#asclepius statue

[reno-matagot]

Asclepius • Museum of Epidaurus

[somewhereincairparavel]

Its canon that Jason and Leo sneak into Chiron 's rec room in the big house, to play Mario Party six on Nintendo switch. And Leo would also program to game to do stupid stuff so they both can win all the time. I have no idea what you will do with this information, but I'm letting you know anyway.

[qxuiara]

eternity deserves it idk what yall are talking about they're an asshole

[ukdamo]

Today's Flickr photo with the most hits: Asclepius, in the archaeological museum of Antalya (statue from the ancient city of Perge).

[greatdenimbeast]

Diamond Castle au- introducing, Shadow, Muse of History, Astrology and Astronomy

Once a mortal in ancient Greece, moulded from clay by an inventor and brought to life by the blood of a god, he spent his years caring for his ill sister, Maria. Doing his best to assist his creator in finding a cure. Since the blood of god ran through his veins and, seeing that his existence was a miracle in of itself, it stood to reason that he could be the miracle that helped save her

Cuz he was quite literally born yesterday, his sister loved to tell him stories about historic events, tales of gods and heroes to teach him about the world and how it cane to be. She was a damn good storyteller too, always leaving Shadow craving for more.

His favourites were the ones related to the stars, the constellations, so much so that Gerald noticed and taught him how to properly chart them

Maria wasn’t allowed to leave the house, her grandfather fearing that the elements would be too much for her and that often made her sunny demeanour dull and, looking to cheer her up, he did his best to find ways to brighten her mood until found one that worked

He entertained his bed-ridden sister with tales of history, of old dead heroes, of gods, of prophecies, things that he had picked up from local traders and travellers when he was out running errands for Gerald.

Maria was enthralled by them, hanging off of his every word

“The island of Crete truly holds such a monster?”

“It’s travellers gossip, but who’s to truly say.”

He wasn’t as good of a storyteller as she was but he did keep record of every story he could, and Maria loved it so that was all that mattered

As Maria got worse, Shadow started praying and giving offerings to the god Asclepius and the god Apollo, he doubted they would come to his aid but if there was a chance they could help he wanted to be sure.

But it was getting harder to cure her, some of the medicinal herbs they needed grew far off and the merchants that brought them to the markets to sell them kept marking up the prices out of greed. So Shadow, who had been blessed with inhuman speed, was sent off to pick the herbs himself, allowing him the opportunity to venture and see more of the world and bring back more stories, even making a few of his own, slaying a few monsters on the the way

The soldiers for the nearby king didn’t make it easier, tormenting the people for laughs, outright stealing, sometimes outright killing people when they refused to cave to their demands. Gerald was always being pulled away from his work for a cure to craft machines and statues for the king, the only reason the soldiers were unable to harm him or Maria when he refused was because of Shadow being there to protect them.

This became an issue when the king decided that he wanted Shadow

Soldiers stormed the house and workshop, taking the inventor prisoner, dragging him away to the castle and as Shadow tries to get Maria to safety she pushes him out of the way of blade and gets stabbed through her stomach

Shadow blacks out.

When he comes back, his hands are covered in blood, the bodies of dead soldiers litter the floor, his ears are ringing.

The only other breathing Shadow could hear besides his own was the shaky, laboured breaths of his older sister

He rushed to her side and examined her, the wound was deep, too deep. He tried his beat to clean up the blood but he could barely see what he was doing past his own tears. As he did he prayed, to his other father, to Apollo, to any god that would listen, to please save his sister, to not let her die

Then Maria’s hand squeezing his stopped him

“Sh…Shadow… o-one more story…”

“Maria please, please, i have to treat this, I won’t let you die, i won’t let you, i can’t let you die!”

“One…one m-more… please?”

“…okay… okay, one more story.”

So he shakily told her a story, about the fabled diamond castle, the birthplace of music, home to the museum of music. He struggled to remember parts of the story but Maria shakily helped him fill in the blanks

Then as the story concluded, Apollo made his presence known and applauded the two on how exemplary their storytelling was. It turns out Shadow has gained Apollo’s attention for a while, ever since he started praying to him and he had an offer for him

He wanted him to be his muse, an inspiration, a god. Initially Shadow wanted to refuse until Maria winced and coughed in his arms, then he got an idea

“…Lord Apollo I will accept this honour on one condition, that you heal my sister of her wounds and her ailment so that she may live as freely as she wishes.”

Apollo accepted these terms and gave Shadow, ambrosia (the food of the gods). It burned away his mortality and left him a god

And Apollo fulfilled his part of the deal, healing his sister, and did Shadow one better by turning Maria immortal so that she may be Shadow’s attendant to assist him in his duties before whisking them both off to the diamond castle

50 years later Shadow meets the next muse

[apiswitchcraft]

altars for greek heroes

ACHILLES: hero of the Trojan war, son of nereid Thetis

Colors: gold/bronze, red for Trojan War. blue, white for his mother Thetis

Offerings: yarrow, gold/silver, shells, gull feathers, olive, laurel, gemstones

Crystals: aquamarine, sodalite, jaspers (red, yellow, ocean especially)

*to honor Achilles you must also honor Patroclus*

PATROCLUS: hero of the Trojan war, son of Argonaut Menoetius

Colors: gold/bronze, red for war. purple for royal birth

Offerings: incense/fire, oil, olive, laurel, gemstones, gold/silver

Crystals: agates (moss, tree especially), amethyst, lepidolite, rose quartz, citrine

ADONIS: lover of Aphrodite, became god of rebirth and beauty

Colors: pink, purple, red for beauty and association with Aphrodite

Offerings: fast growing plants (lettuce, fennel, barley, wheat), anemone and other flowers, dead plants, cake, honey

Crystals: flower agate, rose quartz, amethyst, rutilated quartz, jaspers (specifically rainforest or other green ones)

ARIADNE: helped Theseus to defeat the Minotaur, later married Dionysus and became goddess of labyrinths

Colors: gold for noble birth. purple for association with Dionysus

Offerings: grapes, puzzle toys, spools of thread or fabric art, wine, herbal tea, saffron

Crystals: grape agate, celestite, star jasper, pyrite, amethyst, scolectite, selenite

ASCLEPIUS: god of healing, son of Apollo

Colors: yellow, white for association with Apollo. red, pink, orange for healing

Offerings: snake skin, clay/bronze humanoid figurines, cypress, pine, olive trees, medicinal herbs

