#*cuts to circes island*

[charlottedabookworm]

odysseus!percy (still lacking in memories) when clarisse says theyre going for charybdis instead of scylla “awesome great can’t believe i’m saying this but for some reason i agree with clarisse and i hate that for me”

odysseus!percy ten minutes later when they scoot too close to scylla while dodging charybdis and scylla starts snatching the skeleton crew off of the deck “huh. huh. huh. they aren’t screaming and yet-“

[oddyseye]

Let’s talk about translations of the Odyssey for a second, because, honestly, I’m over here sobbing over how ridiculous some of these choices are.

Every time I pick up a new translation, I hope it’ll finally capture the true grit and messiness of Odysseus, but nope, every one of them polishes him up too much, turning him into either a tragic hero or a charming rogue. Where’s the Odysseus who lies as easily as he breathes, who manipulates his way through every encounter, and who leaves a trail of ruin wherever he goes? I want the man whose brilliance is as sharp as his selfishness, whose cleverness cuts both ways — not just a hero, but a survivor who’s as flawed as he is formidable.

Anyway, I’m gonna break down the biggest mistranslations that really make me want to pull my hair out and remind everyone how different the original Greek actually is. Prepare yourselves.

Let’s start with the absolute disaster that is Telemachus and Peisistratus’ bond. Homer used the word ὁμοφροσύνη to describe their relationship, a term that’s about fucking soulmates, alright? But what do these translators do? They water it down to “just good friends” or “nice companions.” It’s about a relationship where minds and hearts are aligned — telepathic level shit, not just a handshake between two dudes. Yet these translators just gloss over the whole thing, so you get this milquetoast version of their relationship when it’s actually so much more.

Homer says: "ὁμοφροσύνησιν ἐνὶ καρδίᾳ ἐνθα καὶ ἄλλων οὐδὲν ἐπέλθομεν" ("In like-mindedness of heart, where no other man could compare.") So, Telemachus sees Peisistratus as someone he’s totally aligned with, in a way that’s almost romantic in its depth. ὁμοφροσύνη is usually used for romantic couples most often.

Then, we’ve got Odysseus and Calypso, which — oh my god, don’t even get me started on this absolute trainwreck of a translation. The term ἀνάγκῃ is used when Homer talks about Odysseus’ “relationship” with Calypso, but translators somehow miss the force behind the word. It doesn’t just mean “necessity” like they’d have you think. It means force, violence, and distress. When Odysseus is on Calypso’s island, stuck there with her, it’s not this peaceful love story where Odysseus is some willing lover. It’s a prison. There’s no choice, and no one’s riding off into the sunset together. But translations just gloss over this desperation and make it sound so much more peaceful and comfortable than it ever was. It’s forced captivity, and the use of ἀνάγκῃ screams that: “ἔνθα μὲν ἀμφ᾽ ἀνάγκῃ, τῇ δὲ θεὰ ἐρῶσά μιν ἔσχε.” (“There he stayed out of necessity, for the goddess, in her love, held him there.”).

Homer uses the same word when Odysseus describes his time with Circe: “ἀλλ᾽ ἔμεν᾽ ἐν σπέσσι λαῶν ἀνάγκῃ.” (“But I stayed in her halls by necessity.”). Again, ἀνάγκῃ shows that Odysseus's relationship with Circe is dictated by forces beyond his control. His connection to her isn’t out of love or desire, but out of a divine obligation, a situation where choice is completely stripped away. It’s not love; it’s divine manipulation. So much for romantic freedom!

And let’s not forget how Homer actually portrays the suitors and their reaction to Antinous’ violence. After Antinous, in his full rage, decides to throw a chair at disguised Odysseus, other suitors chime in, disapproving of his actions. They say things like “ἀργὸς εἶναι,” which roughly translates to “you’re acting cowardly,” and “ἀτασθαλία,” meaning “reckless.” They’re still on the same side, sure, but they can’t quite get behind the utter savagery of his actions, and it’s maddening how this detail is often glossed over in some translations. They make it sound like they were all in on the violence, but in the original text, these suitors are not all cut from the same brutal cloth, no matter how much some translators want to make them seem like one big mob.

Homer uses the word οἰκέτες to refer to the people in Odysseus' house. "οἰκέτες" means slaves, people who are literally owned by the household. But oh, what happens in the translations? We get “maids” and “servants,” as if these slaves were just there because they wanted to be, doing chores like it was a normal job. But no, they’re not “maids,” and they sure as hell aren't "servants" in the modern sense. These people have no freedom — they belong to Odysseus. The translation of οἰκέτες as "maids" completely erases the brutality of the system that Homer is talking about.

Interestingly, Telemachus, who is often portrayed as rude or immature, calls these individuals “servants” or "maids" in a more respectful manner. This is the same guy who can barely get his act together most of the time, but here he is, calling the οἰκέτες — slaves, remember — not just slaves but “ἄνδρες ἰκέτες,” which translates to "men-servants" or “butlers.” Like, hello, Telemachus! For once, he’s actually treating them like people instead of just the property that they are in Homer’s original telling. Respectful? Who knew?

And lastly, let’s talk about Penelope. Odysseus, when he finally speaks to her, he says: "ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπεὶ καὶ σὺ μὲν ἔμπεδος ἐν οἴκῳ, ἔτλησαν δ’ ἐμαὶ ἄλγεα." ("But you, steadfast in your home, endured my sorrows."). Odysseus sees Penelope as the rock, the one who has suffered patiently in his absence. Unlike the goddesses, she’s his equal in suffering, not a forced relationship due to divine will. He longs for her, and her presence stands in stark contrast to the chaotic, imposed relationships he’s had with Circe and Calypso. Penelope is the constant, the one Odysseus has chosen — no divine manipulation, just pure, enduring love.

Anyway, all of this goes to show that translations can twist what Homer was actually trying to say — especially when it comes to the relationships in the story. It’s frustrating to see these critical, subtle moments get flattened into bland, palatable phrases. Maybe if they spent less time trying to make everything sound "noble" and more time actually getting at the grit of what Homer wrote, we wouldn’t have to deal with these watered-down, emotionless versions of The Odyssey that everyone is so obsessed with.

[helpallthenamesaretaken]

and if we don't get a girly lil montage of annabeth's makeover on circe's island with cutesy music in the background in s2, then what's the point??

like imagine. it's percy in a really tight situation rn. he's tempted by his humane insecurities, risking trusting a suspicious primordial goddess. but he's choked, because he wants to be perfect. he wants to be enough. we see a torn expression on walker's face. indecision and doom is hanging in the atmosphere.

then we cut to some pop music blaring in the background. leah's lips are touched up with lipstick a close up shot. her cheeks are brushed with powdered pink. we see her spinning around in some dresses while giggling with the servants (+reyna cameo). she's shooting star eyes at the mirror with someone gives her a grand reveal of her new gorgeous hairstyle.

oh, where were we again? oh yeah. we cut back to percys life or death situation or whatever.

[my-clematis]

The thing about the Scylla sacrifices vs Eurylochus wanting to leave then men on Circe's island behind is the different levels of intent.

In the case of Circe's island, they were blindsided. They were lured into a trap that they had no way of anticipating, and after that what's done is done. In Eurylochus' eyes, the witch has them now, what's done is done, and any attempt to rescue them is likely to lose them more men.

In the case of Scylla, on the other hand, Odysseus had all the foresight. He knew exactly what going through the lair of Scylla would cost, and he intentionally set his men up to be killed. He essentially pays Scylla in human lives for passage through the lair.

