Aphrodisias, mon amour. How incredibly sweet, playful and
joyful can life be if holistic ("feminine") values are adopted. Where to find
them nowadays with women increasingly follow their "masculine" impulses? Maybe
the "anima-seeking" men could play a role here!
Text
explaining the capitals down under
The text says that these images represent Goddesses and
Gods - like Aphrodite and Apollo - playing in paradise
The unique thing about them is, that Aphrodite and Apollo
are not very much representatives of a vegetation cult, like Dionysos'
It means that both Goddesses and Gods were considered part
of nature, whatever their specific functions
Thus Green Men and Wise Women are indeed descendents of
Goddesses and Gods
The
four seasons
Before the foliate masks of
our medieval churches the vegetation Goddesses and Gods were portrayed in various ways.
Here, the foliage is sprouting out of the earth "giving birth" to the seasons
Dionysos with Phrygian cap and a mask in his hands
Masks in Roman drama
Sarcophage with the owner
identifying himself with a vegetation God. Look at the feet of the images. They have
changed into leaves!
I want to stress the following
here. Green Men as we call them are in Essence vegetation Gods, stemming from the time of
the Great Mother and Her Son/Lovers. Depending on time, situation and local practises
these Green Men were portrayed in different ways. The Essence remained the same, while
their appearence changed. Exactly what can be expected from a "dying and
resurrecting" deity
Eros (form
of Green Man as well) with feet as leaves
Wise women against the
background of the Universal Mother Shell
