#Historical/mythological/literary parallels

[jackoshadows]

Mythological parallels: Bael the Bard

One of the ways in which GRRM gives us hints or foreshadowing for Jon and Arya is by crafting mythological stories in the world of Planetos. Further, to try and normalize romantic love between close half-siblings/first cousins and other relatives in the fantasy world he created, GRRM also adds in in-world historical parallels with Naerys and Aemon the Dragonknight or Alysanne and Jaehaerys - which GRRM called ‘one of the great Targaryen love stories’. However, one of the strongest pieces of foreshadowing for Jonrya is the story of Bael the Bard.

Bael the Bard aka the King-Beyond-the-Wall is only brought up in Jon Snow’s POV chapters. No other character. This mythology is therefore specifically related to and has to do with Jon Snow as a character and no other. Bael the Bard is intricately woven into his POV over several books, connecting certain characters, themes and houses.

Ygritte first mentions the bard while prisoner of Jon Snow and the other Crows.

"Who was your mother?"

"Some woman. Most of them are." Someone had said that to him once. He did not remember who.

She smiled again, a flash of white teeth. "And she never sung you the song o' the winter rose?"

"I never knew my mother. Or any such song." - Jon, ACoK

This is delicious foreshadowing considering R+L= J, Lyanna’s love of Winter Roses, the story of Rhaegar kidnapping/stealing Lyanna and Lyanna’s son Jon Snow being equated to a blue Winter Rose in Dany’s vision at the House of the Undying.

Ygritte then goes on tell the story behind the song.

"That's all in where you're standing too," Ygritte said. "The Stark in Winterfell wanted Bael's head, but never could take him, and the taste o' failure galled him. One day in his bitterness he called Bael a craven who preyed only on the weak. When word o' that got back, Bael vowed to teach the lord a lesson. So he scaled the Wall, skipped down the kingsroad, and walked into Winterfell one winter's night with harp in hand, naming himself Sygerrik of Skagos. Sygerrik means 'deceiver' in the Old Tongue, that the First Men spoke, and the giants still speak it."

"North or south, singers always find a ready welcome, so Bael ate at Lord Stark's own table, and played for the lord in his high seat until half the night was gone. The old songs he played, and new ones he'd made himself, and he played and sang so well that when he was done, the lord offered to let him name his own reward. 'All I ask is a flower,' Bael answered, 'the fairest flower that blooms in the gardens o' Winterfell.'

"Now as it happened the winter roses had only then come into bloom, and no flower is so rare nor precious. So the Stark sent to his glass gardens and commanded that the most beautiful o' the winter roses be plucked for the singer's payment. And so it was done. But when morning came, the singer had vanished... and so had Lord Brandon's maiden daughter. Her bed they found empty, but for the pale blue rose that Bael had left on the pillow where her head had lain." - Jon, ACoK

Despite the Stark maiden later being found hidden in the crypts with the bard’s baby, the song of the winter rose is basically about Bael the Bard stealing a Stark maiden from Winterfell, right from under everyone’s nose. Later, Ygritte equates Bael the Bard stealing the Stark maiden to Jon stealing her.

She ran her fingers lightly across his stomach. “I feared you’d do the same once. Fly back to the Wall. You never knew what t’ do after you stole me.”

Jon sat up. “Ygritte, I never stole you.”

“Aye, you did. You jumped down the mountain and killed Orell, and afore I could get my axe you had a knife at my throat. I thought you’d have me then, or kill me, or maybe both, but you never did. And when I told you the tale o’ Bael the Bard and how he plucked the rose o’ Winterfell, I thought you’d know to pluck me then for certain, but you didn’t. You know nothing, Jon Snow.” She gave him a shy smile. “You might be learning some, though.” - Jon, ASoS

Two things to note here, in terms of parallels and connections.

Jon Snow keeps comparing Ygritte, the woman he is attracted towards and ends up loving, to Arya.

Her shaggy mop of red hair stuck out in all directions. She looked plump as she crouched there, but most of that was layers of fur and wool and leather. Underneath all that she could be as skinny as Arya. - Jon, ACoK

Jon could see fear and fire in her eyes. Blood ran down her white throat from where the point of his dirk had pricked her. One thrust and it’s done, he told himself. He was so close he could smell onion on her breath. She is no older than I am. Something about her made him think of Arya, though they looked nothing at all alike - Jon, ACoK

She wasn't wed and her weapon of choice was a short curved bow of horn and weirwood, but "spearwife" fit her all the same. She reminded him a little of his sister Arya, though Arya was younger and probably skinnier. It was hard to tell how plump or thin Ygritte might be, with all the furs and skins she wore. - Jon, ASoS

"If you kill a man, and never mean t', he's just as dead," Ygritte said stubbornly. Jon had never met anyone so stubborn, except maybe for his little sister Arya. Is she still my sister? he wondered. Was she ever? - Jon, ASoS

Ygritte punched his arm. “You know nothing, Jon Snow. I’m half a fish, I’ll have you know.” - Jon, ASoS

Jon used to say that she swam like a fish, but even a fish might have trouble in this river. - Arya, ASoS

And then there’s all the parallels that GRRM crafts between Arya and Lyanna Stark [Too many to highlight in this essay]. From Ned Stark telling Arya that she looked like and reminded him of the sister he dearly loved to Bran seeing a vision of Lyanna and Benjen playing and mistaking Lyanna for Arya, there are so many Lyanna-Arya parallels littered through-out the books. It’s clear that the author is connecting these two characters as literary mirrors for a narrative reason.

However, GRRM does more than just give us the Ygritte and Lyanna parallels to Arya Stark. He pretty much gives us Bael the Bard 2.0 with Mance Raydar or ‘Abel’ [An anagram of Bael] trying to steal a Stark maiden ‘Arya Stark’ for Jon Snow.

He lays the foundation for this tale right from when Jon Snow meets with Mance Raydar and it’s Jon who compares him to Bael the Bard.

He laughed. “I know every bawdy song that’s ever been made, north or south of the Wall. So there you are. The night your father feasted Robert, I sat in the back of his hall on a bench with the other freeriders, listening to Orland of Oldtown play the high harp and sing of dead kings beneath the sea. I betook of your lord father’s meat and mead, had a look at Kingslayer and Imp .. . and made passing note of Lord Eddard’s children and the wolf pups that ran at their heels.”

“Bael the Bard,” said Jon, remembering the tale that Ygritte had told him in the Frostfangs, the night he’d almost killed her.

“Would that I were. I will not deny that Bael’s exploit inspired mine own . . . but I did not steal either of your sisters that I recall. Bael wrote his own songs, and lived them. I only sing the songs that better men have made. More mead?” - Jon, ASoS

The way GRRM lays the ground work here - ‘but I didn’t steal either of your sisters’ and then in ADwD we get ‘Abel’ trying to ‘steal’ Jon’s ‘sister Arya’ from Winterfell and ends up helping fake Arya to escape.

