#anyways Penelope my beloved
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hey who wants to read some silly Odyssey fanfiction I wrote for my humanities final hehe
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Penelope’s fingers were beginning to grow calluses.
She had only been entertaining the suitors for a month. If that were the right word for maintaining a strained smile as men ravaged her house like a pack of wolves, pillaging her kitchen and dining hall while leering like they wished to do the same to her.
The idea had come to her two weeks into their stay, when she sat by her loom to find the remaining thread slowly beginning to lose its tension and fall from it’s place.
Unraveling.
Night by night. Undoing the hours of work she had toiled over during the day so she may begin again in the morning. An hourglass that will never empty as she waits for him to return.
Odysseus.
The fleetings moments of sleep she allows herself are spent in a blinding nightmare where his demise is placed in front of her. Each night is a new death.
Drowning.
Starvation.
Hung.
Betrayed.
Slain in battle.
Each night she sees the light leave her husband’s eyes and each day she must endure the men who so desperately wish to replace him. She stares as the unwoven ends of the textile before her, letting her fingers slowly run over the fibers and feel each ridge.
A wife weaving a burial shroud while waiting for her husband’s return.
The irony is not lost on her.
A soft cry comes from the corner of the room, pulling Penelope from her thoughts and to the polished cradle by her bed. The noises continue, a low whine that slowly begins to build and build until she leans over the cradle and smiles.
“Good morning, my sweet.”
Telemachus does not have his father’s eyes nor his nose. Odysseus had jested about the fact when the babe had first been brought into the world by her own strength. After hours of labor he lay sleeping in her arms as her husband watched them both fondly.
“The boy looks nothing like me.” He whispered with a smile. “A small gift from the gods, to give him his mother’s face rather than his oafish father’s.”
Penelope was too tired to properly chastise him for such self loathing, nor would she risk jostling the infant sleeping on her chest. She simply scoffed and rolled her eyes.
“I happen to quite like the oaf.”
Odysseus leaned over the bed, allowing his lips to graze the shell of her ear and grin as a smile grew on her face no matter how hard she fought it.
“And I thank the gods everyday for it.”
She takes the fussing child into her arms, gently shushing him as his cries slowly quiet until they stop completely. He grins at his mother, proudly showing off his complete lack of teeth that makes her smile in return.
Her son holds no features of his father. She hopes he does not grow to live in his shadow.
A glass shattering in the dining hall breaks the tender moment of mother and son. Frightened, Telemachus’ lip quivers before he begins to wail. Penelope is able to soothe him once more, letting him slowly drift off to sleep on her shoulder.
But she must leave, as she does each day.
Penelope gently lowers Telemachus back into his crib and kisses the soft curls atop his head, whispering sweet words to her son before departing from the room.
She can hear them clearly now. The call of the morning by those violating her home. The vulgar voices of the men in her home, hollering and laughing amongst one another like friends in reunion. With slow, even, breaths, she walks down the hall, listening to the voices grow louder and louder until she is faced with wooden double doors, all that keeps her from them.
Odysseus, she pleads to nobody. Return home.
The last gentle thread of the mourning wife is wiped from her face as calloused fingers curl around the handle and rip the door open.
Another day begins.
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#penelope ford#aew#all elite wrestling#aewedit#wrestlingedit#wrestling#night gifs#GUYS I DID IT. you probably cant even tell lmao but i FINALLY figured out how to use actions in photoshop to sharpen gifs!!#ANYWAYS HAVE MORE PENELOPE#my beloved#vampire wife#(rp blogs dont reblog; saving and other personal use with tag credits is fine)
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i watch bridgerton for the plot. and also because i'm aggressively bisexual
#also insert penelope here but i don't like colin so#anyway i'm watching season one again and SIMONNNN MY BELOVED#bridgerton
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“Her name is Penelope, she was a showgirl,
But that was thirty years ago, when they used to have a show,
Now it’s a disco, but not for Penny,
Still in the dress she used to wear, faded ribbons in her hair,
She sits there, so refined, and drinks herself half blind,
She lost her youth and she lost her Vaggie,
Now she’s lost her mind,”
#penelope art I have just been sitting on#honestly I have a hoard I just haven’t posted because don’t think about it#(and it’s annoying to post on da from my phone tbh)#anyway penelope my girl my beloved#penny is not a nickname penelope uses its pen mostly#only magnolia uses it in bouts of extreme affection#and tom as a cute nickname no one else calls her penny its meant to be like insulting#hazbin hotel#fan character#penelope#wip
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I'm chewing on the walls bc my dm hasn't seen my question about my character's backstory yet and I am trying SO HARD to keep myself on the rails and not run off with something I'm not even allowed to do yet
#also. i didn't expect my 4e AND 5e characters to both be gothic but here we are#shadar kai penelope still 🤝 (hopefully) haunted one solavida greycastle#anyways uwu even if i can't do haunted one the vibes are still there (solavida just wont have a cool ghost haunting which i want very badly)#she's a gothic movie heroine with full plate armor and a warhammer and she can see in the DARK bitch!!!#anyway im a lil disappointed bc i couldn't play tabby (we're sticking with basic racial modifiers so no tashas this time) BUT#as per usual i find one or two songs that get me vibed for the character and all of a sudden i love them with my whole heart#oddly enough for BOTH characters its a mountain goats song and a metal song back to back lmfao#for penelope it was heretic and kickstart my heart#for solavida its broom people and we're not gonna take it#both playlists have love love love and this year for emotional support reasons to beat back the anxiety but. my playlist shall grow slowly#edit: i listened to broom people about 40 times in a row. idk if im going to make it to sunday yall#solavida greycastle my absolute beloved. i would die for you and you would never let it happen#penelope would be so ridiculously attracted to solavida and vida would just think penelope was obnoxious lmfao#also i didn't even realize this but they're like. opposites in terms of aesthetics#penelope represents the sun when it rises and solavida represents the sun when it sets#penelope comes from a life of eternal night and revels in the sun#solavida comes from a sunny countryside by the ocean and purposefully traveled inwards to face the dark and the unknown#penelope is the grey in an otherwise colorful photo. solavida is the colors in an otherwise lightless one.#UGH. THEM
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beloved it has been too long!
requesting if u pls a eurymene art bc i love them so much they are the couple of all time right next to odypen. penelope and ctimene are the soul sister duo ever and i love them they get up to so much shenanigans together >:3
anyway do what you fancy and have fun with it :D
I came up with Mene's design off the top of my head XD
#sweet darlings they are#eurylochus#ctimene#eurymene#epic the musical#the odyssey#epic the musical fanart
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Epic post canon fluff for the soul!
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"Athena, help, help!" Odysseus hisses, darting behind her. Athena tenses up, grabbing her spear. "Your wife is after me!"
