#HELLO MOUSAI

[sag-dab-sar]

Vivaldi & "Period Instruments"

I have no one to share my random classical music content binging with. So I shall speak to the void of internet.

I love Vivaldi. Four Seasons isn't my favorite work of his (those belong to RV 15 II & III, and RV 356) but is the most well known and even people who've never listened to it have probably heard it somewhere (Mr Beast used it in background music on airplane video 🤦🏻‍♀️) It is cliche to like him I guess??? Dude has 809 works of music and all most people know is Four Seasons, and thats sad. However, I do love Four Seasons (which by the way is published within a work of 12 sonatas not 4 but I digress)

I found a rendition of the Four Seasons played WITH THE ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTS of Vivaldi's time. AND ITS ASTOUNDING. Of course music and instruments evolve (I have EDM remixes of summer & winter) but I have 3 renditions of the Four Seasons saved to listen to. But this one unlocked something hidden in his work for me? Especially, because so many modern players preform Summer III and Winter I & III like 1700s rock songs, which is enjoyable; but hearing how it can be played on a baroque violin & bow—aka what Vivaldi would have been working with— is worth a listen.

I think out of the now 4 renditions I have saved, this is the only one I enjoy "Spring" in, especially Spring I. I really disliked Spring I, but I felt like with the baroque violin & bow I actually hear the story of Spring.

Also in the captions they added the sonnets that go with the music, which I did not know I needed, its so powerful.

[hyakinthou-naos]

Hello! Could you explain how you make your own authorial prayers? Or even explain how they are made?

Khaire Dollovee,

Thank you for your question! For my answer, I am going to assume that you mean authorial prayers as as synonym for self-written prayers -

When it comes to the hymns I write, I don't have a specific formula or process. I have personally been writing my own poetry and music since I was about 7, so for me most of my hymns are lyrical and/or poetic in nature. I personally believe that every hymn I write is divinely inspired through Lord Apollo himself or the Mousai. (Not that they are speaking through me, just that their blessings guide my work).

However, when I write formal prayers, I follow ancient tradition in how I try to structure my words.

"Any devout worshipper may compose such a verse. A prayer begins with the invocation, including the appropriate epithets and identifying characteristics specific to the particular God or Gods. Thereafter, the request or petition follows..." - Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship (2014, pg 67)

You can see examples of this in this post in the "Opening Prayer & Deity Invocation" section, as well as in the other Hyakíntha ritual posts.

I hope that helped to answer your question. If you have follow up questions please don't hesitate to ask! Additionally, we offer free customized written works as a service the Temple provides to patrons and visitors. You can read more about that here.

Eirene - peace and farewell,

- Aön

[procrasti-pastel]

Hello hello! Been a while since I properly posted. Clearly I did didn't forget about this acc hahaha

I've been planning on migrating to here for a while now, Twitter has gotten to shet since That happened. Eitherway, bye bye bird app, hello fandom app.

Anyway, here's a reference sheet of two siblings, Mousai and Ansel, in my AU, KingdomVerse. Supposed to be Ink but split into two. This is their redesigns :3

Colored lineart version too bcs why not

[sarahlizziewrites]

"This is the Mocking Mist?"

"Mmm." Kintra nodded. "And it is as it sounds, but worse. Now go on - plug your ears. If you can hear me, you can hear it, and no one leaves the mist the same if they listen." ... How bad could this mist really be in comparison? Closing her hand around the wax, Niya decided to wait and see. The whispers started softly. ... Hello, Niya, it crooned. Look at you here, amid this lot. How much you've aged and wrinkled and burned aboard this ship. What a pity, what a shame...You are a fantasy, it said. They only desire you for what you've spelled into their minds with a turn. A twist. You've feared it, Niya. We know. We knoooow. We know your doubts.

Dance of a Burning Sea, the Mousai trilogy, E. J. Mellow

This was the moment I fell in love with Niya and the depth and realness of her emotions.

Writers of Tumblr, what would your protagonist hear in the Mocking Mist?

[buggabeewitch]

I'd love to start working with/worshipping Helios , and was wondering if you had any tips ? (That's fine if not though :) xx )

PS . Love your content and one day would love to commision you

Aw, thanks for the compliment! I hope one day we can work something out for you. Keep in mind I always discount for friends ;)

And as for tips for working with and worshipping our lovely sun god Helios, here’s what I’ve got:

This kind of goes for all Gods, but learn about his myths, retinue, consort, children, and family history. Connecting with a God comes from a place of wanting to learn, and what better way than to get to know him the way you would a person? Except unlike a person, just about everything you’d usually ask in conversation is written so I’d start there.

Remember that he’s a Titan god, learn about what that means. Learn specifically about how titans are worshipped as opposed to the others. I personally haven’t found that it’s much different, but it’s an aspect of him that important to keep in mind.

Bask in the sun, if you can, and say hello. I like to lay on my picnic blanket, looking up at the sky, and say a little morning prayer that I can share on my page after I post this. Enjoying the sun, or learning to enjoy it, is a good way to honor him and his “job.” If you’re sun sensitive, don’t worry! Seeking shade from the sun isn’t disrespectful at all, in fact it would honor his Power and great strength for guiding the sun on his aureole. Even just saying hello to him as you walk from your door to your car on the way out is a great practice.

