soarinsugar-homerblog

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

As of today, I am officially as old as Odysseus was absent for, andddd of course I’m sick with a cold for my birthday!

Anyway, thought I’d introduce you all to my fursona/persona/avatar/mascot, Sugar, who is my namesake and also the character in my profile pic. She’s a cat/snowy owl hybrid and based off my love for, well, sugar. Hope you all have a lovely day!

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People seriously think fishing works like it does in Minecraft where you just cast your rod, wait a few seconds, and then BOOM. Fish. Buddy you can spend hours out on the water and not catch anything.

(Also, with Odysseus' luck, he'd probably just end up fishing up an angry Poseidon lol)

I'm genuinely suspect that people who think that fishing would fed 600 man are never ever fishing in their lives

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It’s okay, I didn’t need my last braincell anyway

:/ so what you're telling me is you haven't read the odyssey, at all lmao

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I love driving for 40 minutes on hazardous roads covered with ice just for my professor to cancel class 💀💀💀

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“I Can Never Be A Husband” [TW]

Ohhhhh boy alright so I hesitated to post this since this is one of, if not the most disturbing artwork I’ve ever made. Also my first NSFW artwork.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Calypso and Odysseus’ relationship and how abusive Calypso is, both sexually and emotionally. I know there’s still discourse about whether Odysseus’ relationship with her was consensual or not (my stance is pretty obvious), but one thing that stood out to me upon rereading Book 5 is that Calypso’s treatment of Odysseus, even ignoring the sexual abuse, is still unhealthy. She’s possessive and jealous, isolates him from his loved ones, tries to convince him she’s all he needs, dismisses his pain, and then presents herself as a caring and selfless goddess who took in an injured and sick man on the verge of death. Her words to Hermes about how she saved Odysseus’ life and has been nothing but kind to him, seem to be akin to guilt-tripping. Not to mention, she only lets Odysseus go due to her fear of Zeus’ wrath, rather than any actual concern for Odysseus’ wellbeing. She clearly only cares about Odysseus as a sex object, not as another person with thoughts and feelings.

My main intention with this work was to make the viewer uncomfortable. I used a very different style for this piece, using a slightly more rough brush for the lineart, and then used chromatic aberration, glitch and colored noise filters to give it that old VHS look. I wanted to portray the shame and violation a lot of rape victims feel, with a monstrous, distorted version of Calypso licking Odysseus’ bruised and bloody genitalia. She covers his mouth with her hand, preventing him from speaking out. Her other arm holds him in place. He can’t do or say anything to stop the abuse. After all, you can’t refuse a goddess.

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I am Sugar the goddess of the universe

(Oooo I like that! 😈😈😈)

@dootznbootz @nikoisme @margaretkart @thehelplessmortals @wolfythewitch

I am Arran, god of the most important thing

EDIT: if y'all don’t wanna use your name use your username

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

YYYYAAAAASSSSSS!!!!!!!!

Alright alright alright! After popular demand (well in reality a handful of my watchers here but hey I received an ask too so that counts as "popular" to me!) I created an AO3 account with the same username to make our lives easier!

https://archiveofourown.org/users/katerinaaqu

In the accounts I will most likely post my fanfictions or retellings of my stories and since I am allowed to create more mature themes there I will also maybe update the ones already here and add more scenes! Also some of the more spicy stuff I am working with @yararts since we are working on several projects that do include more sensitive matters to the wide audience! So yup! Guys see I listen to my asks!

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Finally updated my pinned blog info post 💀 Been meaning to make it more formal for a few days and kept forgetting to lol

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I made this meme almost a year ago and I hate that it’s even more applicable now 💀 I’m gonna be more buff than Odysseus himself if this keeps up.

I respect your commitment to go through the whole epic to translate every one of Antinous’ lines to debunk this bullshit. And yeah, EPIC is absolutely doing what Percy Jackson and Madeline Miller did. I am on my knees begging and pleading PLEASE stop treating Greek mythology as a fandom PLEASE fact-check your stuff before posting it PLEASE stop taking modern retellings as 100% accurate sources for ancient mythology. I’ll literally double-check to make sure my fucking Odyssey MEMES are accurate and here people are pulling takes and lies out of their asses to be posted like it’s indisputable fact. But somehow WE’RE the pretentious ones who “won’t let people have fun”.

