#expulsion from the garden of eden

[skullfragments]

i see your "thousand eyes and wings" biblically accurate aziraphale and raise you "biblically accurate according to weird ass medieval illuminations" aziraphale (& bonus crowley)

inspired by this illuminated manuscript page depicting the story of adam and eve:

(i'm pretty sure tumblr fucked the quality on these do please click for full size😭)

[pmamtraveller]

EXPULSION FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN (c. 1828) by THOMAS COLE

The scene depicted in this painting is from GENESIS, when GOD drives ADAM and EVE out of the garden of EDEN. Instead of concentrating on the couple’s nakedness, COLE distorts them within the natural environment, whose scale and majesty symbolize heavenly power.

Contrary to popular belief, the painting is to be read from the right to the left, as the Garden of EDEN is traditionally to be found in the EASTERN direction: the direction from which the fiery shards of light appear to chase the couple away.

The landscape is highly symbolic, a visual manifestation of the Pathetic Fallacy. The clear, cloudless sky of paradise contrasts with the gloomy, stormy sky on the right.

This relatively early work shows COLE'S interest in religious themes and his desire to reconcile the pristine beauty of the AMERICAN COUNTRYSIDE with the expression of God’s will.

Both Expulsion and Garden of EDEN were critically panned at the time of their release. This may have been due to the fact that the AMERICAN PUBLIC had not yet gotten used to COLE'S departure from the romantic landscape style he had become famous for.

[cuties-in-codices]

the aftermath of the fall

(adam and eve's expulsion from eden & their life after the fall, with adam farming and eve spinning)

miniature from a copy of the "österreichische chronik der 95 herrschaften", königsfelden, c. 1479-82

source: Bern, Burgerbibl., Cod. A 45, fol. 4r

[7pleiades7]

The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Paradise (Paradise Lost) (c. 1867) by Alexandre Cabanel (French, 1823-1889), oil on canvas, 121.9 × 94 cm, The Musée d'Orsay, Paris

[joycrispy]

Awhile ago @ouidamforeman made this post:

This shot through my brain like a chain of firecrackers, so, without derailing the original post, I have some THOUGHTS to add about why this concept is not only hilarious (because it is), but also...

It. It kind of fucks. Severely.

And in a delightfully Pratchett-y way, I'd dare to suggest.

I'll explain:

As inferred above, both Crowley AND Aziraphale have canonical Biblical counterparts. Not by name, no, but by function.

Crowley, of course, is the serpent of Eden.

(note on the serpent of Eden: In Genesis 3:1-15, at least, the serpent is not identified as anything other than a serpent, albeit one that can talk. Later, it will be variously interpreted as a traitorous agent of Hell, as a demon, as a guise of Satan himself, etc. In Good Omens --as a slinky ginger who walks funny)

Lesser known, at least so far as I can tell, is the flaming sword. It, too, appears in Genesis 3, in the very last line:

"So he drove out the man; and placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." --Genesis 3:24, KJV

Thanks to translation ambiguity, there is some debate concerning the nature of the flaming sword --is it a divine weapon given unto one of the Cherubim (if so, why only one)? Or is it an independent entity, which takes the form of a sword (as other angelic beings take the form of wheels and such)? For our purposes, I don't think the distinction matters. The guard at the gate of Eden, whether an angel wielding the sword or an angel who IS the sword, is Aziraphale.

(note on the flaming sword: in some traditions --Eastern Orthodox, for example-- it is held that upon Christ's death and resurrection, the flaming sword gave up it's post and vanished from Eden for good. By these sensibilities, the removal of the sword signifies the redemption and salvation of man.

...Put a pin in that. We're coming back to it.)

So, we have our pair. The Serpent and the Sword, introduced at the beginning and the end (ha) of the very same chapter of Genesis.

But here's the important bit, the bit that's not immediately obvious, the bit that nonetheless encapsulates one of the central themes, if not THE central theme, of Good Omens:

The Sword was never intended to guard Eden while Adam and Eve were still in it.

Do you understand?

The Sword's function was never to protect them. It doesn't even appear until after they've already fallen. No... it was to usher Adam and Eve from the garden, and then keep them out. It was a threat. It was a punishment.

The flaming sword was given to be used against them.

So. Again. We have our pair. The Serpent and the Sword: the inception and the consequence of original sin, personified. They are the one-two punch that launches mankind from paradise, after Hell lures it to destruction and Heaven condemns it for being destroyed. Which is to say that despite being, supposedly, hereditary enemies on two different sides of a celestial cold war, they are actually unified by one purpose, one pivotal role to play in the Divine Plan: completely fucking humanity over.

That's how it's supposed to go. It is written.

...But, in Good Omens, they're not just the Serpent and the Sword.

They're Crowley and Aziraphale.

(author begins to go insane from emotion under the cut)

In Good Omens, humanity is handed it's salvation (pin!) scarcely half an hour after losing it. Instead of looming over God's empty garden, the sword protects a very sad, very scared and very pregnant girl. And no, not because a blameless martyr suffered and died for the privilege, either.

It was just that she'd had such a bad day. And there were vicious animals out there. And Aziraphale worried she would be cold.

...I need to impress upon you how much this is NOT just a matter of being careless with company property. With this one act of kindness, Aziraphale is undermining the whole entire POINT of the expulsion from Eden. God Herself confronts him about it, and he lies. To God.

