Goddesses and Gods.wps - Welcome to Our Temple

Artemis: Greek Nature and Moon Goddess. Daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin
sister of Apollo (though a day older). She probably absorbed a pre-Indo-European Sun
Goddess, and her twinning in classical legend with the Sun God Apollo may stem
from this. The Greeks assimilated her to a pre-Greek mistress of wild beasts. Bears
were sacred to her, and she was associated with the constellation Ursa Major.
Astarte: Canaanite version of Ishtar; fertility goddess. Chief goddess of Tyre and
Sidon. Astarte was also the Greek form of the name Ashtart. Tends to merge with
Asherat and Anat, and with the Egyptian Hathor. She came to Egypt; Rameses II built
a temple honoring her, and she and Isis were said to be firm friends.
Athena: Greek, a Warrior Goddess, yet also one of intelligence and the arts of peace.
Protector of towns, above all of Athens.
Banshee: (Bean Sidhe , 'Woman Fairy') Irish. Attached to old Irish families ('the O's
and the Mac's'), she can be heard keening sorrowfully near the house when a member
of the family is about to die. Still very much believed in, and heard.
Bast: Egytian Cat Goddess of Bubastis in the Delta. Originally lion-headed, she
represented the beneficent power of the Sun, in contrast to Sekhmet who personified
its destructive power.
Bean-Nighe: ('Washing Woman') Scottish and Irish. Haunts lonely streams washing
the bloodstained garments of those about to die.
Befana: ('Epiphany') Italian Witch Fairy who flies her broomstick on Twelfth Night
to come down chimneys and bring presents to children.
Binah: ('Understanding') Hebrew. The Supernal Mother, third Sephirah of the
Cabalistic Tree of Life. She takes the raw directionless energy of Chokmah, the
Supernal Father (the second Sephira), and gives it form and manifestation; she is thus
both the Bright Mother, Aima (nourishing) and the Dark Mother, Ama (constricting).
Bona Dea: ('Good Goddess') Roman Earth Goddess of Fertility, worshipped only by
women; even statues of men were covered where her rites took place.
Brighid, Brigid, Brigit, Brid: Irish Goddess of Fertility and Inspiritation, daughter of
the Dagda; called 'the poetess.' Often triple ('The Three Brigids'). Her characteristics,
legends and holy places were taken over by the historical St Bridget.