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The Uniting Goddess of Love and War

Harmonia, daughter of Aphrodite and Ares, played a significant role in mythology, connecting the realms of love and war.

Harmonia’s Lineage and Legacy

Born to the union of the love and war deities, Harmonia had legendary ties to the Amazons. She established the Theban dynasty and became the mother of prominent Dionysian women, shaping the course of mythology Leto.

Magical Wedding Gifts

During Harmonia’s wedding, the Olympians presented magical gifts. Aphrodite gifted a renowned necklace, known for conferring irresistible sexuality or undying beauty upon its wearer. This symbolized the harmonious blend of love and allure in Harmonia’s existence.

Lydia Rich Lands and Shifting Empires

Lydia, located in western Asia Minor with its capital Sardis, had a history marked by fertile soil, abundant gold and silver deposits, and shifting imperial powers.

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A Goddess’s Struggles and Triumphs

Leto, daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, faced a tumultuous journey intertwined with love, jealousy, and divine protection.

Love and Jealousy

Leto became Zeus’s beloved early on, but their union faced challenges. Zeus, already married to Hera, tied the knot while Leto was pregnant. Despite the pre-existing pregnancy, Hera harbored jealousy, making Leto’s life difficult.

Hera’s Pursuit

Throughout her pregnancy, Hera relentlessly pursued Leto. Exiled from Olympus, Leto wandered the earth, rejected by every place fearing Hera’s wrath. To protect her, Zeus sent Boreas (North Wind), carrying her to sea. Hera, undeterred, sent Python to chase Leto.

Birth on Delos

The barren island of Delos, having little to lose, accepted Leto. Goddesses gathered to assist in childbirth, except Hera. Eileithyia, delayed by Hera Py

Pythagoreans The Hearth of the Universe

The Pythagoreans introduced a groundbreaking non-geocentric system driven by moral and religious convictions. They envisioned the divine, symbolically known as the “Hearth of the Universe” or “Throne of Zeus,” at the center of a finite, spherical universe (Aristot. de. caelo B13, 293a-b30). The sun was conceptualized as a glass sphere (Aetius 20.12) reflecting the divine hearth-light. To maintain the harmony of ten planetary spheres, they postulated a counter-earth, the “antichthon Harmonia,” along with the visible planets, earth, moon, sun, and heavenly sphere containing the stars (Aetius 2.7.7, Aristot. Met. A5,986a1). This intricate system reflected the Pythagoreans’ fascination with number, harmony, and music, culminating in the idea of concentric celestial orbits and “the music of the spheres.”

The Socratics and beyond A Geocentric System