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Phikola, a mysterious goddess at Phlya
Litwa, M. David
Litwa, M. David
Author
Abstract
A Gnostic Christian writer (called 'Sethian' by the author of the Refutation of All Heresies) describes a painting showing an old man with an erect penis chasing a dogshaped or dog-faced woman (Refutation 5.20.7). For a long time in scholarship the old man has been identified with the Orphic god Phanes. In contrast, this paper presents evidence for identifying him as a form of Hermes. In turn, the woman (called 'περεη Phikola') is identified with a Thessalian version of the goddess Hekate (Einodia). Accordingly, it is suggested that περεη should be emended to φεραι, the Pheraian goddess. The sexual encounter of the Thessalian Hekate and Hermes (the 'Word') proved useful for depicting the Word's entry into the dark and watery womb in Sethian soteriology.
Keywords
Hermes, Hekate, Brimo, Hippolytos, Gnosis (Gnosticism), Sethians, Orphism, mysteries, Thessaly (ancient), Phyla
Date
2016
Type
Journal article
Journal
Religion in the Roman Empire
Book
Volume
2
Issue
2
Page Range
279-293
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY-SA 4.0
File Access
Open