Lucifer/Shaher/Helel as a pagan god

[Hope3645]

Merry Meet!
Does anyone here worship or work with Lucifer/Shaher/Helel as a pagan deity or any kind of deity? I am doing a report on him for my Wicca 101 class, and am trying find any info about this. From my research I have found three peoples that worshiped him as a god. 1). The Canannites-he was the god who rose before the sun, and helped it (El) rise, but he tryed to take El's place. He was thrown down (and out ) from heaven. 2). Gnostics-he was seen by some sects to be the savior god, or a savior sent by Sophia to save man and woman from ignorance of their true, divine nature. 3). Strega-In some sects he is seen as The God, the brother, son, and concort of Dianna, and father of Aradia. Some believe that Luicfer was worshiped as a god of light and truth in Rome, but I have't found anything to verify this.

Here is some of the info I have found so far:
Lucifer
by Micha F. Lindemans

Cite, rate, or print article Send comment Used sources


Lucifer ("light-bearer") is the personification of the planet Venus as the morningstar, and son of Aurora. He is the father of Ceyx.


The word "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14:12 presents a minor problem to mainstream Christianity. It becomes a much larger problem to Bible literalists, and becomes a huge obstacle for the claims of Mormonism. John J. Robinson in A Pilgrim's Path, pp. 47-48 explains:
"Lucifer makes his appearance in the fourteenth chapter of the Old Testament book of Isaiah, at the twelfth verse, and nowhere else: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"
The first problem is that Lucifer is a Latin name. So how did it find its way into a Hebrew manuscript, written before there was a Roman language? To find the answer, I consulted a scholar at the library of the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. What Hebrew name, I asked, was Satan given in this chapter of Isaiah, which describes the angel who fell to become the ruler of hell?
The answer was a surprise. In the original Hebrew text, the fourteenth chapter of Isaiah is not about a fallen angel, but about a fallen Babylonian king, who during his lifetime had persecuted the children of Israel. It contains no mention of Satan, either by name or reference. The Hebrew scholar could only speculate that some early Christian scribes, writing in the Latin tongue used by the Church, had decided for themselves that they wanted the story to be about a fallen angel, a creature not even mentioned in the original Hebrew text, and to whom they gave the name "Lucifer."
Why Lucifer? In Roman astronomy, Lucifer was the name given to the morning star (the star we now know by another Roman name, Venus). The morning star appears in the heavens just before dawn, heralding the rising sun. The name derives from the Latin term lucem ferre, bringer, or bearer, of light." In the Hebrew text the expression used to describe the Babylonian king before his death is Helal, son of Shahar, which can best be translated as "Day star, son of the Dawn." The name evokes the golden glitter of a proud king's dress and court (much as his personal splendor earned for King Louis XIV of France the appellation, "The Sun King").
The scholars authorized by ... King James I to translate the Bible into current English did not use the original Hebrew texts, but used versions translated ... largely by St. Jerome in the fourth century. Jerome had mistranslated the Hebraic metaphor, "Day star, son of the Dawn," as "Lucifer," and over the centuries a metamorphosis took place. Lucifer the morning star became a disobedient angel, cast out of heaven to rule eternally in hell. Theologians, writers, and poets interwove the myth with the doctrine of the Fall, and in Christian tradition Lucifer is now the same as Satan, the Devil, and --- ironically --- the Prince of Darkness.
So "Lucifer" is nothing more than an ancient Latin name for the morning star, the bringer of light. That can be confusing for Christians who identify Christ himself as the morning star, a term used as a central theme in many Christian sermons. Jesus refers to himself as the morning star in Revelation 22:16: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
And so there are those who do not read beyond the King James version of the Bible, who say 'Lucifer is Satan: so says the Word of God'...."
Henry Neufeld (a Christian who comments on Biblical sticky issues) went on to say,
"this passage is often related to Satan, and a similar thought is expressed in Luke 10:18 by Jesus, that was not its first meaning. It's primary meaning is given in Isaiah 14:4 which says that when Israel is restored they will "take up this taunt against the king of Babylon . . ." Verse 12 is a part of this taunt song. This passage refers first to the fall of that earthly king...
How does the confusion in translating this verse arise? The Hebrew of this passage reads: "heleyl, ben shachar" which can be literally translated "shining one, son of dawn." This phrase means, again literally, the planet Venus when it appears as a morning star. In the Septuagint, a 3rd century BC translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek, it is translated as "heosphoros" which also means Venus as a morning star.
How did the translation "lucifer" arise? This word comes from Jerome's Latin Vulgate. Was Jerome in error? Not at all. In Latin at the time, "lucifer" actually meant Venus as a morning star. Isaiah is using this metaphor for a bright light, though not the greatest light to illustrate the apparent power of the Babylonian king which then faded."
Therefore, Lucifer wasn't equated with Satan until after Jerome. Jerome wasn't in error. Later Christians (and Mormons) were in equating "Lucifer" with "Satan".
So why is this a problem to Christians? Christians now generally believe that Satan (or the Devil or Lucifer who they equate with Satan) is a being who has always existed. Therefore, they also think that the 'prophets' of the Old Testament believed in this creature. The Isaiah scripture is used as proof (and has been used as such for hundreds of years now). As Elaine Pagels explains though, the concept of Satan has evolved over the years and the early Bible writers didn't believe in or teach such a doctrine.
The irony for those who believe that "Lucifer" refers to Satan is that the same title ('morning star' or 'light-bearer') is used to refer to Jesus, in 2 Peter 1:19, where the Greek text has exactly the same term: 'phos-phoros' 'light-bearer.' This is also the term used for Jesus in Revelation 22:16.
So why is Lucifer a far bigger problem to Mormons? Mormons claim that an ancient record (the Book of Mormon) was written beginning in about 600 BC, and the author in 600 BC supposedly copied Isaiah in Isaiah's original words. When Joseph Smith pretended to translate the supposed 'ancient record', he included the Lucifer verse in the Book of Mormon. Obviously he wasn't copying what Isaiah actually wrote. He was copying the King James Version of the Bible. Another book of LDS scripture, the Doctrine & Covenants, furthers this problem in 76:26 when it affirms the false Christian doctrine that "Lucifer" means Satan. This incorrect doctrine also spread into a third set of Mormon scriptures, the Pearl of Great Price, which describes a war in heaven based, in part, on Joseph Smith's incorrect interpretation of the word "Lucifer" which only appears in Isaiah.
A Mormon apologist responds.

The author of The Polytheism Of The Bible And The Mystery Of Lucifer, F.T. DeAngelis, comments on this page as follows
"It seems minor, but - the actual term used in the Greek Septuagint version of Isaiah 14:12 (given that there is no ONE way of accurately transliterating) is Eo(u)s phoros, morning star/DAWN god of light. Eos or Eous phoros [not Heos (as your website claims) or phos phorus (as a Christian website I visited shows)] - although there is a Greek term and English... phosphoro(u)s. Your [site] is pretty accurate.
The actual name, "Lucifer," goes back to the Greeks, before the Romans. Socrates and Plato talk about this "god of light"; surprisingly, not in the context of Eos (god of Dawn), but -- as a morning star -- juxtaposed with the sun (Helios) and Hermes. This information can be found in Plato's Timaeus (38e) and in Edith Hamilton's Mythology."

