#all new xenia

[beautyofaphrodite]

My Personal “Pillars of Hellenic Polytheism”

You may have seen or heard of the “7 Pillars of Hellenism”. The creator of these pillars, Timothy Jay Alexander, is known to be extremely homophobic and bigoted, and therefore these pillars aren’t seen in a positive light by many Hellenic Polytheists, including myself.

That being said, personally, I like to have sort of guidelines to follow, and Alexander isn’t the only one to have created “moral pillars”. So I took inspiration from multiple sources, including @/hyakinthou-naos in one of their recent posts, to make my own pillars. These are things that are important to me, personally, and they may differ from yours if you have some. I chose to have 5 pillars as it is a number associated with Lady Aphrodite, and the pillars will be listed in alphabetical order.

Hekousios- Ε´κουσίος

ἑκούσιος translates to “free will” or “voluntary”. To me, this means to do things at your own pace, and to always have worship be a personal choice, not something put on someone.

Kharis - Χάρις

Kharis can be translated to “grace, kindness, goodwill, elegance, favour, joy, charity, beauty”, “reciprocity”, “grace, favor, goodwill”, or a reciprocal relationship with the Gods. To me, this means to not ask for things without offering something in return, to not take advantage of gifts from the Gods.

Periergia - Περιέργεια

Periergia translates to curiosity and is often associated with devotion to researching something. For me, this means to always be curious, open to new ideas, and never stop learning new things. It also means to never claim that I know everything, and be willing to research things I don’t know much about.

Symmakhia - Σύμμαχία

Symmakhia translates to “allyship”. It also happens to be an epithet of Lady Aphrodite! It is usually used in the context of military and war, but here, I am using this word in the context of allyship and support towards marginalized groups. Allyship is active, and so to me, this pillar means to show active support to those that are a part of marginalized or minority communities.

Xenia - Ξενία

Xenia is the concept of guest-friendship or hospitality. For me, this means kindness and hospitality towards those from all walks of life and lived experiences, as long as it is safe to do so.

[monzabee]

the lusty month of may – cs55 (+18)

masterlist

Summary: The one where it’s that darling month when everyone throws self-control away, and you and Carlos decide to do a wretched thing – or two. 

Pairing: carlos sainz x reader

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: smut, unprotected sex (cover your willy, don’t be silly), pre-established relationship, cursing, google translate spanish bc i forgot all the spanish i learned in school (lo siento mucho, señora xenia), talks about pregnancy, minors dni!!

Author’s Note: hi, hey, hello!! okay so this was not supposed to take me this long to write, but i kind of procrastinated because of studying and my exams, but here it is, finally done! i fully blame carlos for my brain rot, so i hope you guys enjoy this one, and feedback is always appreciated! (p.s. the title comes from a song from the broadway musical ‘camelot’ for those of you who are interested!) good morning, noon or night wherever you are, xoxobee

Please also note that all of my works are protected under copyright, and not available for reposting on other platforms. 

His hand is closed over your mouth in a feasible attempt to cover up any pleas or sounds coming from your lips. You tried telling him no when he started pulling you towards the greenhouse behind the villa his family rented out for the weekend. It was supposed to help Carlos destress before leaving for Miami for the rest of the triple header, a long weekend, “A quick little getaway,” his mother called it. Carlos lets out some built-up steam, alright, by fucking you every chance he gets over the course of the 4-day vacation. 

“You know what it does to me when you wear this dress, amorita,” Carlos’ breath hits your sweaty skin as he runs his nose down the length of your throat, “maybe I should rip it when I’m done with you, hm? De esa manera no puedes tentarme más.” That way you can't tease me anymore. You try shaking your head as a response which elicits a mocking chuckle from him, the way he bucks his hip driving him further deep inside you. The strangled moan that rips from the back of your throat has you throwing your head back, which causes Carlos to quickly, but gently, tug on your chin to make you look back up at him. “Eyes on me, cariño.” 

His hips continue their rushed movements as he keeps his eyes locked to yours, your lips opening in an attempt to make him see reason. “Carlos, they’ll hear us.” You think he’ll ignore you once again, like he did when he was frantically pulling you away from the pathway which leads to the courtyard both of you were supposed to be making your way over for dinner with his parents. 

With one last thrust of his lips, which pulls yet another moan from your lips. “I won’t let anyone see you like this; you know that don’t you?” His tone is sweet despite the way he’s breathing deeply in an attempt to organise his breathing, the way he uses the tip of his pointer finger to caress down your blushed cheek, sending shivers down your spine. Although you manage to nod your head, there is a small smile on his lips as he reminds you, “Words, amorita.”

“I- I know that,” you breathe out a ragged breath, hand gripping Carlos’ shirt tighter in the process, “you’re far too jealous to let anyone see.” 

“Always such wits, amor,” he drags the tip of his finger towards your lips, “maybe I’ll just have to fuck you harder to remind you how much you love my possessive side.” 

“You are insane,” you pant, letting out another moan when he shifts his hips to continue his movements even deeper, “is that why you pulled me here? To fuck me into the wall because you were jealous?” 

His voice is hoarse against your skin as he drags his hand down your face to your neck towards your chest to grope your breast. “I made you a promise, remember?” 

And you do. You remember the hushes whispers and promises shared before the New Year’s, and the sweet kiss you’ve shared afterwards. Your eyes soften as realisation sinks in, his determined gaze on yours suddenly making more sense. His hand is rough as he kneads the skin of your breast, his fingers quickly find your pebbled nipple, which has you whining. “I do- I do remember.” You manage to get out as you do your best to focus on his command from earlier. 

“Good, so be a good girl for me and hang on tight, hm?” He gives you enough time for you to organise yourself; your hands grab the flower arranging table underneath you firmly and it makes you receive a pleased hum from him as he keeps up the movement of his hips whilst also making you wrap your legs around him, a hand firmly placed on your upper thigh. “Eyes on me, cariño.” He reminds you.

You comply, of course, and his thrusts keep getting deeper and deeper every time his hips finds yours because of the new position. There is nothing innocent about the way the sounds of your skin slapping off of each other echo in the stuffy greenhouse, mixed with your moans calling out his name over and over again. He knows you well enough to know your tells when you’re getting closer, and he knows your body well enough to know that you won’t be able to hang on for too long. 

The way you scream out Carlos’ name when you feel his fingers drawing circles on your clit is nothing short of animalistic, the way he whispers praises to your lips is lost to you as you feel yourself getting closer to your release. “Carlos,” his name leaves your mouth in a desperate moan, followed by a softer and more pleading, “Carlos, please.” 