Even if we say that there was no other choice, there were other ways of going about it. The most important thing would be to tell the men about Scylla beforehand. That way, those who didn't want to risk death could disembark and start a new life on a different island; not everyone is willing to die to go home, and Odysseus had no right to decide that for them.

Furthermore, its the fact that Odysseus never even tried to find an alternative solution to just standing by and watching Scylla eat his men. THAT is why Eurylochus is so mad, he says as much at the beginning of mutiny.

"When we fought the cyclops, you were quick to hatch a plan And when we fought with Circe, it was you who left behind no man But when we fought this monster, we didn't take a stand We just ran"

Its not just the fact that he traded his men's lives like they were tokens, its the fact that it was his first and only plan, that he didn't even try to find a solution that didn't result in death, and just stood there and did nothing as his men died all around him.

In situations that are unexpected and sudden, you can be forgiven for acting in less than ideal ways. But when you have all the knowledge, all the advanced notice, then you have the power and the responsibility to at least TRY to find a different solution. That's what condemns Odysseus in my eyes, and why I'm willing to cut Eurylochus slack for his reaction to the Circe situation.

Odysseus had all the power, so he has to carry all the blame.

[wukyma]

I'm very curious about your Posepoli AU if you are OK with sharing facts about it ? Maybe what you have in mind? Or what Poseidon have in mind withvhis proposition 🤔 I can't only imagine the crew reaction

Also I'm in absolute love with your art ! The way you color? Your Odysseus ? Incredible. Make me think about fairy tales book illustrations you know ? And don't let go on your design of Poseidon ? He look so cold and distanced, it's actually genius!

Oh, thank you so much 💖 It means a lot! I loved illustrated fairytales as a kid and had a similar book of Greek myths, so that's probably where the style comes from, hehe

As for the AU... I lied shamelessly in the other post and speedran through coloring the panels and imma show y'all everything today!

If you haven't seen the previous one go check it out first

SO, Polites lives. But now he has to cope with the consequences of their recklessness,,

⬇️⬇️⬇️ cut because yapping again

The wind bag gets opened, and they're faced with Poseidon seeking revenge,,

Odysseus' apology isn't accepted (who even apologizes like that??), but Poseidon doesn't get to strike him —

Polites steps in and asks for them to be spared.

The god almost laughs in his face because that's an utterly ridiculous attempt, but decides that there's no harm in amusing himself a bit. Yet, no matter what Poseidon thinks about the man and how much he despises his ideals,, Polites is very different from most mortals he met, with his unshakeable belief in a better world (that realization happens much later in the plot, at the moment he's just pissed off)

So, yeah. Poseidon gives them a challenge: if they find another way around the storm, continue their journey without harming or killing (as per Poli's ideology), and get home, he will spare everyone, even Odysseus. The one who's formally "responsible" for holding up their end of the deal is still Polites, and he gets a kind of seal/tattoo as proof that neither side will go against the terms (yay ✨️aesthetics ✨️)

Forgot to mention: the whole crew is alive — 600 men making their way to Ithaca!

Next stop would be Circe's island,,, guess who will become besties? Ehehwhe

Things I believe are important to mention:

Poseidon REALLY doesn't like Polites in this AU (well,, for now) and wants to see him fail, then drown the fleet and be done with it

His main motivation here wouldn't be to avenge Polyphemus, but to prove that Polites is wrong (same as with Odysseus, but more intense)

Get ready for tons of mockery in the next part ( ；∀；)

I headcanon (not just in this AU but in general) that Polites, Perimedes, and Elpenor are also very close friends!

Odysseus is oblivious about Poli's feelings towards him (dude is mole-blind when it comes to that), but Eurylochus knows

Umm, so that's it for now! See y'all next time, because telling things without throwing pictures in seems meh... However, that's up to you, too. I can continue as it is and draw the scenes you'd like to see and/or choose later :3 Just write how u think would be more okayish i guess??

Bonus thing: congrats on reading till the end lol. there is one inconsistency in the comic above. at the sketch stage I flipped 3 of these panels, and they don't match with the other ones (seen in the details) first one to guess (say the nr order, idc) gets to request ANYTHING epic‐related from me :D

[queefsencen]

kotlc lineup redone !! (notes below cut)

also @exvelovly // @sleepysketchess basically co-created this

notes !!

- sophie has keefes hoodie !! i imagine its some sort of sports hoodie. maybe hockey or soccer. or bramble

- ^^ his number is 7 for seven by taylor swift

- fitz & sophie have cognate rings

- sophie & tam have matching lyrics written on their shoes (birds of a feather by billie eilish)

- maruca was inspired by leah jeffries & annabeth on circe’s island

- stina’s second outfit was originally biana’s

- dex’s shirt almost said b99, criminal minds, young sheldon, and scream queens

[kindred-spirit-93]

Hear me out; Ctimene didn't blame Odysseus. She hears that all the suitors have been killed as she rushes back to the palace, worried for the safety of Penelope. And on her way, Ctimeme hears hushed whispers of people talking about the king. But she would be confused, because that’s not right, Penelope had hope and she wouldn’t choose a suitor…now they’re all dead? So basically, Ctimene rushes back and she wonders which king would slay all the suitors, that’s when it clicks. Look Mene’s smart, she’s Ody’s sister, it’s in the genes, she figures it out pretty easily. Now she’s running to the palace, feeling like a little kid. Her sandals make a screech as she stops and sees….Odysseus of Ithaca in the flesh, he’s finally home. She runs up and hugs him, he hesitates, being the guilt-ridden man he is, with hope sparkling in her eyes, she pulls away and asks Ody the question he’d been dreading: “Where’s Eury?”. Now look, Odysseus has a silver tongue, he lied to Athena and got away with it, but he couldn’t lie to his sister. She noticed his silence and downcast eyes, as panic seized her. “Ody, tell me he’s watiing at the dock” Odysseus stays silent for a white more before he began to speak. He told her everything. He told her how the lotus eaters directed them to the cave, he told her about Polites. This is where he pauses, and Ctimene remembers Polites, he was a really nice guy, one of Ody’s friends. He tells her about the storm and how Eury tried to warn him that he doesn’t know how much longer he had until ‘his luck ran out’. He tells her about the wind bag, but doesn’t mention who opened it. He tells her about Poseidon and Circe’s island. He hesitates when talking about Eury proposing to leave the men behind, but Ctimene gives him a look that tells him not to leave anything out. He tells her about Hermes and Circe. He tells her about going to the Underworld, seeing their mother, the crew, and Polites and learning his fate in the upcoming years. Then Odysseus pauses and his voice cuts off as he realises: “A man with a trail of bodies…” But he keeps talking, he tells her about the sirens, and how he could have sworn Eury’s siren was Ctimene. He tells her about Sylla, and explains how either 6 of them had to die, or none of them would make it home, and Ithaca would still be waiting. He tells her about Eury’s confession in a hushed voice, as if he didn’t want Ctimene to see that her husband was the one who opened the wind bag. He pauses before getting that look from his sister again, reminding him not to spare any details and talks about the mutiny. Ctimene is shocked, she coud believe that Eury would lead an attack against her brother, no matter what happened…but deep down, she knows Ody would have done the same. Anyways, he tells her about Zeus, and how he was forced to choose between himself and his crew…and he saw Penelope. Ody tells her about Ogigya and how He saw EURY reminding him once again, he saw their mother. He told her about Poseidon, and how he saw Eury once again helping him through it Then he goes silent. Ctiemene thinks it through, head hanging low, her hair acting as a curtain, but Ody knows she’s mourning. She realises that Eurylochus wasn’t a near death hallucination, she knows that he was really there, and if he was helping Ody, that means he no longer blamed his captain, if Eury doesn’t blame Ody…then why should she? She knows that if Ody was in his position, he would have done the same, maybe he wouldn’t kill the cow but he would get mad over Scylla, Ody and Eury were 2 of a kind, they woud have done the same. Present-Odysseus would be standing in shame after finishing his story, he would be ready for his sister to attack him, and he would let her. She could kill him and he wouldn’t fight back, or try to defend himself. He opens his arms as an invitaton to punch him, Ctimene sees it, but instead of hitting him, she takes a step forward and wraps her arms around her brother, and they sob in each other’s arms.

