#TylerMilesLockett

[tylermileslockett]

Chthonic Descent (#4 in my Orpheus and Eurydice series)

The Roman poet Virgil, in his poem “Georgics”, gives a lush description of Orpheus descent into Hades;

“…entering the grove gloomy with black horror, he approached the Manes (dead spirits), and the tremendous king, and the hearts that know not how to relent at human prayers. But the thin shades being stirred up by his song from the lowest mansions of Erebus moved along, and the Ghosts deprived of light… mothers and husbands, and the departed bodies of magnanimous heroes, boys and unmarried girls, and youths laid on funeral pyres before the faces of their parents, whom the black mud and squalid reeds of Cocytus, and the lake hateful with stagnant water encloses around, and styx nine times interfused restrains.”  (-translation from the Latin by John Martyn.)

         The word Chthonic in my title is an adjective describing something belonging to the underworld. This would be an apt time to discuss the structure and details of the ancient Greek underworld; the realm of Hades. Our oldest literary source in Homer’s “Odyssey” (700 B.C.) portrays the realm as dark, gloomy, and frightening. A place where all souls go, and lacking skin and bone; have no physical form. The shades (spirits) wander mindless, and without memory.

         In Virgil’s “Aeneid” (25 B.C.) we get a much more detailed account of the geography. Our hero Aeneas pays the boatman Charon to ferry him across the river styx, and after passing the three headed guard-hound Cerberus, they eventually come to a crossroad leading to two important realms; Tartarus (an invincible fortress guarded by one of the Furies, where sinners are punished) and Elysium (a sunny paradise where pure souls pursue leisure activities).

As always thanks for looking and reading. Please share this post and I'll toss charon a coin for you. Xoxo

Like this art? It will be in my illustrated book with over 130 other full page illustrations coming in march to kickstarter. Please check my links in my linktree in my bio to join the kickstarter notification page. 🤟❤️🏛

[wolfythewitch]

Hello hi hope you're doing well sorry to bother you BUT.

I have the Odyssey brainworms at the moment and have absolutely DEVOURED your art tag (you have made me worse, thank you i owe you my life)

With the Wisdom Saga newly released all the tags are currently overflowing with fanart and commentary (which is rad but not what I'm specifically in the mood for atm)

Do you have any recommendations for artists who have drawn some rad Odyssey Original Flavor™️ art? 👀

Either way, again, thank you for your service, your art has kept me so well fed in these trying times 💙

Ouhhh @chotomy has cool art, though it's not odyssey specific (cannot recommend enough. the hcu tag is heaven sent).

@nikoisme has also done epic cycle inspired art.

@tylermileslockett, @greekmythcomix (cool n informative odyssey comics!), @jacobpking, and @mikeybooch have really cool mythology inspired art! Though again not specific to the odyssey

OH and @sagpilehpapa has my favorite ever odyssey animation, it's so good

[greekmythcomix]

A very rushed little At-HEN-a rework to take part in @tylermileslockett ‘ #DTIYS - I adore his Athena artwork! Done in the middle of the night while I couldn’t sleep (we have the lurgy in our house)

Experimenting with Procreate colour here - I normally colour in Photoshop with my favourite watercolour brushes (from True Grit Texture) but thought I’d mess about with the watercolour brushes included. They’re not bad, especially the big splashy ones! Very different from Tyler’s dry-brush textured (and non-lined) style, but that’s what makes him so unique!

If you love Tyler’s artwork like I do (former Guest Post on GMC) then look out for his book this year! ❤️

[doodlesnoff]

sorry to my ancestors that I drew this to a viral tiktok sound and not Greek music

Athena for #dtiys contest for @tylermileslockett #tylermileslockett . Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, military strategy, state building, and patron of Athens -- the myth goes she beat out Poseidon for the honor by inventing the olive tree. She's traditionally depicted with a spear and shield, engraved with horse and rider, and Medusa's head on the front of her breastplate. Unfortunately I didn't have time to draw Medusa, and also feel Medusa got a very raw deal there. What I did choose to depict from the original is her sacred animals, the owl (representing wisdom) and the snake (representing the first ruler of Athens, Erichthonius). Both creatures are Greek species here, a small owl and a whip snake.

