So, I'm writing some stories set in a fictional, polytheistic culture. If you were to go to a temple in their lands, instead of it being devoted to one specific god, chances are it would have multiple smaller shrines for honoring the most important gods under one roof. But some, such as the god of death, are not to be worshiped in public, as doing so would be considered bad luck. In the words of one priest from one tale, "One should honor and revere all of the gods, but some are not to be revered here." It's like Hades; the Greeks respected him as a deity, but there were no temples in his name, no festivals honoring him, because to worship death was to know him. So what I'm wondering is how to write that out. One might say that god was "revered ____". I don't want to use privately, inwardly, or in secret if they can be avoided, because that makes it sound like a personal choice, not enforced by society.
Well it looks like you may have painted yourself into a corner, so to speak. Perhaps Death can be revered confidentially?
How about keep 'privately' but emphasise it for its intended paradoxical meaning and forward the tense a little. Thereby having it sound like it ought to be done elsewhere (whilst also having a more mandatory feel)? : 'One might say that god should be revered privately' That work? or maybe 'elsewhere' 'out of sight'
I agree with everyone else. The only new thing I have to add is: heck, I love this line! I can hear the priest saying it.
I'd say so far the best term would be confidentially, but is there a term that could mean solitary, like, "only honor this god in your personal prayers, not even with any other person". Say, if a family prayed together at a household shrine, afterwards, each member would then depart to their private quarters and honor all the gods again, this time adding in the publicly-shunned ones. Thank you very much!