The Natural Laws of the Olympian Gods

ΟΙ ΦΥΣΙΚΟΙ ΝΟΜΟΙ ΤΩΝ ΟΛΥΜΠΙΩΝ ΘΕΩΝ

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Ællinismόs and the Natural World

Ællinismόs (Hellenismos; Gr. Ἐλληνισμός), the ancient Greek religion, provides a natural view of the universe. It recognizes that the Kózmos (Cosmos; Gr. Κόσμος) is governed by natural laws. Consequently, Ællinismόs does not bear an inherent conflict with science, unlike, generally, religions with creeds. Science is the friend of natural Philosophía (Philosophy; Gr. Φιλοσοφία) and Philosophía is one of the Four Pillars of Ællinismόs. Yet it is not wise to view science as creedal; science is somewhere on a continuum from ignorance to absolute knowledge.

The universe expresses divinity. As an example of how the divinity of the phenomenal world is viewed in Ællinismόs, consider this passage from Plátohn's (Plato; Gr. Πλάτων) Politeia (Republic; Gr. Πολιτεία)^[1] where Sohkrátis (Socrates; Gr. Σωκράτης), speaking to Gláfkohn (Glaucon; Gr. Γλαύκων), the brother of Plátohn (Plato; Gr. Πλάτων), discusses the natural world:

"Sohkrátis: Sight being, as I conceive, in the eyes, and he who has eyes wanting to see; colour being also present in them, still unless there be a third nature specially adapted to the purpose, the owner of the eyes will see nothing and the colours will be invisible.
Gláfkohn: Of what nature are you speaking?
Sohkrátis: Of that which you term light.
Gláfkohn: True.
Sohkrátis: Noble, then, is the bond which links together sight and visibility, and great beyond other bonds by no small difference of nature; for light is their bond, and light is no ignoble thing?
Gláfkohn: Nay, the reverse of ignoble.
Sohkrátis: And which of the Gods in heaven would you say was the lord of this element?  Whose is that light which makes the eye to see perfectly and the visible to appear?
Gláfkohn: You mean the Sun (ed. Ilios or Helios; Gr. Ἥλιος), as you and all mankind say."

Here we see the Sun called a God. The Sun is (viewed as) a deity and one expression of the natural world. Gods and Goddesses such as Zefs (Zeus; Gr. Ζεύς), Íra (Hera; Gr. Ἥρα), Apόllohn (Apollo; Gr. Ἀπόλλων) and many others, are personal deities with consciousness, yet they are natural beings of the Kόzmos (Cosmos; Gr. Κόσμος).

The Natural Laws

When we discuss the Natural Laws, this should not be confused with the concept of natural law as a legal term, the field of study which attempts to deduce ethical principles which are self-evident in the natural world of human interaction, although such a study is not entirely unrelated. Here we are discussing the Natural Laws as those very fundamental structures or forces which govern all of Phýsis (Gr. Φύσις), Nature, and in the context of Ællinismόs, those forces which underlie and make possible the  kozmogonic Pröodos (Pröodos; Gr. Πρόοδος), all progress or evolution throughout the Kózmos. The Natural Laws are not Nature itself, but they function within Nature. They are the laws which govern the entire character of Nature as well as its progress or evolution, and in relationship to Orphismós (Orphism; Gr. Ορφισμός) in particular, the laws which make possible the evolution of the soul. The Natural Laws are named and described in an effort to help us understand and work with the natural foundational and evolutionary processes in the Kózmos. Yet, the laws are not merely a teaching tool; they are powerful forces and events that can be observed in the phenomenal world. It is conceivable that a perceptive individual could discover these laws without any instruction whatsoever, as they are self-evident.

The Natural Laws are an expression of the interaction of natural substances and how this interaction causes change and evolution. This way of seeing the universe is called Mystic Materialism, the view that all that exists consists of material. According to Orphismós, the Kózmos consists of two primary substances; this way of seeing the phenomenal world is called kosmological dualism. These two kozmogonic substances have been given various names, but we here will refer to them as Earth and Water.

What is prior to the genesis of the Kózmos? Orphéfs (Orpheus; Gr. Ὀρφεύς), the great Thæólogos (Theologos; Gr. Θεόλογὁς), says that this state is not able to be expressed; it is unutterable. Therefore, it is called the Unutterable Principle or, in Greek, the Árritos Arkhí (Ἄρρητος Ἀρχή). It can also be called the Primordial Mixture. It is out of the Primordial Mixture that Earth (female, receptive, divided) and Water (male, active, continuous) arise. From this stagnant but pregnant situation, Earth (Gaia, Gr. Γαῖα), whom Pythagóras (Gr. Πυθαγόρας) calls daring (tólma, Gr. τόλμᾰ), Moves out of Necessity (Anángki, Gr. Ἀνάγκη), then Life pulses attracting Energy, which assumes Form, and so forth through Attraction, Progress, Co-Influence, Harmony, and Freedom (see below). These are the Natural Laws.

