff., 276
Vintage-festival, 35
Virgin, worship of the, 51
Virginity, consecrated to river-god, 592
Virility, affected by magical spell, 19
Visualisation, peasants’ powers of, 47
Votive offerings, character of, 58
Vows, 59
Vrykolakas, Greek equivalents for word, 381 f.;
how originally employed in Greek, 378;
occasionally used in sense of ‘were-wolf,’ 379 f.;
origin of word, 377;
original meaning of word, 377 f.;
Slavonic forms of word, 377 (note 2)
Vrykolakes (see also Incorruptibility, Resuscitation, Revenants, Vampires, Vampirism), 361 ff.;
attitude of authorities towards belief in, 371 f.;
belief in them not wholly Slavonic, 381;
capable of sexual commerce, 415 f.;
classes of persons liable to become, 375, 407 ff.;
close resemblance of ancient revenants to, 458;
corporeal nature of, 376;
cremation of, substitutes for, 488;
ecclesiastical view of, 386, 396 ff.;
Greek treatment of, 410 f., 502;
Hellenic element in conception of, 407;
how disposed of, 371 f.;
lineage traced from, 416;
modern Greek conception of, 363 ff.;
nomocanon concerning, 365, 402;
not to be confused with ghosts, 376;
occasional barbarities inflicted upon, 412;
original Greek type of, 391 ff.;
peculiar method of treating, 540;
recent cases of the burning of, 374;
recent Cretan account of, 372;
resuscitated by the Devil, 405 f.;
Slavonic influence upon conception of, 376 ff.;
stories of, 368 ff.;
widespread belief in, 371 ff., 374
Vultures, 309
‘Wanderers,’ 473
Washing, prohibited on certain days of August, 152
Water, immortal, 281;
miraculous, 60;
oracular property of, 334;
pouring out of, as magic rite, 520;
salt, bars passage of supernatural beings, 368 (note 1), 372;
‘speechless,’ 304, 331;
spilling of, as omen, 328
supplied daily to the dead, 539;
‘Water-bearer,’ the, 556, 592 f.
Water-nymphs, 159;
confused with tree-nymphs, 153;
precautions against, 160
Water-pitcher (see also Water-bearer), 594
Water-spout, caused by Lamia of the Sea, 52;
superstitions concerning, 172
Weasel, unlucky to meet, 307;
why unlucky to see, 327
Weather, chief province of God, 51
Wedding, ‘The Sacred,’ 599 f.;
in Hades, The, (ballad), 548
Wedding-customs (see Marriage-customs)
Wedding-dress, as funeral-garb of betrothed girls or young wives, 557
Weddings, precautions at, 13;
precautions against magic at, 20;
sacrifice and divination at, 326
Wedding-scenes on funeral-monuments, 597 f., 601 f.
Were-wolves, 239;
and vampires, 377 f.;
become vampires after death, 385
Whirlwinds, caused by nymphs, 52, 150;
safeguard against, 150
Winds, personified, 52
Wine, passed from left to right, 312;
spilling of, as omen, 328
Winter festivals, 221 ff.
Witch, as rain-maker in Santorini, 49
Witchcraft, male and female exponents of, 15, 16
Witches, 15
Woodpecker, 309
Wooing, how conducted, 558
Wren, 309
Zalmoxis, 350 f.
Zeus, 72–74;
Lycaean, 352;
Meilichios, 275;
Prostropaeus, 481;
survival of name, 74

Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion: A Study in Survivals

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