A deep dive into the history and context of the goddess Epona. Buy me a cuppa on Ko-fi! ko-fi.com/kris... Support me on Patreon: / krishughes Blog, events, online classes: www.godeeper.in...
Your care to separate the limited facts from inference is very refreshing and appreciated. But if I may enter the realm of wild unfounded conjecture, I've wondered whether Epona would today be an agricultural goddess, a military goddess, or if her worship might have been extended to modern horse substitutes such as motorcycles, if the older religious beliefs had continued to the present day.
I am listening to this again for the second time, but watching this for the first time ( I listen while I work). You might get asked this a lot, but where did you get your wallpaper? It is absolutely gorgeous.
Even the coins are a product of classical influence, coins were only invented (in the West) in Lydia in the 6th century BC and probably came into Gaul up through Italy. Further, I don’t know if it can be said that these later depictions are more representative of the Romans aside from the idea of making stone or clay idols, Celtic identities persisted in Roman Gaul and we know that because after the Visigoths and Franks invaded and Roman power in the area collapsed the area tended to break up into divisions that reflected pre-Roman tribal areas, implying a persistent cultural continuity. To call those expressions of Celtic religion after the 50s BC inauthentic is like saying that the Catholic Church is an inauthentic expression of Christianity because it’s not purely of second temple Judaism, never mind that it’s the way that most people practice their religion. Finally I think that it is folly to search for pure depictions, the Celts were not created fully formed from the forehead of a god, they are the result of the amalgamation of previous Indo European cultural complexes and Western Hunter gatherers a dozen times over, and the Indo Europeans are a product of amalgamation between different steppe cultures, Caucasian mountain cultures and the urban and refined Mesopotamian cultures, which were themselves a product of similar forces.
For the Story of Fulvius Stellus and the Mare, I am just going out on a limb here... But I believe that a Goddess took the Form of a Mare. I am not sure what the Purpose was for this, as it could be a number of things. It could be that the Goddess was Furious with Fulvius being Sexist against Women and thus took the Form of a Mare and tried to Ruin him through Acts of Bestiality, and her becoming Pregnant and giving birth to Epona, who was a Female, a Daughter. This was a way of Scorning Fulvius for his Hatred of Women, as instead of having a Son with the Mare, he Ended up with a Human Horse Hybrid Daughter. But that's just a Theory. I know nothing about Celtic Mythology, though I find it Fascinating that Nintendo used the name "Epona" for Link's Horse, a Trusty Mare who aids him on his Quest. Epona had more Use in Twlight Princess than in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask however.
No, Fulvius was just based, and the gods rewarded him with Grade-A horse pussy. In all seriousness, this is ancient Rome; sexism wasn't exactly frowned upon, you know. And the gods don't punish people with ironic punishments unless it involves physical pain or torture. A guy hating women having a goddess as daughter isn't really how the Roman/Greek gods punished people... Edit: Forgot the story was synchronized from Celtic mythology. I'm not an expert on Celtic culture, so I don't know the status of "sexism" in ancient Celtic societies. Regardless, it doesn't really seem like a way to punish someone... It's probably just one of those weird things ancient people came up with because it just "felt right".
It's more common than you'd think. I teach a class about horse goddesses every year, and some years almost everyone in the class is a horse owner. But this year, for example, no one in the class has horses.
But I do have a Question out of Curiosity.... Does Religion actually Condone Bestiality? Or are only Certain Circumstances of Bestiality Allowed, like in the Birth of a God or Goddess?
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Celts being mysterious is their favorite hobby
indeed!
the song "a rose for epona" from eluveitie made me interested in this goddess
Your care to separate the limited facts from inference is very refreshing and appreciated.
But if I may enter the realm of wild unfounded conjecture, I've wondered whether Epona would today be an agricultural goddess, a military goddess, or if her worship might have been extended to modern horse substitutes such as motorcycles, if the older religious beliefs had continued to the present day.
That's impossible to answer, since we're not quite sure what she meant to the people of the Iron Age.
Baxter, I've also felt Epona could be the Goddess of travel and methods of it
Hail Epona!
Thank you for the discussion.
Wonderful commentary and scholarly work done here, throwing light on aspects of religion in pre-Roman Europe!
Thank you!