On a lighter note, Arthur Clarke, in his fictional book 2061 correctly uses the word "Lucifer". He uses it as a name for a new sun in the solar system which is correct since the new sun is a second 'morning star' of 'original' 'light-bearing' substance--not some evil being of religious mythology.
David Grinspoon comments on the historical aspects of the word as follows: "The origin of the Judeo-Christian Devil as an angel fallen from heaven into the depths of hell is mirrored in the descent of Venus from shining morning star to the darkness below. This underworld demon, still feared today by people in many parts of the world, is also called Lucifer, which was originally a Latin name for Venus as a morning star." (Venus Revealed p. 17) Actually, Grinspoon should just refer to the "Christian Devil" since the Jews never believed in such a creature and still don't to this day.

Lucifer and Satan!

Lucifer: From Latin, Lux, Light, and Fero, to bear, - A Light Bearer.

Lucifer and Satan

..............................
LUCIFER, also called Lucifer Calaritanus (d. c.370), bishop of Cagliari, Sardinia, was a fierce opponent of the heresy of Arianism (first proposed early in the 4th century by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius, who taught that Christ is not truly divine but a created being). To further his rigorously orthodox views, Lucifer Calaritanus founded the Luciferians, a sect that survived in scattered remnants into the early 5th century. 8
It was attacked by St. Jerome in his polemic Altercatio Luciferiani et orthodoxi ("The Dispute of the Luciferian and the Orthodox").
References to these Luciferians, without further explanation, has perhaps lead subsequent writers such as Nesta H. Webster to erroneously assume that they were satanic.

"Lucifer" is the Latin term originally used by the Romans to refer to the planet Venus when that planet was west of the sun and hence rose before the sun in the morning, thereby being the morning star.

The same planet was called Hesperus, Cesperugo, Vesper, Noctifer, or Nocturnus, when it appeared in the heavens after sunset. Although 19th and 20th century occultists would equate other goddesses such as Astarte, Ashtoreth, Lilith, Isis, Cemeramis, Mari, and Ishtar with Venus, links between the cultures and attributes represented are not historically clear. Lucifer as a personification is called a son of Astraeus and Aurora or Eos, of Cephalus and Aurora, or of Atlas. He is called the father of Ceyx, Daedalion, and of the Hesperides. Lucifer is also a surname of several goddesses of light, such as Artemis, Aurora, and Hecate. 1.


The word appears to have entered the religious lexicon when the Hebrew expression in Isaiah 14:12, "HeYLeL BeN-ShaCHaR." (meaning "bright son of the morning/dawn," "bright [and] morning star," "glowing morning star," or "shining one, son of the dawn.")2. was translated to "Phosphorus" (the Greek word for Venus as the morning star) in the Septuagint, and then translated into "Lucifer" in the Vulgate (from the Greek Septuagint). Isaiah 14, taken as a whole, is a parable, or prophecy of denunciation against the Kings of Babylon, specifically Tiglath-pileser III 3 In verse 12, the prophet characterizes the arrogance of Tiglath-pileser III as if the king had thought himself fit to appear in the sky as the morning star, but has fallen to earth, being brought low by the vengeance of the Lord against those who would exalt themselves and persecute the Lord's people (i.e., the Israelites).


Origenes Adamantius (185 CE - 254 CE), an important Christian scholar of the early Greek Church, and Augustine of Canterbury (d. May 26 604/605 CE), founder of the Christian Church in southern England, both interpreted the use of the term Lucifer as a reference to the Devil.


The name Lucifer was applied to Satan by St. Jerome and later to the demon of sinful pride by Milton in Paradise Lost. Lucifer is the title and principal character of the epic poem by the Dutch playwright, Vondel (who uses Lucifer in lieu of Satan), and a principal character in the mystery play by Imre Madach, "The Tragedy of Man". Blake pictured Lucifer in his illustrations to Dante. George Meredith's sonnet Lucifer in Starlight addresses the "fiend" as Prince Lucifer. To Spenser in An Hymne of Heavenly Love, Lucifer is "the brightest angel, even the Child of Light." In Ovid's Metamorphosis, Lucifer is the morning star and father of Ceyx. He is described as riding a white horse (clarus equo, book XV.189) and his face is characterized by a bright gladness (see XI.270 ff. Lucifero genitore satus patriumque nitorem ore ferens Ceyx). Also see Books II.115 and 723, IV.629,665.

LUCIFER shining one, i.e. the morning star, as explained by the following words 'son of dawn,' Is 14:12). - The word is applied by the writer of the prophecy to the King of Babylon, partly in reference to the astrology for which Chaldaea was famous in ancient times, partly to the prevailing belief in the deification of heroes. The king of Babylon had complacently looked forward to the time when he would ascend into heaven and exalt his throne above the stars of God. But in reality his dead body would be treated with the utmost contempt. ''a carcass trodden under foot', while his soul would descend into Sheol, and there receive but an empty honour from the shades, astounded that the great and mighty king could become like one of themselves. 4.

The word "satan" is from a Hebrew word, "sathane", meaning adversary or calumniator; in original Jewish usage (see the book of Job), the satan is the adversary, not of God, but of mankind; i.e., the angel charged by God with the task of proving that mankind is an unworthy creation. 5. Note though, that Balaam's satan (Numbers 22:23-33) protects him from harm.

Later, as Judaism absorbed such ideas as Zoroastrian dualism and concepts about angels during the Exile, and then as Christianity echoed various concepts from earlier religions, the concept of an evil power ruling an underground domain of punishment for the wicked became fixed in Christian doctrine. In such a doctrine, elements of the Graeco-Roman god Pluto/ Vulcan/ Hephaestus, the Underworld, and various aspects of Nordic/Teutonic mythology may be traced.

The Latin name of Phosphorus, Venus as the morning star, is the light bringer which heralds the dawn. The name is sometimes applied to the planet as the evening star as well, although Hesperus is properly its name then. By a curious chain of reference, the passage in Luke 10:18 was thought to refer to Isaiah 14:12, in which the star is used metaphorically for the monarch of Babylon. Thus Lucifer became the chief of the fallen angels, the name borned by Satan before his rebellion. 6.

"From a supposed reference to this passage in our Lord's words. 'I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven' (Lk 10:18), in connexion with Rev 9:1-11 (the language of 9:1 being in part probably derived from this passage), Lucifer came in the Middle Ages to be a common appellation of Satan. The star of Rev 9:1-11 is a fallen angel who has given to him the key of the abyss, from which he sets loose upon the earth horribly formed locusts with scorpions' tails, who have, however, power to hurt only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. But this angel is not actually identified with Satan by the writer of the Apocalypse. The imagery in Is was no doubt suggested by a meteor, and possibly it was so in Rev also." 7.