[love-ethell]

omg I've been dying to ask someone for this

Telemachus x siren reader who's actually a good siren and helped Telemachus when he was on his mission and they fall in love and him telling his father and ody absolutely crash out because he remembers the sirens he killed

or

if you write for other characters, maybe circe with sailor(?) reader/or let say reader was part of ody crew, maybe disguise as a man so she can go to war and circe find out and offer them to stay with her and her nymphs since she have nothing to go back to im ithaca

Thank you for your listening and have a great day!!

𝔸 𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖

Circe x female in disguise reader

Word count: 475

Summary: Being part of the crew sent to secure the island, your group stumbles upon a palace. You follow a voice inside, your about to eat the food offered but you get pulled aside from none other than Circe herself, she feels a different energy from you. She then finds out you are not quite what you claim to be, you have no place back in Ithaca so she offers you to stay with her and her nymphs. You accept the offer and as you settle in you find out what a real home is really like.

(not proof read)

You were sent to make sure the Island was secure with Eurylochus and the rest of his crew. Walking up a path surrounded by trees and colored plants you come upon a palace, inside you hear a voice friendly sounding enough, you follow the rest of the crew inside while Eurylochus stays back.

A beautiful woman leads you inside, she sits you and the crew at a table adorned with all sorts of food.

You were about to take a bite but she pulled your hand back, " you, I would like a word with you please." Confused, you stand up as she takes you to a room away from the others.

-

"Is there anything you need my lady..?" You say with a skeptical look. "I'm getting an odd feeling from you.." she starts "are you really a man? Cause ill say you have quite soft features for a warrior.." your heart drops, people have pointed out how you have pretty feminine features but no one has actually questioned you about it.

"Of course I am.." you stammer, looking at the floor.

"you're also a bit short for a male," she chuckles. "Tell me what's your name?" she asks "Its uhm F/n." (fake name) you tell her still trying to keep the facade. She walks over to you, places her hand on your shoulder and looks you in the eyes.

By the gods she was beautiful. "Are you lying to me?" she prods.

You succumb to her, I mean how could you not? Yes.."

she grins, satisfied, "well? What's your real name?"

"Its Y/n." you respond almost immediately.

"If I may ask, why did you join a flock of men, princess?" she teases while genuinely asking.

"I grew up on the streets, no family, no home, so when I heard they were sending all eligible men to war I decided to join, I've always been good at fighting so I cut my hair and I joined them as an escape." you explain.

Her eyes widen and her brows furrow at your story, "well I'm sorry, and if you would like.. you could stay with us here?"

" Really..? You mean it?" you ask, pondering her offer. After the run in with Poseidon and the wind bag. You want to get off that boat.

She nods, seeing that you feel a weight lifted off your shoulders, you hug her

"thank you."

"Of course princess." she kisses your forehead, making you giggle and flush up.

-

As time passes you grow closer and closer with Circe and her nymphs, they see you as a mother along with Circe after you and Circe start dating

you find peace within yourself and the palace, you couldn't ask for more. A comfortable place to live, a loving girlfriend and True home.

(AUGGHHH I LOVE HER SMMM, also sorry if this is a bit short I rushed cause I'm working on the next chapter of blooming hearts and I wanted to get this one out fast I wouldn't mind doing a follow up on this if anyone wanted! >0<)

[calypso-apologist]

nsfw alphabet circe please? (also your profile is sooo pretty to look at)

awww, thank you!! <333 i do not feel confident bout this one lads

Circe NSFW Alphabet ♡

Template by @/the-coldest-goodbye.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

She's incredibly sweet afterwards, cupping your cheeks and rubbing them with her thumbs lovingly. Whispering sweet words of reassurance of just how well you did. Letting you cuddle up to her as her nymphs bring you some (non-magical) snacks and drinks.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Hers? Hair. She likes that it's long and that it can hide you both when she's above you. It adds to the intimacy of it all, creating a curtain between you and the world.

Yours? Shoulders. Not for any sexual reasons, she just likes leaving small kisses on your shoulders and then gently pushing you to lay down with her hand on your shoulder. It's a little sign of reassurance between you two.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

It's a very specific process to make her cum that she has to teach you or you probably won't figure out exactly what she likes. Similarly to other goddesses, it's somewhat pearly in color. Not very thick.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

You never learn this unless on complete accident, but her neck is incredibly sensitive. If you ever get to be in control for long enough to kiss (or even nibble on) her neck, she'll let out very sweet, slightly pathetic mewls. She will not acknowledge it if you ever bring it up.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

She definitely knows what she's doing, but you never really learn just how much experience she truly has. She doesn't really talk about it and will dismiss you if you try asking too many questions.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Either fingering you while you're on her lap or riding your face. Depends on whose pleasure she's focusing on right now.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

She's somewhat serious, but not against being a little silly. And by serious I mean she's more focused on pleasing and touching you rather than making jokes. But if it helps you relax, she'll adapt.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Relatively bushy, only occasionally cut so it doesn't get too wild for her liking. Darker than her hair, but not dark enough to be confused for black.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Intimate, loving, but also she can't resist teasing you at least a little bit.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

The most I see from her in this regard is putting on a show to her darling. Doesn't seem like the type to do it just because.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

She doesn't really strike me as kinky. She has preferences, yes, ones she's very clear about, but it just... doesn't feel like it's enough to qualify as a proper kink?

The closest thing I can think of is a slight hand kink, but I don't know if that counts if it's about the sight of her own hands on your body.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

The bed. She likes to keep it classy. But she's not against doing it in some nice secluded area on her island, as long as she's sure you two are completely alone.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

She loves it when you get whiny and pouty. It just makes her want to mess with you so much! And you know, one thing leads to another and suddenly you're in bed together.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Circe is a very proud woman, she won't stand for anything that insults her in any way. So if you're gonna try to bring up degradation or anything that might put her in a compromised position, it's an immediate, hard no. She won't degrade you either, viewing it as insulting her lover, and by proxy, her.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Definitely prefers receiving. She likes to ride your face, I'm pretty sure I mentioned it somewhere already (I don't write the letters in order so I don't remember where, but I'm sure I did).

Mostly neutral on giving, but she does prefer to use her mouth on a cunt. She's very good with her mouth, but getting her to actually give oral is such a rarity, it feels almost like some sort of a blessing whenever you feel her mouth on your most intimate areas.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Slow and sensual, but has a very mean habit of edging you with just how featherlight her touch can sometimes become.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Not a fan. She won't exactly refuse them, but she makes it clear she prefers to have proper sex instead. And she will get you in bed to properly share her preferences later.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Not really. She's willing to try some new things if they sound interesting enough, but it's not something she does often. I'd say she only agrees to try about 15% of the kinks you might bring up.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

See, the thing is, it doesn't really matter how long she can last, since it's about you most of the time. Usually the orgasm ratio is around 3:1, with you getting more, of course.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

I can see her creating a magical cock/strap sans undertale style. I hope I brought back trauma to at least one person by mentioning that. You're welcome.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Annoyingly unfair. She's the puppeteer and she's not letting you forget about that. Circe seems to me to have the clothed dom, naked sub dynamic in sex, if that helps you understand.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

She's not very loud most of the time, but when she does make noises, it's quite literally music to your ears. Mostly because her moans sound almost like she is singing. It's beautiful.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Actually, I'm replacing this one with a song I associate with the character for no reason at all. Because nobody said the headcanon has to be about sex.

