THE DEATH OF HEPHAESTION RECALLS THE DEATH OF ANTINOUS

THE 10th of November 324 BC is thought to be the day when Hephaestion died in the arms of Alexander the Great. Ancient writers said Hephaestion was "... by far the dearest of all Alexander's companions. He had been brought up with Alexander and shared all his secrets." This friendship lasted throughout their lives, and was compared, by others as well as themselves, to that of Achilles and Patroclus ... and by later generations to Hadrian and Antinous.

10 de novembro de 324 aC é o dia em que Hefestião morreu nos braços de Alexandre, o Grande. Escritores antigos disseram que Hefesto era "... de longe o mais querido de todos os companheiros de Alexandre. Ele havia sido educado com Alexandre e compartilhado todos os seus segredos". Essa amizade durou por toda a vida, e foi comparada, por outros como eles próprios, à de Aquiles e Patroclus ... e por gerações posteriores a Adriano e Antinous.

10 de noviembre de 324 AC es el día en que Hefestión murió en los brazos de Alejandro Magno. Escritores antiguos dijeron que Hefestión era "... de lejos el más querido de todos los compañeros de Alejandro. Había sido educado con Alejandro y compartido todos sus secretos". Esta amistad duró toda su vida, y fue comparada, por otros tanto como ellos mismos, a la de Aquiles y Patroclus ... y por generaciones posteriores a Hadrian y Antinous.

THE SCORPIO NEW MOON THE ZELUS MOON OF ANTINOUS

TONIGHT's Scorpio New Moon  is the darkest and most serious new moon of the year. In Antinous Moon Magic, we call it the ZELUS MOON in honor of the Dark Eros who teaches us to let go of things without fear.

This New Moon usually occurs at or near the cycle of ancient dark festivals which are mirrored in modern Halloween, Samhain, Día de los Muertos, All Souls Day, St. Martin's Processions, Trick-R-Treat and all the other variations of this primeval Dark Moon Lunar Festival.

This is the new moon to focus on death and rebirth. Remember the Phoenix rising from the ashes of its own destruction. It is a time to focus on positive ways to release any negative energies and go forward, transforming fear into magical strength and fortitude.

Each Lunar Phase represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype. The Spirit of the Zelus Moon is the Spirit of Fear. Fear expresses itself in so many ways, through jealousy, envy, rivalry and emotional insecurity.

It is the darkness under the bed or in the bedroom closet when one was a child. It is the fear of the unknown. It is the essence of dread and fear-and-trembling along with anxiety, panic and trepidation.

It is especially the fear of losing something or someone, which sours its energies into jealousy, envy, covetousness and irrational malice.

This Lunar Phase unleashes many powerful energies -- Fear. Phobia. Jealousy. Envy. Covetousness. Fear of losing something. Insecurity.

We all know the icy grasp of Zelus as he clutches our heart with FEAR -- the fear of losing something or someone, losing your life, your possessions, losing a lover to someone else.

It isn't even necessarily about the one that you love, but can also be more focused on those who you think are a threat to your love, those whom you hate because of the love you have for the one you fear to lose.

But it also extends to Envy and Covetousness...jealousy over the recognition given to others, jealousy over the things you have, or the things you want that someone else has...it comes from a sense of insecurity on many levels, not only having to do with love.

Tonight's Scorpio New Moon meditations and rituals should focus on where fear blocks and hinders your spiritual progress. Find and identify the things you fear. Look Zelus in the face and ask him to help you harness and master the powerful energies which he offers you.

For Zelus is not your enemy. He is part of you. Zelus constitutes one of the most powerful energies in your spiritual self. Shunning Zelus and trying to block him out of you life only makes Zelus pound and scratch at the portals to your soul all the more frantically.

Open the portals and allow Zelus inside so as to make yourself complete. Watch in amazement as the Dark Eros morphs into the Light Eros, as fear and envy turn into courage and love.

By befriending and harnessing the powerful energies of Zelus, by making him your spiritual ally and companion, you become a warrior with the SACRED BAND OF THEBES, the Army of Lovers who carry fear as their shield and their buckler.

It's not about being fearless. It's about being able to transform your fear into a mighty force which wins the battle of life.

Zelus energy is not about scaring you to death. It is about LIFE. It is about harnessing fear and doubt and turning them into useful energies in your daily life.

FIGHTING FEAR DURING THE ZELUS MOON By Our Crystal Meditation Adviser Martin Campbell

I feel tonight's ZELUS MOON is rather like a journey. So I have made suggestions for each stage.

Fear - Always a difficult one to suggest a crystal for as there are many which help you deal with, or get fear expressed. This time I suggest Azurite. It is a beautiful stone which can help you to alleviate the feelings of fear through meditating with one. It can also help you to focus on the reality of what you are feeling.  

Jealousy - It can eat away at you... Rather than just accepting this we can use meditation with a Peridot crystal. They form in volcanoes so will help you to focus on and observe your jealousy as it rises in your mind. This focus should help you to be clear what the real cause is.

