#thread: athena and roman

[lovesspell]

Location: Old Mill Diner Starter for @livrelcvande

"You could always come work at the store. Help us sort things, build some muscle lifting deliveries," Athena joked as she reached across the table and took a piece of pancake from Roman's plate. "I think you should do something fun either way. You only have your summer anyway, you gotta find space to enjoy it. Did you think about planning a vacation?" Athena was excited for him, appreciative of their friendship. She always had great appreciation for teachers, especially ones that worked with the youngest students, it took a certain kind of patience. The fact that Roman reminded her of her youngest brother who she had practically raised also may have been a part of it but she wasn't ready to admit that to anyone, let alone herself.

"Summers are meant to be enjoyed. Speaking of, keep some of your weekends clear because we are definitely doing barbecues. I am actually quite good on the grill."

[reiniesainyo]

IN BETWEEN. charlie bushnell x reader – 01

01 | SPARKS FLY previous | next | masterfile

SYNPOSIS. when a girl's co-star is good to her and now she wants it more than everything in between. (smau)

A/N. this chapter is more like world building (it's where i explain what the fuck i'm doing with the YN okay)

The "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series at Disney+ has added an unexpected pick to its growing cast.

The new live-action series is based on the hugely successful novels from author Rick Riordan of the same title. We will be seeing YN LN join the series as Rina Velasco, one of the supporting characters of the show.

LN's Rina Velasco is referred to as "the offspring of The Muses, goddesses of the sciences and the arts." Unlike most other demigods, she is born out of the artistic and scientific output of the muses. When the moral ingenuity of humans meets the divine musings of The Muses. Her character is described as a unique allrounder who becomes a mentor figure to our main cast as they embark on their journey.

This will be LN's first on-screen role of her career. LN's experience mostly lies in Broadway, she is known for playing Kim in the Miss Saigon revival on Broadway. LN was nominated for a Tony in 2022 for the same role. She is repped by Salonga/Chien Entertainment and B817 Agency.

Riordan posted on the Meta app, Threads, about this update to the casting saying: "YN was one of the actors we didn't expect to see a tape of but when we saw it, we couldn't help but fall in love with her. She embodies the spirit of Rina so well and is such a kind spirit, we can't wait for you to fall in love with her too! Welcome to the cast, YN!"

The live-action show is based on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson book series. It tells the fantastical tale of the titular 12-year-old modern demigod (Scobell), who's just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With help from his friends Grover (Simhadri) and Annabeth (Jeffries), Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.

Production on the show is now underway in Vancouver. Riordan and Jon Steinberg are writing the pilot with James Bobin directing. Steinberg and his producing partner Dan Shotz are overseeing the series and serve as executive producers alongside Bobin, Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson, and Gotham Group's Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg. 20th Television is the studio. Salke was formerly the president of Touchstone Television and originally put the show into development.

liked by percyseries, iamcharliebushnell, and 37,789 others thelnarchive the child of the muses @percyseries

percyseries OUR MUSE!

user1 this is literally perfect casting who cried i did ↳ user2 she's so rina coded! thank the gods for the casting directors

iamcharliebushnell only muse in my life ↳ thlnarchive only traveler in my life ↳ user3 the way filming hasn't started and they're already like this ↳ user4 their chemistry is chemistry-ing

user5 roman empire. she is my roman empire.

dior.n.goodjohn i LOVE LOVE LOVE women ↳ thelnarchive HELP i love you

user6 this is so fcking random but i NEED her in a taylor swift music video

A/N i truly hope you guys can forgive the horrible editing in the pictures. the article portion is based on (and has some parts that are directly pulled from) this article from variety ! here's some succint information about rina velasco, the PJO character YN LN plays (and is my childhood OC!) - rina velasco, filipino, 18 years old (year younger than luke) - she's an offspring of the muses, not directly a child or daughter, though she may be referred as such - by her being an offspring of the muses, i mean that she was born in the same way athena's children are born. - but in rina's case she's more like a weird conglomeration of each muse. her birth is a rare event, but her mothers are honored as minor goddesses so she stayed in the apollo cabin (connection to music) - rina operates as a guidance figure for the main trio, especially annabeth - she's also luke's love interest, there's a lot of tragicness and doomed romance stuff with those two - and for the sake of everyone, we pretend like the weird i love you from the books didn't happen !

[maryu-fics06]

The Casket of Venus

Chapter 1

𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡

𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐚 𝐱 𝐨𝐜

Summery: Haydee becomes one of Geta’s concubines.

If you like please follow and comments and leave a heart!❤️

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: fake blood,gore, death of a character, no smut yet, both characters are adults over 20.

The banquet was bustling with guests, and the imperial palace celebrated Armilustrium in honor of the god Mars, the Roman “𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐬,” for the return of General Acacius, who had conquered Numidia.

The two emperors sat on their ivory thrones. Caracalla seemed in good spirits as he watched one of his concubines play with him and pour his wine.

Geta watched everything, bored, while a senator next to him spoke of politics and the old meeting he had attended the week before.

Then a noble merchant entered the grand royal hall with a group of women, all veiled, as though their beauty were gold.

Everyone's attention-guests and twin emperors alike-was immediately captured.

"My dear emperors! From a rich journey to the colonies of Magna Graecia, Trinacria, I have found various treasures, and I wish to offer them to you."

The man stepped forward and took hold of the first woman. Her white veil shifted, revealing golden locks at the abrupt movement.

Her face was unveiled, and a sound of astonishment swept through the banquet—even the oldest senators and the most stoic guards were struck.

She had a body worthy of a goddess or nymph—full curves, rounded hips, firm thighs visible beneath the white tunic, and soft breasts highlighted by a neckline clearly chosen to show them off.

Wheat-colored hair adorned her head, and her face was a delight: a pointed nose, full lips, rosy cheeks, and eyes the color of a sea blended with forest green.

She looked like 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐬—descended to Earth from Olympus to witness the miserable lives of mortals.

Geta was struck, while Caracalla appeared bored and continued sipping his wine.

The younger emperor stood up and descended the few steps of black marble.

The merchant smiled slyly, like a worm, and bowed.

He grabbed the woman by the head and pushed her down in a show of virtue, but the emperor's voice growled out with threatening authority:

"Take your 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 off her."

The merchant obeyed immediately, fearing for his life. The girl remained still as the emperor circled her like a lion eyeing a lamb. For the first time, he felt truly captivated by a woman.

Haydee looked down, finding the marble floor more interesting than the evil curiosity around her. She prayed to Athena for courage and not to succumb to fear.

Her body trembled as a rough hand grabbed her face. Her eyes met two black pearls in the shadow-but for a moment, molten amber gleamed in the light.

Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded violently in her chest.

"Tell me your name."

The emperor's hoarse voice snapped her out of her thoughts. It wasn't a request-it was a command.

Her voice, delicate like honey, slipped from her lips, and the emperor seemed enchanted.

"𝐇𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐞𝐞, my emperor."

The Greek accent was clear in her voice.

Geta stared at her for a few seconds, then ordered nearby servants to bathe her and take her to his chambers. Haydee followed them without a word.

Meanwhile, the emperor approached a Praetorian guard, unsheathed the soldier's sword, and the metallic scent filled the air. The other slaves screamed in terror at the horrifying scene.

Haydee could only hear gargling sounds-then silence. Bile rose in her throat as she saw the merchant's body on the ground, bathed in his own blood.

Caracalla burst out laughing, clapping his hands like a child with a new toy.

"Clever move, brother!" he snigger, flashing a golden tooth.

Haydee walked alongside the two servants, horrified, as they left the banquet. The palace felt like the labyrinth of Knossos-but there was no Minotaur, nor a Theseus ready to save an Arianne who had left him her red thread.

No-here, there was a lion.

A lion ready to devour her.

The woman's blue eyes widened at the sight of the grand Roman baths. She was helped out of her clothes and slowly entered the warm, oil-scented water. Her hair and body were washed. She felt like a doll-clean and pertumed now.

Once bathed, she was escorted into a regal chamber of red marble streaked with gold. A large bed stood in the center. A table beside it was piled with scrolls, and to the left, a white velvet triclinium adorned the room. There was even a balcony.

It was the emperor's chamber-clear from the many weapons on the walls and a magnificent golden armor mounted above. He was a warlord, after all.

Alone in the center of the room, Haydee sighed. She prayed to Zeus, seeking answers, but silence filled the space, leaving only more doubts in the poor woman's mind.

Why had the gods chosen this fate for her?

Why her, to serve the emperor?

Why such a heavy burden?

Was her death near?

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

Hi guys! I hope the first Chapter was to your liking, I'm quite excited, many friends told me to publish this story and I want to share this with everyone.

@jayden-killer ( my partner in crime)

[gingermintpepper]

As usual I read your tags always and so you said Apollo did not ask for resurrection of Asclepius and Hyacinthus so i just wanted to share this. About Asclepius death I read it on theoi.com, that earlier authors don't make him resurrect as a god but that's a later development mentioned only by Roman authors like Cicero, Hyginus and Ovid. But still Apollo has a role in Ovid's version

Ovid, Fasti 6. 735 ff (trans.Boyle) (Roman poetry C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) : Clymenus [Haides] and Clotho resent the threads of life respun and death's royal rights diminished. Jove [Zeus] feared the precedent and aimed his thunderbolt at the man who employed excessive art. Phoebus [Apollon], you whined. He is a god; smile at your father, who, for your sake, undoes his prohibitions [i.e. when he obtains immortality for Asklepios].

