gotstabbedbyapen

[gotstabbedbyapen]

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Did you consider the Roman's works and sources as "ancient fanfics"? I've been seeing people erasing or reducing the roman material in mythology just for being roman. I thought is was okey just to make difference (Greek Mythology and Roman Mythology) i don't think it was fanfiction... But maybe i'm wrong, i'm not an expert on this. Which i can consider a reliable source and which a fanfic, i want to begin to study more sources but i don't want to make something wrong, specially with the "Greco-Roman" thing T-T

Breaking the inbox silence just for you anon! (everyone waiting in my inbox i'm so sorry pwease forgive me i've been so busy </3)

First let's define the word - what is "fanfiction"?

According to the Dictionary, it's "fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, movie, ect."

Now let's talk about the million-dollar question - are the Roman myths fanfiction of Greek mythology?

*inhale* no. not in my opinion.

Firstly, Roman mythology existed on its own before the Greek/Roman syncretism, with stark differences in the Before period compared to the After.

Example? Janus and Diana were married. Diana only became a single, non-committed goddess after her syncretism with Artemis. Apollo straight up didn't exist, nor had a 1:1 counterpart, though notably his Etruscan-Italian equivalent (and predecessor, if you ask me!) Aplu was prominent in nearby regions.

So Roman myths very well already existed by the time of the Greco-Roman mashup!

However. The After, of course, does hold a mighty fine argument for their Hellenistic era myths to be labeled "fanfiction", due to how Roman authors did take Greek myths and made their own changes to them (with various reception lol).

Especially when some changes are very much in contention with their Greek versions...

The thing about the whole Greek-Roman thing is that Rome did, at the very least, admire Greece's culture. And due to syncretism (which Rome did to everyone they conquered, it wasn't just kept to Greece) they ended up mashing their gods together, ending up changing their own mythology too.

So in a way...they made something new out of Old Rome mythos, and Ancient Greek mythos. I guess in a way it could be seen as "writing fanfiction" then.

Buuuut here's the kicker that I must stress:

This is a religion we are talking about. And no matter what denomination, pantheon, ect ect you subscribe to - or if you don't! - it is extremely important to remember that these figures are not made-up in their followers' eyes. They are not characters in a fairy tale.

Which -glances at the many retellings- is why it's so hard to find a book that genuinely appreciates these cultures, no matter Greek or Roman.

Retellings? Definitely published fanfiction because the mythological people are treated as fictionalized characters...with various degrees of accuracy to the source material.

Roman mythology? It's own thing, then it morphed into something new due to exposure to different cultures, and remains a religious community to this day.

I have my own gripes with Roman myths, but I do try to not invalidate them. Heck, I've been trying to read Ovid's Metamorphoses (re: failing because I've been swamped lololol) and so far I'm enjoying it! Some of Ovid's stuff is my favorite version even if it's different from the Greek one (re: Daphne). It's just a matter of preference.

I've cracked a joke now and then about Roman myths being Greek mythology fanfiction but that's not really quite true. Both are valid ancient religions with their own interpretations of multiple gods, one of whom just happened to be so inspired by the other they changed their own mythos (fascinating, that is).

To sum it all up: Roman myths are valid. Even the ones I, and you, don't personally vibe with. But I must stress that Greece and Roman had cultural differences that do, in fact, influence their own mythos.

Roman myths completely left out Cassandra's oath in their myths, something that is extremely integral to Greek society.

Greece does not equal Rome, just as Rome does not equal Greece. They are distinct with unique cultural differences (I mean. *gestures to Greek society's view on singing and dancing compared to Rome's* See what I mean?)

So I'm in agreement with you anon. Roman myths aren't fanfiction.

There are fanfics that are better written and way more respectful of Greek culture than some of the retellings I've seen though smh

As for what sources to look into? Honestly, any of the ancient texts are good places to start, but I also strongly recommend reading up on Greek and Roman culture, because it does very much influence their respective mythos!

Greek Era Sources I Recommend:

The Iliad & The Odyssey (duh. Emily Wilson's translation is good for beginners, but you'll also be missing out on some pretty awesome wordplay and turn-of-phrase. I have the Samuel Butler translation, which uses the Latin names much to my chagrin lol but I'm pretty sure I've reblogged a post discussing four others with really good translations. I'll link it when I find it.)

Theogony and Works & Days (A good overview of basically every god in Greek mythology, and hits the highlights of the mythos)

The Homeric Hymns (You want the gods' prominent myths? Look no further.)

The Oresteia (Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides are all plays written by Aeschylus. It has very good cultural aspects woven into it!)