Be receptive. In my experience, he’s very gentle and soft. He won’t shout so you may have to listen a little harder. I’m not a very experienced diviner, if you can even call me a diviner with as little divination as I do, so I don’t have any tips in that particular regard.

If you can get out of bed for sunrise, welcome him and wish him a safe journey. He’s done it for as long as time, but in my experience he always appreciates well wishes. Also, at sunset or at bedtime, I wish him goodnight in his palace. By doing this, you recognize his labor and honor it. It’s a great thing he does, driving that chariot. Without it, we’d freeze!! And if he did it poorly, we’d burn!

Personally, I make art. If you’re an artist, doing art of a God can be a great way to feel their presence. For example, when I made that Artemis icon, I felt her with me so strongly even though I had never contacted her before or even asked her to be with me. When I do art for pleasure, I usually have the mousai with me. When I do art for worship, I ask that God to be with me. It’s a great way to spend time with them while worshipping them.

My relationship with Helios is very personal, so try to make yours personal too! For example, my mood and well-being are very casually related to the sunshine. So I thank him for that whenever I can. Another example, if you’re a gardener, your plants well-being will be directly tied to sunshine (and other factors) so thank him for keeping your crops, flowers, etc in bloom and thriving! Try to think of some way the sun affects you personally, and go from there!

[mythologyfolklore]

Ares and Athena through the years - Ch. 22

Chapter twenty-two: Apollon's birthday

.

It was rare, that Ares and Apollon actually got along.

But their roles in the Trojan War four hundred mortal years earlier had given them a thing or two to bond upon.

Today was Apollon's birthday.

The god of light, music, healing and plagues made surprisingly little fuss about it, considering how often he insisted on being in the centre of attention, like the pretentious prick he often was. Yet, when it came to celebrating the anniversary of the day he was born, he asked for it to be treated like any other day. He never threw a party or allowed the others to throw him one, though he did accept birthday gifts and wishes. He didn't even remind people, that it was his birthday. Which was why it happened sometimes, that one god or the other completely forgot about it.

Ares wasn't one of those gods – he always remembered his siblings' and half-siblings' birthdays, every single one. That was his subtle way of showing, that he cared.

And that was why today he was himself to sit with his half-brother and endure his fancy and pretentious music, even though he hated it. Ares liked the sound of war flutes and Spartan war drums, but apart from that, music wasn't his thing at all.

The Mousai weren't present (they were busy spreading inspiration on earth), so the two so opposite half-brothers were alone – except for all the animals, who had heard Apollon's music and had gathered to listen. The god just had that inviting and calm vibe, that drew animals in, especially when he sang and played his lyre. Ares on the other hand had a farouche and cold aura, which kept most at a distance.

When an old she-wolf placed her head onto Apollon's lap, he paused his music for a moment.

“Hello there, old girl”, he chuckled and fondly stroked her head.

Ares couldn't help but sigh in relief, because he had been close to falling asleep from the lulling music.

Apollon looked up. “Ares, you don't have to sit here and listen to me. I know you don't like my kind of music.”

“Meh, it's fine”, Ares assured him. “Just thought I might as well relax a little.”

The younger god smiled: “If it's relaxing enough for you to fall asleep, I do not mind. Besides, you look like you could use a nap. And a make-over.”

The war god blinked. “Huh? Do I have bags under my eyes again?”

“And dark rims. Also a few frowning wrinkles here and there. You look like an overworked middle-aged mortal.” The blond handed him a mirror.

Ares beheld his own reflection and laughed: “Oh fuck, you're right! I look like shit!”

He concentrated on his reflection, his face freshened up and he looked as youthful as gods were supposed to (though he still looked older than the other second generation Olympians).

“Better”, the war god nodded in satisfaction. “An' don't worry, Sunny. I'm fine. I just didn't get any sleep last night, no thanks to Zeus an' Hera.”

“If you say so”, the god of healing said doubtfully.

“Trust me on that”, Ares assured the younger man, despite both of them knowing, that he was lying – the fact, that he was referring to his own parents by their names gave it away. But the god of truth had the tact to accept the lie without back talk.

“I still think you should treat yourself to a day off for self-care, though.”

“Ya know I take care of myself as best as I can. I treat my body like a temple.”

“That's true”, the other admitted. “You have your physique to show for it.”

“Damn right.” Ares grinned and elbowed him playfully. “Admit it, ya like my looks. I've seen ya checkin' me out.”

“I wouldn't deny it, even if I could”, Apollon admitted candidly. “You are quite a handsome man – but also really unlikeable. So do me a favour and don't think I'm into you, just because my eyes have been wandering.”

“Rest assured, I don't”, the older god replied. “I wouldn't want ya to be anyway. Ya know how I feel about gettin' involved in that stuff. Speakin' o' which …”

“Yes?”

“When are ya gonna tell Hermes?”

The blond blushed bright scarlet and began to stutter helplessly, until Ares finally took pity. “Never mind, just take yer time. There's no such thing as bein' too prepared, after all.”