"She is your wife," Athena rolls her eyes, relaxing and letting the weapon dissolve. Odysseus presses himself between her stature and the wall, arranging her robes around him to make it seem she was sitting on the settee alone.
"As are you," Odysseus says pointedly. The delusion never fails to make an odd rush of emotion go through her, something both bashful and giddy and embarrassed to be feeling both. "And speak softer, she's going to hear you."
"What did you do anyway?" Athena sighs, leaning back against him and stifling a grin as he squawks at the heavy weight of her. "Penelope is a calm, rational woman- she's not one usually to send you running like this."
"What are you talking about?" Odysseus says, outrage muffled behind her. "Calm and rational- do you know she once made me fistfight a merchant who she thought was giving us low quality carpets for our wedding? Carpets, Athena!"
"I don't know how you two keep this kingdom running," Athena sighs, shaking her head as she picks her weaving back up. Two arms sneak around her waist, and she shifts downwards with a soft smile no one can see, letting him hug her tight as if he can squeeze his affection into her body. She does not know how it continues to feel like this, even ten years later, like every day is filled with nothing but satisfaction and content and happiness. "What-"
"Athena!" Telemachus crashes into the door as he loses grip on the marble flooring with his old sandals that really need to be burnt. He shakes his head and turns to run at her, throwing himself at her side like intends to crawl behind as well, like he is not a lad of twenty-six summers now. "Mom is- oh, hi, dad!"
"Hey, Tele," Odysseus says warmly, and Athena begs for patience as they both try to adjust themselves behind her. "Did she see you?"
"No! But-"
"What," Athena slams her hands down on the loom. "-did you two even do? And why am I collateral in your foolishness?"
"Because we're your favourites," Telemachus says shamelessly. She regrets the day she and Penelope decided to leave the sweet child alone with his insufferable brat of a father for that holiday they took together around the island. He was never quite the same ever again. "And shhh, she's gonna hear you!"
"Let her," Athena says mutinously. "And you're wrong- Diomedes is my favourite. The calmest, quietest one of all of my students."
"Then stop sending him away to guide youngsters on magical quests!" Penelope snaps as she storms in. Athena is ashamed to admit she quails back at the furious entrance with wide eyes. "Maybe then I'd get someone else in this house who isn't an absolute fool!"
"Penelope-" She says, as if she's done something wrong and she is also not an ancient goddess of war who fought the Titans themselves.
"Athena," Penelope says dangerously. "Where are those rascals?"
Said rascals are frozen still like deer behind her, so much so she barely remembers she's there. "What... rascals?"
Penelope wears a look of incredulity at the terrible attempt at a lie, something that Athena also shares in vague disbelief at her own self, before suddenly changing her tune, looking for all the world a weary, middle-aged, fond woman.
"My darling Athene," she coos, sweet as honey. "Beloved husband mine. Where are those annoying brats, please tell me?"
Athena's heart skips a beat and her fingers stutter on her shuttle.
This nonsense had all started some accursed months ago when she had woken up one morning beside Penelope, Odysseus already gone ahead for the morning to bathe, Athena pressed into the warmth he'd left behind after a particularly bad migraine the previous night.
"I am- not your husband," she manages, trying not to blush at the words. "I do not why you insist on calling me so."
Penelope pouts.
Then Penelope had stretched and thrown an arm and leg over her, and suddenly she was wide awake as the other nuzzled into her neck and murmured, "Good morning, husband."
Athena had burned for that one brief moment, then abruptly teleported out of there to Odysseus in their bathhouse, wading into the water with all her clothes on, babbling apologies and awkward explanations to the bewildered man, while fighting the sudden mortifying realisation of Why have I been sleeping in their marital bed? followed shortly by WHY HAVE THEY BEEN LETTING ME?
And after Odysseus had gotten the whole story out of her- she had not been hysterical, fuck off, Odysseus- he had almost laughed himself sick with mirth. Then after she'd bellowed at him to take it seriously, he'd chuckled and swam closer to her.
Athena had not slipped into the water in shock.
"I won't lie, I do like the sound of it, though," Odysseus had purred. Swam closer and placed his hands on her hips, scalding hot and real. "Penelope would look good with two husbands, don't you think? What say, Pallas Athena, will you be my wife too?"
It had hit her like a sword to the gut, the realisation that he was teasingly seducing her, and it hit like a second sword to the face that even if he didn't really mean it, she wouldn't mind, which was a horrifying development to suddenly be aware of, and the result of that was-
"CEASE!" She had shouted and splashed the entire floor in her mad scramble to get away from him, Odysseus cackling behind her. She had promptly gotten as far away from the entire mad island of Ithaka as she could, and then picked a fight with poor Eros, who was probably the only innocent party in this whole situation.
But after that, they had not stopped, the bastards that they were- went about calling her that all the time, introduced her to people with the title they felt like inflicting on her that day, held her close with the same casual possession they used with each other.
"Are you worried about being the second?" Penelope says brazenly, bangles jingling as she puts her hands on her hips. "Don't worry, love, once I get my hands on Odysseus, you will be my one and only, and we can replace that donkey I call a son as well. Now, I heard you talking to them, where are they?"
"Aw, how come I don't get the title of donkey?" Odysseus says as he peeks out from behind her, and Penelope's face becomes full of rage.
"YOU-!" She hitches up her skirts and chases her laughing husband around the room, shouting insults and curses.
Athena sits there silently, still trying to recover from what Penelope had said so casually to her.
Maybe- maybe it wasn't a joke after all? Were they actually serious-
"You know they are not joking, right?" Telemachus says, sudden sharp knowing in his voice. She looks over at him, and he smiles softly, lifting himself to his knees as he makes his way past her open hair to press a fond kiss to her cheekbone. "They really love you, ma."
Athena makes a truly undignified gurgling noise. Then narrows her eyes. "Manipulation."
"It can be manipulation and truth!" Telemachus says as he reaches out and straightens out the threads of her look that had gotten tangled in all the mess. "I am the product of your intellectual labour, am I not?"
"Are you?" Athena grumbles darkly, and he laughs high and sharp. He has dozens of suitors of his own now, children of heroes and gods alike- and he has every last one wrapped around his finger as easy as breathing, toying with them all so gently they can't do anything but enjoy it as he lazily chooses between them, all father's charm and mother's beauty and smile as sharp as any wolf's.
Athena is so incredibly proud of him.
"Yes," He says, then slumps against her as they watch Penelope pull off her sandals to throw at Odysseus. She misses, and a vase goes crashing to the floor instead as Odysseus slips past her once more. "Mom really is in love with you, though. I can tell."