Oedipus Rex (I have not read Sophocles's work yet, but my good moot @createandchaos has been reading it and has a whole thread on Discord yapping about it that i still have to read so it must be good! :D)

Prometheus Bound (Aeschylus returns!! haven't read it yet but i heard it has Koios mentioned in it so OBVIOUSLY i have to read it. and so must you.)

Roman Era Sources I Recommend:

The Bibliotheca/The Library of Greek Mythology (basically an encyclopedia! resource rich!)

Ovid's Metamorphoses (YES I KNOW he's like #1 'make the gods look bad' offender BUT there's political reasons behind that *glances at Augustus* plus he has some bangers. Apollo & Hyacinthus. Orpheus & Eurydice.

Hyginus's Fabulae and Hyginus's Astronomica (never read either BUT i do like some of Hyginus's stuff. still want to shake him for the Diana and Orion "only man she ever loved" take on them but digress i've beaten that dead horse before. for that shot i took at him here's some praise: i like his version of Nyctimene over Ovid's. it's nicer to Minerva.)

Avoid:

that one guy who made Acantha the fuck up do NOT trust his ass. his so-called "accurate" sources do NOT support his made-up, ENGLISH-ERA myth. (yes i have beef with him)

that one gal who had Cassandra and Helenus's prophetic abilities come from snakes licking their ears. fake news she's an american poet NOT a true source. (update here's further discussion on this PLEASE READ)

that other gal who sanitized the fuck outta greek mythology aka the gal you may know as the "persephone went willingly with hades to the underworld" gal. do not trust, keep a 100-foot pole between you and her.

that other guy who had Midas turn his daughter into gold. no such daughter existed before then.

i dunno any others but ALWAYS check when a version was written, and also check out their sources because you never know (this is how my apollo's lovers post is sooo researched i literally pdf the book if i can't find a peek of the passage i'm looking for)

feel free to add onto the post for other recommendations! oh! and if you have any good resources on Greek and/or Roman culture/philosophy/ect., feel free to drop as well! I've been pulling from my library's copy of A Day in Old Rome (I've learned a lot, and I'm not done reading it yet. warning though very obviously written by a close-minded Christian guy so take it with a grain of salt, though I've had a pretty easy time identifying the Important things in it. There's also another book on Rome at my library soooo that's next. or one of the two on Greece. we'll see lol)

[gotstabbedbyapen]

[gotstabbedbyapen]

How old were you at the lowest point in your life? Reblog this and put it in the tags, plus your current age maybe. I'm trying to see something.

[gotstabbedbyapen]

I need people to understand that the existence of several interpretations doesn't rule out the existence of wrong interpretations. Interpretations still need to have a basis within the text. You can't say "this is just my own interpretation" when you quite literally pulled it out of thin air. You interpreted nothing. That's not an interpretation anymore, it's a headcanon. Learn the difference and just accept it and move on instead of trying to pull out nonexistent sources and stretching the most ridiculous things.

There's nothing wrong with headcanons, there's something increasingly infuriating about claiming a headcanon is an interpretation.

I'm looking at you, Greek mythology/classic lit fandoms.

[gotstabbedbyapen]

What screams more Pride than a fanchild?

(This can count as a father's day thing or?)

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Name: Let's just say my real name also starts with the letter "P"

Age: Legally allowed to work, drink, and go to jail :)))))

Relationship Status: Single pringle

Sexuality: Asexual demiromantic? Still questioning where I lie on the ace spectrum

Crush Initial: Does fictional counts? If yes then "J", "S", and "H"

Followers: Currently 465 (love you all, unless you're a bot :333)

Favorite Friends/mutuals: I can't decide... But I feel the closest to one mutual who's like my older sister!

Birthday: I was born on September and my birthday is the same day of a not-so-popular anniversary in my country

Favorite Song: Currently listening to "I'm Not A Cynic" by Alec Benjamin

Open tag~~~

Guys this is bumming me out on instagram so can we start this as a tag game on here plz?😭

New tag game!!!

So basically just answer these questions

Name:

Age: (put N/A if you want)

Relationship Status:

Sexuality:

Crush Initial:

Followers:

Favorite Friends/mutuals: (again put N/A if you want)

Birthday:

Favorite Song:

And then tag people!!!