“Ask me nicely, amor.” His smile is almost devilish as he mumbles the words to your lips, his fingers slowing down their movements until you give him what he wants. His free hand tighten around your upper thigh in warning as he adds, “No continuaré si no lo pides amablemente.” I won't continue if you don't ask nicely.

You bite back a snarky comment, hyperaware of the fact that he is a man of his word and will leave you unsatisfied on the table by yourself if you don’t give him what he wants. “Por favor déjame correrme.” Please let me cum. The next moan that comes out of your lips come off more as a broken sob as he resumes his fingers’ movement on your bundle of nerves and his hips speeding up their movements to get you there, and you can’t help but chant “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”

The continuous moans that keep coming out of your mouth, in which you are begging him to make you cum causes his hips to continue their movement rather sharply. Your eyes are filled with tears of pleasure as your visions gets blurry, but you make a point to maintain eye contact with Carlos while he guides you through your orgasm. He only lets himself come undone once you’re done, but unintentionally clench around him due to still feeling sensitive. Hearing your name come through his lips in a guttural moan causes you attempt to bring him closer by tightening your legs around him. 

After a few moments of calmness, you whine at the loss of contact as Carlos pulls out slowly, careful enough to not hurt you. Just as he begins tucking himself back to his pants you attempt to fix your own clothing, but he’s quick to stop you as he says, “Stay on the table, cariño.” 

You choose to nod, not trusting your voice. He’s gentle with you as he pulls up your underwear up your legs and fixes the top and the skirt of your dress. You watch him with sleepy eyes as you ask, “Do you think it took this time?”

“We’ll have to wait and see,” he smiles softly at you while getting some of your tangled hair out of your face, “do you think it did?”

“I don’t know,” you mumble, suddenly shy in front of him for no reason – but he is quick to divert the situation by cutting your feet off the ground by carrying you bridal style, which has you squealing as you wrap your arms around his neck, “Carlos!”

 He lets out a laugh a laugh as he walks out of the greenhouse and the colder air outside has you snuggling closer to his body for heat. His voice is light as he mumbles, “Well, this brings back memories.” 

“You say as if our wedding was a decade ago.” You complain, scrunching up your nose in disagreement. You let a confused hum when he starts walking back to the villa. “We’re supposed to–”

“I’ll tell my parents you were feeling ill,” he raises an eyebrow, “unless you want to sit with them for the rest of the night with my cum still–”

“Carlos!” You exclaim, making him quickly drop the rest of the sentence as he stars laughing. “This is not funny, you know.” 

“Oh it is plenty funny, cariño.” Carlos objects, “We can always tell my parents we were trying for a baby.” He is quick to add, “Not, the literal way, loca,” after receiving a bewildered look from you. 

You sigh as you shrug, “I mean, we could.” 

He agrees with a hum, “We’ll talk about it later, now go to sleep, I know you will before I make it back to the room anyway.”

“Mhm, you know me too well.” You mumble as you bury your face into his neck. 

“That I do, cariño.” He mumbles as he presses a gentle kiss to your hair “That I do.”

[royal-wren]

It's so funny I meant to do this mostly for a nonserious variant but as always I can't do that with him ever

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course my fingerprints can't be read by electronic verification systems

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I lie so masterfully (quick and steadfast) you'd think I'm dead serious and honest

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I am a beacon of trust and pushing for peace and equality through beliefs and deeds

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I believe in the good in humanity and the grace that comes when the impulse is to assist and give aid in any way we can to help another in dire need.

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course at a moment's notice I come out like a cryptid with all the answers to any questions raised when learning is my biggest passion

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I devour stories and poetry both new and old as the history and present culture and humanity immortalized

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I have a deep mutual connection to the earth from the flora and fauna, with a call of a bird I know he is near

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I have mastered many skills like an ace of all trades ranging from sports and strength to the arts, maths, and sciences

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course my laughter is infectious and magnetic

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I walk both without a sound without a thought much to everyone's shock, and as loud as I wish with intention and purpose

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I have a voice that carries like that of 50 people from how loud I can be despite my usual soft-spoken and polite nature

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I am calm under pressure and never cower, my morals and objectivity couldn't be louder

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I am amicable in speech with honeyed/flowery words to keep the peace as much as my tongue is barbed, mingling with thorns for the rare few who've earned my ire

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course luck and fortune follow me everywhere I go

I’m a Hermes devotee, of course I uphold xenia like it was life or death for me no matter the distance one is away from me, no matter the friend or stranger, all that don't breathe wrongly held hate are welcomed with an open door

[msbunnat]

I'm quite new to the story of Ganymede and you look like the type of person who is very well written with it. What's his whole thing with Zeus?

I am... I love Ganymede and I have look on a lot of things about him, but I'm not any type of scholar or a specialist, I just love him and want to use him for also my art, as a tool for me to explore a lot of personal things too.

But, lets go!

In resume, Ganymede's myth is: He was a prince of Troy and his beauty was so stuning that the gods decided to take him from the mortal realm and he became the cupbeard of Zeus. He become imortal and have eternal youth.

Now, most versions say it was Zeus that choose him, other say it was like a colective decision and the reason can be two: He cant be in the mortal realm because he is to beautiful or the gods just wanted a new cupbeard and he just stand out at the moment. After that we have versions saying that Zeus was the one that Kidnapping him, or his eagle Aetos (but some we just dont know who took Ganymede). Not long after there re a lot of versions saying that Zeus fell for him, and their relationship is based on pederasty. Some more 'recent' mentions rape and there re a lot of artists exploring Ganymede suffering in the aspect that he was probably a child (12 - 18 years).

The end of the myth is really blurry... Some say he just stayed as a cupbeard, others he became the aquarius constelation. His family have a big role on the myth, as they re so sad and obviosly pissed for losting his son and brother, that some versions metion as the constelation was a way to Zeus calm them to know that his son is ok (but will never come back), when its not the constelation, Zeus give them magical horses (probably sons of poseidon or hermes - not sure). I have found one saying the family 'recive' both the constelation and the horses. There re also metions of Ganymede turning into a god of homo love, and he join Eros 'love army' the erotes.

Zeus have his fame, and dosent matter the version, Ganymede was kidnnaped, so we have some easy conclusions of abuse if they have a relationship. Basicaly there is not a set answer for their relationship, its a open field to a lot of things.

This myth is intrestily short and kinda obscure. But its well know as the myth of the only male lover of Zeus. (Plato was a big shippes of them kkkkk - just remember it was a different time and the social rules didnt see an adult and a teen have relations as bad as today).