Yeah, maybe if you weren’t messing with a whole country’s history and culture then we’d be more lenient.

i'm in despair (this is about antinous)

WHAT?! Okay seriously I have had enough at this point with this bullshit and the misinformation out there just because some people twist away the Odyssey and become famous to the point of people not being able to tell reality from fanfiction and of people who just won't do research or read the most crappy "translations" in the world! So because I have had enough here's ALL the lines Antinous speaks in the Odyssey to clear this up once and for all!

(Be warned this will be long but please share this as much as you can guys! Forgive me in advance if some of my translations are a bit sloppy or not as accurate I am willing to redo some passages if you guys want in comments or reblogs in the future.)

Please spread this because honestly I have had enough and this EXACTLY why I cannot take anymore of these "retellings" and whatever the hell the names are and the changes they make for no reason to characters for "creative liberties" because honestly people cannot even read the sources properly and they just make claims taking advantage of popularity of media!

ANTINOUS'S LINES IN THE ODYSSEY:

And then Antinous the son of Eupeithes answered him:

"Telemachus, no doubt the gods themselves are teaching you well since you became such a boaster and speak with so much insolence! May Cronus make sure that you shall never reign Ithaca of the two seas, which is your ancestral right!"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 1 (383-387): Antinous to Telemachus in irony when Telemachus has seen Athena in disguise off.

~

Telemachus, you high-and-mighty, uncontrollable in your insolence, what kind have you said is my shame: you wish to shift the blame! But I tell ya it is not the fault of the Achaean suitors but of your beloved mother's, who knows very well how to gain from others. For this is the third year, nearly entering the fourth, that she plays with the feelings within the chests of the Achaeans. For she has given promises to each and every one of us all and sends us messages but in her head and she has made a big ploy; and after she set a large loom in the palace and began to weave in a thin and complicated way and then she said to us:

"Young men, my suitors, since divine Odysseus is dead, please be patient since you are in a hurry for my marriage, but allow me fulfill this one pledge, for I do not want this weaving of mine be for nothing, let me make a shroud for the heroic Laertes for when his fate strikes and is taken by the death who brings so many woes, so that I will not gain resent from the Achaean women, oh, if the man who gained so much were to lie without a shroud"

So she spoke to us and our heroic hearts were persuaded and so in there by day she was looming at her great web and by night she was destroying it under the light of the torches she had beside her. And so she gained herself 3 years with her deceit that persuaded the Achaeans, now entering the forth and time has passed and we were informed on this by one of the women who clearly saw what had happened and so we caught her red-handed unraveling the great web. And so she was forced out of necessity to finish it. And so to you the suitors are replying to you so you shall know it deep in your heart and for all the other Achaeans to know; send back your mother to her father and command her to choose which one of us she pleases to marry. For, truly, Athena has blessed her with knowledge and craftsmanship and understanding heart; such wiles Penelope knows above other beautifully-haired Achaean women, even than the ones known by the old ones; and Tyro and Alcmene and beautifully-wreathed Mycene but her last wile was not right and so we shall continue to eat here from your inheritance, for despite the fact that the gods placed such mind more than many inside her and she brings great name upon herself, but you shall regret your insolence. We shall not move back to our homes or to any other place until she marries which of us Achaeans she desires!

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 2 (86-128): Antinous to Telemachus about Penelope's scheme when Telemachus accused the suitors for their staying at his palace. Penelope is being accused for her game upon them and simoultaneously praised for her mind and craftsmanship but also Telemachus being pressured to send her back to her father to start preparing for her upcoming marriage.

~

And Antinous immediately laughed and rushed to Telemachus and grabbing one of his arms he mocked him:

"Telemachus, you high-and-mighty, uncontrollable in your insolence do not have other evil word or action you in your mind for us, but I say come and eat and drink with me like before, I am sure all these you want the Achaeans shall provide and ships and outstanding oarsmen so that quickly you shall reach holy Pylos and hear news of your noble father!"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 2 (301-308): Antinous to Telemachus mockingly after the end of the gathering. Basically Antinous mocks Telemachus and tells him to forget the meeting ever happened and then mocks him with the notion he had to reach Pylos for news of his father.