And the Serpent--

(Crowley, that is, who wonders what's so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil anyway; who thinks that maybe he did a GOOD thing when he tempted Eve with the apple; who objects that God is over-reacting to a first offense; who knows what it is to fall but not what it is to be comforted after the fact...)

--just goes ahead and falls in love with him about it.

As for Crowley --I barely need to explain him, right? People have been making the 'didn't the serpent actually do us a solid?' argument for centuries. But if I'm going to quote one of them, it may as well be the one Neil Gaiman wrote ficlet about:

"If the account given in Genesis is really true, ought we not, after all, to thank this serpent? He was the first schoolmaster, the first advocate of learning, the first enemy of ignorance, the first to whisper in human ears the sacred word liberty, the creator of ambition, the author of modesty, of inquiry, of doubt, of investigation, of progress and of civilization." --Robert G. Ingersoll

The first to ask questions.

Even beyond flattering literary interpretation, we know that Crowley is, so often, discreetly running damage control on the machinations of Heaven and Hell. When he can get away with it. Occasionally, when he can't (1827).

And Aziraphale loves him for it, too. Loves him back.

And so this romance plays out over millennia, where they fall in love with each other but also the world, because of each other and because of the world. But it begins in Eden. Where, instead of acting as the first Earthly example of Divine/Diabolical collusion and callousness--

(other examples --the flood; the bet with Satan; the back channels; the exchange of Holy Water and Hellfire; and on and on...)

--they refuse. Without even necessarily knowing they're doing it, they just refuse. Refuse to trivialize human life, and refuse to hate each other.

To write a story about the Serpent and the Sword falling in love is to write a story about transgression.

Not just in the sense that they are a demon and an angel, and it's ~forbidden. That's part of it, yeah, but the greater part of it is that they are THIS demon and angel, in particular. From The Real Bible's Book of Genesis, in the chapter where man falls.

It's the sort of thing you write and laugh. And then you look at it. And you think. And then you frown, and you sit up a little straighter. And you think.

And then you keep writing.

And what emerges hits you like a goddamn truck.

(...A lot of Pratchett reads that way. I believe Gaiman when he says Pratchett would have been happy with the romance, by the way. I really really do).

It's a story about transgression, about love as transgression. They break the rules by loving each other, by loving creation, and by rejecting the hatred and hypocrisy that would have triangulated them as a unified blow against humanity, before humanity had even really got started. And yeah, hell, it's a queer romance too, just to really drive the point home (oh, that!!! THAT!!!)

...I could spend a long time wildly gesturing at this and never be satisfied. Instead of watching me do that (I'll spare you), please look at this gif:

I love this shot so much.

Look at Eve and Crowley moving, at the same time in the same direction, towards their respective wielders of the flaming sword. Adam reaches out and takes her hand; Aziraphale reaches out and covers him with a wing.

You know what a shot like that establishes? Likeness. Commonality. Kinship.

"Our side" was never just Crowley and Aziraphale. Crowley says as much at the end of season 1 ("--all of us against all of them."). From the beginning, "our side" was Crowley, Aziraphale, and every single human being. Lately that's around 8 billion, but once upon a time it was just two other people. Another couple. The primeval mother and father.

But Adam and Eve die, eventually. Humanity grows without them. It's Crowley and Aziraphale who remain, and who protect it. Who...oversee it's upbringing.

Godfathers. Sort of.

[tragicsiblings]

Cargyll twins in House of the Dragon // Cain smiting Abel with God's Expulsion of Cain from the Garden of Eden – Marco & Sebastiano Ricci

[sofiart22]

Me & my brother, you see, we were uña y carne

Prodigal Son s02ep08(dir.Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver)//A Brother Named Gethsemane (Natalie Diaz)//Cain smiting Abel with God's Expulsion of Cain from the Garden of Eden (Sebastiano Ricci)//brother, sister, rival, friend: the longstanding effects of sibling relationships (Joshua A. Krisch)//Dogfight (Ang Kiukok)// kieran culkin //Prodigal Son s02ep07 (dir.Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver)// Filmnoirsbian

[heavenslittlemachine]

they won't teach u this at catholic school, but the truth is that the snake is the most treasured of all god's beasts. far from a curse, the removing of his limbs upon expulsion from the garden of eden was a boon of the highest order, a gift from god to his beloved servent who had made -- was to continue to make -- the great sacrifice of taking up the role of the accuser in His divine play, dwelling on the far side of the expanse, in the absence of His light.

what does it mean to be without limbs?

this means to steadfastly occupy the central channel, turning neither this way nor that way, having no branches or divergences by which to be swayed. here there are no crossroads -- just a direct path from the kingdom to the crown.

it is said that the joy of a tzaddik, who has never once strayed from union with god, is nothing compared with the joy of one who has run to sin and returned. how much greater, then, is the reward for that being who has never once not sinned ?

[the-mortuary-witch]

SATAN

WHO IS HE?

In the Middle Ages, Satan played a minimal role in christian theology and was used as a comic relief figure in mystery plays. During the early modern period, Satan's significance greatly increased as beliefs such as demonic possession and witchcraft became more prevalent. 

Although Satan is generally viewed as evil, some groups have very different beliefs. In theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a deity who is either worshipped or revered. In atheistic Satanism, Satan is a symbol of virtuous characteristics and liberty. 

