#but there's a lyric in there that's like 'we are the army of the empire' referring to the us military

[thebreakfastgenie]

The really wild one is Christmas in Fallujah which no one knows about because he didn't record it himself but it's the only time he actually wrote lyrics of his own accord after 1993. Turn the Lights Back On had Freddy Wexler involved and All My Life he wrote because the 23-year-old he married asked him to. He wouldn't have done those on his own. The fact that Christmas in Fallujah was recorded by a young, fairly unknown artist and is still super obscure just goes to show how much it was not about any kind of promotion, he just wrote it because he wanted to.

[kanmom51]

You are me I am you

You know how sometimes when you are lying in bed just about to fall asleep and you have an idea or train of thoughts that leads to clarity of mind?

Well, a couple of nights back I had one of those epiphanies. I hurried to jot it down so I can come back here and put them to paper, so to speak (before forgetting them the next morning, which I surely would have).

So what's it all about, you may ask.

Well, I guess the header is a pretty good tell.

You are me I am you.

Or more so, how, for some reason, we seem to forget just how amazingly romantic that notion is, and what it truly means to JM and JK.

I will tell you where this train of thoughts started.

It started here:

I was thinking about Jikook in Sapporo, and this conversation came to mind.

Talking about how alike they are (following them doing the robot man simultaneously and telling us they watch the same content).

Yes, they don't do the You are me I am you in this instance, but I couldn't help think about it. This would be their You are me I am you on a more "we're one and the same" on a day to day basis kind of way.

And they are pretty much one and the same. So many similarities.

Is there any surprise they just FIT one another? One might think they were actually made for each other.

Their moles:

Their IQs

Thoughts, likes, habbits:

I don't even know how to describe this one:

Knowing each other through and through.

Knowing what the other thinks without words - a type of telepathy.

And:

When it comes to You are me I am you, they made it their own. Something that symbolizes them and their relationship.

Used it to express their feelings for one another publicly!!

Came by @haedalkoo 's post just today, kismet I guess, explaining the translation of JK's Tweet:

They have used it so much since JM's Serendipity. Many times doing so playfully.

All while claiming it as their own.

And perhaps because of that, I feel so many are either unaware or perhaps have forgotten over time the true meaning of You are me I am you, the deep romantic sentiment attached to it, and just how amazingly romantic those two are by claiming it as their own.

So, where does "You are me I am you" even come from?

Seeing that there are quite a few new Army and Jikookers around, I guess another short history lesson is required here. The origin story so to speak.

The line/saying originates from a 2016 song "You are me I am you" by Zico.

You are me, I am you I am you, you are me If our hearts are the same Two will become each other You are me I am you We make a pretty picture Who came up with the word “cringe”

There was talk about JK & JM using a reference to the song's MV wearing matching plasters during a Puma fansign in April 2016.

*Do I remind that this is way before JM's Serendipity came to pass?

JM saying he was given the band aid from JK (again, a reference to the song's MV).

What a coincidence...

I dare say this was not a coincidence, quite like JM tells us in Serendipity.

You know, the song that same exact line found it's way into....

Yes JM did not write the lyrics to Serendipity, but we have seen their writing process, we've heard from them and seen that the members have input and are consulted at times, especially when it's their solo songs. Remember JK's Begin? Such a personal song. So JK, right? Well, JK didn't write Begin. RM is credited though, just like he is for Serendipity. Does anyone doubt that JK had a input into the lyrics of Begin. I don't think so!!!

All this is no coincidence Just, just, by my feeling The whole world is different from yesterday Just, just, with your joy When you called me I became your flower As if we were waiting We bloom until we ache Maybe it's the providence of the universe It just had to be that You know, I know You are me, I am you

Serendipity is a love song.

One would say the ultimate love song.

Me being one of those.

Me also being one of those who say that JM took ownership over Serendipity making this his love ode to JK (and then came Letter...).

This was theirs.

And You are me I am you is theirs.

They even claimed copyright over it.

They were kidding.

Or were they?

Those two have been so friggin loud over the years with this.

JM and JK are the embodiment of You are me I am you. They took ownership over it and wore it ever so loud and proud.

They obviously had so much fun with it over the years.

And because they have been so loud about it and mostly in a playful manor, at times we forget the deep romantic meaning of it all.

But then you have those moments when it's clearly just for them, more intimate. It's quieter or softer or without realizing it's caught on camera, or embedded in their own lyrics with so much meaning or just so loud and emotional that it just hits you right in the face.

Those times when it's less about playfulness (you know, at times it can be romantic and playful too) and more about THEM.

The romantic undertone is just so so obvious.

This was done for no one but themselves!! Definitley not for us!!

Those moments where they remember where it came from and what it means to them.

The way JK's hand goes for JM's waist and then he moves to hold on so softly to JM's jacket.😭😭

The way the rest of the members move away, leaving them to themselves (a couple of them clearly thinking to themselves "get a bedroom").

They were both really caught up in the moment. And their embarrassment after it's over is a clear testimony to that.

I'm struggling with putting this into words... just how fucking romantic this was. Smiles on faces, teasing, flirting, giggling, and so damn romantic. And when you remember this comes on the coattail of TTU and the staging and lyrics change up...

I'm sorry. I'm just lost for words, hoping that you guys just see it, feel it. How can you not?

I can't end this without mentioning Like crazy as well.

JM may not have written Serendipity (although, again, I do believe You are me I am you has ALWAYS been theirs), but he certainly did write Like crazy.

Thinking again of how JM was struggling and what he was going through is heartbreaking. And JK's place in this song written by JM is so very loud. JM referring to another person that is with him is very loud. JM using the line "You are me I am you" in the song is very loud.

As for JK and his feelings for Like crazy, well I do think he has mixed feelings about that song. He loves loves loves SMF pt. 2. It's JM's catharsis song, his healing song, and JK is mad about it (not to mention the MV and just how damn sexy JM is there). But Like crazy, that one hits home for him. It's a reminder of hard times, emotional times, times that perhaps, just like JM tells us in the song, JM was hurting and wasn't allowing that other person with him, "the moon with you in its arms...forever you and I..." to save him:

This will break me This is gonna break me (Break me) No, don’t you wake me (Wake me) I wanna stay in this dream, don't save me Don't you try to save me (Save me) I need a way we (Way we) I need a way we can dream on (On, on, on)

JK was that bystander. Can you imagine that feeling of helpless, unable to pull JM out of the darkness?

And being reminded of that every time you hear the song.

JK's reaction here to JM playing Like crazy.

It's not about not loving the song. It's not about not loving JM or supporting his art. It's about the emotional baggage that comes with the song.

Try and remember the times we got to hear JM's songs during JK's lives. The one song that JK put off (in a sense) listening to on camera was Like crazy. First time he played it in one of his lives was when JM was on the show JK was watching and JM sang it in English!! Next time he listened to it was months after the song was released and after AYS CT (what they call season 1, lol) was shot. And even then, when he played it he did the whole comical intro and dance.

How did I get here from You are me I am you?

Good question.

Oh yes! JM's Like crazy, using You are me I am you in the lyrics, it being such a personal song and one that hits hard for JK as well. The romantic undertone to You are me I am you. That one person that JM is with and doesn't want to wake from the dream he's in with that person by his side (awaken to the reality of the pandemic and his emotional struggles).

JM and JK have told us and shown us oh so many times they are "You are me I am you".

The personification of "You are me I am you"!!

How do people still not see this????

[genderlessghoul]

HI. IT'S ME AGAIN. YA BITCH. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. OH YEAH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GHOST COSTUMES.

Well... One Ghost costume in particular. Because I've talked at great lengths about how the costumes are made and what they're made out of but I haven't talked much, if at all, about the inspiration behind them. So today we're gonna take a look at Papa's Kaiserion costume.

Impera, Ghost's fifth studio album, builds itself on the themes of the rise and fall of empires. Kaiserion, the first song of the album with lyrics, leans heavily and explicitly on those themes. It makes sense, as being also the first song played live during this era, that Papa's outfit would reflect that empirical meaning.

Copia has always been so interesting to me in terms of stage costumes as he never really tried to fit into the role carved by his predecessors. The band's image, before Terzo was relieved of his Papal duties (and his head), relied on Satanism and depicting themselves as an opposite for Christianity. Taking inspiration into religious costumes and giving them a stylish twist à la Satan. Terzo started this trend of diverging from this image but he only had one stage outfit that wasn't his robes. Copia has had several from the very start.

This one costume is no exception. You will find Satanic and occultist symbols in the embroidery on his vest but it's not trying to be a religious garment in any way, shape or form. It rather reminds me of French military uniforms from the late 1700s to the late 1800s.

Obviously it's not a perfect replica of any historical uniform but I still find the comparison fascinating and I have a deep appreciation for the imagery it creates. It leads us straight into the atmosphere created by the song and it infers on Copia a sense of authority fitted for the meaning of the album. For the span of those 5 minutes of the concert, he's not just a spiritual leader, he's a ruler commanding an army.

That sentiment is aided by one of my favourite details. Epaulettes were often used to mark stature on uniforms. Not only if you had them but what they looked like. You didn't think I was gonna make a whole post about Papa and not mention the ghouls once, were you?

Not only is the overall construction of Papa's jacket made to be more imposing than the ghouls, his golden epaulettes imply a greater status, a higher rank.

I would also like to point out the state of the jacket. Which of course, matches the decrepitude of the pants he wears for the entire concert. To me, it implies a meaning hidden in the concept of the album itself. The military inspired jacket paints him as a commander ready for conquest, ready to go to war for him Empire. To me, all that intentional distressing says "this is what it'll look like once we fall, this is what it'll look like when the Empire fails."

All of this really makes me question the fate awaiting Copia now that this era is over. "The empire has been built." it feels like half of the prophecy fulfilled. We're yet to see it fall, but the fall was promised.

Aight didn't mean to get all ominous on ya at the end but oh well 😅😅😅 that's all for me today! Thank you and good night!

[intricatechaosofyou]

To Keep Memories Alive

Pairing: Echo x f!reader

Fandom: The Bad Batch; Star Wars

Summary: The Republic might be gone, but that doesn’t mean the war is over, especially not for the clones. You and Echo manage to find solace in each other. And memories would always remain. But sometimes you just need someone to listen to you.