Jon Snow sends the King Beyond the Wall, Mance Raydar to go steal a Stark maiden, Arya Stark. Mance Raydar uses an anagram of Bael the Bard and goes as Abel the Bard. Remember, Bael the Bard was also King Beyond the Wall. Mance eats at the Bolton’s table and sings at the wedding and the feast.

The musicians began to play again, and the bard Abel began to sing “Two Hearts That Beat as One.” - The Prince of Winterfell, ADwD

Up near the dais, Abel was plucking at his lute and singing “Fair Maids of Summer.” He calls himself a bard. - The Prince of Winterfell, ADwD

Lord Bolton commanded Abel to play for them as they ate. The bard sang “Iron Lances,” then “The Winter Maid.” When Barbrey Dustin asked for something more cheerful, he gave them “The Queen Took Off Her Sandal, the King Took Off His Crown,” and “The Bear and the Maiden Fair.” - The Ghost in Winterfell, ADwD

Not so long as there was food and drink within, willing women and warm fires. As he left the hall, Abel was singing “The Maids That Bloom in Spring.” - The Ghost in Winterfell, ADwD

He turned his head, his pale cold eyes searching the hall until they found the bard Abel beside Theon. “Singer,” he called, “come sing us something soothing.”

Abel bowed. “If it please your lordship.” Lute in hand, he sauntered to the dais, hopping nimbly over a corpse or two, and seated himself cross-legged on the high table. As he began to play—a sad, soft song that Theon Greyjoy did not recognize—Ser Hosteen, Ser Aenys, and their fellow Freys turned away to lead their horses from the hall. Rowan grasped Theon’s arm. “The bath. It must be now.” - Theon, ADwD

It’s very possible that the sad song ‘Abel’ was playing here was the ‘Song of the Winter Rose’ considering that Theon had never heard it before and hence does not recognize and name it [Jon Snow had never heard it before and Old Nan had not told them the story]. And it’s possible that the ‘Song of the Winter Rose’ or the song about Bael the Bard is what acts as a signal for the spearwives to attempt to get ‘Arya’ out of Winterfell.

And then to connect and tie these stories together, the house that puts an end to Bael the Bard’s son is none other than house Bolton!

Thirty years later, when Bael was King-beyond-the-wall and led the free folk south, it was young Lord Stark who met him at the Frozen Ford... and killed him, for Bael would not harm his own son when they met sword to sword."

"So the son slew the father instead," said Jon.

"Aye," she said, "but the gods hate kinslayers, even when they kill unknowing. When Lord Stark returned from the battle and his mother saw Bael's head upon his spear, she threw herself from a tower in her grief. Her son did not long outlive her. One o' his lords peeled the skin off him and wore him for a cloak." - Jon, ACoK

Which brings us back to Jon Snow’s feud with Ramsay Bolton over Arya Stark and the infamous Pink Letter

Bastard,

Your false king is dead, bastard. He and all his host were smashed in seven days of battle. I have his magic sword. Tell his red whore.

Your false king's friends are dead. Their heads upon the walls of Winterfell. Come see them, bastard. Your false king lied, and so did you. You told the world you burned the King-Beyond-the-Wall. Instead you sent him to Winterfell to steal my bride from me.

I will have my bride back. If you want Mance Rayder back, come and get him. I have him in a cage for all the north to see, proof of your lies. The cage is cold, but I have made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell.

I want my bride back. I want the false king's queen. I want his daughter and his red witch. I want this wildling princess. I want his little prince, the wildling babe. And I want my Reek. Send them to me, bastard, and I will not trouble you or your black crows. Keep them from me, and I will cut out your bastard's heart and eat it.

Ramsay Bolton, Trueborn Lord of Winterfell

Jon Snow is accused of stealing Arya Stark by using a King Beyond the Wall Mance Raydar. It’s very possibly that Jon Snow is legitimized via Robb’s decree as Jon Stark and we are going to see a Battle of legitimized Bastards and Stark Vs Bolton. And this time around the tale ends with Lord Stark prevailing over Lord Bolton.

So, to conclude, the story of Bael the Bard appears only in Jon’s chapters and is therefore specifically put in there to add to Jon Snow’s story. Bael the Bard connects Jon Snow to the Freefolk via Ygritte and Mance Raydar, to his mother Lyanna Stark, to his cousin Arya Stark. We see a version of the ‘Song of the Winter Rose’ play out in ADwD with Jon Snow sending a King Beyond the Wall to steal a Stark Maiden from Winterfell right from under everyone’s nose

“Bring her home, Mance. You owe me this one little girl. ” - Jon, ADwD

And maybe this time the story in the song will have a happier ending.

[bookhousestark]

"You are Arya of Winterfell, daughter of the north. You told me you could be strong. You have the wolf blood in you." — A Clash of Kings, Arya X

We’re incredibly happy to announce that from July 22nd to July 28th, we will be hosting ARYA STARK APPRECIATION WEEK! We’ll accept edits, metas, art, any other fan work or simply your favorite moments about Arya Stark in her book version to celebrate her character together 💚

Please, remember to use the tag #aryaweek2024 so we can find and reblog your posts. If you missed a day we’ll still accept your submission afterwards!

Here are the prompts:

Day 1: Favourite chapter | Book | Quote Day 2: Family | Her pack | Nymeria Day 3: Skills | Magic | Overlooked traits Day 4: House Stark | The North Day 5: Romantic Interests | Favourite outfits Day 6: Parallels and Foils with other characters | Historical/Mythological/Literary Parallels Day 7: Endgame theories | Foreshadowing

As you can see there are multiple prompts for each day. Please feel free to choose one to do, or a combination for each day! We look forward your creations!

[anthurak]

So this is almost certainly going to be an unpopular opinion for some, but for a long time now I’ve been feeling that the RWBY fandom puts just a bit TOO much stock in the various fairytale/mythology/literary allusions of the characters when it comes to theory-crafting. It feels like people find out that a certain character A is an allusion to another character B from an already completed story and go ‘Well that must mean that Character A is going to turn out just like Character B!’

Which of course completely ignores that these are allusions and references. Ruby Rose might have strong parallels and similarities to Little Red Riding Hood, but that does not mean she IS literally Little Red Riding Hood. Just as Weiss Schnee is NOT literally Snow White, Penny Polendina is NOT literally Pinocchio and Oscar Pine is NOT literally the Little Prince. Ultimately, whatever allusion a character might have comes SECOND to who they are as an actual character, NOT the other way around.

Whatever allusions a character has might inform what could happen to them, but that should still be treated as secondary to what we actually see them do in the show.