BASIC INFO: 

Appearance: Satan's appearance is never described in the bible, but, since the ninth century, he has often been shown in christian art with horns, cloven hooves, unusually hairy legs, and a tail, often naked and holding a pitchfork. These are an amalgam of traits derived from various pagan deities, including Pan, Poseidon, and Bes. 

Personality: he is known to be cunning, straight forward, and strict. He is not seen as a malevolent force, but rather as an entity who challenges individuals to  overcome challenges and fears.

Symbols: pentagram, wings, fire, goat’s head, and upside down cross

Entity of: temptation, hell, misfortune, and hard ship

Culture: Demonic

Plants and trees: deadly nightshade, wolfsbane, holly, pothos, datura, blackberry, nettle, briar rose, apple tree, thistle, and poisonous plants in general 

Crystals: ruby, black obsidian, red jasper, black tourmaline, smoky quartz, and amethyst

Animals: black animals in general, serpent, bats, dragon, goat, black cats, ravens, crows, spiders, wolves, and vultures

Incense: dragon’s blood, apple, copal, and myrrh

Colours: red and black

Numbers: 6 and 1

Zodiacs: Taurus and Libra

Tarot: The Devil

Planet: Venus

Days: Friday, Devil’s Night, and Lupercalia

Parent: N/A

Siblings: N/A

Partner: Lilith (not confirmed)

Children: N/A

MISC:

Goats: the association between Satan and goats has deep roots in mythology and religious symbolism. The image of a goat-like being with horns and hooves has been used for millennia to represent power, sexuality, and the wild or untamed aspects of nature.

Pentagram: in Western occult and mystical traditions, the pentagram can be associated with Satan due to its connection with the material and the earthly, as well as its association with the forces of darkness and chaos. In some traditions, the downward-pointing pentagram – also known as the "upside-down" or "inverted" pentagram – has been used as a symbol of anti-religious or Satanic beliefs. It's important to note, however, that interpretations of the pentagram's meaning can vary and there is no one definitive "Satanic" interpretation of this symbol.

Wings: Satan is often depicted as a fallen angel who was cast out of heaven for his rebellion against god. In many depictions, Satan is represented with wings as a symbol of his former status as an angel, or alternatively a mark of his fall from grace. Satan's portrayal with wings can be seen as a visual representation of his freedom, his ability to soar above the constraints of mortal life, and his role as a symbol of rebellion and opposition to religious authority.

Fire: in the context of Satan, fire is often associated with destruction, chaos, and the dark side of human nature. The image of Satan as a being surrounded by flames or depicted as a fiery being can symbolize both his destructive potential and his role as a symbol of defiance and rebellion.

Serpent: the association of Satan with the serpent comes from the story of the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis. In this story, the serpent tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, leading to Adam and Eve's fall from grace and god's subsequent expulsion from the garden. The serpent in this story is often identified as Satan, or a representative of Satan, and the serpent has become a powerful symbol of temptation, cunning, and deception. It represents Satan's power of temptation and his role as a tempter of humanity.

FACTS ABOUT SATAN:

Many theistic Satanist’s view Lord Satan as a fatherly figure or brotherly figure.

Satan represents pride, liberty, and individualism.

He is often depicted as the embodiment of rebellion, defiance, and opposition to authority.

In some traditions, Satan is associated with the concept of the carnal or sensuous, representing the earthly pleasures of the body and the physical realm.

Satan is sometimes portrayed as a figure of chaos and destruction, but also seen as a liberator and a symbol of individual freedom.

He is often associated with the number 666.

HOW TO INVOKE SATAN:

Invoking Satan or any deity or spirit is a personal and often private spiritual practice. There is no one "right" way to invoke Satan, but here is a basic method you can begin by cleansing and consecrating a sacred space. You can do this using sage, salt, or other purifying methods. Set up an altar for the invocation, and place symbols of Satan on it. This could include black candles, pentagrams, serpent imagery, etc.

Prepare an invocation or prayer that you can use to call upon Satan. You can find examples online or create your own. Light the black candles and the incense and begin to recite the invocation.

PRAYER FOR SATAN:

Hail Lord Satan, Lord of the Underworld, I call upon thee in this hour.

Please come to me and be present in this place.

I honour your strength, power, and wisdom.

Guide me on the path of knowledge and darkness.

Grant me your blessings and protection, and help me achieve my goals.

Hail Lord Satan, Lord of darkness and light, ruler of the night.

I welcome you into this space, and I am forever your disciple. Hail Lord Satan.

SIGNS THAT SATAN IS CALLING YOU:

A sudden increase in synchronicities or unusual coincidences related to occult or dark themes

Repeated dreams or visions involving Satanic symbols or figures

Being drawn to occult, pagan, or Satanic practices and beliefs

Feeling of power or energy coursing through your body that seems to come from an external source

An urge to explore forbidden or taboo subjects

A sense of being "chosen" or "special" and having a unique spiritual path.

Feeling a connection to nature, animals, and the natural world, as well as a distaste for artificiality or mainstream culture.

Having a deep interest in the darker aspects of life, such as death, suffering, and the mysteries of the universe.

Experiencing a powerful attraction to dark, gothic, or rebellious aesthetics

Observing sudden changes in behaviour, such as increased energy and confidence.

OFFERINGS:

Chocolate.

Red wine.

Whiskey.

Animal bones.

Poetry.

Black roses.

Incense.

Black tea.

Music.

Drawings and painting of him.

Imagery of animals he is associated with: goats, serpents, dragons, etc.

Cinnamon.

Blackberries.

