#Hellespont

[davidstanleytravel]

The Dardanelles Strait, aka Strait of Gallipoli or Hellespont, separates Europe from Asia and provides a shipping route from Istanbul and the Black Sea to the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

[mendokseee]

[profamer]

The Origins of - Hellespont: The older name of the “Dardanelles,” where Helle in fleeing from her stepmother . . . #english #ingles

The older name of the “Dardanelles,” where Helle in fleeing from her stepmother was drowned. This occurred at the point where Xerxes with his army had crossed the strait on a temporary bridge. Source: Phrases and Names Their Origins and Meanings by Trench H. Johnson Thank you for visiting EL4E.com Tomorrows phrase or name will be A la Guillotine.

[clairity-org]

Filippino Lippi, Five Sibyls in Niches: The Samian, Cumean, Hellespontic, Phrygian and Tiburtine, ca. 1472, Oil on poplar panel, 11/21/23 #legionofhonor by Sharon Mollerus

[lesamis]

1810s dashboard but it's niche drama

💛 heartofanna Following

imagine cancelling someone for saying war is bad

🧵 sharethewoe Follow

#didn't expect better from w*rdsworth but some people i rly thought i could count on…… #anyway we will live to see this empire fall. can't stop history lol (via @heartofanna)

speaking as someone who was press ganged at the age of 17 to serve in his majesty's royal navy i couldn't be more grateful for your poem. young men like me are cannon fodder and you spoke for so many of us. fuck napoleon but fuck parliament even more.

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chatterpwned-deactivated78345629743

stable forgiving virtuous flourishing in my lane definitely not buying poison moisturized unbothered never been better

chatterpwned-deactivated78345629743

me when i lie

179302 notes

🏛 mynoseisfine Follow

Settling this once and for all. What does the public actually think about the Parthenon marbles debate:

🦉 realminerva Follow

lol i know it’s you lord elgin

🦉 realminerva Follow

like we joke and all but fully aside from the fact that removing the sculptures from greek soil was vulturine and opportunistic etc, it’s really just the tip of a frankly gigantic mountain of imperialist bullshit. let’s not pretend we haven’t been brutally killing hundreds who resisted oppression in india, LITERALLY BOMBED A NEUTRAL EUROPEAN CAPITAL, and embarrassed ourselves in the charge against napoleon for years now. pathetic ass empire & evil as hell to boot. @mynoseisfine the greeks who carved your marbles millennia ago would kick your tory ass so hard

3661 notes

🎀 emmawoodhousestan Follow

how do i still keep seeing thomas chatterton's final post being reblogged, wtf is wrong with you freaks??? he was seventeen it was tragic and horrible and happened ages ago. he was a kid just let him rest

294 notes

🍎 masque-off Following

callout post for @castleyeah @lordsidmouth @officialcoe @parliamentofficial: they oppress, murder and famish the british working people & also suck majorly

⛪ castleyeah Follow

sour cuz you’re unfit to have custody of your own kids huh

🍎 masque-off Following

proud to be the dad of a newborn who could already rend your pudding spine asunder with a mere glance

187 notes

🦆 mallardturner Following

finished this today 😊

44 notes

😎 chadeharold Follow

why is it always “you’re risking your life and legacy & will get yourself killed before the age of five and twenty” and never how was swimming the hellespont the hellespont looked fun was it fun

🎭 loved-joanna Mutuals

ohhh my god you swam the hellespont five years ago?? wooow should we tell everyone?? should we throw a party?? should we invite famous hero of greek myth leander who swam the hellespont

😎 chadeharold Follow

@loved-joanna look we never had any beef & don’t have to start this now. it’s cool that you’re sticking up for my ex, you guys were friends first, but just know that i’ve always trusted your opinion on my work & genuinely respect and admire you & would still be up for a collab whenever.

🎭 loved-joanna Mutuals

yea sure why don’t your lips collab with my ass

😎 chadeharold Follow

on it boss

1009 notes

#literally call me. down if you are

🍂 endymion Follow

sorry is it me or is the assassin who stabbed german bootleg wordsworth kinda…… 🥵

💄 biprincesscharlotte Mutuals

JOHN KEATS????????

2427 notes

#i'm p sure this is the author of lamia thirstposting on main??? help

🌾 huntsmanx Follow

romanticism this romanticism that why don’t you romanticise universal suffrage and rights for labouring people

🌾 huntsmanx Follow

anyone else in jail for seditious libel

🏹 axelaidtotheroot Mutuals

lmao i'm one of the “anyone else”s and i know you’re enjoying family visits and apparently some kind of cushy armchair situation, plus tons of books. try being in here as a spencean dude they won’t even let me learn how to write. worst of all some evangelical came by yesterday just to proselytize & put me “on the right path” fml

8341 notes

🗻 mounttambora Follow

y'all i don't feel so good :/

59 notes

[lionofchaeronea]

Stater (16.14 grams), minted from the naturally occurring gold-silver alloy electrum between 500 and 450 BCE by the polis of Cyzicus (located on the Hellespont in northwest Anatolia). The obverse, shown here, bears a gorgoneion (gorgon's head) above a tuna fish. Now in the British Museum. Photo credit: ArchaiOptix/Wikimedia Commons.