I grew up on the legends of Athena as bedtime stories. Most notably she sprung forth from her father Zeus's head by splitting it with an axe. May all Mediterranean women give our dads a bit of a headache 🥴

[greekbros]

Athena always watches over us.

@tylermileslockett 's contest entry but unfortunately I didn't have time to color it over for the contest, hopefully this one should suffice. I'm just happy that I'm able to participate.

[alexseanchai]

these are probably all on @tylermileslockett Tumblr, do you have permission to repost?

Greek Goddesses by Tyler Miles Lockett

[c-schroed]

A Fucking Break in Fucking Hell

Recently I've been learning a few new details about the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, and there's one detail I can't get over currently: When Orpheus arrives in the underworld in the hopes of getting back his recently-deceased love Eurydice, he sings a song so heartbreakingly beautiful that everyone pauses for a moment. As Ovid put it in his Metamorphoses (translation by Brookes More, 1922):

Thus, while the bard melodiously complains, And to his lyre accords his vocal strains, The very bloodless shades attention keep, And silent seem compassionate to weep; Ev’n Tantalus his flood unthirsty views, Nor flies the stream, nor he the stream pursues, Ixion’s wondering wheel its whirl suspends, And the voracious vulture, charm’d, attends; No more the Belides their toil bemoan, And Sisyphus, reclined, sits listening on his stone.

What I can't get over with here is that Tartarus, the ancient Greek version of hell, in my eyes is a place that's more or less completely about never having a break. All its inmates suffer without rest by having to do the same shit over and over again. Like Tantalus, who hungers for fruit always just a bit out of his reach. Or Tityus, who gets his liver eaten by vultures, again and again. And of course Sisyphus and that fucking stone that always rolls back.

And then there is Orpheus who comes down there and sings. And for the sweetest of moments, everyone at this "Gimme a break, darnit!" hellscape of a place. Have. A. Fucking. Break.

I guess this gets me because it really is a powerful move to show what a darn marvellous musician Orpheus is. And maybe I find my work a bit never-ending, too, from time to time. So yeah, can relate.

But enough of me. For a more pleasing conclusion of this little rambling, please have a look at this marvellous depiction of Orpheus' gig at Tartarus by @tylermileslockett:

[pleasegetadiary]

"The Abduction of Persephone"

artist @tylermileslockett

[ridingbipolarexpress]

Athena

Follow the artist on Instagram: https://instagram.com/tylermileslockett

[whenimgoodandready]

Thank you @stupid-for-simping it’s always a pleasure to do these things! I never get tired of this. Funny, I recently just finished a fanfic of mine and here it is

Mei poofs back into her human form as she, her friends, Domee Shi and Puss hurry off stage for the show to continue with Dwayne and Emily walking off backstage and Jimmy going back to hosting.

FYI, it’s a parody of the 2023 Oscars that involves a four-way crossover. I was upset a fav movie of mine wasn’t nominated, so I wrote this as a wish fulfillment of what would happen if they were there. Damn! 36 people! I’ll see if it’s plausible

@positivibee1997 @darklythroughtheforest @forevertrueblue @1hufflepuffgirl @kawaiigirlslivelonger @manifold-superstorm @pacificus134 @strikemidnight @sweet-little-ms-hungary @miraculousturtle @andraia452 @evannakita @veronicacardoso @tylermileslockett @pinkfairiesteaparty @champagnexowishes @pretty-parlor @ilove2draw2008 @pusheen @hanavbara @hallowhorror-blog @thewheelofloki @naturegreenr-2 @soyalexnajera @mysweetobsessions @hauntedskeletonmoon @cameos @depressed-demiromanticc @rosacarolina @3lphi3 @taylor-faye @1percentcharge @pinkfawnfairy @kashurladke @rocktheholygrail @birddog60 Phew! I did it! Okay! Let’s go!

