From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A pantheon (from Greek Πάνθειον[1] - pantheion, literally "a temple of all gods", neut. of πανθεῖος - pantheios, "of or common to all gods", from πᾶν - pan, "all" + θεῖος - theios, "of or for the gods", from θεός - theos, "god") is a set of all the gods of a particular polytheistic religion or mythology.

Max Weber's 1922 opus, Economy and Society discusses the link between a pantheon of gods and the development of monotheism.

Pantheon can also refer to a temple or sacred building explicitly dedicated to "all deities", avoiding the difficulty of giving an exhaustive list. The most famous such structure is the Pantheon of Rome, built in the year 27 BC. The building was dedicated to "all gods" as a gesture embracing the religious syncretism in the increasingly multicultural Roman Empire, with subjects worshipping gods from many cultures and traditions. The building was later renovated for use as a Christian church in 609 under Pope Boniface IV.

Specific pantheons

• Sumerian pantheon
• Egyptian pantheon
• Armenian pantheon
• Incan Pantheon
• Greek pantheon
• Roman pantheon
• Germanic pantheon
  • Norse pantheon
• Celtic pantheon
• Slavic pantheon
• Hindu pantheon
  • Rigvedic pantheon
• Japanese pantheon
• Japanese Buddhist pantheon
• Aztec pantheon
• Mayan pantheon
• Native American pantheon
• African pantheons
• Guanche pantheon

Fictional pantheons

Certain works of fiction and fictional universes include their own complete pantheons of gods, such as the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Dragonlance books, and various Dungeons & Dragons universes. Also, the Discworld series has its own pantheon of gods, each taking up a specific area (such as Anoia, Goddess of Jammed Drawers), and many of them parodies of Greek, Roman and Egyptian gods such as Sobek, Dionysus and Athena

Figurative use

Since the 16th century the word has also been used in a secular sense, meaning a set of exalted people. This meaning, in modern parlance, is often used to describe the rise of a person into that exalted group, e.g., "Mick Jagger has joined the pantheon of rock megastars."

References

• Wrigley, Richard & Craske, Matthew (2004), Pantheons transformations of a monumental idea. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., ISBN 0754608085.

From Wikiquote

A god (or goddess) in polytheistic religions is a supernatural being that is worshipped by humans. The gods are immortal.

Sourced

• This fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
  • Demetrius, Acts 19:24-26

• And now I will try to defend myself against them: these new accusers must also have their affidavit read. What do they say? Something of this sort: - That Socrates is a doer of evil, and corrupter of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods of the state, and has other new divinities of his own.
  • Socrates, [1]
  • [2]

• I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy.
  • Socrates, [3]

• Still I hear a voice saying that the gods cannot be deceived, neither can they be compelled. But what if there are no gods? or, suppose them to have no care of human things.
  • Plato » The Republic » Adeimantus
  • Adeimantus in The Republic

• Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not or of what sort they may be, because of the obscurity of the subject, and the brevity of human life.
  • Protagoras, [4]

• The gods of the Greeks and Romans and other nations were gods guilty of rape, murder, theft and every other kind of wickedness.
  • [5]

• Nevertheless they could never be imagined save in the most radiant bloom of youth. For the Hellenic idea of god this is very significant and serves as a symbol of their peculiar essence. Other peoples have felt no compunction in thinking of their deity as old, indeed as very ancient; no image could more forcefully suggest the venerable wisdom they possessed. But for the Greek his inmost feelings resisted such a notion. For him old age was a condition of the weariness, impoverishment, and darkening of nature, that vital and holy nature from which he could never at all separate the spirit. Even the highest wisdom must belong not to a region beyond life but to life's most buoyant energy, and knowledge must dwell not on the hoary countenance turned away from the world but on the bright and youthful brow and the blooming lips of Apollo.
  • Walter Friedrich Otto, The Homeric Gods: The Spiritual Significance of Greek Religion, trans. Moses Hadas (London: Thames and Hudson, 1954)

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Gods
Developer(s)	The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher(s)	Mindscape
Release date(s)	1992
Genre(s)	Action, Platform
System(s)	Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, Genesis, SNES, Acorn Archimedes

Gods is an action platform game created by The Bitmap Brothers. The game has similar gameplay elements to that of Contra, Blackthorne, Mega Man, Prince of Persia, and The Lost Dwarves.

Story

The following is from the SNES version of the instruction manual. A city lost in legend.

An unconquered warrior seeking reward.

A challenge laid down by the Gods.

The greatest prize of all - immortality.

4 great events combine to bring forth a burning legend.

Relive that legend.

Who would have thought that a man would be so foolish or so daring as to accept a challenge set down by the Gods? And yet one came forward to claim the right to test his skills and strengths against a city so legendary its name alone struck fear in the hearts of all who heard it spoken.

Firstly, let us talk of this city.

None can be sure that the city even exists for no one has ever seen it. It was build by the Gods, a plaything, great temples, hidden underworlds, fiendish labyrinths and soaring towers. It is a city stolen by the forces of darkness, the abode of nightmare hosts, the dwelling of fearsome monsters, the dominion of four great guardians.

Secondly, who is the hero?

Has anyone matched him in battle? No. Has he ever turned aside from his sole quest? Never. Is he not therefore a hero among heroes? Undoubtedly.

In his travels our warrior has become skilled in all the weapons of war; he is strong and unflinching. What of all the prizes of the world does he seek? He wishes to join those fickle masters of the human race - the Gods themselves.

Thirdly, I shall recount the challenge of the Gods.

Were the Gods only joking when they laid their challenge? Uncaring and unthinking on Mount Olympus, they thought that no one would hear their rash words.

Any man may earn through skill and courage a single favor of the Gods, if he will face the fear of the ancient city and slay the four great guardians who have stolen our citadel from us.

Through their contempt for man did they not bring about their own undoing? For never before had such an untamed reward been offered to the mortals. But who from the ranks of man would face destruction at such odds? Surely none.

Only One.

Finally, what did the hero ask of the Gods.

Immortality breeds contempt and the Gods, so long uncaring for the events of man, know nothing of the exploits of our hero. He stands before them showing neither fear nor disdain and asks the Gods that should he return, fulfilling completely their quest, he will join them as an equal and a brother.

The horror, the impertinence, the mistake realized too late, the gateway lies open to their domain where no mortal man has ever trod before.

But the world of the Gods may not be broken and only the hope of the hero's failure comforts them as the warrior departs for the City of Legends, preparing to carve one more story on its walls...

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