Apollon arched an eyebrow. “That's coming from the war god, who rushes into battle and immediately starts slaughtering people left and right, without so much as an actual plan?”

“We're not talkin' about my main job here”, Ares retorted. “I separate my work from my private life. My work is wreakin' havoc among mankind an' bringin' war, as well as performin' the duties of a crown prince – ya know, representation, paper work, all that jazz.”

Awkwardly, Apollon rubbed the back of his neck and admitted sheepishly: “I always forget that you're the crown prince and how dutiful you really are – how much father trusts you with.”

Ares shrugged: “It's okay. Besides, the fewer people know, how much I know, the better. I don't need them pesterin' me with questions about stuff I've sworn to be silent about.”

The blond smiled wryly. “Pretty ironic, how much we know and how little of it we're allowed to tell, isn't it?”

“It is”, Ares agreed. “An' you've seen how Daddy's Owl of all gods failed miserably to handle my princely duties; how she got us into trouble with the Romans.”

Apollon shook his head. “I can't believe she failed at that. Of Pallas Athena, one would expect that she's careful and tactful.”

“Don't blame her”, Ares told him. “She's got the brains for it alright. What she lacks is experience. An' she never got the chance to get it, 'cause I'm not allowed to talk to anyone about it, let alone tell 'em how that stuff works. That stuff is confidential, it's between Zeus, grandaunt Thémis an' me, just like the works of fate are between him and you. There was no way she could've known, especially with how introverted she is.”

“I suppose you're right”, the younger god relented. “But still … you saw them back then. They were so … it was as if they were just waiting for an excuse to come at us.”

“Oh trust me, they were!”, Ares grumbled. “I've been dealing' with them for many centuries. The empire they're dreamin' of is yet to come, yet they're already itching to subjugate the entire Mediterranean, like the hubristic and power-hungry fucks they are (especially Mars – ugh, I hate that arsehole!). Even though as to date Roma is just a small city in Italy, they already act like they own the world- hey, Apollon, are you okay? Shit, what's wrong, you're shaking!”

“Ares … did you hear, what Mars said, before you interrupted?”

“I came right in as he was getting into my mother's face and started to brag about their so-called glorious future.”

“And he said, that he and his pantheon could always fix their problem of not having a god like me … Ares, you should have seen his face!”

“Oh, I did!”, the older god snarled. “And I swear on my immortality, if the situation hadn't been so dire, I would've run a spear through him right then and there!”

“I've seen the future”, Apollon choked out – he was obviously on the verge of tears. “I've seen what is going to happen. The Roman gods and their mortals are going to … they're going to … oh Khaos, I'm frightened!”

“Hey! Hey!”

Before the light god could have a full-on panic attack, Ares grabbed his shoulders.

“Stop!”, he ordered, calmly but sternly. “Look at me. Deep and slow breaths, do you hear me? Deep an' slow.”

Wanting to help a little more, he allowed Apollon to lean into him. Ares hated body contact, but his younger half-brother needed the physical proximity right now. So he sucked it up and gently rubbed the other's back, as the blond sobbed into his shoulder.

“Shhhh …”, he murmured, “Yes, that's right … just breathe. Listen, okay? Whatever scares you, it's yet to come. It's far ahead. Focus on the now. You're safe. You're with family. No one can hurt you now. Everyone and everything's alright. Shhhh …”

Somewhere along the line, the animals that were still here drew nearer and nuzzled the blond, sensing his distress in the way that only animals really could.

Ares couldn't help but chuckle at the display. “Animals really love ya, huh?”

“So what?”, Apollon grumbled defensively. “Not everyone can be the unapproachable, stoic guy you are!”

“You flatter me, but I wasn't making fun of you. Here …” The black-and-red-haired god charmed a box of tissues into his hand and offered it to the other. “Want some?”

The Archer accepted the tissues and dabbed his face. “Thanks. Crap, that was pathetic …”

“Don't say that. It's not pathetic to be scared of the future – especially, if you know how shitty it's gonna be. But if you let it distract you from the present, it'll hurt you and ruin your life. So let's not talk about the future anymore, hm? After all, today's your birthday.”

He felt the younger god sigh into the crook of his neck.

“You're right. Thank you, Ares. For being so understanding.”

The war god chuckled: “Hey, we may not get along most of the time, but you're still my brother.”

“Half-brother”, Apollon corrected. “Do you remember, how you used to remind me of that all the time? How you always called me 'bastard', 'whoreson' and other charming things like that, and used the epithets 'Letoides' and 'Latôios'¹ in the most derogative manner you could?”

Ares laughed sheepishly: “Oh yeah. I did that, didn't I? Sorry for that.”

He could hear the smile in Apollon's voice, as he accepted the apology.

Eventually the light god backed away. “I think I'm better now. Thanks again. I really needed that, I guess.”

“Yeah, I could tell. An' you're welcome.” Then he had an idea and smirked lopsidedly: “So, Sunny. Wanna hear somethin' crazy?”

The younger god shrugged: “Sure, what is it?”

“Has anyone ever told you I can actually sing?”

Apollon chortled: “Yeah, right! I'll believe it when I hear it!”