Crystals: quartz, rhodonite, amethyst, fluorite, selenite, citrine

ATALANTA: one of the Argonauts, devotee of Artemis, killed the Calydonian boar

Colors: brown, green for the hunt. white, blue, grey for association with Artemis

Offerings: pork, boar hide, apples, laurel, forgeables, lion/bear imagery

Crystals: jaspers, moss/tree agate, petrified wood, amethyst, rose quartz, selenite

CASTOR AND POLLUX: Pollux was a son of Zeus who shared his immortality Castor, they were turned into the Gemini constellation, saviors of seafarers

Colors: purple for noble birth. white and grey for association with zeus. black for the night sky

Offerings: shells, laurel, olive, meat, wine, two things conjoined (like two cherries or two grapes on a vine)

Crystals: star and ocean jaspers, sodalite, aquamarine, obsidian, hematite

HERAKLES: went mad and killed his wife and kids, did 12 labors as penance, god of strength and heroes

Colors: red, gold for strength and heroes

Offerings: hellebore, olive, laurel, meat, alcohol, yarrow

Crystals: bloodstone, carnelian, garnet, red jasper, smokey quartz, pyrite

HYACINTHUS: Spartan prince and lover of Apollo, became god of vegetation

Colors: pink, yellow, green for vegetation. yellow/gold for association with apollo

Offerings: iris (they were called hyacinths by the Greeks) and other flowers, grain, yarrow, clove

Crystals: tree/moss/flower agate, jaspers (especially bumblebee), citrine, carnelian, pyrite, honey calcite, amber

ODYSSEUS: clever hero of Homer's "The Odyssey," favored by Athena

Colors: gold, purple for royal status. grey, white for wisdom

Offerings: owl feathers, shells, boat imagery, poetry/speeches, laurel, olive, cypress

Crystals: jaspers, obsidian, quartz, aquamarine, turquoise, sodalite, bloodstone

ORION: lover of Artemis, was turned into a constellation after death. Sirius is his dog and Scorpius the scorpion that slayed him

Colors: black, white for night. brown, green for the hunt

Offerings: forageables, apples, hides/leather, mugwort, cypress, moon shaped items

Crystals: star jasper, bloodstone, selenite, celestite, howlite

ORPHEUS: son of Apollo, famed musician and poet of the Argonauts, travelled to Haides to try to save his wife Eurydice

Colors: yellow, gold, white for Apollo. black for the Underworld

Offerings: music (especially lyre), poetry, hymns, honey, laurel, wine, meats

Crystals: aventurine, obsidian, black tourmaline, smokey quartz, selenite, yellow jasper, honey calcite

PERSEUS: son of Zeus, slayer of Medusa, has a constellation

Colors: gold and red for hero status. white, grey, blue for association with Zeus

Offerings: meat, laurel, snake shed, alcohol, fruit, honey, milk (to honor his mother Danae)

Crystals: jaspers (red, star especially), bloodstone, serpentine, quartz, obsidian

THESEUS: slayer of the Minotaur, united Attica, completed six trials for the entrances to the Underworld that he passed on the way to Athens

Colors: blues for ocean, being a son of Poseidon (in some stories)

Offerings: ship imagery, meat, olive, yarrow, gold

Crystals: pyrite, sodalite, lapis lazuli, coral, blue aventurine, aquamarine

[gingermintpepper]

As usual I read your tags always and so you said Apollo did not ask for resurrection of Asclepius and Hyacinthus so i just wanted to share this. About Asclepius death I read it on theoi.com, that earlier authors don't make him resurrect as a god but that's a later development mentioned only by Roman authors like Cicero, Hyginus and Ovid. But still Apollo has a role in Ovid's version

Ovid, Fasti 6. 735 ff (trans.Boyle) (Roman poetry C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) : Clymenus [Haides] and Clotho resent the threads of life respun and death's royal rights diminished. Jove [Zeus] feared the precedent and aimed his thunderbolt at the man who employed excessive art. Phoebus [Apollon], you whined. He is a god; smile at your father, who, for your sake, undoes his prohibitions [i.e. when he obtains immortality for Asklepios].

So here it is actually because of Apollo the decision was taken to resurrect him as god. And with Hyacinthus, I don't think I've read about Artemis playing the primary role. I know in Sparta there was a picture of Artemis, Athena and Aphrodite carrying Hyacinthus and his sister to heaven.

This is not on theoi.com but I saw on Tumblr it's from Dionysiaca by Nonnus

Second, my lord Oiagros wove a winding lay, as the father of Orpheus who has the Muse his boon companion. Only a couple of verses he sang, a ditty of Phoibos, clearspoken in few words after some Amyclaian style: Apollo brought to life again his longhaired Hyacinthos: Staphylos will be made to live for aye by Dionysos.

So since he is singing inspired by amyclean stories it probably means in that place it was believed Apollo was the one to bring back his lover to life.

Apollo as god of order was very important so i think it shows how special these people (and admetus too) were to him that he decided to go against the order for them 🥺

ANON!! Shakes you like a bottle of ramune!! BELOVED ANON!!!!! I'm littering your face with kisses, I'm anointing you with olive oil and honey - you absolutely made my night with this because, not only did I get the pure serotonin shot of having someone interact with my tags (yippee, wahoo!!) I also got to have that wonderful feeling of "oh wow, have I misunderstood something that was integral to my understanding of this myth/figure this whole time or is this a case of interpretational differences?" which is imo vital for my aims and interests as someone who enjoys mythological content and literature.

I'll preface my response with this: Hyacinthus is by far the hardest of these to get accounts for because his revival itself, as you very astutely point out, is generally accounted for in painting/ritual format which muddies the waters on who interceded for what. I wasn't actually familiar with that passage from the Argonautica - and certainly didn't remember it so thank you very much for bringing it to my attention!

That said, what I've come to understand, both about Hyacinthus and about Asclepius is that in the accounts of their deaths, Apollo's position is startlingly clear.