So here it is actually because of Apollo the decision was taken to resurrect him as god. And with Hyacinthus, I don't think I've read about Artemis playing the primary role. I know in Sparta there was a picture of Artemis, Athena and Aphrodite carrying Hyacinthus and his sister to heaven.

This is not on theoi.com but I saw on Tumblr it's from Dionysiaca by Nonnus

Second, my lord Oiagros wove a winding lay, as the father of Orpheus who has the Muse his boon companion. Only a couple of verses he sang, a ditty of Phoibos, clearspoken in few words after some Amyclaian style: Apollo brought to life again his longhaired Hyacinthos: Staphylos will be made to live for aye by Dionysos.

So since he is singing inspired by amyclean stories it probably means in that place it was believed Apollo was the one to bring back his lover to life.

Apollo as god of order was very important so i think it shows how special these people (and admetus too) were to him that he decided to go against the order for them 🥺

ANON!! Shakes you like a bottle of ramune!! BELOVED ANON!!!!! I'm littering your face with kisses, I'm anointing you with olive oil and honey - you absolutely made my night with this because, not only did I get the pure serotonin shot of having someone interact with my tags (yippee, wahoo!!) I also got to have that wonderful feeling of "oh wow, have I misunderstood something that was integral to my understanding of this myth/figure this whole time or is this a case of interpretational differences?" which is imo vital for my aims and interests as someone who enjoys mythological content and literature.

I'll preface my response with this: Hyacinthus is by far the hardest of these to get accounts for because his revival itself, as you very astutely point out, is generally accounted for in painting/ritual format which muddies the waters on who interceded for what. I wasn't actually familiar with that passage from the Argonautica - and certainly didn't remember it so thank you very much for bringing it to my attention!

That said, what I've come to understand, both about Hyacinthus and about Asclepius is that in the accounts of their deaths, Apollo's position is startlingly clear.

For Hyacinthus, it is established time and again that Apollo would have sacrificed everything for him - his status, his power, his very own immortality and divinity. Ovid writes that Apollo would have installed him as a god if only he had the time:

(Ovid. Metamorphoses. Book X. trans. Johnston)

Many other writers too speak of how Apollo abandoned his lyre and his seat at Delphi to spend his days with Hyacinthus, but they also all agree that when it came to his death - he was powerless. Ovid gives that graphic account of Apollo's desperation as he tries all his healing arts to save him to no avail:

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book X. Apollo me boy, methinks him dead. trans Johnston)

Bion, in one of his fragments, writes that Apollo was "dumb" upon seeing Hyacinthus' agony:

(Bion, The Bucolic Poets. Fragment XI. trans Edmonds)

Even Nonnus in the Dionysiaca speaks constantly of Apollo's helplessness in the face of Hyacinthus' fate where he writes that the god still shivers if a westward wind blows upon an iris:

and when Zephyros breathed through the flowery garden, Apollo turned a quick eye upon his young darling, his yearning never satisfied; if he saw the plant beaten by the breezes, he remembered the quoit, and trembled for fear the wind, so jealous once about the boy, might hate him even in a leaf...

(Nonnus, Dionysiaca, Book 3. trans Rouse)

And the point here is just that - Apollo, at least as far as I've read, cannot avert someone's death. He simply can't. Once they're already dead - once Fate has cut their string - all Apollo's power is gone and he can do nothing no matter how much he wants to. And this is, as far as I know, supported with the accounts of Asclepius as well!

Since you specifically brought up Ovid's account, I'll also stick only to Ovid's account but in Metamorphoses when we get Ovid's version of Coronis' demise, he writes that Apollo intensely and immediately regrets slaughtering Coronis. He regrets it so intensely that he, like he does with Hyacinthus, does his best to resuscitate her:

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book Two. Apollo's regret)

And like Hyacinthus, when it becomes clear that what has happened cannot be undone, Apollo wails:

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book Two. Apollo wept.)

Unlike his mother, Asclepius in her womb had not yet died and so, with the last of Apollo's strength, he does manage, at least, to save him.

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book Two. Apollo puts the 'tearing out' in Asclepius.)

But it goes further than even that because Ocyrhoe, Chiron's daughter, a prophetess who unduly gained the ability to directly proclaim the secrets of the Fates, upon seeing the baby Asclepius, immediately prophesies his glory, his inevitable death and then his fated ascension:

(Ovid. Metamorphoses, Book Two. Ocyrhoe's prophecy. trans Johnston)

Before she too succumbs to her hubris and is transformed by the Fates into a horse so she can no longer speak secrets that aren't hers to share.

These things ultimately are important because it establishes two very important things: 1) Apollo can't do anything in the face of the ultimate Fate of mortals, which is, of course, death and 2) even when Apollo is Actively Devastated, regretful, yearning, mournful, guilty or some unholy combination of all of the above, when someone is dead, he accepts that they are gone. Even if he is devastated by it, even if he'll cry all the rest of his days about it - if they're dead? Apollo lets them go. In Fasti, when Zeus brings Asclepius back, he does not say Apollo asked him to - Zeus, or well, in this case Jove, brings Asclepius back because he wants Apollo to stop being mad at him.

(Ovid, Fasti VI. Apollo please come home your father misses you. trans. A.S Kline)

Even Boyle's translation which you used above in your findings hints that Zeus made Asclepius a god because he wanted Apollo to stop grieving. (i.e 'smile at your father', 'for your sake [he] undoes his prohibitions')

And like, Apollo was deeply upset by Asclepius' death - apart from killing the Cyclops in anger, in book 4 of the Argonautica, Apollonius writes that the Celts believe the stream of Eridanus to be the tears Apollo shed over the death of Asclepius when he left for Hyperborea after being chastised by Zeus for killing his Cyclops:

But the Celts have attached this story to them, that these are the tears of Leto's son, Apollo, that are borne along by the eddies, the countless tears that he shed aforetime when he came to the sacred race of the Hyperboreans and left shining heaven at the chiding of his father, being in wrath concerning his son whom divine Coronis bare in bright Lacereia at the mouth of Amyrus.

It all paints a very clear picture to me. Apollo did not ask for either of them to be brought back. Though bringing them back certainly pleased and delighted him, they are actions of other gods who are moved by Apollo's grief and mourning and seek to mollify him. Him not asking doesn't mean he didn't want them back which I think is a very important distinction by the by, but it simply means that Apollo knows the natural order of things and, even if it hurts, he isn't going to press his luck about it.

Which, of course, brings us to Admetus. And I'm really not going to overcomplicate this, Admetus is different because, very vitally, Admetus is not dead. Apollo can't do a thing once Fate has been carried out and Death has claimed a mortal but you know what he absolutely can do? Bargain like hell with the Fates before that point of inevitability. And that's what he does, ultimately for Admetus and Alcestis. He sought to prolong Admetus' life, not revive him from death or absolve him from death altogether and even after getting the Fates drunk, he's still only able to organise a sacrifice - a life for a life - something completely contingent on whether some other mortal would be willing to die in Admetus' place and not at all controllable by Apollo's own power.

All of these things, I think come back to that point you made - that Apollo's place as a god of order is very important and therefore these people are very special to him if it means he's willing to go against that order but, I also wish to challenge that opinion if you'd let me. Apollo's place as a god of order is very important and therefore, I would argue, that it is even more important that it is shown that he does not break the divine order, especially for the people that mean the most to him. The original context of my comments which started this conversation were on this lovely, lovely post by @hyacinthusmemorial which contemplated upon Asclepius from the perspective of an Emergency Medical personnel and included, in their tags, the very poignant lines "there's something about Apollo letting go when Asclepius couldn't that eats my heart away" and "you do what you can, you do your best, but you don't ever reach too far" and I think that's perfectly embodied with the Apollo-Asclepius dichotomy. Apollo grieves. He wails, he cries, he does his best each and every time to save that which is precious to him but he does not curse their nature, he does not resent that they are human and ultimately, he accepts that that which is mortal must inevitably die. There is nothing that so saliently proves that those who uphold rules are also their most staunch followers - if Apollo wants to delight in his place as Fate's mouthpiece, he cannot undo Fate. And, if even the god of healing and order himself cannot undo death, what right does Asclepius, mortal as he is, talented as he is, have to disrespect it?

The beauty of these stories isn't that Apollo loved them enough to bring them back. The beauty is that Apollo loved them enough to let them go.

[positivejamwriting]

Fic Masterlist

Baldur's Gate 3

Ongoing

En Prise (86k, E, Astarion/Gale)

“Together, then.” Gale says, eyes flicking down to the dagger. “As a show of good faith. We sate our damned appetites together.”

“Shall we toast to it too? Drink of each other’s cups like smitten newlyweds?” Astarion finds his charms again as he licks a brazen stripe up his neck. It’s a worthy distraction for those nimble hands to press the dagger against his chest. Not threatening, not yet at least. No– with the flat of the blade against his mark, Gale sees it as the offering it’s meant to be.

A semi canon-compliant fic in which a deal to keep each other fed leads Gale and Astarion to dark curiosity, codependence, and romantic evenings of scheming and murder.

Read if you like: Consensual but not safe or sane, a "this better not awaken anything in me" taglist, unabashed and gleeful toxic yaoi, making each other WAY WORSE.

