#botticelli in the fire

[callixton]

found another insane fucked up queer play. will be thinking about it for Some Time + boy is it a hard one to share with most people

[takunwilliams]

BIRTH OF VENUS 

BY 

SANDRO BOTTICELLI

[purpleph4se]

devotion

armand x reader

warnings | smut, afab!reader, dom armand, fingering, praise, possessiveness, one mention of cheating sorta kinda? (we all know louis and armand’s relationship i mean would u call it cheating if it was open idfk)

a/n | 70s armand save me, save me 70s armand. so i finished iwtv in the span of one week and i can say i forgive armand for all his crimes, he’s just a girl <3 there is such a devastating lack of fics for my botticelli angel im here to mend that !!! i know i made that little post a while ago and i finally finished the fic i hope yall enjoy <3 crossposted on my ao3

“show me,”

his voice was a purr loud enough just for you to hear. you sat between his legs, chest pressed against the handsome stranger you met at the bar who managed to lure you into his home. “please yourself for me..” he usually doesn’t play with his food but the sight of your lips hung open, and the sound of your moans, he couldn’t help himself.

mesmerized by his voice, you trail your hand over your clothed sex finding the fabric had been soaked through. you shift to slip them off, a twinge of embarrassment making your face burn. you forced your legs apart, your head lolling back onto armand’s shoulder as your hand glided through your slick cunt.

“just like that, my love, make yourself feel good for me,” he whispered as he traced the curves of your body, stopping right at the dip of your hips. his grip on you was firm, as his lips left warm kisses on your neck. his touch was so precise yet so desperate to feel as much as possible of you.

“pl-please, touch me” you begged between whimpers, your legs were trembling as you could feel pleasure starting to bubble up uncontrollably. it was so overwhelming to feel like he was devouring you with his eyes, and touch. his praises were like fire flowing throughout your body as he consumed every cell of your body.

he hummed at your words, the utter desperation that he could feel seeping out of you made him want to fuck you without restraint, but he denied himself just to torture you.

“just my fingers, nothing more..”armand offered, he felt you tremble in anticipation forcing his hard cock against your lower back. you craved to feel him inside you, and he knew. 

armands breath tickles your ear as he slides two of his fingers over your slit. you squirm a bit as he ghosts just over your clit, his voice mumbling something about you being dripping for him. 

“thank y-you,” whispered again as his fingers slowly traced your skin, until they reached your folds. you were pushed closer to him, so he could effortlessly reach your sopping cunt as he kissed the dip of your shoulder. he could devour you if he chose.

his skin was cold to touch as you laid against him. “so breathtaking” He murmured as his elegant fingers barely touched your clit, your hips buckled to meet him “so sensitive,”

when he finally dipped his finger in you, that’s when his facade cracked. the way your warmth enveloped his finger, swallowing it hungrily and clenching around it, made his breath hitch. if armand concentrated enough he could picture what you would feel around his cock.

your small whine of 'more' causes him to smile against the nape of your neck as he inserts a second finger. he drags them in and out of you, slowly and gently before increasing the power behind them.

his other hand kneaded your chest, he wanted to worship every inch of you. you, kind stranger, distracted him from the boredom that was his life, his partner once again enjoying a young vulnerable boy.

you gasp grabbing onto his forearm feeling your body bounce a little as he did so, he pulled his head back to look down at you— his golden eyes dilating in either love or something sinister, you couldn't tell. "that’s it beloved, taking me so well”, his fingers curling up to search for that particular spot you liked “like you were made for me..” you whined in agreement before letting out a sharp moan, there he thought, abusing that certain spot.

armand pumped his fingers into you relentlessly as his thumb rubbed circles on your clit. for just moment he didn’t care about anything but the way you begged him for more, the way you would tremble in his arms as he added another finger, the way you desperately chased your orgasm. he could feel the desire rushing through your veins.

your hands dragged up his body until the settled hooked behind his hand, pulling him closer as you felt a third finger gently split you open. your back arched, your chest hitting his as you felt that coil, that certain feeling in your stomach rise, ready to break.