Grapes.

Coffee beans.

Pentagrams.

Liquor.

Black or red candles.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS:

Taking time for yourself, such as self care.

Meditating on his energy.

Practicing yoga or other physical disciplines to cultivate focus and strength.

Reading or studying texts related to Satanism or the occult.

Listening to dark or heavy music to invoke a certain atmosphere.

Keeping a spiritual journal to document experiences and insights.

Practicing solitary rituals or ceremonies to strengthen your connection with him.

Creating and maintaining a private altar for Satan, with appropriate symbols and offerings.

Performing candle magick or other spells to invoke Satan's presence and influence.

Participating in online communities or in-person groups of Satanists or occult practitioners.

Visiting places of dark or forbidden beauty, like graveyards, forests, or caves.

Exploring symbolism associated with Satan, such as the pentagram, the black goat, or the serpent.

Practicing divination techniques, such as tarot or scrying, to gain insight from Satan.

Studying the writings or teachings of influential Satanists such as Anton Szandor LaVey.

[crowleysgirl56]

So I posted a Good Omens season 3/finale thought of the day earlier today which involved Crowley’s wall safe and thought I would do a bigger headcanon post about it. I posted the idea that maybe the Mona Lisa is actually secretly covering up a different painting.

People may be familiar with the Masaccio painting “Expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden” (I’ve chosen the slightly censored version in case Tumblr takes offence to naked classical art):

Personal headcanon is Crowley was angered so much of the depiction of Aziraphale kicking Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden that he had a painting commissioned in the same style to Masaccio but instead it was of Aziraphale gifting his flaming sword to Adam and Eve.

The painter he commissioned was a rival to Masaccio. As Crowley wanted the painting to be kept secret (for obvious reasons) he wouldn’t allow the painter to speak about it or reproduce it. Angered that he would not see the same recognition as Masaccio the rival painter poisoned him in revenge.

Crowley kind of felt bad about this but considering he got a beautiful painting out of it and a new soul for Hell to boot he guessed it was worth it.

[atrocityobsession]

Expulsion from Eden

Hannibal x M! Reader

Content Warning: smut, light bdsm, restraints, biting, religious iconary, blasphemy, blood. not proof read.

────────୨ੈ✩‧₊˚౨ৎੈ✩‧₊˚ৎ────────

Your chest heaved, and you pulled on your restraints. They were bound tightly; after all, Hannibal knew what he was doing. The blindfold restricted your sight, and Hannibal prowled your prone form like a predator. Tiny breaths escaped your parted pink lips. Your Adam's apple bobbed with each nervous swallow tantalizingly. A light touch brushed against your throat, the fingers warm.

“They say Adam’s apple is where the forbidden fruit got lodged into Adam’s throat after he disobeyed God,” Hannibal purrs softly, his voice seeming to come from all around you. A whimper catches in your throat. 

“And in the dark gardens, I find yours ripe for harvest,” Hannibal’s hand tightens around your throat. Hannibal licked a strip up your throat, lingering a little too long on the front of your neck. Your cock jumped, and your back arched up. Hannibal tutted, placing a hand on the middle of your chest, forcing you back flush against the bed. The silk sheets were cool against your back, but every touch felt like torture. 

You swallowed again, suppressing a small moan. Hannibal could see your heartbeat through your neck, the artery pulsing, a siren song to his deepest desires. He ran a hand down your midsection again, his hand stopping on your length. He gave it a few strokes, watching with a raptorial smile as your back arched again, hips jutting forward, and your neck deliciously exposed.

“Sing for me, lamb. Tell me your deepest desires, and let me weave them into a symphony of sin,” Hannibal straddled your waist as your hips bucked, seeking something, anything, a silent plea for whatever touches he would be so gracious to give to you. 

A broken plea fled from your lips for more, the delicate swell of your throat exposed to Hannibal. The thin skin was peppered with the supple blues of fragile blood vessels. Hannibal leaned down to kiss you, starting at your sternum and moving up to your lips. His teeth caught your bottom lip, pulling. He was anything but gentle, and he savored the way your blood tasted in his mouth, the way you cried out in pain, the sweat that dripped from your brow. 

“In this temple of flesh, the only prayers I hear are your screams of ecstasy, and I am more than happy to make you worship at my altar.”

Taking his chance, the column of your neck poised as a succulent offering, Hannibal bites your neck right where your thyroid cartilage protrudes. Gentler than a butchering but rougher than a kiss, in a lewd communion in which your blood is his wine. In an act of blasphemous worship, his name escapes your lips over and over again as your only prayer.

────────୨ੈ✩‧₊˚౨ৎੈ✩‧₊˚ৎ────────

this was inspired by a series of text messages I had with a friend where I asked if they had ever seen a guy with an Adam's apple that you'd really want to bite in a less than a murderous way but more than a hickey. they didn't get it.

[fletchingbrilliant]

Uriel - Archangel of Faith

Archangel number four is Uriel. She is the second tallest of the archangels. Her color is red. She is the fiercest of the archangels, exercises her power frequently, and revels in her domain. Her sight is unmatched, and from her post she can see all the way into Hell. She rarely enters hand-to-hand combat, only because her wicked accuracy with her fire bow is so strong. She is literally never without her weapon.

At the same time, her virtue is Faith, or Kindness, the spiritual opposite being Envy. It is said that when Abel was slain by his brother Cain, it was Uriel who took up Abel's body and brought it into the Garden of Eden, and buried him beneath a plum tree. He allowed Adam and Eve to cover the grave with flowers, and this was the only time that they were ever allowed to set foot back into Eden after their expulsion.