"I-"
"She knows that too. But maybe come for dinner more often, that's enough to make her day." Athena turns to look at him, raises an eyebrow. Telemachus smiles sunnily. "And there isn't a mortal or Olympian alive who knows what the hell kind of insane dynamic you have going on with dad, so I'm not going to bother asking."
"You used to be such a sweet child," Athena says despairingly. "Why were you tainted so."
Telemachus guffaws.
Another vase crashes to the floor and Athena sighs.
"My most beloved," She calls out, words fitting awkwardly in her mouth. Still, it's worth it to see them both freeze and whip around to stare at her with wide eyes and red cheeks, strangulation and excuses forgotten. She snorts, Telemachus giggles excitedly. "Please. May we forget these petty squabbles and go to lunch? I find myself hungry today."
"Yes!" The two of them practically teleport to her side, looking up at her with adoring, worshipful expressions. Telemachus gestures something encouraging in the side of her vision, and goes on ahead to get the cook ready, successfully escaping his mother's ire.
Athena smiles. Builds up her courage and leans down once on either side to peck them both on the lips and pushes down a smug smile at their stunned expressions as she straightens back up, relishing in the satisfaction of getting one over them after weeks of teasing.
"Well?" She says as she reaches the door, turning back to see them clutching at each other and staring at her, cheeks scarlet. Such beautiful idiots they are, the both of them. She huffs in amusement. "I'll let whoever reaches first call me their wife in front of Hermes tomorrow."
Odysseus and Penelope both shout in dismay and start tussling with each other to reach the door first and Athena laughs as she shifts into an owl and flies overhead, towards yet another day with her favourite people.
#odypen#if u cant approach her to have an emotional convo abt how much she means to u gaslighting it is ig#also! a few words abt my odypenath stuff#most of the time it Is a handwavy queerplatonic situation#like. they dont have the words for the things they feel!!! its romantic and platonic and fond and 'i can crush em like a bug' and laughing#also omg FINALLY.#telemachus#THE BOY!!!!#26 and thriving. heartbreaker supreme#odysseus#penelope#athena#my fic#no but im very firm on the fact that post odyssey Telemachus is the most feared individual in the entire civilization lmao
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There are still people in this fandom who don't know all the spoilers of the novel..? Anyway, this is a warning to you! <3
Wait... this is the first time there are NO novel spoilers??
Hello, dear VADD readers! Happy New Year! I missed you all~!! And that's why I dug up some memes from the depths of my gallery to spice up your vadd tumblr feed and entertain you!
Yeah, sure, only those people who have been following my profile for a long time know that I have banal and barely funny jokes... LET'S START!!
Callisto's love for the Eckarts.
Cedrick: Your Highness, perhaps you should be a little more lenient with your beloved's relatives...
Callisto: k.
Cedrick: And don't look at them with a murderous look.
Callisto: I didn't even think about it.
Cedrick: You always look as if you intend to kill the whole family of Lady Eckhart!..
Callisto: I look at them normally!
Meanwhile, Callisto every time when one of the Eckharts breathes:

We can understand him... even if not condemn him—
Sibling relationships are magical because always to yours:
They will say:
Don't expect to see the next joke topic so soon because sibling interactions are an INEXHAUSTIBLE topic! Better one more >:D
That moment when you worked all day to be hated by half the fandom, but....
You're also the big brother.
R.I.P. dude.
If you have any ideas as to why Penelope only now decided to make many people's dream come true, be sure to share them in the comments!
Do you still remember the existence of this character?
"So, my friend, tell me... what's it like? To be a lovable character in the eyes of others for the first two seasons until the artist adapted certain points of the third and fourth seasons?"
Laila made him a pink blanket so he wouldn't freeze in prison <3
Andddd..... BONUS!!
"Your Highness, how do you comment on the fact that often your first option in choosing a gift for family and loved ones is the corpse of animals or people?"
".....First, the main thing is love and attention (towards Penelope, ofc).
I hope you are still alive and haven't blocked me liked the jokes and I was able to cheer you up! ^^
#villains are destined to die#vadd#vadtd#vadd memes#vadd meme#vadd spoilers#manhwa#penelope eckhart#callisto regulus#reynold eckhart#winter verdandi#derrick eckhart#eckles#eckles khan delman#calliope otp#calliope canon#duke eckhart#tapas
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#penelope ford#aew#all elite wrestling#aewedit#wrestlingedit#wrestling#night gifs#reeeeeeeally love how the coloring looks on these tbh.....#also the flashing on the top was there in the original video so thats not my fault im just saying lol#anyways hello maam good lord#my beloved#vampire wife#(rp blogs dont reblog; saving and other personal use with tag credits is fine)
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Ha ha ha and now what? Even Boss confirmed officialy that Antonia is Luke's lady whisteldown on his sm platforms..... I feel they both will have collab with them soon ha ha another hard launch but globally! Just see the reality and Come back to this planet. This is over. L and A are happy Hot and i love write about them
LOL Obvious children with no writing skills have been sending me Asks. All these anons, reek of desperation, same as Toilet twerker's attempts to be famous.
Boss confirmed that Antonia is Luke's Lady Whistledown on social media you say? Ha! I highly doubt that. Even if it were true, it's obvious it would be due to the distraction/ruse is still going on. In time, time will reveal the truth and mark my words it will, and I can't wait for that day, because all you pitiful anons will disappear out of embarrassment and so will the attention-seeking, fame wanting, basically gold digger type, horrible dancer.
That horrible woman is NOTHING like Lady Whistledown. Lady Whistledown, who is a self-made woman. She got all the success and notoriety by her own hard work. She didn't have to ride on another's coat tails. That is all the toilet twerker does.
Underneath the actual Lady Whistledown there is Penelope. That immature horrible person is NOTHING like Penelope either. Penelope is a caring person, and she loves the people she loves with her whole heart and would do anything to protect them. Colin wants to protect Penelope too and look out for her due to how much he loves her and due to how she is such a loving, caring and wonderful person and that continues even after the LW reveal.
Antonia is NOTHING like the caring and loving person that is Penelope. If she was, she wouldn't have been trying to steal attention from Nicola after every post all year. Luke would have wanted to protect Antonia like Colin wanted to protect Penelope/LW, but Luke didn't do that. He did, however, protect Nicola all due to people thinking he was shading her over cake fondant, and he did it in the speed of light too. Also, all Antonia does is cause people to hate on Luke more with every bad behavior. Is that protecting him? Nope.
The truth is that the person Luke considers like Penelope/LW is the love of his life, Nicola. He confirmed it on the WT. That is hard confirmed too. Like, there is actual video of him saying it. Go watch the interviews of the Brazil stop to be exact, Luke described Nicola as being like both Penelope and LW and why and it was all true too. Antonia has none of those qualities. He also confirmed Nicola is Penelope/LW it in a printed interview too. Saying that Nicola is that character.