"'m gonna cum— don't, don't stop, please please." you babbled, to which he listened, telling you to cum that he was right here for you. he pressed his lips against your jaw, the sweet kisses and soft worship a distinct contrast from his onslaught on your poor cunt. and then you heard him, like he was inside your head “cum for me”, armand invited you to let go of everything, to allow the ecstasy to eat you alive, and you did. ‘cumming', you repeated— his name being slurred as you called out to him, eyes shut tightly.

you were hit by everything all at once, your senses blurred as you could barely control your body. armand’s name was the only thing you whine out through the overwhelming pleasure that took over you. he burned the sight into his brain, warm juices coated his hand as he slowed his movements, still overstimulating you just a bit.

you slumped against his chest, your blissed out state warming his abnormally cold one, he didn’t let go of you. you were out of breath, you stayed like that for a moment before he glanced at his fingers.

your pleasure dripped all over his pads, down to his palm, and he couldn’t help but take a taste of you. he took his time savoring each finger like it was ambrosia.

"messy little thing.. let me clean you up."

[henk-heijmans]

"Botticelli girl", New York City Ballet, Fire Island - by Paul Himmel (1914 - 2009), American

[nightcolorz]

I stumbled on your blog and i love it sm!!

Its so weird, because i am a huge Marius fan, and you put many reasons why he is my absolute favorite character as things why he SUCKS! Its so cool to me, to read something so accurate and then have someone put out a completely different opinion on it! (i do not think he is Good, none of them are. But i think he is cool, his better qualities resonate with me the most of all the characters, i love lore, and i love reading about him the most)

There are few things, that i do not understand and it bothers me endlessly! I just can't figure out where some readings come from, very sinserely (because i want to respect other readings and interpretations), maybe you could help me understand?

First: that Marius dislikes being challenged and tries to "keep Armand to himself"(generalizing) - as i read it, Marius prefers people who challenge him, can stand up to him. All of his paramours are like that - Pandora, Bianca, Armand, Lestat, Daniel..even Botticelli actively defy him, in a way other characters don't and Marius himself is vocal on that being something he admires about them. He does not know how to deal with that, oh no, but he loves it - the fire he himself does not possess. He also actively helps Armand learn about his culture and family, ready to be left behind when they visit Kievan Rus. He also never shows any type of concern about Armands "daytime" personal connections. As i remember, he encourages it decpite objections, actually.. My personal reading is that most drama and abuse between Marius and Armand is about Marius refusing the codependency Armand desperatly wants. (and them being oppisitely unhealthy about that)

Second: there is a notion, that Marius would not want Armand to grow up? And i do not understand where it comes from at all... Marius actively states (and thinks) that his own wish is to see Armand grown into a Man and he refuses time and time again to turn him before then (or to turn him at all) , until Armand is on the deaths door. (i also saw a thing about shaving, but all of them are shaved before the turning as an old ritual, canonically, i believe, only Santino is unshaved so. I might be wrong tho lol. One of canon reasons (again, if my memories are not faulty) - facial and body hair might go in and out of style, so clean shave helps them blend in better)

I you would spare some time to let me understand where those come from i would be forever grateful, because i sometimes think i am blind (and i might be! Thats why i ask. I am a bit scared that i might be percieved in bad faith, but if i have a blindspot i will not see it myself, so getting outside help is the only way haha)

I hope you have a great day! Thnx for the very least reading my ask!

(this is going to be slightly shorter then I initially wanted it to be bcus I wrote a whole essay and tumblr DELETED IT, so I’m so sorry ur going to get a condescend version of my thoughts 😰 I hope they still make sense, anyways)

Thank u sm anon ur so nice omg 🥹❤️ it makes me so happy that u like my blog!!! Don’t worry at all about coming off as bad faith u only come off as respectful and curious to me. I’m going to answer ur questions the best I can! 🙏

I think that the reason a lot of my Marius posts seem to contradict parts of canon is bcus Marius is a very self contradictory character. His wants are often in conflict with each other, and in his relationship with Armand he is always warring between conflicting desires.