Based off the song “Ghosts That We Knew” by Mumford & Sons

Lyrics: “And the ghosts that we knew will flicker from view // And we’ll have a long life”

Warnings: angsty, talk of death and loss, hopefully a touching ending!

Author’s note: Happy @cloneficgiftexchange day!! As usual, @ghostofskywalker hosts an amazing event and I’m so grateful to participate!This was such a fun prompt to work with! I saw the characters and the song and knew exactly who I had to write for! Thanks to @akaanade for such a fun idea, and I hope you like what I have for you babe! Happy summer to all the clone lovers <3

━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━

No one exactly knew who decided to create the clones. One day, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi ventured to a planet called Kamino, and the next, the clone army served the Republic.

They fought side by side with their Jedi generals, helping to bring about the end of the Separatist army and restore peace to the galaxy.

Until it all changed.

Suddenly, the Jedi were deemed traitors of the Republic and the clones that once fought with them now had orders to eliminate them.

You remember that day. The smoke from the Temple, the panic in the senate, the day the Republic turned into the Galactic Empire.

And now the Empire was trying to phase out clones, the clones who fought so valiantly in the name of the Republic, and now in the name of the Empire.

As an aide for the Pantoran Senator Chuchi, you worked with her side by side to fight for the rights of the clones.

That’s how you ended up in ties with the unofficial clone rebellion.

There were familiar faces, like Captain Rex and Captain Howzer, distinguished clones you had met before during assignments with Senator Chuchi.

But among the group of identical faces, there were some you knew you hadn’t met before like Fireball and Gregor.

And Echo.

The ex-ARC trooper was unlike any other clone you had met. His bravery and intelligence were unlike anything you had ever seen, not even in a clone trooper.

Between missions, when you had downtime and weren’t required by the Senator. You’d find yourself seeking him out, hoping to hear another story, to hear about his brothers that he held in such high esteem.

You’d hear tales about his days stationed at the Richi Outpost with the Domino Squad, his missions alongside the 501st as an ARC-trooper, and then there were stories about his most recent adventures alongside Clone Force 99, more commonly called the Bad Batch. His stories about the special troopers and the young girl, Omega, who joined them never failed to make you smile.

While you loved all of his stories, the ones about his brother named Fives were always your favorite. You could watch the wistful look in his eyes grow as he recounted their adventures and heroics—and of course, their (mostly Fives’) accidents.

“And when Rex walked in, Fives stood at attention hoping Rex wouldn’t notice the fact he had gotten his bucket stuck on his foot.”

Your laughter echoed through the night air as you listened to the tale from Echo’s ARC-trooper days.

“What did you do?” You managed to get out between your giggles.

Echo chuckled and shook his head. “When Rex asked what Fives had done, I looked him dead in the eyes and asked ‘who’s Fives?’”

“You didn’t!” You gasped, grabbing onto his shoulder in an attempt to keep yourself steady as another bout of laughter came on.

The clone nodded, chuckling quietly to himself at your reaction. Recounting stories of his fallen brothers was often painful. Even the mere thought of them was enough to put him in a stupor for the rest of the day.

But somehow you made his recollections a little lighter. The way you listened so intently, the way you asked questions and got involved in the conversation, the way you would rest your hand on his knee when you noticed his words start to stall and voice started to waver.

As you finally recovered from your fit of laughter, you turned your head to look at Echo only to find him already looking at you with a soft smile.

A warmth bloomed in your stomach at his expression and you found yourself matching his smile. There was something about the way he looked at you that made you feel giddy despite yourself.

“What?” You asked.

Echo’s answer was immediate. “Thank you for listening.”

Although it was a simple thanks, there was a deeper meaning behind his words.

It wasn’t just a thank you for listening, it was a thank you for being there with him, a thank you for your kind smile, a thank you for reminding him that there was still good in the galaxy after everything he had lost. You gave him hope that one day he’d see the light again.

And maybe he’d express all of that to one day. But for now, his simple thank you would have to do.

You grinned at him. “Anytime, Echo. I love your stories.”

You laid your hand on his shoulder, leaning towards him and planting a kiss on his cheek.

A small part of you relished the way he flushed at the action.

“They’re hard to tell sometimes,” he admits, glancing up at the stars above your heads.

You nodded, keeping your hand on his shoulder as you noticed his somber tone.

“But that’s why it’s good to tell them. Your brothers live on in your stories, they’re not just memories anymore.”

You let your hand slide down his shoulder until it reached his own good hand. You tangled your fingers with his, giving his palm a gentle squeeze.

He turned his head to you, gently pressing your foreheads together. He had told you about this gesture before. It was a Keldabe kiss, a tradition of the Mandalorians. And in moments like these, it felt more intimate than a normal kiss.

Maybe one day the fighting would stop and things would settle down once the peace returned. And as Echo sat with you in a moment of serenity, he was sure of it: the ghosts that he knew would flicker from view, and the two of you would have a long life.

[faberown]

These are the lyrics of the first song in the story, entitled "I'll bring my justice", sung by Adam. The music is a combination of the following songs:

-) Stayed Gone (Hazbin Hotel)

-) Where is the justice (Death Note: the musical)

-) Ready as I'll ever be (Tangled: the animated series)

-) Stayed Gone Lute and Lilith version (cover by MilkyyMelodies, Youtube)

-) Exorcists - Heaven's propaganda song (Neural Bard, Youtube)

Context: after the battle against Cain, Adam, now a man with nothing left to lose and obsessed with the desire for revenge towards Lucifer and Lilith, sees in the Extermination planned by the Heavenly Council an opportunity to make them suffer, and so decides to guide it and invite the angels of high rank to approve it, and he creates an army made by all the victims of the sinners in order to destroy them without remorse.

You can find the song at this chapter:

(ADAM)

Now is done,

you really thought I could just stay gone?

Well, not for long!

Lilith and Lucifer may have won

but now in this brand new dawn,

I'll come there and stop you filthy spawn!

I run the ship now so let me be clear,

you took Cain from me, I won't forgive,

your situation was never this severe!

I will tear your subjects down,

get you back in line,

broken all your hope,

so you will take it a sign

that there's nothing you can do,

you will never be divine,

I'll start this right now, you're out of time!

This place is supposed to be eternal praise,

so why should I let their fear increase?

Why should they spend their days,

hoping that never Roo awakes?

It's not fair, this is not what I want,

I'll create a new Heaven that respect my thought!

I'll bring my justice upon you all,

your cruelty will be your own downfall!

Do it: murder, kill, rape, steal! Be the worse!

I'll exterminate you all without remorse!

Your victims will celebrate with your blood,

and I, well, I'll make of it a flood!

What's the problem, after all?

Hell is forever, didn't you know?

What's the point to live in damnation,

isn't far better end up in Extermination?

My dear demons, watch your back!

And no, this isn't just a soundtrack!

It is the sound that announces the hunt,

so hurry up, hide, you cunt!

I'll reunite them all,

every victim will answer my call,

I'll guide them down there for you

and they will kill you screaming 'yahoo'!

Look, Lilith, while I destroy,

come on, laugh, don't be a killjoy!

Don't you love to see

all this despair run free?

What's the problem, it's because they are your toys?

You don't want to lose all these bad girls and boys?

Oh, poor woman, now are you crying?

I didn't even start trying!

I'll tear your entire army apart,

mine will be consider almost an art!

Lucifer, my friend, what's that face?

Your marriage is burning in a furnace?

Well, Lilith will give you the deadbet king award,

after all, you've always been a coward!

While you two will torture each other,

I'll continue, don't worry, I won't bother!

I'll enjoy every bit of your sadness,

it'll be a pleasure to see you two fall in madness!

I don't see why we should wait,

do you want the demons coming at our gate?

I personally cannot stop the desire

to stop those two assholes to build their empire!

This discussion is senseless and petty,

what stop us, those who fucked up already?

They lost their chance,

there is no reason to show reluctance!

Heaven is for winners,

Hell is for sinners,

the rules are clear like sunlight,

so why now you are continuing to fight?

There is no point to argue anymore,

you have my approvation furthermore,

and if the Father of Humanity is okay,

who still stand in your way?

(AZRAEL)

How dare you, Adam! No one has brought music to this hall since the fall of Lucifer! And how dare you fly up to the ceiling, as if you were superior to us all? Who do you think you are!?

(ADAM)

Who am I? I am the first man, bitch,

the one who will tear apart that witch!

I'll punish every sinner here or in the future,

until the universe we'll again be pure,

and I'll do so whether with your help or not!

Now those idiots are boiling in their pot,

and I should stay here looking from the spot,

waiting that Lilith find a new shot?

I won't let her do this,

neither her people, that's a guarantee,

I'll hunt them and bring my justice down!

She thinks she can use whoever as her pawn,

just because Lucifer is so weak,

but I won't let her try another jailbreak!

(MICHAEL)

Stop your words, Adam! Why are you so hateful?

Shouldn't you be more graceful?

Your descendants are down in Hell too,

there on the shell of Roo,

and yet you tell us that you don't care,

and let you become their nightmare?

If we think about it more, maybe we can find a way,

and we don't have to do as you say,

just leave Lucifer a little more time,

and he may avoid this crime...!

(ADAM)

Well, of a detail you have to be aware:

I really don't know and don't care!

Another way, is there or is there not?

I don't care a fuck, I just want them boil in their pot!

While you spend time talking,

down there the wretched are freely walking,

and they sin, they sin, they sin,

continuing to follow their cruel doctrin!

Believe me, I know,

this would mean sunk pretty low,

but you know what? That's fine!

It's not fault of mine,

some justice must be served,

and whatever I'll do they deserved!

(MICHAEL)

Who deserve to live is not written on a list with a divine pen,

the world is not black and white, there isn't such simple certain!

(ADAM)

Then perhaps it's time to drain the color out of its den

so we can see black and white, and wrong and right again!

(MICHAEL)

Overwrought pronouncements won't improve the paradigm...

(ADAM)

... only if we let our kindness become a crime!

What about the victims waiting for some justice?

Should we say them that there is no solution for all that malice?

What about their pain and their cry of desperation?

Should we welcome them here and say them that there is no actual compensation!?

Heaven is silent to all this evil,

and let every bad person on Earth be a lucky devil!