[boinkingbattlemechs]

Urbanmech

The UrbanMech was designed for just what its name suggests: urban combat and defense, and may be classed as an ambusher. This was achieved by starting with a cheap, easily produced chassis, giving it six tons of Durallex armor to rival the protection found on many medium BattleMechs, and mounting a pair of Pitban 6000 jump jets for a jumping distance of 60 meters. The tradeoff was that it could only mount the miserable Leenex 60 engine, making the UrbanMech the slowest light 'Mech in existence with a cruising speed of 21.6 km/h and top speed of only 32.4 km/h. This was a severe disadvantage if the 'Mech attempted to fight in open country—something for only the foolish or desperate—but offset by the fact that fighting in the close confines of a Star League city left little room to maneuver anyways and the UrbanMech's low profile made it difficult to target. Thus the 'Mech was primarily used for fighting guerrillas and other light 'Mechs in an urban environment, an arena where it also achieved some success fighting medium and even heavy 'Mechs. Standard tactics for an UrbanMech lance was to split up into its constituent parts and occupy various buildings in order to snipe the enemy before falling back to the next defensive line.

Large numbers of UrbanMechs were produced by Orguss Industries from 2675 until the destruction of their assembly lines. The UrbanMech reentered production at the Betelgeuse facility of Hellespont Industrials during the Jihad, and continued to be manufactured up through 3149. As such, UrbanMechs could be found in all of the armies of the Successor States, however most military leaders saw the slow little 'Mech as a liability, confining their stockpiles to garrison duty or stripping them of parts. This dismissive attitude towards the UrbanMech saved it from the ravages of the Succession Wars and ensured its continued use into the thirty-first century. The Capellan Confederation remained the largest and only user of UrbanMechs to actually deploy them for front-line duty, a result of the devastation of the Fourth Succession War and their desperation for any 'Mech to replenish their losses. The Confederation Reserve Cavalry and Capellan Defense Force had the lion's share of UrbanMechs, followed by the Tikonov Republican Guard and St. Ives Armored Cavalry; outside the Confederation the Federated Suns' Capellan March Militia fielded the largest number of UrbanMechs due to the fact it was composed of large amounts of captured Capellan equipment. Its prominence within the Confederation meant the UrbanMech was among those 'Mechs within the CCAF to receive upgrades following the recovery of lostech; the other States followed suit with much less priority over improving other 'Mechs. Despite this the sheer cost necessary to replace the UrbanMech's engine and increase its top speed meant even the Confederation limited their refit packages to improving the weapons and armor only. At some point, the common 'Mech earned a cocktail in its name.

A testament to the desperation of the Word of Blake Jihad, Hellespont Industrials would reactivate a shuttered production facility on Betelgeuse to produce the UrbanMech alongside primitive "retrotech" designs for material starved Capellan garrison forces. This plant would maintain production of the UrbanMech in a steadily increasing volume of configurations throughout the Dark Age era as the CCAF secretly expanded before it waged war against the Republic of the Sphere. Rather than dramatic and expensive enhancements, Hellespont's new variants retain the venerable design's low ground speed urban combat focus and can be applied as refits as readily as new production.

The UrbanMech packs a powerful punch for its size. The standard version carries an Imperator-B AC/10 in its right arm and a Harmon Light small laser in the left arm for suppressing infantry as well as a backup weapon. With these two weapons the UrbanMech can constantly harass, or if piloted by an experienced enough MechWarrior, down 'Mechs up to twice its own size. A single ton of ammo for the autocannon, located in the right torso, leaves little endurance for a prolonged fight, though it fits in perfectly with the hit-and-run nature of the 'Mech; one way or another most observers agree the UrbanMech is good for about two minutes of combat.

[whencyclopedia]

Golden Fleece

The Golden Fleece is the fleece of a flying, winged ram named Crius Chrysomallos, or 'Golden-fleeced Ram', in Greek mythology. It is best known from the story of Jason and the Argonauts, who were sent by Pelias, the ruler of Iolcos, to retrieve it from Aeëtes, the king of Colchis.

According to the Roman poet Ovid (43 BCE to 17 CE) in his Metamorphoses, Chrysomallos, the golden-fleeced ram, was the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Theophane, the daughter of Bisaltes, a son of Helios and Gaia. Theophane was a beautiful woman, which meant she was often inundated with men. Poseidon carried her away to the island of Crumissa, where he transformed her into a ewe and himself into a ram. After laying with each other in ewe and ram form, Chrysomallos the golden-fleeced ram was born. The ram was sent by Nephele, a cloud nymph to save her children Helle and Phrixos from being sacrificed. He carried Phrixos all the way from Orchomenos in Boeotia to Colchis, but Helle fell off off the ram's back on the journey and plunged into the sea. When they reached Colchis, Phrixos sacrificed the Ram and laid its golden fleece in a sacred grove to Ares. This golden fleece would then become the object Jason and his Argonauts were sent to retrieve.

Chrysomallos, the Golden-fleeced Ram

Athamas was the king of a Boeotian city, Orchomenos in southeast Greece. He married Nephele, a cloud nymph, and they had two children, Phrixos and Helle. Athamas began to neglect Nephele and became enamoured with Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, the king of Thebes. Athamas deserted Nephele and married Ino, who held no love for her stepchildren. Ino was furious that Phrixos and Helle were Athamas' heirs, not her children with the king. So, Ino hatched a plan to dispose of Phrixos and Helle to clear the path for her children. Ino corrupted the realm's grain, which meant that it would not germinate when it was sown. In response to this sudden agricultural devastation, Athamas sent messengers to consult with the Oracle of Delphi to see what could be done. Ino however, intercepted the messengers and persuaded them to falsely report back to her husband that the way to resolve their grain problem was to sacrifice Phrixos (and in some sources, Helle, too).