While some authors referred to Lucifer as Satan's name before his expulsion from Heaven, others referred to Lucifer and Satan as two distinct entities. 10. Both as a literary convention and as Christian teachings or belief, historically there would appear to be little consensus. Regardless, it should be clear that an author may use the terms Lucifer or luciferian and not be referring to Satan.

1. Sir William Smith Smaller Classical Dictionary.
2. E. Theodore Mullen, Jr. The Assembly of the Gods: The Divine Council in Canaanite and Early Hebrew Literature. Harvard Semitic Monograph Series No. 24, Scholar's Press: 1980, ISSN 0073-0637. ^
3. There is no consensus on which king is referred to in Isaiah. There are four main contenders: Tiglath-pileser III (c.774 - 727 BC) who is referred to as "Pul" in II Kings 15:19). [Cf. An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophetic Books, Chapter 6, C. Hassell Bullock. Moody Press: Chicago, 1986 Edition.]; Nebuchadrezzer, afterwards corrupted into Nebuchadnezzer, who reigned 604-561 BCE; his grandson, Belshazzar.(d. c. 539); and Sennacherib (705-681 BCE) [See Bible Knowledge Commentary, "Isaiah," John Martin. p. 1061.]. ^
4. F.H. Woods, A Dictionary of the Bible Vol III. ed. James Hastings. New York. Charles Scribner's Sons: 1908. p. 159. Cf. : Numbers 24:17 "...there shall come a Star out of Jacob...."; 2 Peter 1:19 "...until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:"; Revelation 22:16: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." ^
5. Owen C. Whitehouse, A Dictionary of the Bible Vol IV. ed. James Hastings. New York. Charles Scribner's Sons: 1908. pp. 407-12. Cf. The Origin of Satan, Elaine Pagels. Random House, New York: 1995. ^
6. Funk & Wagnall Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology & Legend. ^
7. F.H. Woods, loco citato ^
8. The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Chicago: 1989. 15th edition. vol. 7, p. 542. ^
9. Detail from Tiglath-pileser III Receiving Homage 745-27 B.C.; Mesopotamian, Neo-Assyrian period; Limestone; height 1.2 m (48 in.) ^
10. See Livre de la Deablerie, title page. Paris : printed by Michel Le Noir, 1568. Reproduced in Devils, Demons, and Witchcraft, Ernst and Johanna Lehner. New York : Dover Publications Inc., 1971. p. 52. Also see "The pact with the infernal powers allegedly signed by Father Urbain Grandier and countersigned by Lucifer, Beelzebub, Satan, Elmi, Leviathan, Asteroth and Baalbarith. Loudun, 1634." Devils, Demons, and Witchcraft, p. 80.



Lucifer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about Lucifer in reference to Christian theology; for other meanings, see Lucifer (disambiguation).
Lucifer is a Latin word derived from two words, lux (light; genitive lucis) and ferre (to bear, to bring), meaning light-bearer. Lucifer does not appear in Greek or Roman mythology; it is used by poets to represent the Morning Star at moments when "Venus" would intrude distracting imagery of the goddess. "Lucifer" is Jerome's direct translation in his Vulgate (4th century) of the Septuagint's Greek translation, as heosphoros, "morning star", literally "bringer of the Dawn", of a phrase in Isaiah that originally intended no reference to Satan (see below). From the viewpoint of the Christian mythology that developed after Jerome, Lucifer came to be seen as having been second in command to God himself; he was the highest archangel in heaven, but he was motivated by pride and greed to rebel against God and was cast out of heaven with the angels who followed his lead. Then he became the Devil, and his followers were known as demons.
Modern astrologers identify the planet Venus as having been known by the name Lucifer in Roman astrology before being given its current name. See poetical instances below.
Lucifer is also a deity in the Voodoo religions.
"Lucifer" in Roman poetry
"Lucifer" is a poetic name for the "morning star", a close translation of the Greek eosphoros, the "Dawn-bringer", which appears in the Odyssey and in Hesiod's Theogony.
A classic Roman use of "Lucifer" appears in Virgil's Georgics (III, 324-5):
Luciferi primo cum sidere frigida rura
carpamus, dum mane novum, dum gramina canent"
"Let us hasten, when first the Morning Star appears,
To the cool pastures, while the day is new, while the grass is dewy"
And similarly, in Ovid:
Aurora, watchful in the reddening dawn, threw wide her crimson doors and rose-filled halls; the Stars took flight, in marshalled order set by Lucifer, who left his station last."
(Metamorphoses)
A more effusive poet, like Statius, can expand this trope into a brief but profuse allegory, though still this is a poetical personification of the Light-Bearer, not a mythology:
"And now Aurora, rising from her Mygdonian resting-place had scattered the cold shadows from the high heaven, and shaking the dew-drops from her hair blushed deep in the sun’s pursuing beams; toward her through the clouds rosy Lucifer turns his late fires, and with slow steed leaves an alien world, until the fiery father’s orb be full replenished and he forbid his sister to usurp his rays."
Statius, Thebaid 2.134

Lucifer
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Lucifer
Lucifer is one of the many names given to "the Devil" (the Prince of Darkness) by Christianity. Lucifer means "light bearer" (sometimes "bringer of light" or "the dark"). Lucifer was originally an angel of light; however, he has been classified amoung medieval demons & devils because he "fell from grace" by rebelling against the Elohim.
In the theosophical tradition, he has been looked upon more kindly & is regarded as a personification or archetype of the independent & self-conscious mind (which may desire to evolve through many lifetimes toward the "Light").
Satan means "the adversary (of God)" or "the enemy" & is also a name given to the Devil by Christians. BTW, the personification of evil is called Eblis in Islam, and Ahriman in Zoroastrianism.
It is interesting (to me) that the Devil is sometimes called "the god of this world".(posted by Sighris to the Z-list)
For the uninformed, Lucifer was the Roman equivalent of the greek Prometheus who was punished by Zeus (tortured) for stealing fire from mt. olympus to give to the dying race of humanity, who had fallen into disgrace with Zeus (and was too much of a pussy to survive anyhow). He's one of the few origins of the Christian devil that can be traced back to its original source.
For excellent info/practical techniques on traditional devil "worship"/medieval black magick those interested would do well to get a copy of Christopher Hyatt/S. Jason Blacks' "Pacts With the Devil", put out by New Falcon.(posted by Dyonisus to the Z-list)ringer of light"

Lucifer
Roman name for the morning star. Equivalent to the Greek Eosphoros.