The other Archangels:

Gabriel

Azrael

Mikael

[yurnu]

I swear to living angels if the show pulls the "lucifer is just little dork, he didn't mean cause the fall of humanity!" I'm going to give the biggest side eye to the show. Because lucifer was warned multiple times, but decided his dreams were more important

Like, did he think it though what humanity would probably do with their newly given free will? Probably not. For example, if you gottan give people the forbidden fruit, at least think, though, how that is going to affect you. Honestly, by the way how crazy life has been for everyone, I think a number of us would agree if we all give the chance to turn back time and stop the apple. We would

How much do I bet you that Viv is going to do that? Since in one of her Streams she said that Lucifer did not rebel against God (This being her main reason for his expulsion from heaven, when he tempted Eve with the apple he had already been expelled)

What worked most against Lucifer was his stupid pride, thinking that he knew more than the elders of heaven themselves. Who have their high positions for a reason (This being another stupid "teenager is right, adults are not" trope.)

If I am given the opportunity to go back in time and go to a certain point in humanity (assuming there is a God, don't kill me) I would go to the time of the Garden of Eden and kill Lucifer (He'll most likely kill me, but it's the intention that counts.)

[cafeleningrad]

I think it's overlooked that Juri does share a lot of traits with Miki, the bad but also the good ones. But he biggest difference is her "sunlit garden". Every "sunlit garden" is ruined by an inciting incident equivalent to an expulsion of Eden. For Miki it was the piano recital, to Saionji it was his impotence at pulling Utena out of the coffin and realizing how warry Touga was in comparison to him. But Jury's memory theme is "Shi no Aphrodite", a sweetly dramatic string piece. The mood of it is already bittersweet, never as soft as Utena's tale of a saving prince or Miki playing harmonically with Kozue. Because even before Juri and Shiori drifted apart, before Shiori dated their common friend, loving Shiori was painful as Juri is convinced her love was doomed to never be reciprocated, and never to be accepted by anyone. Unlike a lot of the other cast members, Juri never really had an ideal place look back on. Based on her bittersweet, melancholic memories/experience, she's unable to imagine that any scenario or future could be different from what she already lived through.

[youryurigoddess]

A. Z. Fell & Co. bookshop and its statues, part 2

Welcome to the second part of my insane deep dive into Aziraphale’s world of slightly outdated decor, golden-colored trinkets, and their ostentatiously Greek (especially for a representative of an originally Judeo-Christian mythology) symbolism. As a short recap, the last installment covered six pieces in the northern and central sections of the bookshop plus a plot-important medal previously displayed on one of them, but currently left with the other bibelots on the bookseller’s desk. We’ll start right there, where we previously left off.

While a lot of the bookshop action plays out in the circle between the formerly discussed statues, its office part is especially close to Aziraphale himself. As the titular Guardian of the Eastern Gate, the angel consciously spends most of his time in this small space in the Eastern part of the bookshop, confined to his desk or reading stand. This means that the decorations of this area have more personal significance and are most probably used as daily reminders for him to keep his thoughts and priorities on track as much as provide pleasant distraction from the weary eyes.

The two windowsill figures of the Art Deco dancers from S1 were replaced by a somewhat similar set of twin statues by Ernest Rancoulet called Retour des Bois (Return from the Woods). Depicting a young woman accompanied by a putto, Aphrodite and Eros, frolicking in a dance through the woods and meadows. This bucolic fantasy with Aphrodite makes some sense when we consider how Aziraphale’s personal love story started (and will presumably end) in a garden, but let’s deep deeper into its protagonists. Or protagonist, actually, because what else can be told about Love itself?

Eros as the god of Desire is usually presented in art as a handsome young man, though in some appearances he is a boy full of mischief, ever in the company of his mother. It is usually under the guidance of Aphrodite when he employs his signature bow and arrows to make mortals and immortals alike to fall in love. His role in myths is mostly complementary, as a catalyst for other mythological figures and their stories, with the notable exception being the myth of Eros and Psyche, the story of how he met and fell in love with his wife.

In short, they are the original star-crossed lovers from entirely separate worlds who meet and fall in love by divine happenstance, only to be separated by Psyche’s family. Convinced by her sisters that her husband is, in fact, a vile winged serpent, Psyche breaks his one rule and the attempt to kill the monster leads her to falling in passionate love with him. Eros flees and Psyche wanders the Earth searching for him and succumbing to a series of impossible tasks reminding of those from the Scarborough Fair ballad or the more modern fairytale about Cinderella. She ultimately fails, but is saved by the healed Eros, granted immortality and the status of his equal, after which they can properly marry with a huge wedding banquet, a real feast of the gods.

In the Christian Middle Ages, the union of Eros and Psyche started to symbolize the temptation and fall of the human soul, driven by the sexual curiosity and lust from the Love’s domain, mirroring the original sin and the expulsion from Eden.

Oh, and their Latin names? Cupid and Anima. C+A.

We’ll get back to them in a minute.

According to unnecessary but extensive research, the two mid-century table lamps standing over the desk were most probably produced in France after another unspecified 19th century sculptor like the example above, although this particular putti design can be also found in the so called Hollywood regency style of the same time period. The putto is holding onto a cornucopia, a classical antiquity symbol of plenty, which then continues to the bulb section.