Athamas was convinced he had to sacrifice his firstborn child (or children), but before they could be killed, Nephele sent the golden-winged ram to save her children. They were successfully whisked away from Athamas and Ino, but on their journey, Helle either became dizzy from looking down or lost her balance, and she plummeted into the sea. The place in which she fell became known as the Hellespont, or "Helle's Sea", and this area is now known as the Dardanelles. Phrixos survived the journey and safely disembarked the ram in the region of Colchis. He was welcomed by Aeëtes, the king of Colchis, son of Helios and brother to Circe and Pasiphaë. Next, depending on the source, Phrixos either sacrificed the ram or the ram itself gave his fleece to the boy before ascending into the stars to become the constellation Aries. Either way, Phrixos gave the golden fleece to Aeëtes, who hung it on an oak tree in a sacred grove to Ares and had it guarded by a large serpent, known as the Colchian Dragon, that never slept.

Continue reading...

[flaroh]

Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius!♈♌♐ Speeding along on my ancient Greek astrology series with the fire signs 🔥

Prints and merch available [X]

For Aries we have the Golden Fleece, which features in many Greek myths as a heroic trophy. It is the hide of the golden ram which carried Helle and Phryxus over the Hellespont and was later stolen by Jason. Leo is a sphinx, a Greek monster with the head of a woman, wings of an eagle, and body of a lion 🦁 she would ask mortals riddles and eat them if they got the answer wrong. Originally the Leo constellation is based on the Nemean lion - a massive lion with unbreakable skin that Hercules killed for one of his labours. unfortunately the sketch never worked out for this concept. To keep up the symmetry, either Hercules was too big or the lion was contorted into an unbelievable pose. So instead I went with one of my fave Greek Leonid beasties Finally, for Sagittarius I illustrated the centaur Chiron, who mentored the hero Achilles, with a flaming arrow. I love that even though Sagittarius is "the archer" it's almost always a centaur archer! This Greek myth astrology series features each sign represented by a character or event in mythology (whether canonically related to the sign or not - I'm vibing).

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The poet is, etymologically, the maker. Like all makers, he requires a stock of raw materials — in his case, experience. Now experience is not a matter of having actually swum the Hellespont, or danced with the dervishes, or slept in a doss-house. It is a matter of sensibility and intuition, of seeing and hearing the significant things, of paying attention at the right moments, of understanding and co-ordinating. Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him. It is a gift for dealing with the accidents of existence, not the accidents themselves. By a happy dispensation of nature, the poet generally possesses the gift of experience in conjunction with that of expression. What he says so well is therefore intrinsically of value.

—Aldous Huxley, Texts and Pretexts: An Anthology with Commentaries p 5 (1932)

[Robert Scott Horton]

[king-of-men]

Poseidon, like most male Greek gods, was both an incredibly jealous husband and a terrible philanderer. When he accused his wife of cheating, the wine-dark sea would roll white with his rage from the Hellespont to the Pillars, and mariners would make for home, or for a port, or for any shore that might spare their lives if not their vessels, as fast as the howling winds could push the taut-stretched sails.

But Amphitrite knew how to handle him. When the storm neared its height, she would raise one eyebrow and gently inquire after the health of Amymone, or Larissa, or Canace as the case might be - whichever female Poseidon had most recently gotten pregnant; and behold, Poseidon would slink away ashamed, and the storm would subside, and the wine-dark sea would again carry ships safely from port to port.

This was the first sea-quell query.

[karriethemechtech]

Sabretooth SB2-RT

Mass: 100 tons Chassis: Earthwerks AS IV Power Plant: Vlar 300 Cruising Speed: 32.4 kph Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph Jump Jets: None Jump Capacity: 0 meters Armor: Hellespont Lite Armament: 2 ER PPC 5 Medium Pulse Laser Manufacturer: Majesty Metals and Manufacturing Primary Factory: Unknown Communication System: Tek BattleCom Targeting & Tracking System: Tek Tru-Trak Introduction Year: 3146 Tech Rating/Availability: F/X-X-X-D Cost: 16,031,000 C-bills

Overview Proposed as part of Project: BIG CAT for the Magistracy of Canopus, the Sabretooth was designed by Majesty Metals and Manufacturing in 3146 as a hardy, brutally effective brawler.

Capabilities The Sabretooth was the most troubled of the three BIG CAT designs; early drafts were unfocused and confused messes; months of prototyping went into fitting all of the necessary components onto the frame. To accomodate the bulk of all of the components, Endo Steel was escewed in favor of more traditional materials. The 'Mech is armed with two Clan-spec ERPPCs for long range, mysteriously supplied in the same way as the Yaguara's large lasers. For closer ranges, the machine mounts five medium pulse lasers, all across the top half of the 'Mech, as well as two massive claws. These giant blades are capable of decapitating a mech in a single swipe, making the Sabretooth a terrifying force up close.

Deployment The Sabretooth is used among the Magistracy Armed Forces in much the same manner as an Atlas--find a target, approach, and make that target cease to exist, while shrugging off as much fire as possible. Indeed, the Assault 'Mech's snarling visage is starting to develop a reputation all its own.

Type: Sabretooth Technology Base: Mixed (Standard) Tonnage: 100 Battle Value: 2,547

Equipment Mass Internal Structure 10 Engine 300 Fusion 19 Walking MP: 3 Running MP: 5(6) Jumping MP: 0 Double Heat Sink 18 [36] 8 Gyro 3 Cockpit 3 Armor Factor (Light Ferro) 307 18.5 Internal Armor Structure Value Head 3 9 Center Torso 31 47 Center Torso (rear) 15 R/L Torso 21 32 R/L Torso (rear) 10 R/L Arm 17 34 R/L Leg 21 42

Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Heat Tonnage Supercharger CT 1 - 2.0 Medium Pulse Laser RT 1 4 2.0 3 Double Heat Sink RT 9 - 3.0 ER PPC RT 2 15 6.0 Claw LA 7 - 7.0 Medium Pulse Laser LA 1 4 2.0 Medium Pulse Laser LT 1 4 2.0 3 Double Heat Sink LT 9 - 3.0 ER PPC LT 2 15 6.0 Medium Pulse Laser HD 1 4 2.0 Claw RA 7 - 7.0 Medium Pulse Laser RA 1 4 2.0

Features the following design quirks: Distracting, Stable

And here's the final of the three Project: BIG CAT designs! This one has...wow, that's a lot of armor. A LOT of armor. And can swipe your head off in one punch if you're not careful! Yikes. I'm glad I'm on the same side as these things.