The powerful and the bullies dictate the rules,

they prepare wars, massacres and cruelty like they were job schedules,

and when everything they do goes wrong,

they remain unaccountable strong,

while the innocents are hit by the waves

and they are turned into sex toys, prisoner and slaves!

The noble and riches get away with murder and rape,

and they don't even feel ashamed and hid under a cape!

The poor people live like chicken in a humble hen,

waiting for their master to come and steal their precious children!

Kings and priests shout words of honor,

but pain and suffering is all what they are donor!

Every time a rich-dressed mouth starts to talk,

on Earth evil begins to walk!

How can we just say that this is just how it is?

Where is the justice in all of this?

I am now sick to death of all this stuff

and I have no qualms about saying ENOUGH!

(ZADKIEL)

Rulers and senators make their speeches all day long,

while judges pushing pencils mostly get it wrong!

(BARACHIEL)

Those people will never be punished in their world,

protected by their blood, status, creed and sinful gold!

(URIEL AND RAPHAEL)

Instead of loopholes for the laws to fall between,

why not let some good old fashioned payback grease the wheels of the machine?"

(ADAM)

Now Heaven has expressed itself,

so why should I stop myself?

I have no actual reason

to avoid going down into that dark prison!

No demon brings me fear,

no shade I'll let draw near,

this sacred axe of mine I'll wield,

and the gates of Heaven I'll shield!

In the Hell's landscape, where sinners wait,

and darkness marks the day,

with holy weapons drawn,

at the break of dawn

I'll purify the cursed way

putting all the evil at bay!

In the fight for souls astray,

I will lead the way!

At the edges of night, where demons incite,

with faith's bright light, and spirits white,

I'll guard that gate so pure

and make Heaven's victory sure!

Now it's time to decide,

should we do or not this genocide?

Well, the answer is easy to see:

we can't let them roam free!

And so I'll stand up and fight

because I know that I'm right,

and I said my opinion already:

I'M READY!

(AZRAEL)

Go, then. Choose your army, and then lead the troops against Hell!

(ADAM)

Now you all are in front of me,

are you ready as you'll ever be?

Because I am, more than ever,

ready to remember demons that Hell is forever!

It's time for them to face justice,

and we won't have to be nice,

let's cook them worse than a fucking fry,

let's turn the ground more red that their bloody sky!

They make you all suffer,

but now you are bully and they are duffer!

Becoming the villain isn't the answer,

is this what said some hustler?

What a joke, they were surely a prankster,

revenge can only give you laughter!

The path we're on is a path paved in black

but I'm taking this road and I'm not looking back!

Yes, this is dark, but I see where it ends,

my enemies will fall as my power ascends!

Will they despise me? That's fine!

I'm just taking what's mine,

and what's mine is my justice,

my justice, my justice, my justice!

My dear Lilith and Lucifer, if I can't win

I'm gonna make you wish you died with him

for your every sin!

And even if when I'm done,

I'll barely recognize what I've become,

well I don't care a damn,

now just let me have my... FUN!

[humanitys-strongest-bamf]

Hi Kat, huge congrats on 1K followers! You truly deserve every single one and many more ❤️

For the event… I chose the song Let Me Drown by We as Human which has my all-time favorite line from any song: There's a time to be born And a time to die And somewhere they collide

The dystopian option for the drabbles really intrigued me since I LOVE all things sci-fi, dystopian and such. And I think the song lyrics really fit into this category. So I was thinking something about a big revolution (imagine the French Revolution but more futuristic and in a slowly dying world) where there is no good vs evil but rather evil vs evil.

So Levi with the reader (they are a couple since they were both teens, very overprotective over each other, and like the most badass power couple you can think of) are the leaders of one of the groups in this conflict. And they are preparing for the final strike against the enemy, which they already know is probably going to cost them their lives.

I got a little carried away there, didn't I? Well, never mind, hope you can come up with something interesting. Oh, who am I kidding? You always come up with absolutely amazing stuff!!!

yo i actually love this song???????????

also you're super sweet as always :')))))

"Let me die" | 1k Follower Event

✧ word count ➼ 752 ✧ notes ➼ dystopian!au, slight angst, established relationship, protective!levi, levi being afraid to grieve :(

The only real positive you had in this world was him. Being forced to live in a world filled with war and strife meant you were in constant survival mode. If you slipped up for even one second, then you—and the people around you—could wind up dead.

You and Levi Ackerman had been at each other's side for a little over a decade at this point, having begun your relationship during late adolescence. Even the concept of being in a relationship seemed silly compared to everything else that was going on around you. Given the fact that anyone could be killed at any point in time due to the chaos around you, even being away from him for a second felt agonizing.

The world around you was at war. It's always been that way. There was no right or wrong. There was no hero or villain. There was only kill or be killed. Although there were many small factions within the remains of the Eldian Empire, the two major ones were the ones constantly at war: the Paradis "Devils" and the Marley "Warriors".

Both you and Levi led the Devils, having stitched up the three original factions of Paradis, which were rapidly dying after repeated defeats at the hands of the Warriors, which had more resources and technology that they had hoarded from all the other factions. Due to the delays in getting Paradis back on their feet, the Warriors had control of the remains of the empire for far too long—and it was about time to strike back.

"You're not doing this," Levi scolded with a scowl.

You sighed in frustration and looked at him with a scowl of your own.

"And you are?"

"Yes."

The task you were arguing about was sneaking into the Warrior's base and planting a bomb in their command center while the other led an army through their front gates as a diversion. Both were dangerous, but the latter at least had reinforcements at the ready.

You had a smaller build and were more agile. It only made sense for you to plant the bomb while Levi, who was able to build up morale and confidence much better, led the army through the front gates.

The chances of survival were slim, no matter which task you ended up doing—but the chances of survival were at least a little higher if you led the army instead of infiltrating. You knew this. That's why you offered to plant the bomb, otherwise Levi was going to be the one to plant it, and you couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

You were being selfish and you knew it.

"You know I have a better chance of success, Levi," you argued.

"Still a pretty small fucking chance."

"Someone has to do it, Levi."

He knew you were right, but he wasn't willing to let you go. You both had the mutual understanding that your lives could be taken any minute with the world you lived in, but it wasn't something that you would ever truly accept.

"Levi," you said with a pause, "there's a time to be born and a time to die, and-"

"Don't," he said as he cut you off. "Don't say it."

"We didn't sign up for this for the safe way out, Levi. Someone has to lead Paradis to victory and take down the Warriors. We both knew that this day would come."

"God dammit, do you think I don't know that?!" he scolded. "I know that we can't put this off anymore and that everything is depending on our success and that the way this plan is laid out has the highest chance of success, but I don't know if I want that success if it means losing you!"

You grabbed onto his hand and looked into his gray eyes.

"I'm here, aren't I?" you said softly.

He looked back into your eyes and although his gaze softened, there was still an immense look of worry in it.

You placed your hand on the side of his face and pulled him into a kiss, lingering there as if you'd never get to kiss him again.

"Promise me something, Levi," you said quietly when you finally pulled away, your heart longing for the feeling of his lips again once you did.

He remained silent. He knew what you were going to ask.

"If something goes wrong, promise me," you spoke quietly, gripping at his hand, "promise me that you'll prioritize our success. Promise me that you'll let me die."

Come participate in my 1K follower event!

[gemsofgreece]

I know we often talk about all the regions of Greece plus the Islands, but what about Thessaly region? It's so underrated even though it has Olympus, meteora, beautiful places, forests to go. Not only that but wasn't part of king Aiolou in the Odyssey?

This region in my opinion is not talked enough about it's culture and history i am sure even from ancient times it has given a lot to Greek history.

Yay let's give some love to Thessaly! I share your feelings. I like this region a lot. So let's make a post with cool facts about Thessaly.

But before that I would like to comment on why Thessaly appears to be overlooked. I think the reason is that Thessaly is in between two regions that have attracted so much the interest of historians. It is sandwiched between Argos, meaning all of south Greece with Athens and Sparta and all the load of city states, and Macedonia. It gets more or less the same treatment with Epirus. Furthermore, Thessaly's biggest power is also its weakness. Thessaly is what is considered the "breadbasket" of the nation. An essentially provincial agricultural area, vast as nowhere else in Greece, it did not intrigue as much as the other regions with their drama, polities, conquests or artistic and scientific achievements.

Cool facts about Thessaly:

Despite its later obscurity with historians, exactly because of its vast fertile land, Thessaly had some of the earliest advanced settlements in Europe during the Neolithic period, such as Sesklo (6800 BC) and Dimini (4800 BC).

In the Mycenaean Age, Thessaly was known as Aeolia. The dialect spoken was Aeolic Greek. The Homeric epics are written in a mix of Ionic and Aeolic Greek. Aeolic Greek was considered the ideal dialect for poetry and lyricism. Poets and Rhapsodoi would travel to Thessaly to find inspiration.

Thessaly has paramount significance for the Greek mythology. Mount Olympus is located where Thessaly and Macedonia meet, so this is where the Gods lived. Achilles was born and reigned in Thessaly (his kingdom encompassed Phthia and extended beyond the Thessalian borders into Hellas, the westernmost meeting point of Thessaly, Epirus and Central Greece). Centaur Chiron raised many heroes in Mount Pelion, which is the origin place of centaurs. Jason and the Argonauts embarked for their journey from the city of Iolcos (now Volos). And loads more myths are associated with Thessaly.

Thessaly was somewhere between the world of the southern city states and the Kingdom of Macedon. It was usually a kingdom too or dismantled in a few smaller kingdoms ruled by the tagoi, aristocratic warlords. During the early classical period, Thessaly started being influenced by democracy however after observing the rise of Macedon, the Thessalians essentially invited King Philip to incorporate the region into his sphere of influence and Thessaly returned into having one single powerful king.

It is kinda evident that the Thessalians just wanted to live their lives and were absorbed with their own matters, trying to stay away from most drama. That lack of drama earns them their obscurity. Of course there were microdramas between nobility and kingdoms and all that but honestly nothing in comparison to the southern mayhems or the excessive northern ambition. Despite their low profile, Thessalians were wanted in other Greek armies for their cavalry.

During Roman and Byzantine times, the region was constantly targeted by invaders including Slavs, Avars, Huns etc due to its fertile land. This made the Byzantine emperors often remove or transfer away foreign populations from the area and have Greeks from other regions to settle in, to reinforce the Greek element of the region.