The cornucopia is an easily recognizable symbol of abundance, fertility and, to lesser extant, peace and good fortune. Since the horn is phallic-shaped, but hollow at the same time, it combines intimate imagery of both male and female character at the same time, which further ties into notions of fertility. In its role as a fertility symbol, the cornucopia is also usually associated with Demeter, whose small statue is also standing on the bookshop’s counter. Which seems like a recurring theme.

I saw multiple theories about Aziraphale’s centerpiece, but somehow the truth proved to be much less significant than previously thought. This roman soldier, possibly a centurion, driving his two horses in a highly decorated chariot is made from a marble powder resin composite and takes the most visible place in the Eastern part of the bookshop even though it’s seemingly one of the newest additions to Aziraphale’s collection — its author, Lorenzo Toni, was born in 1938 and became a sculpture master by the 1970s. 

At first glance, the parallel to the Marly Horses seems obvious and we could leave it basically at what was written recently on Crowley and Aziraphale’s dynamics. But here is where instead of commenting on the antique sculpture that seems to be the inspiration behind this piece or the many intricacies of Roman chariot racing I’ll do something completely unhinged — i.e., play my Greek philosophy card.

In the dialogue "Phaedrus ”, Plato presents the allegory of the chariot to explain the tripartite nature of the human soul or — you guessed it — psyche. The charioteer is the man’s Reason, the rational part that loves truth and knowledge, which should rule over the other parts of the soul through the use of logic. One of the horses, the white one, is man’s Spirit, a motivated part which seeks glory, honor, recognition and victory. The second horse, the black one, represents man’s Appetite — an ever so hungry part which desires food, drink, material wealth and physical intimacy.

And the fun part? This triad is established to analyze the madness of love. In a classical Greek context, that is not between a man and a woman, but erastes and eromenos:

The charioteer is filled with warmth and desire as he gazes into the eyes of the one he loves. The good horse is controlled by its sense of shame, but the bad horse, overcome with desire, does everything it can to go up to the boy and suggest to it the pleasures of sex. The bad horse eventually wears out its charioteer and partner, and drags them towards the boy; yet when the charioteer looks into the boy's face, his memory is carried back to the sight of the forms of beauty and self-control he had with the gods, and pulls back violently on the reins. As this occurs over and over, the bad horse eventually becomes obedient and finally dies of fright when seeing the boy's face, allowing the lover's soul to follow the boy in reverence and awe. The lover now pursues the boy. As he gets closer to his quarry, and the love is reciprocated, the opportunity for sexual contact again presents itself. If the lover and beloved surpass this desire they have won the "true Olympic Contests"; it is the perfect combination of human self-control and divine madness, and after death, their souls return to heaven.

And such a perfect combination of the motifs already introduced to us by the two Eros statues and the Head of the Victorious Athlete.

Aziraphale might be a titular Companion to Owls (or, to be precise, the companion to one particular Nite Owl), but he had also made sure to have at least one owl keeping him company. And of course, the owl of Athena (who was interestingly both a bird and a snake goddess) is an absolutely conclusion here as the universal symbol of wisdom and knowledge in the Western culture, but it can’t be that easy, right?

In the Bible, you'll find that owls often symbolize something unclean and forbidden, as well as desolation, loneliness, and destruction. This symbolic significance is pointed out in Leviticus 11:16-17 and Deuteronomy 14:11-17 where owls are mentioned among the birds not to be eaten. Owls were considered unclean most likely because they are predatory creatures who eat raw flesh with the blood still in it, and that was an even bigger food safety concern for the biblical nomads than to us today.

Owls are also among the wild predators that have long dwelled in the desert lands and abandoned ruins of Egypt and the Holy Land. Both Isaiah and Zephaniah speak of owls nesting in ruined wastelands to paint symbolic images of barrenness, emptiness, and utter desolation. In Psalm 102:3–6, the owl symbolizes the loneliness of the psalmist’s tortured heart:

For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse. For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass. But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.

It’s a devastating, but still beautiful piece that deals with the feeling of utter rejection, the ultimate bad breakup of the relationship between a human and their God. And this… simply didn’t happen between God and Aziraphale, not even during his Job job. The angel had always considered Her love and ineffability as a given, even when the whole Heavenly Host was against him during the Non-Apocalypse. His allegiance stayed with God, not necessarily Her angels. Which brings us yet again to the motion of Crowley as the owl.

The angel and the demon are the companions to each other's loneliness, but Aziraphale’s needs seem significantly bigger than their Arrangement that he even considered a wooden substitute protectively hovering over him 24/7. He seems to be the one who is the loneliest and most rejected.

Oh, and if you think that putting a small bronze statue of a putto with a bronze putto-shaped candleholder right behind it (visible on the filing cabinet in the bottom right corner) is already a stretch, let me show you what’s on the other side of that wall.

Just like before the bookshop fire, the famous sink in the small backroom is adorned with a perfectly kitschy white plaster sculpture of The Two Cherubs, a small part of a larger painting by Raphael (the painter, not the Archangel) titled Sistine Madonna. In the painting the Madonna, holding Christ Child and flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara, stands on clouds before dozens of obscured putti, while two distinctive winged putti rest on their elbows beneath her. with bombastic side eyes and clearly unspoken, but very controversial thoughts about the whole scene and their role in it.