Some funny things: Ganymede is pratically the only mortal non hero that goes to Olympus and kinda became god. His family is one of the only that recive a 'satisfaction' from the gods - like most kidnapped victims just come back or they desapear/die and the family dont have any information after (this makes me interpret this myth as one of the firsts ways to soft the lost of a young son to death, saying he actually was taken by the gods and not by death). And the cupbeard job was one of the highest, like, Zeus is almost always with a comitive (?) of six/five gods that serve him, and serving food is so important for Xenia and a trust job cause you can poison someone so high rancking.

I really like all that can come from this myth. I like the suffering view, the death of young beauty interpretation, the body horror of becaming immortal, explore Zeus and Hera with his 'lover' so close, explore abuse, expore others sides of Zeus (thanks to some rage comments, I end up learning so much about him, its a shame how he is descharacterized)... But mostly I love when Ganymede have a personality (this is the thing I care most and am affraid to do a terrible job in the comic kkkk) this boy is like a blanck page with so many mistery as we know almost nothing about him, just his family and his beauty... (ok, we have some mentions of him playing with Eros and him on the trojan war asking Zeus to help the trojans, but its SO LITTLE! I NEED MORE!!).

*sorry about my english, I'm tired to correct any word for now... -w-

Edit: I think its good to say that myths, tales, all this little stories are mean to be vague and metaphorical. That is why we cant say anything as a fact, but as the most stablished storyline. That is also why we can mold it to our taste and propuse, by that I mean all takes/fanfics/reimaginations wahtever, all of them re valid ways to explore and mantain our human culture alive.

[beauty-and-passion]

Lore Olympus: a golden mine of bad writing

As I said, one post wasn’t enough.

There is still a lot to say about this webcomic and in this post I would like to talk about how Zeus, Apollo and Kronos have been treated. Here I will focus on the first two acts only, because the third act is not over, as well as the story. And yes, that means I will write another post when this whole thing is over.

I wanted to focus on these three gods in particular because are treated in a way that baffles me and makes me question what did they ever do to Mrs. Smythe. Tell me, Rachel: was it something personal? Did they do something to your family? What happened?

But maybe you don’t understand my point, especially if you haven’t read the Greek myths at all and you think that these three are just “Unfaithful Guy”, “Rapist” and “Evil Villain Har Har Who Also Wants To Rape”. Seriously, what’s with this weird obsession with raping everyone and with sex? Did Mrs. Smythe ever see anything else in myths, besides sex?

So please, allow me to explain why their characterizations are wrong and boring - and no, not just from a mythological point of view. 

_______________________________

Zeus: the walking clichè

Making Zeus an asshole is understandable, even if utterly boring and clichè. Oh wow, he's an unfaithful husband and he's vain. Very original. Groundbreaking, I'd say. I’ve never read about him being unfaithful to his wife, not even once in all the 200 million retellings made during the history of mankind.

It's a shame because Zeus is much more than that. He's a mighty ruler with a strong sense of justice: in several myths, he punished the assholes for their wrongdoings. He's very clever and strong. He's also associated with xenia, the custom of offering protection to strangers, which means Zeus is also a protector of foreigners.

I mean, this information alone offers so many new perspectives about him! Just imagine if, instead of hanging around and doing nothing useful aside from being everyone’s favorite punching bag, Zeus fought against every corrupt system of the mortal realm, in order to protect the foreigners and the innocents. It would’ve been so cool to see a different side of him, instead of the same thing over and over again!

But nope, Zeus = unfaithful husband only. Let’s ignore all the other aspects of him, to focus on the one everyone focuses on. Let’s make him the umpteenth version of the same guy, instead of offering a new vision. This will surely make the story worth everyone’s time!

Rachel, this could’ve worked if I was 12 and had never read a retelling in my entire life. But since I’m more than twice that age, seeing Zeus as an unfaithful husband again doesn’t get my interest. And I’m sure this doesn’t only apply to me, but to everyone who already saw at least two retellings of him. Isn’t this story supposed to be new and original? Then why are we still picking from the same old clichè visions of these gods? Where is the writer’s personality and ability?

_______________________________

Apollo: king of wasted potentials

I am absolutely, completely, 100% baffled at how Apollo has been treated in this story.

It's insulting to see the most beloved Greek god treated as a bidimensional piece of shit. Not only because he doesn't make any sense in the story (why is he here in the first place? Did Persephone and Apollo even interact in any myth?), but also because there are so many different possibilities for him, that seeing him being this is the biggest waste of potential I’ve ever seen.

A brief recap of who Apollo really is: Apollo is the embodiment of the sun. He is the god of arts and crafts. He's the most beautiful god, he embodies the concept of perfect Greek beauty. And he is associated with a lot of cool stuff, like medicine, truth and oracles. Also, like most of the other Greek gods, Apollo had many male and female lovers.

Now, look me in the eye and tell me that, with all of this, your first idea about him is "yeah, let's make him a stupid rapist, so stupid to not realize that hey, maybe forcing a girl to sleep with you will not make her fall in love with you". Oh and let's not forget he randomly decided he wanted Zeus' throne just after the fertility plot point had been introduced Because Yes. And he’s running for president of Whatever-Land Because Yes. Also, he’s currently involved again in another evil plot Because… yeah, you got it.

It’s just so frustrating to see him being the biggest loser of all time, considering how much cooler he could’ve been. Just think about it: we could've had a bisexual musician, who does concerts with his band (the Muses) and has a shit ton of lovers. We could’ve had a heartbroken doctor, who does his best to save everyone because he has not been able to save his own son from death (Asclepius). We could've had a mysterious advisor who can see the future because of his foresight powers.

What did we get instead? A fucking rapist.

Apollo is nothing but wasted potential. He’s an insult to himself, the story, common sense, and the Greek culture. Of all the incredible things he could've been, he became the most insulting of them all. I really cannot bear to see this fucking idiot and his punching-bag face, pretending to be Apollo. He’s not Apollo.

But if there is a guy I can see less than him, then let me introduce you to…

_______________________________

Kronos: Supreme Master of Wasted Potential

First of all: why is Kronos here? Why does this love story need Persephone to defeat a big bad guy? Just to show how cool and badass she is? Considering that their fight was a joke, it didn't work very well.

But okay, let's say we need a villain Because Yes. Kronos is still a huge waste of potential, probably the biggest waste of potential of the whole series until now. He could’ve been an interesting, multifaceted character, but he became a cartoonish supervillain har-har I want power.

Sigh.

But let’s take a step back and talk about the real, mythological Kronos. His story starts with his parents, Uranus and Gaia. The two had a lot of sons, including Titans (like Kronos) and Hecatonchires (monsters with fifty heads and one hundred arms). Disgusted by their monstrous nature or maybe just out of fear of being overthrown, Uranus chained his sons away into Gaia's womb (aka the Tartarus) so that they could never come out again.