---

ingi ferroque (20k, M, Astarion/Gale)

Two eyes, dark and shiny as sea glass, bulge and blink as Gale brings the knife to the offering’s throat. The battle rages on and the babe bleeds upon Athena’s boots. Let it take, he prays. Let her hear.

“My. What do we have here?" Gale hears a soldier’s voice in place of his Goddess. "Two little lambs left upon the altar?”

A Greco-Roman AU that follows famed Legate Astarion, Priest of Athena Gale, and a Nero-esque Emperor Cazador as Gale is hauled off from exile to Rome to for reasons unknown...

Read if you like: Enemies to lovers, the inherent sexual tension of historical banter, HBO's Rome, loving descriptions of man thighs under historically inaccurate toga hemlines.

---

Semperservus (17k, E, Minthara/Gale)

The Seduction of Dekarios. The maiden in the river, bathed in holy light across underdark waters. The God whispering promises in her ear. The forging of new love, in fires of the only mortal left on this plane with ambitions as great as his once were.

Post-Game, God!Gale fixated on making Minthara his new Chosen.

Read if you like: Dunking on delusional God!Gale, Minthara's 'aura of a third son' banter, not breaking the cycle, comeuppance for Gale leaving you on the docks for the goddamn crown

---

Spinneret Sour (26K, E, Astarion/Gale/Shadowheart/Jaheira)

The elfsong hookah is grossly underutilized in fic. Our attempt to fix that with a giggly, thank-god-we're-alive foursome.

Read if you like: Gale getting bullied by hot elves (plural!), fluff and smut, sexualizing that old man/woman, smoking is hot when it's fictional characters

---

Completed

Last Glimpse of the Topsail (8.8k, E, Gale/Shadowheart)

She can feel it– the ebb and flow. The thread that joins them is a braided harbour rope going taut and slack with the tide. Shadowheart breathes it in and can feel Gale take her exhale in turn.

Or: Inappropriate use of Zone of Truth, cast by one lovesick cleric upon one terribly lovesick wizard.

Read if you like: Friends to lovers, resolved sexual tension, matching each others freak, ASMR: goth gf hypnotizes you to confess all your slutty secrets (romantic)

---

Four of Swords (3.6k, E, Astarion/Gale + Gale/Shadowheart + Minthara/Gale)

Kept, a rational voice in Gale's mind would remind him when they pressed gifts into his hands. You are a kept man in a devil's tower, nothing more.

But it’s Shadowheart that helps him dredge the Chionthar. It’s Minthara who pulls the crown from the deepwater muck. And it’s Astarion who places it upon his head.

Another gift. No. A reward.

A corruption arc in 3k words, Gale finds himself less of an ally and more of a kept pet wizard to Ascended Astarion, Dark Justiciar Shadowheart, and...lbh just regular Minthara.

Read if you like: Corruption via praise, fancy robes, and unlimited spell scrolls, magic collars, calling dibs on the wizard.

---

Eclipse (3.2k, E, Gale/Shadowheart)

There will always be the dark of Shadowheart, lurking just beneath the waterfall of his wife’s soft white curls. Gale sees her in the firm hand of the wolf tamer at the edge of the forest and in the quiet whispers of 'is this too much' when she sees him in pain.

But on occasion– when the animals are fed, the roses tended, and some kinder deities than the echoes of their pasts smiles upon them– there is an eclipse.

Gale and Shadowheart partaking in some simulacrum shenanigans (a threesome with both versions of his wife)

Read if you like: The world's most romantic painplay, bratting so your wife's alter ego steps on you, married life between two people with 9th level spells.

---

Netherese Duality Series (9.2k, E, Gale/Gale's Netherese Orb)

Gale is used to catching the eyes of the otherworldly. Whatever follows him now offers no such comforts.

There are nights he feels eyes heavy on his back in the dark of his study, only to turn and find himself alone. And there are mornings, still, when shadows pass over the candle by his bed the moment he wakes– as if some presence had been watching him from his bedside.

Isolated in his tower, Gale is less alone than he thinks.

Read if: You think Jekyll & Hyde takes could be a whole lot more horny, "that man got 1000 times hotter when his life fell apart", the idea of an interdimensional being talking Gale through it.

---

Game Theory (19.5k, Astarion/Gale/Enver Gortash)

To Gale, working with Gortash is a bitter pill he must swallow, but one he can chase with the sweetness of the Crown in his capable hands.

To Astarion, it’s pure hedonism and power. It’s a section of the city in the palm of a pair of new gauntlets. It’s blood from a populace who will never tell him no again, and it's Gale at his feet.

But the aloof housecat often thinks itself a ruler on high over the loyal pup, even when they both wear the master's collar and eat his of scraps. Enver has come to enjoy their meals together.

Read if you like: the evil throuple from hell, Gale 'rip to everyone who died of hubris but I'm better' Dekarios, kept pet wizards, psychosexual 4D chess

---

Perfect Bound (4.5k, E, Astarion/Gale)

“Whatever happened here?” Astarion teases, coming face to face with Gale. He makes a show of looking him up and down, one slender finger against his own lips in faux concern.

Gale makes a growl of annoyance around his gag. He gives one pointed tug to his bound wrists and flicks his eyes upwards as if to say is it not obvious?

“Trapped? Oh, but that can’t be it. Astarion says, mouth dropping open as if he’s just noticed the binds. “I seem to recall you saying you had everything quite in hand.”

My first Bloodweave 1 shot! A classic dangerkink Dekarios take in which Gale gets a little tied up and Astarion is there to help.

Read if: You like your bloodweave with a thread of pred/prey or you like seeing wizard hubris punished (in a sexy way)

---

Typecasting (19k, E, Gale/Shadowheart/Tav)

"You see, the problem about writing on drow society is one often does not make it up from the Underdark to hand pages to publisher. Of course there are many…less researched volumes. Of hapless men and leather-clad matrons. But I told Shadowheart I would be a gentleman, so that is all I will say on the more sordid parts of my education. You’ve nothing to fear.”

Stuck in the underdark with a drow city before them and freedom, Shadowheart & Tav keep Gale as a fake prisoner to keep their cover.

Read if: You're a 'Gale has an erotica collection' truther, you like strong ladies and puppy-eyed men, the dynamic of 'dom teaching dom with one eager to please sub, slightly convoluted reasons to !!leash and collar that wizard!!

[cursecuelebre]

Deities That are Great for Fabric Arts

Just a fun post for those who are working with deities and spirits using sewing or any kind of fabric crafting art in their craft, worship, etc. this can be weaving, spinning, crocheting, looming (Not sure if it's the same as weaving), even knot work. Or If you're interested in just learning about these gods and spirits! Context there isn’t going to be a lot of male deities since fabric arts were a domestic thing that women and girls would do in the household.

Athena, Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Craftsmanship especially by hand, and War. Association of weaving and spinning a domestic art that was traditionally was by women in the ancient Greco-Roman world. One of her depictions is often with a distaff being one of hey symbols for her, great Epithet to work with is Athena Erganê or worker and teaches and represents men in all their arts and craftsmenship.

Minvera, Roman Goddess of Craftsmanship, Arts, and Professions she was later merged with Athena but she was originated from Italy. Romans adopted her from the Etruscans. The Story of Arachne is famous about a weaver comparing herself to Minvera that led her demise after being defeated by the goddess but she was turn into the first spider as spiders are natural weavers. Some say Athena is associated with this story but historians believed more accurately that Arachne story originated from Rome since there is no record in Greece that shows Athena and Arachne, other than Ovid the Roman poet mentions this story. Can you associate Athena with the story, of course the Romans saw them interchangeably at times but I just want to mention that because for context and more accuracy.

Arachne, Greek spirit of weaving: Speaking of Arachne, she can be work with weaving as the story goes she was in the weaving contest with Minvera. She is often depicted as a spider.

Freyja, Norse Goddess of Magic, Love, Beauty, War, and Death. Freyja practices Seidr which is a shaman like magical the ancient Norse and Germanic people specifically women usually this was done by spinning yarn and practicing magic. The old saying of “Spinning stories” Freyja is said to be the Goddess and founder of Seidr that taught Odin who in turn taught mankind.

Frigg, Norse Mother Goddess of Motherhood, Childbirth, Fate, Womanhood, Marriage, Prophecy, Family, Hearth, and Wisdom. Said to be one of the wisest beings in the world more wiser than her husband Odin, she knows all people's fate and often is associated with the Norns, spinners of people's fates. Since spinning and weaving is a domestic art for women, Frigg is often depicted with a distaff being one of the her sacred symbols.

Odin, Norse Allfather, God of Magic, Death, War, Wisdom, Healing, and Poetry: He often is mentioned of being the creator of Seidr that involves spinning and magic, he taught mankind how to use Seidr. Also fabric arts are in the element of air which Odin is god of and he really likes craftsmanship.

Frau Holda, Germanic Goddess of Death, Winter, Domestic Arts, Children, Spinning, and Agriculture. Frau Holda or Frau Holle is more seen as a folkloric entity most famously depicted in the Brother's Grimm fairy tales. It is said she was once worshipped by ancient Germanic people and Anglo-saxons. But the most information is from the Brother's Grimm her story was about laziness vs hard working, if one is willing to bear hard work she will be rewarded if lazy one will be not so lucky (I highly recommend the story so great) Spinning and weaving was a big part of the tale. She is still practice in German folk magic today including Pennsylvania Dutch folk magic and traditions a derivation is Urglaawe a branch of heathenry. She is often depicted as an older woman and according to old stories she also joins Odin in his Wild Hunt.