Much like in all other eras of its history, Thessaly was somewhere in the middle during the stages of the Greek Independence from the Ottoman Empire. It was incorporated to Greece after Peloponnese and Roumeli (Sterea Hellas) but before Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace.

Thessaly is a diverse land. It has a core of extended farmland dotted with hills and mountains as well as rivers and lakes, surrounded by a ring of big mountain ranges. At its west it expands to the Pindus mountains and their woodlands, at its north lies Mount Olympus and its east finds the Aegean sea and boosts a remarkable coastline. It also has three major islands, generally considered some of the most densely forested in the country and with beaches often featured in Top lists across the world. Sightings of seals and dolphins are common near its coasts.

Due to its geomorphology, the Thessalian plain gets some of the hottest temperatures in the summer and some of the coldest in the winter.

Thessaly is home to the most significant natural wonder of Greece. The rocks of Meteora. Meteora is a group of massive rock formations dating to the Paleogene era when this area was still part of the seabed, before the sea was pushed upwards and away. Meteora have been inhabited by monks ever since the middle Byzantine period. It has 20 Byzantine and post-Byzantine monasteries, out of which six are still in service. Aside from a natural wonder, the region is also a UNESCO world heritage monument.

After the independence, the region prospered due to being the largest farmland in Greece as well as having the third largest port in the country. It is the third most populous region after Sterea Hellas (which has Athens) and the large Macedonia (which has Thessaloniki). As a result, Thessaly is the only region in Greece with two major cities of about the same population, Larissa and Volos, the 5th and 6th largest cities of the country respectively, in close proximity. Larissa boasts an ancient past associated to Achilles and is the metropolis of agricultural and industrial Greece, all while buzzing with nightlife and a lot of student life. The also mythologically rich Volos is the Thessalian port, ensured with prosperity even during the hardship of Ottoman times, and is very notable among Greeks and those few foreigners who know for being surrounded from all sides by beautiful scenery, including very forested mountains, hills, extended shorelines, peninsulas, islands and numerous beautiful villages which combine tradition with a cosmopolitan flair.

The rest of the region is decorated by the rare outstanding mountainous beauty of Trikala, which also encompasses Meteora, and is one of the towns in Greece more focused on improving the quality of life for its citizens, often becoming a point of reference for other places. Karditsa with its traditional feel completes the quartet, offering access to the beautiful Lake Plastira and Agrafa mountains, some of the most unexplored and undisturbed, both naturally and culturally, regions of Greece.

And now some photos from Thessaly under the cut. Enjoy!

Various regions of Larissa

Various regions of Magnesia (Volos)

Various regions in Trikala

Various regions in Karditsa

Various regions from Sporades islands

All photos chosen randomly in Google search just to give you an idea. I do not own any of these.

Hopefully you enjoyed this tribute Anon!

Also, to anyone wondering "wasn't this supposed to be a farmland?", well yeah, it is by Greek standards. The farmland is indeed very big, it's just that if I showed many photos from the plain I would be running short of mountains and coasts. And also, Greeks typically don't take photos of their plains as often so I'd had to make a more strenuous search.

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

JEREMY IRVINE IS HENRY BEAUCHAMP

Always like him. What a super start in War Horse very versatile actor.

Jeremy Irvine is an English stage and screen actor. He was born Jeremy William Fredric Smith in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, England. He attended drama school at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before catching Hollywood's eye starring in Steven Spielberg's 2011 epic war film "War Horse." In 2012, Irvine portrayed Philip "Pip" Pirrip in the film adaptation of Charles Dickens's 1861 novel of the same name Great Expectations.

Have you seen this movie? 🎥

War Horse (2011) Young Albert is enlisted in the army to join the First World War after his beloved horse was sold to cavalry. Albert's hopeful journey takes him outside of Britain and into the front lines as the war rages on.

For his work in the film, he was nominated for the London Film Critics' Choice Award for Young British Performer Of The Year and Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer.

In 2013 Jeremy Irvine starred alongside Colin Firth in The Railway Man, an adaptation of the 1995 autobiography of the same name by Eric Lomax. The Railway Man is a war film directed by Jonathan Teplitzky, and stars Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Jeremy Irvine, and Stellan Skarsgård.

Colin Firth and Jeremy Irvine playing the young and old versions of Eric Lomax in The Railway Man

Jeremy has starred in The Woman in Black: Angel of Death (2015), and portrayed Daniel Grigori in Fallen (2016). Irvine earned widespread critical acclaim for his role opposite Dakota Fanning in the independent film "Now Is Good," leading critics to list him among Hollywood's fastest-rising stars.

Daniel Grigori

He played Daniel Grigori the male protagonist of the Fallen series. He is a fallen angel and Luce's boyfriend. He was known as the sixth angel in Heaven, the Angel of Lost Souls and The Watchers which was named Grigori.

In 2018, Irvine portrayed the younger version of Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan) in the sequel to Mamma Mia!, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

In July 2017, Irvine confirmed via his Instagram that he had joined the cast of The Last Full Measure alongside Tommy Hatto and Zach Roerig, launched in 2019.

In 2021 Jeremy Irvine was in the war drama biopic ‘Benediction’ (written and directed by Terence Davies) is a lyrical and elegant period piece. It reintroduces the world to the poetic genius of Siegfried Sassoon (Jack Lowden) a decorated war veteran hero, and a dreamer.

He played Ivor Novello (on the left), was one of the many post-war lovers of Siegfried Sassoon, played by Jack Lowden (right).

As for his résumé, Jeremy Irvine has brilliant performances in theatre, on the big screen and television. So it was a good choice because he will not disappoint with his performance in “Blood Of My Blood”. So, SH the clock is ticking. ⏰

#jeremyirvine #bloodofmyblood #actor #henrybeauchamp #warhorse #stevenspielberg

[gojixyz69]

Why I love Bowser vs Eggman

I talked about this matchup a bit in my old posts heck I recently talked about who would so go and check it out, anyways the point is this is my most wanted Death Battle matchup and also my favorite matchup in general and today I'm going to talk about it. Remember this is just my opinion so if you disagree that's fine, now let's talk about it.

Connections:

Both Bowser and Eggman have a lot of connections and those are... both have a asistant/second in command who use there abilities to replicate there foes (Bowser Jr framed Mario as Shadow Mario and Metal Sonic framed Sonic in SH respectivally), both want to use power of extremely powerful gems (Chaos Emeralds and The Dream Stone respectivally), both have an army that they rule with an iron first, etc.

There are more connections like how they teamed up with there archenemy to fight a more powerful enemy (Dark Star and Solaris respecitcally) and how there companies are rivals, so yeah there are connections and more.

Debate:

To get out of the, Bowser would win and if you want to know why I talked about in a post whitch was litereally at the time I'm makings this, yesterday. To put it simply Bowser is stonger, more durable and has to many powers for Eggman to handle like transmutation, sealing, etc.

Animation potential:

If I had to explain it with a few words it would basically be this

https://www.deviantart.com/mrnoma/art/Bowser-vs-Eggman-set-up-and-death-1001223189

Basically Bowser vs Eggman should start like Ultron vs Sigma where it's an army battle but there the main foccus and the death should be more lile Black Adam vs Apocalypse with the loser seeing there Kingdom/Empire chrumble before being executed, whitch in this case would be Eggman whitch if that's the case then Bowser would either stomp Eggman's face like Apocalypse did to Black Adam or you can have him throw Eggman to the Death Egg and destroy with his fire breath. But if you think Eggman would win then Eggman would grab Bowser and burn him alive after showing that he conquered his kingdom. As for how the fight would go you can have Eggman using his giant machines fighting Bowser in his giant form, heck you can have Dreamy Bowser fight Nightmare Eggman, there's so much you can do here.

Banter potential:

It's pretty good, you can show there egotistic side while also showing how much of a force they can be, you can have there goofy moments as well.

Music potential:

Now this is where we get to the juicy stuff, Brandon Yates already made a commission track for the matchup called Hard Boiled Fury whitch you should listen to it's pretty good and if you know both Brandon and Therewolf made commission tracks for matchups that eventually became episodes of DB, for example and the recent one theres Deciphering Discord and Discordant Decipher by Brandon, both are amazing track with Discordant Decipher being better than the og, so imagine Hard Boiled Fury but better and potentially with lyrics, that would be amazing to listen to.

Solving problems and update:

Death Battle had Bowser and Eggman, with Bowser fighting Ganon and Eggman fighting Wily and while Eggman vs Wily was good the problem is that it's old it happened in Season 1 since then there's new material to use for Eggman. As for Bowser his episode was unfortunatelly bad, it has mans problems whitch I sugesst watching a review of it but to put it simply they did Bowser dirty in his own episode and it's old not as old as Eggman's but still old. So this matchup would fix it while adding new stuff for both.

History:

Now this is where I talk about the main reason why I love this matchup, both Bowser and Eggman were part of my childhood with Bowser being my favorite villain and Eggman being entertaining and also my favorite scientist, so you can see why I love this matchup it's a fight between two of my favorite villains who were also in a way my childhood.

So yeah that's my thoughts on it, overall I love this matchup it has a lot of potential to be a great if not a perfect episode and I would happy if it finally happened in Death Battle.

[yaldev]

Bruzek's Flags

Living in the Oracle’s consciousness came with certain inconveniences. Decadin had no sensory inputs but those shared by his host. His eyes were not closed, but removed—he could not see the darkness. Maybe the gods in here could handle it, but Decadin was only ever a man.

He distracted himself with what faculties were available. He recreated old songs and cursed when he forgot a lyric. He trawled his imagination and dug up an old idea of a Terminus office building, which he modeled in three dimensions and rotated at ludicrous speeds. When the entertainment value ran dry, he fixated on old memories. He handled crystal bugs, ate soup in a sunrise and argued with titans of industry and military, struck now by the wiser things he could have said. Most of all he replayed his first meeting with the Oracle, telling himself this was the most important memory to keep alive, as it came closest to explaining how he, or whatever was left to call “he,” was now here, whatever “here” could mean.

The Oracle could see it all. “Anything to never think of Lhusel,” she thought, and it intruded on Decadin’s mind.

Decadin shoved that thought away.