~

And then Antinous, the son of Eupeithes replied:

"Tell me the truth! Where did he go and who were the men that followed him? Were they chosen Ithacan youth or heirlooms and slaves that belonged to him? Definitely I think he is capable even for that! And tell me this as well and answer truthfully for I shall know, whether by force and without your will he acquired the black ship or whether you gave it to him willingly, agreeing with his words!"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 4 (641-647): Antinous to Noemon son of Phronius. The man possessed the ship which Telemachus got and now Antinous is interrogating the man on whether he did so with his free will or by force. The man of course replies that he had no reason to refuse Telemachus thus gaining the reaction by Antinous:

Furiously, then replied to him Antinous the son of Eupeithes; with great anger filling his black heart, both his eyes shining like fires:

"Damn! What a bold insolence Telemachus has put in action, this journey, even if we were saying he would never see it through! The way he has managed to launch a ship and even pick the best youth of the people and take them with him! He shall be our doom soon the way it goes! But hopefully Zeus's strength shall destroy him before he reaches the maturity of youth but go on now and give me a fast ship and twenty men so I shall wait for him and set an ambush to the narrow path between Ithaca and rugged Same and so his voyage to find his father shall have a sad end!"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 4 (660-672): Antinous to himself and the other suitors. Basically here he speaks on the ambush he wants to set on Telemachus in his anger that Telemachus left for the trip after all plus how he fears that Telemachus will be their doom somehow.

~

Gentlemen, all of us, let us stop spewing arrogant words for someone might as well report your words in this house. But let us speak in low voice and make our words action, for this has pleased all our hearts.

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 4 (774-777): Antinous to the other suitors. In plotting in silence how they would proceed with the murder of Telemachus while Penelope is up in her rooms praying to Athena for the saving of her son.

~

Damn! Look how the gods have saved this man from misfortune! Even if we had guards waiting at the windy tops day after day, one after the other. And when the sun fell down we didn't stay on shore but we sailed on the fast ships in the sea till the divine Eos (Dawn) waiting and lurking for Telemachus to take hold of him and destroy him: some god undoubtedly has brought him home! But let us here plan the sorrowful doom of Telemachus so that he won't escape us; for I know that as long as he lives our plans will not be fulfilled. He has persuaded the council and the people do not agree with us anymore. But let's go before he gathers the assembly of the Achaeans because I think he won't be wise to act slow but he would rush in full wrath and he would choose to rise everyone up by saying that we contrived against him murder but didn't catch him and they will not like it when they hear our evil deeds. Mark my words, he will drive us all out of our lands and we shall move to stranger lands! Come on! Let us seize him at the countryside, outside of the city or on the way and let us seize all his possessions and lands and divide them among ourselves equally but the house we shall give to his mother and to whomever marries her. But if you are displeased by these words and you believe he should live and keep his inheritance then let us stop devouring his goods and leave the house and each one of us from his own palace shall continue showering her with gifts till she will have as husband the one who offers the most.

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 16 (364-392): Antinous to himself and the other suitors. His fury that Telemachus escaped their ambush and he repeats the plan on killing him or establishes even more options for the suitors. In here he also suggests to keep pressuring Penelope to marry.

~

And so spoke Antinous scolding the swineherd

"Notorious swineherd what did you bring him to the city for? Don't we have enough vagabonds and other annoying beggars to ruin our dinner? Aren't they enough people to eat the king's wealth here that you invited this one too?"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 17 (374-379): Antinous to Eumeus on Odysseus. Eumeus had brought Odysseus-Beggar to the palace and Melanthius, the goat-herder had pointed out that he saw Eumeus leading him there so Antinous once more barges in and complaints (that is the first time Antinous speaks in the presence of Odysseus)

~

Telemachus you high-and-mighty and uncontrollable in your insolence what did you say! If all the other suitors were to give him as much then he wouldn't need to come back for the next three months!