The older god's grin widened: “Play one of those cheerful dancin' songs you always perform at Dionysos' parties. And I'll sing to it.”

Apollon grinned back and picked up his cithara. “Alright, Andreiphontês². Show me what you've got!”

.

Athena was making pottery again.

Apparently Zeus and Hera had had another vicious domestic and a lot of earthenware had got shattered. So they needed new vases and pots.

With a sigh she molded the rim of the pot.

Really, when would her father and his wife finally get to their senses and get marriage counselling or something like th-

“ATHENA, I NEED YOUR HELP!!!”

Athena yelped in surprise, as Hermes bust through the door, and accidentally squashed the still soft clay pot, rendering her work for nothing.

“Thanks a lot, Hermes! Now my work is ruined and I have to start all over!”, Athena snapped, scrapped the clay and angrily threw it into a bucket of water.

“I'm sorry”, he mumbled in the smallest voice she had ever heard him speak with.

That made her sit up more straightly.

“What do you want, Hermes?”, she sighed. “Please make it quick, because Zeus and Hera are going through earthenware like papyrus and I have a lot of work still ahead of me.”

“…”

The goddess's bright blue eyes narrowed. “You better not walk away like 'it wasn't important after all', after you made me ruin my own work! You busted in here and yelled at me to help you, so whatever it is, spit it out!”

“I … I just … want advice for a present.”

Athena blinked and tilted her head. “Present?”

“Yes … present. Because today is Apollon's birthday.”

“Oh.”

Forgotten was the ruined pot.

It had almost slipped her mind (just almost, but still), that there was a birthday today (because for some incomprehensible reason Apollon insisted, that the mortals should celebrate his birthday, but not his fellow gods). He didn't even bother to remind others, when it was his birthday, even though it clearly hurt him, when they forgot.

“You want my advice on what you should gift him?”, Athena queried, as she washed her hands. “Listen, I may be the goddess of good counsel, but you know Apollon much better than I d- oh no, Hermes, no! Don't give me that look! Stop it! Stop giving me those puppy eyes! Anything but those damn puppy eyes!”

“Pweeeeaase”, Hermes whined and the puppy eyes intensified.

She sighed and dried her hands off. “Alright, fine. Well, I think you should give him something useful. Something he could use in everyday life. Hmm … he already has a lot of tunics and brooches and so on … oh, how about a hairband? With his impossibly long hair, he could always use one. Wait, I think I have a few pretty ones …”

She went over to her cupboard, got a wooden box from it and put it onto the table. “Here you go. You can pick two out of these – only two”, she added warningly, when Hermes eyed the hairbands with a scheming expression.

The god of thieves huffed, but began to search through the bands for two he deemed good enough.

But he seemed to have trouble deciding. “I don't know, they're all so pretty …”

“Pick something that fits his hair and eye colour”, Athena advised.

Hermes muttered under his breath, as he rummaged through the box.

Eventually he gasped and picked out two hairbands – both ruby red with golden embroidery.

“Ohhh, these are perfect!”, he squealed in delight. “They'd look so beautiful in his hair! Thank you so much, Athena! You're the best big sister! Oh boy, I hope he likes his birthday present! Bye!”

Then he made off with the new hairbands.

The goddess of wisdom sighed and inspected the box, if more than two hairbands were missing. And sure enough, that little bastard had stolen three: a dark green one, a bright blue one and one coloured like bronze.

The black-haired woman shook her head with a fond sigh.

That silly, little kleptomaniac …

.

Hermes hurried across Olympos, eager to deliver his own present.

It took a while to find the person it was intended for.

To his great surprise, he found Apollon sitting with Ares on the sill of a large window.

To his even bigger surprise, Apollon was playing his lyre and Ares was singing to it.

That sight was absurd in a lot of ways, last but not least because of the fact, that those two almost never got along and had absolutely nothing in common, save their father and their terrifying anger.

Hermes hid behind a pillar and spied on the two from behind it.

The two so different half-brothers seemed to be having fun.

Something about this bothered Hermes. A lot.

Why are these two sitting so close together, why are they genuinely laughing with each other, why are they smiling like that, since when do these two make music together, Ares doesn't even like music, this makes no sense whatsoever, since when does Ares even like spending time with Apollon, hey you big bully, get away from my beautiful sunshine, wait, when the fuck did I start thinking like that, what the fuck is even going on here-

Luckily, before the brunet could rile himself up he remembered, that Ares was very much straight and Apollon wasn't into people with Ares' demeanour.

Hermes giggled. Silly him! He'd been jealous, just because those two were getting along for a change!

Apparently the two men had heard his giggling, because they abruptly stopped their music and looked around in alarm.

“Did ya hear that?”, Ares noted.

“Yes, and I do hope that was just Hermes”, Apollon remarked.

“SURPRISE!”, Hermes shouted, jumping out of his hiding place.

The other two men screamed and Apollon dropped his lyre in shock. The animals that had been chilling with them, hurried to escape the perceived danger.

“DAMMIT, SQUIRT!”, Ares squalled, “WHY'D YA SNEAK UP ON US LIKE THAT?!”

“Yes, for shame!”, Apollon gasped out. “That was uncalled for, Hermes!”