First: I definitely agree that Marius seeks out people who challenge him and does rlly enjoy it (to an extent lol). but the way I perceive it, marius likes to be challenged *to an extent*. He doesn’t want a partner who will be weak and docile with him, he wants a partner he’ll need to fight into being docile and he wants to loose that fight<3.He prefers someone with some fire in them, clearly, based on his choice of lovers lol. And I think this is bcus Marius likes the chase, like any vampire. He likes the thrill of being with someone who makes him hurt for it a little bit, he likes fighting and arguing and struggling to stifle a spark he knows is too bright to put out. But also, like most ppl lol, Marius likes to be challenged only so much as he isn’t challenged to the point of having to change himself. He doesn’t want to change his perspective, whenever a partner of his gets him to rethink how he thinks or acts he tends to get rlly mad. He wants to be challenged as long as it’s fun, if he’s uncomfortable or feeling like he might actually adopt a new perspective or change as a person he puts a stop to it. At the end of the day he needs that teacher and student or master and subordinate dynamic to stay in tact. He likes to be challenged but he doesn’t like to be weakened or caught off guard in anyway that makes him question his authority or his strength.

When it comes to Marius helping Armand rediscover his culture, yas! This actually is a good transition bcus this is also a good example of what I’m talking about when it comes to the being challenged thing. Marius is happy and eager to help Armand heal from the demons of his past by rediscovering the family and culture hes forgotten, so long as Armand is obedient and answering to his call at the end of the day. Marius is happy to be left on the sidelines, up until armand starts disregarding his authority and moving away from him on his own path. After coming home from Kiev Armand realizes that he doesn’t gain anything from learning from Marius and he would rather learn on his own by discovering himself and processing what this new culture means to him. And Marius let’s him have this, until he realizes that he’s loosing his control over Amadeo and he is not going to come back to him without a push, and he beats the absolute shit out of him 😭 again, challenged to an extent.

Second: when marius first buys Armand he explains in blood and gold that part of why he chose Armand was bcus he wanted a vampire companion in Bianca, but he felt too guilty to turn Bianca bcus she was a bright young woman with a future ahead of her, so he chose Armand to be his future vampire companion instead bcus Armand was broken enough to not have a chance of a future anyway (therefore turning him is guilt free). Then, marius learns very quickly that Armand could easily have a future just as bright as Bianca, once he’s under his care he starts to prosper, and he realizes that turning him into a vampire would be equally as cruel as turning Bianca. So his motive changes, and he decides that his desire to turn Armand is wrong and he should instead give him the chance to live a full human life just like any of the other boys. Marius wants this bcus he knows that it’s the right thing to do, to give up the person he loves for their own good. But it’s also, deep down, not what he wants at all, bcus it agonizes him to think of a future where he doesn’t have Amadeo. So this creates this self contradictory mess, where Marius is aiming both at the same time to turn Armand into a vampire and also to let him live a human life. He starts doing contradictory things, like feeding Armand his blood and exposing him to vampirism + getting him hooked on it, and then sending him out to “experience humanity” bcus that’s what Marius wants for him.

It caused Armand to be driven absolutely insane, bcus he’s being communicated two different things about what Marius wants for his future. I think Marius’s conflicting desire causes part of Armand’s desperate begging for him to turn him. Armand is so fed up with this mind melding conflict he just wants Marius to rip the band aid off and do it 😭 cuz they both know it’s what they both want. And Marius knows that this is the terrible abusive option, and he can’t get Armand to see this bcus Armand is too far deep in his love brain.

So my answer is, Marius wants Armand to grow up bcus he knows that’s what’s best for him, but he continues to hold out on the possibility of vampirism and refuses to cut ties with Armand bcus he rlly does want to turn him against his better judgement, which in my opinion reads as a desire to keep him young, under his control, in that limbo stage where he doesn’t need to make a decision. Partly bcus if Armand is young and compliant and his body isn’t changing the clock isn’t ticking and Marius doesn’t have to confront that his choices r either loose Amadeo or ruin him.

when it comes to the “shaving Armand was part of a vampire ritual” personally I don’t remember that? It’s not that I don’t believe u, that could totally be accurate and it definitely sounds like smth that would be canon, but I’m struggling to remember if I read that and forgot. I’ve always perceived the Marius shaves Armand cuz he wants to preserve his youth thing as accurate bcus it’s interesting and makes sense for the characters and I don’t remember anything that contradicts it lol, I also don’t remember any other character being shaved pre turning as a ritual besides Armand so I didn’t consider if it was a vampire thing. but u could be right and if so oops I’m sorry for spreading misinfo 😭 but either way that’s still gonna be my headcanon and my interpretation is much the same lol

I hope u have a great day anon and find this interesting ❤️ thank u for the ask!