Alice's Tango (You Will Be Mine) by Chi-Chi

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Pale pink color? man idk can we replace this section with a random fnaf headcanon or something please?

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Circe doesn't really trike me as a very horny person. She's more of a "oh, you wanna?" type of gal. If she decides she's in the mood, she goes with it.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Around fifteen minutes after she's made sure you're perfectly comfortable sleeping in her arms.

[mirrorcatcreditcard]

Eurylochus held true to Odysseus' words about love, and nobody really acknowledges it.

They are perfect foil for each other.

Odysseus' struggle to keep his crew alive and ultimately ends in their deaths and his fleet's destruction.

Eurylochus' struggle to keep Odysseus alive and the crew safe ultimately ends in his brother being stabbed and heart break.

Every song and scene they have together has them take separate paths to try to reach their results.

"Remember Them" — Odysseus is filled with pain and haunting memories, and Eurylochus tries harder to tell his captain to be cautious because he saw what happened. They're hurting. This pain will manifest in two different ways.

(placeholder so the posts don't mesh together)

"Luck Runs Out" — Odysseus is blind to his own arrogance and overconfidence while Eurylochus, singing for himself and the crew, reminds him that the powers above are dangerous. The captain sees this as mild insubordination; Eurylochus sees it as the only way to be able to express his concern but agrees to stop publicly doubting his king.

"You rely on wit and then men die on it" = why can't you see that you are not the "neither man or mythical" you claim to be

"Puppeteer" — Eurylochus finally starts a song, a significant development, to confess something to his king because he knows what he has done wrong and wants to be honest and upfront. Odysseus dismisses him due to the problems in his mind and what he thinks is priority. The second-in-command knows how saving people always seems to go and tries to sway Odysseus to cut off the metaphorical lizard tail. Odysseus is haunted by the deaths that have already occurred and wants to hold onto any crew member that he can.

"There's no length I wouldn't go if it was you I had to save. I can only hope you'd do the same." He does not know that Eurylochus being able to doubt him so much and remind him of mortality is him sticking his neck out. He's closer to Odysseus and has a tighter bond, but he can still be punished for lack of obedience. He breaks the rules for Odysseus, and all the man sees is a rule-breaker due to familiarity. He's doing the same every time he speaks.

"It's a game of wits, but you don't have to play" = reminder, Ody, that we can leave and keep trying

(In between) Notice we don't hear Eurylochus as a strong voice w/ the crew since Odysseus hushed him on Circe's Island. I believe this is significant. He doesn't speak until he can reveal his sins.

"Scylla" — Eurylochus can finally let the news off of his chest, but unfortunately for him, three songs ago his captain decided to become a monster. Odysseus, betrayed already and knowing he must sacrifice six men includes his right hand in the torchbearers lineup, but someone steals the torch. This series of actions has Eurylochus suspect/know the plot while noticing his captain did nothing but resign himself.

"Leaving them feeling betrayed, breaking the bonds that you've made..." A double meaning. The right-hand left his captain feeling betrayed. The king left his brother-in-law feeling betrayed. The entire crew is in pain and has had enough.

Note: All of Scylla's lines have multiple meanings, but I'll be here all night if I try to dissect each one in this post.

"Mutiny" — The sacrifice is the final straw for Eurylochus. He held back before because Odysseus' goal was to keep them alive and go home, but there's none of that here. He demands an answer but cannot be given one. With regret, he does the only thing he can think and fights Odysseus, hoping to beat him and make him finally come off his high horse or false near-god ideology or beat sense into him at the very least.

Zoom to the future, Eurylochus cannot lead the men on his own with his own will and has lost hope. Odysseus begs him not to make any rash decision, but he kills the cow of the sun god and shocks himself out of the depressed and desperate haze he was in.

"Don't make me fight you, brother, you know you'd have done the same" = if you were in my position, would you not sacrifice for my sister?

"If you want all the power, you must carry all the blame" = you cannot appeal to my empathy to cover up your mistakes anymore, brother

"I'm just a man." It's ironic that the only time he uses this line for himself reflects Odysseus' blindness in a different way. He speak almost like he's in a trance and is driven by his instincts. Odysseus says he's just a man to protest his emotions and needs and ultimate choice to throw away lives because he needs his goal. Though many comment jokingly on Eurylochus not deserving this line, I think this is his own way of being shown to connect to his captain before the shit drops.

"Thunder Bringer" — Eurylochus says the least during this song. His solitary lines are calling for his captain, his brother, his friend one last time and admitting to himself and Odysseus the inevitability of his choice he already knows is chosen. In Neal Illustrator's depiction of this particular song, it shows the crew surging forward at the betrayal as Eurylochus stays behind with a lost and broken look. That hurt resignation is the last thing we see from Eurylochus for the rest of the musical.

Oh my gods, these are the perfect antagonist and protagonist duo, and I love them together dearly.

[aroaceleovaldez]

I HAVE BEEN REMINDED OF SOMETHING i think i've made a post about it before but maybe it's just sitting in my drafts. idk, whatever, I will ramble again. Said thing that reminded me was a tiktok by madison_murrah about how the PJO TV show doesn't get the balance between mundanity and magical correct for pjo and I want to expand on that cause while a.) it totally is a problem in the show and i take issue with it, b.) it is also a problem in later books and i ALSO take issue with that too and i would like to elaborate on it

this got long so ramble of the day below the cut:

so the thing is that PJO is actually pretty unique in it's approach to hidden world modern fantasy. like, hidden world modern fantasy is a decently established genre with a ton of examples, but there's a reason why PJO stands out so much, and that's because technically it's NOT "hidden world." There is very intentionally no distinction between the mundane world and the mythological, at least in first series. They 100% overlap. And you do not necessarily need to be "special" to see the "mythological world-" some mortals are totally naturally clear-sighted, a lot of kids are clear-sighted, and it's like 50/50 for if mortals can become clear-sighted. In fact, most demigods aren't immune to the effects of the Mist, all that really matters is if you're actually thinking about being able to see through it. And there's a reason for that!

In general, this format of the "hidden world" modern fantasy serves two purposes: One, as the series is meant to introduce people to Greek mythology and explain why it is relevant and how it can be relatable in modern contexts, it intentionally juxtaposes myths against modern concepts: Medusa runs an apparently average garden statue store. Procrustes runs a mattress store. The entrance to the Underworld is in LA at a record store. Circe lives on an island paradise that's secretly dangerous. Hydras are like chain donut stores that seem to pop up on every corner. Perseus and his mother struggle in Perseus' childhood but get a happy ending. Calypso has an island paradise where the challenge for the hero of our story is being tempted to leave behind his goals. The plot of Sea of Monsters is blatantly the Odyssey, and it's about Percy trying to get to his best friend (who he shares a literal psychic link to) who is in danger of getting married to someone awful (a literal monster) to help you understand Odysseus trying to get back to Penelope and how important to each other and in sync they are. Battle of the Labyrinth is Theseus and the Labyrinth and it's Percy/Theseus trying to protect his home and his people and fellow kids (like Nico) from the dangers in the maze. These are all supposed to help us understand what is actually going on in those stories.