The Norns, Norse Spinners of fate: that spin threads of fate, Urd (Wyrd or Fate), Verdandi (What Is Happening or Coming to being) and Skuld (Debt or What Shall Be) whom are place on the roots of the Yggdrasil where they sit by a well called Urðarbunnr or “Wellspring of Urðr.” They look over all mankind’s fate as well as the Gods.

The Moriai, Greek goddesses of fate: Clotho the spinner, Lachesis the measurer, and Atropos who cut the thread of life.

Habetrot or Hobbitrot Spirit of Spinning: A folkloric spirit originated in lowland Scotland that enjoys spinning and sewing. Depicted on being feminine and associated with the holed stones or hag stones a natural hole formations within stones.

Hekate Arkuia / Arkyia epithet of Hekate of the spinner of webs or spinner: This epithet is quite rare and seen in Alexandrian curse tablets and associates her with spinning and knot work “entrapping” as well like a net.

Artemis Eulinos “The Great Spinner” and Artemis Chrysselakatos “Of The Golden Distaff”: A unique epithet of Artemis, Artemis of The Golden Distaff was used in Bauron where handicrafts and looms were dedicated to her. Since young girls are often taught looming and weaving at home and Artemis looks over these aspects of handicrafts, looming, and weaving.

Saint Tabitha, Patron Saint of Seamstress and Tailors: Known for her acts of kindness and generosity. In her life she was skilled in sewing. Known as Dorcas in Greece.

Saint Anne, Patron of Housewives, Unmarried Women, Motherhood, Childless Women, Seamstresses, Lacemakers, Miners, and The Poor: Saint Anne is the mother of Holy Mary and Grandmother of Jesus, she prepared Mary for motherhood and how to create a loving household.

Brigid Celtic Goddess of Hearth, Fire, Water, Healing, Craftsmanship, Blacksmiths, and Poetry: Brigid is an Irish Celtic goddess but also named St Brigid, she is domestic goddess and weaving and looming is linked to her since it is a part of craftsmanship as well. She is daughter of Dadga, The Oak Tree is sacred to her, Bees as well as torches, anvil, wells, etc.

King Paimon, demon of Arts, Sciences, and Secret things: Part of the 72 demons of the Ars Goetia he is ranked a king and commands 200 legions of spirits. He can also bestow titles and bind men to the summoner. Depicted as a beautiful crowned man with a feminine face riding a camel.

[mnz-10]

My fics:

Pjo:

Delusion of Fate: Luke/Mercury - si/oc luke with lots of worldbuilding and canon divergence—like: Roman gods # Greek gods (as in mercury and hermes are not the same guy). Currently in SoM.

DoF oneshots: other characters’ povs from delusion of fate

Lady in Red: a crack oneshot of my si/oc luke in a quest with annabeth and percy. Luke’s the lady in red in this. Also, hermes makes an appearance, and a horny, masochistic cyclops is there too, lol

We men are wretched things: Luke/Hermes. Luke/Dionysus. Percy/Annabeth. Percy/Apollo. Aphrodite/Annabeth/Ares - Luke, Percy, and Annabeth are isekaied to ancient greece/the illiad. Annabeth is hailed as Athena's miracle child, Percy is trying to keep his head out of the water, and Luke finds out that not dying when he was supposed to might have changed him. Meanwhile, gods meddle and Achaeans and Trojans wage war against each other. This one has a bunch of politicking and pretty dark themes (incest, SA, etc)—if that's not your thing, do NOT read it.

A Crown of Feathers: Mercury/Luke. Luke becomes a god after the battle of manhattan, turning into one of Hermes' attendants. Octavian, having suffered infamia, prays for anyone who might listen. Luke does. And beneath it all, Rome is watching. No ToA. As always, roman # greek.

Chronologically Cursed: luke is isekaied into an epic/the odyssey mashup and meets epic!hermes. A oneshot

The Kind That Hopes: a Mercury/Luke oneshot after the failed garden of the hesperides quest. As always, roman ≠ greek

I will die from loving more than I could: lee/luke oneshot following canon events

Until the Sun Tires of You: a helios/dof!luke oneshot. It has explicit sexual content

Of Ichor Born: a Luke & Hermes athenide inspired au (we decided to call it Hermogenēs lol) where luke is reborn as a god after the battle of manhattan, Kronos panicked screams echoing in his ears as both of them start to crack. Death, after all, is unknown to an immortal. Fear-worthy. As a last resort, Kronos tries to bend time, but shatters under it. With the last threads of Kronos’ desperation, Luke is sent back in time, just as Hermes washes ichor from his skin, the golden drops falling in the sacred spring—and so, a new god is born.

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

athena and apollo headcanons?

also guess who

@txny-dragon IS THAT U (if not i'm sorry txny is the only person i've really screamed about this with - well, and chronic...👀)

jfhxjbj,sx

Athena and Apollo???!!!! hrmmm...

Headcanons

Athena always got annoyed whenever she saw Hermes hanging around Apollo, especially during 'her' time with him. She's a competitive person, after all. Quit eating up her time!

Apollo got Athena to play the flute again - however, she only plays it around him.

He also taught her how to play the harp. Why the harp? idk, Athena would just look very poised playing a harp

Their first argument was over prophecy - Athena was experimenting with some pebbles for prophecy and Apollo got upset about it and complained to Zeus, who told Athena to leave prophecy alone.

Subtle bonding over being Daddy's Favorite and how that isolated Athena immediately and over time with Apollo.

Athena based her own parenting style off of Zeus's - the only parental figure she has. Apollo based his off his mother's.

The ~PARALLELS~

Surprisingly, their conversations can be like:

Apollo: Athena, NO!

Athena: Athena, YES!

Athena quietly felt bad after the Olympian Rebellion when she saw Apollo's mortal punishment - but she was too self-persevering to think on it for long.

she still snuck him extra ambrosia dessert when he returned and listened to him as he told her about how cruel Laomedon had been

They have friendly arguments over who's city is better - Sparta, or Athens. Athena's mood, however, lowers if Ares is within earshot. Then it turns into a yelling match between the two war gods with an awkward Apollo standing Right There.

Arts and crafts sessions - weaving, painting, usually ends with somebody (Athena) covered in paint and somebody (Apollo) tied in thread.

They both have "Can Use The Aegis" Privileges from Zeus - Athena uses them more often, Apollo has used it exactly once during The Trojan War

Apollo gave Athena the cold shoulder after The Trojan War for helping Achilles kill Hector. Athena tried to tell herself that it didn't matter he wasn't speaking to her - she didn't need friends, after all! - but when she saw how he would speak with Dionysus, Hermes, Artemis, and even - bleh! - Ares over her...it made her stomach twist in ways she never thought it could

She used Orestes's trial as a way to get back into Apollo's good graces - she really did believe Orestes valid for killing his mother (it was on Apollo's orders, after all) but if it came with the perk of Apollo's icy-cold shoulder melting? *zips lips*

As Artemis and Apollo slowly drifted apart, Athena gladly stepped in and started taking up more of Apollo's usual Artemis time - something he thought Artemis wouldn't notice, but she did.

(this, of course, leads to some stink-eyes between Athena and Artemis. platonic love triangle beloved)

Athena is the only one who suspects that the "flaying Marsyas alive" thing was a hoax - she was the one who put the curse on the flute, after all. But she never sensed the death of the one who picked it up.

When Rome came around, and Athena morphed into Minerva, it put Apollo off-kilter. He didn't quite know who this was anymore - sure, she was still the craft goddess he messed around with, and was a heck of a lot more interested in poetry, music, and medicine now, but...she just wasn't quite the Athena he knew.

He became more worried when the raging began. Minerva would flicker into Athena, and Apollo's heart would leap - she's back! she's okay! she's still here! - but then drop as all Athena would do is scream bloody vengeance upon Rome, and he realized that he was right.

Minerva wasn't the Athena he knew...but neither was the one before him.

When his fellow gods' Greek/Rome halves melded together after the fall of the Roman Empire, he was particularly worried about how that would affect Athena - and for a while, it seemed like nothing had.

(Though strangely she was suddenly interested in having kids. Not that there's anything wrong with that, he just never thought Athena would want to be a mom. She never said anything of the sort to him before...)

Then she sent her first child to retrieve the Athena Parthenos. They didn't return. She sent another. Same story. Over and over. Over and over. Apollo watched as Athena kept sacrificing her children for that damn statue the Romans stole.

Apollo tried to talk to her, to knock some sense into her, but nothing worked. Not until they moved all across Europe, and she finally stopped (for now).

In the modern day, they like to visit museums, art galleries, and theaters. Dionysus used to join them up until his punishment.

Athena attends every concert/party Apollo puts on. Partly because she wants to, and partly to flip the bird at Artemis, who rarely shows up.

(i swear i love artemis athena just isn't that fond of her. platonic love triangle beloved)

(txny if the anon is you...you'd get this next one)

Manwhore Manipulate Manslaughter. That's it that's the post.

While it's widely believed that Artemis does a lot of damage control for Apollo when their father cracks down on him - and she does - Athena is another major player in the game. (see: the Parthenon in Blood of Olympus - Athena being the only one to (covertly) defend Apollo, while Jason is the only one to openly defend him. Two underrated people, these two are.)

