Who Is Epona?
When Epona finally made Herself known to me in 1996, I couldn't find a whole lot of information on Her in the books catering to the Pagan public--as opposed to the general (otherwise known as the mundane) public. I find that surprising, considering the importance of the role She played, not only for the Celts, but for the Romans as well. It took a little digging, but I've uncovered some facts about Epona that I found extremely interesting. I hope you will, too, as you read my biographical sketch of Blessed, Beloved Epona�
According to a story told by the Greek writer Agesilaos, Epona is the daughter of Phouloulios Stellos, a mortal man--who reportedly had little respect for women--and a Divine mare. Statues and bas-reliefs frequently show Epona in human form, accompanied by horses and by Her other animals;the ass, the dog, the serpent, the raven, and the goose are often depicted in statues representing Epona.
She is very rarely depicted as actually being a mare, although it is believed that, at some point, the Goddess became confused with Her symbol and was thought to have been a mare Herself. While animals connected with her are numerous, Epona is most closely associated with white horses and this is indicative of the spiritual purity and mastery she attained. Her ability to mount the horse is evidence of Her high position among the Celtic Gods, since horses equaled power.
Through this association, those who share their lives with horses may petition Epona for the protection and well-being of the animals and to create a more mystical bond between them. Many of the Pagan horse-folk create shrines to Her in or near the stable, as I will do as soon as I am honored to have a horse to share my life. In the meantime, I have an Epona altar set up in my bedroom. If you decide to create such a place, consider the following items whose use is attributed to Epona:
- images of horses
- azurite stones
- purslane
- vervain
- coltsfoot
- oats
- apples
- carrots
Often depicted holding a cornucopia, a basket of fruit, or a sheaf of wheat in Her lap, Epona is a fertility Goddess and may be called upon by women and men who wish to become parents. She may also be asked to grant fertility in other, more abstract, ways, such as fertility of the mind and spirit, for those who want birth into being songs, prose, paintings, poetry, pottery, sculpture, or other creative endeavors.
Jean Markale states, in The Women of the Celts, that Epona may have been one of the earliest Celtic Goddesses. Her worship began in the area of France once known as Gaul and, by the Roman Age, spread throughout the Celtic world. Inscriptions and statues dedicated to Epona are found from Eastern Europe to the British Isles in the west and from Spain in the south to Germany in the north. In France alone, there are more than 300 shrines dedicated to her.
She was known as Mare (pronounced "MAH ray") in Ireland and as Bubona in Scotland. She may have had other names that have been lost in time. It is believed that, from the worship of Epona came many of the later horse-related Goddesses, like Macha, Rhiannon, Edain, Horsa, and Medb.Her Irish name may be the origin for the word nightmare, since Epona was believed to bring dreams, both good and bad. In this aspect, She controls the subconscious while we are sleeping and may be invoked to give peaceful sleep to one troubled by nightmares. The connection with the unconscious mind makes working with Epona the perfect way to enhance one's dreams and the ability to recall them. Horses are also widely considered to be messengers that carry information between the worlds of the living and the dead. Calling upon Epona and Her sacred horses can greatly enhance pathworking and divination work.
According to Edain McCoy in Celtic Myth and Magick, there was a folk custom performed in western Ireland up to the beginning of the Twentieth Century that may have been connected to Epona's role as dream-bringer. Near dawn, people would go to a crossroads and light fires at each of the cardinal directions. Then they would ride thrice around the intersection on a broom and sit down on the ground to wait for the vision of a dark woman mounted upon a white horse to gallop by, coming from the East and disappearing in the west. McCoy neglects to mention if there were any special reason for performing this ritual.
Some sources believe that even before being considered the dream-bringer, She may have started as a River or Spring Goddess, but�whatever Her origin�Epona became powerful in the eyes of the Celts. It was only through Her that Celtic leaders were granted sovereignty over the people and the land they occupied. Sacred Marriages were made between the Goddess�represented by either a mare or a human priestess�and the king in which either physical or symbolic consummation assured the king's power. In some cases, these Sacred Marriages were used even by the Gods to grant them rulership of an area held by the Goddess. Thus, Epona can teach women the power of sovereignty over their own minds, bodies, and property, important lessons that may of us struggle to accept.
Sovereignty wasn't the only gift that Epona had to offer. She was also seen as a battle Goddess, as indicated by depictions of Her accompanied by Ravens, the birds that ate the carrion left in the wake of battles. As a war Goddess, Epona may be invoked by those who have been attacked, in order to defend themselves. Her connection to battles and with horses, perhaps, was the reason that the Romans, with their legendary military prowess and dependence upon horseman in battle, even adopted Epona as their own and She was often invoked on behalf of the Emperor himself.
The Romans called Her Epona Regina, Epona Augusta, and even invoked Her as a triplicity, the Eponae. Shrines to Epona have been found among the ruins of Roman stables in forts throughout the Empire. The equites singulares, who were the imperial Roman bodyguard, established shrines to Epona in their barracks as well. Having a temple dedicated to Her in the city of Rome itself, Epona was the only Celtic Goddess to capture the Roman loyalty to such an extent.
Temples were not the only things constructed in honor of Epona. It is widely believed that chalk carvings were crafted as part of Her worship. The White Horse of Uffington�in the county of Berkshire, England�is thought to be a symbol of Epona and it is still believed that, if one makes a wish while standing in the eye of the carving, the wish is sure to come true. There is also another chalk carving that may be connected to the cult of Epona; visitors to Wandlebury Camp, close to Cambridge, England, will find a carving of a four-breasted woman mounted upon a horse.
Although most people are unaware of it, Epona has even infiltrated popular culture. Some believe that Epona was the inspiration for the tale of Lady Godiva, who, completely naked, rode a white horse. And anyone who has heard my favorite rhyme has been exposed to Epona's power and beauty. This poem appears in the perennial childhood favorite, Mother Goose.
"Ride a cockhorse to Banbury Cross
to see a fine lady upon a white horse.
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,
She shall have music wherever she goes."
If you are interested in the Mare Goddess, spend time with Her creatures, seek Her in the quiet of country lanes and wooded horse trails, meditate upon Her attributes, and spend time near rivers and streams where you may feel Her presence. You may hear Her sweet voice whispering to you when you are in the twilight between waking and sleeping. If you hear Her, listen carefully. She may have been forgotten by the masses, but I promise you, She is alive and well, ready to teach Her lessons, if only you will ask it of Her.
Hers is not the path for all, but I have found my association with Her to be well worth my time; I hope She can say the same of me as I struggle along Her path. Whatever Her form, whatever attributes she is given, Epona is a very powerful deity, one who protects Her chosen ones with fierce loyalty. She expects loyalty in return, as well as true love, respect, honesty, and moral behavior from Her devote�s. If Epona calls you to be one of Her own, rejoice in the fact, and prepare yourself for hard�but rewarding�work.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Ann, Martha and Dorothy Myers Imel. Goddesses in World Mythology.
- Farrar, Stewart and Janet. The Witches' Goddess.
- The Larrouse Encyclopedia of Mythology.
- Lethbridge, T.C. Witches: Investigating an Ancient Religion.
- McCoy, Edain. Celtic Myth and Magick.
- Markale, Jean. The Women of the Celts.
- Mitos y Creencias Celtas.
My Virtual Epona AltarWhy Epona?
Background courtesy of 2 Lazy 2.