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 17 (406-408): Antinous to Telemachus. Telemachus mocks Antinous on his mocking on Odysseus/Beggar and so had Eumeus before him so now Antinous just mocks them back

~

Which god has brought this creature to destroy our feast? He stood there in apart from our tables and claims he comes from bitter Egypt or Cyprus: He insolently and so rudely asks for food from all who are here: and they give it so recklessly for no one is more generous in giving than the one who gives something that belongs to someone else for they have much each!

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 17 (446-452): Antinous to himself and Odysseus. Odysseus goes to Antinous in particular to beg for food and tells him once more his "sad story" on how he fell from grace. Antinous does not like the whining and he retaliates. Ironically he also says something correct here; that they are all generous to the food they give to Odysseus because that food is not theirs in the first place.

~

So he spoke and Antinous got even more furious and looking down upon him he replied with winged words:

"Now you shall no longer stay in this palace, back off since you speak words of accusation!"

(Tranlation by me)

Rhapsody 17 (458-461): Antinous to Odysseus. Odysseus insists upon Antinous give him some food and Antinous retaliates sending him away and in the next scene he throws the stool at him

~

And to him replied Antinous the son of Eupithes:

"Sit there and eat, stranger or go elsewhere or else you shall be thrown out being carried away by your arms and legs and be skinned whole!"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 17 (477-480): Antinous to Odysseus. Basically Odysseus complained to the entire assembly that Antinous has just striken him because he is hungry. Antinous doesn't like it and threatens that Odysseus will be carried out by force and be skinned alive if he goes on. He is heard by Penelope upstairs and she is filled in the details by Euryclaea.

~

"Friends how fortunate that such a thing happened, that the gods brought such entertainment to our doors! Irus and the stranger fighting and wishing to hit each other! Quickly! Let's set them up!"

Mighty Antinous heard them two talking and breaking in merry laughter he addressed the suitors:

So he spoke and everyone broke down laughing and gathered together the two beggars and again Antinous son of Eupithes addressed them:

"Listen, heroic suitors, what I am about to say. These goat stomachs here that is roasting on the fire and we had set them here to make dinner after we have filled them with fat and blood but now I say the one who wins and comes out on top let him choose which one he wants to have for himself and what's more he shall dine with us and we shall suffer no more a beggar begging among us!"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 18 (34-49): Antinous to the rest of the suitors. Irus has arrived to the palace and he picks up a fight with Odysseus/Beggar and Antinous loving the idea of watching them two fight and suggests the contest.

~

Now, don't whine, you bully and it might have been better if you never born if you are to be afraid and trembling of this fellow, a man old and beaten down by misery. I tell ya and it's done: he has won against you and is stronger, I shall throw you in a black ship and exile you to the mainland to the king Echetus, the baneful of men, and he shall have your nose and ears cut off with ruthless bronze and shall throw your privates to the dogs to devour!

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 18 (79-87): Antinous to Irus. Basically he threatens and mocks Irus for being afraid of losing to "an old man". Irus was taken over by fear when Odysseus revealed his shoulders and legs realizing that he is not just a common old man. Antinous is "guilt tripping" and threatening Irus so that the two of them would fight.

~

And Antinous son of Eupeithes replied to her:

"Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, the gifts you want the Achaeans shall bring you here, for you to accept them, for it is no good not to accept them, but we shall not leave this place and go elsewhere till you choose to marry the best of us Achaeans!"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 18 (284-289): Antinous to Penelope. Penelope demands wedding gifts (as a manipulation for the suitors to bring items to pay back what they have eaten and possibly more than that). She probably hoped to manipulate the suitors out of her house. Antinous responds to her by accepting her request but also expresses the decision all the suitors made, not to leave the house till she has chosen a husband (in the next lyrics it is revealed that Antinous's gift was a beautiful embroidered robe with 12 golden brooches)

~

I verily think is hard, Achaeans, to accept the word of Telemachus who has so much spoken threateningly against us. Truly the son of Cronus Zeus wouldn't have tolerated this but he would already have silenced him in this palace, the way he clearly speaks!