Suspicion - Once you have analysed your jealousy it is likely that suspicions of other people's higher status, better looks, wealth etc. are why you are becoming jealous. Melanite Garnets will help you to speak the truth and allow the truth to emerge. 

Anxiety - You will feel anxious about these truths being uttered - will you be judged harshly? I would suggest you use Iron Pyrite. These metallic crystal formations (often very geometric) are particularly good if you are a man (especially gay men) because it can help reduce those feelings of inadequacies you may have been feeling in comparison with other men. It will help you to boost your own assessment of your self worth.

Resolution - As you relax after this internal battle with your emotions you will want a feeling of resolution. Among many other attributes Amethyst can help you get rid of negative energy and thoughts. It can also help you transition to a new state of being. Which of course can include transition from this life into the next. So it is also perfect for meditating on the transience of life and the narrowing of the veil between life and death at this time of year.

So your journey has hopefully led you to a place where you can experience fun and deep spirituality at Halloween/Samhain.

Love and Light

MARTIN

To get more advice from Martin Campbell and to find out how to contact him CLICK HERE.

MUNDUS PATET

NOVEMBER 8th in Ancient Rome was Mundus patet: the day when the gate of the underworld is open and dead people return to us.

English: Memento Mori Roman mosaic from Pompeii representing the Wheel of Fortune. The wheel turns. Rich people (symbolized by the purple cloth on the left) become poor. Poor people (symbolized by the goatskin at right) become rich. Both conditions are very precarious. Death is in the balance. Death hangs by a thread: when it breaks, the soul (symbolized by the butterfly) flies off. And thus are all made equal.

Português: 8 de novembro na Roma antiga foi Mundus patet: o dia em que o portão do submundo está aberto e mortos voltar para nós. Mosaico romano de Pompéia representando a Roda da Fortuna. A roda gira, os povos ricos (simbolizados pelo pano roxo na esquerda) tornam-se pobres. Os pobres (simbolizados pela pele de cabra à direita) se tornam ricos. Ambas as condições são muito precárias. A morte é o equilíbrio. A morte pendura por um fio: quando quebra, a alma (simbolizada pela borboleta) voa fora. E assim são todos iguais.

Español: El 8 de noviembre en la Roma antigua fue Mundus patet: el día en que la puerta del mundo subterráneo está abierta y los muertos regresan a nosotros. Mosaico romano de Pompeya que representa la Rueda de la Fortuna. La rueda da vuelta, la gente rica (simbolizada por el paño púrpura en el izquierdo) hace pobre. Los pobres (simbolizados por la piel de cabra a la derecha) se hacen ricos. Ambas condiciones son muy precarias. La muerte es el equilibrio. La muerte cuelga por un hilo: cuando se rompe, el alma (simbolizada por la mariposa) vuela. Y así se hacen iguales.

Français : La mosaïque représente la Roue de la Fortune qui, lorsqu'elle tourne, peut faire du riche (symbolisé par l'étoffe pourpre à gauche) un pauvre, et du pauvre (symbolisé par la peau de chèvre à droite) un riche ; en effet chaque état est très précaire, la Mort est aux aguets à tout moment, et la vie tient à un fil : lorsque ce dernier rompra, l'âme (symbolisée par le papillon) s'envolera. Et tout le monde sera sur un pied d'égalité.

Italiano: Questo mosaico romano rappresenta la ruota della fortuna che, girando su se stessa, può far diventare povero il ricco (simboleggiato dalla stoffa purpurea a sinistra) e ricco il povero (la pelle di capra a destra). Ma l'equilibrio è molto precario: la morte è in agguato in ogni momento e la vita è sospesa ad un filo: quando il filo si spezzerà, l'anima (raffigurata come una farfalla sotto il teschio) volerà via. E, a quel punto, tutti gli uomini saranno uguali.

Deutsch: Das römische Mosaik repräsentiert das Glücksrad / Rad der Fortuna, das wenn es sich dreht die Reichen (symbolisiert durch das purpurrote Tuch links) arm machen kann, und die Armen (symbolisiert durch das Ziegenfell rechts) reich machen kann, aber alles ist sehr prekär, der Tod lauert zu allen Zeiten, und das Leben hängt an einem Faden: wenn dieser reißt, fliegt die Seele (symbolisiert durch den Schmetterling) davon. Und alle werden gleich gemacht.

EXPERTS DECIPHER MAGICAL SPELL BOOK FOUND NEAR ANTINOOPOLIS IN EGYPT

AN ancient Egyptian handbook containing magic spells in use in or near Antinoopolis has been deciphered by Australian scientists.

The Handbook of Ritual Power – as named by the researchers – explains how to cast love spells, exorcise evil spirits and treat 'black jaundice', a fatal infection still present today.

According to Live Science, the text is written in Coptic and the book is made of bound parchmentpapers. It is about 1,300 years old and was first acquired by Macquarie University in 1981 from antiques dealer Michael Fackelmann.