In Gnostic cosmology, the alien God creates the prototypical human as a male/female androgyne- the world soul, Sophia, and Christ, the messiah. The material universe is an evil creation by Yaldabaoth, a pseudo-God who entraps the souls of men in sleep. The forces of sleep are so overwhelming, they can only be overcome by means of special insight (Gnosis), which forces one to realize the truth and awaken. Sophia is responsible for sending the serpent to enlighten the inhabitants of the Garden to the nature of their enslavement. These twin messengers continually manifest in the material world to alert its inhabitants of their inherently divine nature

Theology
Gnosticism generally taught that the Earth was ruled over by a lesser "god" called Yaldabaoth, also known as the Demiurge, after Plato. The Demiurge was the head of the Archons, "petty rulers" and craftsmen of the physical world. But human bodies, although their matter is evil, contained within them a divine spark or pneuma that fell from the Source, or Nothingness from which all things came. Knowledge (gnosis) enables the divine spark to return to the Source from whence it came.
Many Gnostics (especially the followers of Valentinius) taught that there was the One, the original, unknowable God (sometimes named Bythos, the Monad as it is called by Monoimus, or the first Aeon); and then from the One emanated other Aeons, pairs of lesser beings in sequence. (Valentinius listed 30 such pairs.) The Aeons together made up the Pleroma, or fullness, of God. The lowest of these pairs were Sophia ("Wisdom" in Greek) and Christ.
In the Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Sophia sought the unknowable One. In one account, she saw a distant light which was in fact a mirror image, and thus drifted even farther away from the pleroma.
Sophia's fear and anguish of losing her life, just as she lost the light of the One, caused confusion and longing to return to it. Because of these longings the matter (Greek: hyle, ὕλη) and the soul (Greek: psyche, ψυχή) accidentally came into existence through the four classical elements fire, water, earth, and air. The creation of the lion-faced Demiurge is also a mistake during this exile, according to some Gnostic sources, as a result of Sophia trying to emanate on her own, without her male counterpart. The Demiurge proceeds to create the physical world in which we live, ignorant of Sophia, who nevertheless manages to infuse some spiritual spark into the creation of the Demiurge. This spark is the pneuma.
After this the savior (Christos) returns and lets her see the light again, bringing her knowledge of the spirit (Greek: pneuma, πνεῦμα). Christ was then sent to earth in the form of the man Jesus to give men the gnosis needed to rescue themselves from the physical world and return to spiritual world.
The three sensations experienced by Sophia creates three types of humans:
· hylics (bond to the matter, the principle of evil)
· psychics (bond to the soul and partly saved from evil)
· pneumatics, who can return to the pleroma if they achieve gnosis and can behold the world of light. The gnostics regarded themselves as members of this group.
Gnostics identified the Demiurge with the God of the Old Testament, thus they rejected the Old Testament and Judaism and often celebrated those who were rejected by the Old Testament God. Some Gnostics were believed to identify the Demiurge with Satan, a belief which contributed to the suspicion with which many Christians regarded them.
Other Gnostics regarded the serpent in the Garden of Eden as a heroic figure because it wanted to help humanity free itself of the chains of Yaldabaoth: After the Demiurge comes to rule over the physical world, Sophia sends a message by way of the Serpent. She gives gnosis to the humans this way, which causes the wrath of the Demiurge, who believes himself to be the sole creator of the universe and the exclusive ruler of this world. The "original sin" thus is in a gnostic context the "original enlightenment", and not an act of sin at all. Humans also learn that Seth, the third son of Adam, was introduced to the gnostic teachings by both his father and his mother, and that this knowledge has been preserved throughout creation.
It should be noted that the Gnostics perceived the Old Testament as myth, and thus subject to interpretation
Lucifer – Angel of Light and Son of Heaven, Gnostic Pagan & Wiccan (corrupted by Fundamentalist Revisionism).

[TYRRHENUS]

Strega-In some sects he is seen as The God, the brother, son, and concort of Dianna, and father of Aradia.

So sayeth Leland. Diana never had a consort. The sources are clear on this.

Some believe that Luicfer was worshiped as a god of light and truth in Rome, but I have't found anything to verify this.

Yeah, you're not going to either. You might want to look at these threads. Good luck.

[Hope3645]

*"So sayeth Leland. Diana never had a consort. The sources are clear on this."*


Yeah, I know that Artemis didn't have one as far we know. Later, however she was confused with the moon goddess, Selene, which was the start of her path to becoming Dianna.
"Endymion the sherpherd,
As his flock he guarded,
She, the Moon, Selene,
Saw him, loved him, sought him,
Coming down from heaven
To the glade on Latmus,
Kissed him, lay beside him."
-the poet Theocritus

Of course, this in no way validates Lelands book. But myths do changes over time, as do the gods. The question is not whether Lucifer was always her consort, but whether he became it at some point, even if this happened during the middle ages or whenever. We know that Dianna was often accused of being the goddess of the witches during the middle ages. Since Satan (and thereby Lucifer because by the 11th century the two had become very connected) was seen as the father of the witches, it would not have been a huge leap to connect the two. Also, originally, lucifer meant light-bearer and was the sir name of many goddesses including Dianna (as she was seen a moon goddess as well as a goddess of the hunt). Since there are a few Roman references to Lucifer as a father, son, ect. it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to turn him into her consort, if that is what one wanted to do (in this case he would just be the light side of Dianna).

What Leland says is important, whether or not it's true. The fact is, many Strega (by no means all) base a good deal of their religion on Aradia: The Gospel of the Witches. That means that Lucifer is worshiped as a god, and the consort of Dianna now. So, he is a neopagan god, even if he wasn't a pagan one.



*"Yeah, you're not going to either. You might want to look at"* these threads. Good luck.[/quote]


Yeah, I figured as much. The only thing I have is a few off-handed references to him as the father of Ceyx. Somewhere I read that there are some about his being a son of someone, but that’s about it. It is probable that lucifer was just a descriptive noun. I just threw that possibility out there in case anyone NOW worships him as a Roman deity.

Thanks very much for your reply. Don't think I'm trying to argue with you. I'm just trying to clear up what I am looking for. Not necessarily how, and if, the gods were originally worshiped (though this is appreciated, interesting, and helpful), but how they are worshiped today.

[Hope3645]

In case anyone is interested I finished my report, and have decided to post my notes here. The report was oral so this is organized but not very literary. I wrote some of it, I took some quotes from books, and I pasted a lot from websites. Most of my sources are cites at the end.

Deity Presentation
Wicca 101 – Spring 2005
Hope
The Light Bringer




1. Other names Deity is known by:
Shacher or Shasher, Helel, HESPEROS(evening star)/ EOSPHOROS(morning star), Phosorous, Lucifer, the serpent
Surname for: Apollo, Eos, and Artemis/ Dianna
· Sex: Lucifer has most often been portrayed as male, however, his name was also the surname of several deities, usually gods and goddesses with some light association. This makes special sense in the story of Aradia. Lucifer is born of Dianna (and is her brother and lover). In ancient times Lucifer was a surname for Dianna (as she became the goddess of the moon in addition to her traditional role as goddess of the hunt when her brother Apollo became the god of the sun). He is the light side of the dark goddess. So Lucifer can be seen as a male or a female, both or neither. Lucifer is the light in all of us.
2. How is the Deity’s appearance described:
“Hesperos of the curling locks looks down upon thee.” –Callimachus, Hymn IV to Delos 303
In Greek vase-painting he was depicted as a youthful face, shining in the heavens, or as a winged god with a starry oreale encircling his head.

