Modern Witchcraft and the Greek Gods
By Jason Manley and Astrea Taylor
This is an excellent fourth book on working magic with the Greek gods. It begins with a solid overview of Greek history, which provides essential context for everything that follows.
The next section introduces the main Greek Olympians—including Zeus, Poseidon, Demeter, and others. Each god gets a dedicated chapter that starts with their mythological background, followed by insightful personal experiences and contributions from guest authors. These accounts are particularly engaging. The chapter then concludes with practical spells and workings associated with that deity, along with their purposes.
The appendices offer helpful structures for crafting spells and performing Greek rituals. Keep in mind that Greek rituals and magic are quite flexible, having been adapted across many different pantheons and cultural traditions over the centuries.
The historical section is informative without getting bogged down in specific dates. It starts with the Minoans, an island culture on Crete that likely had early prototype versions of the Greek gods (though with different names and characteristics). Not all gods originated in the same place—some, like Zeus and possibly Poseidon and Demeter, came from outside Greece, and their stories often differ from the familiar versions we hear today.
After the Minoan civilization declined, the Mycenaeans rose to power on the Greek mainland. They absorbed much of Minoan culture and eventually dominated the surrounding islands. Greece later fragmented into independent city-states, most famously Athens and Sparta. Over time, these evolved into a more unified culture. Alexander the Great then led Greek armies across Asia all the way to India, aiming not just to conquer but to Hellenize the regions—essentially turning conquered peoples into Greeks culturally.
The Greeks were highly syncretic: when they encountered new civilizations, they often equated foreign gods with their own, absorbed them into their pantheon, or blended traditions. For example, Zeus may have originated in the forests of Ukraine or Thrace rather than Greece itself. Hera might once have been the supreme queen of the universe before Zeus, the upstart, took power.
The book also highlights fun and lesser-known myths, such as Ares (the god of war, more brute force than strategy) being outfoxed by his brother Hephaestus, the lame and ugly smith-god. Hephaestus was famously thrown from Olympus by his mother Hera; he later married Aphrodite, only for her to begin an affair with Ares. Hephaestus caught the lovers in a golden net, leading to further adventures.
Poseidon and Demeter were also imports from outside Greece, with Poseidon once paired with Demeter in earlier traditions. When the Romans conquered the Greek world, they absorbed the Greek gods, renamed them, and merged them with their own deities—creating the familiar Roman versions many people know today.
Overall, this is a very informative, well-rounded, and practical book for anyone wanting to know the gods and work with them magically. Highly recommended—give it a read.
