SCCLA Greek Gods and Mortals - key terms

eusebeia (εὐσέβεια)

Piety / proper religious respect — showing appropriate respect, honour, and devotion toward the gods.

asebeia (ἀσέβεια)

Impiety / religious disrespect — failing to show proper respect toward the gods or violating religious expectations.

hubris (ὕβρις)

Excessive pride / overstepping — behaving beyond appropriate human limits, particularly by challenging or disrespecting the gods.

nemesis (νέμεσις)

Retribution / divine justice — punishment or consequences that follow excessive or wrongful behaviour.

timē (τιμή)

Honour / status — the respect, recognition, or status owed to a person or deity.

charis (χάρις)

Favour / reciprocal goodwill — a relationship of giving and receiving favour, gifts, or benefits between gods and mortals.

hiketeia (ἱκετεία)

Supplication — the act of approaching a more powerful person or deity and pleading for protection, mercy, or help.

hiketēs (ἱκέτης)

Suppliant — a person who approaches someone more powerful to seek protection, mercy, or assistance.

moira (μοῖρα)

Fate / allotted portion — the fate or destiny assigned to an individual, representing limits on mortal and sometimes divine action.

miasma (μίασμα)

Ritual pollution — spiritual/religious contamination caused by certain actions that can require purification.

katharsis (κάθαρσις)

Purification — the process of removing ritual pollution or restoring religious cleanliness.

hieros (ἱερός)

Sacred / holy — something associated with the gods or possessing religious significance.

temenos (τέμενος)

Sacred precinct — an area of land set apart as sacred to a deity.

thysia (θυσία)

Sacrifice — a religious offering made to a deity, often involving an animal.

spondē (σπονδή)

Libation — a ritual pouring of liquid, often wine, as an offering to a deity.

anathema (ἀνάθημα)

Dedicated offering — an object given or dedicated to a deity as part of religious worship.

mantikē (μαντική)

Divination — the practice of seeking knowledge of the divine will or future through signs or religious practices.

manteia (μαντεία)

Prophecy / divination — communication or revelation concerning the will or intentions of the gods.

theophany (θεοφάνεια)

Manifestation of a god — an occasion where a deity appears or reveals themselves to mortals.

epiphaneia (ἐπιφάνεια)

Divine manifestation / appearance — the appearance or visible revelation of a deity.

theos (θεός)

God / deity — a divine being worshipped within Greek religion.

theoi (θεοί)

Gods / deities — the plural term for the gods of Greek religion.

aretē (ἀρετή)

Excellence / virtue — the qualities that make someone excellent or outstanding, particularly in relation to human achievement.

sōphrosynē (σωφροσύνη)

Moderation / self-control — exercising restraint and avoiding excessive behaviour.

kosmos (κόσμος)

Order / ordered universe — the idea of an ordered arrangement or harmonious structure, including the cosmic order.

xenia (ξενία)

Sacred guest-host relationship — the obligations and mutual respect between hosts and guests, protected by Zeus.