Purchased the mabinogion and I cant wait to read it!
It's a good read.Take your time.
I am listening to this again for the second time, but watching this for the first time ( I listen while I work). You might get asked this a lot, but where did you get your wallpaper? It is absolutely gorgeous.
It's not wallpaper it's a fabric wall hanging. I love it too.
Thank you for sharing your deep and broad learning with us.
My pleasure!
I dream of a white beautiful horse with a curly orange long haired lady. Then I end up in searching Goddess of horses which is epona
I was just thinking yesterday of doing more research Epona. This is serendipitous
Brilliant.
The horse in Zelda Ocarina of Time is called Epona.
I like to think Link would speak with an Irish Accent, if he talked! XD
another great video
thanks!
Blessings on this video
Even the coins are a product of classical influence, coins were only invented (in the West) in Lydia in the 6th century BC and probably came into Gaul up through Italy. Further, I don’t know if it can be said that these later depictions are more representative of the Romans aside from the idea of making stone or clay idols, Celtic identities persisted in Roman Gaul and we know that because after the Visigoths and Franks invaded and Roman power in the area collapsed the area tended to break up into divisions that reflected pre-Roman tribal areas, implying a persistent cultural continuity. To call those expressions of Celtic religion after the 50s BC inauthentic is like saying that the Catholic Church is an inauthentic expression of Christianity because it’s not purely of second temple Judaism, never mind that it’s the way that most people practice their religion.
Finally I think that it is folly to search for pure depictions, the Celts were not created fully formed from the forehead of a god, they are the result of the amalgamation of previous Indo European cultural complexes and Western Hunter gatherers a dozen times over, and the Indo Europeans are a product of amalgamation between different steppe cultures, Caucasian mountain cultures and the urban and refined Mesopotamian cultures, which were themselves a product of similar forces.
Wasn’t Poseidon originally seen as the earth shaker in earlier Greek mythology?
I don't know that much about Greek myth, so I'm afraid I don't know.
@@KrisHughes understandable, thank you for the response 🙏🏽
Hellenic Pagan here. Yes, Poseidon is known as the Earth Shaker.
For the Story of Fulvius Stellus and the Mare, I am just going out on a limb here...
But I believe that a Goddess took the Form of a Mare. I am not sure what the Purpose was for this, as it could be a number of things. It could be that the Goddess was Furious with Fulvius being Sexist against Women and thus took the Form of a Mare and tried to Ruin him through Acts of Bestiality, and her becoming Pregnant and giving birth to Epona, who was a Female, a Daughter. This was a way of Scorning Fulvius for his Hatred of Women, as instead of having a Son with the Mare, he Ended up with a Human Horse Hybrid Daughter. But that's just a Theory. I know nothing about Celtic Mythology, though I find it Fascinating that Nintendo used the name "Epona" for Link's Horse, a Trusty Mare who aids him on his Quest. Epona had more Use in Twlight Princess than in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask however.
No, Fulvius was just based, and the gods rewarded him with Grade-A horse pussy. In all seriousness, this is ancient Rome; sexism wasn't exactly frowned upon, you know. And the gods don't punish people with ironic punishments unless it involves physical pain or torture. A guy hating women having a goddess as daughter isn't really how the Roman/Greek gods punished people...
Edit: Forgot the story was synchronized from Celtic mythology. I'm not an expert on Celtic culture, so I don't know the status of "sexism" in ancient Celtic societies. Regardless, it doesn't really seem like a way to punish someone... It's probably just one of those weird things ancient people came up with because it just "felt right".
@@basedimperialism This guy gets it
Is it normal to be attracted to Epona if you don't have any horses or work with horses?
It's more common than you'd think. I teach a class about horse goddesses every year, and some years almost everyone in the class is a horse owner. But this year, for example, no one in the class has horses.
Imagination is very compelling. Get away from your screen. Go outside. Find a non-profit that uses horses to help humans heal and learn.
Lady: a lot of people knows that epona is a horse...
me: yes
Lady: ... godess.
me: no
But I do have a Question out of Curiosity....
Does Religion actually Condone Bestiality? Or are only Certain Circumstances of Bestiality Allowed, like in the Birth of a God or Goddess?
11:12
In the legend of Zelda epona is also a horse in the game and that's what brought me here