8/1/12

Goddess of the Week: Hera

Hera Campana. Marble, Roman copy of an helleni...
Hera Campana. Marble, Roman copy of an hellenistic original, 2nd century AD (?). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I think we need a goddess for the Olympics, don't you?  I give us Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage.

In the ancient games, women were neither allowed to compete nor watch the Olympics.  If you even tried you would be thrown off a cliff and killed.

Eventually, however, the Greeks came up with a female equivalent that they called Hera's games.  Like the original Olympics, Hera's Games consisted of foot races.  The women's races were a little shorter than the men's, and while the men competed completely naked the women wore stylish little men's tunics.

The winners of Hera's games won laurel crowns and meat, and they got to have their names and likenesses displayed on the wall of Hera's temple.

Most of us, of course, will never compete in the Olympics, and, in fact, most of us will only muster the energy to watch running races for a few weeks every four years. But, in our ways, we all run races and even marathons.  So channel this goddess when the races seems too long and too hard or, frankly, when you need a new bra. You don't want the sisters flopping all about.  Invest wisely. Insist on good support.

Need a goddess? I got goddesse! Post a comment explaining what you need or want a goddess for and I will see what I can find. It's fun! It's free! It's more interesting than volleyball. 

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18 comments:

Heather said...

I need a goddess for creativity. I want to awaken and embrace my creative side, and I'd love to have a goddess' input for that.

Watson said...

I've spent most of my life searching for a good bra. If only I had known about Hera before this.
Daisy's Barbara

Jean Spitzer said...

Good to know.

Cafe Pasadena said...

Olympia isn't the goddess of the Olympics?? ;)

Btw, MF, here's 2 more local blogs I recommend for your blogroll:
AnnErdman.blogspot.com
TalesOfCastleGreen.blogspot.com

Lettuce hope they have a long, prosperous life.

Addey said...

Your last sentence has me laughing. But yes, there are more than just foot races... I think I just ran an entire marathon each day at work this past month.. ugh. I needed Hera this month.

Ms M said...

I didn't know about Hera's Olympics. I'll keep your advice in mind with the next "footrace" I encounter.

Alison said...

Great choice of Goddess...and you are right about marathons not only being for runners!!
Alison xx

Olga said...

Well, I do hope Hera blesses me pretty soon because I have been looking for a new bra for months. I fear my go-to brand and style is no longer available and I have not found a suitable replacement. Oh, for the flat-chested, braless days of my youth!

Anonymous said...

The image I've conjured of the men's race is rather disturbing...

Susan Campisi said...

The image of the sisters flopping all about is also disturbing. But funny, too.

You must be channeling Hera, Margaret, for The Goddess Lounge marathon.

Ann Erdman said...

I'm mesmerized by the beauty of the statue, from hat to hem.

Petrea Burchard said...

I need Hera, too, because I have never, ever, ever, had a good bra. I don't think there is such a thing.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Their bra's must of been made with 100% Egyptian cotton.

I always liked the images of the Minoan girls in their bikinis. Maybe the earlier Crete-ans were a more progressive lot.

TheChieftess said...

You got me with "or frankly, when you need a new bra."
My mom always told me two of the most important things in life were a good bed and well structured bra!!!

Bec said...

"we all run races, even marathons" - so true. And, I hope they got to wear sports bras under those tunics.

Laurie Allee said...

I wonder if they got to keep the tunics?

Love this, Ms. Margaret.

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