[apoptoses]

Marius is a jerk, Marius is terrible, blah blah- whatever, have you also considered that Marius is kind of a goober?

Like this is a man who:

invited people over for parties but instead of interacting with them sat in a corner painting the wall

threw food out the window of a ship with Avicus and Mael as they laughed like frat boys on a booze cruise

upon discovering his mind powers, orchestrated a meetup in the backyard with Avicus and Mael so he could try setting multiple rats on fire and exploding them with his mind

had a meltdown because his art wasn’t good enough

had a meltdown because his art was too good

got so horny for Botticelli, a man he’d spoken to once at that point, that he dramatically roamed the streets of Florence in such agony over whether or not to turn him that two baby vampires came and found him and were like ‘dude what’s your deal leave him alone’

walked the streets of Venice searching people’s minds to see if they thought he was hot and then strutted around preening when they did

ordered every single item of clothing in his wardrobe in red (which was totally fucking weird for the 15th century) just because it was his favorite color and then proceeded to walk around like some renaissance version of Clifford the Big Red Dog

flew back and forth between Venice and Florence for days so he could perfect his fanart of Procession of the Magi

got so horny for Bianca he roamed the countryside whining and, I quote, “sometimes pounding my forehead with the heels of my palms”

slapped on as much foundation as a teenager in 2008 with a pot of Dream Matte Mousse and was positively tickled when it settled into his wrinkles

And then after all of this goes home to write in his journal like “dear diary, it’s me, Marius, reminding myself that though I might look hot, smell good, and dress like a cashmere velvet candy cane, I am evil and I should feel bad.”

Like babes...you sure you’re not catholic? Because that is lot of guilt you have there, you big old weirdo. Get therapy.

[onceuponamafia]

Alternative Ship Names

(Specifically not name ships)

- Valgrace (Leo x Jason) -> Firestorm

- Percabeth (Percy x Annabeth) -> Seabrain

- Solangelo (Will x Nico) -> Sunburnt

- Liteo (Lityerses x Leo) -> Firereaper

- Jaseth (Jason x Ethan) -> Amarest Mortem

- Shiper (Shel x Piper) -> Bottishel

Firestorm: Fire + Storm, obvious

Seabrain: Sea + Brain, obvious

Sunburnt: Sun + Pale AF

Firereaper: Fire + “Reaper of Men”

Amarest Mortem: “He loved death.”

Bottishel: Botticelli “Venus Shell” + Shel

[perdvivly]

an idea that i've found pays rent is to notice how often i'm holding a chair from the gift shop.

imagine you're at the louvre and there's a fire. you grab something, anything! quick! and get the hell out of there. and when you're safe, out in the open, you look down and find that you have not been hauling along some masterpiece. you didn't grab a botticelli or the mona lisa, or anything you might have grabbed. instead you find yourself holding a chair from the gift shop.

and the context I first encountered this metaphor was as a warning against identifying with thoughts. the idea is, you can't choose what you value, if you can't choose. if you don't take the time to notice what you're holding, you'll more often than not wind up holding a chair from the gift shop and hauling it around for far longer than you might like.

if you want hold onto your knee-jerk anger that's one thing, if you don't know that that's what you're holding onto that's another entirely

[artandthebible]

The Descent of the Holy Ghost

Artist: Sandro Botticelli (Italian, 1444-1510)

Genre: Religious Art

Date: 1495-1505

Medium: Oil on Panel

Collection: Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham, England

The descent of the Holy Spirit, also known as Pentecost, is a significant event in the Bible that marks the beginning of the Church of Christ's missionary work. Some say it's the "birthday of the Church of Christ" because the apostles began spreading the Gospel after this event.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost (Acts 2:2-4)

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

[paolo-streito-1264]

Paul Himmel. Portrait of a Woman (Botticelli Girl), Fire Island, New York c.1950.