3. Does this Deity fit into a particular archetype, or combination of archetypes?
Lucifer fits into various combinations of archetypes. The most important are 1. the serpent 2. the messiah 3. the rebel. Many of these overlap.
Hero/Heroine (see also Knight, Warrior)
Many of the gods of the world's ancient religions began their lives as heroes capable of great feats of strength or skill. The Hero is also a classic figure in ancient Greek and Roman literature, often portrayed as one who must confront an increasingly difficult path of obstacles in order to birth his manhood. Today this archetype holds a dominant position in the social mind as an icon of both male and female power, from the Superheroes of comic books, such as Superman and Wonder Woman, to television and countless movies and popular novels. In the classic Hero's Journey, defined by Joseph Campbell and others, an individual goes on a journey of initiation to awaken an inner knowing or spiritual power. The Self emerges as the Hero faces physical and internal obstacles, confronting the survival fears that would compromise his journey of empowerment and conquering the forces arrayed against him. The Hero then returns to the tribe with something of great value to all.
Religion/Myth: Ulysses (hero of The Odyssey whose most renowned trait was his supreme resourcefulness, the ability to find a way out of the most dangerous situation); Arjuna (in the Bhagavad Gita, his questioning of his Hero/Warrior role leads the god Krishna to instruct him in divine wisdom); Hidesato (in Japanese legend, a killer of many monsters, including the feared Centipede); Saynday (a hero-trickster of the Native American Kiowa tribe); Paul Bunyan (legendary hero of the lumber camps of the American Northwest, whose feats included creating the Grand Canyon by dragging his axe behind him); Theseus (Athenian hero who slew the Marathonian Bull and the Minotaur); Bernardo del Caprio (semi-mythical ninth-century Spanish credited with defeating Roland at Roncesvalles).
Liberator
We tend to think of Liberators as great military and political leaders who free an entire country or people from servitude, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, SimCn Bol_var of Venezuela, Nelson Mandela, and, depending on your politics, Lenin, Castro, and Che Guevara. But in everyday life, any number of people can play a similar role on a smaller scale, helping to liberate us from the tyranny of self-inflicted negative thought patterns and beliefs, spiritual sluggishness, poor nutrition, destructive relationships, or addictive behavior. This archetype can be an invaluable ally in helping to free us from old, entrenched beliefs and attitudes that have been inculcated from without, much like colonial occupying armies. Jesus, Muhammad, and the Buddha were Liberators in this sense, offering options to the violence, suffering, and spiritual stagnation of their respective times and places. You do not have to be a charismatic leader to have this archetype, however. Thousands of people have taken part in long campaigns to win freedom from various kinds of oppression, from the Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights movement in this country to the Freedom Fighters of the Hungarian Revolution.
Religion/Myth: Dionysus and Eros (both bore other names meaning "the liberator").
Messiah (Redeemer, Savior)
This archetype is associated with the embodiment of divine power and being sent on a mission by heaven to save humanity. Its subtle expression, however, is far more common and more difficult to identify as a personal pattern. People can become obsessed about their spiritual purpose, convinced that God needs them to do something.
Religion/Myth: Mashiach ("the anointed one" in Hebrew, the descendant of King David expected to restore the Jewish kingdom); Jesus Christ ("the anointed one" in Greek, believed by Christians to be the promised redeemer; Adam Kadmon ("Primordial Man," in Jewish Kabbalah, described as the most perfect manifestation of God that humanity could contemplate, later identified with the Messiah); al-Mahdi ("the guided one" in Arabic, awaited descendant of Muhammad who will herald the end of history and restore Islamic purity); Maitreya ("the loving one" in Sanskrit, the fifth and final earthly Buddha who will help all those who have not yet realized enlightenment); Kalki (in Hindu belief, a future reincarnation of Vishnu who will arrive on a white horse to liberate the world from strife); Tang (Chinese messiah who saved mankind from a great drought by sacrificing his body in a mulberry bush, immediately inducing rainfall).
Trickster (Puck, Provocateur)
Almost as far back as our earliest written records, the Trickster appears as a key figure in the human drama. According to the great historian of religion Mircea Eliade, a Trickster is a human or animal character that plays dubious jokes or tricks, makes fun or is made fun of, and may be camouflaged as one of the demigods of a religious tradition. The serpent who tempts Eve in the Bible was based on similar characters in Sumerian and Babylonian mythology from the third millennium B.C., in which a serpent tricks humanity out of the gift of immortality and assumes it for itself. (Observing snakes shedding their skin led some to believe that the reptile was capable of renewing its life indefinitely.) In many cultures, though, especially among Native Americans, the Trickster can also be the Creator's helper or messenger.
Like the Prostitute and Servant archetypes, the Trickster seems at first to have only negative connotations, but it can be a great ally in presenting you with alternatives to the straight and narrow path, to people and institutions who seek to hem you in through peer pressure and conformism. The best modern illustration of this dual role show up in the film work of Jack Nicholson and Groucho Marx. Although the characters they portray are often unsavory or duplicitous on some level, their antics can also be liberating by transcending convention, stuffiness, and predictable behavior.
Religion/Myth: Kaulu (Polynesian trickster god); Blue-Jay (among Pacific Northwest Indians, a trickster who tries to the other animals); Spider Woman (trickster among the Dakota Indian tribes); Seth (ancient Egyptian god of chaos and adversity); Esu (West African god of passage and trickster who guards the home of the gods).
Rebel (Anarchist, Revolutionary, Political Protester, Nonconformist, Pirate)
. Whether politically inclined like Martin Luther King, Jr., Betty Friedan, or Lech Walensa, or an artistic innovator such as Van Gogh, Joyce, or Coltrane, the Rebel is a key component of all human growth and development. The Rebel in a support group can be a powerful aid in helping the group break out of old tribal patterns. It can also help you see past tired preconceptions in your field of professional or creative endeavor. The Rebel can also lead you to reject spiritual systems that do not serve your inner need for direct union with the Divine and to seek out more appropriate paths.
Religion/Myth: Iblis/Lucifer (in Muslim/Christian belief, a rebellious angel who refused to worship Adam or acknowledge the supremacy of God).
Mentor (Master, Counselor, Tutor)
A Mentor is a teacher in whom you can place your implicit trust. The word comes from the character in The Odyssey to whom Odysseus, on setting out for Troy, entrusted the care of his house and the education of his son, Telemachus. Today the role of Mentor is crucial in a surprising range of life situations, from many forms of art and artisanship to business and spiritual practice. Mentors do more than just teach; they pass on wisdom and refine their students' character.
Religion/Myth: Krishna (in Indian scripture, the spiritual mentor of Arjuna); Chiron (in Greek myth, a wise centaur who had extensive knowledge of the healing arts and tutored Asclepius, Theseus, and Achilles); Ninsun (in Sumerian legend, the mother of Gilgamesh who serves as his counselor).
Martyr
The Martyr archetype: political or religious figure, Suffering so that others might be redeemed, whether that redemption take a spiritual or political form, is among the most sacred of human acts.
Religion/Myth: Many Christian saints, including the Apostles; Mansur al-Hallaj (10th-century Sufi mystic martyred for his belief that God existed within him).
http://www.meta-religion.com/Psychia...archetypes.htm
The Serpent
The snake or serpent (or dragon) is such a potent image in creation myths that it is found in almost every religious and belief system in the world. It is the primordial being, the still undivided unity that held sway before the creation of the world. It is said to know all mysteries, and is linked to the gift of prophecy. There is a technique in Eastern religions known as raising the kundalini (serpent fire), which is designed to arouse the dormant power inherent in all and is available when we make a commitment to the development, which brings us into contact with the Divine.
Lunar Significance-the serpent has a direct connection with the feminine principle of God. Like the moon that is gradually diminished and then slowly renews itself, so the serpent sheds its skin and becomes a symbol of death and resurrection and the cycle of life.
-From the essence of Gnostics by Bernard Simon
5. What culture, country and people worshipped this Deity originally, and when:
Canaanite/Ugaritic Mythology, possibly Greece, Rome (Gnosticism)
7.Are there particular situations that this Deity specializes in? Example: war, sewing, dancing – etc.
Finding enlightenment, gaining self-esteem, possibly love-Venus association