“Are you kidding?”, Hermes cackled, “That was a riot! You should have seen your faces-” But his laughter died instantly, when he saw Ares' dark expression.

“No, squirt, seriously! That wasn't funny! Sunny Boy had a mental breakdown earlier! His nerves are still raw as fuck and the last thing he needs is to have the crap scared out of him!”

The Messenger blanched, tackled hugged the blond god and grabbed his face.

“What happened?! Please tell me!”, he pleaded.

“Hermes, let go, I'm okay now-”

“No, you're not!”, Hermes cut him off. “Look at you, you're still so pale! Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that!”

“It's nothing, I'm better now, really”, the older god tried to reassure him. “Would you please let go of my face?”

“Oh. Sorry”, the brunet muttered and complied. “Can you tell me what happened now? And how you two of all gods could … uh …”

“Sit together an' actually have some fun?”, Ares supplied.

The Messenger nodded: “Yeah. That.”

“Eh, we just bonded over confidential business – and no, I won't tell ya what it was”, Ares added pointedly, when the other opened his mouth. “I just said it was confidential. And everybody knows that you can't keep a secret for shit, unless we make ya swear the Stygian Oath. So, sorry. Not tellin'.”

Hermes frowned.

He hated when others had secrets from him, especially Apollon.

The god of sunlight, truth and prophecy was actually incapable of lying, so his only other option was to either speak in riddles, or fall silent altogether. It didn't matter what option Apollon chose, because being unable to be open always took a great toll on him.

By contrast, Ares was a natural; he dodged, lied, cheated, countered any attempt at prying and feigned ignorance, like it was second nature to him (which Hermes was sure it was). What he refused to reveal, people would never know.

But this time, much to Hermes' relief, Apollon told Ares, that it was fine.

Ares shot him a doubtful look, but told Hermes: “He's seen the future and it fucks him up, because the future sucks and the Roman gods do too. That's all I can say.”

The Messenger nodded, knowing he would have to make with that answer. “Alright. Whelp, I'm sorry for my crappy timing. Should I come back later?”

Apollon smiled: “No, no. Stay here. Let's talk about more pleasant things. What did you come here for?”

“Oh, right!”, Hermes cried and flashed the blond a mischievous grin.

The blond's golden eyes narrowed. “What are you plotting, you little cattle thief?”

The brunet laughed: “Just hold still and close your eyes!”

Apollon arched an eyebrow, but complied.

The younger god giggled and lost no time in tying up the other's long hair with the new red ribbons. They really did go perfectly with those golden curls.

“What are you doing?”, the older god demanded to know.

“Just you wait … there! All done!”

Apollon opened his eyes and blinked in confusion, as Hermes held a mirror in front of him and one behind his head.

“Look! I got you new hair ties! Aren't they pretty?”

The brunet didn't fail to notice, how the cutest blush ever spread over the older god's pale face.

“Yes … yes, they are”, Apollon said and turned his head to smile at his younger half-brother. “Thank you, Hermes. I love them.”

“Happy birthday, Sunshine!”, the Messenger laughed happily and gave the other a warm hug.

Suddenly there was a click – reminding both, that Ares was still here. And currently smirking at them from behind his camera.

“You two are hopeless!”, the black-and-red-haired god snickered and put his camera back into the bag he always carried about.

Apollon began to stutter in embarrassment, while Hermes just stuck his tongue at his oldest half-brother.

“Oh shut up, you mystery-monger!”, the brunet retorted. “You hate music and I still caught you sing with him earlier! Speaking of which …”, he smirked, “… I didn't know you can sing! You sure have an amazing singing voice for someone, who despises musical activities! What a hidden talent you are!”

“If you tell anyone, that you heard me sing, I'll rip out your tongue!”, the war god snarled.

Hermes put his arms up. “Alright, damn! Relax! I was joking! Seriously, I don't see what your problem is!”

“To be honest, neither do I”, Apollon agreed.

Ares huffed: “Ya mean, apart from the fact, that I'm the god of terrible war an' singin' pretty songs doesn't fit into my reputation? It annoys me, when people ask me to sing for them. I know I can sing, but it's not really a hobby of mine. My hobbies are … ya know …”

“Blood and thunder!”, Hermes groaned. “Yes, we all know it!”

The war god grinned from ear to ear. Then he stood up. “Anyway, gotta go. Bye!”

Apollon jumped up. “Wait! You can't leave me here alone with him!”

The red-eyed god cackled: “Oh, I can and I will!”

“You're pure evil!”

“I'm necessary evil! Happy birthday, Sunny Boy!”

“Why, you old-!”

“Now, now! Let's not stoop to the level of petty insults! Have fun, ya love birdies!”, Ares sang. Then that belligerent arsehole flew up and away, leaving behind two furiously blushing Olympians.

But once they recovered, Apollon turned to the Messenger and grumbled: “I'm telling you, Hermes, he's pure evil!”

“A first class jerk!”, Hermes agreed. “Still, did he give you anything for your birthday?”

Apollon's expression softened instantly and he nodded, smiling.

In that moment the brunet understood.

To spend some time with the blond and let him talk about his cares: that had been Ares' birthday present.