“You think so much of one broken friendship, and not the families slain in your Empire’s name.”

He was not getting away from this. “Why would you even ask that? You know that bothers me too, but they weren’t part of me and my story like Lhusel was. That’s just how humans work.”

“Want to see something? You’ll go mad if I don’t feed you.”

“I’ll take anything.”

“Perhaps you can make better sense of this than I,” she said, and she poured a vision into Decadin’s mind. His eyes faded back in, and his ears and nose and skin. He was a ghost at a ceremony.

Bruzek unraveled a scroll, read its magic nonsense aloud, and shoved it back in his pocket. “Test,” he said, and all could hear him as clear as if he were standing right before them.

Decadin tried to frown, but he had no mouth. “When was this? Or when will it be?”

“Now,” thought the Oracle, “but far away.”

Bruzek started talking, and the acolyte ignored what he said to focus on how he said it.

“He’s bad at this,” Decadin thought, “can’t imagine he wrote this himself, but he memorized it word for word.”

“You’re so sure,” the Oracle thought.

“Debate society kids like me did the same thing. If he hasn’t fixed it by now it’s because he hasn’t had to. You don’t need to say anything interesting in the military, you just stick to the script. What are those banners?”

“Battle flags, Bruzek’s own. Now that he’s High Commander, he can institute them—”

“He got to High Commander talking like that?!”

“Don’t be so harsh.” The Oracle smirked. “He’s just trying to copy you.”

“...never seen before,” droned Bruzek, “but the vision you have demonstrated in your studies and training has given your Empire confidence that you can face those threats and do what needs to be done.”

Decadin wished his ears would fade back out. “Getting millions killed? Is that how he copies me? You can mock my style but I was never this… generic.”

Bruzek was not worth Decadin’s attention. The acolyte turned his gaze to the audience, the commissioned commanders in shirts and ties. They looked more like desk workers than warriors. At least that was honest. There was no life in their eyes. Whatever the speech was trying to do, it…

Decadin’s attention went back. “Maybe genericism is the point.”

He felt the Oracle’s interest pique. “Go on.”

“Ideas aren’t the reason he leads, but it’s not about following a script either, because then the words would matter. No, this isn’t about what he says to them. The point is, he’s at the front and they have to listen. This is a graduation speech?”

He felt the Oracle nod.

“So this is what the Army is about now. What learning is about, if you’re Ascended.”

Bruzek’s tone changed. “Okay, I could go on another five pages or we could skip to the important part. You’re adults, your time is valuable, you get it. What do you say?”

Decadin saw consciousness return to the soldiers’ eyes. They answered with mild laughter here and there, but no objections.

“Alright! Ascended commanders, you have come this far!”

Violence shone in Bruzek’s eyes. His words pulled memories from the Oracle’s mind, and they polluted this vision. Illusory steelflakes descended on the scene.

“Your power is the Empire’s, and the Empire’s power is yours. What can stop you?”

“Nothing,” was their resounding answer. Lightning mines erupted all around.

“Tell me, in all you have learned: what is it to win?”

“It is love.”

Conversion cities assembled in the distance.

“And what is it to lose?”

“Growth.”

Suppression towers sprouted from the concrete.

“And what is it to reach?”

“Life.”

An Orb of Darkness loomed over them all.

“And what is it to relent?”

“DEATH.”

Decadin’s thoughts were racing. “So they knew this part. They had gut answers. He made the speech bad on purpose, because that was the Army, but the chant was Bruzek. He gave them a part in the script, and sidestepped the formalities to involve them.”

“The Army belongs to him,” the Oracle added, “he could change anything with an order.”

“But he doesn’t. He’s drawing a line between himself and the institution. He’s building a cult to himself, something separate. He’s planning something, what’s he planning?”

“Yes, you are right,” thought the Oracle, “thank you.”

Decadin’s eyes began to fade, and ears and nose and skin, as though the Orb of Darkness were consuming it all.

“Oracle, what’s he planning?” He asked again, but she had sectioned him off again, cast him back to his songs, buildings and obsessions. He pouted and thought of all those men, the true killers in all the Conquests, petty tyrants with computers and annual reviews, Bruzeks in the making. Decadin dreamed up a bomb that could’ve killed them all where they stood, and rotated it at ludicrous speeds.

———

Yaldev is a sci-fantasy worldbuilding project by Ulysses Maurer, with art by Beeple. By looking at narratives, stylized loredumps, bad poetry and little details, we'll witness the story of a planet filled with magical power, the nation which tried to conquer it, this empire’s dramatic collapse and the new world which emerged in its wake. Along the way we'll meet the characters who live here, and we'll explore questions about nationalism, rationalism, the natural world and the quest to master it. For all stories in chronological order, check out the pinned posts at r/Yaldev!

[grandsonoflightike]

Grey Three Houses/Hopes P21: Like Cats and Dogs

Background song Announcement: The Ashen Demon Cover With Lyrics by The Muses’ Mire

Shadow Caspar: Are you even listening to me, Linhardt? I know what I saw!

Shadow Linhardt: Oh, I heard you the first time—I just think you misunderstood what your eyes were telling you.

Shadow Caspar: The guy didn't have a head! What could I possibly "misunderstand" about that?!

Shadow Linhardt: From a distance, many things could resemble the indistinct shape of a headless torso. It's irrational to assume it was a ghost. There must be a simpler—and more scientific—explanation. And you'll never convince me otherwise no matter how much you howl, so best to just let it go.

*Shadow Shez enters.*

Shadow Shez: You're being real stubborn about this. Wouldn't it be easier to just mumble something about how he might be right and move on?

Shadow Linhardt: A fair point. But you see...

*Count Shadow Bergliez and Count Shadow Hevring enter.*

Shadow Linhardt: Father? Well, this is unexpected.

Shadow Caspar: You too, Father?! What're you doing here?

Count Shadow Bergliez: I had some matters to discuss with Her Majesty, and prefer to do so in person.

Count Shadow Hevring: And I came to consider the continued unrest in the east of the Empire with the court.

Shadow Linhardt: And you thought it might be nice to pay your dear sons a visit while you were in the area. A sensible conclusion—death awaits around every corner in these times. Each visit could be our last.

Count Shadow Hevring: You are a fountain of positivity, my son.

Count Shadow Bergliez: We're not just here to bandy words—there's a fight waiting for us, and the lot of you are going to help.

Shadow Shez: Uh, all of us?

Shadow Linhardt: He can't possibly be counting me among those slated to help...can he? Father?

Count Shadow Hevring: I was against the idea. But as you might imagine, Count Bergliez would have none of it. You know some of the former prime minister's rebel sympathizers escaped, yes? Well, we've tracked them down in a town near to here. Shadow Leopold means to mount an attack and wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Shadow Caspar: With just us? I hope you have more troops on the way.

Count Shadow Bergliez: Sorry, but this is all we've got—my army's engaging the Light Kingdom on the western front, and Her Shadow Majesty's forces are busy with preparations for the next battle. Now come. We don't have much time.

Shadow Caspar: Right, got it!

*Shadow Caspar and Count Shadow Bergliez leave.*

Count Shadow Hevring: And what do you think will happen to us if we let the two of them go it alone and they end up dead, hmm?

Shadow Linhardt: Oh, fine. As you said, it's not like we can talk the count out of anything once he's set his mind to it. And Shadow Caspar is just as bad—that apple is so close to the tree it may as well be part of the roots themselves.

Count Shadow Hevring: I assume we can count on you as well, friend? It will be a hard battle, and I cannot vouch for our safe return should you refuse.

Shadow Shez: Don't see how I can say no when you put it like that. You're just as bad as Count Shadow Bergliez, in your own special way.

Count Shadow Hevring: You appear to have a bond of mutual trust. Nicely done, son.

Shadow Linhardt: I'm not sure that's how I'd phrase it, but moving on. If we're going to do this thing, I suggest we move out and do it already.

Shadow Shez: Yeah. If we don't hurry, Caspar and his dad'll be drowning in bad guys before we even get our boots laced. C'mon, we gotta catch up.

Count Shadow Hevring: See? I knew I could rely on you.

Shadow Linhardt: Hrm... I get the feeling this is going to be quite the bother before it's all said and done.

*At the start of battle*

Count Shadow Bergliez: So much for catching the enemy unprepared. Well, no matter--we'll wipe out what's left of this rebellion regardless.

Count Shadow Hevring: That racket you caused outside of town certainly didn't help. Still, at least they've been drawn out.

Shadow Caspar: It's been a while since I've fought alongside my shadow father. Better step it up!

Shadow Linhardt: Even more than you usually do? In that case, I'll try to keep out of your way.

Shadow Caspar: Are you kidding? My usual approach would get blasted away by my shadow father's battle cry alone!

Shadow Linhardt: A good point. I'll stay away from him as well.

Count Shadow Bergliez: *to Count Shadow Hevring* When did we two last fight side by side? During the troubles in Enbarr, perhaps?

Count Shadow Hevring: Quite recently, then. Hopefully things go better this time around.

*The two counts work on capturing the strongholds on the east side of town while Shez, Caspar, and Linhardt liberate the west side of town. When Count Shadow Bergliez seizes the Grand Plaza…*

Shadow Count Bergliez: Shadow Leopold von Bergliez stands before you! Come and face me!

*After Shadow Shez's team captures the western strongholds*

Shadow Thief: Hey...what's that noise? Are they onto us?

*More rebels appear in the strongholds on the south side of town.*

Count Shadow Hevring: These bandits seem unrelated to the rebels. Still, we might as well deal with them.

Count Shadow Bergliez: Mowing down weak enemies is very dull! What say you, Shadow Caspar? Care to compete over which group can rack up more kills?

Shadow Caspar: You and Count Shadow Hevring versus the three of us? I like those odds!

Shadow Linhardt: Or you can leave us out of your absurd contest entirely...

*When Shez's team seizes one of the southern strongholds*

Shadow Caspar: All right, that's one down. C'mon, gimme another!

Shadow Linhardt: Can't we just have a nice, normal battle? Counting bodies is so tacky.

*After the southern strongholds are seized, the western strongholds are re-captured by the enemy.*

Shadow Count Bergliez: C'mon, Shadow Waldemar! You're falling behind!