Gaia suffered from this decision, so she devised a plan: she made a stone sickle, gathered her sons and tried to persuade them to castrate Uranus.

All of her sons were afraid of Uranus, Kronos was the only one brave enough to do it. And he was successful: he overthrew his father and became the new ruler of the universe, along with his wife/sister Rhea.

However, after becoming king, he didn't free all of his brothers as his mother wanted, but locked Hecatonchires and Cyclopes away once again. And so, Gaia told him that, one day, he would meet his father’s same fate and be overthrown by one of his own children.

Scared by these words, Kronos devised a plan: every time he had a new child, he took the baby from Rhea and swallowed them. Rhea was desperate and, in order to save her last son Zeus, she sought Gaia's help.

So Rhea gave birth to Zeus in a secret place, then handed Kronos a stone wrapped in clothes: he swallowed it, thinking that it was his son. This way, Zeus managed to escape the same fate as his siblings and was raised in secret, away from his father, until he was old enough to come back and fulfill his destiny.

And now, you may think Zeus overthrew his father with a sword and killed him and nah nah nah, myths are not that stupid and predictable. Zeus didn’t use violence to overthrow his father, but intelligence. He disguised himself to reach Kronos' court and, at the right time, he gave him a drink. That drink was an emetic (given by Gaia), that forced Kronos to throw up everything he swallowed, in reverse order: first the stone he thought was his last son, then Zeus' brothers and sisters.

After freeing his siblings, Zeus did what his father would've never done: he released the Hecatoncheires and the Cyclops to help him in the following battle against Kronos and the other Titans, a battle known as Titanomachy.

The war ended with the victory of the Olympians (i.e. Zeus and his siblings). Many Titans were confined in Tartarus, under the Hecatonchires' control, others were not imprisoned and kept appearing in other myths.

And Kronos? His fate differs depending on the myths. In some versions, he was imprisoned in Tartarus. But according to other, more interesting versions, Zeus forgave him after years, freed him and Kronos became king of the Elysian Fields: the famous earthly paradise reserved for the greatest Greek heroes.

Now. Just look at all of this beautiful, beautiful potential.

We have Gaia, a powerful goddess who overthrew two rulers of the universe, without moving a finger. A goddess strong and clever, but also a mother who wanted all of her children to be free - even the most hideous ones. She could’ve been a tragic figure, a master manipulator, or an evil schemer. Or all these things!

We have the Hecatonchires: fighters so powerful, to turn the tide of any battle. They could’ve been scary and intimidating, but also tragic monsters who just wanted to be accepted. They could’ve taught a beautiful lesson about the importance of accepting the ugly and giving everyone a chance to prove themselves.

Then we have Kronos. And Kronos had everything to be the greatest character.

Think about this concept: Kronos has always been afraid of Uranus, just like his brothers. He was just better at hiding his feelings. And that visceral fear is still inside him, it still haunts him after centuries, just like the memory of how he overthrew his father. And that fear takes the shape of paranoid thoughts about his father coming back to take the throne.

Kronos could’ve seen his father haunting him, but he could’ve also dissociated and seen himself as his father. In his altered state of mind, he could’ve been both the king and the one who overthrows him.

That could’ve made him a truly dangerous, unhinged character. A god who can’t see what’s real anymore, obsessed with the ghosts of his past. A god with nothing to lose and everything to gain. After all, if he kills his children again, the throne would be his once more. And, since he sees himself as himself and as his father at the same time, he would think that he is the "true king" coming back to take his throne.

That could’ve been awesome. Kronos could've been complex, desperate and multifaceted, a villain to pity and to be afraid of. A truly new, interesting version to know and love.

And do you have any idea how incredible Zeus could’ve been in this version? We could see him facing Kronos again, still as strong and determined as when he was young. And while everyone would expect him to kill Kronos, he would use his intelligence once again. He would prove to Kronos (and to everyone else) how intelligence is always superior to violence and how he's a good leader, despite his thousands of flaws.

Also, we could've seen Zeus talking to the defeated Kronos and making him the ruler of the Elysian Fields. We could've had a meaningful ending, in which Zeus understands Kronos' fears and shares his own.

I would’ve adored this, because according to the myth, Zeus was also supposed to be overthrown by a son! Hence why he swallowed Metis (his first wife) while she was pregnant.

The myth never truly clarifies who this supposed "son" is, but according to the different versions, Metis was pregnant not with a son, but with a daughter. A daughter who, one day, would be born, full grown, from Zeus' head. A daughter who would become Zeus' favorite child: Athena.

Honestly? I ADORE the idea that there was never a son to overthrow Zeus, but a daughter. And she would not overthrow his father by violence like her grandfather or by intelligence like her father, but by love. Athena doesn't need to take the throne from her father physically, she doesn't even need to sit on that throne: not when her father loves her more than anything else.

And I love the idea that Zeus is aware of that. He knows his daughter is his weakness. He knows that, if she asks, he will willingly give her that throne, because he loves her too much. And I would've loved to see him sharing these thoughts with the defeated Kronos. It could've been a beautiful moment, to see Zeus talking with the fatherly figure he always missed from his life. It could've led to a beautiful, meaningful ending for a dramatic story.

But can you see the problem here? This concept works for a story about Zeus, not about Hades and Persephone! These two have nothing to do with Kronos! Heck, even Rachel Smythe knows it, considering she had to pull a stupid plot point out of thin air, to explain why Kronos would give a damn about Persephone!

In case you were wondering: yes, the fertility-magical-power-battery-thing is bullshit. Gods don’t need a magical battery to be powerful. And no, fertility goddesses are not rare either: Aphrodite, Demeter, Hera, even Artemis are just a few of the fertility goddesses in Greek mythology. Kronos could’ve picked his favorite from a large pool, instead of becoming an absolute creep with Persephone in the stupidest fight of all time.

And speaking of that, two words on the supposed “fight”. First of all, apologies to all fights for being associated with this thing, because this was anything but a fight: it was a cartoonish conversation accompanied by the umpteenth sexualization of Persephone, who first appeared fully naked, then with a dress so stupid to defy the laws of physics and perspective.

And if you don’t believe me, please see it by yourself: this is how the dress was supposed to be, according to episode 75

This is how it ended up. Apparently, the Fates didn’t predict how huge Persephone’s boobs would be and the neckline didn’t grow accordingly: I feared to see one of them slipping out from it anytime during the “fight”

Also, please appreciate how Persephone is turned to the side, but the dress’ stupidly huge neckline is shown from the front, otherwise we would’ve seen her full naked boobs.