We also still see how Greek mythology influence shapes and influences western culture in general in their world (which is supposed to be our own and so uses real-world examples) - in government, in architecture, in pop culture - Mythomagic is clearly supposed to be your standard TCG like Magic The Gathering. And in general there is no distinction between where the mythological ends and mundane begins - Camp Half-Blood is both a magical training space for demigods and your run of the mill underfunded summer camp, complete with cheesy camp songs and t-shirts and crafts. Olympus is located on top of the Empire State Building which is operating completely as normal except for when a demigod asks to go to a non-existent floor. Your best friend with a muscular disease in his legs is secretly a satyr. Your brother with down syndrome is a cyclops. Your teacher in a wheelchair is secretly an immortal centaur. Your crappy algebra substitute is a literal fury. But also they're still your teachers. The satyr is still your best friend, the cyclops is still your brother. And that brings me to the second aspect of all of this (which i have talked about before [here] and [here]) - the other purpose it serves is that it is an extension of the overarching disability themes that form the core of the series.

The entire reason that meshing of mundanity and magical is so intertwined is entirely because it's part of the disability metaphor, specifically inspired by early 2000s parenting/teaching concepts for children with disabilities, particularly learning disabilities, as trying to reframe disabilities as "superpowers" to empower kids (and still exists in some more modern forms - like referring to disabilities as "being differently-abled") (I talk about it in my previous post on the subject but this generally fell out of favor due to many kids/students finding it belittling of their struggles) - this is why we get the description of ADHD and Dyslexia being framed as "demigod superpowers." In the series this structure is intentionally made to encourage kids to reframe how they view disabilities in general as not something negative but something interesting and fantastical that they may be more open to engage with - and PJO does this in a really nice way where a lot of the disability struggles are still acknowledged and treated sympathetically. Kids still get bullied, Percy and Annabeth struggle in school or with reading/spelling, they grapple with both internal and external ableism. The entire reason for the titan war in the first series, at least from the demigod perspective, is criticizing flawed systems meant to support disabled people that don't do their job effectively or let too many people fall through the cracks. The Mist "hiding" the "mythological world" from mortals (and even some demigods) is about how most abled people (and some undiagnosed people) don't recognize disability struggles until it affects them personally. None of these things are glossed over! It's handled with nuance and care! The series says "you can be disabled and you can be like these fantastical heroes - not in spite of your disability, but alongside it. Neither negates the other." The series was explicitly made so Rick's disabled son could see himself in a hero and learn about mythology for school. Those are the two pillars of the entire franchise: Disability and learning about mythology.

So, when you mess with that "hidden world" structure, the entire thing falls apart and it immediately doesn't feel right, because it's no longer serving either of those two purposes when it needs to be fulfilling both. Late-series Riordanverse has a tendency to compartmentalize the mythological and keep it entirely sectioned off from the mundane. Think about first series and even TKC versus later series - how many mortal characters are there? what do they do? are they just in the background or do they interact with the main cast frequently? are they more than just family or an extension to the main cast? First series we see Percy's classmates frequently, Percy talks about his mundane experiences at school, multiple mortal parent characters (and other mortal characters like Rachel) are active participants in and vital to the plot. We even see a lot of background mortal characters. In TKC, not only are all the magicians technically mortal, but also Sadie's completely mundane best friends help her out. Now think about HoO, or ToA, or even MCGA. Think about the mortal characters in those series. How important are they? Out of the important ones, how much are they in mundane situations versus being almost entirely involved in something mythological? How many aren't related to any of the main cast? How many aren't actively working for a god? The answer is basically zero! Why is that? Because Rick stopped letting the mundane exist. The entire draw of the main series is that Percy does continue to live this mundane life and that adds to his mythological life and makes the balance and meshing between them interesting, but basically all mundanity ceases to exist by HoO. Camp Jupiter is an isolated entirely magic town. Percy and Jason's schools are full of mythological beings as basically the only people they interact with. The Tri's headquarters is an entire giant building in New York City that they completely control that just so happens to ALSO be directly across the street from the local Oracle's house, because even where Rachel lives isn't allowed to be mundane anymore. Why is Olympus just at the top of the Empire State Building versus the Tri having an ENTIRE building? That feels weird and unbalanced, particularly given the difference in importance between those two! Because one is playing into that balance of the meshing of mundane and magical and the other isn't! The show continues this trend. It doesn't allow any of the mythological to exist within mundanity like it functions in the books, which creates a completely different atmosphere and doesn't allow those spaces or scenes or characters to serve their actual narrative purposes, either making it easier to understand mythology contextually or what disability metaphor or representation is occurring there.

It's part of the problem with show!Percy being too mythologically-savvy - Percy is supposed to be the mundane lens unfamiliar with mythology that the audience is learning by proxy through. That's the entire point of the series! If you have Percy already know everything because he's already too ingrained into this mythological environment from the start, and he just exists in this entirely magical world where he understands everything immediately then the literal target audience of the entire franchise (students being introduced to mythology) is left behind! That's part of why the pacing of the show feels so bad! It's rushing through every scene that's more or less the same as the books, particularly anything mythological, because the show is assuming you've already read the books and already know enough mythology to know what it is and what happens and that you don't want to see it again, so it rushes through. The show doesn't explain things that it presumes you already know - worldbuilding, character decisions, basically any mythology, etc, so it doesn't even bother with it.

Later books in the franchise do this too - as long as it's tangentially Greco-Roman mythology, or if it's anything to do with the main series like a reference in TKC or MCGA or etc, it's not going to elaborate much if at all. HoO speeds through Jason's introduction to CHB, and the only reason we get much introduction to Camp Jupiter is because it's actually new. We're no longer trying to contextualize or learn about mythology, it just all becomes set-dressing and references thrown at you rapid-fire as filler. By late HoO and into TOA and TSATS and such, we're not longer even within the realm of pretending like we're adhering to mythology at all. Why is Iris a vegan? Why is Rhea a hippie? Dunno, don't care! Literally doesn't matter! Why are the pandai panda/elephant-monsters and the troglodytes frog-monsters when that's not part of their actual history at all? Well a.) literally just word associations and b.) possibly a little bit of racism (they're supposed to be humans from India and northern Africa, and you made them monsters. cool. okay. and their plotlines totally aren't horrible within those contexts. awesome. please try thinking literally at all next time, thanks). We're not even bothering to look at mythological instances anymore for a basis, a lot of it's written like we're just going based on the first results on google (hi Menoetes and the cacodaemons - the latter of which is not even spelt correctly once in the entire book - which is weird because they do say "daemon" so they know the word. Not that the cacodaemons are mythologically accurate at all because then they would be humanoid. Instead they seem to just be inspired by the things from Doom). None of it serves the purpose of the narrative at all; we're literally just making random choices, some of them quite distasteful! In large part due to refusing to acknowledge the actual contexts of the myths and how that might translate into something similar or equivalent a modern setting to help conceptualize it - something the first series did inherently by design. And we need this! A.) So that you're less likely to make bad decisions because you are inherently thinking about the historical and cultural contexts of these things and how to compare/explain it, and b.) because the audience for later books/the other series and the show is going to be the same as the first series! Those nonsensical references may be at best cameos to people who are already familiar with them, but if your intended audience is new to mythology then making references like that is just going to leave people out of the loop! You don't shift your target audience in the middle of a franchise!