8. Deity Correspondences: (correspondences are items/feelings/times/creatures, etc that are associated with a Deity and usually incorporated into rituals performed to honor them or are seen as ‘signs’ or favorites of the Deity) For example:

Color: Blue, gold, silver, white
Season: fall
Foods: My hypothesis: Traditional foods offered to deities during the time periods he is from, foods assocated with the solar deities, and foods associated with the Fall.
Time of Day: 15 minutes before sun set or sun rise
Time of Year: early fall –most visible
Cardinal Direction: East, West
Herb: My guess is mullein leaf. It is associated with courage, love, and divination.
Flower: My hypothesis: Morning Glories- they are blue, they rise about the time of his star, and hey the name says it all.
Tree: cedar
Tool: He has often been depicted with a scepter or a trident. Also, wands or athemes could work since they share the elements he is associated with: wand-air, and atheme- fire
Musical Instrument: Drums- the morning star is often painted on Chinese drums
Day of the week: Saturday
"The growing darkness reaches its greatest intensity on the day of Venus (Friday) and changes into Lucifer on Saturday."
(vol. 13 p. 301) –Carl Jung
Planet: Venus

9. Holidays of the Deity:
Days special to Venus, such as the Venus transit.
10. Story of the Deity’s conception, birth, life, death etc.
Athirat (Asherah, Ashtartian - 'the Lady of the Sea', Elat - 'the goddess')
El's loving consort and is protective of her seventy children who may also be known as the gracious gods, to whom she is both mother and nursemaid. Her sons, unlike Baal initially, all have godly courts. She frequents the ocean shore. In the Syrian city of Qatra, she was considered Baal-Hadad's consort. While washing clothing with a female companion by the sea, she is spied by El, who roasts a bird and invites the two to choose between being his daughters or his wives. They choose to become his wives and in due course give birth to the gracious gods, the cleavers of the sea, including Shachar and Shalim. The new family builds a sanctuary in the desert and lives there for eight years.
El - (also called Latipan, and possibly Dagon)
He is known as the Father of the gods, 'the father of mankind', the 'Bull', and 'the creator of creatures'. He is grey haired and bearded and lives at Mt. Lel. He is a heavy drinker and has gotten extremly drunk at his banquets. As a young god, he went out to the sea and, spying two ladies, one of whom is presumably Athirat, becomes aroused, roasts a bird and asks the two to choose between being his daughters or his wives. They become his wives and in due course they give birth to Shachar, Shalim, and possibly other gracious gods, who could be Athirat's seventy children and/or much of the rest of the pantheon. The new family raises a sanctuary in the desert and lived there for eight years.

For more information on Canaanite mythology: http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/canaanite-faq.html#A2

11. Deity’s companions and/or mates:
Dianna, possibly Sophia (some Gnostics thought that the merging or marriage of Sophia with the Messiah would bring about the salvation of humanity).










Lucifer Report

Outline:
History
- Canaanite/Ugaritic Mythology-twin brothers (morning and evening), confusion over Helel (was son), not sure about rebellion story-may have been added later.
- In the Bible-mistranslation, Lucifarians, role of devil-attorney for god-not Lucifer
- Greek and Roman –mention name translation, role of the day star here, twin gods who were the same god, was he a real god?
- Gnostics-mixing of pagan and Christian beliefs, influence of pagan gods on the serpent (Prometheus, Apollo, maybe Lucifer), Jesus as later incarnation of savior god sent by Sophia (wisdom).
- Middle ages-King James, Milton, ect-Lucifer becomes the devil
- Age of Enlightenment-literature (Blake), religion (theosophy)-influenced by Gnosticism
- Neo-Pagan roots-Leland-mixture of the god and the rebel angle-influenced Valintie-Charge of the Goddess and the God

Today
-Jung-archetype of Lucifer
-Reemergence of Gnosticism
-Tradition of Wicca based on Aradia
-Satanism and Wicca-common roots, different varieties, mixing, denial

In Worship
-associations, a sample ritual




In the Beginning-Canaan- Phoenician
The story of the god Lucifer starts over three thousand years ago in Ugarit, Syria, a Canaanite city. Here, we find Shaher, the personification of the morning star who heralds in the sun. He and his twin brother, Shalim-the evening star, may have been two aspects of the same god. Shaher was born of two very important deities, El and Athirat. El was the supreme father/creator god. He was depicted as an older man with gray hair and beard. Athirat was the 'Lady of the Sea' . “While washing clothing with a female companion by the sea, she is spied by El, who roasts a bird and invites the two to choose between being his daughters or his wives. They choose to become his wives and in due course give birth to the gracious gods, the cleavers of the sea, including Shachar and Shalim. The new family builds a sanctuary in the desert and lives there for eight years.”
According to later legend, Helel (Shaher’s son) or Shaher himself sought the throne of the chief god and was cast down into the abyss because of this. El, Elyon, and Shahar are members of the Canaanite pantheon, while the "mount of meeting" is the abode of the gods, which corresponds to Mount Olympus in Greek mythology. There are, however, no Canaanite sources that tell about Helel ben Shahar or a revolt against Elyon.
In the Torah
We know that the Hebrews lived in the Canaan area long before they were monotheistic (we know that complete monotheism was not excepted until at lest 600 B.C.), and that they borrowed much of their holy writing from other pagan religions (the flood story, poems in praise of God-Egyptian, biblical wisdom-Egypt and Babylonia, golden cow was baal). There is evidence that many, if not most, common Hebrews worshiped deities from local pantheons. Shaher’s mother, Athirat, was a very widely worshiped goddess with beginnings in Sumner. Thousands of figurines of this goddess from the Israelite period have been found in Hebrew houses. She was the “all mother” and had many associations and therefore titles such as Lady of the Sea, Labi´atu, the Lion Lady (She was represented as a lion with a human female head in the Sinai, from an early find.), the Lady of of the Stars of Heaven and the Queen of Heaven, and the Tree of Life. “Again from finds from the Sinai, She is called Dat ba'thani, Lady of the Serpent. Another name of ´Asherah in the first milleneum BCE is Chawat, which is Hawah in Hebrew and Eve in English. Her full title is Rabat Chawat ´Elat, Great Lady Eve the Goddess, and is associated with the serpent. Thus, Chawa/ Eve is probably a form of ´Asherah as a Serpent Goddess. As a snake goddess, She was also represented by bronze serpent forms, examples of which have been found in archaeological excavations in the Levant. In fact the Nehush-tan, literally the Bronze Serpent which in traditional Jewish myth is associated with Moses, is much more likely an emblem of ´Asherah. It too was removed from the Jerusalem temple the same time as the ´asherah objects”.
Shaher too appears in the Torah, but only as an allusion used to celebrate the “fall” of a Babylonian King, Tiglath-pileser III. ). “Isaiah 14, taken as a whole, is a parable, or prophecy of denunciation against the Kings of Babylon, specifically Tiglath-pileser III 3 In verse 12, the prophet characterizes the arrogance of Tiglath-pileser III as if the king had thought himself fit to appear in the sky as the morning star, but has fallen to earth, being brought low by the vengeance of the Lord against those who would exalt themselves and persecute the Lord's people (i.e., the Israelites).”

