Children of The Gods: Chapter One
Note: This is the first chapter of a novel adaptation of the myth of Perseus and Medusa with elements of Ovid’s Metamorphosis
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No one questioned it when Ceto and Phorcys, who had produced strange children such as Echidna, Stheno, and Euryale, produced a daughter like Medusa. She was a nymph of splendid beauty, with strong legs, eyes like honey, and most lovely of all, bronze ringlets of hair that came all the way down her back with nary a split nor flyaway. She was the envy of other nymphs. Each day, as she swam and played in the Aegean as many nymphs do, she attracted many admirers and suitors.
One day, yet another suitor approached her, a man just a little younger than she was. He approached her with a coral branch and asked her with all a gentleman’s tact, “Medusa, bronze-haired and strong-limbed daughter of the sea, please take this coral as a sign of my affection.”
Medusa, who had been standing in a tidepool and observing the creatures who dwelled in them at low tide, looked at the youth before her. He was handsome, that was for sure, despite being no older than 20, with fine but copious blond hair, a somewhat muscular build, and sun kissed skin. but it meant little to her when she was immune to such looks. In fact, she saw more beauty in the coral he carried than in any of her suitors. Its pink hue and elegant shape made her eyes widen. She took the trinket in her hand and felt its weight, the pricks of sharp, once living stone against her soft skin.
She told the youth, “It’s lovely, but I don’t even know your name, stranger. How am I supposed to accept the affections of someone who doesn’t even introduce himself?” She gave him an amused smile, her voice holding no venom.
The young man flushed and looked at his feet, telling her, “I-I, well, it’s Chrysaor, son of—"
Medusa raised a hand, bidding him to stop. “I don’t need to know where you came from, Chrysaor. I can tell that you don’t mean any harm . Come, I have an idea.” She stepped out of the tidepool, and he followed.
She told him, “I haven’t said yes to anyone else, but you seem nice, so I’ll give you a chance. We’ll make a game of it. If you can win a race from here to the olive tree in the city, I’ll let you court me. If I win, I get to keep the coral branch. Does that sound fair?”
Chrysaor nodded.
Medusa smiled and stashed the branch among the rocks. She got into position and waited for her hopeful suitor and opponent to join her. He had seemingly grown a bit of confidence, thinking his height would give him an advantage over the nymph. Medusa, keeping her promise to be fair, shouted, “One, two, three, GO!”
And then Medusa was off, speedy as an arrow. Her knee-length chiton ensured she wouldn’t trip over herself. Though the sand was full of shells, she barely felt them. She heard Chrysaor behind her, quickly catching up to her with his long strides. Medusa merely laughed and pushed herself harder, kicking up wet sand behind her.
They didn’t stay on the shore long, however, as their goal was the olive tree. Medusa turned and ran up the dunes. The sand was hot here, the shrubs dry and sad from the salt. The stillness a stark contrast to the amount of sand Medusa kicked up. When she looked back, she saw that Chrysaor was far behind, but did not falter, keeping up her pace and arriving in the city.
Medusa, despite being born and raised in its waters, had never been to Athens proper. As a nymph, she had no need to be in civilization and thrived in the wild. This is why it was hardly a surprise when she slowed down to observe the people milling about. People bought food from stalls and went in and out of great stone buildings, the women in chitons down to their ankles and the men with covered chests. It was only when her opponent started to come into sight Medusa sped up again, going as fast as her legs could carry her. Though she did not know the exact layout of Athens, she knew the general location of the tree from what others told her. Speed was thus the most important factor in her victory.
After her last sprint, her legs burning along with her lungs, Medusa finally found herself at the great olive tree. It was the city’s pride and joy, and she could understand why it was so. Athens was a young city, full of vigor and beauty, but young. Thus, so was the tree, yet it was both very tall and quite thick, its branches burdened with olives begging to be picked. Attendants watered it, pruned it, treated it like the precious thing, no, being it was. Medusa was so in awe that she barely noticed the salt spring bubbling and gurgling nearby, made by Poseidon, the lord of the seas in which she grew up. She even reached up to try and pluck a particularly fat, round olive, shiny and black, when an attendant grabbed her wrist. “What do you think you’re doing, young lady?”
Medusa, realizing her error, quickly snatched her hand back. “Forgive me. I simply saw such beautiful olives and wanted to try one.”