[jojolymes]

𝐒𝐄𝐀 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄; arc one

I. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐚

next: I. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐚 | table of contents

AS FATE would have it, the island of Oetia had been so shrouded in the overgrown greenery of myth and legend that any tall tale could eventually be seen as fact with a simple pen stroke in the people's history books. It wasn't hard in such a place when even the isolated nature of Oetia was an epic, filled with glorious gods that had devoted themselves to saving Oetians from the dangers of the Grand Line. These gods kept the Oetians happy: they kept their harvests bountiful, swept danger away in the waves, and ensured peace throughout the island. No myth had failed them yet, so they had just become part of normalcy—even Helle's.

You let her name simmer in the forefront of your thoughts, let the wind around you sweep it back and forth like the bow of a fiddle, making melodies out of your synapses. Helle, Helle, Helle, Helle, Helle, Helle, Helle. Helle, queen of the sea, ancient princess of Oetia. You wished her to you, hoping today would be the day she answered your prayers. You hoped she could feel the ache in your knuckles and the tightness in your fingers each time you clasped your hands together. You hoped she could see how close you pulled your hands to your chest as if you were desperately trying to push it into the cavity of your chest.

But just as always, she didn't respond.

"May Hellespont be merciful." The words tiptoed on the whisper of your breath, leaving as soon as they came. You let your eyes flutter open, allowing their heaviness to be swept away with the sea breeze. In the shelter of Helle's shrine, you looked out upon the Hellespont Sea, its waves so tranquil it made the ocean just beyond the jagged rocks appear vicious. You watched it silently, fingers still clasped tight, your knees aching against the ceramic tile. Your joints screamed for a reprieve, but you wished them silent and stared out into the endless expanse of blue.

Somewhere out there, on islands that were part of the seven routes on the Grand Line, were people— no, devils. Vicious men and women with powers stolen from the gods, seizors of prosperity. Monsters. It was a miracle that none of the men and women who had come to Oetia in its early days were like them long before the self-proclaimed king of those monsters had caused havoc for the dwellers of the Grand Line. You drew your eyes away from the ocean and instead to the clear waters of Hellespont that oscillated against the rocks, too curious of what was beyond. Still, it would never cross over, and neither would you.

You pulled your gaze back to Helle's statue, almost glowing in the beginnings of sunlight. She stood in front of you, reaching for the sky, desperate. You didn't want to think of her myth today, so you messed with the long, light blue, almost white dress you were made to wear every morning instead. Not that you could complain about it, no, that was anything but princess-like. Somewhere behind you, you could hear the faint, hurried calls of your lady-in-waiting, Nasia. You prepared your smile and glanced at the fresco-painted gods above you, who stared back with cold eyes.

"M-My lady! My apologies-" You turned to meet Nasia, red-faced as she rushed toward you with her dress pulled up to her knees. She was frantic, her sharp breaths making it harder for her to utter any words past the ones she had already said. You held back a laugh but kept a graceful smile to save face. The last thing you wanted to do was embarrass her, and you had the feeling that with a few words, you wouldn't have to worry about that.

"May Hellespont be merciful."

"Ah, may Hellespont be merciful, my lady- I truly didn't mean-"

"Nasia, please... It's alright," you assured her with a smile, closing your eyes as if it would help soothe Nasia's nerves any more than if you had kept your eyes open. When you opened your eyes once more, she was still teary-eyed but—if you had to assume— much more relieved. Her eyes sparkled, and you prepared yourself for the usual onslaught of praise. The gods would have to forgive you today. You seriously considered allowing the compliments to get to your head. Inflate the ego you shouldn't have had a bit.

"Oh, praise Helle! My lady is far too kind! Had it not been for my lady's grace, I would have long been without a way to provide for my family! Oh, praise Helle! Praise be!" Nasia sang, hurrying behind you to gather the rest of the spindling fabric you could not carry on your own. You let a chuckle slip from your lips as Nasia continued her praise, making your heart swell with— oh, no, you really couldn't let yourself feel so giddy. Pride was something reserved for anyone but you. Nasia's compliments soon dimmed to a small humming as she cradled the fabric in her arms.

"Alright, my lady! Let us make for your chamber! Breakfast has already been fixed!" Nasia cheered, head barely poking out from above the sea of blue-white. You peered at her from over your shoulder and gave her another smile, watching her eyes light up. You knew one day she would realize the truth about you. She would realize that you weren't fit enough to be a princess. Until that day, you would let yourself revel in her devotion. Let her believe in a girl not fit to be anything close to a goddess, let alone a princess.

"Has there been any news of my father's arrival in Paloen?" you asked as you strode forward with care, heading for the staircase that was just out of view. The light of the sun grew dim, filtered by the leaves of the trees that framed the mosaic-style tiles that led away from the temple. Your bare feet ached for the grass, yearning to feel the morning dew between your toes. The sea breeze whistled for your return, but you kept your gaze on the path, keeping a tight grip on your dress.

"Surprisingly, there has yet to be any news," Nasia began, keeping close behind, "but at this rate, he's sure to arrive with Lady Irini and the young lords by sundown." You blanched— Irini must have been overjoyed to be with your father, far, far, away from the crown prince and princess that she despised so much— but kept walking, hoping your momentary silence didn't scream the obvious. The last thing you needed was for your silence to be taken the wrong (or rather, the right) way. Your stepmother knew too much about how to use things like that against you. Thank Helle, your half-brothers hadn't inherited such a trait.