And that stupid neckline kept bothering me throughout the whole “fight”, because it kept changing size. Check the episodes and see it by yourself: sometimes it’s smaller, other times it’s wider and it keeps moving in impossible ways. It drove me insane.

But since we’re talking about drawings, please allow me a very brief parenthesis about them too.

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The drawings are a joke

I am not an artist. I can barely draw a straight line by hand. But I studied art history, perspective, proportions and colors, so I’m not completely clueless.

But you don’t need to be clueless, to notice how bad the drawings became. If you have two eyes and saw another human being in your life before, then you can notice by yourself how bad they are.

It’s not a secret that Lore Olympus’ art style changed over time. In the beginning, this comic was characterized by a lot of straight lines and geometric shapes, alternating and mixing with gentle curves. There were blur effects, colored outlines, a lot of details that gave an overall dreamy, ethereal vibe to every chapter (like the soft glow that accompanied the gods).

But as the story progressed, these elements disappeared. The geometric shapes gave way to an overall “softness” and roundness. The dreamy vibes and blur effects were replaced by sharper, clearer drawings. A distinct black outline now marks every character.

And speaking of characters, they were the ones who changed more. Lore Olympus always had funny, silly faces but the characters were also able to be serious and look natural. Now all we have are grotesque faces: the characters are a collection of caricatures and no one has a normal expression anymore. Check by yourself, by confronting a random episode of the third act with the first one: they’re two different worlds.

The disproportions were common too, since episode one. But at least they were somehow plausible, while now they’re completely absurd. It’s as if Mrs Smythe completely forgot what a human being looks like.

And this is pretty evident in how all characters became a rough draft of the two protagonists: all women got Persephone’s face, all men become buff and huge, with wide-ass shoulders and teeny tiny heads. This is particularly obvious at the end of season 2 / start of season 3, when we see some of the funniest images ever, like Hades with a tiny head and shoulders as wide as the entire USA

Or this hilariously bad image of Zeus with clown shoes and a head as big as his deformed hand.

No excuse can justify these drawings: no one is running after Mrs Smythe, nor forcing her to draw, and people are paying her real money to work on this webcomic. The least she can do is draw something that doesn’t look like a bad distortion of a human being.

Unless this isn’t her drawing, but her staff’s work. In that case, they are still paid to do their job, right? Or do they think this story is a joke and decide to show how much of a joke it is, by turning everyone into a grotesque caricature?

_______________________________

In conclusion

Lore Olympus is hilarious because of how bad the writing is. It’s a manual example of how not to write a climax for your story. It’s a perfect demonstration of how you can still fail, even with great characters with endless possibilities. It’s a list of all the mistakes you can make as an artist.

If you’re a writer or an artist in general, please check Lore Olympus and study it. Here you will find everything you should never do and all the mistakes you should never make.

As a writer myself, I appreciate Lore Olympus, because I need works that teach me what I shouldn’t do. Good teachers are useful, but bad ones are even more useful, because it’s thanks to them that I can learn and grow and make better stories. Lore Olympus might be a failure from an artistic and writing point of view, but it might also serve as a foundation, from which other people can develop better ideas.

Actually, it already did it! Do you want to read a better story, rose from the disappointing ashes of Lore Olympus? Then check Lore Rekindled and @genericpuff: you will find their work here on Tumblr. They planned everything ahead and it’s pretty clear by reading it. The characters make more sense, the events have a more logical explanation. And the art style is much, much better than the last Lore Olympus.

We will meet again for the third and (for now) final post about this series, a much-needed post about the protagonists of this story: Hades, Persephone and Demeter.

<- Previous post - Next post ->

(How about a coffee? ☕)

_______________________________

TAGLIST:

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[tylermileslockett]

Theseus #3 (Medea and the Poisoned Cup)

After undergoing the customary rites to be cleansed from bloodshed, Theseus arrives in Athens. With a high reputation of his heroic deeds he receives an invitation to the King’s banquet. But only the Queen Medea recognizes Theseus to be the son and heir. Afraid for the legitimacy of her son Medus, she schemes, convincing an elderly King Aegeus that this new guest comes with ill intent. But when Theseus holds aloft his sword to cut his meat, the King recognizes his son, and knocks the poisoned cup from his hand.   Medea, knowing her deception will not go unpunished, flees the banquet, and kingdom with her son.

Here is an opportune time to give a brief overview of the fascinating and complex Medea. Her grandfather was the sun god Helios, and her father was king Aeetes (son of Helios and Perseis, an Oceanid). Despite her divine parentage, Medea is most commonly portrayed as mortal with magical abilities. Medea was a devout follower of Hecate, goddess of magic and necromancy.

Her first introduction is as the princess of Colchis assisting Jason to acquire the golden fleece. The lovers flee Colchis, and with the king’s army in pursuit, Medea and Jason sacrifice her brother Absyrtus. They throw his dismembered body parts into the water, forcing the king to slow and collect his dead son, allowing the argonauts to escape. Many years later having settled in Corinth, the love between the two sours, shown in the play “Medea” by Euripides. When Jason abandons her to marry the princess Glauce, Medea creates a poisoned dress for the new bride which takes the brides life. Most shockingly of all, Medea murders her own two sons in a bloody act of revenge.

Although in Euripides’ play we can empathize with her as a betrayed and lonely outcast, in Theseus’ tale she is shown in a more villainous light, when she breaks the sacred social contract in ancient Greek culture of Xenia (hospitality and protection of the guest by a host). Zeus was the patron god of Xenia, and this cultural value is a major theme in Homer’s Odyssey.

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[yiffos-official]

I am willing to give you or anyone else on tumblr the skills and advice the helped me get my dream job

the idea of working for TEK a few months ago would just be a fantasy

my background in education is English. I learned what I know now on my own and only by random chance.

This is why I am so critical of the linux commumity on tumblr.

They're tagging themselves as -official when they can't provide casual end user support.

They're entirely too horny to be in this sphere. Computers and linux should not be about how much you want to fuck/be fucked by X

it will deter end users

This is very cool that you will help other tumblr users with this stuff; i may actually take you up on this at some point :3

(my tone here is /g, /pos, /nm, /lh)

I do, however, kind of disagree with the other points. I think that for any other social media it's correct, twt or fb does not have the culture to make these sorts of parody accounts viable or not-counter-productive to increasing the linux market share. But I don't think that tumblr is the same.

I think that tumblr does. I think the tumblr community has always been this somewhat ephemeral yet perpetual inside joke culture where almost every user is in-the-know, and new users to the joke are able generally able to catch on quickly to it due to their general understanding of they way tumblr communities operate.