[callixton]

ok having a brief botticelli moment….. probably will not last too long but i needed a change and i love him

[autisticempathydaemon]

[A4A] Explaining Christmas Traditions to Your Angel Partner

Tags: [Fantasy] [Silly] [Irreverent] [Kuudere-esque, Biblical Angel Speaker] [Human Listener]

Type: SFW

Tagline: I’m sorry- who is this Jack Frost, and why is he nipping at your nose?

Tone: Curious, dry, stoic but not cold

SFX: Fire crackling, low, public domain christmas music?

WC: 841 words, ~7 - 9 minutes

Author's Notes: If you’ve watched Supernatural and seen Castiel, you know the vibe I’m going for.

Hmmm… I’ll take the one with the odd, furry green man. He seems friendly.

[Cloth rustling]

How does it look?

If it’s so ugly, why am I wearing it? I’m not sure I understand why we are celebrating the holidays with big, ugly sweaters.

No, It’s mine. You were so excited and you gave it to me, so it’s mine. Now you put on yours… though I don’t see how “Yippee ki-yay motherfucker” is a festive greeting.

“Die Hard” doesn’t sound like a Christmas movie, but yes, I would love to watch it with you after we decorate. What shall we do first?

I was wondering about that- what makes this a Christmas tree? Pines and Spruces aren’t indigenous to the Middle East. Does it have to be this kind? Would a fig tree not be more authentic?

Why does it need a point on the top? Do we put something there?

(Lowkey insulted) I look absolutely nothing like this; how can this be an angel?

Why? This is nowhere near how angels are described in scripture! This has wings and only one set of them at that.

Seraphs and cherubs have three and two sets respectively, but angels, my kin, have none. The Boss specifically made sure of that as not to frighten you humans.

(Suspicious) You think it’s cute?

Do you think it’s cuter than me?

(Pouting) I’m not pouting. Celestial beings do not pout. I’m just making a note to have a word with Caravaggio and Botticelli the next time I see them. This is all their fault.

I don’t care if pouting isn’t in the Christmas spirit. Your plastic angels are a farce, and its wings wouldn’t even fly properly. They’re not big enough. I don’t understand how I don’t have spirit but your ineffectual idols do… What is that?

(Quizzical) Why do you have mistletoe…?

[Kiss, pause, repeated kissing]

(Pleased) Alright. I think I may be coming around to your little traditions. Are there any more little sprigs of shrub I can hang around the house to compel you to kiss me?

Unfortunate- and we only have the one mistletoe?

I will think very strategically about where to put it then. What else is there to do? Are the majority of the tasks around the tree?

Hmmm… I’m not sure we should put this in the kitchen while we make hot chocolate- not after what happened with the stove. Again, I apologize for that.

We shouldn’t put it over the fire while we roast chestnuts either. It could catch and then no more Christmas kisses.

That’s a great idea. We’ll put it here above the couch for while we movies; this is the most comfortable place to kiss as well.

[Magic sound]

There, perfect. Let’s make sure it works.

[Kiss]

Excellent. Is it time for movies yet? We can make popcorn; I’ve been practicing. That’s one of my favorite things your kind has invented.

Yes, first, Die Hard. Are you going to explain how it’s a Christmas movie, or would you like me to watch and learn again?

Is being set during the season the only prerequisite? I had gathered that almost all Christmas movies contained a certain amount of wholesome nostalgia, sentiment, and jingle bells- which I still don’t understand how they differ from regular bells. All bells jingle, do they not? Why are we adding two syllables and all this fanfare to an instrument just to describe the sound it makes year-round?

I’m done with the bells… for now. I reserve the right to express my confusion later. What’s next?

[Pause]

(Lost) I’m sorry… How is a child being neglected and left to the mercy of burglars a fun, holiday film? That’s tragic.

The fact the child can defend himself with traps does not make it less tragic! Why do all your movies have violence and people being threatened in them? What’s next, serial killing??

You are so beautiful and so sweet and so baffling to me. I will never understand you or your kind, but I love you all the same.

Yes! Show me some of the children’s movies you grew up with. Surely those must be fun.

[Pause]

(Unsettled) This is… animated?