Why she can't openly defend him? It's because she knows Zeus sweats in his shoes ahem. becomes...concerned when his two favorite, and Very Powerful children form an alliance.

While she was unable to prevent Apollo's third mortality punishment, Athena believed whole-heartedly the entire time that he would return. He had to. He was Apollo, he was her friend, her brother, and he couldn't just leave her by herself die. So when Hermes made that betting pool? She betted on Apollo's success. Partly to gloat to the Council about being right, partly to throw the failed bet into Hermes's face, and partly because she liked winding Ares up.

I also firmly believe Athena was doing some deux ex machina on Apollo's behalf throughout the series. Artemis couldn't get away with it, sure, she had Zeus's eagle eye on her - but Athena? Why would Zeus ever consider her as a possible person to disobey him? Why I never-

The nod she gave him in The Tower of Nero is her equivalent of a bone-crushing hug.

Athena helped Apollo write his story with Calliope's help - they made two versions: the heavily censored version they gave to Zeus for him to parade around, and another, secret version - the one Apollo has in his library, the one Athena has in hers.

The one we have read.

[rikastrology]

chitra + amélie (2001)

nakshatras as movies i love

Although Tigresses are often portrayed to be fierce, they are some of the most solitary predators alive, spending the majority of their lives stalking their prey alone. The exceptions to these periods of isolation take place in order to raise their cubs. In a similar effect, I’ve found that Chitras often struggle to take anything but a paternalistic/maternalistic role in close relationships. 

There is an intense fear of vulnerability in allowing yourself to be the issue, and a Chitra often avoids this pitfall entirely by setting themselves up to be their circle’s “fixer”. Whether it’s by taking a “therapist”, “mom friend”, “soothsayer”, or “bodyguard” role, Chitras are always the first on the scene with a feel-good or a fix-it.  Ironically, this skewed dynamic can often lead to these placements feeling even lonelier.

Ruled by Twashtar, architect of the gods, Chitras are by nature artificers. Martian by nature, there is a misconception that Chitra is an inherently “violent” nakshatra. However, wars are fought with more than passion. It is better to look at the Roman Mars or the Greek Athena rather than Ares for a classical allegory to Chitra’s Mars. Karmically wounded by instability, Chitras often subconsciously require routine for both their physical and mental health.

That’s not to say that this nakshatra can’t let their hair down. They just dislike not being able to do it on their own terms. Those with multiple or strong Chitra placements often had overly strict or neglectful early lives, leading to a feeling of anxiety when their plans go awry. Other fictional examples of this specific Chitra anxiety expressed unhealthily are Reynolds from Phantom Thread or Carmy from The Bear.

To heal this karmic wound, Chitras must face the ugly fact that sometimes, things go wrong. Dinners are burnt, shoes are scuffed, and people leave. These placements must embrace the irrationality and unpredictability of the universe, and allow their loved ones equal access to their emotions and anxieties.

Love is a conversation, not a monologue. Chitras have so much love to give. They just need to allow those around them to love them back equally.

[voluptuarian]

Who the fuck is Heracles?: Greek myths, Roman names, and American media in the Heracles vs. Hercules dilemma

So I regularly see people complaining about and/or ridiculing media (tv, movies, books, usually American) where Heracles, despite being represented in the Greek stories and with the Greek pantheon, is referred to by Hercules, his Roman name. The biggest target I see getting flack for this is the Disney movie and frequently people assume a story using the Roman name implies the creator's ignorance about mythology in general. I wish I could tell you all that it was that simple... sadly I can't. What I can tell you is that somehow, the name-form Hercules has predominated so entirely in the English-speaking world that that is pretty much the only version used in America, period. I would hazard that the majority of Americans, despite knowing who Hercules is, would be confused if asked about Heracles. People who recognize Heracles know something about Greek history or mythology-- if you don't know Hercules however, you live under a rock. Even I, a devoted mythology, history, and etymology fan generally refer to him as Hercules.

(I would assume this is also common outside of the US but I have nowhere near the knowledge base to confirm that one way or another-- feel free to chime in if you do.)

Now none of this has been academically researched-- I frankly do not have the energy to do an entire bottom-up deep dive on this, even if I might have the time-- but from the myriad threads of random knowledge I do have, I think I've been able to figure out HOW this situation started and WHY it's persisted so stubbornly.

To start out, after the re-popularizing of classical culture and myth in the Renaissance and on through the 18th and early 19th centuries, Europeans seem to have overwhelmingly referred to the Greek and Roman mythological figures by their Latin names, even if they were referring to Greek stories or a combination of the two. I see references to Jove, Jupiter, and Juno much more frequently than to Zeus and Hera, and Minerva more often than Athena; Diane de Portiers of course was literally named for a Roman goddess, and it was Diana who she was repeatedly painted as. Even before the Renaissance and neo-platonism, when gods appear, Latin names seem to be the standard-- Venus and Mars are not infrequently brought up in medieval literature, but I have yet to see Aphrodite and Ares (I assume the preference for Latin names is from Catholicism helping make Latin the scholarly language, not Greek? Or maybe it's tied to the planetary/scientific names? idk). The figures who I see getting called by Greek names seem to be more minor ones (I see Hebe much more often than I do Juventas), are being referred to by an epithet (Cynthia or Phoebus, for instance) or did not have a corresponding Roman figure, like Apollo, who the Romans just adopted whole cloth. (Hermes seems to be used at least as often as Mercury, which I can only assume is due to the popularity of Hermeticism.) Hercules, who for some reason appears to have been one of, if not the most popular Greek hero in the early modern period and on (why?? again, I don't know; maybe because the labors made for good art concepts? Maybe because Roman emperors had play-acted as him and so many figures were supposed to be his descendants?) is similarly mostly called by his Roman name. The continuing popularity of using classical figures in literature and allegory, especially in political image-making, helped keep those trends going for centuries, and the Roman terms seem to continue to be the most popular into the 1800s.

At some point however, that switched. Across the board I think westerners now and at least Americans are much more familiar with the Greek gods and myths. (Or at least Greek myths as funneled through fucking Ovid. Does he deserve my hate? Unsure. Do I hate him regardless? Yes.) Odysseus is more recognizable here than Ulysses, and Jupiter, Neptune, Juno, and Pluto have lost out against Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, and Hades. Many Americans mistakenly believe the Roman gods were just entirely copied from the Greeks and know next to nothing about original Roman deities or the differences between Roman and Greek analogs. Now-- when exactly did this shift happen? 🤷‍♀️ Why did it happen? 🤷‍♀️ Above my pay grade. What I DO know is that somehow Hercules doesn't get picked up in this changeover when pretty much everybody else does.

So WHAT was going on to keep the Latin name stuck in the public mind? Strongmen.

For those not in the know, strongmen (and women) were part-athlete, part-bodybuilder entertainers who became popular stars in the Victorian period. They combined the emphasis on physical strength focused on by modern weightlifters with a gradually increasing emphasis on physique that became bodybuilding later. These strongwomen and men frequently used Greco-Roman-inspired professional names-- Cyclops, Vulcana, Charmion, Atlas, etc. Annnnd a bunch of them used the name Hercules. There was Katie Sandwina, the "Lady Hercules," William Bankier, known as "Apollo, the Scottish Hercules," the McCann brothers "Hercules" and "Samson," and John "Herkul" Grün. Even when they weren't going by the name Hercules, they were often billed as "a Hercules," as if Hercules was a byword for strongman. (Pretty sure Samsons and Goliaths got thrown around that way too, but Hercules seems to have been the most popular.) These stars also frequently performed and/or did promotional work inspired by or imitating Hercules (Maurice Dériaz and Eugen Sandow even modeled for artists as Hercules.)

(And here's Dériaz in the aforementioned role of Hercules. Obviously I know who he is because of strictly scholarly reasons and not because I saw this painting once and was intrigued by those incredibly lush pectorals. Banish the thought.)

By the 30s the "strongmen" were gradually beginning to split into athlete vs. entertainer categories and these theatrical professional names were phasing out.

But bodybuilders were still big, and were only going to get more deeply entrenched in the Hercules business thanks to the sword and sandals boom. That gets started roughly in the late 40s and goes on for the better part of 2 decades (getting increasingly less historical and more fantastical as it goes along.) It also includes a slew of movies starring bodybuilders. Hercules (along with Samson and Goliath and other original "muscleman characters") is regularly represented and always with his Roman name. By the 60s "Hercules" movies are a dime a dozen, almost entirely starring bodybuilders, including Steve Reeves in Hercules and its sequel; Mark Forest and Alan Steel in the seemingly endless Hercules And... or Hercules Against... movies, and Mickey Hargitay in The Loves of Hercules, all from the late 50s and 60s. (Meanwhile even though 1963's Jason and the Argonauts has Nigel Green in the role, he's still called Hercules, not Heracles.) An entire subgenre of (mostly Italian) sword and sandals movies centering on burly, physically powerful heroes (usually played by athletes or bodybuilders) develops directly out of the success of the first Hercules series.

Looking at the connection between "Hercules" and bodybuilders, the ties between bodybuilding and sword and sandals movies, and the later universality of "Hercules" in the genre, I can't help but assume the dominance of Hercules over Heracles has to be directly indebted to strongmen, and their unintentional preservation of the Roman name, which has persisted despite the switch to Greek for literally every other character. While the rest of the mythological names remained overwhelming tied to mythological context, Hercules had become attached to other spheres, which were unaffected by changes in academic language and remained culturally prominent. Through their eventual turn to film, later "strongmen" then helped Hercules, rather than Heracles, not only remain in use but become the standard.

