#who is the monster and who is the man

[katerinaaqu]

Odysseus: Monster or Man? (a small analysis based on a description at 22nd Rhapsody/Book of Odyssey)

The homeric hero, Odysseus definitely has sparked much controversy ever since his first inrtoduction by Hmeric poems in 8th century BC. Many writers after Homer portrayed him a hero others portrayed him as anti-hero and many as a monster; someone who wouldn't stop at anything to achieve his goals, someone who didn't care to be the monster...to perform monsterous acts. However was that the original goal of Homer when he wrote his protagonist? Was it really the relentless killer that we often perceive from post-homeric till modern adaptations?

I believe the answer is partially given to us by a small portion of the poem itself. In the 22nd Rhapsody, the scene that follows after the brutal murder of the suitors, Euryclea is called to the hall and this is how she finds Odysseus:

"And then she found Odysseus among the slain corpses, showered in blood and covered in gore like a lion, who comes after he had easily eaten the oxen that dwell outside at the fields; for his chest and both his cheeks were covered in blood, and he seemed terrifying to look at. Thus was Odysseus covered (here: in blood) even feet and hands above"

(Translation by me)

As one can see his description is absolutely speaking as "monster" as it can, given that even the comparison with a lion seems to be adding to that beastly appearance. Odysseus is standing tall among the dead bodies, covered in blood and gore, terrifying to look at. One can say he feels like home among the slain! He doesn't seel to care. Someone could say that this is the proof that he has no feelings of compassion at all. That he doesn't care he has just slain over 100 men so young and full of life. However, in my opinion the next passage shows exactly how much Odysseus values life despite the violence of the scene before;

"However when she saw the dead and perceived the unspeakable blood, she immediately wished to cry out of joy, once she saw this great deed. However Odysseus held her back, stopping all her eagerness and to her he spoke with winged words: in your heart, old woman, rejoice and hold yourself and do not cry out in joy: because it is unholy to wish to kill/slay people. These here the gods have overpowered for their evil deeds because they didn't care (lit: didn't honor) for any person upon this earth; good or bad that came among them (here: asking for help/mercy). And so because of their wickedness they befell in this dishonorable death"

(Translation by me)

Despite the fact we have had a total mayhem in the hall before (and quite frankly we have even more to come for he yet is to punish the slaves that betrayed him and his family) in here we see his other side; He doesn't take pleasure in killing. Even if he considers this justice (thus he said "the gods have striken here") and even if he doesn't seem to regret his actions per se, he doesn't take pleasure from it and he advises his old nurse not to cry out in joy.

He knows the deed is not happy; it is sad. He has more or less severed an entire generation of charismatic and very young men who had started to live their lives; men that were not much older than his son at that point. He also probably already knows there are consequences for that as well given that all of them have been lords and princes at their own accord. Odysseus had spent his previous days as humble as a beggar; testing their fortidude and heart. He had asked for mercy to see if they would help. He advised them to change their ways he even half-begs Melantho to change her own ways so he wouldn't have to kill them

When they did not heed his advice, mistreating him for his old appearance and ragged clothes; showing no mercy and daresay discriminating against him because he had the form of an old beggar in their eyes, led Odysseus know he had no choice according to the laws of the gods. And these men had conspired to kill his son on his way back as well. He never wished to performed that crime if he could avoid it. But at the end he knew he didn't by Athena's orders.

Conclusions:

Odysseus knew he had performed a mass murder (thus requesting to cleanse himself and the palace from the crime afterwards). Of course that is to be said he was not unwilling to perform the task. We do not mean to think that Odysseus was the classic goodie guy who would be begging the gods not to do the deed. He was above all a survivor of million tragedies and a war veteran (daresay a war criminal at that point). He was not unfamiliar to violence nor someone unwilling to perform it if needed

However it seems to me clear as day that he is not the type to seek violence where he can avoid it and he was always trying to be as just as possible, thus testing the people at his halls, asking them or warning them to leave. The fact that he was not unfamiliar to violence shows exactly why he didn't wish to perform it without thought.

Even after a monstrous act such as the mass murder of 108 people, the afterwards execution of 12 and the mutilation of yet another one, Homer is telling us that Odysseus was never supposed to be a monster that occasionally does human acts but a human that occasionally had to by the circumstances perform monstrous acts and also fully aware that they are wrong. Odysseus didn't claim death and wishing death is honorable. He says the opposite. Exactly because he knows first hand that it isn't.