Tagged by @101flavoursofweird

Rules: Make a new post and post your latest line from your WIP and tag as many people as there are words.

“I’m grateful she didn’t succeed.” Hershel finally whispered. “The world would be a far darker place without you in it.”

A future scene of Our Scattered Pieces where Hershel and Phoenix talk about their past relationships.

@syntaxkatri @perky89 @narumitsu-lawlu @spo0pup @working-dreamer @purplepenguintime @multiversal-madness @darlingatlas @raedadivorce @dearesthershel @rainymeadows @felis-rach @lutiaslayton @darkartistyt @investigativedads @slyzia @bankshade @aloshunk @viktuurishipper96 @aceblaze01

Sorry if some of you aren’t writers, obviously you can just ignore this. I just had to scramble for 20 names! Holy cow.

[tylermileslockett]

Here are five trivia facts about "Heracles Journey"

1. Herculean Madness: The myth of Heracles highlights divine-induced madness as a motif, symbolizing the fragility of human control under divine whims.

2. The Twelve Labors: Each labor reflects Heracles' journey toward redemption, blending punishment with the pursuit of meaning amidst tragedy.

3. Kinship with Monsters: By connecting with the creatures he was meant to destroy, Heracles questions traditional boundaries between heroism and monstrosity.

4. Hera's Role: While often cast as Heracles' tormentor, Hera paradoxically represents both adversity and the familial bonds he seeks to rebuild.

5. The Weight of Truth: Heracles’ fear of the ultimate revelation underscores a theme of self-discovery as both empowering and potentially destructive.

Who do you think truly defines a hero—the one who conquers monsters or the one who understands them? Share your thoughts!

[tylermileslockett]

Here is my final art for my Medea piece based on Euripides tragic play. I remember watching this play on youtube with my dad when we were staying in Athens for a couple months, and it made a big impact on me, and it led me to dive deeper into more Greek tragedies like “Ajax” and “the Trojan women”. I can’t seem to get enough of these brilliantly composed tales of loss and despair! maybe I watched too many Disney movies as a kid and I need to balance the scales! :P heres a great line from the play, “Stronger than lover's love is lover's hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make.” Medea by Euripides tells the story of a betrayed wife who takes revenge on her unfaithful husband, Jason, after he abandons her to marry the daughter of King Creon. Fueled by rage and despair, Medea murders her own children and Jason's new bride, leaving Jason utterly destroyed. The play explores themes of vengeance, betrayal, and the devastating consequences of unchecked passion. On a more positive note: I’m thrilled to announce that my Kickstarter is officially launching this March-almost next month! Thank you all for your incredible patience and support on this EPIC project, featuring over 130 full-page illustrations. After 2 ½ years of hard work, I can’t wait to bring this dream into the physical world! Stay tuned for updates on the new layout and text. If you’d like to share feedback on the book’s content, join my Discord (link in Linktree). Love you all!💕

[wolfythewitch]

I FORGOR @kebriones makes fun art about iliad and alcibades (is that how you spell it idk), @tylermileslockett has really cool art, @thoodleoo has lots of neat posts about the epic cycle

Suggestions for odyssey blogs? Just joining and my dash is painfully odyssey-less >.<

@theodysseyofhomer @localgreekmythologywh0re @chotomy are really cool blogs :D

[tylermileslockett]

"The Death of Eurydice" (#2 in my Orpheus and Eurydice series)

But the three Moirai (fates) weave and cut their strings of mortal’s destinies, and this love was not destined to last. Dancing barefoot upon the forest floor with the nymphs, Eurydice was bitten by a venomous snake and tragically died. Orpheus played such music of melancholy mourning as to make the trees bow and weep.