Later books in the series and the show are failing to understand what the first series was actually doing narratively and how it was approaching these subjects and its audience. When you fail to do that, it completely messes up the general worldbuilding and the core themes and intentions of the franchise as a whole. Once you lose touch with that you might as well just be writing a completely different franchise. You need to approach it from the same lens or else it will feel completely off, because otherwise you've lost all base touchstones that make the series what it is.

[oddyseye]

Dissecting every reason people call Eurylochus a hypocrite because I am sick and tired of defending this poor hungry man.

Eurylochus is not the easy villain or the perfect saint. He is the walking contradiction of the Odyssey and EPIC, and anyone who just calls him a hypocrite without understanding the nuances of his motivations really isn’t paying attention to the full picture. Let’s start with the infamous wind bag fiasco, which happens early enough for Eurylochus to show us his conflict. Yes, he doubts Odysseus’ judgment when it comes to the Wind God’s island, warning him about the risks. And let’s be real, Eurylochus is absolutely right. If you look at the situation, Odysseus is acting impulsively, relying on his wits and bravado, thinking he can control the outcome with the power of his charm. But this? It’s a god’s realm. The gods don’t work on your timetable. At this point, what does Odysseus’ confidence even mean? Eurylochus sees it as reckless, and I agree. Yes, Eurylochus is a bit wary of everything at this point (which might be annoying if you’re Odysseus), but it’s a valid concern. And Odysseus’ reply? It's a bit patronizing. He doesn’t respect Eurylochus’ caution. Instead of listening to his crew member, his second-in-command, Odysseus tells him to stand down and demands blind loyalty. Of course, this sets the stage for Eurylochus’ next crucial transformation. He’s now seen Odysseus as someone who doesn’t care about the real risks or the crew. People LOVE to bring up that line where Eurylochus says he opened the wind bag. Okay, okay, he messed up. But here’s the thing: he knows he messed up, and he admits it. In front of everyone. He’s not hiding it. He’s not making excuses. He’s owning up to it. And people still want to call him a hypocrite? He wasn’t the one who set the trap for the entire crew by opening that wind bag. Odysseus gave some instructions, but he knew the crew was starving and desperate. And then, on top of that, you have the winions stirring the pot, telling everyone there’s treasure in the bag? What did he think would happen? The crew wasn’t exactly in the best headspace to be taking orders from a guy who was clearly not as present as he should have been. You can’t put all the blame on Eurylochus when Odysseus didn’t exactly set them up for success. Everyone was already in a fragile place after the war, and Odysseus should have known better than to leave room for temptation. He was the leader; he should’ve anticipated how bad the temptation would be. Eurylochus gets a little too much flak for something that wasn’t entirely his fault. There’s enough blame to go around for everyone, not just one guy. All of the crew wanted to open the bag, Eurylochus was just the one who did. He represents the voice of the crew. His biggest focus becomes apparent in the Circe Saga, specifically during Puppeteer, when Eurylochus is forced into a brutal choice on Circe’s island. After the men are turned into pigs, Eurylochus has to come to terms with his decision. He’s a pragmatist. He doesn’t trust the island, doesn’t want to gamble their lives on a witch’s promises. So, when Odysseus sends him and the crew to investigate, Eurylochus doesn’t just go along for the ride, he stays behind and urges Odysseus to get out of there. But let’s remember, this moment is a turning point for Eurylochus. He’s scared, yes, but also rational. He was the one who saw the situation from a distance and thought, “This is too risky.” He’s the realist who wants to cut his losses, but it’s important to notice that his fear is the fear of losing more men, not necessarily cowardice. Unlike Odysseus, who acts out of hope, Eurylochus is practical. His attitude here reflects the trauma they’ve been through and how tired he is of losing people. That’s why his frustration boils over later when Odysseus sacrifices men — because Eurylochus has seen enough death.

Now, let’s talk about Scylla. Because this is the moment where everything Eurylochus has learned comes crashing down on him. Remember that vow Odysseus made to him earlier: “There’s no length I wouldn’t go if it was you I had to save”? Well, that sentiment sticks with Eurylochus. He takes that to heart. So when Odysseus makes the decision to sacrifice six men to Scylla, you can see why he snaps. It’s not just that Odysseus is willing to sacrifice them — it’s that he does it without warning, without giving them the choice. Eurylochus feels like Odysseus has abandoned everything he taught him about loyalty. That vow he made? Yeah, it means nothing now. Eurylochus is furious because Odysseus fails him here. He’s been teaching Eurylochus the value of every single life, yet when the time comes to uphold that belief, Odysseus throws it out the window to save himself and his pride. So, of course Eurylochus is mad. And it’s not about the six men dying (because, let’s be real, he’s no saint), it’s about the betrayal. He’s been made to believe in the cause, but now he sees Odysseus as a hypocrite. It stings, and it’s totally justified. This leads us to Mutiny. Eurylochus is right to be mad at Odysseus for sacrificing six men just to save his own skin. Don’t even try to justify that. Odysseus put his own desire to get home ahead of the lives of his crew. Eurylochus did not agree to be cannon fodder for Odysseus’ personal agenda. He wasn’t going to sit back and watch his brothers die without questioning what the heck was going on. So, when Odysseus goes full “sacrifice six for the greater good,” you bet Eurylochus was angry. He wasn’t just upset because they were going to die; he was upset because Odysseus made the decision to send them to their deaths without even consulting them. Eurylochus’ reaction is human, it’s justifiable, and it’s completely rational. He’s not a traitor, he’s someone who realizes that Odysseus’ quest for glory comes at the expense of the people he supposedly cares about. Then we get to the cattle of Helios because apparently everyone’s learnt nothing. Eurylochus has already checked out emotionally. He’s looked at the situation, and for him, the reality of their fate is clear: they’re not going to make it home. They’re already dead in a way, and the gods are just playing with them. So when faced with the opportunity to eat the cows, he sees it as a way to take some control over a situation where they’ve lost all control. His logic isn’t about doing what’s morally right in the eyes of the gods. At least if they’re going to die, they can do it on their own terms — full stomachs, no slow starvation or suffering. It’s a very bleak and cynical perspective, but it’s also realistic. And in a way, it shows a form of wisdom that Odysseus doesn’t have in this moment. Odysseus, of course, refuses to let go of hope. His entire journey is a testament to his stubbornness and unwillingness to give up. That’s his defining trait, and it’s what keeps him going, but it also blinds him to the obvious signs of doom around him. He refuses to accept that the gods are no longer in his favor, that they’ve been punished for their mistakes, and that he’s already sealed their fate. For Odysseus, admitting that they’ve lost would be admitting defeat, and that’s something he can’t stomach. So, instead of facing the reality of the situation, he doubles down on his hope and pride. Eurylochus isn’t the naive one here. He’s not playing the hero’s game. He’s real. He’s already accepted that their journey is doomed, but he refuses to be passive in that fate. He wants to take charge of how they go out. He’s not waiting for divine intervention anymore because, honestly, it hasn’t worked out so well for them so far. He’s out of options and out of faith.

