#one of my favourite greek gods

[deathlessathanasia]

Tip: If you claim that you like a particular figure from Greek mythology, but you feel the need to change almost everything about them, rewrite their personality, ignore those aspects of them that you find uncomfortable, , and in short turn them into your original character, consider that you probably don't actually like that figure from Greek mythology.

[gingermintpepper]

So, one of the most interesting things that's come from my recent exercises in writing the Olympians as young deities is all of the very fun and somewhat painful conversations that come from the young deities acquiring and consequently settling into their domains.

Apollo and Artemis especially have been really fascinating under the microscope. They start off identically, with extremely similar interests and similar domains over the hunt and wilderness. They spend their days under the stars and foraging for fruit and dancing and singing in the fields, two rustic god-children exploring and learning together. Then Apollo goes off on his own to slay Python.

Now, a lot of things change when Apollo kills Python. That is the act which transforms the bow from a tool of survival and sport to an instrument of murder, bloodshed and ultimately war. It is Apollo's first act of wrath which separates him from Artemis - both spiritually because she has not yet shed blood herself as a goddess and physically because it leads to his exile. Most importantly however, the slaying of Python is the act that grants Apollo his knowledge.

If violence is what first separates Apollo from Artemis then it is knowledge which keeps them apart.

This can refer to a lot of things; that Artemis continued to be at home with the wild beasts of the forests and mountains while Apollo grew to prefer the domesticated sheep and cattle, that Artemis continued to avoid mortals while Apollo grew to know their ways and endeavoured to teach them more. The point that has been the most interesting to me however has been Artemis, who remains free of slaughter, and thus remains pure and Apollo, who becomes acutely and entirely too aware of it, and thus must be constantly purified.

Apollo's infatuation with medicine specifically is the place where this becomes most apparent. When he leaves for his exile to travel as a mortal, without nectar or ambrosia, without power, Apollo is without the privileges of the divine for the very first time. He sweats, he smells, he grows weary when he travels, he grows hungry and thirsty. He experiences fatigue and nausea, the fever of sickness, the chill of infection, the delirium of poison. The blood Apollo shed does not only make him impure spiritually, it strips him of the purity of his birth and station. Likewise, medicine is not a divine practice. What use do the unkillable immortals have for something as finicky as medicine when they have nectar and ambrosia? Apollo however, knows of the pains of the flesh and the suffering of the mortal coil. He pursues medicine in all its horrors and difficulties because of the knowledge he gained with blood.

Artemis then, cannot understand the medical Apollo. When her brother returns possessed by this spectre of ill-gained knowledge, she does not recognise him. Who is this boy who scores the deer and studies the shape of their intestines before he cooks them? What good is there in rescuing a chick with a broken wing? The Apollo-of-the-Wild in her memories would have done the correct thing and left the thing for dead - let the forest take what is its due. Who is this Apollo whose hands are always stained to the wrist in the blood and gore of the living? What is his fascination with the mechanics of mortal bodies? Artemis does not know and Apollo does not tell her.

That has, by far, been my favourite effect of the whole Python watershed moment to explore recently.

[thewhispersofthewaves]

demigod daughter of psyche moodboard?

This is one of my favourite!!!!!!! Tell me if you think the same!!!!!!!

If you download it please interact<3

《If you smile when you see a butterfly, you have happiness in your soul》

[ars-ceratinus]

Helmet hair

[river-from-alderaan]

odysseus: it's over circe your spells won't work on me!!

circe (epic the musical's version): okay but have you considered... i'm hot?

[aliciavance4228]

Apparently making Hades look like a young man instead of a bearded old one wasn't so uncommon. Here are a few surviving depictions of him which are... quite interesting.

TW: Artistic Nudity

[applepato]

gonna have the 10 seconds that is apollo's verse in god games on loop for maybe the next month

[godsofhumanity]

Aegeus: do you have any skeletons in your closet? Medea: Literally or figuratively? Aegeus: i have to specify??

[awinterrosesstuff]

Greek mythology : Apollo - God of light, prophecy, healing & arts

[swallowtail-art]

My version of Leto, one of the minor titanesses. (Also one of my favourite titanesses)

She's one of the daughters of Koios/Coeus and Phoebe, sister of Asteria and mother of the twins Apollo and Artemis.

She's associated with motherhood, so my version of Leto is loving and supportive of her two children and loves them both equally.

Though she isn't too expressive, her actions speak louder than her words. Apollo and Artemis visit her a lot to check up on her, see if she's doing well, as Leto does the same for her children.