[mayuris-basement-dweller]

Please. I am begging.

If you are no bot, just reblog some stuff! Anything!

I dunno who I am blocking anymore, the URL's are just too good!

RIP, malignant-muddle72. Never knew you.

REBLOG STUFF! Help us know if you are a sentient Tumblr user!

[bbbbbbbbatman]

Gotham has so many rogues and most of them don’t actually cause that much trouble in the grand scheme of things, so other than the really big ones, like joker, news about Gotham rogues can get pretty muddled outside the city which leads the JL to believing that Batman and Manbat are the same person and that their colleague sometimes turns into a giant bat monster but they don’t bring it up bc they think it’s a sensitive topic

Which eventually leads to a scenario like this mid combat when they’re getting pretty desperate:

Green Lantern: I know we’re not supposed to talk about it or whatever, but it would be really helpful if you could turn into a giant bat right now, spooky

Batman, having zero context for this comment, pausing mid fight to look at Hal like he just grew a second head: What the fuck are you talking about, Jordan?

Green Lantern, suddenly much less confident: Um…you know how you…turn into a giant bat?

Batman, utterly bewildered, turning to the other members but finding that he is clearly the only one out of the loop: what is happening right now

[kaahmbem]

legend has it that the young witch circe and the once beautiful nymph scylla shared a complicated past...

[adoctornotatumbl-r]

spock , roughly two seconds before doing something so unhinged no one else has even thought of it : good thing i’m a vulcan and i would never do something irrational or illogical lmaoo

[ineed-to-sleep]

Blacked out in front of my tablet and woke up with sketches of my Touchstarved mc + Kuras my beloved. woops

[kagoutiss]

recent winger dingeys

[vebokki]

a conversation that was long overdue, part one

[clonerightsagenda]

"what if you had a mutual aid network that occasionally told interdimensional monsters to fuck off": Discworld witches as a concept

[fallen-goldfishcracker]

Part of the reason I find Wyll to be such a compelling character is that he is such a good person, but in what I think is a kinda unique way. 

I've seen a few criticisms of how quickly Wyll seems to switch sides in his initial confrontation with Karlach; how fast he goes from convinced he must kill her to letting her live. For me though, this makes perfect sense. 

The decision Wyll makes in that confrontation not actually whether or not to kill her; he has to decide whether or not Karlach is innocent, but once he's confirmed that, it's not a question.

He commits so quickly to Karlach because he doesn't have to choose whether or not to kill her in that moment; he already decided seven years ago. 

Because at seventeen years old, he decided he would sacrifice anything for the safety of others. 

At seventeen years old he decided that his own life, comfort and happiness was never worth the cost of someone else's. 

And so at twenty-four, he learns the devil he's been chasing is a person, and a victim, and an innocent, and the decision is already made up. 

Because Wyll Ravenguard at twenty-four is who he was at seventeen, and twenty, and ten. 

And to me that's one of the coolest things about him.

There's a separate post I'd like to make about how Wyll never loses his childhood wonder of the world- and I think there's a very similar principle here. Wyll grew up hearing stories of knights who slay monsters and heros in shining armor, and he took those stories and loved them and held them close to his chest. 

And then he's seventeen and a devil asked him if he wants to be a hero, and he's not an idiot; he understands the price of saviourhood so he says yes. 

And so when he meets Karlach, it's never really a question of if he'll kill her. It's just a matter of him finding the courage. 

Because he says "you don't know what you're asking of me" and he's absolutely right, we don't. But Wyll understands the cost; he's understood it for seven years. I'll bet anything that when Wyll Ravenguard made his pact with a devil to save tens of thousands of souls, he promised himself and his city and his father who wouldn't listen that he'd only ever use his pact to help and be good, and when it comes down to it, he sticks to his word. 

Because above all, Wyll Ravenguard is a man who knows who his is and what he beliefs, and who sticks to his principles no matter what, and for me that's incredibly compelling.

[im-not-buying-it-ether]

I love Billy being the shortest lil guy to ever Guy™️ and Captain Marvel to just be a solid unit

Like look at this sort of stuff???

Bigger than Batman AND Superman?!? My kinda stuff man

[aroaceleovaldez]

we should make Nico more fucked up, actually. enough woobifying him. that boy should be covered in blood and viscera

[xxcherrycherixx]

cupid's gals meet

[blackkatdraws2]

The Main Character.

[Blank Scripts AU]

[yashley]

[trek-tracks]

for the next five minutes before there's another crisis