Talk:Drawing down the Moon (ritual)

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I did a bit of cleanup. For the moment I left the disputed source, though I've never heard of it. I lean towards removing that source, actually. Seeing that no one else has bothered to, I think I may just remove it so the stub can be unflagged. I have no real attachment either way, though. --Kathryn NicDhàna 04:36, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

• This is horrible. The article doesn't even describe what the ritual is, and when/how it is practised. Someone with this knowledge should rectify ASAP! --212.213.204.99 22:31, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

Thats nearly impossible to do: the ritual could be different from coven to coven; tradition to tradition. Heck, it would differ between Eclectic covens, or even solitaries. Disinclination 07:11, 5 March 2007 (UTC)

ancient references of drawing down the moon:

The lunar eclipse was believed to be caused by the magic of Thessalian witches, who drew the lunar goddess down from the sky to extract her magical blood. Cymbals were customarily beaten at such times, to negate the power of the witches, and restore the goddess to the sky.

"[Medea the witch cries out to the sky gods:] 'Thee too, bright Luna [Selene the Moon], I banish, though thy throes the clanging bronze assuage; under my spells even my grandsire’s [Helios the Sun’s] chariot grows pale and Aurora [Eos the Dawn] pales before my poison’s power." - Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.207

"Three nights remained before Luna’s [Selene the Moon’s] bright horns would meet and form her orb; then when she shone in fullest radiance and with form complete gazed down upon the sleeping lands below, [the witch] Medea, barefoot, her long robe unfastened, her hair upon her shoulders falling loose, went forth alone upon her roaming way, in the deep stillness of the midnight hour [to make her magics]." - Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.179

"Circe turned to prayers and incantations, and unknown chants to worship unknown gods, chants which she used to eclipse Luna’s [Selene the Moon’s] pale face and veil her father’s [Helios the Sun’s] orb in thirsty clouds." - Ovid, Metamorphoses 14.365

"Often have I seen her [the witch Medea] in frenzy and assailing the gods [Helios and Selene, the sun and moon], drawing down the sky." - Seneca, Medea 672

"When thou [Selene the moon] drivest thy car through the nightly skies, may no witcheries of Thessaly prevail to drag thee down." - Seneca, Phaedra 420

"Anxious for our troubled goddess [Selene the moon], thinking her harried by Thessalian charms , made loud jingling sounds [i.e. a charm to bring back the moon from the lunar eclipse]." - Seneca, Phaedra 786

"Medea … than whom is none more potent at the nightly altars [casting magic spells]; for responsive to her cry and to the juices she scatters in desolate places the Stars are halted trembling and Solis [Helios the Sun] her grandsire is aghast as he runs his course ... the Atracian poisons made Luna the Moon [Selene] to foam and that spells of Haemonia were rousing up the ghosts." - Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 6.442

"From afar the chambers breathing magic spells burst open and the grim doors flew wide, and she [Medea] gazed at all that she had torn from the ocean-bed or from the Shades below, or drawn down from the blood-red visage of Luna the Moon [Selene]." - Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 7.327

"When Atracian spells make travailing Phoebe [Selene the Moon] redden through the clouds; suffused with venom, her skin distends and swells with corruption; a fiery vapour issues from her evil mouth, brining upon mankind thirst unquenchable and sickness and famine and universal death." - Statius, Thebaid 1.105

"So falls, whenever she is torn from the astonished stars, the darkened sister of the Sun [Selene the Moon]; afar the peoples beat the bronze for succour, and indulge their fruitless fears, but the Thessalian hag triumphant laughs at the panting steeds [of Selene] who obey her spell." - Statius, Thebaid 6.684

"Their [the Brahmans of India] inspired incantations have often enchanted Selene as she passes through the air like an untamed bull, and brought her down from heaven, and often stayed the course of Phaethon [Helios the sun] swiftly driving his hurrying car." - Nonnus, Dionysiaca 36.345