For Hyacinthus, it is established time and again that Apollo would have sacrificed everything for him - his status, his power, his very own immortality and divinity. Ovid writes that Apollo would have installed him as a god if only he had the time:

(Ovid. Metamorphoses. Book X. trans. Johnston)

Many other writers too speak of how Apollo abandoned his lyre and his seat at Delphi to spend his days with Hyacinthus, but they also all agree that when it came to his death - he was powerless. Ovid gives that graphic account of Apollo's desperation as he tries all his healing arts to save him to no avail:

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book X. Apollo me boy, methinks him dead. trans Johnston)

Bion, in one of his fragments, writes that Apollo was "dumb" upon seeing Hyacinthus' agony:

(Bion, The Bucolic Poets. Fragment XI. trans Edmonds)

Even Nonnus in the Dionysiaca speaks constantly of Apollo's helplessness in the face of Hyacinthus' fate where he writes that the god still shivers if a westward wind blows upon an iris:

and when Zephyros breathed through the flowery garden, Apollo turned a quick eye upon his young darling, his yearning never satisfied; if he saw the plant beaten by the breezes, he remembered the quoit, and trembled for fear the wind, so jealous once about the boy, might hate him even in a leaf...

(Nonnus, Dionysiaca, Book 3. trans Rouse)

And the point here is just that - Apollo, at least as far as I've read, cannot avert someone's death. He simply can't. Once they're already dead - once Fate has cut their string - all Apollo's power is gone and he can do nothing no matter how much he wants to. And this is, as far as I know, supported with the accounts of Asclepius as well!

Since you specifically brought up Ovid's account, I'll also stick only to Ovid's account but in Metamorphoses when we get Ovid's version of Coronis' demise, he writes that Apollo intensely and immediately regrets slaughtering Coronis. He regrets it so intensely that he, like he does with Hyacinthus, does his best to resuscitate her:

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book Two. Apollo's regret)

And like Hyacinthus, when it becomes clear that what has happened cannot be undone, Apollo wails:

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book Two. Apollo wept.)

Unlike his mother, Asclepius in her womb had not yet died and so, with the last of Apollo's strength, he does manage, at least, to save him.

(Ovid, Metamorphoses Book Two. Apollo puts the 'tearing out' in Asclepius.)

But it goes further than even that because Ocyrhoe, Chiron's daughter, a prophetess who unduly gained the ability to directly proclaim the secrets of the Fates, upon seeing the baby Asclepius, immediately prophesies his glory, his inevitable death and then his fated ascension:

(Ovid. Metamorphoses, Book Two. Ocyrhoe's prophecy. trans Johnston)

Before she too succumbs to her hubris and is transformed by the Fates into a horse so she can no longer speak secrets that aren't hers to share.

These things ultimately are important because it establishes two very important things: 1) Apollo can't do anything in the face of the ultimate Fate of mortals, which is, of course, death and 2) even when Apollo is Actively Devastated, regretful, yearning, mournful, guilty or some unholy combination of all of the above, when someone is dead, he accepts that they are gone. Even if he is devastated by it, even if he'll cry all the rest of his days about it - if they're dead? Apollo lets them go. In Fasti, when Zeus brings Asclepius back, he does not say Apollo asked him to - Zeus, or well, in this case Jove, brings Asclepius back because he wants Apollo to stop being mad at him.

(Ovid, Fasti VI. Apollo please come home your father misses you. trans. A.S Kline)

Even Boyle's translation which you used above in your findings hints that Zeus made Asclepius a god because he wanted Apollo to stop grieving. (i.e 'smile at your father', 'for your sake [he] undoes his prohibitions')

And like, Apollo was deeply upset by Asclepius' death - apart from killing the Cyclops in anger, in book 4 of the Argonautica, Apollonius writes that the Celts believe the stream of Eridanus to be the tears Apollo shed over the death of Asclepius when he left for Hyperborea after being chastised by Zeus for killing his Cyclops:

But the Celts have attached this story to them, that these are the tears of Leto's son, Apollo, that are borne along by the eddies, the countless tears that he shed aforetime when he came to the sacred race of the Hyperboreans and left shining heaven at the chiding of his father, being in wrath concerning his son whom divine Coronis bare in bright Lacereia at the mouth of Amyrus.

It all paints a very clear picture to me. Apollo did not ask for either of them to be brought back. Though bringing them back certainly pleased and delighted him, they are actions of other gods who are moved by Apollo's grief and mourning and seek to mollify him. Him not asking doesn't mean he didn't want them back which I think is a very important distinction by the by, but it simply means that Apollo knows the natural order of things and, even if it hurts, he isn't going to press his luck about it.

Which, of course, brings us to Admetus. And I'm really not going to overcomplicate this, Admetus is different because, very vitally, Admetus is not dead. Apollo can't do a thing once Fate has been carried out and Death has claimed a mortal but you know what he absolutely can do? Bargain like hell with the Fates before that point of inevitability. And that's what he does, ultimately for Admetus and Alcestis. He sought to prolong Admetus' life, not revive him from death or absolve him from death altogether and even after getting the Fates drunk, he's still only able to organise a sacrifice - a life for a life - something completely contingent on whether some other mortal would be willing to die in Admetus' place and not at all controllable by Apollo's own power.

All of these things, I think come back to that point you made - that Apollo's place as a god of order is very important and therefore these people are very special to him if it means he's willing to go against that order but, I also wish to challenge that opinion if you'd let me. Apollo's place as a god of order is very important and therefore, I would argue, that it is even more important that it is shown that he does not break the divine order, especially for the people that mean the most to him. The original context of my comments which started this conversation were on this lovely, lovely post by @hyacinthusmemorial which contemplated upon Asclepius from the perspective of an Emergency Medical personnel and included, in their tags, the very poignant lines "there's something about Apollo letting go when Asclepius couldn't that eats my heart away" and "you do what you can, you do your best, but you don't ever reach too far" and I think that's perfectly embodied with the Apollo-Asclepius dichotomy. Apollo grieves. He wails, he cries, he does his best each and every time to save that which is precious to him but he does not curse their nature, he does not resent that they are human and ultimately, he accepts that that which is mortal must inevitably die. There is nothing that so saliently proves that those who uphold rules are also their most staunch followers - if Apollo wants to delight in his place as Fate's mouthpiece, he cannot undo Fate. And, if even the god of healing and order himself cannot undo death, what right does Asclepius, mortal as he is, talented as he is, have to disrespect it?

The beauty of these stories isn't that Apollo loved them enough to bring them back. The beauty is that Apollo loved them enough to let them go.