Antonia can also only wish to be SERIOUSLY considered even remotely like Aphrodite or even Tinkerbell. Ha! Those characters, like Penelope/LW are beloved and will be remembered throughout history. I can say confidently that miss thang won't. She won't last in the entertainment industry because you have to have likability and NO ONE likes her due to her behavior and personality, her aura even. Even you guys will get over her after the truth is revealed.
My advice for Antonia is she needs to go get a degree in a non-entertainment industry job, because the one she chose has a shelf life. She doesn't have the ability or likability to sustain a career in the entertainment industry. She also needs to develop a hard work ethic and reach where is it she wants to be with the sweat of her own brow. It's the only way to truly be proud of any accomplishment one might receive in life.
So anyway, to wrap up. you are highly delusional, Anon.
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I agree with your position on Calypso being childlike in Epic is detrimental to male victims of sexual assault, but it *is* within Homer's original work that the suitors had malicious thoughts about Penelope in a similar way. He didn't focus on it so explicitly like Jorge is going to do in Epic, but there are several times when Penelope mentions how much of a threat they are to 'us', and an additional moment where the suitors *do* deliberately express desire to have sex with her, and wait until she has left the room to speak in such a manner. From Wilson's translation:
She [Penelope] went back to her room, and took her son's uneasy words to heart. She went upstairs, along with both her slaves, and wept there for her dear Odysseus, until Athena gave her eyes sweet sleep.
Throughout the shadowy hall the suitors clamored, praying to lie beside her in her bed. Telemachus inhaled, then started speaking.
"You suitors, you are taking this too far. Let us enjoy the feast in peace. It is a lovely thing to listen to a bard, especially with one with such a godlike voice."
From Fagles' translation:
Astonished, she withdrew to her own room. She took to heart the clear good sense in what her son had said. Climbing up the loft chamber with her women, she fell to weeping for Odysseus, her beloved husband, till watchful Athena sealed her eyes with welcome sleep.
But the suitors broke into uproar through the shadowed halls, all of them lifting prayers to lie beside her, share her bed, until discreet Telemachus took command: "You suitors who plague my mother, you, you insolent, overweening... for this evening let us dine and take our pleasure, no more shouting now. What a fine thing it is to listen to such a bard as we have here --- the man sings like a god."
I do wish that Jorge had left in that aspect of Odysseus' time trapped with Calypso intact, as well as his time with Circe. The musical suffers without it because this then does seem to be like a sensationalism thing. Anyway, I have enjoyed reading your breakdowns so far! I hope to see more with the next saga coming out in a few days. Wishing you all the best.
Okay, first off, thank you for being respectful, unlike half the brain-dead trolls who can’t read. I appreciate that you came with receipts, and you know what? That’s rare around these streets, so kudos for that. Seriously. You clearly care about the material, and that deserves respect. But now, let me roll up my sleeves because I do have some things to say.
Here’s Wilson’s translation again, from the same scene you mentioned:
“The suitors made a din throughout the shadowy halls, each man praying to lie beside her in her bed.”
Praying. Highlight it. Circle it in red. These losers were not planning anything; they were fantasizing. Not plotting, not scheming, not planning some coordinated assault. Praying. These morons are fantasizing about her like horny teenagers, not predators with an actual plan. Because that is what they are. Youth.
Even Fagles, who’s more dramatic in his language, sticks to the same tone:
“The suitors broke into uproar through the shadowed halls, all of them lifting prayers to lie beside her, share her bed…”
Lifting prayers. Again, they’re fantasizing, not attacking. These guys are scum, but they’re not warriors. They’re lazy, spineless leeches who drink Odysseus’ wine and stuff their faces with his food while posturing like kings.
The original line goes as follows:
"οἱ δ᾽ εὐχόμενοι πάντες ἐπ᾽ ἀλλήλοισι λέγοντο κοιμηθεῖν."
Translated literally, it says:
“And they, all praying, said among themselves to lie with her.”
Let’s focus on εὐχόμενοι (euchomenoi), the main verb here. It’s crucial because it doesn’t mean “plotting” or “planning.” It means praying, wishing, or hoping — a nonviolent, internal desire directed toward the gods. These guys weren’t conspiring to assault Penelope. They were sitting around fantasizing and asking divine forces to grant them her love (or, more likely, her submission).
Now, let’s look at κοιμηθεῖν (koimethein), which translates to “to sleep”. It is...not even sexual. It is literally a normal verb, “to sleep.” Homer had plenty of vocabulary to describe acts of physical aggression if that’s what he wanted to imply. Words like βιάζω (biazō, meaning “to force”) or ἁρπάζω (harpazō, meaning “to seize”) are all over the Iliad and Odyssey. If the suitors were intending rape, Homer would’ve used more explicit language. He didn’t. Let me contrast this with an actual moment in the Odyssey where sexual violence is implied, when he recalls his time on the island of Calypso:
“ἔνθα μὲν ἀμφ᾽ ἀνάγκῃ, τῇ δὲ θεὰ ἐρῶσά μιν ἔσχε.” (“There he stayed out of necessity, for the goddess, in her love, held him there.”)
Notice the two parts here. Odysseus stayed out of necessity, not because he wanted to. And why was he there? Because Calypso held him. That’s not love. That’s entrapment. Homer makes it clear that Odysseus had no agency in this situation — he was kept there against his will.
Homer uses the same word when Odysseus describes his time with Circe:
“ἀλλ᾽ ἔμεν᾽ ἐν σπέσσι λαῶν ἀνάγκῃ.” (“But I stayed in her halls by necessity.”)
The word ἀνάγκῃ is usually translated to “necessity,” but its meaning runs so much deeper. It implies force, constraint, distress, even violence. This isn’t a neutral word, and it sure as hell isn’t romantic.
When the gods finally intervene in the situation with Calypso, Hermes doesn’t mince words:
“ἀλλ᾽ ἤτοι δὴ νῦν οὔ τοι θέμις ἐστὶν ἄνακτα θνητὸν ἀνδρῶν ἐρύκειν.” (“It is not lawful for you to keep a mortal man here.”)
The gods themselves have to tell Calypso to let him go because she won’t do it willingly. That’s not the behavior of a tragic lover — it’s the behavior of someone who refuses to relinquish control.
Even when she finally agrees to release Odysseus, she doesn’t make it easy for him. She says:
“καὶ τὸν ἔασα πονεύμενον οἴκαδε νοστῆσαι.” (“I will allow him, suffering, to return home.”)