With an attitude like that, there’s no wonder that the putti have inspired some legends. According to one, the original cherubs were children of one of his models they would come in to watch. Struck by their posture, he added them to the painting exactly as he saw them. Another story says that Raphael was inspired by two street urchins looking wistfully into the window of a baker's shop.

The Germans implicitly tied this painting into a legend of their own, "Raphael's Dream." Arising in the last decades of the 18th century, the legend — which made its way into a number of stories and even a play — presents Raphael as receiving a heavenly vision that enabled him to present his divine Madonna. It is claimed the painting has stirred many viewers, and that at the sight of the canvas some were transfixed to a state of religious ecstasy akin to Stendhal Syndrome (including one of Freud's patients).

Their big, seemingly cherubic companion doesn’t seem to have a specific provenance, but what’s left of his limbs might suggest that it could be an infant Jesus as well as another putto. But honestly who knows at this point.

On the other side of the same room, right at the door leading to the big backroom, there are two lamps with Auguste Moreau’s Young Lovers, a bronze sculpture depicting a courting couple on the verge of a physical embrace, holding garlands of roses and hiding under some old vines. Which aligns perfectly with the beloved romcom trope of a rain shelter leading to sudden love realizations, as well as Crowley choosing this part of the bookshop to have a word with his angel in private and then offering his advice on anything related to human love. No wonder that the angel looked at him like that.

This statue carries with it more than one allegorical interpretation, intentional or not. Arguably the most obvious one is the myth of Eros and Psyche, one we already covered in this post. But similarly to his earlier sculpture, Eros also serves here as an allegory for nature and the return to the natural state itself. Like Adam in Eden, he's unclothed and symbolically crowned as a ruler of his domain. Psyche, enamored with his confidence, is about to take her own leap of faith as her fabric restraints fall away. One could say that she's tempted to follow him into nature, deep into the garden of love.

And with that exact thought I will leave you today, dear reader. Through this analysis we learnt many things, among them two significant facts about Aziraphale: firstly, he’s an utter and incorrigible romantic, and secondly, a hoarder. Forget Crowley’s souvenirs — the amount of this angel’s statues is something else. And it isn’t even his hyperfixation!

[anonymousewrites]

One Hell of a Love (Book 3) Chapter Thirteen

Sebastian Michaelis x Demon! Reader

Chapter Thirteen: One Hell of an Incident

Summary: Sebastian and (Y/N) return to Phantomhive Manor.

Mouse Note: Just Sebastian and MC getting a moment to end this book(?). Well, maybe. I may include the next arc, whenever it comes out, in this book since it feels short, but, for now, until there's more details for when the next arc is coming out, this book shall remain paused here. I love the next arc, though, so I hope it comes soon!

            In the end, after the incident in the tea garden and Weston College finished, Ciel told the Queen the truth. He gave her the whole account of what Derrick had done, what Agares had accepted, and what Redmond, Violet, Bluewer, and Greenhill had decided to do.

            The punishment handed to them was expulsion—not imprisonment. It was not a show of mercy at all; it was to suppress the scandal involving Derrick Arden’s actions previous to his death and his blood relation to the Queen. The royal house wouldn’t want that truth of corruption to be exposed by a trial. To the P4, their expulsion from the very school they sought to protect was as terrible as imprisonment—rather, it was an expulsion from their Eden.

            For the rest of the story given to the public, Derrick and his accomplice’s deaths were attributed to a boating accident, and the bodies were “lost”—buried in secret. The parties involved in the Midnight Tea Party were strictly forbidden from discussing the matter—and, indeed, how could they? Who would believe what they had seen? So, outside of the new P4’s subdued attitude, life at Weston College went on as normal.

            As for the Queen, she had truly received the entire report of the situation. Ciel had been concerned she would not believe someone was trying to reanimate the dead, but she fortunately did. Furthermore, she requested him to keep an eye on the situation. Ciel didn’t need the order to do so. He wanted Undertaker’s plans, whatever they were, to be stopped.

l

            “You must be exhausted,” said Sebastian as Ciel entered the carriage and they headed back to Phantomhive Manor from their meeting with the Queen.

            “Quite. I’d like to get home on the double and relax with some sweets,” said Ciel.

            “We will prepare something as soon as we return,” said Sebastian.

            “My lord, we also received a letter as we were about to leave this morning,” said (Y/N).

            “Ah, yes.” Sebastian withdrew it from his jacket. “It should keep you busy until we reach the manor.”

            Ciel glanced at it and saw the return address of Weston College and McMillan. He looked away. “I don’t want it. Throw it away.”

            “Oh?” Sebastian quirked a brow in amusement. “You do not mind discarding a letter from your former schoolmate without so much as a glance?”

            “I don’t mind.” Ciel looked out the window evenly. “I have no plans to return to that stuffy miniature garden.”

            Sebastian smirked. “Is that so?”

            “Very well, my lord,” said (Y/N). They were unsurprised by the development. Ciel preferred to keep people at arm’s distance, and, after seeing all the hero worship and strict near-brainwashing that tradition caused at Weston, he had no interest in associating further.

l

            “…”

            Sebastian, (Y/N), and Ciel stared blankly at the lawn in front of Phantomhive Manor. It was covered in a flock of sheep. As usual, any time they were gone, something strange happened to the mansion.

            “What the blazes is this?” said Ciel.

            “Oh! Young Master! Mr. Sebastian! (Y/N)!” Finny grinned. “Welcome back!”