.

---

.

1) Letoides/Latôios: Son of Leto (one of Apollon's epithets) 2) Andreiphontês: Men-Destroyer (one of Ares' epithets)

[memories-of-the-muses]

Welcome to Memories of the Muses

Hello and welcome to Memories Of the Muses, a multi-person devotional blog to the nine clear-voiced Muses, but we still include the Mousai Apollonides and Mousai Titanides. Here we seek to bring worship and glory to the muses, bring attention to writers in their work, and promote poetry and art no matter how “good” or “bad” it is.

Submissions of poetry, art, hymns to the theoi and heroes, etc will be allowed but you must follow the guidelines. Absolutely no bigotry or else you will be blocked on site.

This post will also be serving as a masterpost for all muse educational posts and worship ideas. This will be divided into categories depending upon the author. A known epithet of said mod will be included for Kalliope reasons.

Lastly, please read the Welcome and About page for more information. Thank you for reading and have a lovely day.

Educational Posts

[ Posts by Adrian Of nature-eyed Dionysus ]

[ Posts by light-bringing Riva ]

Devotional Posts

Devotionals

Prayers and Hymns

Submission Guidelines

Thank you for wanting to submit to the blog. You will have to follow these guidelines if you expect your submission to be accepted.

Absolutely no bigotry, antisemitism, white supremacy, etc. Your submission will be deleted and you will be blocked and reported.

Do not attack other gods / heroes in your submission.

No graphic descriptions of sex or sexual content.

No submissions that promote self-harm or other destructive behaviours.

While submissions of non hellenic gods are allowed, your submission must invoke the muses or feature a hellenic god.

Your submission must be a form of writing, music, poetry, dance, astronomy, history, etc. Essentially anything that falls within the realm of the mousai.

If it is a history, analysis of comedy/tragedy, astronomical writings, etc please cite your sources and create a bibliography. You can generate an easy bibliography using this site.

Absolutely no plagiarism.

Thank you for reading and we welcome you to the memories of the muses. May your inspiraby endless.

Updated as of 22 December 2020

[homehearthandheart]

Music Monday / 30 September 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Is your devotional work just the same old song? Try one of the following:

Ancestor Work: Is there a particular song, musical artist, or genre one of your beloved Ancestors really enjoyed? Take some time to listen to that music today. You might even play it over speakers and say “hello” to that ancestor. Think about how that music might have helped your ancestor get through difficult times in their life.

Build Others Up: If you have a friend or family member who shares your beliefs, or talks about their own beliefs with you, find a song that reminds you of one of their Gods or Spirits. Share the song with them. Listen to what they say about that song.

Shrine Improvement: Do you have a way to play songs at your shrine? If you don’t, look into making a system for it. Small, portable speakers are often sturdy and inexpensive, and most phones have access to apps like Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube if you want to play music directly from your phone.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 1st of the lunar month. Kalà Noumenía (Happy New Month)!

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. The first of the lunar month is sacred to Apollon Noumenios, an aspect of Apollon that helps protect the transition from the old month to the new.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Apollon; and To the Mousai (Muses).

Later this Lunar Month (calculated through HMEPA): Saturday marks the Proerosia, a holy day to Demeter; next Sunday marks the Pyanepsia, a festival to Apollon; 7 October marks a holy day for the Athenian hero Theseus; 8 October marks the Stenia, a woman-only festival gearing up for the three-day Thesmophoria (10-12 October); the next Dinner of Hekate takes place after sundown on 27 October, and the Khalkheia takes place on 28 October, with the new lunar month starting the same day after sundown/at moonrise.

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail!

[eatpraylovefayetteville]

Hello: You are cordially invited to the CD listening party for Shirley Lites. We're looking forward to seeing you at this celebratory event. Sincerely, Shirley Lites and 4Bros Entertainment MOUSAI Located inside Cibo one of the best Modern Italian restaurants in Philadelphia and is located at 1227 Walnut Street in the heart of Center City Philadelphia. (at CiBo Ristorante Italiano)

[mitchellatrest]

[Text] Hello, Mitch. I wanted to thank you for all the chances you gave me these past months. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep working at the Rest once the classes start.

Text: Quite a shame to lose you, Josh, but I do understand.  I hope to see you around the kitchens at Mousai this semester then.

[solaskoroleva]

hi luiza! I hope this isn't a weird question: I saw your awesome oc meme thing and fell in love, but I also saw it was for a network! I am sadly not in the network, would it still be okay for me to do it? if you'd rather keep it in the net that's totally fine of course!!!

hello anne!! omg this not a weird question at all?? Please feel free to do the oc meme! I’ve been stalking following other blogs that also made graphics like @mousai-aesthetics and @arthemis - I can only wish for more blogs to take part in it and share their creations!! 💕 it’s just kinda of a ‘challenge’ or ‘event’ open for anyone that has interest in it!

I’m already excited to get to know more about your ocs so please tag me ♥

[starmakcr-blog]

▐✩ mousaie liked your post:Starter Call

                               ❝Hm? oh hello there Miss Tsukino                             is there something I can help you with?                                    I’m in the middle of reading.❞ 

[daniellethamasa]

Hey all, Dani here.