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 20 (271-274): Antinous to the rest of the suitors. Telemachus placed his father (dressed as beggar) sit among the suitors and has showingly given him good portion of food and golden cup and he told him boldly to sit and eat and drink with the rest of the people for it is not a public house here but the house of Odysseus that treats his guests! (I also find it a nice cheeky move by Telemachus here!) Antinous didn't like it and he speaks up

~

You foolish boors who only care for today! Cowards why are you crying now and you are troubling the heart of this woman? Now that she has learnt she has lost her dear husband! Be silent and sit down or if you have to weep go elsewhere and leave this bow behind so it will be a the contest of decision for the suitors. For I believe it will be no easy task to chord this bow. For there is no such a man among us like the one Odysseus was! And I myself have seen him and I remember him even if I was but an infant child then!

Rhapsody 21 (86-96): Antinous to Eumeus. Eumeus was ordered to bring up the bow from the armory. Eumeus held the bow in his hands and he actually cried in emotion as he held his master's favorite bow. Antinous retaliates and calls him names because as he says "he is troubling Penelope" with his cries and he speaks on how he remembers Odysseus when he was a child. And ironically or not so much he speaks very positively on Odysseus and the kind of man he remembers him to be, maybe because he thinks he is safe now and believes Odysseus to be dead.

~

And Antinous, the son of Eupeithes, said to them:

"Rise in your turn from the right, all my friends, we start with the order the wine is being poured"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 21 (140-142): Antinous to the rest of the suitors. He basically suggest the order with which everyone will try and string the bow (with the order that the jug holder has poured them wine) from right to left)

~

But Antinous reproved his words and he called out:

"Leodes! What words have escaped the barrier of your teeth?! This is both painful and dreadful words indeed that I feel resentment by just hearing you! If this is the bow that shall judge who is the best in heart and soul no wonder you cannot string it. Your noble mother hasn't birthed you to be a strong archer or shoot arrows. Let the other noble suitors string it!"

So he spoke and then he ordered Melanthius, the goat herder:

"Melanthius, go and light a fire in the hall and place a great chair by it covered in fleece and bring a large block of fat when you come back so that we shall smear the bow with it and soften it over the flames before we execute our contest"

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 21 (167-180): Antinous to Leodes and immediately after Antinous to Melanthius. Leodes expressed the impossible of stringing the bow and then he claimed that he'd rather die than suffer the loss there for Penelope's hand and Antinous does not like the defeatist attitude. He takes over and orders to Melanthius to bring the tools to care for the bow and make sure it is usable after so long staying in storage. This passage also shows the knowledge Antinous has on weaponry in general and possibly hunting in particular.

~

Eurymachus, this won't work; you know it yourself, because now it is a public celebration for a god. Who then would string the bow?I say set it aside for now. Newvertheless we shall leave the axes here where they are, for I believe no one shall enter to the palace of Odysseus the son of Laertes, to take them! But let's go, let the cup bearer pour the liberations in our goblets as we make our offerings and let's set aside the curved bows! By the morning we shall order Melanthus the goat herder shall bring the best out of the goats he is tending and herding and so we shall sacrifice their thighs to Apollo of the beautiful bow and we shall try one more time to execute the challenge of this bow.

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 21 (257-268): Antinous to Eurymachus when none of them could string the bow he suggests that it is because it is a public celebration that they should make their own offerings to the gods and call it a day and try another day because he assumed it is possible that the reason they couldn't string it could possibly be that it was because of the celebration. So he suggests to call it a day and offer a sacrifice to Apollo the next day before they try again.

~

Ah bloody stranger! You have absolutely no trace of wit! You are not satisfied enough that you arrogantly sit and dine with us and you are in no want of food but you also pry in our conversations and overhear our words! No other beggar or stranger ever overheard our words! Undoubtedly the sweet wine has gotten to your head and you know the wine is bad for others too, if greedily take gulps and drink without measure. The wine made even the centaurs and the noble Eurytion act foolishly when they were to the palace of great-hearted Pirithus, when he went to the Lapithes: and because his mind was consumed by wine, his frenzy caused great evil upon the house of Pirithus. And so great sorrow fell upon the heroes for he was dragged out of the doors and thrown out and his ears and nose were cut wit merciless bronze and so he bore the punishment for the madness of his mind. And so it commenced the fight between the Centaurs and the humans. They were the first to see the evil of heavy drinking. And you who speak big words I warn you if you manage to bend the bow you shall not be met with kindness and we shall throw you to a black ship and exile you to the mainland to the king Echeton, the baneful of men, there nothing will save you! Sit still and drink and don't aim to compete against much younger men than you!