[superkooku]

I just found out they’re statues where apollo appears more feminine and I’m automatically like

YASSS, WORK THAT DRESS, WORK IT, SHOW THE HATERS

LMAOOO 😂😂😂

Trueeee 🤣. You're so right and you should say it. I mean, look at THIS :

And then there are the other depictions reminding us that Apollo is, in fact, a man 😂 :

A man who always strikes the pose, but still a very manly man.

Seriously, look at some of his other depictions because some of them are really cool

Apollo giving us some concerts. Look at his nice lil' bun and toga on the first. And the second looks like he's actually playing his music on a decorated stage.

This is my favorite. Look at this diva ! Riding his swan, ready to give Marsyas the worst defeat he has ever known.

The whole Delian family looking fabulous (left to right : Leto, Artemis, Apollo, Asteria).

Here's another one of Leto and her twins being stylish :

And while we're looking at Artemis :

How Artemis is often depicted : menacingly holding her bow and arrow

How Apollo is often depicted : strikes a pose with his lyre

I love both of them so much.

Another comparison that I already mentioned but still find funny is this one :

Apollo looking way younger than his own son will never not be funny🤣🤣. Even when deified. Imagine, out of context, this middle-aged man pointing to that pretty boy posing with a lyre being like : "This is my father". Lol

Why does Asclepius still look older than his father even without the beard 🤣🤣.

Also, the fact that Apollo was never portrayed with a beard despite the fact that other youthful deities like Hermes or Dionysus sometimes are, is remarkable. I'd say it's because he represents young men in general, whereas all the others mentioned don't.

To conclude : Apollo statues are a vibe and I want an adaptation depicting Apollo in any of these poses ASAP (especially the swan).

[that-sweet-jester]

The BenchTrio pt.1

I've been inspired yet again, background below, enjoy my ramblings

excuse my english, it's been some time since i wrote anything in it

-TOMMY-

Full Name: Tommy Innit (not yet Craft) but in the stage of becoming so. Voluntarliy. But not really. As always, the Syndicate trio looked at this child and said mine now. Tommy had to comply.

Alias: Just as with Siren, I didn't really wanna go with the most popular choice and come up with something myself, but after some searching I settled on Theseus anyway. LOOK. Tommy always wanted to be a hero, the good guy who can really change stuff and help the others. That's why he settled on the name of one of the greek's most popular heroes. He was the BIG GUY, THE BESTEST OF THE BEST, THE ONLY MAN EVER. However, the real reason was, that because of his powers, he was mostly confined to the healing quarters, he couldn't really prove himself on the field. The name was supposed to lift his spirit, pretend that if he could get a chance he could live up to it. THINGS CHANGED, when one day he was exceptionally let on a mission and stumbled upon a hurt Syndicate member (cough cliché cough) Perses(Techno). In the myth, Asclepius was the god of medicine, he was such a good healer, he started bringing people back to life. Now, the gods didn't like that, mostly because people were supposed to die and to not change their nature, but we'll ignore that and implement my story. The Commission wanted the villains gone and suddenly some guy is helping and healing them?? Nope. That's why they wanted the guy who was the cause gone. Just like in the myth Aeslepius was killed for his actions, so The Commission declared Tommy their enemy after they found out it's him. THEY KILLED HIS HERO STATUS. But he was reborn into a vigilante Asclepius, just like Asclepius in the myth was ressurected and became a god. Of course it was the Syndicate that came up with the name. 💥💥💥💥

Powers: I also thought about different powers, but after I came up with the stuff above, it all just fell into place.

So in my incomplete lore, when Tommy somehow meets Siren for the first time, when he's still a hero, they start fighting. Normally Wilbur would just start using his voice, BUT Tommy is quicker and more agile and manages to touch Wilbur.

One of his powers is emotion manipulation, he touches someone, he can alter what they feel. So when he puts his hand on Wil, he's able to do just that. (warning - my half-assed attempt at writing a fanfiction snippet)

Wilbur suddenly falls on his knees, hands shooting up to clutch his face which morphs into a horror filled expression. Trembling, unable to use his own powers, he looks up to Tommy.

"W-what did you do?!"

Tommy, shocked himself, stands still hovering over Siren. Looking at the image of the powerful villain crumbling before him, he slowly comes to his senses and starts to grab his compromised opponent. Yet, as he's about to do just that, in the last effort of self perseverance Siren lashes out at him, knocking him over, then while still trembling, runs away. When Tommy's able to pick himself up from the sudden attack, the villain is gone.

When he's part of the BenchTrio and an unofficial Syndicate member, he helps Wilbur and Techno with their emotions, that come with their powers. Wil, with his emotional stability, because let's be real, if you could command people to do whatever you want you could go a lil crazy with the power, and Techno, with his bloodlust state and sensory overload that the voices cause.

I think healing powers are kinda self explanatory. Touch, wound go brr and disappears. The bigger the damage the more energy it takes.

Additional info: His suit is not as proffesional as the others, because he has not yet been fully involved with The Syndicate. Therefore it's mostly scraps from his old costume and homemade parts. The others have proffesional gear made by The Syndicate.

-TUBBO-

Full Name: Tubbo Underscore

Alias: Atom, due his powers, no real story here. He was deemed by The Commission as too dangerous, his power too unstable and cast away to "retirement". He didn't want to fully join The Syndicate, but decided to work with them and became a vigilante. He was named Hephaestus.

"As a smithing god, Hephaestus made all the weapons of the gods in Olympus. He served as the blacksmith of the gods, and was worshipped in the manufacturing and industrial centres of Greece, particularly Athens."

Tubbo created weapons for The Syndicate.

Powers: He's able to create nuclear brusts that deal grave damage, but he tries to use this power as rarely as possible as not to destroy too much, opting to small blasts from his hands. However, he must be careful because his power is also linked to his emotions and if angered, distraught or scared he can lash out and burst with energy creating big explosion around him. That was the reason why The Commission feared him and wanted to get rid of him. They also didn't provide any useful ways of dealing with said powers, that's why he was unable to fully control them. HERE COMES TOMMAE with his powers, dudes helping bros.

Enhanced intelligence - my boy's a teenager and can build complex weapons - here's why.

FUN FACT: -that i came up with after coloring the drawing. Tubbo's costume is black and yellow, that's why Tommy calls him Beeboy.