But here’s the darker, more tragic implication: Eurylochus’ perspective is the voice of the crew. His attitude — “We’re never gonna make it home; we’re already doomed” — isn’t just his own individual despair; it’s shared by everyone else around him. The crew is no longer fighting for survival; they’ve been through too much. They’ve seen too many of their comrades die for a cause that seems meaningless at this point (how do you think Perimedes would feel when Elpenor died). They’ve been stranded for so long, constantly at the mercy of the gods, with no real agency over their fates. They’ve lost hope. The entire crew is in a suicidal state of mind, and Eurylochus’ willingness to eat the cows is just the worst tangible sign of that collective despair. He’s the one who finally gives voice to it, like always, but it’s a sentiment that’s been building throughout their journey. He’s come to terms with it in a way that Odysseus has not. In that sense, his desire to eat the cows is almost a form of passive suicide — an attempt to bring some meaning, some control to an already doomed situation. His actions signal a profound loss of the will to live. This attitude is contagious. When Eurylochus speaks, he’s speaking for a crew that’s also checked out, a crew that’s surrendered to the inevitable. They don’t believe in their survival anymore. They’re not thinking about glory or heroism. They’re thinking about getting something out of their final moments, about finding some form of solace in the face of certain death. They no longer care about the gods or their promises. They just want to eat, even if it means defying the divine laws. This is a crew that’s collectively suicidal, mentally exhausted, and emotionally broken. And Eurylochus, in choosing to act, becomes both the catalyst for their final downfall and the embodiment of their emotional exhaustion and surrender.

He doesn’t trust Odysseus anymore. Odysseus promised to bring them home, but where are they? They’re stranded, they’ve lost men, brothers, friends, and the gods keep throwing obstacles in their path. When Odysseus becomes a king in his eyes and no longer a brother, it’s clear: Eurylochus starts thinking about himself, and that definitely doesn’t make him a hypocrite. It makes him human. It makes him someone who’s had enough. So, when the storm hits, and Eurylochus says, “We’re going to die anyway,” it’s not just a defeatist attitude — it’s the voice of someone who’s been burned by his faith in Odysseus too many times. He finally does what Odysseus would have done if he weren’t so obsessed with getting home — he does what’s necessary for survival. It’s harsh, but it’s consistent with his struggle all along. Eurylochus isn’t a hypocrite because he speaks out against Odysseus — he’s just a man who wants to believe in loyalty, but realizes that Odysseus has never really been loyal to anyone but his wife, never his men. It’s a brutal realization, and it’s only when he lashes out in Mutiny that we see the full extent of his disillusionment.

So, before anyone calls Eurylochus a hypocrite, let’s remember that he was the one who had to deal with the consequences of Odysseus’ stubbornness and false promises. He wanted to be the loyal friend, the one who stuck by his leader. But Odysseus made it impossible. Now, he’s just a man broken by the very loyalty he once held dear.

[glitchy-creations]

Telegonus; son of Circe and second prince of Ithaca

It’s Telegonus time! The original 1/2 body pose ref is by @mellon_soup! All information is under the cut 💕

Side note: This version of Telegonus is simply for fun for a silly au I have in my head! Given how little we know of him I did take creative liberties with his lore/character 💕

To start with, my personal au thing I have in my head doesn’t follow the Telegony perfectly. I imagine everything is roughly the same except Odysseus does di3 at the end (this is more comedy than tragedy ngl). Telegonus is the only son of Circe and Odysseus, fathered during the year Ody and his crew were on her island. Circe didn’t realise she was pregnant until after Ody left so he didn’t realise he had another son until years later. Because of this, I imagine Telegonus heard stories about Ody but Circe never really told her son what his father looked like for one reason or another. That’s what caused the “incident” once the two finally met decades later; neither one recognises the other.

I imagine growing up on Circe’s island, Telegonus had developed a deep respect for women. I mean he spent his childhood around his mother and her nymphs, I can’t imagine he would be disrespectful towards women. Telegonus is very much a mama’s boy (not in the toxic way) and immediately shows respect to Penelope when he comes to live in Ithaca. He would eventually come to see Penelope as a second mother and he loves her very dearly. As for his relationship with Odysseus, i imagine it’s a bit more tense and slow going. Not only does Ody have to cope with the fact that he had a child with Circe, he’s now also grappling with the fact that he wasn’t there for ANOTHER son, whether he meant to or not. I don’t think he dislikes Telegonus or anything, they’re just sort of awkwardly navigating the situation as best they can. I feel seeing how well Telemachus & Penelope get along with Telegonus probably helps some of the tension not being so suffocating. Of all his half-siblings, Telemachus is probably Telegonus’ favorite lol. I imagine Telegonus takes after Circe the most, particularly in appearance, though he does take after Ody as well. He’s the most mischievous and playful of his siblings, having taken after Ody’s more mischievous side & always knows how to lighten the mood.

As for design, my main inspiration was the sun and lions! I adore lion inspired Circe designs, given she’s often depicted with them, so I tried to include that motive with Telegonus. He has big fluffy hair, more cat shaped eyes, and his nose was even loosely inspired by the shape of a lions. I also tried to tie in the sun and his familial relationship with Helios in his design. Compared to Ithaca’s royal family who wears cooler tones, Telegonus has a warmer palette. He wears bright gold adornments decorated with subtle sun motifs, his clothes are warmer tones, and even his skin and hair are warmer compared to his siblings. He has warm golden eyes, and to tie in with my other demigod OCs, he has a pink ring in his eyes inspired by a sunrise! I also like the idea that his eyes kind of glow in the dark and that he walks super quietly like a cat. Telegonus has definitely scared Ody and the servants in the middle of the night on accident 😅

[georgi-girl]

Epic the Musical ON STAGE!

So, Epic is obviously great (IMO it makes Greek mythology cool again) and while I love watching all the animatics people make for it, the best visual adaptation I can think of for it would be an official stage play.

Picture this: 

The play opens on a big prop wooden horse. Then the stage crew turns it around and reveals that it's hollow and Odysseus and the Greeks are sitting inside it. Notable men jump onstage as Odysseus says their names. 

The backup singers would wear traditional robes and masks like the Greek tragedies of old. 

Whenever Penelope and later Telemachus are mentioned, they appear on stage and Odysseus looks at them while he sings. 

God characters would stand on raised platforms and have colorful body paint. (Gold for Zeus, silver for Athena, metallic blue for Poseidon, etc) 

The stage lights would turn dark red whenever someone dies. 

The crew would sail on a giant ship prop. 

The lotus eaters would wear flower cloaks and crouch low to the ground. 

The cyclops would be played by someone on stilts with a spotlight for an eye. 

The stage would have a spinning thing like they use in Hamilton. Very useful. I don’t know what it’s called. 

Aeolus would have cyan body paint and sit on a mobile throne of clouds. 

When Poseidon appears, the lighting becomes blue. 

When Circe sings, her nymphs would stand behind her and pose like classical paintings. 

Hermes would have aqua body paint and fly on wires. 

During Circe’s songs, there would be wooden pig props in the background. When she touches them with her wand, they get turned around and the human men appear. 

Ghost characters would be covered in white body paint.  

As the ship sails past Odysseus’ mother, he would walk along it to see her better and as they part, they would reach towards each-other. 

The prophet would touch Odysseus’ face as he foretells the future.  

Former enemies appear behind Odysseus as he sings ‘Monster’. 

Intermission would be before or after the Thunder Saga. 

The sirens would have wings AND tails. The crew cuts them all off. 

Scylla would be represented by giant scary animatronic. 

When Odysseus is stabbed during the mutiny, the crew surrounds him as the scene changes. Then when they part, he’s tied up and they’re on the Sun Island.  

While Telemachus sings, Athena watches him from a distance. 

Right between ‘Legendary’ and ‘Little Wolf’ Telemachas puts up his dukes against Antonios. 

Whenever Athena appears, the lights dim and everyone but her and the one she’s singing to stand frozen.  

