Recognizing the Deity of Compassion in Athens

Membership in the greater Olympian pantheon in Greece was not static. Greeks added or altered myths over generations. So, the view Greeks had of the pantheon changed from 750 BCE. Overall, myths became more nuanced with greater complexity over time. By a thousand years in 250 CE, pantheon followers developed varied outlooks.

Eleos was an understated deity added during this stretch. Eleos had her prime location of worship in Athens, near the Altar of the Twelve Gods. While early gender references for Eleos may have been masculine, later ones were more often feminine. The deity of mercy and compassion had her place within the greater pantheon. Athenians venerated Eleos at The Altar of Pity.

In the earliest Greek writing, compassion wasn't yet personified by deity. In his book, “Acts of Compassion in Greek Tragic Drama,” Johnson discusses the Iliad. Here he refers to eleos as a concept as so aligned during Homer's time. The value of compassion is inherent within early Greek culture. But a recognized deity of compassion comes about afterward.

Later in Rome, after its conquest of Greece, we find written records of Eleos and the Altar of Pity in Athens. Further, Hyginus’ Fabulae, a theogony of the fledgling common era, states Nyx bore Eleos. Eleos' lineage is of the Greek Gods. She is not an imported deity from another culture, such as Isis from Egypt. So, Eleos is recognized late. But she has a prominent place in Greek cosmogony when acknowledged.

Eleos is a personification deity, much like Eros is for desire. Rather than desire, we associate Eleos with mercy and compassion. Just like Eros has a recognized personality, Eleos’ personality has identity and agency as well. Gratitude is also central to her veneration. Ancient Greeks returned to Eleos' altar with gifts of clothing after their situations improved. 

As mentioned, the Altar of Pity in Athens sat near the Altar of the Twelve Gods. Given that location, Eleos aligns well with the major Olympians in Athens. Individual followers, devotees, and suppliants of Eleos were polytheistic. Their pleas sought response from a varied pantheon, with a full spectrum of influence.

While a place of devotion and asyla seeking, the Altar of Pity was public. Testimony of suppliants to Eleos could elicit response from Athenians. The active perpetrators of suppliants seeking asyla could be engaged with fighting. Statius’ account in Thebaid shows this. 

Consider the myth of Herakles' children seeking Eleos while pursued by Eurystheus. In response, Athenians warred with Eurystheus and the Argive army. Though the plea was to Eleos, followers of the other gods fought in response. For them, this was consistent within Athenian religion.

Usually, mercy is nonviolent toward others. But seekers in immediate danger may need protective actions. Again, this is consistent with Eleos' altar being near the Altar of the Twelve Gods. Those deities can inspire mercy to seekers and other responses to aggressors simultaneously.

Consider an example. Someone seeks mercy from injustice by aggressors through Eleos at the Altar of Pity. Another follower of Eleos overhears the seeker's request. That listener follows Eleos, but also may follow Ares or any other Hellenic deity. He could then act to protect the first seeker. As also a follower of Ares, Greek God of War, that Athenian could then engage in violent conflict with the aggressors. Further, that would be consistent with their polytheistic beliefs. 

This differs from other monotheist or non-theist compassionate paths in religion today. Followers engaging in such conflict is usually contradictory to tenets of those paths. But, likewise, most responses would be peaceful for Eleos' followers.

While Eleos may be gentle in agency, she is among a pantheon of deities, each with their own agencies. Eleos facilitates mercy to those in plight and gratitude in those who have passed through difficulty. Eleos also offers mercy for past transgressions to those guilty. Yet, aggressors are subject to the immediate consequences of their actions. Eleos is part of the same pantheon as Ares. So, reverence for Eleos is not restricted to pacifists.

Without an emphasis on placemaking, Eleos may be easy to miss. Although one altar to Eleos outside of Athens has been found, other sites remain elusive. Perhaps that is why gentleness is sometimes missing in modern interpretations of Hellenistic practice. This may be a by-product of ancient writings we have. They largely stem from the successful, elite educated, and prominent. Eleos was more often sought by the poor in Athens. We lack their thoughts in written form. So, Eleos' importance is under-represented in the ancient written record.

Veneration of Eleos did not need nor elicit many monuments. This does not prevent small placemaking in modern times. Placemaking for Eleos may aid those seeking more compassion in their modern practice.

A smattering of devotions to Eleos are posted on social media. But public veneration remains limited. In the modern world, placemaking for Eleos remains an untapped opportunity.

Ancient writers described Eleos as “dwelling in hearts” with few symbols. Sacrifices were not expected. The only things suppliants left for the deity were “tears” and “tresses” of hair. Also, seekers left clothing garments after their fortunes had improved in gratitude.

The ease of Eleos’ openness to seekers is an important facet of the deity’s responsiveness. The deity requires little from adherents and is available to the poor and those not alike. Eleos is available to compassion seekers without requiring fancy offerings and preparations. Athenian religious practices evolved to better include the poor by adding Eleos. But the poor simply weren’t prominent in Athens’ records.

Compassion is an important path in a variety of religions. Though undervalued in modern pagan practice, many polytheistic religions acknowledged compassion somehow. For example, Rome had the goddess Clementia. But that deity’s purview was perceived as more of a state integrated subject. Clemency is more governmental, whereas mercy, and Eleos, is more personal. So, the Greeks had their own personal pathways of compassion. 

The major Olympian deities had epithets of caring concern. But only Eleos fully personified compassion in Greece. Though a late entrant to the recognized pantheon, Eleos filled an important purpose. Eleos and her paths of compassion may fill a gap within revivalist Greek paganism as practiced today.

Modern interest in compassion is ample. Mercy, as a search term on google, recently has 303 million results. Compassion has more, with over 2.2 billion. Pagan as a search term has over a billion results. The listing for both “pagan and compassion” combined still yields 10.5 million results. But that is far less than either “pagan and conflict” or “pagan and fight” combinations.

Modern paganism has overemphasized power, conflict and fighting in recent decades. Compassion in pagan practice is ripe for renewal and Eleos can fulfill that need.

What can modern seekers do to include compassionate practice aligned with Eleos? Symbols of Eleos might be tears, shorn tresses of hair, or giving clothing. Also, the name Eleos is symbolic as well. Contemplating symbols of Eleos may help internally for practicing compassion.

But outward actions are likely to be3 essential as well. Giving to organizations associated with Eleos’ symbols may be an act of devotion. Many organizations take donations of clothing. A few accept donations of hair for wigs for the ill. Admittedly, tears likely are only “given” in private practice alone. Placemaking, prayer, and meditation are also practices that either individuals or groups may do. These actions are a good start.

Eleos is a Greek deity of compassion within a pantheon of deities for modern times. Although her ethos may differ from much of the Greek paganism practiced today, Eleos remains a deity of effective agency. Pagan subculture, much like popular culture, is overly focused on wielding power, kicking butt, and material success. That mindset often undervalues gentle acts of mercy, compassion, and kindliness. 

Most spiritual paths recognize the value of compassion. Seekers may renew compassion within their path through gentle Eleos. As always, today is a great day to add more compassion to your life. The pathway is as beneficial now as it was in ancient Athens.