For example, I see a LOT of ships in the RWBY fandom that people seem to largely use interpretations of the characters’ allusions as ‘evidence’, rather than what the characters actually DO in the actual SHOW. Like has anyone noticed that discussions of ships like Bumbleby, Renora, Nuts and Dolts or White Rose have historically not involved much interpretation (relatively speaking anyway) of the potential ‘complimentary allusions’ of these characters? Because there is no NEED to, because all the evidence for these ships is right fucking there on the screen. Meanwhile we’ve got ships (and I am NOT naming names) that people will swear up and down are TOTALLY going to be canon for really-realsies where most or even all of the ‘evidence’ consists of people effectively playing some kind of matching game with their allusions. Or saying nothing more than ‘Character A kinda-sorta resembles the love-interest of Character B’s allusion’.

And ALL of this doesn’t even take into account the biggest factor which I keep getting the impression that WAY too many RWBY fans still having gotten the memo on:

The fact that RWBY literally NEVER plays its allusions STRAIGHT.

All the way from minute one when we saw an allusion to Little Red Riding Hood cutting down a horde of Big Bad Wolves, RWBY has ALWAYS been subverting, inverting, flipping, twisting and otherwise playing it’s allusions, references and archetypes literally ANY way but actually STRAIGHT.

Little Red Riding Hood hunts the Big Bad Wolf. Snow White is equal parts Princess AND Knight in Shining Armor. Cinderella is a tragic villain origin story. Pinocchio was always a real girl. The Great and Powerful Wizard Oz is far more powerful than anyone thought, but is ALSO far more of a fraud than anyone thought.

So when people use these characters’ allusions as some kind of rigid road-map to theorize what might happen to them, it’s not just that this detracts from their identity as their own characters; the story itself isn’t even using that map!

I mean speaking personally, that’s what has always made RWBY theory-crafting FUN. Trying to guess how the writers might twist and flip the allusions they’re using. But that also means that the allusions of the various characters simply DON’T actually provide ANY kind of accurate ‘road-map’ for where they might be going. Instead, the best we can do is use what the actual show has actually shown us to get any kind of idea where the characters are headed.

Ultimately, I feel like too often I see that when people are making theories about RWBY characters, they are treating them more like the characters they are based on, instead of the characters they actually ARE.

[tylermileslockett]

Other Notable Reference works of ancient Greek Literature

In addition to Homer and Hesiod, the following list of ancient literary works (listed in chronological order by creation) is by no means comprehensive, but I believe it will be a great place to start to get an overview of the Greek Gods and hero myths. A more comprehensive list can be found on Theoi.com in the “texts” subheading section.

TheHomeric Hymns(7th c. B.C.E.)  is a collection of thirty-three invocation and epic narrative poems used in religious ceremonies to celebrate the Greek gods. Originally attributed to Homer, modern scholars now attribute them to anonymous poets.

The Orphic Hymns is a collection of 87 invocation poems attributed to the mythic poet Orpheus. These hymns were used in invocation and prayer ceremonies and mystery cults associated withthe religious movement of Orphism.

 Argonautica (3rd c. B.C.E.)by Appollonius of Rhodes, is an epic Hellenistic poem detailing Jason and his group of heroes as they sail the Argo ship to retrieve the fabled Golden Fleece.

library of History (1st c. B.C.E.) by Diodorus Siculus, is a vast work of 40 books detailing the Histories of ancient cultures and stories from the mythological period up to Diodorus’ time.

Library (C 1-2 A.D) by (Pseudo) Apollodorus is an important and deep resource on Greek mythology divided into three books; the Gods and creation myths, the hero myths, and the Trojan war and aftermath.

Parallel Lives (C 2 A.D) by Plutarch is a collection of biographies of famous Greek and Roman heroes and historical figures.

Metamorphosis (Rome, 1st c. A.D.) by the Roman poet Ovid, is a narrative poem of Greek and roman myths considered to be one of the greatest works  of Latin literature.

Thanks for following and reading, and for re-hashtagging my art! xoxo

[gameofthronesdaily]

From October 9th to October 15th we will be hosting a DAENERYS TARGARYEN APPRECIATION WEEK in collaboration with @asoiafdaenerysdaily and @bookdaenerystargaryen! If you want to participate in it, please use the tag #DANYWEEK2023 so we can find and reblog your posts. From art to edits, gifs and moodboards, fics and metas, etc. - all fan works will be appriciated so long as they are based on the novels.

Here is the full list of the prompts (which includes alternative ones so you can choose whichever you prefer):

Day 1 (Oct 9): Character traits or Favorite books, chapters or moments

Day 2 (Oct 10): Themes/Tropes or Mentions of Dany outside of her POV

Day 3 (Oct 11): Badass moments or Intelligence and skills

Day 4 (Oct 12): Character parallels and/or foils or Historical, mythological and/or literary parallels 

Day 5 (Oct 13): Magic/Prophecies or Political arc

Day 6 (Oct 14): House Targaryen or Supporting characters in Dany’s storyline

Day 7 (Oct 15): Theories/Speculation or Free choice

[buck1eys]

one little thing that i love about our flag means death is the role of art for the characters.

it's very obvious with stede and lucius, whose roles as the literate members of the ship parallels their ability to be emotionally open and talk about their (and other people's) feelings. but then the show almost instantly subverts this idea of 'civility' by showing that all the crew are artistic and can bond over doing art. whether it's sewing, drawing, singing or storytelling, creative pursuits bring the characters together and allow them to talk about their feelings. it also becomes a powerful weapon. blackbeard literally calls it the art of fuckery but it's drama! they scare the dutch crew with devised drama, they ward off the spanish with physical theatre and olu and franchie con the aristocrats by playing parts. music, visual art and costume allow the characters to transcend their circumstances (being rubbish pirates, but also the racism and classism they contend with on a daily basis) and imagine different realities for themselves, which then come true, such is the power of art.

and then this ties in so nicely with the slower burn narrative that is going on, that these are all real people trapped in the narrative of history. by the end of s1 lucius is more valued for his skills as an artist than as a writer, and mary, too, is liberated from the sexist narrative assigned to her through her skills as a visual artist. in fact, literary/historical (i.e. written down) narratives - the mythology of blackbeard and stede's romanticised ideas of piracy - become at odds with the crew's true wants and desires. only by imagining something different, i.e. by using creative arts, can they keep themselves safe, alive and free to be who they are away from the toxic masculinity that our dominant cultural narratives push on to them. blackbeard reverting to the mythology of himself as the kraken is the opposite of this. he's allowing the narrative to rule him.

also, you know who never does any art in the whole show. and who never engages with his own feelings. and who is so invested in surviving the narrative that has been set up that he won't let anybody else challenge it, let alone himself... izzy. which is why he is both a comedy cartoon antagonist and kind of a tragic (in the shakespearian sense) figure.