(Translation by me)

Rhapsody 21 (288-310): Antinous to Odysseus. Odysseus/Beggar has just slowly approached Eurymachus and Antinous and he has asked for the right to try the bow himself. Antinous got furious that Odysseus overheard them and that he suggested to take part to the challenge and then he assumes that Odysseus is drunk and he even brings up the myth of the centaurs and the Lapithes to say how wine makes people say and do stupid things. Ironically he is most likely self-projecting since he does seem to be the intoxicated one (at least how I read his passages). And those were the last words spoken by Antinous and the last ones addressed to Odysseus.

In the next passages is the death of Antinous (he doesn't get the chance to even react given how Odysseus kills him when he is about to take a drink with an arrow through his throat) and his name is mentioned a few times by Eurymachus and some more mentions by name.

**

As you see there is absolutely no mention whatsoever not even to the murder of Telemachus to none of the scenes where Odysseus is present (mind you neither to the scenes where Penelope is either! Penelope was informed on their scheme by a servant that overheard them and she went down to confront Antinous!)

Also Antinous makes no mention whasoever in any rape! He mentions the myth of the centaurs and Lapithes and NOT EVEN THEN does he mention the attempt of rape of the women by the drunk centaurs yet alone to Penelope! The only things he speaks about is how to keep pressuring Penelope choose a husband and he mentions wedding gifts.

If anything it is ODYSSEUS the one that gets threatened all the time by Antinous and mistreated by him. Antinous even speaks positively about Penelope like 99% of the time with the exception when he calls her devious for her trick that had them all waiting.

Absolutely they want to increase pressure to Penelope and they want to kill her son but that rape thing should be enough at this point! Honestly THIS is where a certain someone SHOULD come out and say that these came out of his head and NOT the Odyssey! Like sure it is your imagination and do whatever with it but damn!

Sorry I am really upset with these smartasses on the internet at this point! Once again forgive me if any of my interpretations is sloppy or even if I have forgotten something. I have double checked but just in case.

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

“Reunited”

Remembered this doodle of Menelaus and Odysseus I did a year ago that I had posted before I deleted my Tumblr account and restarted my blogs and decided to post it again! I have some gripes with the art plus this Odysseus design is outdated but I still like this little doodle! I’ve always loved Menelaus and Odysseus’ friendship and I like to think they reunited one day :)

I have a headcanon that Menelaus loves giving bear hugs and doesn’t really know his own strength, so he’s about to crush Odysseus’ spine here, but he’s too happy to see his friend to really mind much.

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

I am honored to keep my favorite book alive 🫡 I will not be wiped out by a TikTok musical.

The Cattle of Helios Hyperion and Skylla: The animalistic cry for survival (An Odyssey Analysis)

So it has been quite some time since the last time I wrote an analysis on the Odyssey and after I saw some posts by @soarinsugar-homerblog I decided it was about time I wrote one more! This time on the last and fateful moment of the lives of the crew; the sacred cattle of Helios.

Buckle up and bear with me the ride will be wild and long!

So what is the thing that truly shows the divinity of the animals? Was it their godly appearance? Was it the invisible to human eye servants that led them to their grazing spot? Or was it maybe their location and the protection of Helios for them? All of the above are right. However what if the reason behind it was even more profound, even more horrifying than what catches the eye? In my opinion THIS is the true reason and that gives off the most brutal scene in that part of the Odyssey, brutal enough for Odysseus to describe it so thoroughly:

The skin slowly crawled upon the spits and both the roasted and the raw meats would bellow loudly as if they were actual voices

(Translation by me)

Honestly only one word can describe it;

Grotesque!