So. Now we're at a point where the name is stuck beyond all reason, but enough people out there versed in mythology are going, "wtf why is his name wrong?" So why doesn't that get changed?

Well, I've seen one adaptation so far go for it. The Hades games already dug out the Minotaur's personal name and got everybody using it, so it's not surprising they would be willing to give Heracles a go. (They also apparently use Heracles in the Record of Ragnarok series, but that's an anime and I have no idea what the Hercules/Heracles situation is outside the English speaking world, so I'm not sure how common that is.)

Neither of the two equally forgettable Hercules films that came out in 2014 (still don't know how or why that happened) feels like the sort of project anyone involved in would have even considered floating Heracles for. Neither of them was, let's say, well made? or overly committed to accuracy to the source material, and both banked on "well everybody knows who Hercules is!" (Interestingly, since he was a world wrestler, the Dwayne Johnson project could be considered a continuation of the strongman Hercules tradition...)

Meanwhile if Disney even did consider giving their hero his appropriately Greek name, they were releasing it in 1997, right in the middle of the run of the Hercules tv show which had been airing for 2 years already and was hugely popular. Like every project that hinges on people being familiar with Hercules' story already, if it had gone with Heracles I think the public a. would not have known that was Hercules and b. would have been like "Who the fuck is Heracles? That sounds like Hercules lol." 😑 With that kind of project, at that particular time, I think anybody would have had a snowball's chance in hell of making a name change work. Even the Percy Jackson series, which did not come out in the direct shadow of the tv show and seems to pride itself on it's perceived accuracy (hmmmmm) also has Hercules rather than Heracles. I give Rick Riordan enough benefit of the doubt to assume he would have liked to use the authentic Greek name in his series if he could have-- publishers believing children could handle Heracles in a world of Herculeses however, seems less plausible. (I mean HBO didn't think an audience of grown adults could handle Asha and Osha, so...)

So there you have it, my personal theory on why we're still out here saying shit like "Hercules was the son of Zeus" in the year of our lord 2024, how we ended up here, and why it's more complex than just "the guy who wrote this doesn't know what he's talking about."

[freakcliff]

Persona Characters Ranked by How Many Mechs Songs Feature Their Personas

First, let's get things straight. The Mechanisms were a band made up of immortal space pirates that traveled through space and told stories about what they saw through song. They have four albums that tell stories throughout the albums-- Once Upon a Time in Space (fairy tales, in space), Ulysses Dies at Dawn (noir greek myths, in space), High Noon Over Camelot (cowboy arthurian legend, in space) and The Bifrost Incident (cosmic horror norse mythology, in space), and two albums (Tales to be Told vol. 1 & 2) that are miscellaneous songs/stories.

off we go. I asked my friend for his opinions on this, so it's not ONLY my opinions, but all of these are subjective opinions on what songs i like best

10. Yuka Ayase- Freyj Freyj and his sister Freyja are mentioned in the Bifrost Incident, but they don't get any actual singing parts

9. Sumire Yoshizawa- Cendrillion, Vanadis, Ella Freyja (Vanadis) is, as mentioned, mentioned in the Bifrost Incident. Cinder's Song from Once Upon a Time in Space is a song that is dear to me, but I will admit that the Mechs' albums get better as they go on, and Once Upon a Time in Space is their first.

8. Aigis- Pallas Athena Twisted Threads from Tales to be Told Volume II takes place in the same world/storyline as Ulysses Dies at Dawn, and is an absolute banger. However, other songs on this list bang harder (in my opinion), and the song is mainly about Arachne, though Athena features

7. Labrys- Ariadne Ties that Bind from Ulysses Dies at Dawn slaps, both Ariadne & Athena are sung by Raphaella la Cognizi/Rachel L. Hughes, & her singing is off the charts awesome & adds wonderfully to the jazzy noir vibe of Ulysses Dies at Dawn

6. Persona 3 Protagonist- Orpheus Trial by Song from Ulysses Dies At Dawn is honestly tied with Ties that Bind, but i like it slightly better and this is my list.

5. Eikichi Mishina- Hades Underworld Blues is the best song in Ulysses Dies at Dawn it slaps, and also the character of Hades is awesome.

4. Futaba Sakura- Prometheus Prometheus from Tales to be Told (also taking place in Ulysses Dies at Dawn world. this album features the most because of persona's love of greek myths) is iconic, so is the space jam mashup. Massive bonus points for Prometheus being a hacker. [Prometheus the hero who let us hold off the horde//Prometheus who proved the keyboard's mightier than the sword]

3. Baofu- Odysseus, Prometheus As mentioned Prometheus is a good song. My friend ranked this one lower in protest against Johnny Sims's attempt at an american accent. The entire album Ulysses Dies at Dawn is about Ulysses (roman name for Odysseus), but he features most heavily in Broken Horses, My Name is No-One, and Elysian Fields. Personally I don't like any one of these songs as much as the previously listed songs, but Baofu gets points for having an entire Album.

2. Takuto Maruki- Azathoth I am not going to tell you anything about Red Signal (the Bifrost Incident). I am only going to tell you to listen to it. Anyways. Azathoth is also technically a major.... character? in the Bifrost Incident, which is imo (and afaik most would agree with me) the Mechs' best album, so that's worth some points.

Goro Akechi- Loki, Hereward Loki is one of the main characters of the Bifrost Incident, and she gets parts in multiple songs, mainly the one named after her, and it slaps verily, it's one of the Mechs' best songs, in their best album Hereward the Wake (Tales to be Told Volume II) is one of my favorite Mechs songs and also the reason I made this list, because it's the only reason I knew about Hereward the Wake before playing persona 5. So Akechi wins this list because i am a) extremely biased, i will admit and b) he's the only character who has two personas with entire songs, and they both happen to be some of the bangingest mechs songs

[btetm]

1926 1st Edtn THE HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT AND DEMONOLOGY By Rev Montague Summers Very Good Esoteric

1926 1st Edition ,  THE HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT AND DEMONOLOGY By Rev Montague Summers Augustus Montague Summers (10 April 1880 – 10 August 1948) was an English author, clergyman, and teacher. He initially prepared for a career in the Church of England at Oxford and Lichfield, and was ordained as an Anglican deacon in 1908. He then converted to Roman Catholicism and began styling himself as a Catholic priest. He was, however, never affiliated with any Catholic diocese or religious order, and it is doubtful that he was ever actually ordained to the priesthood. He was employed as a teacher of English and Latin while independently pursuing scholarly work on the English drama of the 17th century. The latter earned him election to the Royal Society of Literature in 1916. Noted for his eccentric personality and interests, Summers became a well known figure in London society as a result of the publication of his History of Witchcraft and Demonology in 1926. That work was followed by other studies on witchcraft, vampires, and werewolves, in all of which he professed to believe. Summers also produced a modern English translation, published in 1929, of the 15th-century witch hunter's manual, the Malleus Maleficarum. He has been characterized as "arguably the most seminal twentieth century purveyor of pop culture occultism." Illustrated By: Format: Hardcover, Language: English Dust Jacket: No Jacket, Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket Published By: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co Ltd., London octavo (8vo 6 × 9 152 × 229),Pages 374 ISBN: Vividly detailed and highly readable, this classic history of witchcraft and demonology provides a thorough exploration of sorcery, Satanism, and every variety of the black arts. Reflecting popular folklore and theological opinions of the late medieval and early Renaissance periods, this survey of necromancy traces witchcraft from ancient times to the twentieth century, describing the link between heresy and the occult. Threaded with dramatic accounts of witch trials and devil's pacts, this time-tested reference offers a compelling look at The Worship of the Witch, Demons and Familiars, the Sabbat, and Diabolic Possession and Modern Spiritism. It also offers fascinating insight into the role of the Witch in Dramatic Literature. A prolific occult historian, Montague Summers wrote numerous books, and he edited and translated such important early demonology and witchcraft texts as the Malleus Maleficarum. An intriguing perspective on the development of the black arts and their heretical interpretations by society, church, and state, The History of Witchcraft and Demonology will capture the attention of the general reader as well as the occult enthusiast. SKU: BTETM0002470 Approximate Package Dimensions H: 12.5, L: 30, W: 25 (Units: cm), W: 2Kg

Very Good - Publisher's original blue cloth, owl-of-Athena in gilt to front and gilt lettering to spine, plain endpapers Please see photos as part of condition report

[pagansprite]

DAY FOUR: Are there any deities you don’t currently worship but want to learn about?

technically this would apply to athena and heracles. i have worshiped them in the past, but not consistently.

in general, i want to follow the threads of family relations. they both have interesting dynamics with hermes, and zeus. and im interested in the overlap/syncretism of the greco-roman-etruscan """"versions""""" of them.

31 days of helpol by @/wisdom-devotee

[thrudgelmir2333]

Things I'd put in Poseidon's Sanctuary

This was originally written for the following Reddit Thread by Successful_Put872. I just had a bit of fun with it, even came up with sea monster aquariums, so I thought I'd share it here, too.

What locations or places would you add to expand Poseidon's underwater fortress?