[enigmaticagentalice]

I’m re-reading The Odyssey at the moment and I cannot stop thinking about how Odysseus is clearly Athena’s blorbo

[iobsessoverfictionalmen]

Competition for a heart

Tagging: @imwithyoutiltheendofthelinebucky, @jointhehunt67

If you want to be added to the tag list for this fic, send me an ask or leave a comment on the fic.

Chapter 1

Hades scowled at Aphrodite from where he was sitting, “I respect your thoughts and compassion, Goddess of Love but your idea is pure folly.  The Avengers have been through enough and it is not our place to overcomplicate their lives.”

Aphrodite dismissed Hades’ words with an elegant wave of her hand, “Competitions have been used in the past to great effect.  Some of the Avengers are our champions.  Why then should our champions not compete and show their strength to win the hand of (Name)?  After all, I am submitting the name of my champion to this contest, Sam Wilson.”

“Because they are people with their own lives,” Athena stressed, “I agree with Lord Hades.”

Ares snorted from his throne as he picked some dirt from underneath his nails with one of his knives, “You’re just saying that because you don’t want to submit any of your champions.  A wise move, sister.”

Athena gripped the arm rests of her throne, “It would not be fair of me to subject Otto Octavius to this competition as he is still grieving the loss of his wife, Rosie.  Peter Parker is too young to be considered as a romantic partner for (Name) and he has his eye on someone else.  So you see, brother, I am being wise, thoughtful and considerate.  Qualities which you lack.”

“Our sister’s reasons make sense,” Hephaestus rumbled, “I too will not be submitting the names of my champions.  Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, and (Name) are close friends but that’s as far as their feelings for each other will ever go.  Not to mention that Tony is married and I have no intention of disrupting a marriage.”

Apollo was lounging comfortably on his throne but at Hephaestus’ words, he threw his head back and groaned, “You two are such buzzkills.  I for one would like to see where this competition of Aphrodite’s leads.  I’m submitting my champion to this competition, John Walker.”

Hermes winced, “Brother, your champion will not stand a chance.  You would have been better off submitting Clint Barton as your champion even though he too is married.  I will submit my champion, Scott Lang to this competition.”

“You’re submitting the name of a joke of a hero who is only good as a thief to the competition as your champion,” Ares guffawed, “good luck with that.”

Hestia sent her nephew a warning glare which caused him to stop laughing immediately and curl into his throne, “Pay no mind to him Hermes.” She said kindly, “Ares is simply jealous as I chose Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes to be my champions and he was interested in them.  It’s nice to see two Olympians submitting a champion with integrity and honour.  Though I regret that it will truly be a challenge as I am submitting both of my champion's names to this contest.”

Dionysus examined the floor of the room with an air of boredom, “In this, I agree with the Lord of the Underworld.  Our champions have endured a lot of the past few years and should we push our champions into this contest, we will lose their respect.  In my case, I would also lose the tentative alliance that I have made with the Egyptian Gods since Bast and I chose the same champion.  I will not be submitting the name of my champion, T’Challa to this contest and don’t think that I didn’t notice that you only brought this idea to our attention when Zeus and Hera were conspicuously absent, Aphrodite.”

There was a flash of heat and flame in the middle of the room and everyone present, except for Hades recoiled.  Slowly, the flames and the heat died down to reveal Thanatos.

“Why have you come here?” Poseidon demanded, gripping his trident tightly.

“I apologise for the abrupt intrusion,” Thanatos replied, “it has simply been so long since my sisters and I have submitted the name of one of our champions for a contest.”

“You can’t!” Apollo gasped, “It’s not fair!  How did you find out about the contest anyway?”

Thanatos raised an eyebrow, “Oh?  Can’t we?  It was my understanding that an immortal could submit the name or names as the case may be of their champion.  Last I checked, I am an immortal.  My sisters are immortals and we share the same champion.”  Nobody commented on the fact that Thanatos had not answered Apollo’s question.

Hades sat up straighter as the silence in the room became deafening.  He couldn’t have planned this better himself.  He caught Artemis’ eye and knew that she was interested in the name of Thanatos and the Keres’ champion as well.  It was rare for the Lord of the Dead and his sisters to agree on a worthy champion, let alone choose the same champion.

Hades wondered if Artemis would warn her champion, Natasha Romanoff about what was happening so that she could keep an eye out especially seeing as from what he knew, you and Natasha were good friends.  Hades also made a mental note to speak to Hecate about the competition as she didn’t come up to Olympus if she could avoid it and this competition would definitely affect her champion, Wanda Maximoff, as well.

