Serpent Deity Venerated by Early Christians? | Agathos Daemon

https://www.patreon.com/mdavidlitwa/postsPlease Consider joining the Patreon of M. David Litwa (Ph.D)  He is a valuable resource for knowledge of Comparative Religion and early Christianity. Dr. Litwa also has a Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDmeuaHHwq9ssljFa4aN_Eg An agathodaemon was a spirit (daemon) of ancient Greek religion. They were personal or supernatural companion spirits, comparable to the Roman genii, who ensured good luck, fertility, health, protection and wisdom.  Though little noted in Greek mythology he was prominent in Greek folk religion;[5] it was customary to drink or pour out a few drops of unmixed wine to honor him in every symposium or formal banquet. In Aristophanes' Peace, when War has trapped Peace in a deep pit, Hermes comes to give aid: "Now, oh Greeks! is the moment when, freed of quarrels and fighting, we should rescue sweet Eirene and draw her out of this pit... This is the moment to drain a cup in honor of the Agathos Daimon." A temple dedicated to them was situated on the road from Megalopolis to Maenalus in Arcadia.  An Agathos Daimon was the spouse or companion of Tyche Agathe. "Tyche we know at Lebadeia as the wife of the Agathos Daimon, the Good or Rich Spirit". Their numinous presence could be represented in art as a serpent or more concretely as a young man bearing a cornucopia and a bowl in one hand, and a poppy and an ear of grain in the other. The agathodaemon was later adapted into a general daemon of fortuna, particularly of the continued abundance of a family's good food and drink.Later some other versions have described agathodaemons as psychopomp beings which takes the dead ones which are on their card to the afterlife (Underworld ) but he doesn't judges them Agathodaemons have been described as personal guardians, helpers or protectors of people.According to the ancient Greeks each person was born with each personalities, the agathodaemon and the cacodaemon.       #mdavidlitwa #GnosticInformant #Agathodaemon