Charos and Theote: The Divine and the Cthonian in Acritic Songs of the 10th – 12th Centuries

Introduction. In this paper, we examine a very interesting object given to Charos by God himself at a critical moment in battle. In six Cypriot songs (first described by G. Saunier in 1972), this object is called the word θεότη. The θεότη is rare and complex. It apparently has Platonic roots, as it appears in one work of Plutarch. This word is present in the New Testament (Colossians 2:9) and plays a crucial role in the formulation of the Orthodox Christological concept. It is remarkable how this complex and rich word entered “popular” Byzantine culture and became the weapon of Charos. In our view, the word θεότη itself is clear evidence of the transformation of Christian concepts in the folklore environment. Methods and materials. We analyze Cypriot folk songs based on general hermeneutic approaches as formulated by Hans-Georg Gadamer. Our goal is to reconstruct the hidden content of Akritian songs from the 10th to 12th centuries and to seek a correct interpretation of the mythological context of Byzantine folklore. Analysis. It is important to note that the word θεότη appears in the poems of Andreas Sklentzas (late 15th century), an author familiar to Joannes Picator. The word θεότη appears in a fascinating context in Andreas Sklentzas. In his Hymn to the Virgin Mary, he calls the Mother of God “the castle of divinity” (κάστροντῆςθεότης) and “the lamp of beauty” (καντήλατςὀμορφιᾶς). In the Hymn to Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, running to the tomb of Jesus Christ, not only saw divinity – the θεότη – but also two pure, shining angels (δύοἀγγέλουςἔκλαμπρους). In our opinion, it is precisely the brilliance of divinity that explains this strange object – the θεότη – in the hands of Charos. Results. Byzantine folklore returns even such a complex theological term as θεότη to an archaic context. Θεότη, as the “personal deity” of the Church Fathers and theologians, does not fit into a magical worldview and is simplified to a “bright object” that becomes the weapon of Charos.