I’ll do it so I can tag people

Name: Fae

Age: 18

Relationship Status: Single

Sexuality: Gay

Crush Initial: J

Followers: 279 I think

Favorite Mutuals: N/A

Birthday: May 9th

Favorite song: Mr. Nihil by ¿?shimon

@toxetta @f4ilure-g1rl-fuyu @aghusernamesaredifficult @providence-menace @porcelain-dolliee @mickkikikikikikikikikiki @riftty-rifter-rebellion @k1-2-ur-h3art @like-ribbons-in-your-hair @starstruck-angelgirl @aliceclawz @blurringmysoul and anyone else!!/nf

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Big fan of romances that revolve around two very strange individuals weirdo maxxing together

[gotstabbedbyapen]

my weirdest theory???? about you???? Well that’ll be that I theorize you’re the kind of person who’d have multiple different essays open at once and hoo between them on an utter whim 👀

Alder. How does it feel to be so eerily correct that you frightened me? :'))))))

By the time I saw your ask, I do have multiple essays opened on my laptop, ranging from uni project to Greek mythology brainrotting, and I'll jump between them when I got sick of one essay.

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Hyacinthus trapped in a time-loop of his death day my belovedddddd

I'm flopping like a fish right now because I'm also brewing on a familiar idea about Hyacinthus kept getting reincarnated back into his life and had to choose between avoiding Apollo to live out his life or still falling in love with Apollo and die young again.

Like what if Hyacinthus tries to escape Apollo to avoid his premature death, only to be inevitably falling back in love with him???

What if Hyacinthus is torn between telling Apollo the truth of his time-loop curse and just enduring the cycle of suffering all alone all over again???

What if Hyacinthus tries every way that he can to prevent his own death, like not playing the discus, taking Apollo to a windless place, even accepting Apollo's offer to grant him immortality, etc. etc. but only to return to the same day of his death no matter what he did???

What if after the umpteenth time, Hyacinthus goes from terrified and only wants to save himself to just thinking things through, about how his love for Apollo never changes in every time-look and accepting that he's gonna die anyways so let's make the most out of it by spending his last day over and over again with Apollo and loving him with every second that he has before the cycle repeats???

Also, also!!! If you wanna expand on the story beyond Hyacinthus' POV, it's also fun to make Apollo somehow (maybe through his godly power) finds out Hyacinthus is actually trapped in a time-loop. And he tries to find the cause and a way to save his lover. Maybe the Moirai have a hand in this??? Maybe Hyacinthus is just a victim of a game devised by the god of time, Chronos???

Like holy crap, we got so many ideas!!!

I want to write this so bad AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Hyapollo visual novel but you play as Hyacinthus trapped on his last day alive (groundhog day/happy death day style) trying to find a way out.

Centering on how unpredicatble and unfair life can be, and that we always wish for more but cannot have it. That sometimes the most we can hope for is enough time to say 'I love you'. That despite the uncaringness of death, it is a welcome embrace at the end of the journey. To remember the joy that was had, rather than mourn the lost possibilities.

(meanwhile you have lovesick Apollo planning a date in the background)

(even more meanwhile Zephyrus is silently fuming, watching everything unfold from a tree)

[gotstabbedbyapen]

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Ace culture is headcanoning your otp as demisexual cause the idea of not feeling sexual attraction until you make an emotional attachment with your romantic partner is romantic

.

[gotstabbedbyapen]

its not funny but i do think about it a lot

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Here me out, Dionysus would 100% be that dad who hosts "Princess tea parties" for his daughter and her friends

Okay hear me out also 👀

Having her on his back like she's riding a panther and everyone shouts that she's their ruler clapping and cheering. Truly princess treatment 😌✨

[gotstabbedbyapen]

In 2005, a group of artists in Italy built a giant 200-foot-long plushie rabbit in the countryside, and just left it there. It’s been there ever since. 

(Source)

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Hey, you reblogged that AI post and I was surprised to see something so mean on your blog. "If you cant write unassisted, fuck you, youre a disgrace to the community." Is that really something you want on your blog?

Just in case this isn't a spam message:

Posting AI-generated content to a platform intended to be an archive for writers is not appropriate use of the platform. On a platform intended for human creation, it is rude and inappropriate to clog search results with AI-produced content which often plagiarizes the work of human authors.

Use of generative AI is also horrible for our environment, leading to massive waste of fossil fuel energy and water. We should not be doing damage to our planet for the sake of generating (robot-produced, often plagiarized) fiction, especially when the joy of fiction comes from the creation and emotion of real people.

Rather than giving a prompt to a generative AI, people should consider attempting to write their own work, or asking another writer from the fandom if they would be interested in writing it. Anyone who is capable of typing a prompt into ChatGPT is capable of writing a story. The first attempts may not be amazing, but that is true of any skill, and anyone can improve with time and practice - and while ChatGPT may give you big returns in your time, it doesn't give you practice, growth, or creativity, which is where the joy of writing should come from.

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Reblog this post to ask mutuals to tell you their weirdest theory about u

EDIT: Fair warning this post is cursed and predictions are 7/10 times correct, play at own risk