#buthrotum

[2seeitall]

The Roman Forum, Butrint - Albania

Butrint (ancient Bouthrotos/ Buthrotum) was a port in western Epirus, present-day Albania. Julius Ceasar made Butrint a Roman colony in the 1st century BC and allowed his soldiers that fought against Pompey to settle there as a reward. An earthquake destroyed the forum and its adjacent buildings in the late 4th century AD.

[fieriframes]

[After leaving Buthrotum the Trojans sail to Acroceraunia.]

[catilinas]

oh troycarthagerome we’re really in it now

[lyculuscaelus]

Ok now maybe imagine if it didn’t take too long for Odysseus to finish the oar quest as instructed by Teiresias, say, a year or two (maybe three but tops I swear) from when he sailed from Ithaca to the mainland and went all the way northwards, until he at last finished the ritual and then returned once more back to his homeland.

It wasn’t a woeful journey, this time—just receiving Xenia from different cities, meeting some old faces and new faces (cue Acarnan and Amphoterus sons of Alcmaeon in Acarnania; maybe catching up with his brother-in-law Alyzeus in the city of Alyzia; maybe visiting Amphilochus in Amphilochia cuz why not; maybe helping out a young Thesprotian prince Polypoetes son of Pheidon the deceased king in a war and having to sign an adoption contract), disguising as an old man, lying his way northward—“hey look I’m just a simple Cretan but I can tell you about Odysseus if you want” (turns out all those non-Homeric traditions are stories Odysseus in disguise told to those Epirotes along the way), maybe all the way to Buthrotum where Helenus and Andromache welcomed him unaware of his identity (as he yapped about how he was a Ciconian whose hometown Ismarus was destroyed by cruel Odysseus as he was brought along the way until getting marooned in Thrinacia and something something Phoenicians and stuff) as they traded stories and ended up lamenting the fall of Troy and talking shit on Odysseus—including Odysseus himself (“fun,” says Odysseus as he continues throwing slanders on himself, “now shall I tell you how he died by some guy named Telegonus, someone born to him on Aeaea though I didn’t see anything”), maybe reaching the land of Illyrians where he heard about their history from Cadmus’s arrival to the not-so-recent Epigonoi war (and all Odysseus can think about is his bestie), maybe finding his way past the Riphean Mountains to Hyperborea where he finally performed the ritual (I mean, no ship, no salt…sounds like it).

Then maybe he’s picking a path south-east to visit some old friends (*snaps* what did you say Nauplius has done again *picks up a rock* alr say it again), maybe traversing the rest of Greece from Thessaly (didn’t see you back in war—how are y’all faring, O so many sons of Heracles?) to Mycenae (your dad sends his regards from hell, Orestes) to Argos (wait where the heck is my Diomedes) to Sparta (Menelaus: hehehehe I knew you’d make it old buddy oh btw your son has your thighs) to Pylos where Nestor finally gave him a ship to go home cuz he had no oar left (Nestor: also Peisistratus my boy I know you want to go to Ithaca for some…*coughs* specific reasons so here’s the ship and you’re the captain).

Back to Ithaca! Telemachus celebrated Odysseus’s return with joy (and was surprised by Peisistratus’s arrival). During his father’s absence he had run the kingdom well—a good job continuing to reestablish the class of nobility in Cephalonia as Odysseus willed it. Then Odysseus found Penelope waiting at the olive tree, as she met his gaze and smiled—and the world was again back into shape, for Odysseus, the great craftsman.

And this time, Odysseus finally realized he was this old, this tired, after all the years of traveling. The world of wanderings, in the end, had become too much, too far away, for the man of twists and turns. Not even the world of reality could mend the scars left in his heart, a mind forever haunted by shadows of the past. But for now, a world of home would do—it’d be everything for him, really—just a man with his family, and the peaceful days he had long craved.

So he swore to stay, here by the side of his love ones, never again to be apart. So he stayed, for the rest of his life, till death in the coming days did them part…

He’d inherit his father’s farm after old Laërtes’s death, and teach Telemachus the art of gardening, to take care of all the grape vines, fig trees, pear trees, apple trees, and…olive trees. He’d sing his tales to the new generation of Ithacan children, mentoring them on the virtues of Xenia, of bravery, of love. And he’d go back to his old habit of carving, sculpting figurines out of wood—oh, but he’d make so many wonders—the monsters of legends (that he had seen), the faces of old acquaintances (that he would never forget), the images of gods (that he had stolen)…and he’d show them all to his family, and sometimes, to his people struck by curiosity.