Also, his suit was partily supposed to resemble those yellow hazmat suits (at least the hood).

-RANBOO-

Full Name: Ranboo Beloved

Alias: Due to his powers he was named Spectre. The Commission never fully trusted him, because of his memory problems and thought he might spill their beans. He convinced Tubbo to leave The Commission after him. He was named Lethe. "The shades of the dead were required to drink the waters of the Lethe in order to forget their earthly life. [..] Virgil writes that it is only when the dead have had their memories erased by the Lethe that they may be reincarnated." Ranboo was tasked with convincing and recruiting new members of The Syndicate. In a way he was the threshold between their old and new life.

Powers: Standard teleportation. Enhanced reflexes came form the idea that when Endermen are angered they become really fast :p. Also, the mask he's wearing works as a noctovisor. Where did that idea come from? Endermen canonically see the world in inverted colors which kinda looks like as if you used nightvision. Also he should probably see where he is teleporting.

BENCHTRIO LORE: The name BenchTrio, in this case, was made up as a joke, that all three of them were often benched while still working in The Commission. Tommy, because of healing powers, Tubbo because of his instability and Ranboo because of his memory problems.

If you've made it through the whole text ily <3

damn i love using greek mythology as a reference for this stuff it makes my brain go brrr.

As always I'm listing some of the fics that inspired me the most:

The Oath of Hippocrates by Melatonin_High

tommyinnit’s clinic for supervillains by bonesandthebees (bonesandcacti)

Welcome Home Theseus by SoulfirePhoenix

Give them the love they deserve!!

Now I'm onto finishing a little strip of comic for this universe >:333

Also enjoy my bff's reaction to me writing all that shit to her at 4 am:

[literallyjusttoa]

Apollo throughout the ages! Or at least from birth to Rome. I'm going to go ham on explaining the timeline under the cut, but I hope you guys like the designs I made for the different periods of his life!

Anyways EXTREME TIMELINE RAMBLING TIME

Baby (2591 B.C.E.): The year I arbitrarily decided Apollo was born in lmao. Apollo didn’t look like this for long. Probably only like, a minute. Just long enough for Leto to safely give birth and then he was immediately like “ew, no I wanna be big” 

2. Fighting Python (2591 B.C.E.): Immediately after being born, Apollo flies off to go fight Python for 7 days (fun!). After that, he is punished for committing murder and has to purify himself by serving as a slave for 9 years in the Vale of Tempe (funner!) Yeah, Apollo definitely had an A+ childhood. One thing in his first two designs Apollo doesn’t look entirely human. This is bc I like to think he was born with some cool titan traits!

3. Pre-First Punishment (2582-2300 B.C.E): Back from his years in the mortal realm, Apollo looks much more human. His clothes are inspired by Ancient Aegean fashions I found, as we are long before the start of what is considered Ancient Greece. Apollo is the youngest member of the Olympian council and it shows. This boyish look stays with him until after he serves under Laomedon.

Other events that happen during this time: 

Hermes is born (Around 2500 B.C.E.)

4. Post-First Punishment (2290-ish B.C.E-1500 B.C.E.): Apollo comes back from Troy influenced by their traditions, and it shows in his design. There wasn’t much I could find on how Troy differed from the rest of the Mediterranean at the time (probably bc for a while we thought the place didn’t even exist lmao) but I did find something that said an emphasis was put on those with higher status wearing jewelry. So Apollo gets pearls in his hair and golden bands around his arms. His clothes are inspired by feminine Aegean attire. 

Other events that happen during this time:

Music duel with Marsyas (Around 2000 B.C.E)

Dionysus is born (Around 1600 B.C.E)

5. Post-Daphne (1500 B.C.E-1194 B.C.E.): The introduction of the laurel. After Daphne’s death, Apollo distances himself from his family a bit, which leads perfectly into our next big event-

6. Trojan War (1194-1184 B.C.E): Apollo sides with Troy, and its influence once again appears in his appearance, this time even more pronounced. In a war against not only Greece, but his own family, Apollo keeps himself covered and constantly prepared to aid in battle. Missing his mother back on Delos, Apollo grows his hair out for the first time. 

7. Post-Trojan War and Hyacinthus (1184 B.C.E-776 B.C.E.): After Troy falls, Apollo sheds it’s influence quickly, not wanting to look like he’s supporting a side the rest of his family is either against or has given up on. He breaks his time evenly between Olympus and the mortal realm, and takes many lovers until the death of Hyacinthus around 800 B.C.E. After that, he stays up in the heavens for a few decades. 

8. “Main” Apollo (776 B.C.E-540 B.C.E): Starting with the first Olympics in Greece, Apollo is lifted as a paragon of Greece and its people. Shedding the peplos he has worn throughout his early years, Apollo wears a classic chiton and becomes much more invested in the affairs of man. This is a period of great power and ecstasy for him, but as the saying goes, pride goes before the fall. 

Other events that happen during this time: 

Death of Niobe’s children (Around 770 B.C.E.)

Music duel with Pan (Around 750 B.C.E)

Dating Cyrene (Around 630 B.C.E)

9. Coronis-Asclepius (540 B.C.E-500 B.C.E): A design that only lasts as long as Asclepius lives. Zeus is unsettled by Apollo’s influence over Greece, and starts applying more pressure against him. This leaves Apollo stressed, and that's without the fact that he is now raising a prodigy in medicine alongside Chiron. In these 40 years, Apollo attempts to balance his want to be involved in the mortal world with his fathers wrath. In the end, his father will win. 

Other events that happen during this time: 

Around 515 B.C.E - Tarquin purchases the Sibylline Books. Apollo and the Sybil of Cumae must happen before this point (not entirely sure when yet, but definitely in this period.)

10. 2nd Punishment (500 B.C.E.): Apollo serves his second punishment under Admetus. Crushed by the loss of his son and anger of his father, Apollo spends most of this time in hiding. It is only through the gentle hand of Admetus that Apollo finds some sort of healing. 