[gemsofgreece]

Γειά! I'm very interested in reading about Greek mythology. Mostly interpretations and deep dives on the origins and context of said mythology. All I've read so far are texts authored by British and American scholars but those are always biased and fitted into not-hellenic cultures. I wonder if you know of an actual Greek source that I could access in Spanish or English? I'd really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Γεια σου! Unfortunately I can't provide very accurate recs because I haven't read much about mythology and because

Foreign scholars hardly translate Greek literary classics (meaning modern classics), let alone Greek research on fields that they have already totally called dibs on.

Greeks themselves traditionally did not care much about mythology and have been studying history way more. The stance they hold towards mythology is that it is a bunch of fairytales suited for kids.

Younger generations are getting more interested in it which had led to an increase in books, references and podcasts about it, however the extreme majority are still adressed to kids. I searched one of the biggest book stores in Greece for recs and out of the 192 Greek mythology books available, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the 170 were meant for kids and then most out of the remaining were translated foreign works.

The most famous Greek book about the mythology is Ελληνική Μυθολογία by Nikos Tsiforos, 1964, 644 pages. This book is very informative and detailed however this is not its actual intent. Written by Tsiforos, who was a screenwriter and director with a very sharp humour and notable for the use of slang (of the time), its main point is the social and political commentary on religion. He was also very interested in drawing parallels and finding influences with other eastern civilizations. A drawback I have seen mentioned lately is that since this is edgy humour of the sixties, it completely lacks in political correctness, which makes some jokes appear irrelevant and insensitive. Greek readers seem to love this book enough to forgive such jokes and all agree about the surprising amount of knowledge and detail concentrated in this book, however unfortunately it is not translated into other languages.

I can translate to you the excerpt above to give you an idea:

"... turned against the idols of the Philistines, those people who historically had Greek origins, the Egyptian gods marched drenched in gold alongside the army to confront the iron gods of the Hittites, the patron saints of Cortés were caught in a catfight with the monstrous gods of Motecuhzoma, and whoever won the match also won the glory and the faith, so try arguing with men thinking that the "protection from above" excused their rights or their injusticies... A deity is necessary in war, because it is based on the highest power of the universe... The human stupidity. The mass human stupidity. The despicable Mr War could not not become a god by the Greeks, people who fought constantly, from their very first day. So he did, and his name was Ares. Behold, then, a Gentleman whom deep inside nobody likes. Neither the people who created him nor the gods who had a brawler in their company. A troublemaker, vile, unconscionable, most rude, never keeping his word - war never has honour anyway..."

It is a great read, but not translated and probably not exactly what you seek.

Then some other ones that are not translated, at least so far, are

Ελληνική Μυθολογία Τόμος Α Εισαγωγή. Ανάλυση και ερμηνεία του ελληνικού μύθου - Greek Mythology. Volume A. Introduction. Analysis and interpretation of Greek myth by Konstantinos Tsatsos, Ioannis Kakridis, Eleni Kehayoglou. Also writes a lot about the origins of every myth and explores the reasons behind their creation. Part of a series on Greek mythology, where most of the work is done by Kakridis, I believe. His full book series is 1680 pages. I believe the Greek Mythology by Kakridis is what you are looking for, but again I don't think there's a translation.

Ελληνική Μυθολογία: οι Θεοί - Greek Mythology: The Gods by Dora Papaioannou, 180 pages. This is an edition in simple, easy Greek, ideal for Greek learners, so I don't know if you are studying Greek, I add it here just in case. Obviously this must mean it doesn't get extremely detailed, although a reader in Goodreviews said it also had myths they did not know about. Papaioannou has written more relevant books in easy Greek, such as for the Trojan War and the Odyssey, with 225 pages.

Even though there are no translations, I thought this was an opportunity to mention these ones for interested Greeks and Greek speakers / learners.

There were more books of course, but they were for children or they focused on beautiful illustrations rather than analysis or didn't have enough ratings in Goodreads yet for me to recommend them.

[yamayuandadu]

Oh thank god I'm not the only one who thinks that there's no real evidence for any Aphrodite-Ishtar connection and that what evidence does exist is tenuous at best.

I'll preface this with stating that I do not question possible external influence on Greek mythology where the evidence is solid - ex. I do think it's more than plausible that both Athena's birth and much of Kronos' character do go back to some half remembered iron age leftover of Kumarbi cycle. I'm even semi-optimistic about the possibility Hecate really was in some capacity an Anatolian import. I also think some of the opposition to these theories is bad faith (including here on tumblr). This being said, yeah, it's a theory that I just do not think has much merit. It boils down to hammering things from various locations and time periods into a vaguely Aphrodite-like shape - from Old Babylonian school texts to Christian polemics - even though the similarities are negligible. Tbh Ishara or Nanaya would be closer character-wise to Aphrodite given bigger focus on love and marriage, but ultimately I really do think this is effectively just a leftover of orientalist 19th century theories in which some deities were deemed unlikely to have pristinely Greek origin because they didn't fit an idealized image of Greece. I think these theories were cast into oblivion where they belong in the case of Dionysus but they still linger here and also wrt Ares but Ares is a whole other can of worms that I plan to eventually write a short post on. It does not really help that people who preach this ignore that Greeks would be most likely to come into contact with ANE deities on Cyprus or in Cilicia - areas which... aren't known for their association with Ishtar. for And when you look at the evidence from the time when Aphrodite plausibly came to be, ie. late Bronze Age, neither coastal Ashtart in Ugarit (who had nothing to do with love and really if we have to make Greek comparisons would be much closer to Artemis) let alone Shaushka inland in Anatolia offer a close parallel.

I also think most authors involved in this do not actually care about Inanna/Ishtar(s). They basically just use literary texts, and not even recent critical editions. They are stuck with an early orientalist image which hasn't been updated since the 1880s and which just lumps together 90% goddesses from anywhere between Istanbul and Tehran regardless of historical context. I think it's a part of a broader pattern which ultimately has presenting Greek religion as more ancient than it actually was, tbh. It's not about acknowledging influence of Mesopotamia or any other cultural sphere (note that the influence would most likely be coming chiefly from Anatolian contemporaries like Lycians and Lydians - in whose case we do have a solid grasp of the transfer - or from earlier petty neo-Hittite kingdoms or early Phoenician statelets, not from Mesopotamia, but I guess these are not worthy of impacting The Classics) on Greece, it's about making a few handpicked details into a demo version of Greece.

[sonodaten]

Different anon but could you share more about the Divine Comedy references in PTN please? I've already caught up with the story! You're not the first person I've seen mentioning their similarities which is why I started to read it last week (tho progress is slow 😅)

Yeah, sure! I’ll put this one under a read more bc of the spoilers (up to the end of Ch 8 and some stuff from character profiles) and it’s gonna get a little long. I’m also sorry if you have been waiting for this, I’ve been distracted by the World Cup and general holiday craziness this weekend.