Count Shadow Hevring: I don't know why you insist on this foolish competition, Shadow Leopold. You know full well I could never keep up with you.

Count Shadow Bergliez: More bandits over there, Waldemar! Warp me in!

Count Shadow Hevring: Another one-man assault? Well, if that's what you want...

*Count Hevring warps Count Bergliez to the Crowded Market.*

Shadow Linhardt: Would you like to be warped as well, Caspar? I personally think it's a terrible idea, but I'll let you make your own decision.

Shadow Caspar: No thanks! I'm running on pure, clean Caspar-power this time!

*After Count Bergliez and Count Hevring seize a stronghold*

Count Shadow Hevring: By the way, what of your older boy? I understand he was taken captive?

Count Shadow Bergliez: He lives, but the temporary loss of Shadow Merceus had dire repercussions. I fear we must reassess his fitness for the Shadow Bergliez mantle.

*More thieves arrive to capture the Northern strongholds.*

Shadow Linhardt: More bandits? Or mostly bandits, I guess. I don't see very many rebels.

Shadow Dark Bishop: What's all the commotion? If we're under attack, then fight back, you idiots!

*Some Dark Bishops appear to the northwest.*

Shadow Caspar: I'm feeling great, Shadow Father! What about you?

Count Shadow Bergliez: Need you even ask? Thanks to my training, my stamina is the envy of men half my age!

Shadow Linhardt: You're keeping quite close to me, Shadow Father. Is the count's company not to your liking?

Count Shadow Hevring: Precisely so. The man is a selfish, overbearing oaf who doesn't even pretend to listen to me! He is the worst, and I curse fate for seeing fit to saddle us together since birth.

*After defeating the Dark Bishops*

Shadow Caspar: That wasn't so bad.

*After seizing all of the strongholds*

Shadow Imperial Soldier: We'll go on ahead to escort the prisoners.

Shadow Caspar: We beat my shadow father? I don't believe it!

Count Shadow Bergliez: You boys did well! So well, in fact, that I think we ought to put you to the test ourselves! What say you, Shadow Waldemar?

Coun Shadow Hevring: So be it--but I cannot promise to match your intensity.

*Count Shadow Bergliez and Count Shadow Hevring challenge Shadow Shez's team to a test of strength.*

Shadow Caspar: C'mon! Let's show our fathers what we can do!

*When Shadow Shez encounters Count Shadow Bergliez*

Count Shadow Bergliez: Show me what you've learned--every technique and talent! Hold nothing back!

Shadow Shez: A fight against the strongest man in the Empire? You got it!

*When Shadow Caspar encounters Count Shadow Bergliez*

Shadow Caspar: I'll give you all the fight you can handle!

Shadow Linhardt: Are you sure you have the right son here? Because I'd much prefer to stay out of this...

*When Shadow Shez encounters Count Shadow Hevring*

Count Shadow Hevring: My force of will seems rather weak in the face of the might you display so casually.

Shadow Shez: Sorry. I can tell your heart's not really in this.

Shadow Caspar: I dunno what you're talkin' about, but I'm gonna prove how strong I am!

*IWhen Shadow Linhardt encounters Count Shadow Hevring*

Count Shadow Hevring: Well, Linhardt! Seeing as you're here, I may as well put you to the test also.

Shadow Linhardt: Must you? And what exactly are you hoping to prove with this "test" of yours?

*When Count Shadow Hevring's HP reach <= 50%*

Count Shadow Hevring: It doesn't feel like I've posed much of a challenge today.

*When Count Shadow Hevring is defeated*

Count Shadow Hevring: That is about what I expected.

*When Count Shadow Bergliez's HP reach <= 50%*

Count Shadow Bergliez: Yes... Yes! Give me more!

*When Count Shadow Bergliez's HP reach <= 25%*

Count Shadow Bergliez: Ah...the vigor of youth! Let this battle be your proving ground!

*When Count Bergliez is defeated*

Count Shadow Bergliez: Impressive. You've done yourself proud.

*When Count Shadow Bergliez and Count Shadow Hevring are defeated* Shadow Linhardt: Well, this day has been simply awful. Time for me to hurry home and fall into bed.

Shadow Caspar: Bed? It's still early! I bet my Shadow father has plenty more training in store for us!

*After The Battle*

Count Shadow Bergliez: Hahaha! So you've finally bested your old man, huh? I'm proud of you Shadow Caspar. And Shadow Linhardt, you've come a long way as well. Oh, and it puts my mind at ease to know these two have a companion like you around. Don't you agree, Shadow Waldemar?

Count Shadow Hevring: Any peace of mind I may have gained will doubtless be wiped out soon by more of your antics, Leopold. But yes, as one never knows what will happen on a battlefield, it is always good to have capable allies.

Shadow Caspar: Wow, did you hear that?! My father isn't easily impressed, so you must've really knocked his greaves off back there.

Shadow Shez: It's an honor to get complimented by such a renowned military mind.

Count Shadow Bergliez: Ha! Well, if you ever wanna test your might, you know where to find me.

Shadow Caspar: I don't think that was ever on the table...

Count Shadow Bergliez: No? Well, that's disappointing. Anyway, Caspar, I wanted to give you something. My gauntlets, Shadow Járngreipr. They've been in our family for generations, and you don't even need a Crest to use them.

Shadow Caspar: I, uh... Really? Are you sure?

Count Shadow Bergliez: It's only right that they get passed down to the next generation of Bergliez warrior.

Shadow Caspar: You mean I've earned them?

Shadow Shez: Looks like all your hard work's finally paying off.

Shadow Caspar: Yeah... Thank you, Shadow Father. Truly. I'm gonna get even stronger to keep proving I deserve the honor!

Count Shadow Bergliez: Ha! Well said, my shadow son. Now then, it would be rude of me to let the rest of you go empty-handed after all that. Here. Consider this as a thank-you for letting me drag you all on my little adventure.

Shadow Shez: Hey, now we're talking! After all those years as a merc, I always expect some kinda reward after a tough battle.

Count Shadow Hevring: You throw yourself vigorously into the fray to help your friends, yet also keep a tight grip on the strings of your purse. You would make for a fine civil servant, if you ever had the inclination..

Shadow Shez: Yeah, I'd rather end up crow food out on the battlefield than sit at a desk for the rest of my life. I'm not happy if I'm not fighting. So, yeah. I'll just keep letting my sword do the talking for me.

Shadow Caspar: Wait, you have a talking sword?!

Shadow Shez: What? Of course not.

Count Shadow Bergliez: Hahaha! If only you trained your mind with the same vigor as your muscles, my son.

Shadow Shez: Hey, speaking of minds—where's Linhardt? He's been awfully quiet through all this.

Shadow Linhardt: Zzz...

Shadow Shez: Did he seriously just pass out?

Shadow Linhardt: Hm? Oh, are we going? Well, look at that—I have a second wind. Just enough energy to get me home and into bed.

[theswiftiearchive]

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) - Castles Crumbling (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault] [feat. Hayley Williams]

"Castles Crumbling" is an emo ballad driven by haunting piano melodies that delve into the life of someone caught in the unforgiving spotlight. Swift enlisted Hayley Williams, the lead singer of rock band Paramore, to duet with her on the track. What helped this song come as far as it did?

Swift and Williams have fostered a deep-rooted friendship that traces its roots back to their formative teenage years. As Swift's star ascended in the realm of country music during the late 2000s, Paramore carved their own path in the pop-punk and emo landscapes.

Throughout their journeys, the two artists consistently championed each other. Their bond was showcased when they took the stage together during the Nashville stop of the Speak Now World Tour in 2011, delivering a performance of Paramore's "That's What You Get." Their support continued over the years, with Williams cameoing in Swift's star-studded "Bad Blood" music video.

Williams is also rumored to have been the inspiration behind Swift's song "Speak Now." Taylor told E! News in 2010 that "Speak Now" was inspired by a close friend who was in love with someone who was getting married to someone else. She didn't name the friend, but many fans believe it was Hayley Williams.

Both Swift and Williams have weathered the storm of superstardom since the late 2000s, battling the inevitable onslaught of criticism that accompanies fame. With "Castles Crumbling," Swift takes a gripping leap back to the turbulent year of 2010, when Speak Now burst onto the scene. Despite it being just her third album cycle, Swift had already witnessed the betrayal of the fickle public, who had a knack for abandoning young artists, especially young women.

I was held up so high, I used to be great

They used to cheer when they saw my face

Now, I fear I have fallen from grace

As Swift sculpted Speak Now, she faced an incessant barrage of scrutiny, with the media eagerly prying into her love life. Moreover, her daring transition from country darling to pop powerhouse was met with skeptics' raised eyebrows. The echoes of these trials and the raw emotions that fueled her lyrics reverberate fiercely in the opening verse, capturing the essence of that defiant era.

A castle, a symbol of royalty and grandeur, is a fitting metaphor for Taylor Swift's musical empire and her reputation, which is fortified by her unwavering army of Swifties and devoted supporters.

And I feel like my castle's crumbling down

And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground

Within this metaphorical stronghold, cracks begin to form. Swift's castle crumbles, mirroring the fractures in her relationships with those who once held her dear. This motif of the castle echoes throughout Swift's discography, finding its foothold even in the opening line of the Reputation track "Call It What You Want."

My castle crumbled overnight

I brought a knife to a gunfight

On the 1989 song "New Romantics," the lyric is reversed:

'Cause, baby, I could build a castle

Out of all the bricks they threw at me

In her verse, Hayley Williams indulges in nostalgic reflections of her past moments in the spotlight, echoing the song's overarching theme of losing the very fame one has painstakingly cultivated. We witness two women who have matured and thrived amid the relentless scrutiny of the public eye transport themselves back to the headspace of their early years in the spotlight. Swift and Williams, resilient and steadfast, have braved an unfair deluge of criticism, confronting the persistent shadows of misogyny that persist in certain corners of the industry.

Image Credit: Taylor Swift

I do not own the image, used with fair use in mind.

[catsnuggler]

This performance of Song of the Volga Boatmen just... always, always brings me to tears.

It was recorded in 1965, sure, 20 years after the war. However, Leonid Kharitonov lost his father in the war, and the song is literally titled Song of the Volga Boatmen, so it's about Boatmen on the Volga river, including what was then called Stalingrad, which is on the Volga River (and is now called Volgagrad). A significant part of the Battle was the ferrying of Soviet marines across the Mother River, the Volga, to assist Red Army soldiers in the defense of this great and noble city, against the Nazi invaders.