The scene is nothing less but an absolute grotesque image in the eyes of Odysseus where the meat of the animals seems to gain life and his companions roasting and eating them while Odysseus watches in horror. His men are roasting the meat having a small feast. The scene seems to Odysseus even more horrifying by the fact that his men couldn't even offer a proper sacrifice to the gods (water instead of wine, leaves instead of barley etc).

However why is it so difficult to watch? Is it perhaps that the memories of war awaken inside him and he remembers the brutalities he both saw and caused? Possible but if I may, there is one scene that predates this one and is equally brutal as this specific image. Yet another image that Odysseus describes so thoroughly that might have made some stomachs turn at Homer's time; another scene that remained engraved in his mind forever. It is no other that the Skylla scene!

And Skylla from her cave grabbed out of my ship my strongest six men in arms and body strength and both me and my comrades as we looked up, we could see their arms and legs emerging as they waved them frenzily calling my name in screams till the last moment in their grieving heart

(Translation by me)

And do we think this was brutal enough? Then we must think again for next Odysseus gives us the most specific and absolutely horrendous description in regards to Skylla's feast.

And just like the fisherman upon the tall rock casts his rod with bait to lure the small fishes with food and throws out in the sea the horn of an ox and then he reels in the flopping fish ashore and when he has them, throws them upon the stone; in such a manner she devoured them at the entrance of her cave making screeching sounds and they were waving their arms towards me, struggling in that deadly battle and that was the most lamentable sight we all saw with our own eyes of all I have suffered upon my sea voyages.

(Translation by me)

So for those who still have the contents of their stomachs intact let me make it even more clear; Odysseus describes a wild scene in which a wild creature, no more than an animal, in a blink of an eye snatched six strong and vigorous men and devoured them at her doors without remorse or compassion, just pure animalistic feeding as his comrades flopped like fish caught by the fisherman on the shore while adrenaline kept them awake till the last moment their heart stopped beating! And Odysseus describes it in such a manner; so clear and savage that arguably tops even the grotesque descriptions he had on events like Polyphemus or the Laestrygonians! The ultimate horror scene

Now you might wonder why I correlate the two? I immediately shall tell you. What does the scene of Skylla have in common with the Cattle of Helios Hyperion? Odysseus witnesses someone devouring a prey that is still "alive" and making sound. It doesn't seem like a random choice that Homer decided to share with us that the pieces of meat were still "alive" in one way and I am not convinced that he added that information solely to show how divine the Cattle were neither to create a horror scene. Neither is a mere coincidence that the scene of Skylla is right before the island of Helios or the fact that Odysseus mentions how his men are still grieving the deaths they experienced lastly. I think is much deeper and much more profound than that. Odysseus is in horror at the scene and he has witnessed quite a few harsh situations in his life but this seem to take the cake when it comes to his comrades and doesn't seem to be the mere idea of a blasphemy either.

Odysseus witnesses his men act like Skylla as they devour the pieces of meat that still moo and make sound just like Skylla devoured their still crying and moving men!!!

At that moment of hunger and desperation his men lost the last bits of their humanity. They no longer felt guilt that something was making sound as if it was still alive as they roasted it and slowly devoured it. Their previous experiences and hunger broke them and made them lose the last bits of humanity they had. Not only they committed hubris by defying a God and eating his Cattle, not only didn't they have proper sacrifices to offer but also they didn't stop when they noticed the Cattle were still "alive" even when roasted and they didn't stop not even when they made sounds as if they are being tormented. They didn't care anymore.

They were reduced to the level of a beast in their desperation.

This was the moment when Odysseus knew they were beyond saving because THAT was their real crime: the descent to the mere survival mode; the very bit that separated humans from beast was gone with them. (And even then Odysseus tried to save them, see my other analysis here )

Because this seems to me the true reason why these two scenes were placed side by side. It seems like a combination between cause and effect and also a result of everything that led to that part (adventures, hunger etc) and I am surprised that we don't see more people talk about it. That was the moment where his men reduced from humanity to savagery because as Eurylochus said; there is nothing worse than dying of hunger. And ironically Odysseus seems to quote on that too as he speaks on the basic need of hunger when he is under disguise in his own palace; somehow seems like this moment rings in his mind forever.