This is just me tossing a couple of ideas I discussed on chat in 5 minutes, but I would put:

Temples to important figures of Poseidon's family; such as Amphitrite, Triton, Arion and perhaps even fellow Olympians. Life in ancient greece was polytheistic with populations paying tribute to various gods depending on the need. Even if you are a Mariner, chances are you're not gonna pray to Poseidon for your opponents to be struck with Phobos' fear. Moreover, you can tell from Krishna that Hinduism and Buddhism are a thing down there, too.

Massive coral reefs and trenches in the terrain. Poseidon's sanctuary's floor is drawn to emulate the bottom of the seabed but inside a pocket of oxygen, so you can imagine all sorts of natural wonders being in it, like big stretches of reefs and abysses like the Marianna Trench. It adds geographic character.

Gardens, palaces and more temples; The Sanctuary of Poseidon is supposedly habitated by Poseidon, his generals and their soldiers, who in case you haven't notice, are kind of ostentatious people. They would love nothing more than surround the Pillars, their barracks and their palaces with fields and architecture displaying the splendour of Poseidon's rule. Oh, and you just know Caça would insist on having a brothel somewhere around.

Architectural wonders and freaking Fresh Water; Speaking of splendour, it makes perfect sense for Sanctuary's Poseidon to have things like really long stairs leading to the bottom of a dry trench, roman-style highways leading to the Main Breadwinner from all other corners of his Sanctuary, aqueducts/canals for fresh water (cause they live at the bottom of the sea so that's probably important).

Stables; Poseidon is the God of Horses, too, not just the sea, and Saint Seiya has shown that Saints do like riding around, so it makes sense for there to be big horse stables on the scale of alike that of the Persian Empire. Pastures, naturally, would be on the surface. It's probably not a good idea to have horses eat seabed grass.

A massive Earthquake machine; Speaking of things Poseidon is a god of, why not just have a big broken earthquake machine somewhere in his Sanctuary? He could use it to kill humanity or something, like Moleman. You can totally picture that might have been his approach in a previous Holy War and Saints might have just broken it and taken the one part that makes it work back to Athena's Sanctuary.

Sunk ships and submarines; just have famous sunk ships litter the fields. Why not? Put something missing from the Titanic in the North Atlantic pillar, or just have some Russian nuclear submarine rammed straight into the membrane separating the Oxygen pocket from the ocean waters. At the very least, that would be funny to look at.

Statues, Halls and Monuments; Just include a shitload of monuments to famous Mariners, Poseidon figures or something. Put them everywhere. Have Shiryu reach the Indic Ocean pillar and see some kind of big fuck-off Colossus dedicated to Prince Chrysaor.

Giant Aquarium filled with sea monsters; Come on. How the hell is this NOT a thing? There's a whole freaking manga about Mariners being published and they don't think of this? Don't even bother with silly sharks, but give Poseidon a big fuck-off extinct sea monster, like that carnivorous Sperm Whale discovered in Peru, and put it in an enormous aquarium right behind his throne. He can use it to intimidate fools and impress the ladies. Ladies love sea monsters.

Hydrotherman Vent Oracle: Have an Oracle building somewhere in it, and the way the Oracle has prophecies is she gets high off the fumes of seabed hydrothermal vents. Maybe if Poseidon hadn't invested in one, someone would tell Julian kidnapping Saori was a terrible idea.

Scale material Mines: Have giant mining networks extracting stardust, orichalcum and whatever the Mariners need to fix their armors. And idk, have some enslaved Muvian doing the work for them. Poseidon sunk their continent so they probably wouldn't help him willingly.

Seabed Catapult Cannon: Have a giant cannon to shoot people out of the ocean bed into the surface, like in the game SOMA. I can totally picture Sea Horse Generals building such a thing just to punish officers. You look at Baian the wrong way, and he won't even bother with his dumb technique; he'll just load you into the barrel

A Zoo Park; Yes, that's right. And no, this isn't about Io and his stupid powers. People love animals and the freaking generals have to stay down there in the seabed. Just have a park with normal animals in it, birds, whatever the mariners need to have a sense of normalcy down there. And you know Poseidon would love a pet lion. Fish are boring unless they're sea monsters (See point 9).

See, if you just stop for five minutes to think about it, you can come up with all sorts of fun stuff. I didn't even think too hard about these. You gotta wonder how little thought was put into Poseidon's Sanctuary, then, both when Kurumada was coming up with it and when they decided to "Soul of Gold" it with Rerise. But I guess eight pillars and a palace would drain anyone's imagination...

[cosmotellurias]

I actually just realized this too when thinking about a fic idea!! Like if the whole the Mist falls thing happened, how will the people that follow Hellenic Polytheism think? Because from my limited understanding, pagan religions don't consider mythologies to be "real" in a sense. Mythologies are like stories made to explain a spiritual concept. They worship the gods, not the mythologies. Their domains are what's important to the followers.

but then what if the mythologies itself are real like the case in PJO? I understand the demigods not wanting to worship the Greek-Roman gods, but they are like— still gods with legitimate followers across the world, and it wouldn't feel nice to them to have their gods disrespected. I do agree that the absence of altars is a major plot hole since it seems to be the "center" of Hellenic Polytheism practices. Also isn't technically the cabins are temples of the gods? It would make sense to have an altar inside for each of them.....

it's kinda hard to expect RR to write about Hellenic Polytheism since the guy himself views the mythologies as the thing the followers worship and "why anyone would want to worship the Greek pantheon is beyond me" (at least, that's what he said in 2007 here, don't know if his view has changed since then) I guess that also influences the way he wrote his characters. Maybe he just wrote from the mythology standpoint and completely disregarded the religious part.

ugh, the whole part about the religion is confusing me because from a demigod's POV it's like who wants to worship gods who looked at them like cannon fodders? But at the same time they're their children, it's common sense to worship them.

but worshipping or not, there's one thing I'm sure at. I wish there were more Hellenic Polytheist plotlines in the books but also about demigods connecting with their HERITAGE. The culture, the food, the clothes, etc. You bet that as demigods, they have full resources to lost ancient Greek/Roman literature or practices. Hell, Chiron witnessed it all. He probably has a collection of ancient books in the Big House, and cabins like Athena (goddess of Wisdom) and Apollo (god of Knowledge) should have their own private collection that would make historians go crazy. The amount of resources in CHB and CJ should be able to single handedly clears the missing history of the ancient period.

Not only the architecture, but also the traditions. Have the Apollo cabin compose hymns and epics, about gods and heroes (old or modern), and especially about the recent war. You can't tell me there's not a single poem about Percy being sung at the campfire. Have the campers spend arts & crafts time designing potteries and weaving threads with techniques long gone in the mortal world. Have them conduct ancient festivals, like honoring the gods of agriculture every time it's time for strawberry harvest. In CHB Confidential, it was mentioned that the campers are preparing for Panathenaia. But it only happened after Malcolm got a vision from his mother and had to tell Chiron about it, when ancient festivals like that should've become the norm already. Because the whole point of these camps is that the legacy of the gods still lives on!! And that means the culture should still be alive!!

(I just know deep in my soul that Dionysus has every camper doing an annual theatre performance. He is super strict about it)

there are just sooo many possibilities and canon is not exploring it enough!!!

+ just a note about the RR confirmed Nico and Will's religion thing, if you're talking about this post, from my understanding it's the religion they were raised as, right? So it could be their family's upbringing, and Nico and Will just doesn't practice it anymore after finding out their heritage.

Was thinking back at the whole "Apparently Riordan confirmed Nico and Will religions" post I made a couple of weeks ago,and I realized that the demigods don't really worship the gods.

We have the offerings during every meals,sometimes they pray to them,but that's usually when they are in danger and needs help,and also sacrifices something to them,but that's it. They don't have altars (you don't really need them but they are useful to remember your path in more of a tangible way),no hymns,no libations,they don't do rituals. And even the few prayers we read weren't really that...respectful? Yes,praying to your mom/dad to help you survive the day,and do the bare minimum in your life,can't be awesome but at the end of the day they are still Gods.

PJO Greek Gods are totally different than the hellenic Greek Gods,some more than others (Looking at you Ares),and we all agree that Riordan rappresentation of them isn't that good,but they are still Gods and they need to be treated and worshipped with respect and the right methods.

Chiron should be in charge of teaching them everything about that part of their lives,but he barely does something useful other than have some conversations with Percy and teaching Thalia. He is totally useless when he should be a guide to demigods,helping them embrace and understand that part of them,teaching them the proper ways to address Gods and in general the religion.

He doesn't and most of the demigods are straight up disrespectful to them. Which,again,the Gods in PJO are asshole most of time so it's fair for the children to feel like that,but you can't being disrespectful to a God without fearing a punishment from them (Looking at you HoO).

Rachel is basically one of Apollo's priestesses,the most important one,but it's talked only for a bit in the Hidden Oracle,and we got robbed of seeing her embrace her role and devotion to him. Apollo is basically her God from the moment she welcomed Delphi and accepted to be the new oracle. Where is the importance of that at??

Worst thing? it's just crazy how I started to realize this only now,after years of being in this fandom and reading the books.

On the side note I kinda understood how the whole double religion work. It's s like when you have multiple faiths and believe in more than one religion,right? I'm an atheist,and while I respect all religions,it's a bit difficult for me to understand certain things,especially when you believe in both a monotheistic and polytheist religion.

But even with this,I still stand on the ground that it was a dumb move since half of their identity is about pagans gods. I don't see anything wrong in having multiple faiths but they are children of greek gods,so for them is a bit more than"I choose the religion I want to practice" like we do,when we want to follow a different religion than the one our family has.