From this perspective, we can see the laws as an expression of the formation of the Kózmos. Yet there are many, many circles of the laws, spiraling out infinitely. Another circle of the laws governs the creation of the soul. At the ninth level, the soul has been harmonized from the struggles of life and it is given Freedom. Such a soul is a complete soul, for it has achieved a degree of freedom, even if this soul is but a tiny amoeba.

The laws continue and spiral out again and again through the progression of rebirths, in the process known as reincarnation or in ancient Greek: palingænæsía (palingenesía; Gr. παλιγγενεσία). The soul evolves (pröodos; Gr. πρόοδος [not the pröodos of the Neoplatonists]) through more and more spirals of the laws until it achieves the human birth. And from the first human birth there are many more human births. With tremendous effort, the human soul is capable of attaining great arætí (arete; Gr. ἀρετή), virtue, and through the spirals of laws, and the influence of the Gods, eventually may achieve Ækthǽohsis (Ektheosis; Gr. Ἐκθέωσις), whereby the now deified soul has conquered the sorrowful circle of rebirths and enter the divine world.

The Olympians and the Natural Laws

The Natural Laws are great forces; they are actually Gods, but they are impersonal deities. Mortal beings find it difficult to work with impersonal forces but are much more able to communicate with beings who have consciousness. Therefore, it is expedient for the personal deities to assume command over the laws for which each God or Goddess has particular expression and concern. In the vast pantheon of deities, there are twelve which rank above all others: the Olympians. It is the Olympic Gods who have dominion over the laws. The Olympian deities are personal Gods who have consciousness and they can communicate to mortals the understanding of the laws. They also assist the function of each law with magnificent ability.

In the Orphic Rhapsodic Theogony (in the section entitled The Sixth King), after the sacrifice of Zagréfs (Zagreus; Gr. Ζαγρεύς) and the thunderblasting of the Titánæs (Titans; Gr. Τῑτᾶνες), Zefs (Zeus; Gr. Ζεύς) creates a new generation of mortals from their ashes. He consults his father Krónos (Cronus; Gr. Κρόνος) for direction as to how to set up his reign forever. In this divine plan for the Kózmos, the Olympic Gods have a great function. Each one of the Dohdækáthæon (Dodekatheon, the Twelve Gods; Gr. Δωδεκάθεον) has governance over a particular natural law and is, therefore, called the Ǽphoros (Ephoros; Gr. Ἔφορος), the Magistrate, of that particular law.

Therefore, the Olympian Gods, the Ǽphori (Ephoroi-plural; Gr. Ἔφοροι) of the Natural Laws, have dominion over every aspect of life, mortal, divine, vegetative, and beyond the earth; they are the guardians of Nature. They exercise ministry over the Natural Laws, for the harmonic concordance of these laws of nature, and they provide a means by which mortal beings can communicate with these laws. Yet, they are not above the laws. Each one of these laws represents the way in which the particular Olympian God or Goddess works on the soul to help it to progress, through all the various forms of life, and for those mortals who achieve monumental arætí, virtue, they guide the soul to Deification.

THE TWELVE NATURAL LAWS with the associated OLYMPIAN ǼPHORI

THE TWO LAWS OF EARTH, the Mæristí (Gr. Μεριστή = divisible or particulate) Substance (= Gr. Οὐσίἁ):

1. Kínisis (Gr. Κίνησις) - The Natural Law of Movement - Æstía (Hestia; Gr. Ἑστία) Kínisis, as in reference to the first law, is the result of Anánki (Ananke; Gr. Ἀνάγκη), Necessity, and not Ǽrohs (Eros; Gr. Ἔρως), Attraction. This movement comes from Æstía fire.

"Yes, Theaetetus (ed. Thæaititos; Gr. Θεαίτητος); and there are plenty of other proofs which will show that motion is the source of what is called being and becoming..."^[2]

2. Zoï (Gr. Ζωή) - The Natural Law of Life - Áris (Ares; Gr. Ἄρης) The movement of the first law is pulsing with Life; it expands and contracts. Áris has governance over the struggles of the soul, the struggles which are inherent with life itself. He has dominion over the necessary conflicts in the soul which arise between the mind (Gr. νους) and the will (voulí; Gr. βουλή), or symbolically, the shell and the yolk of the egg, which represents the soul. These conflicts will not be resolved without the help of Aphrodíti (Aphrodite; Gr. Ἀφροδίτη), his pair, at the eighth level.

THE TEN LAWS OF AITHÍR, the Synækhís (Gr. Συνεχής = continuous) Substance (Gr. Οὐσίἁ):

3. Ænǽryeia (Gr. Ἑνέργεια) - The Natural Law of Energy  - Ártæmis (Artemis; Gr. Ἄρτεμις) Ártæmis gives the soul the energy it needs in order to move forward, as this work requires great stamina.