First off, congrats and good luck on the read through! Nothing wrong with taking it slow! If anything, it’s way better. Reading a poem is a lot different than reading a book, and with something as dense as the Divine Comedy it’s way more important to read to understand than it is to read for speed. Knowing what’s going on and what Dante and Virgil are talking about after 20 cantos will serve you better than getting through those cantos after a couple hours or so.

I’ll be sticking to the Inferno, bc as I said in my very first post, most of what I’ve seen and parsed through is referring to the Inferno. That’s not to say there’s no references to Purgatario or Paradiso—there very well could be and I’ve missed them—but one literary hurdle at a time. I will also reiterate from my last post, that some of this will be conjecture due to how little story that is released so far, and the nature of literary interpretation. How I’ve understood the Inferno and how I relate it to PtN’s plot/characters may be different from how you or anyone else does, and that’s great! Differences like that is what makes discussions about the game, theories, and it’s source material interesting.

Now, in the Inferno, Dante travels through Hell with the spirit of Virgil as a guide at the request of Beatrice in an attempt to change his path in life. Dante and Virgil descend through the rings of Hell, meeting individuals that serve as commentary on various point historical figures and events at the time.

In Path to Nowhere, the story we have so far mirrors this pretty well. We have the Chief’s initial awakening and being set on the path towards change (Prologue), the initial foray into danger (SALVA Chaos), the literal descent into the unclaimed crypt (Unclaimed Crypt; complete with ominous message on the wall!), and the Chief’s continued figurative descent after falling out with the MBCC and under the 9th Agency (Keylan Square, The Carnival).

But that’s just a quick overview. I promised this would be long, so let’s get into specifics:

The opening scene of the Inferno has Dante confronted by three animals: a leopard, a lion, and a wolf. These three animals are meant to represent different manners of sin, and chase Dante into darkness. In the Prologue, after Chief awakens the introductory combat situation pits you against Wendy and EMP (Violence and Treachery respectively). It’s also where we meet Virgil and hear of Beatrice’s request, which could be argued are paralleled by Hecate’s (and even Hella’s) guidance of the Chief and Suspect R’s request that Chief follow the clues with the promise that she will be “waiting with answers at the end” (but I’ve gone through so many notebook pages about those three it’s really up in the air for me at this point LMAO so I’ll leave that there for now).

Side bar: that monster we saw in the prologue? Why I’m considering the MBCC is also playing into the Greek Mythology side of Minos. The Minotaur that was being kept in the eponymous Labyrinth as it were. But then what were they sacrificing to it hmmmm…? But that’s another post hahaha

SALVA Chaos (Chapters 1 and 2) follows Dante and Virgil’s journey through Limbo and 2nd Circle. Limbo is part of hell, but souls sent here are not tortured for sins and are mostly just kind of there. Dante and Virgil travel through Limbo to reach a citadel, where they meet other philosophers and poets, like the Chief’s own struggle through Syndicate to reach SALVA. Obviously Syndicate and Limbo aren’t a 1:1 allusion, but not everything between the two will be. Circle 2 is where sinners are punished for lust, and I believe it was changed to Love in-game—though not baselessly! There are actually many places throughout the text that speak to the power of love to inspire sin, both great and small. And in the end, both Dante and the Chief knock tf out. Bless.

Unclaimed Crypt (Chapters 3 and 4) like I said there’s the literal descent into the crypt itself and the ominous message on the wall. Now, the message in the Inferno is seen as Dante is entering hell, and in PtN it’s already by the time we’re pretty far underground and written on the wall in blood, but like I said, not everything’s going to be 1:1 between the two of them. There’s also the presence of the crypt itself and it’s connection to the Inheritance, which could be a reference to the punishment of the 6th circle for heresy (trapped in tombs and set on fire). After all, the arc did end with the crypt exploding in a sea of flames.

Keylan Square (Chapters 5 and 6) the 7th circle of hell is described as containing ruins and shattered stones, similar to the landscape of Keylan Square after the outbreak of the Black Ring. The 7th circle is also where sinners who commit acts of violence are punished, which fits pretty well considering the landscape at the time was supposed to be formed and abide by Zoya’s mind (Zoya is assigned to Violence in the Libram). I also believe the Corpseborne is meant to parallel the Geryon—a monster that’s part human, part scorpion, and part reptile—that is encountered by Dante and Virgil in this circle and they need to pass in order to reach the next.

The Carnival (Chapters 8 and 9), reflect the 8th and 9th circles respectively. The 8th circle of hell punishes sinners guilty of fraud—specifically even a portion for punishing impersonators—and that’s what the Carnival and the revelers within are revealed to be: a massive illusion and Corruptors masquerading as a parade within the Black Ring under Hamel’s power (which in it’s own way is revealed to be a sort of impersonation when the truth about the Corpseborne and Phantom Hamel come to light). The 9th circle of hell is where sinners guilty of treachery are punished, and it’s environment is described as a frozen lake. Similarly, after defeating Phantom Hamel and dissipating BR-0001 the Chief finds Hamel beneath the surface of the frozen lake they first saw her dance, where Hamel traps the Corruptors in her final illusion.

Mmm I know I said it would be long but I didn’t realize it was that long until right now! Wow! And that’s still just glossing over it all. But I don’t wanna spend too much more time sitting on this in case someone is waiting for it, especially since I’ll be going on vacation soon. I hope that answers your question, Anon. This long and hard to scroll through on my phone, so it’s hard to review, but if there’s anything that needs clarification or if you just want more elaboration, please feel free to let me know!

[mischief-lies-and-stories]

Immortal Thor #3 Speculation

Spoilers for The Immortal Thor issues 1 and 2 and the promotional summary we have so far for issue 3.

So I want to talk today about making the title or byline or maybe just selling point "Thor in the wilderness," and how my literary nerd brain is going brrr over it. (And I know this is more Thor than Loki, but Loki's involved, so it counts.)

"Going into the wilderness" is a symbolic or literal phrase referring to one undergoing a personal trial. One might think of "shamanic or "rites of passage" going off into the wilderness to gain some sort of wisdom or insight or to come of age, but as I am not Native myself in any capacity, let alone of a culture that might have practiced or still practices this sort of journey, I'm not going to get into that interpretation, because I don't even run the risk of misrepresenting the practice, I already know I will. So I will allow someone else with more background knowledge in that interpretation (if what I've heard of it is even a legitimate cultural practice) to talk about that in greater detail.

I do, however, have experience with the Christian (possibly Judeo-Christian? But again, not my experience, so I'm not going to make any claims I can't back up when I don't even know what makes for a credible source for that community on the internet) Biblical usage of the phrase.