The Latin poet Virgil gives a lush description of lament from his poem, “Georgicks:”…“But the choir of sister Dryads filled the tops of the mountains with their cries: the rooks of Rhodope wept, and high Pangaea, and the martial land of Rhesus, and the Getae, and Hebrus, and Attic Orithyia. He assuaging his love-sick mind with his hollow lyre, lamented thee, sweet wife, thee on the solitary shore, thee when day approached, thee when it disappeared.” (-translated by John Martyn.)

We have multiple sources giving variations recounting Eurydice’s death. According to Ovid, she was walking along the riverside with her sister dryad nymphs, while Vergil has her escaping a rape attempt by another son of Apollo; a pastoral god named Aristaeus. But the authors agree that her death results from the bite of a poisonous viper.

As always, thanks for looking! And if you could share this post with your followers I'd be so grateful as to rescue you from the pits of tartarus with only my lyre. :D xoxo

we should also add this kickstarter info at the end of every post: 

Like this art? It will be in my illustrated book with over 130 other full page illustrations coming in march to kickstarter. Please check my links in my linktree in my bio to join the kickstarter notification page. 🤟❤️🏛

[tylermileslockett]

I’ve been cooking up something exciting over here in Hephaestus’ forge for the last two years! I’m so excited to finally be launching my Kickstarter book—coming this March: only one month away! Woohoo!

It’s been a long time coming, and I want to say thank you to everyone for your patience and continued support as I’ve worked on this book, which will feature over 130 full-page illustrations! Whew! Stay tuned as I reveal more about the style and text content of the book as we get closer to March.

I’ll be posting lots of cool stuff over the coming weeks leading up to the Kickstarter launch and asking my followers for their input on preferences for tiers and additional accessories you might like to see packaged with the book. This book has been a dream of mine for a long time, and it’s been a long road, so thank you for being a part of this journey with me. I love you all! xoxo

For now, if you haven’t already, please go follow my Kickstarter project on BackerKit

[tylermileslockett]

"The Gate to Hades" (part 3 in my Orpheus and Eurydice series)

Part3: But Orpheus is not satisfied to sit in solitary mourning. There was a great injustice in the death of his love Eurydice. If the beasts and rocks of the wild woods of Olympia bow before his song, what is to stop him for persuading the spirits of the underworld? Perhaps he can even persuade the King Hades to take pity on him and his lost love. With this determination, he receives directions to the dark gate from the forest nymphs and sets out. Many days later, standing before that gaping black maw, Orpheus shivers. He might never return to the land of the living. He steps forward. He has nothing left to lose.

In Greek literary sources we have varying references to the location of the entrance to underworld. In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus must travel to Hades to  perform a “Nekyia” ceremony to commune with the dead to receive prophecies. Circe gives Odysseus the vaguest of directions; “…once your ship has crossed flowing Ocean, drag it ashore at Persephone’s groves, on the level beach where tall poplars grow, willows shed their fruit, right beside deep swirling Oceanus.  Then you must go to Hades’ murky home, where Periphlegethon and Cocytus, a stream which branches off theriver Styx, flow into Acheron.” – translation by Ian Johnston.

Some scholars believe Homer’s description of the location is based on the real-world temple of the “Nekromanteion” (oracle of the dead) in Ancient Epirus (Northwest Greece). This was a temple of necromancy dedicated to Hades and Persephone where devotees could commune with dead spirits, and was believed to be the entrance to Hades. The temple was located at the meeting point of three rivers; the Acheron (river of woe), Pyriphlegethon (river of fire), and Cocytus (river of lamentation).

Thanks for reading and looking! If you share this image I'll swim the river styx to.give you a high five! Xoxo

Like this art? It will be in my illustrated book with over 130 other full page illustrations coming in march to kickstarter. Please check my links in my linktree in my bio to join the kickstarter notification page. 🤟❤️🏛