This article is about the Thracian goddess. For the surname, see Kotys (surname). For aristocrats named "Kotys", also spelled as "Cotys", see Cotys (disambiguation).
Kotys (Ancient Greek: ΚότυςKótys), also called Kotytto (Κοτυττώ), was a Thracian goddess whose festival, the Cotyttia, resembled that of the PhrygianCybele, and was celebrated on hills with riotous proceedings and orgiastic rites, especially at night.
Greek vase painting depicting a goddess, probably either Bendis or Kotys, adorned in Thracian garb approaching a seated Apollo. Red-figure bell-shaped krater by the Bendis Painter, c. 380–370 BCE
The name Kotys is believed to have meant "war, slaughter", akin to Old NorseHöðr "war, slaughter".[1]
Worshipedit
Worship of Kotys was apparently adopted publicly in Corinth (c. 425 BC),[2][3] and perhaps privately in Athens about the same time, and was connected, like that of Dionysus, with licentious frivolity. It then included a baptismal ceremony. Kotys was often worshipped during nocturnal ceremonies, which were associated with rampant insobriety and obscene behaviour.[4]
Her worship appears to have spread even as far as Italy and DorianSicily. Later relief sculptures from Thrace showed her as a huntress-goddess similar to Artemis, but in literature she was instead compared with the Oriental-Greek-Roman Cybele (Great Mother of the Gods).[5]
Those who celebrated her festival were called βάπται or baptes, which means "bathers,"[6] from the purifications which were originally connected with the solemnity: the pre-worship purification ceremony involved an elaborate bathing ritual.
Some Greeks considered Kotys to be an aspect of Persephone,[7] and her cult shares similarities with that of Bendis. She was particularly worshipped among the Edones.[8] The Suda mentions that she was also worshiped among the Corinthians.[9]
In Literatureedit
Baptae by Eupolis portrays celebrities of the time as worshippers of Kotys who engage in perversion and crossdressing during their acts of worship.[10]
"Comus" by John Milton briefly alludes to Cotytto as a dark-veiled goddess and mysterious dame whose secret flames burns midnight torches.[11]
Algernon Charles Swinburne’s poem “Prelude” in Songs Before Sunrise references Cotys's orgiastic nature and role as a goddess of the Edones in Thrace.[12]
Cotys is the name of the main character in Aleister Crowley’s short story “The Stone of Cybele.” She is not the goddess with the same name, though she bears some similarities, and another character recites poetry about the goddess to her.[13]
Referencesedit
^Also cognate: Irishcath "war, battle", early German Hader "quarrel", Greek kótos "hatred", Old Church Slavonickotora "fight, brawl", Sanskritśatru "enemy, nemesis", and Hittitekattu "spiteful". See Orel, Vladimir. A Handbook of Germanic Etymology. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 2003: 165.
"COTYS (Kotys) - Thracian Goddess of the Wilds", Theoi Project, 2017. Accessed 24 January 2022.
April 12, 2024
kotys, this, article, about, thracian, goddess, surname, surname, aristocrats, named, also, spelled, cotys, cotys, disambiguation, confused, with, cotys, koty, ancient, greek, Κότυς, kótys, also, called, kotytto, Κοτυττώ, thracian, goddess, whose, festival, co. This article is about the Thracian goddess For the surname see Kotys surname For aristocrats named Kotys also spelled as Cotys see Cotys disambiguation Not to be confused with Cotys or Koty Kotys Ancient Greek Kotys Kotys also called Kotytto Kotyttw was a Thracian goddess whose festival the Cotyttia resembled that of the Phrygian Cybele and was celebrated on hills with riotous proceedings and orgiastic rites especially at night Greek vase painting depicting a goddess probably either Bendis or Kotys adorned in Thracian garb approaching a seated Apollo Red figure bell shaped krater by the Bendis Painter c 380 370 BCEContents 1 Etymology 2 Worship 3 In Literature 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksEtymology editThe name Kotys is believed to have meant war slaughter akin to Old Norse Hodr war slaughter 1 Worship editWorship of Kotys was apparently adopted publicly in Corinth c 425 BC 2 3 and perhaps privately in Athens about the same time and was connected like that of Dionysus with licentious frivolity It then included a baptismal ceremony Kotys was often worshipped during nocturnal ceremonies which were associated with rampant insobriety and obscene behaviour 4 Her worship appears to have spread even as far as Italy and Dorian Sicily Later relief sculptures from Thrace showed her as a huntress goddess similar to Artemis but in literature she was instead compared with the Oriental Greek Roman Cybele Great Mother of the Gods 5 Those who celebrated her festival were called baptai or baptes which means bathers 6 from the purifications which were originally connected with the solemnity the pre worship purification ceremony involved an elaborate bathing ritual Some Greeks considered Kotys to be an aspect of Persephone 7 and her cult shares similarities with that of Bendis She was particularly worshipped among the Edones 8 The Suda mentions that she was also worshiped among the Corinthians 9 In Literature editBaptae by Eupolis portrays celebrities of the time as worshippers of Kotys who engage in perversion and crossdressing during their acts of worship 10 Comus by John Milton briefly alludes to Cotytto as a dark veiled goddess and mysterious dame whose secret flames burns midnight torches 11 Algernon Charles Swinburne s poem Prelude in Songs Before Sunrise references Cotys s orgiastic nature and role as a goddess of the Edones in Thrace 12 Cotys is the name of the main character in Aleister Crowley s short story The Stone of Cybele She is not the goddess with the same name though she bears some similarities and another character recites poetry about the goddess to her 13 References edit Also cognate Irish cath war battle early German Hader quarrel Greek kotos hatred Old Church Slavonic kotora fight brawl Sanskrit satru enemy nemesis and Hittite kattu spiteful See Orel Vladimir A Handbook of Germanic Etymology Leiden Netherlands Brill 2003 165 Suda Encyclopedia kappa 2171 Suda Encyclopedia theta 381 Cobham Brewer Ebenezer 1894 Brewer s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable Revised and Updated Edition New York Harper amp Brothers pp 73 Strab x p 470 Hesych Suid s vv Kotys Diaswths Horat Epod 17 56 Juv 2 92 Virg Catal 5 19 baptw Henry George Liddell Robert Scott A Greek English Lexicon on Perseus Bell John 2003 Bell s New Pantheon or Historical Dictionary of the Gods Demi Gods Heroes Kessinger Publishing p 156 ISBN 0 7661 7834 X Detschew Dimiter Die Thrakische Sprachreste Wien 1957 p 258 in German Suda ka 2171 Olson S Douglas 2017 01 01 Text and Commentary on Eupolis frr 1 146 Fragmenta Comica 8 1 Heidelberg Academy Milton John Comus Text milton host dartmouth edu Retrieved 2023 08 09 Swinburne Algernon Charles Prelude Songs Before Sunrise www telelib com Retrieved 2023 08 09 Crowley Aleister 1989 The Golden Twigs ISBN 978 0933429031 Bibliography edit Cotys The Editors Encyclopedia Britannica 31 Oct 2007 Accessed 24 January 2022 Cotys 1 William Smith ed Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology 1 Boston Little Brown amp Co 1867 External links edit COTYS Kotys Thracian Goddess of the Wilds Theoi Project 2017 Accessed 24 January 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kotys amp oldid 1183379004, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