4. Morphí (Gr. Μορφή) - The Natural Law of Form - Íphaistos (Hephaestus; Gr. Ἥφαιστος) When the laws are thought of as stages of the Mysteries, it is at the 4th law in which Zefs makes his first appearance, or influence, on the soul. Íphaistos uses his aithirial fire to work with the forms, forms which are beautified by Aphrodíti.

5. Ǽrohs (Gr. Έρως)^[3] - The Natural Law of Attraction - Íra (Hera; Gr. Ἥρα) Íra helps the soul to become responsive to the power of Ǽrohs. As Áris has governance over the struggle which develops between the mind and the will, in the middle of these two is Aithír, and it is within the Aithír between the mind and the will, the shell and the yolk of the egg, in which attraction is possible. She tries to develop this attraction within the soul and also to develop the attraction to deity beyond one's self.

6. Próödos (Gr. Πρόοδος) - The Natural Law of Progress or Evolution - Poseidóhn - (Poseidon; Gr. Ποσειδῶν) The soul has become erotic with the help of Íra; such a soul is able to move forward, to progress. With its ability to love, and with the help of Poseidóhn, the soul is led to communication with the divine; a relationship is developing with one of the Olympian deities. The soul begins to be intertwined with this deity, like the two fish which represent the zodiacal dominion of Poseidóhn, Pisces or in ancient Greek, Ikhthýs (Gr. Ἰχθῦς).

7. Allilæpídrasis (Gr. Ἀλληλεπίδρασις) - The Natural Law of Co-Influence - Athiná (Athena; Gr. Ἀθηνᾶ). Ayæleia (Ageleia; Gr. Ἀγελεία), an epithet of Athiná, is the mystical number seven.

8. Armonía - (Gr. Ἁρμονία) - The Natural Law of Harmony - Aphrodíti (Aphrodite; Gr. Ἀφροδίτη) The realm of the Heroes. The struggles resulting from life are in time harmonized by Aphrodíti which is why, in the mythology, she is amorously tied to Áris who has governance of over the law of Life.

9. Ælefthæría (Gr. Ἑλευθερία) - The Natural Law of Freedom - Apóllohn (Apollo; Gr. Ἀπόλλων) The ninth law is called the Okæanós (Oceanus; Gr. Ὠκεανός)^[4], the Crossing or Passage, the Gate of Divinity.

The above hints at understanding the nine laws describe more specifically how they function in the process of deification, but always keep in mind that these laws are functioning always in everything, not only in this process but in all processes. For those souls who have achieved deification, the cycle begins again in the Divine World. The first nine laws are present throughout nature, including the divine world:

10. I æn toh theioh kózmoh Kínisis (Gr. Ἥ ἐν τῷ θείῳ κόσμῳ κίνησις)
      The Natural Law of Movement in the Divine World - Ærmís (Hermes; Gr. Ἑρμῆς)

11. I æn toh theioh kózmoh Zoï (Gr. Ἥ ἐν τῷ θείῳ κόσμῳ ζωή)
      The Natural Law of Life in the Divine World - Zefs (Zeus; Gr. Ζεύς)

12. I æn toh theioh kózmoh Kínisis Ænǽryeia (Gr. Ἥ ἐν τῷ θείῳ κόσμῳ ἐνέργεια) 
      The Natural Law of Energy in the Divine World - Dimítir (Demeter; Gr. Δημήτηρ)

GLOSSARY OF THE NATURAL LAWS (under construction)

(Abbreviations can be found on this page: Glossary Home Page

Osía (Gr. Ὁσία, ΟΣΙΑ. [fem. of ὅσιος]) Osía is divine law. II. the service or worship owed by man to God, rites, offerings, etc. 2. funeral rites, last honours paid to the dead. (L&S p. 1260, right column, edited for simplicity.)

Thæothrǽmmohn - (theothremmon; Gr. θεοθρέμμων, ΘΕΟΘΡΕΜΜΩΝ) Lexicon entry: θεοθρέμμων, ον, gen. ονος, maintained by God. (L&S p. 790, left column, edited for simplicity.)

"For what purpose would God perform a miracle?  To accomplish some particular design upon living beings!  He would then in reality be supposed to say: 'I have not been able to effect by my construction of the universe, by my divine decrees, by my eternal laws, a particular object; I am now going to change my eternal ideas and immutable laws, to endeavor to accomplish what I have not been able to do by means of them.'  This would be an avowal of his weakness, not of his power; it would appear in such a being an inconceivable contradiction.  Accordingly, therefore, to dare to ascribe miracles to God is, if man can in reality insult God, actually offering him that insult."  Voltaire

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