Who was Linus?

Throughout the history of ancient Greece, religion was a mix of different ideas from different cultures and different regions. This often led to some misunderstandings and confusion about certain deities and practices. These misunderstandings sometimes opened doors to new ideas and new dimensions in Greek religion. The story behind the name Linus is one such case of misunderstanding leading to a new facet of Greek religion. The misunderstanding began when Greek travelers moved through the …

…next season and once again bless the crops. Theses "Linus songs", as they came to be known, were not limited to the corn harvest. They were also chanted at the time of harvesting and pressing grapes. Although later Greek literature might argue otherwise, Linus was never a youth or a deity. It was simply a harvest lament offered to the god who had lived in the crop who was now being killed by the reapers.