How art thou fallen from heaven
O day-star, son of the morning! (Helel ben Shahar)
How art thou cast down to the ground,
That didst cast lots over the nations!
And thou saidst in thy heart:
'I will ascend into heaven,
Above the stars of God (El)
Will I exalt my throne;
And I will sit upon the mount of meeting,
In the uttermost parts of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will be like the Most High (Elyon).'
Yet thou shalt be brought dow to the nether-world,
To the uttermost parts of the pit."
- Isaiah 14:12-15



Later authors, such as St. Jerome, associate Ezekial 28:13-15 with Lucifer, the greatest of the fallen angels. It has been argued that this passage was actually addressed to Nebuchadrezzar.
"You were in Eden, the garden of God;
Every precious stone was your adornment:
Carnelian, chrysolite, and amethyst;
Beryl, lapis lazuli, and jasper;
Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald;
And gold beautifully wrought for you,
Mined for you, prepared the day you were created.
I created you as a cherub
With outstretched shielding wings;
And you resided on God's holy mountain;
You walked among stones of fire.
You were blameless in your ways,
From the day you were created
Until wrongdoing was found in you
By your far-flung commerce
You were filled with lawlessness
And you sinned.
So I have struck you down
From the mountain of God,
And I have destroyed you, O shielding cherub,
From among the stones of fire."


Satan in the Torah
While Lucifer, even as Shaher, only appears in the Torah as an allusion, Satan is an established character, however, he is not the enemy of God. He is an angel of God whose job is that of the adversary of humanity. It is his job to test us, and to accuse us. According to jhkdsjhfdskjhds he is best described as Gods attorney.

Lucifer in the Bible
In the early centuries (1-4) AD the Torah was translated into Greek to accompany the new teaching of Jesus. When the Hebrew expression Helel Ben Shacher (bright son of the morning star) was translated it became Phosphorus (Greek for morning star). A little later, it was translated from Greek to Latin. This is where the confusion begins. The Greek Phosphorus translated to the Latin Lucifer. Many scholars are of the opinion that there was a simple mistake, and the lowercase Lucifer became the upper case Lucifer, and thusly was thought to be a name. However, it just so happens that St. Jerome (who is mostly responsible for the mistranslation) had an enemy with the name Lucifer. “called Lucifer Calaritanus (d. c.370), bishop of Cagliari, Sardinia, was a fierce opponent of the heresy of Arianism (first proposed early in the 4th century by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius, who taught that Christ is not truly divine but a created being). To further his rigorously orthodox views, Lucifer Calaritanus founded the Luciferians, a sect that survived in scattered remnants into the early 5th century.” There is a good chance that Jerome (who feverously attacked the Luciferians) gave the word an uppercase L on purpose.

The story of the fallen angel is not found anywhere in the Bible. The closest reference is the mistranslation of Isaiah 14:12. The belief in a fallen angel is most likely taken from Hebrew, and later Christian, heresy based on old pagan stories such as that of Shacher.


Lucifer in Greece and Rome

Greece:
Translated: The evening star, called Hersperos
We do not know if the ancient Greeks worshiped or thought of Hersperos as a real god. Most of the fragments we have that mention him either in reference to a celestial body or as a mythological figure come from Rome rather than Greece, and the Romans seem to have been just as confused about this as we are.
In Greek poetry and mythology, the morning/evening star is called “HESPEROS, of the dusk, in his role as the god of the evening star, and EOSPHOROS, the dawn-bringer, as the god of the morning star”. Here, again, we have twin gods who are in fact one and the same. In Greek vase-paintings (like the one I have presented) the god was depicted as having “a youthful face, shining in the heavens, or as a winged god with a starry oreale encircling his head”. He was born of EOS, the goddess of the dawn. There is dispute over the father. Among those given credit for this role are: ASTRAIOS (who was “one of the TITAN-god of the stars, astronomy and the ancient art of astrology”), hdsjhfsjdhfkdshfkdsjhfkjdshf. Those counted among his offspring include: CEYX, DAIDALION, HESPERIS, and LEUKONOE.
"The fourth star is that of Venus [Aphrodite], Luciferus [Hesperos] by name. Some say it is Juno’s [Hera's]. In many tales it is recorded that it is called Hesperus, too. It seems to be the largest of all stars. Some have said it represents the son of Aurora [Eos] and Cephalus, who surpassed many in beauty, so that he even vied with Venus [Aphrodite], and, as Eratosthenes says, for this reason it is called the star of Venus. It is visible both at dawn and sunset, and so properly has been called both Luciferus and Hesperus.” –Hyginus Astronomica 2.42 Latin Mythography C2nd AD
“But we must not fail to mention what the myths relate about Atlas and about the race of the Hesperides. The account runs like this: In the country known as Hesperitis there were two brothers whose fame was known abroad, Hesperos and Atlas. These brothers possessed flocks of sheep which excelled in beauty and were in colour of a golden yellow, this being the reason why the poets, in speaking of these sheep as mela, called them golden mela. Now Hesperos begat a daughter named Hesperis, who he gave in marriage to his brother and after whom the land was given the name Hesperitis; and Atlas begat by her seven daughters, who were named after their father Atlantides, and after their mother Hesperides.” –Diodorus Sicululs 4.26.2 [Diodorus here gives his own rational interpretation of the myth]
"The light that shone on that bridal bed [of Helios the Sun & Klymene, wed after sunset, for Helios could not attend his own wedding and be in the sky at the same time] come from the starry train; and the star of Kypris [Aphrodite], Eosphoros [the Star Venus], herald of the union wove a bridal song. Instead of the wedding torch, Selene sent her beams to attend the wedding." -Dionysiaca 38.135
Rome:
Translated: light-bringer, called Lucifer
Lucifer, in the Roman pantheon, is the father of Ceyx. He is the son of Aurora, whom according to legend spawned many deities. Lucifer literally means "light bearer," there is no evil or dark side to his nature. He is the illumination of the soul, and guide of the Mysteries. He is similar to the Celtic God, Bel.