11. Late Greece (499 B.C.E-146 B.C.E.): Apollo is definitely trying to move on far too quickly from his punishment. He cuts his hair, dons his chiton, and gets right into being an Olympian. It doesn’t help that he is beginning to see the cracks in the foundations of Greece. Athens is flourishing, but only at the expense of Sparta and his own Delos. Years of civil war and threats of Roman invasion leave Apollo shaken, and he pulls away from both the mortal realm and his family, who seem more and more like strangers every day…

Other events that happen during this time:

Trophonius’ death (Around 200 B.C.E)

12. Fall of Greece (146 B.C.E.-32 B.C.E.): Rome officially takes over Greece, and suddenly Apollo’s family are all lost to him. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t think Apollo has a Roman form like the rest of his family, and I imagine the sudden switch in their personalities must have been terrifying. Rarely worshiped and ostracized from Olympus, Apollo returns to the mortal realm, spending his time in solitude as a shepherd. As his influence grows weaker, he begins to show sign of weakness. This is the only time Apollo “ages” (I gave him a beard) and I tried to take away some of the attributes that would have been considered divine. Apollo is completely covered, and he wears shoes (which gods would never do)

13. Rome: (32 B.C.E.-476 C.E.): I know, I know, Apollo should have multiple Rome designs, but I got lazy. Apollo is credited by Octavian for his success in battle against Marc Antony and Cleopatra, and worship of the god skyrockets. Now back on Olympus, Apollo is still wary of his family’s Roman counterparts. He drowns himself in luxuries, hoping to distract from his worries about his brothers and sisters. Who knows what kind of bad decisions a man might make in this scenario?!? (*cough* Commodus *cough*). 

And that’s my full timeline so far!! If there’s anything y’all have questions about (Any missing myths, questions about why I put things were) I’d be happy to answer! I put a lot of work into this, so I hope y’all like it!

[anotheroceanid]

Just art of Perse and her kids. Statues of her holding a newly saved Astyanax titled "the goddess' mercy". Paintings of her with her and Odysseus' daughter playing under the sun, paintings of her holding Asclepius after he was entrusted to her care, her and Lupa with Remus and Romulus

Her paintings with Odysseus would SLAP. “Friendship & Loyalty” oil on canvas 😭😭😭😭

[stalkerofthegods]

Asclepius deep dive

Herbs •milkweed (tuberosa or "Pleurisy root".), bay leaves, and any herbs used in the medical field. 

Animals• snakes (most importantly the Aesculapian snake), dogs, goats, crow/ravens (depending on the myth), 

constellation• Ophiochus

Colors • yellow, white (association with Apollo), red, pink, and orange for healing

Crystal• quartz, rhodonite, amethyst, fluorite, selenite, citrine

Symbols• his staff of a rod with a snake on it. 

can wear in their honor• a medical badge, scrubs, a necklace, or a ring with their symbol on it

Diety of• medicine, healing, health

Patron of• doctors, nurses, medicinal practices, sterilizing objects (ex-cleaning dishes with hot water, cleaning surgical equipment), cleaning, and sickness, wells (believed to have healing properties).

Offerings• snake skin (especially from the Aesculapian snake), pills, disregarded pills, health objects (inhaler, a prescribed messager), PRESCRIBED or LEGAL weed (((often used to calm the mind/soul))), animal phallus/and or roosters ((I couldn’t tell which)) (...cocks were sacrificed to Asclepius if they survived their illness), goat meat (goats were sacrificed to Asclepius if they survived their illness), your pill bottles, he loves statues, he loves clay/bronze humanoid figurines, he loves anything hand made, vitamins, meat, milk, honey, wine, candle, stuffed animal snake, Anti-inflammatory soup 

Devotional• washing hands, washing clothes/sheets, taking your pills, voluntary work for the sick, helping dementia paitents, helping old people, helping disabled people, taking medical classes (nurse/doctor college, etc), taking CPR classes, teaching others about CPR, donating to nurses/doctors, helping teach about mental health, helping others seek help, get a therapist license, put up mental health posters, help mental health groups, help donate to the homeless/unfortunate, take care of snakes, help animals get care, help donate to those who need medical help, learn about the Aesculapian snake, take care of an Aesculapian snake, take care of snakes, learn about snakes and their habitats, learn about his research, learn about his children and wife (Epione and their children Hygeia, Iaso, Aceso, Aglaea, Panacea, Machaon, Podalirius, Telesphoros, Aratus), worship his children and his wife, take care of dogs, volunteer at a dog shelter, help people adopt dogs, help fundraisers for dogs, help homeless dogs, help people learn about the proper care of dogs, suport vets, help vets, learn the veternaran pratice, helping those in the mental insututions, helping those learn how to safely self-harm, donate to programs who try to stop self-harm, donate to the self help/sucide hotlines, work at sucide hotlines and programs, do self-help yoga and self-help animal yoga (goat, dog, cat yoga), learn how to resserect people (cpr, mouth to mouth, electrocution), help people gain acess to food and water, taking ur medicane, learning medicane, learning medicinal herbs, learn about toxicology, learn about posions, learn about cures, learn about how to treat posions, taking vitamins, giving ur animals their mediciane, drink herbal teas, use heating pads for cramps, go and get regular doctor visits, exercise, take breaks from screens, eat three meals a day, maintain a good sleep schedule, engage in relaxing activity’s, practice coping skills, spend time with loved ones and animals, take a shower especially with herbal steamers, learn anatomy, grow your own herbs/produce, play surgery games/board games.