We often (or maybe just I do) think of "the wilderness" as thickly forested areas, but in Biblical terms, given the area most of the stories take place, wilderness primarily just refers to anywhere apart from civilization. It can be deep in the desert or at the top of a mountain as much as in the heart of the woods. We can call to mind Jesus's forty days in isolation in the desert, where he is tempted three times by the Devil. In the Old Testament, Moses leads the Israelites into the desert/wilderness, where they wander for forty years until (as one interpretation has it) they come to trust in God enough for God to show them the way to the Promised Land (and not, as I thought growing up through Sunday School class, a 40-year straight line through a very large desert). There are other wilderness examples, but this isn't Sunday School, so I'll end with these.

So aside from other literary references (as I didn't look into it, but I'm sure the trajectory of this symbolism doesn't just go Bible -> Thor comic. There's got to be a Shakespeare play in there somewhere, at the very least), if Ewing is directly referencing the Bible here (which I doubt, but we're gonna pretend for a hot second, bear with me), why?

I'm going to ignore a few obvious parallels for the moment, around Thor (though a god himself) being the son of (a) God and Loki's horns being particularly prominent and (albeit more eccentrically) devil-like in this panel:

Ewing has been bookending these issues with excerpts from the Eddas. The Edda was composed by Snorri Sturluson, and is one of, if not, the earliest written account (both Prose Edda and Poetic Edda) of Norse mythology, as had previously been passed down through oral tradition. (Issue 2 is actually prefaced by a quote from Saemund Sigfusson, but I'll get to him later.) So what does this have to do with the Bible? Sturluson's account of Norse mythology is not without personal authorial bias, and Sturluson writes his Eddas at a time when Iceland has been mainly Christianized. So there is some interesting historical basis for making a biblical reference in a story following a hero from a completely different pantheon. This would certainly not even be the first time an illustration or characterization of Loki bore a striking likeness to the devil (he does have a snake form, after all).

(So I tried to find the image I was thinking of, and in addition to being devil-like, it also was setting off warning bells of being an anti-semitic caricature, so now I have to go stare at a wall and think about the upsetting and disheartening parallels between "devilish features" and anti-semitism and how disappointing it is that I didn't make this connection before. BRB.)

Saemund Sigfusson is quoted in issue 2 (and I cannot confirm this is a legitimate quote or if he's now a fictionalized Marvel character, but I would think it's an official translation), and he was an Icelandic priest and chronicler in the eleventh century. According to Britannica, "The Poetic Edda is known as Saemundr's Edda, because it was erroneously attributed to Saemundr." So another edda writer (edda just refers to this kind of work) who was also Christian, though I did not explicitly see in my (albeit scant) research whether he has been criticized for applying Christian themes/doctrine to Old Norse traditions. [EDIT: This is purely speculation on my part, but given what the Britannica says about Saemund's other work being lost to the ages and the Poetic Edda being misattributed to him, the source in the comic being "The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson," and Wikipedia saying the Poetic Edda is also called the Elder Edda, I'm going to leave the above interpretation in as a possibility but also add that this may actually be a quote from the Poetic Edda misattributed to Saemund. Why Ewing chose to do this, I don't know. Maybe he doesn't know it's not his Edda, maybe Brittanica and Wikipedia are telling me the wrong information and it is actually written by Saemund, maybe in the world of Marvel Saemund did write the Poetic Edda. Maybe I'll stop having really bad social anxiety and write in to the comic to ask Ewing myself and maybe he'll tell me.]

Another interesting note on the parallels. Loki asks Thor, prior to whatever enchantment they place on him, if he trusts them in three different forms their relationship has taken (as king and subject (which is interesting; they demote themself purposely here), as siblings, as enemies). Loki sets him in his trial in the wilderness after he professes to trust them. Compare that to the common interpretation of the Israelites' wandering forty years in the wilderness until they come to put their trust in God.

What I'm saying is if issue three has some time increment of 40 (days, years, hell, even minutes) related to Loki's trial, I'll be unsurprised and also losing my shit.

I still have the same thought I had in my reaction post. Loki is not consciously trying to hurt Thor here (at least that's not their primary intention), but to prepare him for Toranos and protect him in his time of highest vulnerability. But I don't think Thor will see it that way immediately. Loki might need to brace themself for a storm-powered fist to the jaw once their brother makes it out of there.

[jackoshadows]

I have already talked about the relevance and foreshadowing of the tale of Bael the Bard for Jon Snow and Arya Stark.

This story of a stolen Stark maiden repeats three times

The OG Bael the Bard who supposedly kidnaps the Stark maiden and leaves behind the blue Winter Rose

Rhaegar and his eloping/kidnapping of Lyanna Stark whose love for blue Winter roses is narratively important

Jon Snow sending Mance Rayder (Who goes as Abel the bard - a Bael anagram) to steal away Arya Stark - who has been narratively compared to Lyanna Stark by various characters numerous times - from Winterfell

So we have the connections and parallels of Jon Snow and Arya Stark with Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Not just with the Bael the Bard mythology, but also Jon Snow choosing love for Arya over duty to the Night’s Watch and breaking his oaths when he decides to march against the current Lord of Winterfell. A scenario which evokes similarities to Rhaegar’s elopement with or kidnapping of Lyanna, leading to civil war and destruction.

But there’s also another parallel I just noticed to characters involved in Robert’s Rebellion.

He is a man of the Night’s Watch, she thought, as he sang about some stupid lady throwing herself off some stupid tower because her stupid prince was dead. The lady should go kill the ones who killed her prince.  - Cat of the Canals, AFfC

In AFfC Dareon sings a song about a lady throwing herself off a tower and killing herself because her prince is dead.  There are many grief stricken ladies in the world of ASoIaF who throw themselves off towers. One is the unnamed Stark Maiden from the Bael the Bard mythology who throws herself off a tower because her lover is killed by her son.  

"So the son slew the father instead," said Jon.

"Aye," she said, "but the gods hate kinslayers, even when they kill unknowing. When Lord Stark returned from the battle and his mother saw Bael's head upon his spear, she threw herself from a tower in her grief. Her son did not long outlive her. One o' his lords peeled the skin off him and wore him for a cloak."

"Your Bael was a liar," he told her, certain now.- Jon, ACoK

But this is a mythology, song and a story that even Northerners don’t know - interestingly Old Nan seems to have no idea about Bael the Bard. Jon and Theon have never heard it before. Which means there is no way that Dareon - who is from the Reach - knows of this song or story.

A more popular tale, whispered and talked about, is that of Ashara Dayne. Barristan Selmy thinks that Ashara died because of a stillborn child and many others think she killed herself because Ned dishonored her and left her for Catelyn and that Jon Snow is Ashara’s bastard son. Now, we know from Ned’s own POV that he did nothing of that sort. And why should Ashara kill herself over a possible dead child when Ned tells her of Arthur’s death and gives her his sword?