Lucifer in Gnosticism:

Though we do not know Lucifer’s status as a god in the Greco-Roman Pagan religions, we do know that he was worshiped in the form of the serpent in various Gnostic sects. Gnosticism refers to a grouping of mystery religions that focused on salvation thought gnosis (knowledge of the Devine though experience of revelation). This term can be applied to many diverse sects. In general, Gnosticism appears to have been a mix of Jewish, pagan, and Christian thought with some sects leaning more towards one of these. Most believed that there is one unknowable god/dess from which all the other gods or Aeons emanated. Sophia (who’s name means wisdom) was the last Aeon to emanate, and therefore the furthest from the unknowable God. In an attempt to reunite with him, she creates another aeon, but he is not a true god. He is flawed and evil, and becomes the creator of, and god of this world. He believes that he is the one true god, but everything he creates is flawed and soulless without Sophia’s help. Some believed that she breathed spirit into his creations and others that she herself was trapped inside the matter that he used to make them. At lest three Gnostic sects worshiped the serpent as the source of forbidden knowledge. They believed that he was sent by Sophia to the garden to save humanity from the evil god that enslaved them. By showing them their inner divinity, he helped them come closer to gnosis or union with the Divine. In Gnostic belief, this is the same role that Jesus plays. He is a holy man, angle, or aeon who is sent to teach humanity about their divinity. Thus, some believed that the serpent and Jesus were brothers, or even personifications of the same being.














It is known that Doreen Valiente borrowed the Charge and altered it from the Gospel of the Witches. Within this text, Lucifer is said to be the father of the Witch Goddess, Aradia. He is the consort of Diana, and also her brother. This makes sense because Lucifer is a God of light, and Diana is a lunar Goddess of the night. The sybmolism is of opposites attracting to form creation.

"Diana greatly loved her brother Lucifer, the god of the Sun and of the Moon, the god of Light (Splendor), who was so proud of his beauty, and who for his pride was driven from Paradise.”

Diana had by, her brother a daughter, to whom they gave the name of Aradia [i.e. Herodias]." - The Vangelo, Leland.




Stregheria
Diana and DianusThe main Deities in the Stregheria Tradition are the Gods Diana and Dianus (pronounced dee-ana and dee-an-us). The creation myth of the Vangelo delle Streghe (Gospel of the Witches) states that Diana was the first created before all creation. She existed as chaos, and having in herself the seeds of all creation yet to come. It is said that out of herself, she divided into the darkness and the light. She, Diana being the darkness, and her brother and son, Dianus (or commonly known as Lucifer - "light bearer") was the light. When Diana saw the light, she saw it was beautiful, as she had existed before the light, before the darkness; before all creation. She longed for the light, with great desire, and wished to receive the light into herself so that light and dark could be one again. This desire that was, became the first dawn. But Dianus fled from Diana, and fled to the furtherest depths of the universe. In this part of the myth, the desire is the first dawn, cause light to cast across the heavens, just as the sun rising cause the light to become more and more stronger. The next part of the myths explains how Diana went to the "Fathers and Mothers of the Beginning"; which can be seen as Diana consulting her higher self, in order to be with Dianus. Diana is told that she must fall; to become the greatest of Goddesses she must first become mortal. Some say she fell through the Seven Planes of the Physical (Divine, Monadic, Egoic, Soular, Astral, Mental, Emotional, Physical). It can also be seen in a Kabbalistic manner - that she fell through the 10 Sephira into Malkuth (the physical realm). The Vangelo describes this fall in extremely symbolic terms. Both Diana and Dianus had descending into the material world. Diana took the form of a cat in order to become close to Dianus. For Dianus had a cat that he loved, and slept on his bed with him every night. But this cat was actually a fairy, but he did not know this. So, Diana persuaded the cat the change forms with her. Diana then lay with her brother, and as darkness made her resume her own form, she made passionate love to Dianus, and thus by him became the Mother of Aradia. In the morning, Dianus found that light had been conquered by the dark, Dianus was extremely angry. But Diana soothed him by singing a charm and "her voice was as the buzzing of bees. And then Diana sat at Her spinning wheel and began to spin the thread of life, and the God turned the wheel." Diana had soothed her brother by using the power of sound (sound is a vibration) to set the universe into motion. Vibrations are movement of energy, and it was these first vibrations that Diana created the universe. The names Diana and Dianus are often associated with the Old Religion in Italy. Dianus is the nature God, associated with the woods, herds, fertility and so on. He was presents at the rites to Diana, in the sacred Oak groves at Lake Nemi. He is also known as Verbius, and is linked to the title Rex Nemorensis. Over time, he became to be associated with Janus, the God of portals/doorways. Janus was a Solar God, and thus Dianus had taken over that role, to become aligned with the Lunar aspect of Diana (one would presume. Janus carried a whip and a rod, which could usher in, or drive away non-initiates that may wonder too close to the sacred grove. Dianus, as the guardian Rex Nemorensis, is easily linked to Janus, in this aspect. In the Aridian Tradition, Diana and Dianus would be two parts of the Divine One Great Spirit. Usually, Dianus is visualized as a Stag God, or a man with antlers.


Aradia :
A champion Italian Goddess sworn to protect her people against the aggression of masculine faith and its persecutors during the reign of medieval terror. The original Aradia was a female Christ figure in Italy who taught around 1353. She was imprisoned more than once, escaped several times and eventually disappeared. The second Aradia you will hear about is Leland's Aradia, a book detailing information from an Italian Gypsy Witch. The third Aradia is the daughter of Diana and Lucifer (God of the Sun). She is considered the Queen of the Witches.

Sources and links with more info::
http://www.fabrisia.com/aradia.htm
http://www.chaosmoon.com/dianadianus.htm
http://www.light-bringer.com/Gnosis/...and_venus.html
http://www.lds-mormon.com/lucifer.shtml
http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/LuciferandSatan.html
http://www.boudicca.de/jinx-e.htm
http://myst.freehomepage.com/aradia.html
http://www.wisdomworld.org/additiona...Reverence.html
http://66.90.77.92/Ouranos/Hesperos.html
http://www.arcadiaesoterica.it/lucifer.html
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/2938/majdei.html
http://www.deliriumsrealm.com/deliri...gy/lucifer.asp
http://www.mystae.com/restricted/str...s/serpent.html
http://www.geocities.com/darkmage71/...n/ugaritic.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/sumer-faq.html#A1.6
http://www.fabrisia.com/aradia.htm

Books:
The Dark Archetype by Denise Dumars and Lori Nyx
The Essence of Gnosticism by Bernard Simon
Aradia: Gospel of the Witches