I can’t resist books touted as first time available in Englishor never before seen. There’s nothing like secret and/or forbidden knowledge to make me pick up a book. So, when offered a chance to read The Secret Texts of Hellenic Polytheism: A Practical Guide to the Restored Pagan Religion of George Gemistos Plethonby John Opsopaus, PhD., it was impossible to say no. I mean, this book is based off of the surviving sixteen chapters of Plethon’s Book of Laws. Surviving. As in, after Plethon’s death the authorities of the time wanted to destroy his work. Can’t. Say. No.
George Gemistos, who later called himself Plethon, lived from 1355 to 1452. In that time, he helped reawaken an interest in Plato’s 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’s Book of Laws.The Book of Lawsoutlined 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 proofof Plethon’s heresies on hand, kept parts of the manuscript. Thus, today through the hard work of Opsopaus, we have The Sacred Texts of Hellenic Polytheism, which is based off of the table of contents and sixteen chapters of the Book of Lawsas well as other texts by Plethon.
Plethon writes that his theology isn’t anything new and is based on notions common to humankind and supported by reason.To this end, Plethon establishes a Golden Chaincomprised of six lawgivers, seven legendary sages, seven sages of ancient Greece, and eight Platonic philosophers. Each link providing the insights that the “Book of Lawsdraws 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’s ancient practices into a format for interested, modern seekers.
The Secret Texts of Hellenic Polytheismby 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.
You can learn more here.
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