Notice that word — πονεύμενον (poneumenon), meaning “suffering” or “toiling.” She’s not helping him. She’s forcing him to work for his freedom, as if she’s making him earn the right to escape. And what does she give him to leave? Not a ship, not safe passage — she hands him an axe and tells him to build his own raft. But anyway, back to the topic at hand. They suitors, yes, they are lusting after Penelope, but there’s no plan of attack here. They’re scum, but they’re cowardly scum. They want Penelope to hand herself over to them, not because they’re forcing her physically, but because they think they can break her spirit. The whole point of the suitors is that they’re lecherous freeloaders who don’t actually have the guts to do anything.
And let’s talk about context. Penelope is a queen. She’s surrounded by her maids, she has her son in the house, and she’s got the weight of Odysseus’ legacy protecting her. The suitors know they can’t just drag her off to a bedroom without consequences. They’re playing a long game of manipulation and coercion, trying to wear her down until she chooses one of them. That’s why they’re so frustrated by her weaving trick — because she’s outsmarting them at their own game.
If Homer had wanted to imply a real physical threat, he would’ve. This is the same guy who wrote gory, brutal battle scenes and didn’t shy away from dark topics. He wasn’t subtle. If the suitors were planning to physically assault Penelope, we would know. Instead, what we get is a bunch of entitled men sitting around, praying to get lucky.
Now, does this mean the suitors aren’t a threat? Of course not. Their presence is invasive, degrading, and psychologically abusive. Penelope has to endure their constant disrespect and their lewd comments, and that’s horrifying in its own way. But we have to call it what it is: harassment and coercion, not rape.
And I know some people will argue that it’s “just a retelling” and that Jorge has the right to make changes. Sure, he does. But if you’re going to adapt one of the most iconic texts in Western literature, you have a responsibility to understand what you’re working with. You can’t just slap modern trauma narratives onto these characters without considering the implications.
So yeah, I disagree with you. The suitors weren’t planning to rape Penelope. That’s not what Homer wrote, and it’s not what the story is about. The fact that so many people jump to that conclusion says more about our culture than it does about the text.
That said, I do appreciate your thoughtfulness and your willingness to engage in this discussion. It’s rare to see someone actually care about the nuances of the Odyssey, even if we don’t agree. Thanks for that.
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Rather Or Rather Not - Luke Thompson
Word count: 868
Summary: Would you rather answer questions by yourself or to be joined by your lover and a friend?
The grand ballroom on the Bridgerton set was abuzz with excitement as a game hosted by Netflix began.
You, Nicola Coughlan, and Luke Thompson, three of the most talented and beloved actors in the Bridgerton series, gathered around a lavish table adorned with candelabras and sparkling chandeliers.
The theme of the game was Would you rather, inspired by your beloved show, Bridgerton.
The air was thick with anticipation as you waited for the first question to be revealed.
"It's time to play!" cheered Nicola Coughlan, who portrayed Penelope Featherington, as she flitted about the room, handing out cards to each of the players.
"Remember, you must answer the question truthfully, and may the best actor win!" With a dramatic flourish, she flipped over the first card, revealing the first question: "Would you rather... binge-watch the entire series in one sitting, or have to wait an entire year for the next season to premiere?"
You all glanced at each other, knowing full well that this was a question you had been contemplating for months.
You, who portrayed the vivacious y/c/n, grinned widely and said, "Oh, I could never wait a whole year! I'd much rather binge it all in one go."
Nicola Coughlan, who brought the iconic Penelope Featherington to life, nodded in agreement.
"I completely understand," she said with a sigh. "It's torture not knowing what happens next."
Luke Thompson, your boyfriend and the man who played the dashing and mysterious Lord Benedict Bridgerton, chuckled and said, "Well, it seems you two have already made up your minds. In that case, I'll have to go with the opposite choice. I'd much rather take my time and savor each episode as they air."
You and Nicola laughed, impressed by his restraint.
The next question was revealed: by you.
"Would you rather... have your character end up with your on-screen love interest, or have them find true love with someone else?" you bit your lip, considering the possibilities.
"Oh, that's a tough one... I think I'd want my character to end up with their true love. Even if it means someone else gets the happy ending, you know?"
Nicola Coughlan nodded in agreement.
"Agreed," she said. "As much as I love my character with Colin, I think it would be more satisfying to see her find happiness with someone who truly deserves it if the story would be different."
The tension in the room was palpable as the final question was revealed by your boyfriend.
"Would you rather... have your character's life play out exactly as it does in the books, or have the opportunity to rewrite their fate and give them a different ending?" Luke furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
"That's a hard one... I think I'd like to see my character have the chance to write their own ending. Even if it means straying from the source material, it's important for them to have agency and make their own choices."
Nicola Coughlan glanced over at you, who was still lost in thought. "What about you, y/n? What would you choose?"
You looked up, a determined expression on your face. "You know, I think I'd rather rewrite their fate. Because even if their life isn't perfect, they can still find happiness in the end. And who's to say what's meant to be, anyway?"
The other actors nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of the question settle over them.
The final question hung in the air, unanswered, but for now, it could wait. There would be plenty of time for more questions, more laughter, and more memories to be made.
Because in the end, that was what being a part of the Bridgerton family was truly about: finding joy in the journey, no matter where it led.
The question was revealed: "Would you rather... spend the rest of your life in the world of Bridgerton, or step outside of it and explore new roles and experiences?"
Nicola's eyes widened, and she glanced around the table at her fellow actors.
"That's quite the quandary," she mused. "But I think I would have to say that I would rather stay in Bridgerton. Not only because I love it here, but because I believe that we are one family and that there is so much out there waiting to be told."
You nodded in agreement. "I feel the same way, definitely. This role has given me so much, and I think there are so much possibilities in this project. I can't wait to see what it still holds."
Luke, ever the optimist, added, "I'd have to say the same. And I know that whatever comes next, we'll always have Bridgerton and each other."
You all raised your glasses in a toast, the clinking of crystal against porcelain filling the empty ballroom with a joyous noise.
And so the game went on, the questions flying fast and furious, as you all shared your thoughts, your dreams, and your fears.
You discussed your favorite moments from the series, your hopes for the future, and the lessons you learned along the way.
You laughed and you cried, you debated and you agreed, and through it all, you all felt a bond that went deeper than any script could ever convey.