 And interestingly, Arya hears of it from Ned Dayne.

“Why did she jump in the sea, though?”

“Her heart was broken.”

Sansa would have sighed and shed a tear for true love, but Arya just thought it was stupid. She couldn’t say that to Ned, though, not about his own aunt. “Did someone break it?”

He hesitated. “Perhaps it’s not my place . . .”

“Tell me.”

He looked at her uncomfortably. “My aunt Allyria says Lady Ashara and your father fell in love at Harrenhal - Arya, ASoS

Notice how Arya calls it stupid here - connecting this story to the song that she hears Dareon sing. More importantly Harwin tells her this:

"She killed herself, though," said Arya uncertainly. "Ned says she jumped from a tower into the sea."

"So she did," Harwin admitted, as he led her back, "but that was for grief, I'd wager. She'd lost a brother, the Sword of the Morning." - Arya, ASoS

When Ashara gets news of her brother’s death, the princess in the tower throws herself to her death into the sea (Could there have been more to Arthur and Ashara’s relationship considering Arthur was a KG and Ashara was Elia’s Lady in waiting in KL?) When Arya gets news of her brother’s death? Her reaction will most probably be different, with her setting off to Westeros.

I just find all these references, mentions, parallels, anti-parallels to Lyanna/Rhaegar/Arthur/Ashara with the current generation and more specifically with Jon and Arya interesting in the similar or different decisions they make. These tragic characters of Robert’s Rebellion are memorialized in songs and stories (With both characters and the readers not knowing what really happened) and yet we see similar events playing out with possibly different reactions from literary mirror characters that can lead to different and perhaps more happier outcomes this time around.

[mask131]

Roman sources 2: Roman religion

I made a post about some resources for the myths and legends of the Roman gods  (you can find it here) ; and to complete it I will leave here some texts I know are regularly used as sources of information and knowledge about the Roman religion itself - we are speaking of rites, festivals, offerings, theologies, etc, etc...

# Saint Augustine “De Civitate Dei”, aka “On the City of God against the Pagans”. This is a quite unusual resource here, as this is a Christian book wrote by one of the Fathers of the Church in the 4th century, and whose main topic is the Christian religion, Christian God and Christian ideals... BUT what is very interesting is that there Augustine compares the Christian religion to the one of the “Pagans”, evoking profusedly the Roman religion, its gods and practices. Mind you, Augustin does that mostly to criticize or mock the Roman rites in light of the Christian religion - but why this book is so important is because it keeps quoting and reproducing excerpts of actual Roman books that are lost to this day. For example, most if not all we know of Marcus Terentius Varro’s “Res divinae” (”Of the divine things” ; from his “Antiquitates rerum humanarum et divinarum”) comes from Augustine’s book. 

# Aulus Gellius’ “Attic Nights”. This one is a sort of secondary source, but in this book Gellius compiled a LOT of various facts, explanations, trivia and report about everything and anything from his culture and time (the Greco-Roman world of the 1st century). Religion is talked about, alongside things such as history, geometry, grammar, philosophy, etc, etc... This book was notably used as a resource by other authors of the time - such as Apuleius or saint Augustine. 

# Macrobius’ “Saturnalia”. Presented as a set of discussions and talks among guests of a Saturnalia party, this book is all about exploring the curious trivia and unusual aspects of the Roman religion, history and mythology. It was originally made of seven volumes, but some are lost to this day (like the second volume). 

# I will include here Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ “Roman Antiquities”, though with some nuances to bring... Dionysius was a Greek author, not a Roman one, though he lived under the domination of the Roman Empire (under the first Roman emperor, Augustus, to be exact) ; and he was mostly a historian and rhetoric teacher. In fact, his “Roman Antiquities” is an ENORMOUS chronicle of the entire history of Rome from its foundation to its “current days”. BUT he begins his work with a few volumes covering the mythical times of Rome and the legends of its foundations (Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, etc...) so I will include it briefly here (plus he also mentions how the rites and festivals of Rome were shaped by its historical events - but it stays first and foremost an history work).

# I already talked about Plutarch for his “Parallel Lives”, but I forgot to mention another part of his work that deserves some interest: his “Moralia”. It is a sort of big melting-pot in which all of his non-biographicalh/istorical works are placed, and in it you find various texts concerning Roman, Greek and even Egyptian religions (”On the worship of Isis and Osiris” ;  “On the decline of oracles” ; “On the delay of divine vengeance”, etc etc...)

# Pliny the Elder’s “Natural History” - considered the largest literary work to have survived from the times of the Roman Empire, it is a sort of encyclopedia trying to unite and gather all of the knowledge that had been written by authors up to this point. And, throughout the numerous talk ranging from geography and nature to architecture and history, Pliny the Elder regularly mentions the religion, the gods - he notably records the various temples and cults existing around Italy, Greece and other countries.

# Servius, “On Virgil’s Aeneid”. I keep seeing this one pop up as a reference for old Roman religion and theology, so I’ll include it, though I am not very familiar with it. Servius was a fourth-century grammarian who made a very famous and popular commentary on Virgil’s work - and this commentary apparently contains a lot of info about Roman religion and/or myths? 

# Cicero, “De Natura Deorum”. Cicero is one of THE biggest Roman personalities and writers, whose work cannot be escaped, and among his numerous philosophical texts about the working of divination or the nature of fate, you find this text, “Of the nature of the gods”, which is all about discussion theology, through the eyes and perceptions of the various philosophical schools and teachings inherited from the Greeks (the Stoics, the Sceptics, the Epicureans...). 

I’m sure there are much more, but these are the only ones I truly know of, when it comes to “direct” sources, texts really coming from the time of Ancient Rome (or near it).

[irunevenus]

The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Heroic Journey of Ancient Mesopotamia

In the vast landscape of ancient literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh stands out as one of the most notable and influential works of Mesopotamia. With its rich tapestry of myth, adventure, and philosophical musings, this epic not only offers a glimpse into the beliefs and values ​​of ancient Sumer, but also explores universal themes of humanity, mortality, and the search for meaning.

The Legend of King Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh, composed between 2100 and 1200 BCE, is a narrative that revolves around Gilgamesh, a historical king of Uruk in Mesopotamia. The work begins by presenting Gilgamesh as a tyrannical and oppressive ruler, whose tyranny leads the gods to create an equal to challenge him and balance his power. This equal is Enkidu, a primitive figure who, after a series of adventures, becomes Gilgamesh's friend and companion.

The plot follows the epic journeys of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, including the famous search for the secret of immortality. After Enkidu's death, Gilgamesh embarks on a heroic quest for immortality, encountering mythical figures and facing challenges that lead him to confront his own human condition.