Meanwhile, Telemachus would be so delighted to indulge a father who had long missed the chance to raise his own child, as a son who had never got the chance to make any childhood memory with his father. And so often would they roam around in the forests, catching up days forever lost to them both. Meanwhile, Penelope would be so enamored of her husband’s passion, as the one who knew his mind best (oh, what a blessing of homophrosyne). And so often would they pace around in the farm, chattering at length from the rosy-fingered Dawn till the star-filled night…

Maybe at some point, the memories would prove to be too heavy for the old king. Days and nights his family would find him whispering commands that went unheard, words of comfort that he no longer needed—or that he needed the most. All he saw were illusions of the horror he had once witnessed. All he heard were hallucinations of the Siren song he had once heard. Maybe after all these years, ptsd had finally caught up with him. Maybe it went even worse after Penelope’s passing…

Until one day, a stranger knocked the gate of Odysseus’s palace open.

Prince Telemachus offered him food—he politely refused, asking to meet the old king right away.

Odysseus came out, fixing his gaze on the visitor’s face—it seemed foreign, yet strangely familiar—it was as if he had known him so long ago, in a place he couldn’t quite name. But the stranger only moved forward, meeting Odysseus’s eyes.

“Come,” he said gently. “Time to join the rest of them…time to join her.”

And Odysseus knew.

Turning to his son, Odysseus muttered a few words of comfort. Somehow, Telemachus knew this to be a farewell—he embraced his father one last time, smiling in tears.

The prince of Ithaca watched the two of them walk away, to the sea where the stranger came from, as he suddenly leapt, spreading a pair of wings, carrying Odysseus off quickly. Realization struck him finally.

The stranger was none other than fearful Thanatos.

So this is the Death that comes to him from the sea, in such a gentle way.

[whencyclopedia]

Butrint

Butrint (ancient name Buthrotum) is located on the fertile coast of Epirus in present-day Albania and was an important settlement in Hellenistic and Roman times due to its position on the route from Italy to mainland Greece down the Ionian Sea, its safe anchorage, inland access via Lake Butrint and its proximity to Corcyra (Corfu). Butrint is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Continue reading...

[aeneiddaily]

andromache... shes had to watch not one but two of her home cities fall to the same guy. so she built a little troy. or if you go with the buthrotum being the land of the dead theory she cant. rest until shes built something she can keep.

iulus looking like scamandrius despite being like. a distant cousin. despite the iulus + neoptolemus parallels in inheriting their fathers crimes. i gotta lay down actually.

SHE CAN'T REST UNTIL SHE'S BUILT SOMETHING SHE CAN KEEP!

[lordmartiya]

Again on Epic: The Musical. Or rather, on what Jorge could do next. And I hope it's a musical based on The Aeneid, for two reasons. The first is that I'm Italian and Aeneas' voyage to Italy is part of Rome's foundation myth, and thus Italy's as being Romaboos is part of our culture (seriously, you will find quotes and homages everywhere in Italy. Have you tried reading a science fiction comic book and suddenly have an alien general utter "Personally... I distrust the earthlings even when they bring gifts!" and IMMEDIATELY recognize where that sentence comes from?). The second, however, is the part where Aeneas' fleet goes to Epyrus to consult Helenus, last surviving son of Priam, augur, and king of the coastal cities since Neoptolemus got murdered, and find out where their destination mandated by the gods is... And thus pass close to Ithaca, as Helenus' Capital of Buthrotum is right across the sea. And when put in context with The Odyssey, that episode explains why exactly the young nobles of Ithaca collectively decided to commit treason by courting Penelope and sidelining the heir to the throne and why the people let them, they were utterly terrified as they knew there was an enemy kingdom just off the coast and an enemy fleet roaming the sea.

Imagine, the Trojans watching Ithaca in hatred to "Cruel Ulysses" but renouncing to raid it in revenge... And everyone there panicking because there's twenty ships full of people they know hate them just off the coast.

[e-pistulae]

in today's letter: is anyone else tired. i almost miss buthrotum

about e-pistulae | previous letters | subscribe to emails from cicero?

[jasmineleeplays]

We achieve "The True Royal Court" achievement after Queen Matilda's Royal Court rank became 4th in the world with 54 Court Grandeur, surpassing her liege Kaiser Konrad II of the Holy Roman Empire who is only 5th in the world.