#benedict bridgerton x reader#benedict bridgerton#bridgerton#bridgerton fanfiction#benedict bridgerton fanfiction#benedict x reader#benedict x you#benedict x y/n#benedict bridgerton x you#benedict bridgerton x y/n#bridgerton fandom#eloise bridgerton#luke thompson#luke thompson x reader#collin bridgerton#colin bridgerton#violet bridgerton#benedict bridgerton imagine#benedict bridgerton fluff#benedict bridgerton fanfic#bridgerton fluff#bridgerton imagine#bridgerton oneshot#benedict bridgerton oneshot#benedict bridgerton fic#bridgerton fic#bridgerton x reader#bridgerton x you#bridgerton reader insert#bridgerton brothers
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HAPPY VALENTINES DAY MY BELOVED LOVEBIRDS!! (And those like me who are single mfs). HERE HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL GREEK MYTHOLOGY COUPLES THAT I LOVEEEEEEE. (Also there is a Hamilton and Eliza drawing upcoming I haven’t forgotten my lovely Hamilton fans. Maybe a lil TSOA shitpost who knows 🤭🤭)
Anyways the couples by pictures are:
(Young) Achilles and Patroclus
Apollo and Hyancithus
Penelope and Odysseus
#musical#myart#drawing#art#fanart#greek mythology#epic the musical#drawings#achilles#patroclus#patrochillies#patrochilles#patroclus x achilles#apollo#greek gods#apollo x hyacinthus#apollo and hyacinthus#penelope#the odyssey#penelope of ithaca#odypen#odysseus of ithaca#odyssey#hyacinthus#odysseus epic the musical#odysseus#penelope epic the musical#the ithaca saga#epic ithaca saga
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Most Beloved AEW Wrestler Tournament 2: Week 5
We're rocking and rolling, friends and comrades
Total votes thus far: 257,570 (average of 76 votes per bracket, down from 99 last week)
The Ties
Huge week for ties, bringing our total number of them up to 26
Now I had this sneaking suspicion that at this point, there's probably been someone who has had two ties, which could lead to the mythical 3 way tie.
So far, Colt Cabana has tied with Action Andretti and Vincent and Matthew Jackson has tied with Kazuchika Okada and Nicholas Jackson. For the mythical 3 way tie to happen, Action and Vincent would have to tie, which we'll find out on Day 80 and Okada and Nick to tie on Day 108. I'm doing my best to not influence results, but you guys would make me so happy if we can pull off at least one 3 way tie.
The Crushing Defeats
Now this has never happened before, but I'm gonna have to present the unanimous victories one at a time. Firstly, a regular Orange-over-Nick victory
Now, for the first time, we had a double unanimous loss for Kamille to Toni Storm and Will Ospreay
And also for the first time, a double unanimous win for Julia Hart to Vincent and Aaron Solo
The Top 20
Below are the stats for the top 20 for days 29-35
The Undefeated
Neither our undefeated nor our unvictorious have changed since last week, but I'll drop their stats anyway
The Midcard
Since it's an odd day, I figured there wouldn't be anyone who had a perfect 50/50 split of wins to losses and I'd have to wait for next week to post them again. How wrong I was
Clever lad decided to have a tie
The Stock Market
Kenny Omega - 1 - 1 (=)
Orange Cassidy - 2 - 2 ( =)
Kris Statlander - 3 - 3 ( =)
Adam Page - 4 - 4 ( =)
Wheeler Yuta - 5 - 5 ( =)
Toni Storm - 6 - 11 (+5)
Willow Nightingale - 7 - 9 (+2)
Swerve Strickland - 8 - 8 ( =)
Eddie Kingston - 9 - 6 (-3)
Jon Moxley - 10 - 7 (-3)
Konosuke Takeshita - 11 - 10 (-1)
Jay White - 12 - 12 ( =)
Chuck Taylor - 13 - 13 ( =)
MJF - 14 - 15 (+1)
Julia Hart - 15 - 14 (-1)
Mariah May - 16 - 16 ( =)
Samoa Joe - 17 - 17 ( =)
Will Ospreay - 18 - 18 ( =)
Kyle O'Reilly - 19 - 20 (+1)
Nyla Rose - 20 - 23 (+3)
Daniel Garcia - 21 - 21 ( =)
Kota Ibushi - 22 - 19 (-3)
Matthew Jackson - 23 - 22 (-1)
Harley Cameron - 24 - 27 (+3)
Hook - 25 - 25 ( =)
Kyle Fletcher - 25 - 26 (+1)
Queen Aminata - 27 - 30 (+3)
Kazuchika Okada - 28 - 24 (-4)
Kip Sabian - 29 - 29 ( =)
Jamie Hayter - 30 - 28 (-2)
Nicholas Jackson - 30 - 33 (+3)
Christian Cage - 32 - 36 (+4)
Katsuyori Shibata - 33 - 32 (-1)
Athena - 34 - 31 (-3)
PAC - 35 - 40 (+5)
Hikaru Shida - 36 - 34 (-2)
Claudio Castagnoli - 37 - 35 (-2)
Brody King - 38 - 41 (+3)
Bryan Danielson - 39 - 37 (-2)
Evil Uno - 40 - 38 (-2)
Powerhouse Hobbs - 41 - 50 (+9)
Mark Briscoe - 42 - 46 (+4)
Danhausen - 43 - 47 (+4)
Mercedes Mone - 44 - 52 (+8)
Buddy Matthews - 45 - 44 (-1)
Riho - 46 - 48 (+2)
Marina Shafir - 47 - 53 (+6)
Emi Sakura - 48 - 51 (+3)
Komander - 49 - 39 (-10) TIED FOR MOST SPOTS DOWN
Killswitch - 50 - 42 (-8)
Jack Perry - 51 - 49 (-2)
Juice Robinson - 52 - 45 (-7)
Anthony Bowens - 53 - 43 (-10) TIED FOR MOST SPOTS DOWN
Matt Menard - 54 - 54 ( =)
Penelope Ford - 55 - 65 (+10) MOST SPOTS UP
Abadon - 56 - 58 (+2)
Mark Davis - 57 - 60 (+3)
Darby Allin - 58 - 57 (-1)
Lee Moriarty - 59 - 55 (-4)
Adam Cole - 59 - 56 (-3)
Ruby Soho - 59 - 61 (+2)
Malakai Black - 62 - 62 ( =)
Isiah Kassidy - 63 - 59 (-4)
The Beast Mortos - 64 - 66 (+2)
Sting - 65 - 64 (-1)
Hologram - 66 - 63 (-3)
Skye Blue - 67 - 72 (+5)
John Silver - 68 - 67 (-1)
Thunder Rosa - 69 - 69 ( =)
Anna Jay - 70 - 71 (+1)
Yuka Sakazaki - 71 - 68 (-3)
Bandido - 72 - 70 (-2)
Nick Wayne - 73 - 78 (+5)