IMO, it's a somewhat quick pipeline of:

\> find first "x-official" blog -> assume it's real -> see them horny posting about xenia -> infer that RH corporate would probably not approve of such a blog

I can appreciate that it might be intimidating to seek out help as a new linux user, and especially a new linux & tumblr user, but looking through these blogs, you do see them helping out people ^^. heck, my last post was helping someone getting wayland working on an nvidia system.

The main goal of these blogs is not to be a legitimate CS service to general end-users. they aren't affiliated with the software their blog is named after, so in many cases they *cant*. The goal is instead to foster a community around linux, creating a general network of blogs of the various FOSS projects that they enjoy.

I think that final sentiment, of these blogs detering end users, is most likely counter to their actual effect on end users who are considering switching to linux.

We all know a lot of tumblr is 20 or 30 something year olds who have just stuck around since ~2012ish, and new users to tumblr join with pre-existing knowledge of the culture and platform. Almost anyone coming across these blogs are going to be people who can see the "in" joke, and acclimate. I do highly doubt that a random facebook mom who's son convinced her to install mint on her old laptop would find tumblr, find a -official blog, scroll through said blog, and be detered from using mint.

The other side of this is that any tumblr users who come across these blogs, be it with an inkling of desire to switch to linux or not, will see a vibrant and active community that fits very well into the tumblr community. They remember, or have heard of, the amtrac & OSHA blogs, and are therefore probably aware that this is a pre-existing meme on here.

In all likelyhood, this will probably further incentivize them to make the switch, as they would be more attracted to a community of their peers over a community of redditors telling them to read the arch wiki repeatedly

I can, on the other hand, definitely see that for people who have difficulties with parsing tone, and especially sarcasm, would have trouble with this. TBH, I have these difficulties (hence when I was speaking to you yesterday I used the /unjerk indicator, as I couldn't tell what the tone of the conversation was), and so it took me a little while of being in this weird "I'm 99% sure these *aren't* official, but what if?". I have been there forI think that maybe being more transparent with the fact that the blogs are parodies is probably important. I'm guilty of this, and after i post this, i'll add it to my bio.

[pokemoncenter]

On xenia

In this world, there is a concept so deeply ingrained in all of us, it is almost universal. In terms of culture, most of the world shares it. Yet it has a variety of names, and many people do not know the rules they nonetheless follow unconsciously.

I speak, of course, of the assistance and hospitality provided to Trainers on their journeys.

Around the world, youths will go on journeys. To become Trainers, to become Pokemon Masters, or simply to expand their horizons. These journeys help these youths become well-rounded adults, who understand more of the world. However, such journeys cannot be undertaken alone- Not only with the Pokemon at your side, but Pokemarts, Pokemon Centers, and the League will help anyone on their way... But it is not just that.

While Trainers can generally get free lodgings and some meals at Pokemon Centers... But cities are large, and not every Trainer may be able to find it. At night, Trainers can simply pick a house to enter and will generally be given lodgings and food for the night. Similarly, even if there is not food, or if it is not night, Trainers will often receive gifts from those they meet in towns, in houses, and along the roads.

This is known by many names in many cultures. In Unova, and Galar, it is known as 'xenia'. In the Kanjoh area, it is called 'omotenashi'. Though the name changes, and the exact rules vary by area, it is known as the 'rules of hospitality', or 'sacred hospitality'.

If a Trainer needs lodgings, it is the host's responsibility to those who travel to help them. However, the host does not need to extend beyond their means- If they have nothing they can give that would not harm themselves to lose, there is no obligation to. The hosts must ensure their own health and safety first, and then attend to the guests' needs.

Furthermore, the guests also have an obligation. Be polite, be courteous. In the past, the travelers had the obligation to tell the hosts news of the surrounding areas. However, now that TV and the internet exist, this has been replaced with simply stories- We ask the Trainers to tell us of their journeys. And that way, the joy they experience upon their journey can be shared with others.

In every culture in our world, with very few exceptions, community is the most important thing. There are some who choose to become ascetics, but for the most part, Trainers and journeys would be impossible alone- It is our community, the shared joys and sorrows and shared resources of people that allow our journeys to happen. This, more than any technology, is the shining achievement of humanity- That we help and care for each other.

Kindness and community allow the journey to exist. And anywhere you go, you will find friends.

[ridenwithbiden]

ICYMI "Ohio Republicans are claiming a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights, which was approved by voters in Tuesday’s election, doesn’t actually do that - and they’re promising to take steps to prevent the legal protection of reproductive freedom in the state.

“To prevent mischief by pro-abortion courts with Issue 1, Ohio legislators will consider removing jurisdiction from the judiciary over this ambiguous ballot initiative,” Ohio House Republicans wrote in a statement released Thursday. “The Ohio legislature alone will consider what, if any, modifications to make to existing laws based on public hearings and input from legal experts on both sides.”

Ohio banned abortion in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, but legal challenges to state’s abortion laws left residents’ reproductive rights in limbo until Tuesday’s ballot measure. The strategy Republicans are now proposing would essentially strip Ohio’s courts of the authority to repeal existing abortion restrictions before the new amendment goes into effect on December 7.

“No amendment can overturn the God-given rights with which we were born,” state Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena) added in the Republican’s statement. Another representative, Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester), claimed the referendum had only passed due to “foreign election interference.”

Rep. Bill Dean (R-Xenia) said the amendment “doesn’t repeal a single Ohio law,” and that its language is “dangerously vague and unconstrained, and can be weaponized to attack parental rights or defend rapists, pedophiles, and human traffickers.”

Ohio is not the only state where Republicans are attempting to undermine pro-choice ballot initiatives endorsed by constituents. In Michigan, two anti-choice activist groups are working with Republican lawmakers to sue the state and block the implementation of that state’s voter-approved constitutional amendment.

Stacey LaRouche, press secretary to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, told The Detroit News that “it shouldn’t be lost on people that these right-wing organizations and radical Republicans in the Michigan Legislature are cherry-picking courts to try to once again overturn a constitutionally guaranteed right because they can’t win with voters.”

Ballot measures supporting reproductive freedom have been approved in all seven states where they have been put to voters. Despite Republicans claiming that the end of Roe signified the return of the abortion issue to the will of individual states, they clearly remain determined to undermine reproductive rights no matter what any state’s voters have to say about them."

[thetwilightroadtonightfall]

Overmorrow: The Founder’s Story Masterpost 🩵

Series Summary: Ephemer’s journey of losing everything, but gaining so much more. Because once it’s been felt, the love you’ve been given never truly leaves you. (Takes place after the events of Union Cross, and long before the events of Missing Link.)

