{"id":18674,"date":"2022-08-22T16:23:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T21:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/themagicalbuffet.com\/blog1\/?p=18674"},"modified":"2022-08-22T16:23:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T21:23:00","slug":"the-secret-texts-of-hellenic-polytheism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themagicalbuffet.com\/blog1\/?p=18674","title":{"rendered":"The Secret Texts of Hellenic Polytheism"},"content":{"rendered":"

I can\u2019t resist books touted as \u201cfirst time available in English\u201d or \u201cnever before seen\u201d. There\u2019s nothing like secret and\/or forbidden knowledge to make me pick up a book. So, when offered a chance to read \u201cThe Secret Texts of Hellenic Polytheism: A Practical Guide to the Restored Pagan Religion of George Gemistos Plethon\u201d by John Opsopaus, PhD., it was impossible to say no. I mean, this book is based off of the surviving sixteen chapters of Plethon\u2019s \u201cBook of Laws\u201d. Surviving. As in, after Plethon\u2019s death the authorities of the time wanted to destroy his work. Can\u2019t. Say. No.<\/p>\n

$\"\"$ George Gemistos, who later called himself Plethon, lived from 1355 to 1452. In that time, he helped reawaken an interest in Plato\u2019s works and Platonism. The church of the time was not a fan, and suspected Gemistos was a secret Neopagan, which was confirmed after his death when a Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church got his hands on Plethon\u2019s \u201cBook of Laws.\u201d The \u201cBook of Laws\u201d outlined a Neopagan religion based on Platonism, and so, the text was destroyed. Fortunately, parts of the text had already been copied by students, and the Church, in an effort to always have \u201cproof\u201d of Plethon\u2019s heresies on hand, kept parts of the manuscript. Thus, today through the hard work of Opsopaus, we have \u201cThe Sacred Texts of Hellenic Polytheism\u201d, which is based off of the table of contents and sixteen chapters of the \u201cBook of Laws\u201d as well as other texts by Plethon.<\/p>\n

Plethon writes that his theology isn\u2019t anything new and is based on \u201cnotions common to humankind and supported by reason.\u201d To this end, Plethon establishes a \u201cGolden Chain\u201d comprised of six lawgivers, seven legendary sages, seven sages of ancient Greece, and eight Platonic philosophers. Each link providing the insights that the “Book of Laws\u201d draws upon. This is followed by an exploration of deities and the divine, which logically falls into the evocations, rituals, the sacred calendar, and more. Opsopaus has reconstructed Plethon\u2019s ancient practices into a format for interested, modern seekers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Secret Texts of Hellenic Polytheism\u201d by John Opsopaus is a fascinating look at ancient Greek thought and practices. It may not be required reading for everyone, but those who it resonates with will find it indispensable. <\/p>\n

You can learn more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Get your own copy here.<\/a> (This is an affiliate link to my Bookshop, which supports independent bookstores throughout the United States. If you use this link to purchase the book, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you.)<\/p>\n

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