"Ah, hopefully, Lou and Mica haven't caused too much trouble for Father and Mother—" you strained yourself to call that wicked woman your mother, it felt like treason, "— Mica is of that age where all he'll do is ask questions. I'm not sure how many 'Are we there yet's Father can handle." Nasia giggled, and you joined her, albeit softer. You had barely registered that the stairs were in front of you, your mind too addled with worries about the woman you despised since the moment she had taken the place of your mother at your father's side.

"And Lou is convinced he can do anything without help. I even caught him scolding Mica the other day," you added as Nasia continued giggling, all the while you took the first step that made up the long descent down the steep staircase. You readjusted the dress in your hands to keep one hand atop the wall. It was the only thing keeping you from falling into the rocks below that shot sea spray up onto the stairs. The water pooled along the edges of the steps, and you made a mental note to remind your father to redesign them before anyone got hurt.

"You must miss the young lords," Nasia cooed as you turned around the corner of the staircase, beginning to come down the second flight, "how lovely to know that their sister worries for them." You held back the big grin on your face. Seriously, if Nasia complimented you anymore, you weren't sure how you could keep a regal composure. Still, maybe just once wouldn't hurt. As you made your way down the final steps, you convinced yourself to turn around at the bottom and give Nasia another smile.

"You think too highly of me, Nasia. What kind of older sister would I be if I didn't miss my dearest brothers?" you grinned, watching Nasia's eyes widen as she missed a step and fell straight at you. You didn't even take a moment to think before shooting one leg back to steady yourself, dropping the fabric in your arms to catch her instead. Her body fell into yours harshly, the weight of her body straining against your own. You nearly fell back, but you let Commander Vlassis' words overwrite your thoughts.

"Allow your body weight to sit on that back leg- Magnificent job, Pericles!"

Nasia was limp in your arms, and you could only assume she had lost consciousness from the sheer shock of falling. Past her, you spotted the fabric of your dress, dirtied and wet by the overspray of the waves that had dampened the floor. You had been so busy worrying about smiling that you hadn't even reminded Nasia of the slippery steps. Now, she was unconscious, and oh, Helle, your stepmother was sure to say something if she found out.

Nasia's head rested on your collarbone, and you tried to push back the thoughts that started running rampant in your mind. She lay still in your arms for a few moments longer, her fingers twitching around your biceps. Nasia jumped back before you could even ask if she was okay, her eyes wider than you had ever seen them, while her cheeks glowed a faint red.

"My lady! I am so deeply sorry! I didn't mean for, I didn't-" Nasia sputtered, nearly slipping on your dress this time. Your dress had become a hazard now, that much your father would have to understand. You grabbed her arm before she could fall a second time, making Nasia's cheeks burn brightly, contrasting against her pale skin. She stared at your hand until you removed it slowly, watching as she bowed her head at your gaze. Shame pooled at the bottom of your stomach as she began to sniffle.

"Nasia, it's alright," you assured her, "the stairs just weren't cleaned properly after the rough waves from last night. No one could blame you for your fall. Not even I." Nasia looked up at you with a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Oh, Helle, she only ever seemed to fuel your perfectionism.

"I... My lady... you are too kind," Nasia cried, her bottom lip trembling, "I thought- oh, I thought I-" You stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, patting it a few times until Nasia's tears stopped joining the puddles of water on the floor. It was all you could do, unsure of what more to do afterward. It was all you knew, all you could remember at least.

"My lady, if I could ask... Have you ever trained with...? Oh, what am I saying, my lady? You are far too busy to train with Lord Pericles." Your heart dropped. You stared at Nasia, who had looked embarrassed by her question, looking away at her feet once more. Your head spun with things to say, but you couldn't muster anything but a "Huh?"

"It's just that... your arms or, rather, your muscles... you have... really strong arms, my lady!"

"Oh."

"I mean, I know Lord Pericles does and- well... I just thought... I figured maybe-"

"No- No, I... don't."

"I see. I... I shall see myself out then!" Nasia scurried past you, hands covering her face as she headed straight for the doorway—or rather for the door frame, which she ran straight into. She stumbled back as you winced, just for her to finally make it through the doorway, right past your dearest twin brother, who gave you the most irritating smirk known to man. How long had he been there?!

"You have really strong arms, my lady! Please do allow me the pleasure to fall into them again!" Pericles mimicked with a high-pitched voice, mocking you more than he was Nasia. You looked away, not "allowing him the pleasure" to see you roll your eyes at him. Instead, you crouched down and gathered your dirtied dress, hitching it up to your knees as he watched in amusement.

"Good morning to you, too," you greeted, finally turning to him with a forced smile on your face. His grin widened— he knew you far too well to fall for your facades. You were twins, after all. You scoffed at him as he continued smiling and made your way to the door, struggling to keep all the fabric from dragging across the floor. You gave him a look as you walked past him, "I'd prefer it if you helped me with this instead of just standing there, Pericles."

Pericles groaned as he still sleazily leaned against the door frame, "Don't call me that. It's Percy, loser." You scoffed again, readjusting the dress in your arms before scowling at him until he walked up to you and took the smallest bit of fabric from your dress, barely even a fold. He grinned wide again.

"I don't plan on calling you that, Pericles. You should stop insisting that people address you so informally," you stated as Pericles took another piece of the dress, still just barely enough fabric for it to be considered a fold of your dress, "you know Father wouldn't be pleased."