Cope - 74 - 73 (-1)
Trent Beretta - 74 - 74 ( =)
Austin Gunn - 76 - 75 (-1)
Red Velvet - 77 - 77 ( =)
Deonna Purrazzo - 78 - 76 (-2)
Keith Lee - 79 - 79 ( =)
Lance Archer - 80 - 83 (+3)
Colten Gunn - 81 - 84 (+3)
Leyla Hirsch - 82 - 81 (-1)
Billy Gunn - 83 - 79 (-4)
Dustin Rhodes - 84 - 81 (-3)
Matt Taven - 85 - 90 (+5)
Serpentico - 86 - 87 (+1)
Roderick Strong - 87 - 93 (+6)
Ricky Starks - 88 - 86 (-2)
Shelton Benjamin - 89 - 89 ( =)
Angelo Parker - 90 - 84 (-6)
Mr Brodie Lee - 91 - 88 (-3)
Bryan Keith - 92 - 92 ( =)
Marq Quen - 93 - 94 (+1)
Taya Valkyrie - 94 - 91 (-3)
Dante Martin - 95 - 95 ( =)
Luther - 96 - 96 ( =)
Diamante - 97 - 97 ( =)
Big Bill - 97 - 104 (+7)
Leila Grey - 99 - 103 (+4)
Kiera Hogan - 100 - 100 ( =)
Darius Martin - 101 - 98 (-3)
Max Caster - 102 - 105 (+3)
Johnny TV - 103 - 101 (-2)
Ricochet - 104 - 106 (+2)
Bobby Lashley - 105 - 99 (-6)
Lio Rush - 106 - 110 (+4)
Angelico - 107 - 112 (+5)
Cash Wheeler - 108 - 111 (+3)
AR Fox - 109 - 102 (-7)
Dax Harwood - 110 - 113 (+3)
Brian Cage - 111 - 109 (-2)
Alex Reynolds - 112 - 107 (-5)
Mike Bennett - 113 - 121 (+8)
Rey Fenix - 114 - 114 ( =)
The Butcher - 115 - 108 (-7)
Brandon Cutler - 116 - 119 (+3)
Mercedes Martinez - 117 - 116 (-1)
Colt Cabana - 118 - 115 (-3)
Wardlow - 119 - 119 ( =)
Dr Britt Baker DMD - 120 - 117 (-3)
Tay Melo - 121 - 118 (-3)
Matt Sydal - 122 - 122 ( =)
Scorpio Sky - 123 - 123 ( =)
Lee Johnson - 124 - 125 (+1)
Jeff Jarrett - 125 - 124 (-1)
Jay Lethal - 126 - 126 ( =)
Action Andretti - 127 - 127 ( =)
Peter Avalon - 128 - 132 (+4)
Griff Garrison - 129 - 131 (+2)
Dralistico - 130 - 130 ( =)
The Blade - 131 - 128 (-3)
Toa Liona - 132 - 129 (-3)
Ortiz - 133 - 133 ( =)
Bishop Kaun - 134 - 139 (+5)
Rush - 135 - 136 (+1)
Dutch - 136 - 138 (+2)
Michael Nakazawa - 137 - 134 (-3)
Sammy Guevara - 138 - 137 (-1)
Preston Vance - 139 - 142 (+3)
Chris Jericho - 140 - 135 (-5)
Josh Woods - 141 - 140 (-1)
Vincent - 142 - 141 (-1)
Shawn Dean - 143 - 145 (+2)
Madison Rayne - 144 - 148 (+4)
Paul Wight - 145 - 144 (-1)
Tony Nese - 146 - 143 (-3)
Ariya Daivari - 147 - 149 (+2)
Satnam Singh - 148 - 151 (+3)
Saraya - 149 - 147 (-2)
Aaron Solo - 150 - 152 (+2)
Kamille - 151 - 146 (-5)
Anthony Ogogo - 152 - 153 (+1)
Miro - 153 - 150 (-3)
Rebel - 154 - 154 ( =)
Serena Deeb - 155 - 156 (+1)
Nick Comoroto - 156 - 155 (-1)
And now for my favourite part and yours:
TAGS OF THE WEEK
Things heating up in the FTR fandom with @mackdaddyofthecravate and @rosabellbelieve making good arguments
@13-kuehe-und-ein-melkeimer giving us the permission we needed
@sarahcakes613 for making dream sandwiches
@sendhook for dropping prayers in the tags
@schmidtho for revealing a very serious medical condition
@chuckstaylors for leaving tags I can't even comment on
@homoeroticgrappling I already gave love to these tags but I want to again
@himbos-hotline for giving us insight into the events of February 12, 2000
@gh0st-patr0l for giving it the ol college try
@daphne-minor for painting a picture of a happy marriage
@throesofincreasingwonder for a perfect use of emojis
and finally @spinetacks for recording the struggles of the people
I love you all so much for all the participation in this tournament. You all make the effort worth it
Also I've got a few surprises lined up for this PPV week so stay tuned ;)
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Fuck me okay it’s 12:50 and I have to wake up early for work tomorrow but I don’t give a shit HERE ARE MY INCOHERENT THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WISDOM SAGA
Legendary:
- TELEMACHUS IS SO ADORABLE OH MY GOD I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!
- FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!!
- ARGOS!!!! ARGOS MY BELOVED!!!!!
- bro just wants to see his dad is that so bad?
- WATCHU GONNA DO ABOUT IT CHAMP?????
Little wolf:
- AS MUCH AS A BANGER AS I THOUGHT IT WAS!!!!
- Antinous is such an asshole I love him “your mom’s a slut your dad left you and I’m gonna beat the shit out of you now”
- TELEMACHUS IS SO CUTE!!! Athena does quick thought and he’s like “WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING????” and when athena explains it all he’s oh “wait this is sick as hell!!!!” I love him your honour
- Rip telemachus still got your ass beat womp womp
We’ll be fine:
- THEY’RE BESTIES!!!!!! ATHENA AND TELEMACHUS ARE BESTIES WOOOOOO!!!!!!
- “I had a friend like you once” that reminds of how in the odyssey EVERYONE is like “wow telemachus you look just like your dad lol”
- they’re such cute besties I sure hope nothing bad happens to either of them! 😁
Love in paradise: (what the fuck)
- NAW WHEN ATHENA DID TIME DIVE AND ALL THE MUSIC PLAYED SUPER FAST ARE YOU BEING FOR REAL RIGHT NOW?????
- “Who’s penelope? 🥰” “my wife 😔” “😐”
- You can’t kill a goddess! *stream fucking dies*
- “I’m not your man” as “I’m just a man” what if I threw up
- y’know if calypso didn’t imprison odysseus on his island and harass him all the time I think I would like her
- also her voice is beautiful!
- NOT HER CALLING HIM ODY YOU CANT CALL HIM THAT!!!!!
- ody at the edge of the cliff… this part fucked me up
- SHE SAYS OPEN ARMS!!!! YOU CANT SAY THAT!!!
