How did the Greeks worship their Gods?

We all know about Greek mythology, Zeus and Poseidon, the Minotaur and Medusa, Achilles and Herakles. But how did the Greeks worship them? Let’s explain it step by step, according to what Homer describes in the Iliad.

Disclaimer: The Homeric poems were created during the 7th century BCE at the latest. So this kind of worship was probably accurate during this period. But these texts are neither a scientific document nor the production of a historian.

Disclaimer 2: I don’t know you, but I don’t think you’re Many-minded Odysseus, nor Godlike Diomedes. Therefore, I don’t think the God you worship will appear to you and lend a hand in your fight (no matter that it might be a real or a metaphorical one). Don’t put your hopes too high.

So, how do you worship a God when you’re living in Greece at the same time as Homer? The first step is to call him by his name.

Let’s say that you want, I don’t know, eat a snack because you’re hungover (something that the Greeks of old times can relate to). You have to choose the God most appropriate to grant your prayer. In this case, it might be Demeter, but let’s pray to Dionysus (he went through a lot of hangovers, and he seems like a chill guy).

You’ll raise your hands toward the sky (if they’re not holding a sword or a pint of beer), and you will call him. Use specific epithets: you need to praise him if you want to be heard.

“Hear me, Dionysus, God of wine, festivities, and madness, son of Zeus and Semele!”

Once you have his attention, you can either remind him of what he has done for you in the past or of what you’ve done for him. In my case, I’ve never sacrificed animals to Dionysus, nor did I pour libations in his honor. But I’ve drunk a lot of shots when I was younger, and I guess we can interpret that as some kind of worship.

“If I ever get drunk and dance in the club with female friends, grant my prayer!”

Important: you should not lie to the Gods, because they’ll know. You notice that I implied my actions were similar to those of a Maenad, but I didn’t compare us explicitly? Very mindful, very demure.

Now that you call on him and give him a reason to give you what you want, it’s time to actually tell him what you want (don’t forget this part, it might be the most important).

“I want to eat a Big Mac, so grant that I will find a restaurant open on my way home!”

And you’ve prayed to your first God! Time to act, now. In this case, you need to start walking in the hope that he has listened to you and that you will find food soon. If you’re very lucky, Dionysus will even appear to you and give you specific advice (again, you’re neither Odysseus nor Diomedes, so don’t put your hopes too high).