"Okay, well, the old fart isn't here. I think Vlassis said something about him not returning 'til the month's end." You sighed for what must have already been the hundredth time since Pericles had decided to bug you. You felt a tug at your waist, and you looked over to the right, where he jogged beside you, haphazardly pulling at the dress with his bit of the fabric.

"Regardless, you should start being less—" you paused to look at Percy up and down, an eery copy of you but with a more masculine look to his figure, "— you." He laughed, loud and hearty like the King he would be in the future (of course, he did so without even trying, which was more than terribly infuriating). You let him laugh and turned to look straight ahead as you both made your way back to your bed chamber, where Nasia was sure to still be fretting. Percy's laughter eventually died down, his lips pursing before another one of his smiles tugged at his lips.

"So... (n/n)-"

"Don't call me that."

"About training today..."

You shot him a look, fingers clenching tightly around your dress. You stopped in your tracks, letting him awkwardly come to a stop beside you. You blew a harsh breath and looked around the empty open-air hallway, the only "spectators" being the passing birds that cawed by the open archways. There was no one there besides you and Percy.

"I swear to Helle, if you sneak out again-"

"Melina and I haven't seen each other in ages!"

"Percy, that is not my problem-"

"Ah-ah-ah, you called me Percy-"

"That is not what we're talking about right now—" you stopped to catch your breath, "—what we're talking about now is that you're trying to sneak out!" Percy rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, huffing as he stood there.

"... Okay... and?"

"I'm not covering for you! I will not do it!" you seethed, letting half your dress fall to press a hard finger into Percy's chest. Percy looked exasperated, attempting to come up with something to say as you let your hand fall back to your side. "You know why you have to train! The last thing anyone wants is for those devils from the Grand Line to show up and you to be unprepared!"

"We're twins! You look just like me! Who else would do it but you?" Percy whined while you turned away from him to grab the rest of your dress. The poor fabric looked nothing like it was supposed to anymore. "Plus, there haven't been dangerous people here in years! Decades! You've been reading too many history books again. What are you a nerd?"

"I'm not a nerd. But, y'know, I'm sure Lou-Lou would love to cover for you," you taunted, eyes narrowing as you frustratedly grabbed at your dress. Percy groaned and kneeled to grab the dress, gathering it in his hands even as it spilled out of his grasp.

"He's not here! He's also like... a toddler! I don't even look like him!" Percy blustered, his eyebrows furrowing as the fabric continued to slip out of his careless grasp. You grimaced and just took what he gathered from him with one fell swoop. He glowered when he looked up at you— it was impossible not to smirk.

"Really? I couldn't tell the difference," you snickered while Percy got to his feet, still glaring at you while he got to his feet. But the more your smile widened, the more his glare fell short. He brought a hand to his head, running his fingers through his hair. Despite all your quips, he looked more stressed than you expected and you hoped you had just been overthinking it.

"Oh, I get it. I look like a toddler! Ha. Ha. Real funny," Percy huffed, and you couldn't help but laugh, keeping your smile hidden behind your hand, "but seriously, (n/n). You know it'll be impossible for me to see Melina again in a year. I just want to... make the most of the time we have." Your laughter fell short when Percy looked down at the ground, his arms hanging slack at his sides. It was hard to see Percy like this, as much as he loved getting on your nerves.

Percy would be the king in a year, and you would still just be you. Oetia had no interest in alliances with other islands. No island was close enough for there to be any interest in the other, so there had never been any mention of a diplomatic marriage across the Grand Line. But Percy would still have a wife arranged for him and you, a husband. When that would happen, you weren't sure, but while you could not allow yourself to care, Percy did.

"You and Melina, huh," you muttered to yourself as Percy kept his eyes glued to the floor, "I'm happy for you, Perse." You looked at the man who had grown up beside you, stuck to your side through every major event the two of you went through. It was hard to even imagine what life would be like if he wasn't at your side to poke fun at you every waking moment.

"Alright, asshole. I'll cover for you," you sighed, groaning when Percy looked up at you with that mischievous look in his eyes, batting his eyelashes at you as he slowly approached you with open arms.

"Ahh, bring it in."

"No... No, I'm good." You regretted ever agreeing when Percy wrapped his arms around your midsection, gluing your arms to your sides as you tried to pull away. After a harsh look, Percy backed away, hands at the sides of his head in defense before he skipped back the way you came. You watched in annoyance before finally turning around and heading down the rest of the hallway to finally get the dress off yourself.

˗ˏ' 〄 'ˎ˗

"That's the last time I ever help that fool," you huffed, pulling the bottom of your dress up to your knees as you tiptoed through the corridors, keeping your voice low and your steps light. The setting sun shone down at you through the windows, rhythmically blocked by the columns between them. Your whole body was sore from the vigorous training Percy should have been doing. You yearned to be bathed in the sunlight. You knew what else your body wanted; you'd give in soon enough. Just as soon as you were able to sneak around this corner...

"Commander Vlassis! I am glad to have caught you here, sir."

You pressed yourself to the wall, breath caught in your throat. You were so close to making it out the backdoor! There were usually no patrols in this part of the castle during this time of the day; you knew that for a fact. Helle, you had staked it out some time ago. If they didn't leave soon, your shame would catch up to you, and you'd find yourself right back in your bed chambers, waiting for the dinner bell to ring. You didn't need that to happen tonight.

"Ah, yes, Admiral. How may I help you? I was just on my way to the barracks."

"I see. Allow me to join you. I wish to speak to you about some... issues we've been having. The townspeople have continued to..."

You held back a sigh as their footsteps faded away, leaving out the door you planned to escape through. You brought a hand to your ever-beating heart, allowing yourself to catch your breath. You couldn't risk bumping into any soldiers; You didn't need the men you trained with often catching on to the fact that you were not their beloved Lord Pericles but the princess they only saw once in a blue moon. Your established distance from these men was the only reason you ever agreed to take Percy's place so often.