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Aelian, Historical Miscellany 1. 2 (trans. Wilson) (Greek rhetorician C2nd to 3rd A.D.) : "Spiders neither know nor wish to know the art and practice of weaving, the gifts of the goddess (daimona) Ergane. To what use would an animal of this kind put such clothing?" [N.B. Ergane is Athena as the goddess of crafts. Aelian is probably alluding to the tale of Arakhne.]

Ovid, Metamorphoses 6. 1 - 148 (trans. Brookes More) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) : "Pallas [Athena] . . . was brooding thus, ‘It is an easy thing to praise another, I should do as they : no creature of the earth should ever slight the majesty that dwells in me,--without just retribution.’--So her thought was turned upon the fortune of Arachne--proud, who would not ever yield to her the praise won by the art of deftly weaving wool, a girl who had not fame for place of birth, nor fame for birth, but only fame for skill! For it was well known that her father Idmon dwelt in Colophon; where, at his humble trade, he dyed in Phocean purples, fleecy wool. Her mother, also of the lower class, had died. Arachne in a mountain town Hypaepae by skill had grown so famous in the Land of Lydia, that unnumbered curious nymphs eager to witness her dexterity, deserted the lush vineyards of Tmolus; or even left the cool and flowing streams of bright Pactolus, to admire the cloth, or to observe her deftly spinning wool. So graceful was her motion then,--if she was twisting the coarse wool in little balls, or if she teased it with her finger-tips, or if she softened the fine fleece, drawn forth in misty films, or if she twirled the smooth round spindle with her energetic thumb, or if with needle she embroidered cloth;--in all her motions one might well perceive how much Pallas had instructed her: but this she ever would deny, displeased to share her fame; and said, ‘Let her contend in art with me; and if her skill prevails, I then will forfeit all!’ Pallas [Athena] heard, and came to her, disguised with long grey hair, and with a staff to steady her weak limbs. She seemed a feeble woman, very old, and quavered as she said, ‘Old age is not the cause of every ill; experience comes with lengthened years; and, therefore, you should not despise my words. It is no harm in you to long for praise of mortals, when your nimble hands are spinning the soft wool,--but you should not deny Minerva's [Athena's] art--and you should pray that she may pardon you, for she will grant you pardon if you ask.’ Arachne, scowling with an evil face. Looked at the goddess, as she dropped her thread. She hardly could restrain her threatening hand, and, trembling in her anger, she replied to you, disguised Pallas : ‘Silly fool,--worn out and witless in your palsied age, a great age is your great misfortune!--Let your daughter and your son's wife--if the gods have blessed you--let them profit by your words; within myself, my knowledge is contained sufficient; you need not believe that your advice does any good; for I am quite unchanged in my opinion. Get you gone,--advise your goddess to come here herself, and not avoid the contest!’

Instantly, the goddess said, ‘Pallas comes to you!’ And with those brief words, put aside the shape of the old woman, and revealed herself, Minerva, goddess. All the other Nymphae (Nymphs) and matrons of Mygdonia worshiped her; but not Arachne, who defiant stood;--although at first she flushed up--then went pale--then blushed again, reluctant.--So, at first, the sky suffuses, as Aurora (the Dawn) [Eos] moves, and, quickly when the glorious sun comes up, pales into white. She even rushed upon her own destruction, for she would not give from her desire to gain the victory. Nor did the daughter of almighty Jove [Zeus] decline : disdaining to delay with words, she hesitated not. And both, at once, selected their positions, stretched their webs with finest warp, and separated warp with sley. The woof was next inserted in the web by means of the sharp shuttles, which their nimble fingers pushed along, so drawn within the warp, and so the teeth notched in the moving sley might strike them.--Both, in haste, girded their garments to their breasts and moved their skilful arms, beguiling their fatigue in eager action. Myriad tints appeared besides the Tyrian purple--royal dye, extracted in brass vessels.--As the bow, that spans new glory in the curving sky, its glittering rays reflected in the rain, spreads out a multitude of blended tints, in scintillating beauty to the sight of all who gaze upon it;--so the threads, inwoven, mingled in a thousand tints, harmonious and contrasting; shot with gold: and there, depicted in those shining webs, were shown the histories of ancient days:-- Pallas worked the Athenian Hill of Mars [i.e. the Areopagus], where ancient Cecrops built his citadel, and showed the old contention for the name it should be given.--Twelve celestial gods surrounded Jupiter [Zeus], on lofty thrones; and all their features were so nicely drawn, that each could be distinguished.--Jupiter appeared as monarch of those judging gods. There Neptunus [Poseidon], guardian of the sea, was shown contending with Minerva [Athena]. As he struck the Rock with his long trident, a wild horse sprang forth which he bequeathed to man. He claimed his right to name the city for that gift. And then she wove a portrait of herself, bearing a shield, and in her hand a lance, sharp-pointed, and a helmet on her head--her breast well-guarded by her Aegis: there she struck her spear into the fertile earth, from which a branch of olive seemed to sprout, pale with new clustered fruits.--And those twelve gods, appeared to judge, that olive as a gift surpassed the horse which Neptunus gave to man.

And, so Arachne, rival of her fame, might learn the folly of her mad attempt, from the great deeds of ancient histories, and what award presumption must expect, Minerva wove four corners with life scenes of contest, brightly colored, but of size diminutive. In one of these was shown the snow-clad mountains, Rhodope, and Haemus, which for punishment were changed from human beings to those rigid forms, when they aspired to rival the high gods. And in another corner she described that Pygmy, whom the angry Juno [Hera] changed from queen-ship to a crane; because she thought herself an equal of the living Gods, she was commanded to wage cruel wars upon her former subjects. In the third, she wove the story of Antigone, who dared compare herself to Juno [Hera], queen of Jupiter [Zeus], and showed her as she was transformed into a silly chattering stork, that praised her beauty, with her ugly beak.--Despite the powers of Ilion and her sire Laomedon, her shoulders fledged white wings. And so, the third part finished, there was left one corner, where Pallas deftly worked the story of the father, Cinyras;--as he was weeping on the temple steps, which once had been his daughter's living limbs. And she adorned the border with designs of peaceful olive--her devoted tree--which having shown, she made an end of work. Arachne, of Maeonia, wove, at first the story of Europa, as the bull deceived her, and so perfect was her art, it seemed a real bull in real waves. Europa seemed to look back towards the land which she had left; and call in her alarm to her companions--and as if she feared the touch of dashing waters, to draw up her timid feet, while she was sitting on the bull's back. And she wove Asteria seized by the assaulting eagle; and beneath the swan's white wings showed Leda lying by the stream: and showed Jove [Zeus] dancing as a Satyr, when he sought the beautiful Antiope, to whom was given twins; and how he seemed Amphitryon when he deceived Alcmena; and how he courted lovely Danae luring her as a gleaming shower of gold; and poor Aegina, hidden in his flame, jove as a shepherd with Mnemosyne; and beautiful Proserpina [Persephone], involved by him, apparent as a spotted snake. And in her web, Arachne wove the scenes of Neptunus [Poseidon]:--who was shown first as a bull, when he was deep in love with virgin Arne then as Enipeus when the giant twins, Aloidae, were begot; and as the ram that gambolled with Bisaltis; as a horse loved by the fruitful Ceres [Demeter], golden haired, all-bounteous mother of the yellow grain; and as the bird that hovered round snake-haired Medusa, mother of the winged horse [Pegasos]; and as the dolphin, sporting with the Nymph, Melantho.--All of these were woven true to life, in proper shades. And there she showed Apollo, when disguised in various forms: as when he seemed a rustic; and as when he wore hawk-wings, and then the tawny skin of a great lion; and once more when he deluded Isse, as a shepherd lad. And there was Bacchus [Dionysos], when he was disguised as a large cluster of fictitious grapes; deluding by that wile the beautiful Erigone;--and Saturnus [Kronos (Cronus)], as a steed, begetter of the dual-natured Chiron. And then Arachne, to complete her work, wove all around the web a patterned edge of interlacing flowers and ivy leaves. Pallas could not find a fleck or flaw--even Envy can not censure perfect art--enraged because Arachne had such skill she ripped the web, and ruined all the scenes that showed those wicked actions of the gods; and with her boxwood shuttle in her hand, struck the unhappy mortal on her head,--struck sharply thrice, and even once again. Arachne's spirit, deigning not to brook such insult, brooded on it, till she tied a cord around her neck, and hung herself. Pallas moved to pity at the sight, sustained and saved her from that bitter death; but, angry still, pronounced another doom : ‘Although I grant you life, most wicked one, your fate shall be to dangle on a cord, and your posterity forever shall take your example, that your punishment may last forever!.’

Even as she spoke, before withdrawing from her victim's sight, she sprinkled her with juice--extract of herbs of Hecate. At once all hair fell off, her nose and ears remained not, and her head shrunk rapidly in size, as well as all her body, leaving her diminutive.--Her slender fingers gathered to her sides as long thin legs; and all her other parts were fast absorbed in her abdomen--whence she vented a fine thread;--and ever since, Arachne, as a spider, weaves her web. All Lydia was astonished at her fate the Rumor spread to Phrygia, soon the world was filled with fear and wonder. Niobe had known her long before,--when in Maeonia near to Mount Sipylus; but the sad fate which overtook Arachne, lost on her, she never ceased her boasting and refused to honor the great gods."