Food for thought (pun intended). Let me know your thoughts to the comments and reblogs below!

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

YOU’RE GONNA MAKE ME CRY!!! That’s so sweet of you!!! I’m so glad you liked it! Also so happy you got all the symbolism I threw in there haha! Especially with Eurylochus being bound to his fate since that’s exactly what I was going for! And yeah that’s PRECISELY what the title meant! Thank you so much!!!

“The Sun Burns”

Overdue piece for @katerinaaqu’s recent analysis of the slaughter of Helios’ cattle in Book 12 of The Odyssey. Was originally going to do an actual scene, but then this composition idea jumped into my mind and I went with it. The colors are a bitttt off since I drew this on my laptop and then transferred it to my iPad to do the final editing but I’m not going to fuss over lol. Not sure if I’ll keep this Eurylochus design but I do like it.

I also don’t want to draw skeletons again any time soon the complexity of the bone structure is super difficult to replicate and finding a reference of a cow skeleton from front view was much harder than it should have been. Also never drawn cows before so this was new.

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

“The Sun Burns”

Overdue piece for @katerinaaqu’s recent analysis of the slaughter of Helios’ cattle in Book 12 of The Odyssey. Was originally going to do an actual scene, but then this composition idea jumped into my mind and I went with it. The colors are a bitttt off since I drew this on my laptop and then transferred it to my iPad to do the final editing but I’m not going to fuss over lol. Not sure if I’ll keep this Eurylochus design but I do like it.

I also don’t want to draw skeletons again any time soon the complexity of the bone structure is super difficult to replicate and finding a reference of a cow skeleton from front view was much harder than it should have been. Also never drawn cows before so this was new.

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

Did I accidentally offend the gods or something

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

CHRISTMAS HAULLL

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

Nothing much to add here. ALL of this. I’m on the verge of blowing a fuse with this shit.

All of this can be easily found online for free. There are plenty of free audiobooks out there if you don’t want to or have time to read. There’s a reason these epics and plays are still read and studied to this day by academics and the average person alike: they’re wonderful and enjoyable works of literature.

And PLEASE stop disrespecting Greek culture by applying your modern values to ancient literature and mythology. This is NOT a fandom. This is a mythology that holds great significance to Greek history and culture. Please treat it as such.

New rule. Read the goddamn source material before you talk about it. PLEASE.

Please just read the fucking Odyssey before you make posts about the actual thing. Read the Iliad. Watch productions of the plays.

I am on my hands and knees here, I’m like Franky Valli I’m beggin’! I’m begging!!!!

It isn’t hard. There are really accessible translations for free. I post links really regularly. Just PLEASE read the actual epics before you start talking I cannot keep living with this insane pop cultural transmutation of misinformation. The adaptations are cool but I’m literally on my hands and knees the actual source material is fantastic guys the Odyssey is good it’s insane Telemachus is a fatherless brat and a bastard the whole time, he’s hilarious. pLEASE I’M BEGGING YOU READ THE BOOKS

[soarinsugar-homerblog]

“Odysseus ripped off his rags. Now naked, / he leapt upon the threshold with his bow / and quiverfull of arrows, which he tipped / out in a rush before his feet, and spoke.

“‘Playtime is over. I will shoot again, / towards another mark no man has hit. / Apollo, may I manage it!’

“He aimed / his deadly arrow at Antinous. / The young man sat there, just about to lift / his golden goblet, swirling wine around, / ready to drink. He had no thought of death. / How could he? Who would think a single man, / among so many banqueters, would dare / to risk dark death, however strong he was? / Odysseus aimed at his throat, then shot. / The point pierced all the way through his soft neck. / He flopped down to the side and his cup slipped / out of his hand. A double pipe of blood / gushed from his nostrils. His foot twitched and knocked / the table down; food scattered on the ground. / The bread and roasted meat were soiled with blood. / Seeing him fall, the suitors, in an uproar, / with shouts that filled the hall, jumped up and rushed / to search around by all the thick stone walls / for shields or spears to grab—but there were none. / They angrily rebuked Odysseus.”

Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Emily Wilson, Norton, 2018.