- POLITES!!!!!! 😭😭😭
- ALSJGLJSKFLFNGLSJFLSHDKSHDLSHDLAHDLSHDLSJGLSHDLSHDLSJFLSKDKDK ALL OF THE MOTIFS ALL AT ONCE WHAT THE FUCK NO NO YOU CANT DO THAT YOU CANT FUCKING DO THAT!!!!! STOP FUCKING STOP RIGHT NOW
- what if I killed myself then what
- jay when I find you it’s on sight
- straight up if I imagine ody’s pain for too long I get so incredibly sad it’s not even funny
- FREE MY MAN ODYSSEUS HE DID ALL THAT BAD SHIT BUT I DON’T CARE!!!!!
God games:
- LETS GOOOOO ANOTHER FUCKING BOOPPPP!!!!!!!
- APOLLO!!!!! <333
- I love songs with clanky bits like heph’s part it makes me :DDD
- Aphrodite’s voice is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
- Ares’ flow is so insane I have it stuck in my head I love it
- beat the shit out of your brother athena lets goooo!!!!!
- HERA!!!!!! 🪩🕺🪩🕺🪩🕺🪩🕺
- GROOVY!!!!!!!
- “He never once cheated on his wife!” “…release him.”
- BEAST MODE ZEUS HOLY SHIT BEAST MODE ZEUS!!!!!!!
- SERIOUSLY THATS THE SICKEST THING EVER LUKE HOLT’S VOICE IS KN ANOTHER FUCKING LEVEL!!!!!!!
- TEAGAN’S VOICE TOO HOLY SHIT THIS SONG DEFINITELY HAS THE BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCES!!!!!!
- SHE CAN’T BE DEAD YOU CAN’T KILL A GODDESS SHE’S JUST TIRED SHE’S JUST SLEEPING!!!! EVERYTHING IS FINE!!!!!
…anyways so if you guys don’t hear from me it’s because I’ve run away to an isolated convent and have dedicated my life to god
Fuck what a good saga this was










#I’m gonna throw up and die#like straight up#HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPSOED TO WORK TOMORROW???????#BRO I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT#EVERYTHING IS ALJDLFJAHDKAHGFLHSKFJAKFKEK#epic the musical#epic the wisdom saga#epic the musical spoilers
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Some considerations: english is not my first language, so it is very likely that there will be some or many errors in the text. i also ended up doing it in a short period of time (i assume at least an hour), so perhaps the pace of reading feels too rushed.
it's also my first time writing something about EPIC, so i may have gotten some information wrong or the characters aren't as in character as they should be. anyway, i hope this little story manages to elicit some emotion within you, dear reader!
He felt gentle fingers running through the strands of his hair, now endowed with a gray color, a gift given by old age that had arrived after so many years away from his beloved. The fingers were calm, patient and methodical in making the braids, a possibility given by the growth that the hair strands had after so much time without being cut properly.
Penelope liked that. It gave her husband a unique look, a tone of admirable longevity that demonstrated the years lived in earthly life. The last time she saw him, Odysseus had a perfectly trimmed haircut, courtesy of royal treatments. But this was 20 years ago.
And no matter how much time passes, no matter how much his appearance changes, or how much his personality changes, he continues to be her dear husband, who always was, is and will always be kept in her heart.
"You're really good at this...", the hoarse and rough voice that indicated the advance of age came from Odysseus' lips, no longer youthful and strong as before.
"I can tell you I've been practicing different hairstyles on Telemachus", Penelope let out a laugh, small and quiet, but still conveying a sweetness and kindness.
Odysseus touched her fingers with his own, bringing the hand she was using to place a gentle kiss on the skin. He could discern the 20 year difference, the changes her body had gone through. Her hands were still as gentle and soft as the last time he felt them, but they were still different.
He wished he had been in Ithaca to see his son grow up, he wished he had been in his kingdom to see his beloved blossom as the years passed, by her side.
Odysseus lost all of that, and this truth is still a fact that brings tremendous anguish to his heart. Because he was not there to see the two most important people in his life grow up and live. He was not there when the suitors appeared and became a threat to his family.
And just to think that everything would have been vastly different if he had arrived too late, or if he had died at the hands of Poseidon...
If he had...
“Honey”, his wife’s soft voice pulls him out of his intrusive thoughts. “You were doing that again”
"Oh...", his voice came out weakly, not surprised, because those daydreams that Odysseus began to have since he returned to Ithaca, to his home, became something frequent. "Sorry, sometimes I just forget that I'm here, by your side"
Penelope offered him a warm smile, a smile that made him kill hundreds just so he could see it again. It was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen in his life, one that still sent butterflies into his stomach.
And yet, there was a small, genuine impression of concern that was forming in his dear wife's facial expressions.
"I know you suffered", she began softly, a delicate and gentle tone characteristic of her speech whenever the subject involved her husband. "I know you went through terrible things just to get home alive"
She squeezed his hand in a way that said 'please, I don't want to be away from you anymore'. It was a gesture that, as simple as it seemed, came from the greatest depths of the soul that normal eyes would never understand. That was an expression of pain, an expression of the pain of longing, similar to the one he had during all those years.
They both went through difficulties that exposed the deep roots of their love, of their desire to see each other again, to finally feel each other's arms.
It was two decades of waiting and holding on to that hope, even when everyone no longer believed, even when everything seemed to be coming to an unsatisfactory end. Even in the face of the cruelty of fate and the gods, husband and wife never stopped believing that one day they would return.
And yet, even when Odysseus was physically there, his mind wandered to the trail of blood left during his journey and the traumatizing memories of the deaths of his companions. Those were decisions that still haunt his mind, and that apparently would continue for the rest of his life.
The death of the baby. The Cyclops with the club. The wrath of Poseidon. Circe's island. The visit to the Underworld. The words of the Prophet Tiresias. The sacrifice of six men. The second appearance of Zeus. Calypso and her spell.
Would he ever forget those things? Would he one day no longer wake up with a heavy conscience and an anguished heart? Those two were among the many questions that crossed his mind during his daydreams.
"Come back to me", gentle, delicate hands cupped Odysseus' face softly, tired, kind eyes meeting his exhausted, haunted ones. "I want you by my side here with me"
'Not only physically, but emotionally as well' were the words that couldn't come out of her lips.
His eyes gained a glow that he previously thought had died. A glimmer of hope and belonging. By the Gods, what else would be as precious as finally being with the person you love so much?
"I'm here", he finally answered her after minutes of introspection. "I'll never leave your side again, Penelope"
#epic the musical#etm#odysseus#odysseus of ithaca#odypen#epic odysseus#odysseus epic#penelope#penelope of ithaca#fanfic#fanfiction#i finally decided to write something for this fandom#i thiiink this is actually a good start!#who knows#maybe i'll write more stories in the future
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