Universal Themes and Philosophical Reflections

The Epic of Gilgamesh is more than just a heroic adventure; it is a profound reflection on life and death. Gilgamesh's quest for immortality reflects the universal human anguish in the face of finitude. Throughout his journey, Gilgamesh faces the reality of mortality and learns that true immortality lies not in eternal life, but in building a lasting legacy and accepting one's own mortality.

The story of Gilgamesh also explores themes of true friendship and loss, with Enkidu’s death serving as a catalyst for Gilgamesh’s transformative journey. Grief and the search for meaning are central to the narrative, revealing the profound impact of friendship and the human need to find purpose in life.

Impact and Influence

The Epic of Gilgamesh not only shaped Mesopotamian literature and mythology, but also had a lasting influence on Western literature. Elements of the narrative, such as the search for the secret of eternal life and the relationship between gods and humans, resonate in many later literary and religious traditions, including the Bible.

In addition, the narrative of the Great Flood found in the Epic of Gilgamesh has striking parallels with the story of Noah in Genesis, suggesting significant cultural exchange in the ancient Near East. This overlapping of themes and stories reflects the interconnectedness and evolution of mythological traditions over time.

Cultural Legacy

The Epic of Gilgamesh continues to be studied and appreciated for its complexity and depth. Not only does the work provide a fascinating insight into life and culture in ancient Mesopotamia, it also offers universal insights into the human experience that still resonate today. Its lessons on mortality, friendship, and purpose remain relevant, proving that even millennia after its creation, the epic continues to touch the essence of the human condition.

Conclusion

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a testament to the richness of ancient literature and the ability of stories to transcend time and space. By exploring universal themes and offering a window into Mesopotamian beliefs and values, the epic establishes a vital link between the past and the present, reminding us of the ongoing human search for meaning and understanding.

As a cornerstone of ancient literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh continues to captivate and inspire, offering enduring insight into the heroic journey and the human condition.

[jamesjbkim]

The Christ myth theory, or Jesus mythicism, posits that Jesus of Nazareth is a mythical rather than historical figure. Proponents argue that the story of Jesus is a mythologized account, drawing parallels to other mythological figures and lacking substantial historical evidence[1]. Scholars like Thomas L. Thompson suggest that biblical narratives, including those of Jesus, are mythological and rooted in earlier literary traditions[1]. Critics of the theory argue that there is historical evidence supporting Jesus's existence, such as references in early Christian writings and mentions by historians like Josephus and Tacitus[4].

Sources

[1] Christ myth theory - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_myth_theory

[2] Did Jesus Exist? - American Atheists https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/did-jesus-exist/

[3] Evidence that Jesus didn't exist : r/DebateReligion - Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateReligion/comments/vdgd6t/evidence_that_jesus_didnt_exist/

[4] Historicity of Jesus - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus

[5] “Jesus Did Not Exist” | Answers in Genesis https://answersingenesis.org/jesus/incarnation/jesus-did-not-exist/

[darkspicyevanstan]

⚡️ Alternate Universes ⚡️

View the AU prompts below the cut!

 Actor

Ancient Civilization

Archaeologist

Artist

 Assassins & Hitmen

Atlantean

Author

 Bakery

Ballet

Band

Bartender

Biker

Blogger

Boarding School

Bodyguard

 Cafe/Coffee Shop

 Canon Divergence 

Celebrity

Changeling

 Characters with the Same Actor are Related 

 College/University 

Con Artist

Country Singer

Crime Thriller

 Crossover

Cult

 Dark Fairytale

 Detective

 Dimension Travel

Doctor

 Fandom Specific 💥

 Fantasy ⚡️

Flower Shop

 Forest

 Fusion 

 Firefighter 

Fisherman

Fortune Teller

Game Show

Gangster

Glee Club

 Gothic Fiction ⚡️

Guardian Angel

Harlequin Romance

Harem

Heist

 Historical ⚡️

Hollow Earth

 Horror ⚡️

Hospital

 Hotel 

Human/No Powers

Hunter

Hybrid

Journalist

Law School

Lawyer

 Librarian

Lifeguard

 Mafia

 Magic 

Medical School

 Mental Asylum

Middle-Earth

 Mirror-verse 

Mob

 Modern

Multiverse

Murder Mystery

Musical Festival

Musician

 Mythology - All Types

 Neighbors 

Ninja

Nobility

Noir

Nurse

Olympics

 Omegaverse 

Contemporary

Dark

Modern

Non Traditional

Omegaarcy

Post Modern

Traditional

Painter

Parallel Universe

 Paranormal

 Pirates 

 Police 

 Politics 

Popstar

Pornstar

 Post-Canon 

 Pre-Canon 

President

Professor

Psychiatrist

Psychologist

 Punk Fiction ⚡️

Rare Antiques Shop

Reality TV Show

 Reincarnation 

Rockstar

 Role Reversal 

 Royalty

Scientist

Sculptor

Serial Killer

Slice-of-Life

Social Media

 Soulbonds/Soulmates 

 Space Travel

 Speculative Fiction ⚡️

 Spies & Secret Agents 

 Spirits 

Sports

Stalker

Subterranean

 Sugar Daddy 

Summer Camp

 Supernatural

 Superpowers 

 Tattoo Parlor

 Tea Shop

Teacher

Therapist

 Thieves

 Time Travel

Twitch Streamer

 Villain Wins

War

Wild West

 Wings 

Witchcraft

Yandere World

Youtuber

💥 - See Fandom AUs

⚡️- See Literary Forms

[netorascollege]

The Role of Greek Schools in Preserving Hellenic Language and Culture

Greek schools have played a pivotal role in safeguarding the rich tapestry of Hellenic language and culture throughout history. This educational endeavour is not merely about transmitting knowledge but also serves as a custodian of Greece's ancient heritage and a beacon for future generations.

The Greek language, with its deep historical roots dating back to ancient times, is a treasure trove of linguistic nuances, philosophical concepts, and literary masterpieces. Greek schools have served as bastions of language preservation, ensuring that the Greek tongue endures through the ages. These institutions provide a continuum for linguistic evolution from classical Greek to modern Greek.

In parallel, Greek schools have acted as cultural sanctuaries. They impart knowledge of ancient Greek philosophy, mythology, and history, fostering a profound understanding of Greece's contributions to human civilization. Through studying literature, art, and architecture, students connect with their cultural heritage and gain an appreciation for its enduring impact on the world.

Furthermore, Greek schools serve as community hubs where traditions are celebrated, festivals are held, and Greek identity is reinforced. They are centres for forging solid bonds among Greek diaspora communities, helping them maintain a sense of belonging and shared cultural values.

In an increasingly globalized world, Greek schools remain vital to preserving Hellenic identity. They empower individuals to carry forward the legacy of their ancestors while enriching the multicultural fabric of the modern world with the timeless beauty of the Greek language and culture. Thus, these schools remain crucial guardians of Greece's unique and enduring heritage.