“Well, perhaps you should think before you reach,” the attendant said. She had gray eyes. “It isn’t right for you to pick any fruit you see off of just any tree. Especially not a tree from a goddess.”
“Right, Athena.” Medusa had heard all about what happened on that day, how when Poseidon had returned to his domain, he had declared it unfair. If one was to become a patron of a city, then shouldn’t their gift reflect the god, and not be some common tree? “It’s not much of a gift, then, is it, if it can’t be used by the city, and olive trees grow everywhere.”
“Why, of course we allow the tree to be used by the city. We use the olives to make the purest of olive oil for libations, the olives themselves for feeding the priests, the leaves for crowning heroes, and the wood from its daughters for boats and houses. On the other hand, what use does a saltwater spring have, wonderous though it may be?”
Medusa had no answer for that. She merely understood that mortals couldn’t drink salt water. She saw no way they could make use of it besides playing and perhaps cleansing one’s hands. She did, however, have a question. “May I try one?”
“You may, though you sea nymphs are truly sheltered if your intention was to eat a single raw olive.” The attendant walked away and came back with a brined olive instead. It was equally as large as the one Medusa wanted. The nymph popped it into her mouth, minding the seed as she chewed. It was salty but also savory with the slightest hint of bitterness.
“Thank you,” Medusa said. Just as she was about to take the pit out of her mouth, Medusa was slammed into, forcing her to spit it out instead. It was, of course, her suitor who had run into her.
“What is wrong with you?” she demanded to know as she turned around.
Chrysaor backed off, apologizing as he caught his breath. “I-I’m sorry, you— you just found a much shorter path somehow. I had to go as fast as I could.”
“Well, you should apologize to the attendant, then. You just made me spit at her feet!”
“What attendant?”
“The one in front of me, of course!” However, when Medusa turned around to give her apologies, she found that the attendant had seemingly vanished without a trace. After blinking twice and staring at the empty space for a moment, she turned around. and said to Chrysaor. “Well, either way, I’ve won, so it seems you owe me that coral branch.”
“It seems that I do,” said Chrysaor without a fight. “I’ll leave you alone from now on, don’t worry.”
“Well, I never said you had to do that,” Medusa said as he started to walk away.
“What?”
“You heard me. I said if you lost that you couldn’t be my lover, not that you couldn’t be my friend.”
Chrysaor perked up at that. “Alright, then, we can be friends.”
Thus, Medusa didn’t spend the day among the beasts of the ocean but in the world of men. She ate lamb instead of snapper, danced on stone instead of sand, and felt as though the sun were gentler.
At the end of the day, Chrysaor brought Medusa to the temple of Pallas Athena. She saw the priestesses there ensuring the statue was in good shape, delegating servants, and praying both for people who asked and for themselves.
“They look so happy,” Medusa said.
“I expect they would be. It’s an honor to work in our patroness’ house,” Chrysaor said.
“How do they become priestesses?”
“They tell their fathers they don’t want to get married yet, then they come here and train.”
“I see. And they take a vow of chastity?”
“Just as our lady did. They honor their vows for as long as they’re priestesses.”
“Interesting.”
When they were done in the temple, Medusa recovered her prize and waved her new friend goodbye before walking into the ocean, heading home. It was nearly dark, after all.
The wonderful thing about being an oceanid nymph was breathing underwater, Medusa thought. She did not do it nearly enough, but when she did, she saw all the colors of the sea creatures, the pinks and greens and violets. She could feel the currents against her legs.
When she resurfaced at her parents’ cave home, putting her now wet hair behind her ear, she placed her branch down and climbed up onto the shore.
“Good evening,” her mother, Ceto, greeted her, pulling her up onto their little island. “Where did you get this coral branch?” the primordial sea goddess asked.
“Oh, this.” Medusa looked at it as she squeezed the water out of her hair before picking it up. “I won it in a wager against a mortal. He ran against me in a footrace, and I won.”
“I see, and what was the wager if you lost?”
“He would be allowed to court me and nothing more.”
Ceto shook her head. “Medusa, you can’t toy with men like that. Such wagers can be dangerous, and it hurts the men who don’t mean you harm.”
“I didn’t hurt him, Mother. Besides, he’s my friend now. He even showed me the temple in the city while we were out today.” She walked into the cave properly, putting her prize up against the wall.