The first verse is sung singly, in a mournful tone, as if the marine ferrying across the river is overcome with sorrow. Of course he is. He witnesses bombed ruins, burning buildings, horrors beyond comprehension, as Stuka dive bombers attack the Soviet reinforcements. To think that the fascist invaders could have penetrated so deeply into the Motherland...? These fascists, who seek the death of all Soviet people - not just the men, but the women, and the children, too. Russians, Belarusians Ukrainians, Jews, Kazakhs, Yakuts, Siberians, Tuvans - none have any place in the terrible clutch of the vaunted, so-called Thousand-Year Reich. They sought to destroy all Soviet people, after first enslaving them. The Marine bears witness to this catastrophe... and, he accepts. He does not accept that the Nazis will win. No. Not for a moment. No, he accepts that, either way, he will suffer. He will likely die. But he must die. He must die for the revolution, for the Soviet people, and for all people, across the world.

The second verse is sung somewhat more hopefully. I don't speak Russian, but I looked the lyrics up once. They're hopeful in this verse. Yet the singing still sounds mournful. His hope is not necessarily that he will live. Nonetheless, he hopes. He hopes for victory. He hopes for peace. He hopes his children will live, and that they will know happiness. He hopes they will never see what he sees. He believes that this is possible, so long as he gives his all to the Motherland, in Heroic and Sacred War against the invader.

The Marine was never the only marine on the boat, but he was so struck by terror, initially, that he felt alone. Flotillas cross, despite the shelling and gunfire, and the troops remember they are united, together, under one banner. No individual is alone. Many will die, but, together, they may triumph. And so, their determination, their devotion, is forged in steel. They will, together, hold this great city. They will push the fascists out of the Motherland. They will triumphantly press onward, and, no matter the sacrifices, the bloodied heart of the fascist empire will soon beat for the last time. Together, these brothers and sisters will march to victory, and the people of the world will know peace once again.

That war never should have happened, but it did, and the Soviet people gave their all to end it. As I mentioned, Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews, Yakuts, Siberians, Tuvans - they fought, bled, died, and triumphed to save the world from the worst evil we have ever known.

And that's why I cry every time I hear this.

[miralines]

I have had a handful of people respond enthusiastically so! Quick note, this is all my headcanons for the One Thousand and Three version of the OUATIS galaxy, and not canon except where I've cited my sources. First of all, for world context, I don't think most places in the OUATIS galaxy have queerphobia. There may be a very few planets and regions where it's still a problem, and there are some places where there's still cis/hetero/amatonormativity, but on the whole both within and outside of Cole's empire, what we know as queerness is human variation as natural as hair color. Transition healthcare is just considered regular healthcare, with the same level of access as anything else (for whatever level of access that is-- they probably have some very advanced gender-affirming care along with, y'know, viable human cloning). Cinders' planet is one of the places where people are still assumed to be straight-as-default (this is supported by canon in the lyrics of Cinders' Song-- she was told that she'd fall for a prince, and realized later it would be a princess), but it's rarely a problem if someone turns out otherwise. In our world's terms, Cinders is a cisgender femme lesbian, and because in her cultural context that still makes her Other, she identifies as something like queer because of that. She often wishes her mother could have known she'd fall for a woman-- she didn't figure out she was a lesbian until her teens, well after a decade after her mother's death. Rose, in our terms, is a mostly-cis butch lesbian. She always knew she was only interested in women, and that she was most comfortable with a masc presentation. She's comfortable in her body and in womanhood as long as she keeps her hair short and dresses masc. In her social context, this is absolutely fine-- this is just a way some women are. Rose doesn't identify as queer, or anything, really, because for her there's nothing queer about being a women who only likes women and dresses like a man. I think she and Cinders probably had some interesting discussions while they were dating and found out that cultural difference.

Snow is aro and probably ace. She might be grey-ace, but she's definitely not interested in romance or any kind of long-term partner. She's also a cis woman, and presents fem, but she isn't femme. Snow is technically the heir to her family line and would have been expected to have an heir herself, though luckily, this is something she wanted-- she intended to have children as a solo parent through cloning or sperm donation. Snow figured out she wasn't interested in romance as an older teenager, but like Rose, she comes from a context where this is a normal experience for many people, and is not considered queer by herself or others around her. The Rose Reds vary, since there's millions of them. During the war, most weren't allowed to pursue relationships, and they all dressed to army regulation, so very few even had those aspects of identity on the radar, especially once they started being moulded. After the war, though, there are statistical patterns-- they're more likely to be lesbians than the general population, and many who aren't lesbians are attracted to women in some measure. They also tend towards masc genders and presentation-- you find a lot of cis butches and to a slightly lesser extent trans men and nonbinary people among the Rose Red population. Rose Red genders do tend to be somewhat customized even among Reds who are more fem, though, because they weren't... strictly supposed to have genders? They were called she (often collectively, a plural she) after Rose, but to say they were assigned as being women implies they were regarded as far more human than they were. Womanhood is for people. A Rose Red's assigned gender is more "soldier, she/her" than anything, making any gender they end up in one that they make for themself.

Old Rosie specifically is a lesbian-- she was able to have short leave periods before the big crackdown on Rose Reds, and hooked up with a few women, even if she's never had opportunity for a long-term relationship. I don't have any idea what she has going on gender-wise, and I doubt she does either-- she's never once thought about it. The Briar Rose shares Rose's experiences. I think Jonny was into her but she wasn't interested even before she knew Cinders was alive.

In miscellaneous character headcanons, Tommy Thumb is a bi trans man. Jack Spratt likes men, although I doubt he ever had more than a fling. Adam Bete is bi (this one's canon! He's married to Belle, and the Suitor is referred to by both he and they) and what would be cis+ if he lived in a social context where that was a term. One of Cinders' stepsisters hit on Rose the one time they came to visit Cinders in prison while Rose was in charge. It was awkward and Rose tried to ignore it. Brookes (Bashful in Pump Shanty, "The image of my sweetheart's face) managed to smuggle his fiance out of Zantine a few months after the Wedding Day Slaughter and married him. They retired from the rebellion after a few years and now live quietly someplace. most everyone else I don't know about, though I'm sure I'll get more ideas down the line

It’s pride month does anyone want to hear my queer ouatis headcanons

[boiling-paint]

Please do elaborate about LL!Scar and Bad by Deluxe Royal, I'm interested 👀

Ohooho. You got it! I uh... went ham,

*claps* OKAY! SO,

It all starts with the sounds.

The theme of this music is almost cartoonish in the way it wants to portay 'big, bad, evil' (chanting in a low chorus like a boogeyman "im bad I'm bad as bad can be." behind the main voice.) It reminds me of "How Bad Can I Be?" Which, ahem, while a meme song fits Scar's happy-go-lucky attitude that he upholds regardless of the guts and gore of the situation.

With a dramatic western attitude, the voice is very confident in his own image. It just screams Scar. Big Bad Scar trying to be spooky in that disney villain way he admires and reflects in his video and performance style. Its natural for him, but hes also careful with his words. He pauses, thinks, stalls for time when he speaks to people because if they get him rambling he'll give it all away. He is very very cautious this season in that sense.

Now, the lyrics! Oo I shiver at how well they fit.

If you'd like, we can imagine this "devil" as Grian. People have consistently seen him as a threat, Scott even dramatically and repeatedly calling him a monster. Hes death itself- the one who started it all.

Or, it can simply be other reds. People that Scar so far seems to be cautious of, but never fully intimidated by.

[I made the devil run

I gave him poison just for fun

I had one friend, now there's none

I made the devil run]

The last two refer closely to the comparison of the first season to this one. Grian was quite literally his only true ally, and now Grian frequently leaves him behind at any given moment. It's not fully Scar's fault, but Grian does take some care in talking and making deals with Scar. The game has changes course and they're keeping distant tabs on one another. Scar currently drives people away from staying at his mountain, despite claiming he wants friends. And for some reason (could even be dumb luck) Joel the first and possibly most unstable Red Lifer, lives right next to him and hasn't lifted a finger yet. This I'm certainly exaggerating, but I wonder how cautious Joel is of Scar ("I made the devil run.")

These next 2 lines are the only ones that dont fit easily, as Scar is incredibly clumsy lmfAO. However, I think it speaks poetically with 3 and 4.

[I broke so many bones

But none of them were ever my own

They were an army, I was alone

I broke so many bones]

From Scar and Grians perspective things are very, very light in s1. It does not apply to the others'. In the previous season Scar was terrifying. Ren and others wanted to protect their friends and stay together. Scar wanted to win or put on a show trying. It's why him and Grian make such a good team— they know there are limits to how they can rely on one another.

From the other perspectives all Scar did was talk people out of their resources and scheme to destroy them, regardless of any sort of spoken friendships. He was very, very dangerous. He broke many structural bones so-to-speak in the other teams, including trust and physical resources.

And in the end? It was Scar's little team against Rens whole army that won 3rd Life. ("They were an army, I was alone, I broke so many bones.")

The CHORUS IS MY FAVORITE THO.

[I'm bad, as bad can be

So bad that it's hard to believe

Oh, what they say about me

I'm bad, take a look and see

So bad that it's hard to believe

I don't care what they say about me]

Scar this season is lying to everyone around him. People are cautious, but only the very, very perceptive ones (to name a few: Etho and Scott) are actually catching Scar in his lies. Even then he doesn't let up his own act. This gives him such a good facade.

People are going to underestimate him. Hes so polite to some and to others hes burning them at the stake. Other people talking about Scar are going to find plot holes, twists and turns in attitude that just don't make sense. No one will know what to believe or not. His kindness feels genuine, but so do his threats. ("So bad that it's hard to believe what they say about me.") His gentle attitude makes it really difficult to grasp his violent intentions at times.

And recently, especially with the destruction of a recent horse he seemed to be attached to, he's revealed a little to others about his values. "So bad that it's hard to believe, I don't care what they say about me." He is first and foremost a businessman and a showman. If people are scared? Great! If people think him kind? That's just good for business.