However, where Fackelmann first got the handbook from is unknown.

"The dialect suggests an origin in Upper Egypt, perhaps in the vicinity of Ashmunein/Hermopolis," which is directly across the Nile from Antinoopolis, researchers Malcolm Choat and Iain Gardner wrote in their book A Coptic Handbook of Ritual Power.

Antinoopolis was always a place of "magic, sorcery and strange religious fervor " according to Royston Lambert in his authoritative book about Antinous, BELOVED AND GOD. 

We know that the priests of Antinous wrote a LOVE SPELL. Lambert notes that even to this day local villagers believe the place to be haunted.

The ancient Egyptian magic spell book starts with a long series of invocations, annotated with drawings and "words of power", they say.

"These are followed by a number of prescriptions or spells to cure possession by spirits and various ailments, or to bring success in love and business."

The book, which is 20 pages long, includes a spell about how to control someone. To do this, people must say a magical formula over two nails, then drive them into his doorstop: "One on the right side (and) one on the left."

At the time the book was written, Egyptians had become Christians and it contains several references to Jesus. However, there are also mentions of the Sethians – a group that held the third son of Adam and Eve (Seth) in high regard.

Church leaders thought Sethians to be heretics and by the time the book was written, they had been all but wiped out.

The authors believe the handbook could be a transitional text created before all the Sethian spells had been purged. They told LiveScience they believe the spells were originally from separate books, but were later combined to create a "single instrument of ritual power".

Discussing who might have used the book, Choat said: "It is my sense that there were ritual practitioners outside the ranks of the clergy and monks, but exactly who they were is shielded from us by the fact that people didn't really want to be labeled as a 'magician'."

ANTINOUS IN THE STRANGEST PLACES EVEN AT THE SUPERMARKET

ANTINOUS shows up in the most extraordinary places ... even at the supermarket magazine rack.

Some years ago, Hachette published a magazine series entitled THE GODS OF ANCIENT EGYPT which featured special issues on scores of Egyptian deities ... nearly 100 in all.

Each edition featured a glossy brochure and an epoxy resin figurine in a little plastic "display case." The magazines were widely available at booksellers and newsstands around the world.

Antinous was featured in Issue 88 — possibly the most collectible issue in the whole series.

The Hachette magazines have long since gone out of print, but the figurines are still found on eBay and other online marketplaces.

Antinous is hard to find, but occasionally he turns up and the bidding turns fierce as ANTINOMANIACS fight to possess the little 4.5-inch (14 cm) figurine.

The one pictured here sold on eBay for nearly $50 in "NRFB" condition — "Never Removed From Box."

It is "only a fake" of course. 

But that does not make it any less sacred or magical to anyone who loves Antinous. 

In ancient times, Antinous figurines, images, coins and medallions were prized by his worshipers as a sort of portable Sacred Token or Pocket Shrine.

In his authoritative book about Antinous, BELOVED AND GOD, Royston Lambert points out that in ancient times many followers of the Blessed Youth felt it was necessary to have a tangible representation of Antinous with them at all times for protection and for blessings:

"Some of the devotees evidently could not bear to be parted from the beneficial and reassuring presence of their Antinous and therefore had small, light-weight travelling busts or bronzes made to accompany them on their journeys."

Poor people made do with more crudely made representations, such as coins and figurines and medals made of lead, clay and other base materials. The demand was so great that there was a rife trade in which we would nowadays call "copyright piracy" among artisans turning out "illicitly yet more crude and cheap medallions of this hero whose images, miracles and protection were obviously sought by countless poor folk of faith."


People of modest means who were lucky enough to get their hands on one of his clay figures or commemorative coins would carry them with them for protection, often even wearing them:

"Many were pierced by holes and hung from the neck as talismans: Antinous' image offering protection against evil, sickness and death," says Lambert. 

Other such tiny statuettes, figurines, coins and medallions were placed in portable shrines or pouches or adorned away-from-home altars, and others were buried with the dead "to invoke the god's aid on the perilous journey into the unknown."

We look at the little Hachette Antinous figurine and see only a cheap epoxy resin plastic action figure, crudely hand-painted in some Chinese sweat shop. 

But imagine how the Ancient Priests of Antinous would have gaped in wonder at this little figurine swaddled in cellophane, along with a book of shiny pages unlike any papyrus, pages adorned with inscrutable glyphs and breathtakingly realistic images. 

Where we see ordinary plastic, the Ancient Priests would see a wondrous statuette fashioned in what to them would be a magical putty-like material not like anything found on Earth.

Clearly, it was fashioned by the Gods themselves — clearly, ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD truly is "immanent" (in-dwelling) in this miraculous vessel.

And the Ancient Priests would, of course, be absolutely right. 

HOW A PLASTER HEAD OF ANTINOUS IS MADE

HERE are some stunning photos of how a plaster head of Antinous is made, using a silicone form and water and plaster ... and craftsmanship. CLICK HERE for the artisan's explanation.