“Well, don’t wager like that again. Your heart and your honor are worth more than some trinket. At least accept your losses.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Phorcys looked up from his pool in the cave floor. Phorcys, unlike his wife, had no legs but a long eel’s tail. Thus, he was bound to water. In fact, their home had a pool for him within the cave, deep, so deep that it almost seemed endless and wide enough for him to not only stretch out, but perhaps do so twice, though he preferred to have his tail striking out. He heard what his wife and his daughter spoke of. “Speaking of suitors, Nerites came looking for you.”
Medusa made a face as she looked at her father, unable to hide her disgust. “Father, Nerites looks like a little boy. Please don’t tell me you arranged for him to meet with me.”
“Don’t be cruel, Medusa, he can’t help it,” Ceto scolded.
Phorcys ignored this outburst. “He only means to meet you properly. The boy means no harm.”
“It’s not just that he looks the way he does, though,” Medusa countered. “He’s arrogant and boastful.”
“And yet he’s also Lord Poseidon’s own charioteer. That alone would make him a fine match for you.” Phorcys pointed out.
Medusa looked between her parents, trying to think of a response. “Does he expect an answer right away?”
“I told him that you needed to make sure you had no other obligations.”
Medusa sighed. “Well, I was going to spend time with Stheno and Euryale on their island in two days, but other than that, I have none. But why did you answer for me, Father? You said I could choose my own suitor.”
“And in the time since I have allowed it, you have not let even a single suitor try to impress you.”
“Because none were suitable.”
“Are you saying the son of Nereus is unsuitable?”
“No, I’m saying that I don’t even know him.”
“That’s exactly what this meeting is for, Medusa. I am not arranging your wedding, I’m merely trying to help you. Will you at least give him a chance?”
Medusa looked to her mother and, finding no help, told her father, “I’ll give him a chance, then.”
The next day, Medusa set out, needing to distract herself from this business. She chose to go to Athens, her head above water and hair tied up as she swam, lest she paradoxically dry it out by wetting it two days in a row. When she stepped up onto the shore, she was unsure if she would meet him, but there he was, golden-haired Chrysaor.
Medusa went straight up to him. “Were you waiting for me?”
Chrysaor was startled, dropping his basket of oysters. “Medusa! I didn’t expect to see you here!”
“Why, of course I’m here. I meant it when I said we could be friends.”
“Oh, ah, well, I was just gathering oysters for the temple as an offering,” Chrysaor said, kneeling down to pick up his basket and oysters.
“Oh, you Athenians keep your priestesses well-fed, I see,” Medusa said.
“Why, of course. It’s the least I can do for them for all their service.”
“Do you mind if I join you?”
“Are you sure? Won’t Poseidon be offended by you helping his rival?”
Medusa laughed. “Of course not. What a silly notion. Athena doesn’t take offense to sailors, so why would he take offense to gathering oysters? Besides, I’m seeing his charioteer, Nerites, in five days, so it would be an even trade if anything.”
“Oh, really? That seems like such an honor.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say that. He looks like a child and wants to court me.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, ‘oh.’”
Chrysaor looked between his basket and Medusa. “Well, low tide won’t last forever. Let’s get to gathering.”
Medusa, ready for a distraction, set right to it. Her tied-up hair came in handy now, as it stayed out of her face. She found it easy to find what she needed—oysters, abalones, clams, all sorts of fine food for the priestesses to steam. But it was quiet work, leaving only the sound of scraping and lapping waves until Medusa broke the silence. “So, why do they call you Chrysaor? You don’t exactly seem like the kind of man to carry around a golden sword.”
“Oh, well, I was named for my hair, as it’s always been this color. And I was expected to become a warrior when I grew up. Thus, Chrysaor.”
“I see. And are you a warrior?”
Chrysaor laughed. “Not really. I’m a guard. I patrol when it’s my turn, and soon I’ll receive a station.”
“A guard! Then you’re a protector. With your dedication to it, I expect you’ll be put in the temple.”
“One can only hope.” He looked down at the basket and noted that it was full. “Let’s head in. We’ve done all we can here.”
“Allow me, then.” She took the basket from him and followed him to the temple.