As Calypso sings to Odyseuss, she tends his wounds and tries to embrace him. As he sings, he tries to get away from her. 

During ‘God Games’ every god has different lighting. (That goes without saying) 

Calypso helps Odysseus make his raft as she sings.  

The stage spins around to represent the whirlpool.  

During “600 Strike” the ghosts of the crew appear in white body paint and help Odysseus wrestle Poseidon’s trident away from him. 

During “The Challenge” Penelope is followed by hooded servants. In the background, other servants lead hooded Odysseus on stage. 

In the background of ‘Hold Them Down’ Odysseus picks up the bow and strings it, while servants pick up all the swords and spears. At the end of the song he shoots through the axes in Antonios’ neck. 

(I don’t know how to represent suitors being shot by arrows. Maybe the choir members can carry them)  

While Odysseus and Telemachus reunite, servants clean up the palace around them. And before Odysseus talks with Athena, the choir surrounds him and reveals him in handsome kingly clothes.  

In the final song the spotlight is on Penelope and Odysseus while all the other characters watch from the background. When Penelope sings “Waiting” she takes Odyseuss’ hands and they slowly lean toward each other for a kiss. 

What do you think? Be honest! Comments and suggestions are appreciated. I might add additional ideas when I come up with them.

[yoyneversawmehere]

"Jonny, did you ever love me?"

Hermes x divine! Gn reader

♡Review: You find out that your husband wasn't as faithful as you hoped him to be.

♡Content: Angst, cheating, indirect mentions of Circe, Apollo is the news bringer, hurt/no comfort, reader is a divine being.

♡ Author's note: I based this on the book Circe by Madeline Miller and the relationship between Circe and Hermes. 100 per cent recommend.

You hated him.

Any thought of him, any mention enraged you to no end.

Now you understand how Hera felt. You realised that everything she said about Zeus' bastard children was true.

You couldn't believe it when you heard it, but when Apollo came to you with such sentimental eyes, you didn't know what to expect.

"What did someone die?" You laughed upon seeing his distressed face.

Little did you know he would deliver the news that made you crumble.

He explained what had happened, and caution stirred in his words. Maybe to avoid saying something wrong, maybe it was to dim any erupting rage that could potentially cause chaos, but it didn't matter.

There he told you. Hermes had been sleeping with the exiled witch on the island of Aeaea - one of Helios' children. You had heard stories of her, about the dirt in her nails, the way her hair was always in a messy braid, and how she spoke to pigs and lions all day. Upon hearing all this, you never thought he would stoop so low as to cheat on you with her, all while you sat on Olympus waiting for him to come home.

It was baffling, absolutely outrageous, and here you are having to find out about this through his half-brother.

"How.... how long has this been going on?" You didn't look at God in front of you. You tried your best not to erupt in emotion.

"Quite some time now." He said slowly.

"Are you sure?" You answered back, hoping that maybe it was one of Hermes' pranks that he just so happened to drag Apollo into.

"Positive."

Everything in you shattered, the love of your life, gone. All because he wanted some quick fun. You were his wife. Could you not satisfy his needs? Were you too nagging? Did you lose your beauty over the centuries? You couldn't wrap your head around this, but then it clicked.

Like father like son.

Hot Tears ran down your cheeks, your whole body was trembling, and your fists clenched so hard you swore ichor had been drawn.

"Hey..." Apollo started but was soon cut off by the intensity of your voice.

"Leave." Hurt, betrayal, and anger overlapped your voice.

He did not hesitate. He left without saying another word.

Now that you were left alone, every emotion consumed you. You wept and wept for hours, You were lucky you weren't born a nymph; it would be a shame if you turned to stone in a state like this.

Soon interrupted from your thoughts and tears, you heard it. That voice. Oh, how you dreaded it so.

"Helloooo darling, another rough day of being the best messenger of the gods, but I manage." His cocky grin consuming his face.

He watched as you stayed still with your back turnt to him. It was odd, You had always greeted him with a big kiss and hug, rambling about how much you missed him.

Thinking of all you did for him made you cringe. You hated that you were oblivious to his infidelity. However, you hated more that he was such a pig to allow you to make a fool of yourself.

"Darling?" He stepped towards you cautiously

"Shut it." You snapped at him

"What -"

"Did you really think I wouldn't find out? That you were going around fucking exiled witches and making a fool out of me?"

Your words were uneven, your voice was cracking, but you didn't care; whatever it took to relay your thoughts was enough.

For once, the God of mischief was at a loss for words.

Your skin felt hot, and your tears stained your cheeks. Everything he had told you was a lie - how he said you were the only one for him,  that you made his life interesting once more. What a lying bastard he was.

"My love.." He trailed off

"Love?!" You questioned.  "You dare to look at me and call me your love?!"

You were so enraged that you could cause massacres just to be rid of that nasty island he bedded her on.

"I'm sorry...please forgive me, I never meant for this to happen." He pleaded, his voice was haggard, some would say even genuine.

But not you. You were not going to subject yourself to the same endless cycle that Hera did.

He tried to cup your cheek, but you slapped his hand away. Hard.

"Leave." Your voice is cold and brittle. "I wish to never speak to you again."

He swallowed hard, cold sweat visible on his skin.

"Please..." He pleads once more.

You didn't look him in the eyes, truth be told you would've folded right then and there if you did, running into his arms as if no wrong was done.

Instead, you stayed quiet.

He retracts from you, biting his lip in regret, before leaving you where you stood.

You finally broke down, wishing it had never happened. You regretted letting him go, but you knew better than to stay with him. He had made his bed, and now he must lie in it.

Thanks for reading ♡

[dia-draws]

This is an issue I have with epic after rereading the odyssey.

I know that in song form you are limited to what you can and can’t do. But in the version I read the crew didn’t mutiny on the ship - it was building up with Eurylochus in a few different scenes so it wasn’t totally out of left field for him to be the one to convince the others to betray Odysseus.

So anyways for context for epic fans that haven’t or don’t plan on reading the Odyssey - Tiresais as well as Circe both tell Odysseus “hey if you eat Helios’ cattle you’re never going home. Do not do that!” And he told his crew this multiple times while on the island. They get there and the winds start going crazy and they’re unable to sail away from it bc the winds would push them away from where they need to go or even worse against the rocks by the cliffs. But they have the provisions Circe gave them and they eat through those after about a month or so I think it was? And they’re like starving and Odysseus tells them time and time again “DO NOT TOUCH THE CATTLE FIND SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN FISH AND FIND EDIBLE PLANTS” right? So they do that for a few weeks but anytime Ody turns his back on the crew Eurylochus is trying to convince them to eat the cattle bc they’re hungry. Eventually Ody goes on a walk after reminding them to not touch the cattle and some god (it doesn’t specify) forces him to sleep and while he does the crew with Eury at the lead kills and eats the cattle. Ody wakes up to the smell of a cattle cooking and runs back and tears into them (they had done rites to the gods hoping that’ll lessen the punishment too). And they continue to cook and eat the cattle and if I remember correctly Ody is the only one that doesn’t partake in it bc the wording Tiresais uses is something like “anyone that partakes in it is doomed never to return home”.

So with that out of the way my issue is that bc it’s a musical and you lose a lot of context those who don’t have all that information don’t realize they weren’t starving when they got to to island and they didn’t pull the mutiny on the ship like that. I understand changing it for musical needs and that’s fine I’m just pointing out differences and things I personally don’t care for. I still greatly enjoy epic but I think you can be critical of something while also enjoying it.

Pages for proof under cut. No fighting under this pls