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Cover of: Phikola, a Mysterious Goddess at Phlya
M. David Litwa

Phikola, a Mysterious Goddess at Phlya

Section: Articles
Volume 2 (2016) / Issue 2, pp. 279-293 (15)
Published 09.07.2018
DOI 10.1628/219944616X14655421286211
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    CC BY-SA 4.0
  • 10.1628/219944616X14655421286211
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Summary
A gnostic Christian writer (called 'Sethian' by the author of the Refutation of All Heresies) describes a painting showing an old man with an erect penis chasing a dogshaped or dog-faced woman (Refutation 5.20.7). For a long time in scholarship the old man has been identified with the Orphic god Phanes. In contrast, this paper presents evidence for identifying him as a form of Hermes. In turn, the woman (called 'περεη Phikola') is identified with a Thessalian version of the goddess Hekate (Einodia). Accordingly, it is suggested that περεη should be emended to φερα&#943η, the Pheraian goddess. The sexual encounter of the Thessalian Hekate and Hermes (the 'Word') proved useful for depicting the Word's entry into the dark and watery womb in Sethian soteriology.