Queen Matilda's son-in-law, Count Bohemond of Buthrotum who is the husband of the recently deceased Princess Beatrice, tries to seduce Queen Matilda into having sex with him to assuage his loneliness and longing for Princess Beatrice. Queen Matilda rejects him as not only is it inappropriate to her daughter's memory, but she is a Zealous and pious woman as well.

Queen Matilda's stepson and Court Poet, Ralph forges yet another Famed item - this time, Italian Flexible Mail. Given that she already has the Burnished Scale Armor of Illustrious quality, at first, Queen Matilda thought of giving this to Prince Goffredo's 2nd son Count Adelmio of Antwerpen. Later, however, she thought better of it and let her eldest grandson Count Goffredo III decide on the fate of the armor. She will hold on to it for now.

While Queen Matilda's combined forces with Basileus Eusebios and the King of Georgia in the Liberty War suffers ignominious defeat at the hands of Basileus Eusebios vassals at the Battle of Herpha, Queen Matilda gets invited to a Grand Wedding by Duke Jakob of Angria of House Zahringen.

During the Wedding proceedings, Queen Matilda set about trying to gain an alliance with Duchess Wartrun "Irontooth" of Steyermark given that she has 2.7k+ troops. She approaches Duchess Wartrun with rumours about a courtly plot, betting that Duchess Wartrun would be interested as an Intrigue character. The approach succeeds in gaining favour with her, however it does not lead to an alliance.

Meanwhile, there were 2 other normal marriages that took place:

Between Queen Matilda's grandson (Princess Beatrice's son) Nicola di Canossa and the Sardinian Asexual Giantess Elianora de Lacon-Gunale.

Between Basileus Eusebios of the Byzantine Empire and Queen Matilda's granddaughter (Prince Goffredo's daughter) Basilissa Anna of the Byzantine Empire who grew up to be a Brilliant Strategist (4-star Martial Education) with 19 Martial.

Both Nicola and Anna seem to however, take after their grandfather King Gottfried "the Hunchback" who was known for his extremely short stature.

[p-clodius-pulcher]

The author doesn’t mention it but the bit where Hannibal languishes in Capua and it becoming a replacement for Carthage is almost reminiscent of Aeneas in Buthrotum where a replacement for Troy is founded by Andromache

Losing sight of Rome in comforts that remind you of home etc etc, a pale imitation that will never fulfill you etc etc

[gaytrojanshit]

@ 95% of podcasts, books, other media content, etc. he deserves more than the one paragraph in the iliad, man has a whole story with andromache in buthrotum and for what?

[finelythreadedsky]

if i were a refugee from troy sent to found rome i would simply not stop in thrace

or crete

or buthrotum

or carthage

rip to aeneas but i’m different

[fieriframes]

[After leaving Buthrotum the Trojans sail to Acroceraunia.]

[catilinas]

translating e-pistulae like marce tulli shut UP about buthrotum who give a shit. and then reading the aeneid like buthrotum <3 is so sexy <3 and haunted <3

[knowledgeistreasure]

Butrint, (Buthrotum) Albania.

Inhabited since prehistoric times, Butrint has been the site of a Greek colony, a Roman city and a bishopric. Following a period of prosperity under Byzantine administration, then a brief occupation by the Venetians, the city was abandoned in the late Middle Ages after marshes formed in the area. The present archaeological site is a repository of ruins representing each period in the city’s development....https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/570

[effulgentpoet]

mythology aesthetics

HELENUS

In Greek mythology, Helenus was the son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy, and the twin brother of the prophetess Cassandra. Cassandra, having been given the power of prophecy by Apollo, taught it to her brother. Like Cassandra, he was always right, but unlike her, others believed him. Helenus was part of the Trojan forces led by his brother Hector that beat the Greeks back from the plains west of Troy, and attacked their camp. When the Myrmidons led by Achilles turn the tide of battle and Hector is killed, Helenus survives. Helenus retreated to Mount Ida, where Odysseus later captured him. He told the Greek forces under what circumstances they could take Troy. After the fall of Troy, Helenus went with Neoptolemus to Epirus, where Neoptolemus permitted him to found the city of Buthrotum. After Neoptolemus left Epirus, he left Andromache and their sons in Helenus's care. After Neoptolemus was killed, Helenus became king. Andromache bore him a son, Cestrinus, who was a legendary king. X