            “Welcome back, says Emily,” said Snake.

            “Old Man Sam’s farm fence seems to have collapsed,” explained Baldroy.

            “Don’t eat my skirt, I say!”

            “That chap’s headed for the herb garden, says Wilde,” said Snake.

            “No, no!” Finny ran after the escaping sheep. “Wait!”

            Ciel chuckled.

            “Is something the matter?” said (Y/N).

            “No, it’s nothing.” He watched Finny and Snake wrestle the sheep. “A lawn is simply a lawn.” It was nothing to be worshiped or avoided like at Weston. Ciel walked around the flock and waved a hand carelessly. “Tidy up quickly and prepare my afternoon tea.”

            “Yes, my Lord.” (Y/N) and Sebastian bowed.

l

            Upon rounding up the sheep and repairing the fence (and admonishing the other servants for being unable to handle the situation), Sebastian and (Y/N) headed to the kitchen to make afternoon tea.

            “Now, what shall we make today?” mused Sebastian, taking off his jacket.

            “Hm, what would the Young Master be craving after being stuck at Weston College?” said (Y/N).

            As they spoke, Sebastian pulled out the letter from McMillan. He pulled a knife and cut it open. Withdrawing the picture within, he raised a brow.

            “It turned out quite nicely,” said (Y/N).

            “Indeed,” said Sebastian, giving it to them. He picked up pots and pans to begin cooking.

            (Y/N) crumbled the picture and tossed it into the flames of the stove.

            “Time to bake the Young Master an extra sweet cake,” said Sebastian.

            “I’ll grab the ingredients,” said (Y/N).

            Weston College was behind them. The Phantomhive Manor would continue as usual.

l

            “Is the Young Master content to be home and ordering you around once again?” said (Y/N). They chuckled. “I imagine he wasn’t pleased with how eagerly you played housemaster and demanded his hard work in your classes.”

            Sebastian tutted. “To be punished for instructing him properly, how rude.”

            (Y/N) laughed. “Your poor thing.” They untied their apron and laid it down.

            Sebastian smiled at their amusement and took off his jacket. “However, I am pleased to be out of that place. The humans there were so…compliant to the school.”

            “Not enough troublemaking for you?” said (Y/N).

            “There were a few who were unequivocally themselves, but, for the most part, they all fell in line with the ‘tradition’ of the school.” Sebastian rolled his eyes, and (Y/N) chuckled. “But you, my darling, what did you think of the experience?”

            “I am glad to be gone for the same reasons as you,” said (Y/N). “I dislike how those in school who are different are encouraged to adhere to the standards of society instead of challenging it.”

            “Like yourself?” said Sebastian.

            (Y/N) grinned at him, catlike. “I have always broken society’s rules~”

            “You certainly enjoyed playing a masculine role,” chuckled Sebastian, undoing his tie and approaching (Y/N).

            “Well, I’ve been playing feminine for a while, so changing things up was fun,” said (Y/N). “I’m here for entertainment, after all.”

            “It was entertaining for you, and it was enticing for me,” said Sebastian, his hands going to (Y/N)’s waist. “You are so captivating, Felis, no matter the masculine or feminine clothing you wear.” He adored seeing them dressed up in different outfits—mostly because he could take them off later.

            “You know, in the past, when we encountered one another, I used to ensure I wore the finest clothing I could for the role I played,” said (Y/N), smirking and running their hands up his chest.

            “Attempting to seduce me for so long? How devilish,” said Sebastian, pulling them flush against his body. “You have no idea how long I wished to devour you.”

            “And now you can,” said (Y/N), damn near purring.

            “Now I have.” Sebastian kissed them. “And I will do so again and again and again for eternity.” He kissed down their neck. His grip on them tightened. “And I will never allow another to touch you.” Sebastian nipped their neck before lifted his head to gaze into their eyes. “When the Undertaker looked at you—” his eyes flashed fuchsia “—I despised it.”

            (Y/N)’s eyes flashed hungrily as Sebastian’s love and possessiveness piqued their own interest. Curling their hands in his hair, they pulled him in for a passionate kiss. “I am yours. You are mine. That is all that matters.”

            Sebastian keened against their kiss, pleased at the words. But he pulled back and gazed at them. “Undertaker has a strange interest in you. You are…inspiration as an individual returning in a new form, overcoming the finality of death.” Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “I do not wish to see you harmed. I will not lose you.”

            “Corvus.” (Y/N) looked at him intently. “You have not lost me. You will not lose me. My transformation may be amusing to Undertaker, but that is only a danger to the humans he experiments on.” They chuckled. “Besides, you and I are far above humans and silly reapers, are we not? And we have one another.”

            “Yes.” Sebastian allowed their words to calm him, but his heart—whatever he had that counted as one—still hungered to prove to himself and (Y/N) that they belonged to one another—equals in love. “Yes, we have one another.” He kissed them. “I am yours, Felis. And you are mine.”

            “I am yours, Corvus,” said (Y/N), kissing him back.

            In a smooth motion, Sebastian lifted them and set them down on the bed. He leaned over them, legs between theirs, and pulled their waist up to kiss them.

            “Mine to have, to hold, to love.” Sebastian punctuated each declaration with a kiss on their skin. He lifted his head and smiled at them. “I love you, Felis. Truly.”

            (Y/N) smiled, grabbed his collar, and pulled him against them. “And I love you, Corvus.”

            They kissed him passionately, and those were all the words that were needed.

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