Because they were on a mission, Medusa did not get to observe the people as closely as she did the day before, but she did get to see them go about their morning routines. Heading out for work, doing laundry, buying food in the market, heading to the temple…
Medusa wondered what their reasons must be for visiting the temple. Did they hope to improve their ability in the arts? Did they want some strategy in their life, or perhaps some plain old wisdom? Were they showing their gratitude?
When they arrived, Chrysaor announced their presence. “My ladies, the nymph Medusa and I have brought you an offering of shellfish.”
To such an introduction, Medusa held out the basket, which was taken by an attendant.
The head priestess came to greet them. “Thank you for this. Athena will be much obliged that you’ve done this for her.”
“Of course. It was the least we could do,” Medusa said.
The head priestess looked at Medusa properly then. “I must confess, I never expected an Oceanid nymph to grace our halls for the second time in a row. You’re Ceto and Phorcys’ daughter, are you not? One of the Hesperides?”
Medusa shook her head, “No, I’m not one of them. They’re older than I and maintain one of Hera’s gardens. I’m a triplet, born among the gorgons.”
“The gorgons! It must have been a difficult childhood then, not being able to look your own sisters in the eye.”
“Oh, no, it wasn’t anything so ghastly. I’m immune to their gaze.”
“I see. Well, you’re welcome in our temple at any time.”
“Thank you. I actually wanted to ask if one of the tree attendants was here today. She would be a woman of forty years, with gray eyes.”
The priestess shook her head, telling her, “There is no such attendant. We have attendants about that age, yes, but none with those eyes. I would remember someone with gray eyes.”
“I see. Thank you anyways.” With that, Medusa and her friend took their leave.
“She must have been Athena then, right?” Chrysaor asked once off the steps.
“What?”
“The attendant, I mean. She must have been. She was gray-eyed, she disappeared into thin air, and she supposedly doesn’t exist. Surely, she must have been.”
“I suppose you’re right. The gods will often disguise themselves. The Hesperides will often speak of their lady or of Zeus doing such things.”
“Speaking of which, I didn’t know you were a gorgon sister.”
“I try not to advertise that I am.”
“Do you not get along?”
“No, we get along. In fact, I’m going to go visit them tomorrow. It’s just that other people fear them because of their powers and the way they look. Few would be my friend if they knew I was born at the same time they were.”
“And do you have many friends?”
“Not particularly,” she confessed.
Chrysaor nodded, but as they walked idly, he had to ask, “Then why did you tell the priestess?”
Medusa had to think on that for a moment before coming to the conclusion. “Because I trust her and don’t want her to believe a lie about me.”
“That makes sense.” After a pause, he asked, “Do you want to go people-watching in the agora?”
“I’d like that, yes.”
And people-watch they did. It was different than watching sailors, Medusa thought. Though sailors were all different people, there were only so many things someone could do on a ship. To watch people in the city was quite the unique experience. Medusa nodded in the direction of a young couple, for example, telling her companion, “I think they’re having an affair.”
“No, it can’t be.”
“Of course, they are. Look at how she holds his hand as if it’s going to bite her. Look at how he glances around as if he’s looking for assassins.”
“No. If they were, they wouldn’t be holding hands, and they’d at least look at each other. I think they’re having the worst first meeting, no doubt arranged by an incompetent matchmaker.”
“Perhaps.” Medusa sighed. “I hope that my meeting with Nerites isn’t like that, then.”
“I’m sure it won’t be. But why would your parents even allow it? He doesn’t exactly sound like a catch.”
“Well, he is, and he isn’t. He looks far too young for me, but he’s still an adult. And as Poseidon’s charioteer, he commands respect and admiration. But he also demands attention and wants everyone to know how talented he is. I don’t want to deal with that.”
Chrysaor then suggested, no doubt out of a desire for her to stay safe, “Well, maybe you can move in with your sisters if you don’t like him, so he can leave you alone.”
“I could, but they live very far from others and don’t get many visitors.”
“I meant the Hesperides.”
“Oh! Well, I suppose I could. Honestly, that may even be safer. Surely he would respect a servant of the queen of the gods and not pester me.”
“Exactly.”
It was certainly an idea if things didn’t go well. She stood up from her seat. “Well, I should get going, I need to get up early tomorrow.”
“Would you like me to walk you down to the beach?”
“But of course.”
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