GLOSSARY OF DIVINATION IN ANCIENT HELLENIC RELIGION
GLOSSARY OF DIVINATION IN ANCIENT GREEK RELIGION
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Chres- - for words beginning with this prefix, look instead under khris-.
Eikastís - (eicastes; Gr. εἰκαστής, ΕΙΚΑΣΤΗΣ. Noun.) diviner.
Hieromantis - See Iærómandis.
Iærómandis - (hieromantis; Gr. ἱερόμαντις, ΙΕΡΟΜΑΝΤΙΣ. Noun.) holy diviner.
Khrismohdǽoh - (chresmodeo; Gr. χρησμῳδέω, ΧΡΗΣΜΩΔΕΩ. Verb.) to prophesy.
Khrismohdía - (chresmodia; Gr. χρησμῳδία, ΧΡΗΣΜΩΔΙΑ. Noun.) oracular response.
Khrismóhdima - (chresmodema; Gr. χρησμῴδημα, ΧΡΗΣΜΩΔΗΜΑ. Noun.) answer to an oracle.
Khrismohdós - (chresmodos; Gr. χρησμῳδός, ΧΡΗΣΜΩΔΟΣ. Adjective.) prophetic.
Khrismolýtis - (chresmolytes; Gr. χρησμολύτης, ΧΡΗΣΜΟΛΥΤΗΣ. Noun.) interpreter of oracles.
Khrismológos - (chresmologus; Gr. χρησμολόγος, ΧΡΗΣΜΟΛΟΓΟΣ. Adjective.) oracular, divining.
Khrismoloyía - (chresmologia; Gr. χρησμολογία, ΧΡΗΣΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ. Noun.) a speaking out of oracle.
Khrismoloyikí - (chresmoloyike; Gr. χρησμολογική, ΧΡΗΣΜΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ. Noun.) the science of giving oracles.
Khrismolóyion - (chresmologion; Gr. χρησμολόγιον, ΧΡΗΣΜΟΛΟΓΙΟΝ. Noun.) divination.
Khrismopefstǽoh - (chresmopeusteo; Gr. χρησμοπευστέω, ΧΡΗΣΜΟΠΕΥΣΤΕΩ) consult an oracle.
Khrismós - (chresmus; Gr. χρησμός, ΧΡΗΣΜΟΣ. Noun.) oracular response.
Khristiriázoh - (chresteriazo; Gr. χρηστηριάζω, ΧΡΗΣΤΗΡΙΑΖΩ. Verb.) to prophesy.
Khristírion - (chresterion; Gr. χρηστήριον, ΧΡΗΣΤΗΡΙΟΝ. Noun.) the source of oracle (Apollo), the sanctuary of an oracle, offering for the oracle, the oracular response itself.
Khrístis - (chrestes; Gr. χρήστης, ΧΡΗΣΤΗΣ. Noun.) soothsayer.
Klidónisma - (kledonisma; Gr. κληδόνισμα, ΚΛΗΔΟΝΙΣΜΑ. Noun.) omen.
Klidonismós - (kledonismus; Gr. κληδονισμός, ΚΛΗΔΟΝΙΣΜΟΣ. Noun.) perception or detection of an oracle.
Mandeia (manteia; Gr. μαντεία, ΜΑΝΤΕΙΑ. Noun.) prophetic power.
Mándis - (mantis; Gr. μάντις, ΜΑΝΤΙΣ. Feminine: μάντισσα. Noun.) prophet, seer. Apóllohn (Apollo; Gr. Ἀπόλλων) is the genuine mándis because he knows and speaks the mind of Zefs (Zeus; Gr. Ζεύς).
Mantosýni - (mantosyne; Gr. μαντοσύνη, ΜΑΝΤΟΣΥΝΗ. Pronounced: mahn-doh-SEE-nee. Noun.) the art of divination.
Necromancy – See Psykhomanteia.
Oneirokrisía - (oneirocrisia; Gr. ὀνειροκρισία, ΟΝΕΙΡΟΚΡΙΣΙΑ. Noun.) the art of interpreting dreams. The surviving text from antiquity regarding this subject is the Oneirokritikón (Όνειροκριτικόν) of Artemídohros (Artemidorus; Gr. Ἀρτεμίδωρος). Oneirokrisía was used, in part, as a tool to predict the future, and, as such, it is a form of divination, but there is another use for oneirokrisía involving thæofánia (θεοφάνεια), the appearance of a God . If they have reason to do so, Gods have the ability to appear to mortals, but they rarely appear in waking hours. Such an experience would overwhelm mortals and have undesirable side-effects. Therefore, Gods, if they have reason to appear to us, will do so in dreams or in the state between dreams and waking. In such a circumstance, the details of the dream are important and must be interpreted through oneirokrisía.
Panomphaios - (Gr. πανομφαῖος, ΠΑΝΟΜΠΑΙΟΣ) epithet of Ζεύς in his role of giving true oracle.
Prómantis – (Gr. πρόμαντις, ΠΡΟΜΑΝΤΙΣ. Noun.) prophet, title of the Pythia, epithet of Apollo.
Psykhomanteia - (psychomanteia; Gr. ψυχομαντεία, ΨΥΧΟΜΑΝΤΕΙΑ. Noun.) necromancy.
Sema - See Síma.
Síma - (sema; Gr. σῆμα, ΣΗΜΑ. Noun.) omen.
Splángkhnon - (splangchnon; Gr. σπλάγχνον, ΣΠΛΑΓΧΝΟΝ. Noun.) the internal organs of sacrificial victims used in divination.
Thæopropǽoh - (theopropeo; Gr. θεοπροπέω, ΘΕΟΠΡΟΠΕΩ. Verb.) to prophesy.
Thæosimeia - (theosemeia; Gr. θεοσημεία, ΘΕΟΣΗΜΕΙΑ. Noun.) oracular sign from Gods.
Thæopropía - (theopropia; Gr. θεοπροπία, ΘΕΟΠΡΟΠΙΑ. Noun.) an oracle.
Theo- - for words beginning with this prefix, look instead under Thæo.
Thríai - (Thriae; Gr. Θρίαι, ΘΡΙΑΙ) three nymphs of divination by means of pebbles, referred to in the Homeric Hymn 4.550 to Ærmís (Ἑρμῆς). These three are allowed by Apóllohn (Ἀπόλλων) to Ærmís, but he warns his brother that they are "not of me" and that sometimes they lie. In the tradition this author follows, not even this form of divination is permitted: all divination is apórritos (aporrhetos; Gr. ἀπόρρητος) - forbidden.
Please also visit the main page on this subject: Divination in ancient Greek religion.
The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Rhapsodic Theogony.
We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.
Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.
Introduction to the Thæí (the Gods): The Nature of the Gods.
How do we know there are Gods? Experiencing Gods.
The logo to the left is the principal symbol of this website. It is called the CESS logo, i.e. the Children of the Earth and the Starry Sky. The Pætilía (Petelia, Πετηλία) and other golden tablets having this phrase (Γῆς παῖς εἰμί καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος) are the inspiration for the symbol. The image represents this idea: Earth (divisible substance) and the Sky (continuous substance) are the two kozmogonic substances. The twelve stars represent the Natural Laws, the dominions of the Olympian Gods. In front of these symbols is the seven-stringed kithára (cithara, κιθάρα), the lyre of Apóllohn (Apollo, Ἀπόλλων). It (here) represents the bond between Gods and mortals and is representative that we are the children of Orphéfs (Orpheus, Ὀρφεύς).
PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.
The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Rhapsodic Theogony.
We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.
Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.
SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:
Pronunciation of Ancient Greek
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