1. ZEUS

2. Spheres of Influence WEATHER Zeus < *Dyau- (“bright”)
Zeus Ombrios (“cloudy”)
Zeus Kataibatês (“Who Comes Down)
WAR
aegis
KINGSHIP
Zeus and Moirai
SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Zeus Polios (City)
Zeus Horkios (Oaths)
Zeus Hikesios (Suppliant)
Zeus Xenios (Stranger)
SEXUAL POTENCY
“father of gods and men”

3. xenia theoxenia

4. hieros gamos

5. Prometheus’ Trick at Mycone
SPECIES
FOOD PREPARATION
LONGEVITY
animal
raw meat
short lived
human
cooked meat
longer lived
divinity
incinerated meat (smoke)
immortal
thigh bones, fat, entrails DEITY
victim
meat, viscera MORTAL

6. Zeus Lykaios …the legend that is told of the shrine of
Lykaian Zeus in Arkadia... The story goes
that he who tastes the one bit of human
entrails minced up with those of other
victims [565e] is inevitably transformed
into a wolf. Haven’t you heard the tale?  
—Plato, Republic 565d-e

7. Major Athenian Festivals of Zeus
Bouphonia
“Ox Murder”
May-June
Maimakteria
“Blustering”
October-November
Pompaia
“Procession”
Diasia
“Festival of Zeus”
January-February

8. Bouphonia 14 Skirophorion (May-June) MYTHEME
• Kingship of Erechtheus • ox eats cake meant for Zeus • ox killed by Thaulon, who flees, leaving ax • oracular consultation : eat ox; repeat annually • ox stuffed, later returns to life

9. Athenian Akropolis

10. Bouphonia 14 Skirophorion (May-June) RITUAL
• grain and cakes placed on table-altar at temple of Zeus Polios • oxen driven around table • first ox that eats, sacrificed with double-ax (pelekus) or knife wielded by bouphonos (ox-killer) • bouphonos member of Thaulonidai clan • bouphonos drops ax/knife and runs away • “comedy of innocence” • ax/knife tried, cursed, condemned, thrown into sea • hide of dead ox stuffed

11. Sacred Violence
• myth of voluntary sacrifice • concealment of knife • willingness of victim • victim as initial transgressor (Bouphonia) • transfer of blame from agent to instrument • suppression of depiction of actual kill grief • function of ololugmos fury joy • suppression of depiction of feasting

12. Maimakteria Maimakterion (October-November)
• ram led to altar in procession • sacrifice of ram • animal skinned, fleece (Dios kôidion?) cleaned and preserved

13. Pompaia 16 Maimakterion (October-November)
• purification rituals
• fleece of ram (Dios koidion) sacrificed at Maimakteria (or Diasia?) carried in pompê
• fleece credited with cathartic and other magical qualities
• priest rests left foot on fleece 

14. Diasia 23 Anthesterion (January-February)
• celebrated outside city walls (Ilissos River) • rural/urban participation • bloodless theriomorophic offerings to Zeus Meilikhios • wineless choê • purificatory rituals (miasma) • ram sacrifice; fleece (Dios kôidion) preserved (use in Pompaia?) • major feast • involvement of children

15. Zeus Meilikhios

16. Major Athenian Festivals of Zeus
Bouphonia
“Ox Murder”
May-June
first meat sacrifice
Maimakteria
”Blustering”
October-November
Dios kôidion (?)
Pompaia
”Procession”
magical (animate?) fleece
Diasia
“Zeus Festival”
January-February
vegetable/meat offerings
Dios kôidion