Thanatos laced his fingers together in front of himself as he waited.  The atmosphere in the room showed no signs of changing and Thanatos let out an impatient huff, “Seeing as there are no more objections regarding my eligibility nor that of my sisters when it comes to submitting the name of our champion to this contest, I therefore submit the name of our champion, John Wick.”

Hades looked around the throne room.  He took in the furious looks on Apollo and Ares’ faces, the contemplative ones on Hestia, Athena, and Hephaestus’ faces and the gleeful one on Aphrodite’s face.  Hades would deny it later but in that moment, he was worried for your safety especially since you weren’t the champion of a Greek God. Although he didn’t agree with Aphrodite’s competition, Hades knew he needed to act now.

“I too will back John Wick as a champion in this contest,” Hades declared.

[gingermintpepper]

hi, i haven't read the iliad and the odyssey but want to - do u have a specific translation you recommend? the emily wilson one has been going around bc, y'know, first female translator of the iliad and odyssey into english, but i was wondering on if you had Thoughts

Hi anon! Sorry for the somewhat late response and I'm glad you trust me with recommendations! Full, disclosure, I am somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to translations of the source text of the Iliad + Odyssey combo wombo, which means I tend to prefer closeness in literal verbiage over interpretation of the poetic form of these epics - for that reason, my personal preferred versions of the Odyssey and Iliad both are Robert Fitzgerald's. Because both of these translations (and his Aeneid!) were done some 50+ years ago (63 for his original Odyssey tl, 50 flat for his Iliad and 40 for his Aeneid) the English itself can be a bit difficult to read and the syntax can get confusing in a lot of places, so despite my personal preferences, I wouldn't recommend it for someone who is looking to experience the Iliad + Odyssey for the very first time.

For an absolute beginner, someone who has tried to read one or both of these epics but couldn't get into it or someone who has a lot of difficulty with concentrating on poetry or long, winding bits of prose, I fully and wholeheartedly recommend Wilson's translation! See, the genius of Emily Wilson's Iliad + Odyssey isn't that she's a woman who's translated these classics, it's that she's a poet who's adapted the greek traditional poetic form of dactylic hexameter into the english traditional poetic form of iambic pentameter. That alone goes a very very long way to making these poems feel more digestible and approachable - iambic pentameter is simply extremely comfortable and natural for native english speakers' brains and the general briskness of her verbiage helps a lot in getting through a lot of the problem books that people usually drop the Iliad or Odyssey in like Book 2 of the Iliad or Book 4 of the Odyssey. I think it's a wonderful starting point that allows people to familiarise themselves with the source text before deciding if they want to dig deeper - personally, researching Wilson's translation choices alone is a massive rabbit hole that is worth getting into LOL.

The happy medium between Fitzgerald's somewhat archaic but precise syntax and Wilson's comfortable meter but occasionally less detailled account is Robert Fagles' Iliad + Odyssey. Now, full disclosure, I detest how Fagles handles epithets in both of his versions, I think they're far too subtle which is something he himself has talked at length about in his translation notes, but for everything else - I'd consider his translations the most well rounded of english adaptations of this text in recent memory. They're accurate but written in plain English, they're descriptive and detailled without sacrificing a comfortable meter and, perhaps most importantly, they're very accessible for native english speaking audiences to approach and interact with. I've annotated my Fagles' volumes of these books to heaven and back because I'm deeply interested in a lot of the translation decisions made, but I also have to specifically compliment his ability to capture nuance in the characters' of these poems in a way I don't often see. He managed to adapt the ambivalence of ancient greek morality in a way I scarcely see and that probably has a hand in why I keep coming back to his translations.

Now, I know this wasn't much of a direct recommendation but as I do not know you personally, dear anon, I can't much make a direct recommendation to a version that would best appeal to your style of reading. Ideally, I'd recommend that you read and enjoy all three! But, presuming that you are a normal person, I suggest picking which one is most applicable for you. I hope this helps! 🥰

[veilchenjaeger]

Can I have one (1) single classics blog that doesn't continuously shit on adaptations/retellings

[littleblueberryartist]

YIPPEEEEEEEEEEE

[jvzebel-x]

"When those around you would hold you back or deceive you, the exceptional among mortals will always stand alone, for no one in the world was made for their task. Take confidence in that-- and let it be a poison to your fear."

x. "Lore", Alexandra Bracken