Ephithets• Aesculapius/Esculapius/Asclepius- Aesculapius is the Roman name for Asklipiós, Aglaópis/aglaopes/Ἀγλαόπης/ΑΓΛΑΟΠΗΣ- Aglaópais is an epithet of Asklipiós in Lakohnía, Aglaopes - See Aglaópis. Agnítas/αγνίτας/ΑΓΝΙΤΑΣ- Agnítas is an epithet of Asklipiós from a wooden statue of the God in Sparta, Archagetas - See Arkhayǽtas, Arkhayǽtas/archagetas/ἀρχαγέτας/ΑΡΧΑΓΕΤΑΣ- founder which is an epithet of Asklipiós from Phohkís, Asclepius - See Asklipiós, Asklipiós/Asclepius/Ἀσκληπιός/ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΣ- Asklipiós is the principal name of the God, the great physician and son of Apóllohn, Asclepius - See Asklipiós, Aulonius - See Avlohníos, Avlohníos/Aulonius/Αὐλωνίος/ΑΥΛΩΝΙΟΣ- Avlohníos is an epithet of Asklipiós from the valley of Avlón where stood a temple to the God, Caüsios - See Kaousíos, Coronides - See Koronídis, Cotylaeus - See Kotylǽohs, Demenetes - See Dimainǽtos, Dimainǽtos/Demenetes/Δημαινέτος/ΔΗΜΑΙΝΕΤΟΣ- Dimainǽtos is a name of Asklipiós, after Dimainǽtis who founded a temple to the God near the river Alpheiós, Êpios - See Ípios, Esculapius - Esculapius is the Roman name for Asklipiós, Esplace - Esplace is the Etruscan name for Asklipiós, Gortýnios/Gortynius/Γορτύνιος/ΓΟΡΤΥΝΙΟΣ- Gortýnios is a name of Asklipiós used at a temple dedicated to him at Titáni in Sikyóhnia, Gortynius - See Gortýnios, Hagnitas - See Agnítas, Iatrós/jatros/ἰατρὸς/ΙΑΤΡΟΣ- meaning one who heals, physician or surgeon, Ípios/epios/ἴπιος/ΗΠΙΟΣ- gentle, kind, Kaousíos/Caüsios/Καουσίος/ΚΑΟΥΣΙΟΣ- Asklipiós was called Kaousíos after the village Kaous, Koronídis/Coronides/Κορωνίδης/ΚΟΡΩΝΙΔΗΣ- an epithet of Asklipiós after his mother Korohnís, Kotylǽohs/cotylaeus/κοτυλέως/ΚΟΤΥΛΕΩΣ/κοτυλεύς.- Kotylǽohs (of the hip-joint) (The temple was built by Iraklís in gratitude for being healed of a wound in the hip-joint, damaged in a contest with Ippokóöhn and his sons.), Kýros/cyrus/κῦρος, ΚΥΡΟΣ- meaning the supreme authority, Paián/Παιάν/ΠΑΙΑΝ - Paean or Paeon, the physician of the Gods, Paidós/paidos/παιδός/ΠΑΙΔΟΣ- Paidós meaning Boy, Philólaos/philolaus/φιλόλαος/ΦΙΛΟΛΑΟΣ - loving the people, Philolaus - See Philólaos, Phoebigena/Lat- Phoebigena is an epithet of Asklipiós meaning son Apollo also meaning "shining" + "γέννα " "birth," which means "born of Apóllohn.", Pyrphóros/πυρφόρος/ΠΥΡΦΟΡΟΣ- fire-bearing, especially of lightning, Salutifer Puer/Lat- meaning health-bearing boy, Sohtír/soter/σωτήρ/ΣΩΤΗΡ- savior (after a safe voyage offered sacrifice to Ζeus, the third cup of wine was dedicated to drinking beacuse this cup became a symbol of good luck, and the third time came to mean the lucky time; and Zeus was himself called τρίτος σ (epith. of other Gods, as of Apollo; of Hermes; of Asclepios; of the Dioscuri), Triccaeus - See Trikkaios, Trikkaios/Triccaeus/Τρικκαίος/ΤΡΙΚΚΑΙΟΣ- a name he was called in a temple in Mæssinía 

Equivalents• Etruscan- Vejovis, Roman- Aesculapius, Egyptian- Imhotep, Phoenician- Eshmun

Signs of them reaching out• seeing his symbol, seeing non-venomous snakes, having a sudden interest in medical care.

Vows/omans• marriage vows to his wife, to keep the secrets of medicine secret (all his priestesses took this vow as well)

Morals• Morally good and kind 

Courting• Epione

Past lovers• Aristodama

Personality• Asclepius is said in mythos (illiad, etc) to be a kind god and gentle (seen in epithets), he seems to be more gentle to man-kind due to originally being human himself and then turned into a god. 

Home• mount Olympus 

Mortal or immortal • immortal (was originally a hero and when was killed by a lightning bolt, he was worshiped as a changed god or as a constellation)

Fact• He was originally called Hepius but received his popular name of Asclepius after he cured Ascles (ruler of Epidaurus who suffered a terminal infection in his eyes.), Asclepius is often regarded as Paean the other healing god.

Curses• dying under a physician’s care, taking a long time to heal, being very unhealthy. 

Blessings• healing fast, being healthy. 

Roots• Tricca (modern Trikala city in Thessaly Greece).

Friends• Artemis, Apollo, Ares. 

Parentage• Apollo and Coronis

Siblings• reference to Apollos children here as half-siblings 

Pet• the Aesculapian snake

Children• Hygieia (Goddess of health, cleanliness, and hygiene), Panacea (Universal remedy), Aceso (The healing process), Iaso (Recuperation from illness), Aegle (Radiant good health), Machaon (Famous physician), Podalirius (Famous physician)

Appearance in astral or gen• A broad man with curly hair and a full beard with a cloak covering one breast and waist down wearing sandals with a rod of one snake.

Festivals •Asklepia, Epidauria

Status• A hero changed into a god when he was hit by a lightning strike by Zeus but it was also said he was changed into a constellation by Zeus from Apollo begging his father to change his son into the constellation called "Ophiochus"

What angers them• insulting them and their family, being disrespectful, insulting doctors and medical professionals, hitting dogs, being unhygienic on purpose 

Music they like• I couldn’t find any devotional playlists but he would probably like those waiting room songs in the doctors office.

Remind me of• Apollo, cough medicine, being hurt, yellow, the sun, snake plushies from the zoo, white bedding, blue

Scents/Inscene • mrryth, franksense

Prayers• 

1. Healing- (Raise bread and wine/water) O Asklepios, son of noble Apollo,

hear our prayer, father of surgeons.