Stop-motion animation… And this is made with clay?

I am as old as time. I have seen your planet grow, and I will see it fall apart. I have witnessed things beyond your imagination, and these clay creatures may be the worst of them. I don’t think I like them very much.

[Laugh]

If no one likes them, why are there so many of these movies? Why are they considered children’s classics? Your celebrations are so odd.

Alright… Yes… So this “Santa Claus”… You humans hold him in a very high regard?

Right, the children do. They look up to this magical, Christmas delivery man and watch movies about him? Are messengers in your world so revered?

Why are they also afraid of him? He seems harmless.

(Amused but done) My love, what in my Boss’s name is a Krampus?

Performances~!

(Voiced by the lovely Tumblr local, @mr-laveau)

[thaliajoy-blog]

I've been feeling inspired by the new trailer ! Here's "Rhaenyra Triumphant", the Black Queen after she's taken King's Landing (and lost three sons 🥲).

Plus a poem (never thought this day would come but here it is) on Rhaenyra's tragedy.

The Queen, her Sons, and her Dragon Husband or The Dragon Queen

Long ago, there lived a woman,

With a crown on her head and

Five beautiful sons at her side,

And a dragon husband, leashed fire.

One day, she wailed to her beloved :

The sea has swallowed one of my

Beautiful sons, and he echoed

It is time to take what was taken.

You will never feel pain like this

Again, I promise.

Dark blooded, he stormed out

And gave her grief to their ennemies.

When he came back, hands & soul red

With the grief of their ennemies,

She wailed again ; the sea has swallowed

Another one of my beautiful sons.

Ill-tempered, he echoed her sadness ;

It is time to seed sorrow. You will never feel

Pain like this again, I promise. He plucked

Their ennemies' towns from their hands

And gave his queen a seat of steel. But

When it was done, she wailed again ;

The sea has swallowed another one of

My beautiful sons. The dragon's soul

Was weary and broken ; he mounted

His fury, one last time, and his voice

Echoed her one last time ; death rides

With me tonight. He went and met

His death. And so the queen wailed,

The sea swallowed my dear dragon

Husband, and she also went to the sea

To rest besides all those she had lost,

On a softer seat. And the sons she had

Left on the land each took her crown,

Each took a wife, each fathered dragons and

Queens who would wail and storm in their

Own time.

Reference for Rhaenyra's dress : Fortitude by Botticelli

[tmarshconnors]

Botticelli’s Map of Hell

Our modern vision of hell is deeply rooted in the literary and artistic works of the past, with one of the most significant contributions being Sandro Botticelli’s Map of Hell. This masterpiece, created approximately 700 years ago, offers a visual representation of the infernal realms as imagined by Dante Alighieri in his epic poem, "The Divine Comedy." The symbiotic relationship between Dante's literary creation and Botticelli's artistic interpretation has profoundly influenced how we perceive hell even today.

Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet, writer, and philosopher, penned "The Divine Comedy" in the early 14th century. The poem is divided into three parts: Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Paradise). In Inferno, Dante embarks on a harrowing journey through the nine circles of hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. Each circle represents a different sin and its corresponding punishment, meticulously detailed by Dante’s vivid imagination and profound theological insights.

Dante’s vision of hell was revolutionary. It combined classical mythology, Christian theology, and medieval philosophy, creating a complex and terrifying afterlife landscape. His work not only reflected the religious beliefs of his time but also influenced future generations' understanding of sin, punishment, and the moral consequences of earthly actions.

About 150 years after Dante’s death, Sandro Botticelli, a renowned Renaissance painter, undertook the ambitious project of illustrating "The Divine Comedy." Among his works, the Map of Hell stands out as a detailed and haunting depiction of Dante’s infernal realms. Botticelli’s illustration, created around 1480, serves as a visual guide to the intricate and layered structure of hell described by Dante.

Botticelli’s Map of Hell is a parchment drawing that meticulously outlines the descending circles of hell, each with its unique torments and sinners. The precision and detail in Botticelli’s work capture the essence of Dante’s narrative, making the abstract horrors of hell more tangible and accessible to the viewers. His ability to convey the emotional and physical anguish of the damned souls adds a visceral quality to Dante’s literary vision.