"One day, I swear to Helle, I'm going to lose it," you grumbled as you peered out from behind the corner, double-checking that they had indeed left. You let yourself sigh this time, leaning against the cool stone walls, already feeling the prodding feeling of guilt crawling up your back. It slotted itself between every disk in your spine, ready to mess with your subconscious until it was too much to bear. You could feel your limbs growing heavier, and the shame was beginning to cloud your thoughts.

"It's fine, it's fine, it's fine—" You stumbled out into the hall, nearly tripping over your hastily fastened dress— "I'm still a good princess. I'm still..." You tried not to let your thoughts consume you and rushed out the door, not even thinking of checking that the Commander was still around. You didn't care. All you wanted was the sea. The salty sea breeze hit you hard, making you take a short step back, steadying yourself as all your worries flew away with the wind. The water was so close.

A smile immediately crept onto your face, settling between the lines of your aching cheeks. Your bare feet sunk into the soft grass like it belonged there. While the morning dew had long been gone, the coolness of the dirt was just enough to be refreshing. You had been wearing Percy's boots again— you couldn't keep wearing the damn things; his feet were larger than your own— and being barefoot after so long was like a blessing. You weren't sure how much longer you could keep up the excuses for the amount of blisters you had accumulated.

The breeze blew against you once more, reminding you of what you had left the castle to do in the first place. You gathered the fabric of your dress far higher than your knees without a care in the world, knowing you'd throw it off of you soon enough. You bumbled your way down the hill the castle sat on, laughing all the way. You could nearly see the grotto now, calling to you from where it stood. It hid between rocks, splashed with water that had still not reached the height it would at night. It was only now that it welcomed you, called your name from the grassy knolls.

Grass and dirt turned to sand and rock, only momentarily stopping you from heading to the place where all your guilt would fade away— the only place where you didn't need to be perfect, where you didn't need to be the princess of an island in the middle of a dangerous ocean. The sea would cradle your body and tell you you were enough, just for an hour or two, before it turned its back on you for the rest of the day. But you didn't mind that. That was just fine.

You took a tentative step onto the first of a small path of stones that were just smooth enough for you to comfortably walk upon. The sea nibbled at the sides of them, spraying you teasingly, knowing you'd be discarding that annoying dress. You gathered the fabric of it and pulled it over your head, knowing that by now, no one could see you make your escape. You giggled like a child when the breeze flayed across your bare chest and squealed when the water nipped at your toes that hopped across the path the sea had made for just for you.

You took one more leap and reached the small ledge that wrapped around the rim of the grotto. With your dress in hand, you shimmied around the edge and finally found yourself in your heaven. The wall shimmered with the sunlight reflecting off the water pool, casting wringing, twirling strands of white across the dark cave walls. You placed a hand against those same walls, letting your fingers strum across the natural cracks as you walked atop the ledge, heading for the rocks that jutted out the back wall of the grotto.

"Finally," you sighed as you reached the rocks, dropping your dress onto the driest ones that were right up against the wall. You took that time to peel your panties off, dropping them on top of your dress. In all your nakedness, you crouched down, placing your palms against the rock as you shimmied your way down to the crystal-clear water. It was warm, warmer than it had been all day as usual. You didn't think twice when you pushed off the rock and plunged into the arms of the sea.

The water crooned around you as you left the comfort of the rocks, making your way to its depths. You let the water take all of you; let it swallow you whole. It would have done so anyway, even if the shame had protested. It held you as you swam, swam, swam, swam, swam, swam until you ran out of breath and relented air to your lungs. It wasn't long before you sank back into the depths, sinking so low that you could only see the reflections on the ceiling in blurred vision. You let the blue take hold, and Helle decide your fate.

"Helle... I needed this," you gushed, floating limply in the water, letting the occasional wave from just beyond the rocks that separated the grotto from the sea jostle you gently. You rose one arm up and behind your ear, switching back and forth, letting rivers form in the valley of your breasts. You could stay in the water forever, even if it made your skin grow aged, even if you knew it would get too cold to bear. You didn't care anymore; you just wished you would never leave. As you swam toward the row of rocks at the mouth of the grotto, you turned over, dipping your head under just a moment-

Did you see that right?

Your head immediately resurfaced, hastily trading closer to the rocks, making sure your body was concealed. No, you must have been seeing things. The navy wasn't scheduled for routes on this side of the island during this time. You should have had at least another hour if it was them. Your brain racked itself for anyone else who could have possibly been floating past the Hellespont Sea and on the open ocean. Still, there was nothing, and this unknown ship was growing closer.

You scanned the ship for as much information as you could— your father wasn't here, and Percy was anything but a good diplomat, not to mention a mediocre fighter, so who in Helle's name was going to deal with this— but still could just barely make out what was on their sails. You pressed yourself closer against the rocks, careening forward with a furrowed brow, your bottom lip curling beneath your teeth. There, just faintly, you could make out the sickening sight of a skull and crossbones plastered on their sail.

"No, no, shit," you cursed, pushing off the rocks and hastily heading back towards the furthest part of the grotto, back where your dress was. You could hear your heart thud in your ears, your tolling death bell. Your feet kicked erratically, trying both to keep you afloat and reach some sort of footing to propel yourself through the water even quicker. You eventually managed to reach the rocks and hastily slipped your way back to where your clothes were. You didn't stop to think about how you would dry off and instead slipped your panties back on, followed by your far too intricate dress.