That's the most frightening thing about him being isolated this season: He doesn't care as long as he gets what he wants. But he'll pretend he will up until the second he knows it doesn't matter. No attachments, all deals. If people don't show him kindness he remembers and returns the favor later, and explicitly states he will frequently in his perspective.

Now, to remember 3rd Life S1 again:

[I watched an empire fall

I stormed the gate and scared the walls

They wouldn't share, so I took it all

I watched an empire fall]

A refusal of resources, a few missteps and misconceptions here and there and they had a war on their hands. To Ren, he was fighting for his team and his empire. To Scar, he was made into enemy #1 for... what reason? They did nothing wrong! Just having a bit of fun. All of this is a game and something Scar's character takes much more joy in than some other perspectives. It's not a game in some views, which would make him... what?

Crazy? Literally insane in some sense that he would treat this battlefield like middleschool capture the flag?

They targeted him and Scar simply didn't like it, so he took up arms with Grian and the rest and killed Ren himself. ("They wouldn't share, so I took it all, I watched an empire fall.")

[I'm bad, as bad can be

So bad that it's hard to believe

Oh, what they say about me]

You can't trust what anyone says about Scar, including Scar himself.

(I'm bad, I'm bad, as bad as can be)

I'm bad, take a look and see

So bad that it's hard to believe

I don't care what they say about me]

And he doesn't care about rumors as long as he gets what he wants. He'll take advantage of them.

Akdhakd also this isnt a dig and moreso just a dramatic retelling of how I think this song brings out a more dark idea of Scar's character. All in good fun :). Thank you for enabling me PFTHAHAHA

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Anonymous asked: As a beginner in Classics I love your Classicist themed posts. I find your caption perfect posts a lot to think upon. I suppose it’s been more than a few years since you read Classics at Cambridge but my question is do you still bother to read any Classic texts and if so what are you currently reading?

I don’t know whether to be flattered or get depressed by your (sincere) remarks. Thank you so much for reminding me how old I must come across as my youngish Millennial bones are already starting to creak from all my sins of past sport injuries and physical exertions. I’m reminded of what J.R.R Tolkien wrote, “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” I know the feeling (sigh).

But pay heed, dear follower, to what Menander said of old age, Τίμα το γήρας, ου γαρ έρχεται μόνον (respect old age, for it does not come alone). Presumably he means we all carry baggage. One hopes that will be wisdom which is often in the form of experience, suffering, and regret. So I’m not ready to trade in my high heels and hiking boots for a walking stick and granny glasses just yet.

To answer your question, yes, I still to read Classical literature and poetry in their original text alongside trustworthy translations. Every day in fact. 

I learned Latin when I was around 8 or 9 years old and Greek came later - my father and grandfather are Classicists - and so it would be hard to shake it off even if I tried.

So why ‘bother’ to read Classics? There are several reasons. First, the Classics are the Swiss Army knife to unpick my understanding other European languages that I grew up with learning. Second, it increases my cultural literacy out of which you can form informed aesthetic judgements about any art form from art, music, and literature. Third, Classical history is our shared history which is so important to fathom one’s roots and traditions. Fourth, spending time with the Classics - poetry, myth, literature, history - inspires moral insight and virtue. Fifth, grappling with classical literature informs the mind by developing intellectual discipline, reason, and logic.

And finally, and perhaps one I find especially important, is that engaging with Classical literature, poetry, or history, is incredibly humbling; for the classical world first codified the great virtues of prudence, temperance, justice, loyalty, sacrifice, and courage. These are qualities that we all painfully fall short of in our every day lives and yet we still aspire to such heights.

I’m quite eclectic in my reading. I don’t really have a method other than what my mood happens to be. I have my trusty battered note book and pen and I sit my arse down to translate passages wherever I can carve out a place to think. It’s my answer to staving off premature dementia when I really get old because quite frankly I’m useless at Soduku. We spend so much time staring at screens and passively texting that we don’t allow ourselves to slow down and think that physically writing gives you that luxury of slow motion time and space. In writing things out you are taking the time to reflect on thoughts behind the written word.

I do make a point of reading Homer’s The Odyssey every year because it’s just one of my favourite stories of all time. Herodotus and Thucydides were authors I used to read almost every day when I was in the military and especially when I went out to war in Afghanistan. Not so much these days. Of the Greek poets, I still read Euripides for weighty stuff and Aristophanes for toilet humour. Aeschylus, Archilochus and Alcman, Sappho, Hesiod, and Mimnermus, Anacreon, Simonides, and others I read sporadically.

I read more Latin than Greek if I am honest. From Seneca, Caesar, Cicero, Sallust, Tacitus, Livy, Apuleius, Virgil, Ovid, the younger Pliny to Augustine (yes, that Saint Augustine of Hippo). Again, there is no method. I pull out a copy from my book shelves and put it in my tote bag when I know I’m going on a plane trip for work reasons.

At the moment I am spending time with Horace. More precisely, his famous odes.

Of all the Greek and Latin poets, I feel spiritually comfortable with Horace. He praises a simple life of moderation in a much gentler tone than other Roman writers. Although Horace’s odes were written in imitation of Greek writers like Sappho, I like his take on friendship, love, alcohol, Roman politics and poetry itself. With the arguable exception of Virgil, there is no more celebrated Roman poet than Horace. His Odes set a fashion among English speakers that come to bear on poets to this day. His Ars Poetica, a rumination on the art of poetry in the form of a letter, is one of the seminal works of literary criticism. Ben Jonson, Pope, Auden, and Frost are but a few of the major poets of the English language who owe a debt to the Roman.

We owe to Horace the phrases, “carpe diem” or “seize the day” and the “golden mean” for his beloved moderation. Victorian poet Alfred Lord Tennyson, of Ancient Mariner fame, praised the odes in verse and Wilfred Owen’s great World War I poem, Dulce et Decorum est, is a response to Horace’s oft-quoted belief that it is “sweet and fitting” to die for one’s country.

Unlike many poets, Horace lived a full life. And not always a happy one. Horace was born in Venusia, a small town in southern Italy, to a formerly enslaved mother. He was fortunate to have been the recipient of intense parental direction. His father spent a comparable fortune on his education, sending him to Rome to study. He later studied in Athens amidst the Stoics and Epicurean philosophers, immersing himself in Greek poetry. While led a life of scholarly idyll in Athens, a revolution came to Rome. Julius Caesar was murdered, and Horace fatefully lined up behind Brutus in the conflicts that would ensue. His learning enabled him to become a commander during the Battle of Philippi, but Horace saw his forces routed by those of Octavian and Mark Antony, another stop on the former’s road to becoming Emperor Augustus.

When he returned to Italy, Horace found that his family’s estate had been expropriated by Rome, and Horace was, according to his writings, left destitute. In 39 B.C., after Augustus granted amnesty, Horace became a secretary in the Roman treasury by buying the position of questor's scribe. In 38, Horace met and became the client of the artists' patron Maecenas, a close lieutenant to Augustus, who provided Horace with a villa in the Sabine Hills. From there he began to write his satires. Horace became the major lyric Latin poet of the era of the Augustus age. He is famed for his Odes as well as his caustic satires, and his book on writing, the Ars Poetica. His life and career were owed to Augustus, who was close to his patron, Maecenas. From this lofty, if tenuous, position, Horace became the voice of the new Roman Empire. When Horace died at age 59, he left his estate to Augustus and was buried near the tomb of his patron Maecenas.

Horace’s simple diction and exquisite arrangement give the odes an inevitable quality; the expression makes familiar thoughts new. While the language of the odes may be simple, their structure is complex. The odes can be seen as rhetorical arguments with a kind of logic that leads the reader to sometimes unexpected places. His odes speak of a love of the countryside that dedicates a farmer to his ancestral lands; exposes the ambition that drives one man to Olympic glory, another to political acclaim, and a third to wealth; the greed that compels the merchant to brave dangerous seas again and again rather than live modestly but safely; and even the tensions between the sexes that are at the root of the odes about relationships with women.

What I like then about Horace is his sense of moderation and he shows the gap between what we think we want and what we actually need. Horace has a preference for the small and simple over the grandiose. He’s all for independence and self-reliance.

If there is one thing I would nit pick Horace upon is his flippancy to the value of the religious and spiritual. The gods are often on his lips, but, in defiance of much contemporary feeling, he absolutely denied an afterlife - which as a Christian I would disagree with. So inevitably “gather ye rosebuds while ye may” is an ever recurrent theme, though Horace insists on a Golden Mean of moderation - deploring excess and always refusing, deprecating, dissuading.

All in all he champions the quiet life, a prayer I think many men and women pray to the gods to grant them when they are caught in the open Aegean, and a dark cloud has blotted out the moon, and the sailors no longer have the bright stars to guide them. A quiet life is the prayer of Thrace when madness leads to war. A quiet life is the prayer of the Medes when fighting with painted quivers: a commodity, Grosphus, that cannot be bought by jewels or purple or gold? For no riches, no consul’s lictor, can move on the disorders of an unhappy mind and the anxieties that flutter around coffered ceilings.

Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt (they change their sky, not their soul, who rush across the sea.)

Part of Horace’s persona - lack of political ambition, satisfaction with his life, gratitude for his land, and pride in his craft and the recognition it wins him - is an expression of an intricate web of awareness of place. Reading Horace will centre you and get you to focus on what is most important in life. In Horace’s discussion of what people in his society value, and where they place their energy and time, we can find something familiar. Horace brings his reader to the question - what do we value?  

Much like many of our own societies, Rome was bustling with trade and commerce, ambition, and an area of vast, diverse civilisation. People there faced similar decisions as we do today, in what we pursue and why. As many of us debate our place and purpose in our world, our poet reassures us all. We have been coursing through Mondays for thousands of years. Horace beckons us: take a brief moment from the day’s busy hours. Stretch a little, close your eyes while facing the warm sun, and hear the birds and the quiet stream. The mind that is happy for the present should refuse to worry about what is further ahead; it should dilute bitter things with a mild smile.

I would encourage anyone to read these treasures in translations. For you though, as a budding Classicist, read the texts in Latin and Greek if you can. Wrestle with the word. The struggle is its own reward. Whether one reads from the original or from a worthy translation, the moral virtue (one hopes) is wisdom and enlightenment.

Pulvis et umbra sumus

(We are but dust and shadow.)

Thanks for your question.