The collaboration between Dante’s literary genius and Botticelli’s artistic mastery has had a lasting impact on our cultural and religious conception of hell. Even today, many of the common images and ideas associated with hell—such as fire and brimstone, eternal torment, and the hierarchical structure of punishments—can be traced back to Dante’s Inferno and Botticelli’s Map of Hell.

Modern depictions of hell in literature, art, and popular culture often draw inspiration from these medieval works. Whether in horror films, graphic novels, or theological discussions, the influence of Dante and Botticelli is unmistakable. Their portrayal of hell as a place of moral reckoning and divine justice continues to resonate with contemporary audiences, reflecting enduring questions about sin, punishment, and redemption.

Sandro Botticelli’s Map of Hell, based on Dante Alighieri’s "The Divine Comedy," remains a cornerstone of our understanding of the infernal realms. The interplay between Dante’s poetic vision and Botticelli’s artistic interpretation has shaped our collective imagination, defining hell for over seven centuries. As we continue to explore and reinterpret these works, their profound impact on our perception of the afterlife endures, reminding us of the power of art and literature to shape our deepest beliefs and fears.

[miirshroom]

The many Anagrams of Radagon

Because I found an anagram generator and felt like applying a little confirmation bias to the results, for fun:

"Adan Gor" - Adan, Thief of Fire is a character in Elden Ring. "Gor" is a dialectical oath variant of "god", with well known uses including Moby Dick ("And, by Gor, none of you has de right to dat whale"). Gor is also Old English meaning "dung". Seems like Adan and Dungeater worship the same sun god.

"a dog ran" "a god ran" - the dog part is self explanatory as Radagon is described as a leal hound and here we see that Radagon was a dog god who fled.

"rand oga" - "rand" and "oga" are both Old English/proto-Germanic meaning altogether "on the edge of terror". As blacksmith Hewg says of Marika (who is Radagon): "The sheer terror of her…". In the deep FromSoft history, there was once a minor miner NPC character in King's Field (1994) called "Rand Ferrer" whose name means "on the edge of a blacksmith".

"A Dragon" - I think that the Elden Beast is a fine example of a sparkle dragon. The dragon is also a symbol of the never-ending cycle of alchemy, as both prime materia and the end product. The dragon is endlessly splitting into brother and sister parts and recombining into the divine hermaphrodite - so says Carl Jung in CW12 "Psychology and Alchemy". And the connection that I make personally is that the red-haired Rand al'Thor as the 'Dragon Reborn' is the main character of the Wheel of Time books (1990-2013), whose name means "on the edge of a god" because that's really just his whole character arc in a nutshell. Two of the most significant supporting characters are a blacksmith named for the blacksmith god Perrun and an Odin-expy trickster. See above usage of 'Rand Ferrer''.

"naga d'or" - "naga" is Hindu meaning "a member of a race of spirits recognized in Hinduism and Buddhism that have mingled superhuman and serpent qualities, are genii of waters and rain, and live in a subaqueous kingdom", and "d'or" is French meaning "of gold". Elden Beast seems to exist in a plane of endless water and is a creature of the Golden Elden Ring. Though it is tempting to guess that this might be a DLC payoff one.

"Ra Dagon" - "Ra" Egyptian god of the sun and "Dagon" the principal deity of the ancient Middle Euphrates region. Also the Lovecraftian Dagon fish god thing.

"Ra Gonad" - Ra is god of all of the sky (and earth and underworld), not just the sun. Venus was born of the testicles of Uranus - god of the sky - thrown into the sea. The second phase of Malenia's fight is styled as an allusion to Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus". So technically this one can work with Radagon as a link between his own father the old god of the sky and/or sun and his daughter Malenia.

"Agro DNA" - from the slang term "agro" meaning "aggressive". Perhaps that Radagon has an aggressive nature in his genes. He is something of a Beast.

"And Agro" - as in "Radagon and Agro" - the name of the horse from the Shadow of the Colossus (2005). Elden Ring similarly has the player form an attachment to horse. Notably, The Shadow of the Colossus was directly cited as an inspiration for Elden Ring. Perhaps even a challenge to it - that game has an inevitable grim conclusion at the end, where as Elden Ring lets the player choose wrong 5 out of 6 times, but there is still the 6th more hopeful choice once you learn to read developer intent. Also, Elden Ring has 15 Remembrance Bosses in base game, which is one short of the 16 Colossi in SotC.