Hello and Happy New Year! Welcome to 2020. I’ll have my Goals for 2020 post up later today, and tomorrow I’ll be wrapping up December and talking about my January TBR, so there’s a whole lot to look forward to here at Mousai Books.

Okay, so first up is watches. We watched the finale of “The Mandalorian,” and wow, I don’t want to wait until Fall 2020 for the next season. That was a great show. I did get Damian to watch all of “Hogfather,” and he really enjoyed it; his favorite characters were Teatime and Death. Then we watched “Home Alone 2” because we didn’t watch it before Christmas and we just wanted to. We also went to the movies and finally saw “Frozen 2,” which was so good, even if certain plot elements were fairly predictable. Oh, and I finished my re-watch of “Arrow” Season 3, and my watch of “The Magicians” Season 4, and even knowing what was going to happen at the end of the season, it still hit me like an emotional rock slide.

I can also say that I’ve been doing a little reorganizing and more planning and plotting so that the new year starts off on a positive note when it comes to my writing. I’m armed with a plan, new writing utensils and notebooks, note cards with important story reminders on them, and the immense hope that I can stick to my writing goals in 2020. We’ll see what happens, but I’ll try to include a small update section each week as I write and edit my book.

Now for reads, I didn’t get as much done as I had hoped. Other things kept popping up and distracting me. I am a huge chunk through a couple books, which is nice. The one read I made sure to get to was Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. I decided about a month ago that I wanted to make a re-read of that book my final read of the year/decade, mostly so I could make my ARC of the sequel my first read of 2020. Thankfully that was a successfully executed plan, so I’m starting my year off right.

Speaking of starting the year off right, have you seen the color chosen for this year’s Goodreads Reading Challenge? I’m not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, but I really like it, and it’s not a variation on a color they’ve done a couple times before already. So that’s nice.

Okay, so what I’m currently reading is I’m still trying to finish up Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. I sincerely hope I can count them both as read books in my next update. But for the next day (or so if I get distracted by being lazy) my first reading priority is Ruthless Gods by Emily A Duncan.

As for what I’m hoping to start reading after I finish those books…well I haven’t fully decided, but I do know my TBR for January, so I guess this particular segment of my post will have to wait until tomorrow’s December Wrap-Up and January TBR post. I have quite a hefty list of books and I’m hoping that I can get through them all. It should be a great start to the new year.

That is all from me for now, but I’ll have my Goals for 2020 post up later today, and I’ll be back soon with more bookish content.

Weekly Wrap-Up (45) Hey all, Dani here. Hello and Happy New Year! Welcome to 2020. I'll have my Goals for 2020 post up later today, and tomorrow I'll be wrapping up December and talking about my January TBR, so there's a whole lot to look forward to here at Mousai Books.

[mythologyfolklore]

Ares and Athena through the years - Ch. 21

Chapter twenty-one: Owls

.

Athena was sitting on the stairs of the porch of her palace, a scroll of papyrus in her lap and writing equipment at her side.

She had been writing something, but somehow got distracted by her own thoughts.

The downside of being wise and intelligent was, that you inevitably ended up having a lot on your mind and being agelessly immortal and older than mankind itself didn't exactly make it better.

“Hey, Daddy's Owl!”

Athena groaned and glowered at her older brother, who was striding up to her without even asking for permission to enter her domain. “Don't call me that.”

He smirked: “Why not? After 37 500 Olympian Years, you're still daddy's 'little Owl-Eye'!”

Her glare intensified. “Calling me that is solely his privilege. And I never gave you permission to pervert our father's petnames for me!”

His smirk widened: “We both know that I do what I want most of the time. But I could always call you 'Miss Smartarse' again, if that's what you prefer.”

“Don't you dare. Also, get off my property. There is a sign at the gate, that says 'No entry without permission'!”

Ares laughed: “I know! Believe it or not, I can read and understand my own native languages. I just don't give a fuck!”

“Yeah, I can tell”, she grumbled and returned her attention to her scroll. If she ignored him, he would get bored and go away, or at least she hoped so.

No such luck, though.

“Don't you have anything to do?”

“Nah. I'm just bored outta my mind. But tell me, whatcha doin', Owl?”

She groaned in frustration: “It's 'what are you doing', how many times do I have to tell you that?! Well, obviously I'm writing!”

“No, you're not. You've been starin' into the air for the last fifteen minutes.”

“How the Tartaros do you know that?! Have you been standing there and watching me all this time?!”

“Pretty much.”

“Why the fuck would you stare at me for over quarter an hour?!”

The war god shrugged. “Dunno. But like I said, I was bored and had nothing to do.”

“That's creepy.”

“I know, that's why I do it!”, he cackled. “What were ya thinkin' about that distracted you from your writin'?”

Athena glared daggers at him. “That's for me to know and for you to never find out!”

Ares pouted: “Aww. Come on, won't you tell your big brother?”

“Tartaros, no!”

“Well, then show me what you've been writing there!”

Before Athena could say something, he snatched the scroll from her lap.

The wisdom goddess tried to retrieve it. “Give it back! It's none of your b-!”

