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The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine
and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and St John The Evangelist
in England and Wales and its Divisions and Conclaves Overseas
Division of Surrey
The Godesses
Within Our Midst
A paper presented by
Ill Kt Laurie Young, Deputy Intendant-General
at the meeting of Archbishop Courtenay Conclave No 409
on Thursday 27th January 2011
The Goddesses Within Our Midst
Worthy Knights, it was whilst listening to and presenting Grand Imperial Conclave Certificates that the
idea for this paper was conceived. During the explanation of the certificate reference is made to the
goddesses, Minerva and Euterpe and also to a lesser extent the god Apollo. All of whom are depicted
on the Triumphal Arch. Considering the fact that we are a Masonic, Military and Christian Order the
question must be asked as to why we are depicting and mentioning Roman gods and goddesses? So,
it is with this question in mind that I have decided to look into the myths and legends of the gods and
their connection with Constantine.
My initial research into Minerva and Euterpe immediately directed me towards both Greek and Roman gods
and goddesses, the Greek myths from the creation out of chaos and the birth of the Olympians, to the
Labours of Hercules, the Trojan War and Odysseus’s Return. I had to keep reminding myself of one wordmyth. It became very clear why the Greeks and Romans worshiped these gods, to them, they were very real
indeed. I decided to start at the beginning, the creation myth, only to find that there are numerous myths of
creation, thereby muddying the water somewhat, but giving people the option of following the path that best
suits their personal beliefs or fitted in with their way of life, nothing changes there!
Following my research I felt that I had begun to understand more about Constantine, who was without
doubt, a great warrior, who would not have flinched from the greatest of challenges, to this end he would
have looked to the gods for their support and guidance and as far as he was concerned they gave him that
support.
Minerva
Amongst these, the Roman goddess Minerva reigned supreme,
she was the virgin goddess of wisdom, medicine, the arts,
dyeing, science and trade and yes you have guessed it, of war.
She is often depicted with an owl, her sacred creature and a
symbol of wisdom. She is the daughter of Jupiter and in the
Temple on Capitoline Hill she was worshiped together with
Jupiter and Juno, with whom she formed a powerful triad of
gods.
Minerva was also the Greek goddess Athena; it would appear
that when the Romans conquered Greece they in time adopted
the Greek gods, changing their names to fit in with their own
beliefs. Much has been written about the goddess Athena. As
the patron deity of the city of Athens, she played an enormous
role in the lives of not only the residents of that illustrious polis
but in many respects the entire Greek speaking world. She
appears in several significant passages of Homers lliad, and she is one of the most influential deities in the
Odyssey in her role as Odysseus’s patron and ally. The poet Hesiod states that Athena emerged from the
head of Zeus; indeed she sprang out fully grown and armed for battle. Furthermore, the legend of her birth
reveals another odd aspect. According to the story Zeus became enamoured with Metis. Together they
conceived a child, but Zeus, fearing that his offspring would be a powerful male god who would eventually overthrow
him, swallowed the pregnant Metis. In time it was Zeus himself who gave birth to a daughter, with the assistance of
Vulcan, who played the part of a midwife by striking Zeus’s head with an axe and thereby releasing Athena.
Euterpe
This instance of Zeus giving birth is not unique as he also gave birth to
Dionysos. Indeed this is significant, as the birth of Athena from the head of
her father emphasizes a couple of important features about the goddess.
The idea that she was born from a male underscores her relationship with
men, both divine and human. In the human realm, Athena consistently
becomes a protector of heroes; while in the divine she completely avoids
sexual liaisons with gods.
Euterpe is one of the nine Muses of Apollo who were born from Zeus and
Mnemosyne after nine nights of passion. Originally three in number, in
400BC the Greeks decided to increase this to nine doubtless to increase
the prowess of Zeus.
Her name means rejoicing well or delight. Euterpe is the muse of music and
lyric poetry, she is also the muse of joy and pleasure and of flute playing
and was thought to have invented the double flute, which is her attribute.
The home of the Muses was Mount Helicon in central Greece, a mountain
that was sacred to the Greek god Apollo, the god of music, the light and
the sun.
Apollo was the main teacher of the Muses and they usually accompanied him and the three Graces (daughters of Jupiter
and Eurynome) on their strolls and loved singing and dancing on soft feet on laurel leaves, while Apollo was playing the
Apollo
lyre. But there is a darker more cruel side to both the Muses and Apollo. On
one instance Apollo invited Marsyas to a music contest, Apollo on his lyre
and Marsyas on a double flute, the Muses were judge and jury. Apollo won
the contest and took a cruel revenge on Marsyas by flaying him alive and
nailing his skin to a pine. Poets always invoked the Muses for inspiration,
but all those who challenged them met a very sad end.
Through the eyes of Constantine and his contemporaries these gods were
powerful beyond belief, on the down side at the battle of Saxa Rubra, the
Emperor Maxentius was doubtless endeavouring to enlist their help also.
Constantine’s prayers though, were answered not by any of these Roman
gods, but by the Great Architect of the Universe, through a pillar of light in
the sky in the shape of a cross with the inscription I.H.S.V. We know through
our ritual this proved to be the inspiration required for Constantine to prove
victorious at Saxa Rubra and other battles. Even so it was not until he was on his death bed, or very near the end of his
life, that he was baptised a Christian.
Ill Kt Laurie Young
Deputy Intendant-General