Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

280 Semnocosusshe was the mortal daughter of Cadmos andbecame the mother of the god DIONYSOS (BAC-CHUS) after a brief liaison with ZEUS (JUPITER),also in mortal guise. Semele was burned to deathon Olympus, unable to withstand the presence ofZeus in godly form, but was subsequently deifiedby him.SemnocosusGod of war. Romano-Iberian. Popular locallywith troops of the Roman legions who occasionallysacrificed prisoners to him.remedial properties. A bronze statuette of a goddesswas found wearing a diadem, with armsspread and standing in a boat. The prow is in theshape of a duck, her sacred animal, with a cake inits mouth. Also found were models of dogs, ananimal specifically associated with healingthrough its affinity with the Greco-Roman physiciandeity AESCULAPIUS.ŠeridaMother goddess. Mesopotamian (Sumerian).Became known as AYA in the Akkadian pantheon.SenxSun god. Bella Coola Indian [British Columbia,Canada]. The ruler of the lower heaven, Sonx, inwhich is situated the home of the gods, Nusmeta(the house of myths). The only deity to whom theBella Coola pray and make offerings. Huntersthrow small pieces of mountain goat or seal fleshinto a sacrificial fire. Also Ta’ata (our father);Smai’yakila (sacred one).ŠepsetLocal funerary goddess. Egyptian. Known chieflyat Memphis, where she appears as an attendant atthe ritual of the weighing of the heart.Serket(-hetyt)Minor mortuary goddess. Egyptian. Knownfrom the middle of the third millennium BC, sheprotects the throne of the king in the guise of ascorpion. She is depicted in human form wearinga headpiece in the form of a scorpion withits sting raised. In the Pyramid Texts she is themother of the scorpion god NEHEBU-KAU. Inher role as a mortuary goddess she is partlyresponsible for guarding the jars containing theviscera of the deceased. Although she is neveridentified as warding off the effect of scorpionstings, her influence has been regarded as effectiveagainst other venomous attacks. Also Selkis(Greek).SequanaRiver goddess. Romano-Celtic (Gallic). The tutelarygoddess of the Sequanae tribe. A pre-Romansanctuary northwest of Dijon near the source ofthe Seine has yielded more than 200 woodenvotive statuettes and models of limbs, heads andbody organs, attesting to Sequana’s importance asa goddess of healing. During the Roman occupationthe site of Fontes Sequanae was sacred toher and was again considered to have healing andSesa(naga) (remainder)Snake god or naga. Hindu (Vedic, Epic andPuranic). The great serpent lying in the primevalsea and encircling the world. The son of KASYAPAand KADRU. A many-headed attendant on VIŠNUwho uses the snake as a couch on which to restbetween cycles of the universe. Its many hoodsovershadow and protect him. Not technically adeity but important enough in literature to beincluded here. Also Adisesa; ANANTA.