"I- I have to get to Pericles," you told yourself as you managed to button up parts of your dress. It wasn't perfect, but Helle, it would have to do. You hurried across the ledge, digging your fingernails into the cracks this time, ignoring the little scrapes on the pads of your fingers. The ship was getting closer now, too close for comfort. You could even make out the people on it— a black-haired guy sitting on the head of a ram, a blond leaning on the railing with what must have been a cigarette, and a green-haired man who leaned beside him holding three swords on his hip. There were others further back on the ship that you couldn't quite see yet, but maybe that was for the better.

The one thing about the natural barrier around Oetia was that it was lower near the castle, not to mention closer to the mainland than the rest of the island. It made it easier for the navy to come and go from the ports in town when the midday tide was deep enough for them not to damage the ships when they crossed over the barrier. Plus, your ancestors had always been quite fond of the ocean, so it had been decided (rather foolishly, in your opinion) to build the castle where it now stood. So, as you swung across the ledge of the grotto and onto your path of stones, you watched with a sinking stomach as the Demon ship crossed over the barrier with ease.

"No- No! Pericles! Percy!" You shouted frantically, knowing that your brother was nowhere near you. Your eyes flooded with tears as you tried to cross using your path. But, of course, fate seemed to have it out for you. Every leap you tried to make ended with you slipping into the sea, drenching your dress. You could feel the shells and sharp rocks cut your feet every time you slipped off your path, knees buckling every time the pain shot straight up your spine. You bit back your cries, even when you fell straight into the sea, its waves splashing against you relentlessly.

"Hey! Lady! Whatcha doing over there?!"

Your head shot up, and you watched in horror as the black-haired guy you had seen called to you from the mast, the rest of his crew watching from the deck of their ship. Your heart might as well have stopped. You pressed yourself against the wall of the seaside rockface, unable to utter a word. Your eyes flitted over every face that stared at you and stopped when you saw a furry little head poke out between the deck railing. 

"She looks like she needs some help, Luffy."

That was all you needed before you screamed bloody murder.

"GET YOUR RACCOON-DOG AWAY YOU SEA DEVILS!"

i completely forgot that i was supposed to post this on here :9 it's a couple days late but here you all go <3

[adriles]

tomorrow i will perform sacrifices to Zeus and the other gods and then launch ALL OF MY SHIPS to return again to the teeming hellespont...maybe then people will wish they appreciated the treasures i won them while risking my life in ceaseless combat more often instead of sucking agamemnon’s dick all day

[theywhodraws]

A flower that’s extremely toxic in all parts; the flower, leaves and stem. One of his favorites, but rarely uses it.

Luo had heard stories during one of his travels looking for this flower. One local from where it was had told the story behind how the name came to be.

‘One legend has it that oleander in Greek mythology means romance and charm. A beautiful Greek maiden was wooed by Leander who swam the Hellespont every night to see his beloved. One night he was drowned in a Tempest. Wild waves dashed his body against sharp rocks and left him lifeless on the white sands. Here his lover found him as she walked the shores calling “Oh Leander, Oh Leander!“. The beautiful flower was clutched in his hand. She removed it and kept it as a symbol of their love. Magically, it continued to grow and from this symbol of everlasting love came the beautiful and abundant Oleander.’

He had not forgotten ever since. Many stories were told about it, but that one stands out the most. Moreso now, due to the story being almost similar to the tragedy that happened in the past many years later. One that he wishes he could forget— that's why he rarely uses it in his research now.

[moonjunio]

Excerpt from Eric Shanower’s epic comic series, Age of Bronze. I love how this sequence shows what Troy really looked like, and how it seemed like the center of the world in terms of trade.

Here we see two princes of Troy, Paris (impulsive long-lost prick), and Hektor (responsible eldest), discussing the latter’s mission to get the king’s sister back.

“Having second thoughts?”

“Hunh?”

“Hektor…no. No second thoughts at all.”

“I came to wish you good luck.”

“Thanks.”

“You aren’t overseeing the loading of your ship?”

“Aeneas is taking care of it.”

“Paris, a lot is at stake here.”

“Yeah, an aged aunt.”

“It’s more than Hesione. You’ve been in Troy for what — four months? Not very long. There are things you need to understand. Maybe I can help you see them.”

“What is there that I can’t see for myself?”

“You can see most of it — right from this tower.”

“Look south, Paris — to the seacoast where cookfires constantly burn. Do you know the bay there?”

“Of course, Hektor. I drive my chariot there sometimes. Ships are always beached along the shore.”

“Trading ships, Paris — from the richest countries of the south — Arzawa, Cyprus, Hatti, Amuru, Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Achaea, the islands…

“…each ship packed full of exotic goods — copper, gold, silver, oils, spices, cloth, perfumes — the wealth of the world — all for trade.

“Now look north to the straits, Paris. The water flows swift and strong, endlessly coursing through the Hellespont. A ship’s captain needs courage to steer against that current…

“…but that’s where the ships go — beyond the Hellespont — north to the Black Sea ports…from one half of the world to the other. Troy stands between.”

“What you can’t see, Paris, is the key to it all — the wind. It blows from the north for weeks on end. Only when it drops does any ship dare to venture up the Hellespont.

“So the wait…and pray their gods hold back the wind. And while they wait, they pay us for permission to beach their ships here. A steady flow of the world’s goods pours into our gates.

“That wealth is the lifeblood of Troy. Do you understand, Paris?”

“Of course. I’m not a fool.”

“Good because there are many who yearn to see Troy topple. Priam knows this. Every decision he makes — every term of every treaty — every word to every foreign dignitary — every family connection he arranges — is based on keeping Troy poised at the gate between one half of the world and the other.”

(Pt 2 here)

This is from volume 1, A Thousand Ships, available from Image Comics or Hungry Tiger Press 📚