Released from a mortal womb by your noble father and imbued with the great healing knowledge of Kheiron, your skill in medicine across broad Earth and in the heavens is without equal, Glowing one. Ophiokhos, Serpent-Holder, healer of the gods,

Grace us with your gifts and send dreams

that restore and guide us and reveal the

mysteries of life and well-being. With your kind-hearted daughter Hygieia, heal those who are sick among us, our children, parents, spouses and partners and all those whom we hold dear [and especially the mortal known as __________]. Grant them a quick and uneventful recovery. Soothe their bodies and calm their spirits that they may enjoy a long and full life and return to honoring the gods. And we shall honor you with bloodless offerings and sing your praises at all our feasts. - Original prayer by Melissa Gold, inspired by Chris Aldridge

2. Healing- Kind Asklepios, son of far-shooting Apollo,

first of physicians, swiftest of healers, trusted

mender of broken men and women, through you do the lame walk, the sick renew their good health; through you are wounds healed, bones knit, and illness burnt away; by your goodness and might do we regain joy in our lives. Asklepios, friend of mankind, I pray to you, I seek your favor. May I be healed of this affliction, may I recover through and through, may vigor and vitality return to me. Asklepios, compassionate one, learned one, resourceful one, I ask your blessing. - https://greekpagan.com/2011/02/20/prayer-to-asklepios-for-healing/

2. Before surgery- Bright Asklepios, father of physicians, provider of health and healing to men, giver of wisdom and craft to those

who attend the ill and the injured:

Asklepios, as I entrust my life and my well-being to those who do your will, make steady the hands of the surgeon, make keen her eye and her wit, grant to her all knowledge and skill required for your work. Asklepios, friend of mankind, grant to me the strength and resilience to recover from all wounds and return to full good health. - https://greekpagan.com/category/prayers-2/asclepius/

Links/websites/sources •https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepius, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paean_(god), https://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Asklepios.html, https://www.worldhistory.org/Asclepius/ https://www.hellenicgods.org/asclepius-the-epithets

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24370674/ https://www.tumblr.com/khaire-traveler https://www.tumblr.com/themodernwitchsguide, https://www.hellenion.org/festivals/asklepia/ https://www.hellenion.org/festivals/epidauria/https://www.hellenion.org/rituals-and-practices/prayer-to-asklepios-for-the-sick/ https://greekpagan.com/2011/02/20/prayer-to-asklepios-for-healing/ https://greekpagan.com/category/prayers-2/asclepius/

[tylermileslockett]

Each week we offer surprising and lesser known trivia facts about the selected mythic tale. So here we go! 7 fascinating facts you may or may not know 1. Semele's Tragic Fate: Before her transformation, Semele's excessive pride led to her demise, as she demanded to see Zeus in his full divine glory, resulting in her incineration.

2. Asclepius' Mortal Origins: Despite his divine status, Asclepius was originally a mortal son of the god Apollo and the mortal woman Coronis.

3. Asclepius' Healing Symbols: The snake wrapped around Asclepius' staff represents the cyclical nature of life and death, symbolizing the healing process.

4. Caduceus' Ancient Origins: The caduceus actually originated from ancient Mesopotamia as a symbol of peace and negotiation, not specifically associated with trade or communication.

5. Ganymede's Celestial Reward: As a reward for his service, Ganymede was placed among the stars as the constellation Aquarius.

6. Dioscuri Twins' Divine Bond: The Dioscuri twins were known for their unwavering loyalty and brotherly bond, often appearing together in myths and religious practices.

7. Leukothea's Tragic Past: Before her transformation, Leukothea was a mortal woman who was forced to sacrifice herself to save her brother from drowning.

[ukdamo]

Today's Flickr photo with the most hits: this statue of Asclepius, from Perge. It's home is the Archaeological Museum, Antalya.

[home-fire]

Mini Statue Resources

I've spent a lot of time looking for miniature statues of the gods to use in my travel altars, and in my search learned that mini statues-- especially anything under 3"-- are very hard to find. A lot of people have also seemed interested in the Hestia mini I have, and asked where I got her. So I thought I would share some resources I've found for very small statues and advice for finding them yourself. I hope they'll be helpful!

Sellers I've Found

3DvoPrinting (etsy)

They have a nice selection of 3D of prints of classical sculptures, including a lot of less "popular" statues. They come between 3-5" tall, priced around $12-18. I just put in an order for a custom size (1.5-2") of the Hermes and Asclepius figures, and they offer custom larger sizes as well.

3DorisArt (etsy)

They have a large collection of prints, but my interest was in the 4" line, which range from $17 to $28. I contacted them about getting smaller prints of these and they said that was doable. I haven't ordered from them yet but hope to get a custom size Dionysus soon.

MurphicIndustries (etsy)

This is where I got my mini Hestia! They have this whole set available, and also sell figures individually. They come in 32mm, 48mm, 54mm and individual figures start at $4-5.

twogreenthumbs.com

They sell mini garden supplies, and have a section with mini garden decor, including a lot of classical statues (I think these would probably have a spike under the base that you'd need to remove). Most of them are between 2.5 and 3.5" tall and $7-8 each. They also have a lot of mini pedestals and urns as well.

Edensart (etsy)

They sell dollhouse minis, including 1:12 scale prints of marble statues, including some classical ones. They're extremely small and so lower detail, and run around $6.60

BigManSmallWorld (etsy)

They specialize in very fancy and detailed art pieces for dollhouses, and their minis are already painted and decorated. Most of their mini statues are $30+

Advice for finding stuff on your own:

Although there are a lot of resources out there for finding smaller statues, I've found getting anything under 5" very difficult and under 3" almost impossible. For 3D prints if you can't find something in the size you want, I'd suggest finding one you like in a similar size and asking about getting it printed smaller for you.

I've had the most luck looking for mini-garden, dollhouse, and gaming miniatures. Searching by height is generally useless, but including scale can be helpful.

A lot of places have the statues misnamed (the Hermes statue I ordered, for example, is listed as Apollo) or aren't identified at all, so looking for generic terms like "marble statue" "god" "goddess" "classical" etc can be helpful if the right name isn't bringing anything up.

There are also a lot of Etsy sellers that specialize in dollhouse minis that have one or 2 little statues (esp. the more popular ones like Apollo Belvidere, Venus de Milo etc.) I've only included ones here that have a decent selection of them, but there are certainly options for little statues on Etsy beyond what I've shared.

The only statue of Aphrodite/Venus anyone wants to make replicas of is the Venus de Milo, so good luck to you if you're looking for literally any other representation they are on in a million. (I've included 3 here so...)

There are also some old school gaming minis that are Greek myth-themed, such as Foundry's series, but old school minis tend to be overall much more expensive, less detailed, and generally less aesthetically pleasing.

[batfamfixation]

"But you learned your lesson, right?"

"BUT YOU LEARNED YOUR LESSON, RIGHT?"

So here's my Greek statue garden

After working on a flower garden for 20 minutes, I think I managed to break the Sims. I accidentally hit "manage world" and now it's been the loading screen for five minutes... So apparently, don't use 50 or so flowers in your build. The game can not handle it.