AO3 | dropbox | playlist

Tags below ⬇️⬇️⬇️

❥ main tags:

overmorrow tfs — formerly the overmorrow tag, this tag includes absolutely everything below and acts as the new general tag for the entire fic series

overmorrow — Overmorrow proper (part 1)

objects of affection — Objects of Affection (part 2)

a union without unions — A Union Without Unions (part 3)

project E — Project E (name TBA) (part 4)

OCLF (Overmorrow Character and Lore Files) — Supplementary info and lore documents, and concept art for parts 1-3. Not necessary to enjoy the fics, but I definitely recommend going through it. It’s fun, I promise! (also viewable on dropbox: Overmorrow | OoA | AUWU)

❥ misc tags:

overmorrow misc — basically adjacent stuff, random stuff, mostly funny stuff :)

wip — my general work in progress/update tag

❥ character tags:

Charis Athan-Askr | playlist

Seeker and Finder (Ephemer and Charis) | playlist

Xenia Athan-Askr | Fidel Askr | Hestia Lena

Agapios Athan | Marissa Askr

The Ophiuchus Family (all-encompassing tag for my oc family; for canon and canon-adjacent family stuff, see here)

Aeon A-A. Ophiuchus | Clio A-A. Ophiuchus | Mori A-A. Ophiuchus

Galvin | Petra | Pallas

[deadecho]

XENIA (Greek: ξενία) an ancient Greek concept of hospitality

Hey there! I'm pleased to announce that I have put together a discord server for my folks who have had a historical struggles with LFGs.

Unapologetically queer and would like to talk about your life with other Unapologetically queer guardians? Cool. We got that.

Easily overwhelmed learning new content? All good. I will do my best to teach you the content in a teaching style that appeals to you.

Non-verbal or semi-verbal? Okay vibes, I have text channels for fireteam communication and I have a second monitor, we can work with that.

I genuinely want this to be a safe and fun community for everyone involved.

But fr, join or he'll come ask you about your car insurance.

[princessandshildmaiden]

𝓔dda 𝓐slaug 𝐋othbrok

The warrior queen of Northumbria and all England.

Edda the Fearless, a Queen, Ivarsdóttir, Princess of Kattegat, leader of the shieldmaidens, a warrior, a leader.

» This is Edda the Fearless, the famous daughter of Ivar the Boneless, his most precious possession, his greatest treasure. And as beautiful and gentle as she looks and attracts everyone's attention, she is also hard. Her mind is as sharp as the blade of a sword that pierces you. The War Princess, leader of the shieldmaidens, a fighter. Never to be underestimated.

Edda Aslaug, Princess of Kattegat, is the only daughter of King Ivar the Boneless and Queen Xenia, proud mother of Xena Lagertha, younger foster sister of Cailan, twin sister of Vidar and big sister of Iwan. She is the niece of Igor, to whom she is like a daughter and whom she loves dearly, Bjorn Ironside, Ubbe, Sigurd, Caya and Hvitserk and cousin of Ragnar, Leja, Illian, Marlena, who is also her soul mate and Ellinor and aunt of Ragnar Ivain, Lidija and Ranva. As Ivar's only daughter, she is considered his most guarded, most precious treasure, which is why the little princess was always spoiled by her father and spent most of her time with her father. He therefore included his little princess early on in his plans, strategies and tactics regarding Kattegat and the war. Edda, who had her father's head and intelligence, always interested and attentive, not only learned but quickly became her father's closest confidante alongside her mother, advising him on tactics and strategy and accompanying him in all discussions and negotiations. Although Edda has an excellent and pronounced talent for strategy, traps and tough negotiations and does not haggle, her father forbade her from ever going into battle or taking part in raids in order to protect his precious daughter. However, just like her father, she has his stubbornness and her own strong will, which she follows and ignores everything. Since it became clear early on that the young princess was a born warrior as well as a leader and had already mastered sword and shield as a little girl, she was taken under Lagertha's wing despite her ban, who recognized Edda's blazing strength and initiated and taught her the art of fighting. Despite Edda's dislike and initial hatred towards Lagertha. Despite her cold, superior facade, Edda has a lot of heart and gives her family all her warmth and love, tries to protect and support them in whatever way she can and always advises them wisely and skillfully. She is the only one who is able to curb her father's anger with her gentleness and care as well as her strong loyalty to him, to stop him from doing something and to look after him in his weakest and most painful moments, which she always does. Edda also has a particularly close relationship with her younger brother Iwan, advises him and stands by him, but is the only one who uses her sharp tongue to reprimand him before he acts impulsively and guides him. And not just the men of the family, because the young princess with the sharp mind of a sword and the strength of a leader knows how to control her father's men and judge orders. After it becomes known how skilled and confident Edda is with sword and shield and the princess turns into a magnificent, fearless and combative, cold warrior, she not only receives Lagertha's sword but also becomes the new leader of the shield maidens, who she leads determinedly and strongly without regard for losses, always ready for battle. Due to her unstoppable fearlessness, the beautiful princess is now only known by the name 'Edda the Fearless', the princess, the warrior, leader of the shield maidens. The proud wife of her beloved warrior, her only love, Cailan and proud mother of her beloved daughter Xena Lagertha. ( Vikings )

[foreststarflaime]

What degree(s) do you think Genesis would have?

Ooohoho well. If I may throw my projecting opinions into the discussion lol

He would do great as a classics person I feel (meaning here the study of ancient Greece and Rome, because that is a really ambiguous name to give a study area, but here we are I don’t make the rules). I’ve said plenty about the parallels you can draw with him and the Iliad before, and Loveless absolutely does give me ancient epic vibes, and specifically homeric epic vibes with the themes and the character of the goddess. And if I may go into lore speculation mode for a second, the Cetra do give me the ancient Greece kinda vibe in some ways, so it would be cool if that was the role they played to Gaian society like greece/rome is for us, and with how little of it there is and the whole freaking out over a couple new lines that got discovered (oof that’s a weirdly structured sentence)! So I am pinning my fellow classics major pin on him, he would love the classes I’ve been in which are solely dedicated to reading and discussing a specific text like that especially. He would so be the type of person to walk up to your discussion of the Odyssey or smth and be like “well actually it’s more complex than that bc the greeks’ society was based off this thing called xenia” and procede to lecture you on greek culture with the greek words that don’t translate quite right thrown in all the time lol (haha I would never do this wdym). I actually did have the idea for my thesis in my Greek Gods class that was very much inspired by him—I’m studying sorta the relationships between warriors and poetry in ancient epic

But he would not stop at just one, he is so extra lmao—I could also definitely see him being an english major. And I won’t say theater major exactly because I feel like he would he the exact flavor of english major my uni used to have that I have been told stories of where they had this weird rivalry with the theater department lmao—the eng department would put on productions of Shakespeare, and every department would usually have a decent amount of rep with showing up at the performances, except. Most notably. The theater department, because they were salty that anyone besides them got to put on Shakespeare. The petty energy of that is so Genesis to me, whichever side of that he would he on—although I do tend to lean towards the english side of that for him because he loves analyzing the work so much

And then he’d also probably have some random chemistry degree because he’s a child prodigy genius who invented pasteurization apparently, so great for him lol I could never

[genericpuff]

Just to add some context,

I'm from New Zealand and there's Western media everywhere here. So it's not hard to get why LO is so influenced by it all, but that doesn't excuse the lack of Greek culture or representation in the webcomic.

