I had high expectations for Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods: History, Insights & Magickal Practice. Did the book meet my expectations? No, not exactly, but I still enjoyed it and recommend it.
Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods: History, Insights & Magickal Practice is by Jason Mankey and Astrea Taylor, published by Llewellyn. It’s important to note that this book is not about Hellenic Reconstruction; it’s about placing the ancient Greek deities in a modern practice of Paganism and Witchcraft.
I was eager to pick it up because, like Mankey, I am a Wiccan that loves the Greek pantheon. While I enjoy researching historical practices, I’m not a Reconstructionist, and I appreciate an approach that attempts to bring the ancient Greek goddesses and gods into a modern practice of Witchcraft. Mankey is a selling point too. Although I’ve never met him, I follow him online, and I like his persona–his blog, how he communicates in his videos, etc. He comes across as not only knowledgeable but also thoughtful and genuine. I’m less familiar with Astrea Taylor’s work. Still, she hooked and reeled me in when she described her experience picking up her mother’s copy of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology and reading about Artemis in the introduction to Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods.
The majority of Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods is encyclopedic. The book has three sections: the Olympians, Other Major Deities, and Popular Greek Gods. Mankey and Taylor give us anywhere from a paragraph to a few pages of information about each deity included. The authors note that these are summaries intended as a starting point. The book contains a lengthy bibliography to help you keep going.
If you’re a long-time devotee of Greek deities, you may find little new information in the bulk of the book. Nevertheless, Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods is excellent as an introduction to Greek goddesses and gods. It is well-researched, and I enjoyed the thoughtful observations and interpretations for modern practitioners. For example, in the pages devoted to Aphrodite, Mankey noted that the goddess of love is a figure of empowerment who doesn’t coerce anyone into her bed.
“Aphrodite has always loved mortals, often much more demonstrably than her Olympian peers. Her myth is full of sexual dalliances with humans, and all of those love affairs occur without shame or remorse. Aphrodite’s embrace is also welcomed by her lovers, and not forced upon them–a clear difference between Aphrodite and most of the male gods who reside in Olympus.”
Entries on the Olympians and other major deities, such as Persephone, Hekate, Pan, and Gaia, also include reflections, insights, and magick by the authors and guest writers, including Lady Belladonna LaVeau and Thumper Marjorie Splitfoot Forge. These are the juicier parts of the book, and I wish it had more of this. My favourites include a Pomegranate Anniversary Blessing, Pythia Divination Ritual, Bewitching Aphrodite Perfume, and Remembrance Potion by Taylor.
Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods contains three appendices. Appendix I is a calendar of some Greco-Roman holidays adapted to the modern calendar. Appendix II briefly looks at the “classical spell structure” and includes a handy template for what one might say while appealing to the Greek deities during a spell. Appendix III explores Greek-style ritual, which Mankey affirms isn’t necessary. If you prefer Wiccan-style conventions, use them.
As I expected, I like the tone of Modern Witchcraft with the Greek God. It’s friendly, informative, and supportive. I also like the duty of care that the authors show. For example, they remind readers that witchcraft and magick are not always safe, to take precautions, and to establish devotion before invoking deities for magick.
My primary critique of Modern Witchcraft with the Greek God is that there isn’t enough modern Witchcraft. I could imagine a sequel to this book light on descriptions of the deities and with an emphasis on insights, magick, and rituals.
Modern Witchcraft with the Greek Gods is an excellent book for people who are not entirely new to Witchcraft but may be new to working with the Greek goddesses and gods. You might still find some small gems if you’re more experienced with Greek deities and Witchcraft.