"Argo DNA" - Argo was the ship sailed by Jason to find the Golden Fleece. Note the golden sheep in the Altus Plateau area of Elden Ring. It is also the name of a gigantic constellation that was split into three parts in the modern day - thus Radagon's lineage is found in the stars. Afterall "It is said that long ago, the Greater Will sent a golden star bearing a beast into the Lands Between, which would later become the Elden Ring".

"Ag Ra don" "Ag adorn" - "Ag" is chemical short form for Silver, so "Ra dressed in silver", I suppose. More alchemy stuff. One might recall that "Radagon" seems not to have been needed as an entity until going to Liurnia to confront a house of the moon (traditionally associated with silver). Also "Ag" derives from the French "Argent" and another major use of French that I've noted is in the name of "Seluvis" forming "se lu vis" meaning (probably with broken grammar) "To read one's own face".

"Argon AD" - "In the Year of our Lord, 18" - Argon was isolated in 1894 by William Ramsay ("Will I Am, Ram Say" - see Golden fleece above). It is element 18 on the periodic table and has a lavender/violet glow when placed in an electrical field, evocative of the visual used for gravity magic. Notable event in the year 18: "Winter – Germanicus Caesar arrives in Syria, as new commander-in-chief for the Roman East."

"ad argon" - "Ad" is a Latin modifier as in the case of "ad absurdum" or "to the point of absurdity" and etc (much like this post!). "Argon" is a Greek word meaning "lazy" or "inactive". Overall perhaps stretches to "to the point of stagnation"

[rainbowcarousels]

Lestat/Nicki: "The room was dark and he had passed out on the floor near the fireplace, which had burned down to smoldering ashes."

The room was dark and he had passed out on the floor near the fireplace, which had burned down to smoldering ashes.

Hair spun out like the halo of Botticelli's Madonna, or a lion's mane crowning him as something regal even as a little bit of drool hit the floor. The image was ludicrous as all things related to Lestat tended to become, his runaway lord flat out on the floor in his best velvet coat despite the fact Lestat had already used his new earnings to buy a coat of his own. A more maddening nor exhilerating creature you could never meet.

It was tempting to leave him there, let him awake shivering and contorting in the increasingly cold air and find his way to their bed on his own. Nicki chose not to, and not because this entire business of dreams coming true or success or whatever else had begun to infect everyone at Renaud's but because he didn't want to let his coat potentially go up in flames and his lover with it.

It was a very good coat.

(It was an intoxicating lover.)

As soon as Nicolas pulled at him, Lestat gave the most pathetic whimper and said it was time for sleep. At least, that was what those slurred words sounded like. They'd long since learned each others drunken voices but Nicki had to stat sober enough for a lesson when he could squeeze it in, morning, noon or night.

"Why do you think I'm trying to get you to bed?" Nicki grumbled, pulling him over to the sheeted palette. They used the wolf cloak more than the sheets, a reminder of when they had nothing else in that little inn or when they first arrived, but it was still a little warm for it. That meant he had to undress him and Lestat had turned into the most ridiculous floppy ragdoll. "Are you going to help me?"

Lestat responded by laying a wet, sloppy kiss on his mouth and it took a moment for Nicki's mind to figure out why. "Not that sort of into bed," Nicolas said. "You're barely conscious."

"I'd enjoy it anyway," Lestat insisted, his voice still obfuscated by sleep. "You can just come in me and I can enjoy that."

"In your sleep?" Nicki managed to wrestle the coat and shoes off and deemed it good enough. "Yes, if anyone would manage to enjoy sex while asleep, I imagine it would be you."

His eyes were barely open, blinking as if fighting to hang on to consciousness but Nicolas took pity upon it. He wasn't quite that much of an asshole. "Go to sleep," he said, putting the cloak around them both and curling him close enough that he could smell the embers from the fire, the staleness of the alcohol on his breath and the leftover lavender in his hair. "I promise to debauch you thoroughly in the morning."