“'The Language of Owls'? Seriously???”

.

Meanwhile in the human world, mortals were startled by a loud, thundering noise and began to panic, thinking that Zeus was making it thunder on a sunny day.

This had to be an omen for something and diviners promptly started to attempt to decipher what it meant.

Little did they know, that what they thought was thunder was really just Zeus' son Ares roaring with laughter over his half-sister's writings.

.

“Ohh, girl, you're such an owl!”

“Shut up! You're such a jerk!”, Athena grumbled angrily and took her scroll back. “It's not like you could understand a word anyway!”

Ares finally stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow at her.

“What?”, she spat.

He grinned and pointed out: “Daddy's Owl, if I didn't understand a word, I wouldn't have been able to decipher the title.”

For this scroll Athena had been using owl language, an extremely rare writing system only known to gods, who understood all kinds of bird languages and were associated with owls specifically.

The goddess of wisdom gawked at the god of war.

That got him laughing again: “Oh, you should see your face right now! It's fantastic!”

“You can read owl language?!”, the goddess asked incredulously. “When the Tartaros did you bother to learn it?!”

“Athena, in case you forgot, you're by far not the only deity whom owls are sacred to! My sacred animals besides vultures, venomous snakes and woodpeckers are barn owls and eagle owls.”

Oh. Right. That must have slipped her mind. She mentally slapped herself for forgetting that detail. Photographic memory her arse!

“But yeah”, Ares continued, “I did learn owl language, that's how I can read what the scroll says. Cute poem, by the way. Never pinned ya to be the poetic type. That's normally more the thing of Aphrodite, Apollon and the Mousai … uhhh, Owl? Hello? You there?”

Athena was still staring at him, like he had just grown a second head.

The older god cackled: “Holy shit! I gotcha speechless, I can't believe it! What a miracle! I gotta tell the others, they'll never believe it! See ya, Daddy's Owl!”

He darted off to find the other Olympians.

Athena looked after him, then returned her focus on the scroll – oh wait, never mind, it was gone! That arsehole had snatched it again!

“Jerk”, Athena muttered and stood up to go after him and retrieve her property.

Still she couldn't help but smile a little.

As much as she hated this man, there was one thing she had to admit: he never ceased to surprise her.

[homehearthandheart]

Cleanse-Day Wednesday / 10 July 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Does your devotional routine need polish? Try one of these:

Shrine Maintenance: When was the last time you cleaned the surface of your devotional areas? Pick a shrine or altar, gently remove the objects on it (to a ritually purified area or container if possible), and clean the shrine/altar surface. Diluted vinegar with a couple drops of a nice-smelling essential oil will clean most surfaces–but use an oil-based cleaner if the surface is polished stone, and if the surface is solid wood, use some furniture polish and rub along the grain after cleaning. Put the “shine” in “shrine”!

Self-Improvement: If you’re having trouble getting out of bed or getting motivated to do anything today, find a way to take bath or shower. Being clean physically can help put you in a better frame of mind to say hello to your Gods and Spirits. Even if you’re in pain and this is one of few things you are capable of getting done, remember: what you are capable of getting done today matters.

Build Others Up: Find a person who is helping keep the world around you clean. Did a family member do your laundry or help clean the house today? Did you see someone picking up litter or cleaning up after their pet? Thank that person if you are able. (Thanking a stranger may feel awkward or forced at first, but trust us–it goes a long way!) Then, go offer a prayer to your Gods and Spirits that something good happens to that person. (Warning: subjectivity abounds here–be mindful of which entities you are propitiating and how you phrase your request. A war deity may have different ideas of blessings than an artisan deity or a group of tree spirits!)

Today in the Hellenic Calendar: 

Today is the 7th of the lunar month.

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. In the Athenian calendar, today is sacred to Apollon.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Apollon; and To the Mousai (Muses).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail! 

[homehearthandheart]

Music Monday / 14 January 2019

Welcome, Devotees!

Is your devotional work just the same old song? Try one of the following:

Ancestor Work: Is there a particular song, musical artist, or genre one of your beloved Ancestors really enjoyed? Take some time to listen to that music today. You might even play it over speakers and say “hello” to that ancestor. Think about how that music might have helped your ancestor get through difficult times in their life.

Build Others Up: If you have a friend or family member who shares your beliefs, or talks about their own beliefs with you, find a song that reminds you of one of their Gods or Spirits. Share the song with them. Listen to what they say about that song.

Shrine Improvement: Do you have a way to play songs at your shrine? If you don’t, look into making a system for it. Small, portable speakers are often sturdy and inexpensive, and most phones have access to apps like Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube if you want to play music directly from your phone.

Today in the Hellenic Calendar:

Today is the 7th of the lunar month.

In Hellenic traditions, the first few days of a new lunar month tend to be special days for honoring important Deities in one’s area. In the Athenian calendar, today is sacred to Apollon.

If you like incorporating daily hymns into your prayers, Drew Campbell recommends the following prayers for today: To Apollon; and To the Mousai (Muses).

Daily Reminder: If you know of any resources you’d like us to incorporate on our site, or any sites/projects you’d like us to signal boost, send us an ask or fanmail!