Cool cool, I have ZERO clue what it's like over in NZ so I wasn't sure if Rachel being super into American media was outside of the norm or not haha It definitely shows in her work and yeah, I agree, definitely not an excuse at all, especially when so much Greek myth material has been preserved INCREDIBLY well and is readily available to anyone who wants to learn about it. Even the times when she tries to "prove" she's well-read in Greek myth feel so painfully lazy (see: the Zeus xenia thing). It definitely felt at least a bit more Greek-inspired in the beginning with certain things but I think, like the art and writing, she just stopped caring :/ That's at least how it feels and it sucks to see.

[sinfulslytherin]

Show me.

First time?

Summary: Your best friend drags you to a Slytherin party for the first time in your life. You are usually not that outgoing and haven't had any experiences with partoes,alcohol or boys yet. But you meet Draco Malfoy at the part...

Amelia and I both make our way to the common room, which is already filled up with all the Slytherins.

Loud music streams through my body and the smell of liquor hits my nose.

"Do you want a drink?" Amelia asks.

"Sure, as long as they have something sweet." I answer.

She smiles as she takes my hand and leads me to a huge table with many drinking options. Amelia starts to mix me a red-ish drink.

"Here- is that sweet enough?" Seh asks as she hands me the drink.

I take a sip and my eyes widen at the good taste. You barely taste the alcohol.

I eagerly nod at her as I take another sip.

Amelia and I stay at the table for a bit as we drink 2-3 drinks and talk a bit and laugh at the jokes we make.

"Do you wanna dance?" She suddenly asks.

"No, I'm not drunk enough for that." I joke "-But you should go, I'll stay here." I smile at her.

I know thaz she wants to look for Blaise  in the crowd.

"I'll be back."

She gives me one more smile before she takes her drink and leaves.

I look around as I realize that I am actually alone. I try to ignore the insecure feeling creeping up on me as I keep on drinking.

The last drop of liquor hits my tpunge as I realize that my drink is empty.

I mentally curse at myself.

"Shit..what did she mix me.." I talk to myself as I look at the huge option of sodas and liquors standing on the table.

"Need some help?" Suddenly someone asks.

My head turns to the left as I see Draco Malfoy standing next to me.

"N-no...thanks" I ditch him as my gaze falls back to the table.

I grab a bottle in order to look at it.It's hard to read anything that's written on it due to the dim light and my tipsy state. I shrug with my shoulders as I'm about to fill it in my cup.

Suddenly a hand snatches the bottle away.

"Hey,hey,hey-That's Stroh-This stuff has 80%-Are you trying to get an alcohol poisoning?" Draco says in a stern voice as he places the bottle as far as he can away from me.

I look at him confused.

"I had no idea what that is.."  I admit as I look at him.

"Is this your first time drinking?" He asks while raising one eyebrow.

"It's my first time at a party." I admit as I turn back to the table and look for another drinking option.

I hear a sigh next to me as I suddenly feel Dracos shoulder brush against mine.

I look next to me only to find him grabbing a few bottles and snatching my cup from my hand.

"Do you prefer sweet drinks or-" He tries to ask but I interrupt him.

"Sweet!" I eagerly say.

He lightly chuckles as he starts to mix something. I watch him as I wait for my drink.

His drink looks different it has a dark blue-ish color. He hands me my cup.

"Try that." He says.

I take a sip from the drink.

My eyes widen. This drink is stronger but tastes even better tham Amelias drink.

"Don't take drinks from strangers, though." He suddenly says.

I look up at him and chuckle.

"Aren't you a stranger to me?"

He looks at me, smirks and extends his hand.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

I grab his hand in order to shake it.

"Xenia. Xenia Brown." I answer.

____________________________________

So this is my new story!-I hope yall are going to like it <3

(Yes, I'll still continue 'Guillotine' :3)

You can read the whole chapter down below~

I am grateful for any kind of feedback!

[red-moon-at-night]

Not me getting all sad and sappy last night about Paris' life as a shepherd, as a slave, pre-discovery of his royal family and him being a prince of Troy, pre-judgement, et cetera et cetera. Especially how much more meaningful it is that Paris plays the lyre, owns a lyre, prior to all of these events.

I have done a little cursory research trying to find out more about the likelihood of slaves in ancient greece having any musical education, and apart from the girls who would play the aulos at symposia, I really haven't found much at all. So I'm going to make an educated guess and assume that someone in Paris' position as a shepherd/cattle herder isn't going to be formally educated nor given the resources to learn an instrument. Therefore him owning a lyre has to come out of his own volition, his own desire for music.

There's something to be said about Paris as a pleasure-seeking character, in contrast to the numerous extracts of Plato or Aristotle discussing the dangers of music being driven by pleasure and pleasure only.

"But later, an unmusical anarchy was led by poets who had natural talent, but were ignorant of the laws of music ... Through foolishness they deceived themselves into thinking that there was no right or wrong way in music, that it was to be judged good or bad by the pleasure it gave. By their works and their theories they infected the masses with the presumption to think themselves adequate judges." — Plato, Laws 700-701a. cited in Wellesz, p. 395.

This passage is talking specifically about the issue of 'new music' during Plato's time, but this sentiment of 'incorrect' forms of music certainly feels relevant to the matter of a slave informally playing an instrument for their own enjoyment.

So much of Paris' character comes back to this idea of his authenticity to himself in the face of societal expectations. His lack of masculinity, breaking xenia, and now doing activities that a slave really ought not to do.

And yet he plays his lyre anyway. For himself, for his own pleasure. At this point in his life, with no knowledge that his world will be turned on his head, that the rest of his life won't be working on agricultural land as a slave — he has his lyre, and that will be enough.

I don't know, the whole thing makes me feel a little emotional.