#house of Odysseus

[melodyartist-blog]

I started reading House of Odysseus by Claire North again, which I had dropped a long time ago, since the characters where really annoying and the way it was written bothered me too much, maybe it's the adaptation's fault idk, but you really have to turn off your brain to make it even minimally enjoyable... that's not even true !Because they still find a way to make me hate everyone, there is a big ass problem if I find Antinous less annoying than Helen and she is one of the "protagonists"

I gave it the benefit of the doubt several times but it's really not my cup of tea 😭(I'm halfway through it though...). But I must say that since I'm very biased I wanted to try and draw Menelaus from the book, based on the awful descriptions, that are not even coherent since in the first chapter he is described in such a way that he looks like a Minecraft character with big ass hands and in 10 chapters later he is described having a thin neck, so I took on some creative liberties

We are not gonna talk about the blacksmith comment... And the whole paragraph beneath that is all about his hands and piercing gaze

What can I say... there are parts where I like him for how he is portrayed but it's like 10% of the time. He's loud, arrogant, mean, hot headed and he is trying too hard to get Penelope's favour, a red flag who walks on legs that are thick as logs...sigh I guessed that's fine...

But there are scenes that he is in that have a nice comedic effect especially when he is serious... I think that those are not meant to be funny so that's an other issue

[houseofodysseus]

Pregnant Hermes🗣💥💥💥💥

My hand slipped☻

[goat-van]

Peneolpe of ithaca :]

[rhetoricandlogic]

Alexandra Pierce Reviews House of Odysseus by Claire North

July 31, 2023 Alexandra Pierce

Claire North’s sequel to Ithaca (2022) continues the story of Penelope, Queen of Ithaca: her husband Odysseus absent for two decades, she is trying to manage both the kingdom and a house full of suitors who believe she should stop pretending that Odysseus could still be alive. In Ithaca, Clytemnestra and her children arrived on Ithaca and caused havoc for Penelope, and that continues here. House of Odysseus could be read without Ithaca, if one were familiar with Greek mythology – although the collision of the House of Odysseus with the House of Atreus may give pause – but it is clearly intended as a sequel. (And Ithaca is so good, why would you miss it?)

In the ancient stories, the queen Clytemnestra is killed by her son Orestes after she has killed her husband (and his father), Agamemnon, in revenge for Agamemnon’s killing of their daugh­ter – never let it be said that modern authors invented convoluted stories of revenge. Those stories also relate that Orestes is later plagued by the Furies, who condemn him for shedding maternal blood. This is the story that now comes to Ithaca, as Orestes and his sister Elektra seek to keep Orestes’s apparent madness a secret. North, however, powerfully places this within a political context absent from those early sources: Orestes’s uncle, Menelaus, seeks the opportunity to take his crown, and Orestes’s unfitness is the perfect excuse. Thus three thrones are represented on little windswept Ithaca, and Penelope seeks to balance her commitments to family, peace, and her kingdom with her own needs.

One of the more intriguing aspects of Ithaca was its narration by Hera, a goddess whose voice is rarely heard with any complexity. Sadly, for me, the narration has shifted for this story: it is now Aphrodite, goddess of love and desire, who tells the story. This initially was a confusing choice, given her contempt for Ithaca, but it makes sense with Menelaus’s appearance: he never travels anywhere these days without his queen, and Aphrodite’s favorite, Helen – she of the ‘‘launching a thousand ships’’ fame. I am less convinced by Aphrodite as a narrator than I was by Hera: she’s not so startling a choice, and her vanity and lack of interest in politics aren’t as interesting a presenta­tion. That said, North does give Aphrodite depth of character and insight – she’s no sexy lampshade – and I was won over by the end.

As someone who loves Greek myth, I am fasci­nated by North’s vision of how the different stories can work together, and the fact she makes them approachable for readers with no prior knowledge. Beyond that, I am deeply impressed by her cast of women. From all social classes, a multiplicity of backgrounds, and likewise a range of motiva­tions and expectations and desire, North explores female relationships and complexities beautifully. It’s what I had hoped for from Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls (2018) and did not get. Penelope and her maids – all enslaved – have complex and realistic relationships. Elektra is hard and difficult, the women of the island militia vary in their attitudes and expectations. And North presents a Helen, one of the most written-about characters of the entire oeuvre, who is new and com­plex and tragic and capable and deeply of her society. I don’t tend to love Helen stories because they’ve been told so many times, but this Helen is a worthy addition. I remain deeply appreciative of the fact that this story focuses on Penelope: not young and gorgeous; a maybe-widow (for all she knows) and mother to an arrogant and now absent son; largely dismissed due to her gender. And also intelligent, committed, ruthless, and above all dedicated to her people.

This is a story of palace intrigue, as Penelope and her maids seek to shelter Orestes and Elek­tra, while determining what has made him sick. Simultaneously, they are still confronted by suitors imposing themselves on Ithacan hospitality, and then also by Menelaus and his larger-than-nec­essary squad of Spartan guards who ‘‘helpfully’’ spread out to ‘‘support’’ Penelope and her people. There’s an occasional fight, but they are not the point: it’s all about the cunning, the deception, and the relationships.

I was under the impression that this was Ithaca and House of Odysseus were a duology, and I was appropriately impressed, but I recently discovered that they are the opening books in a trilogy and I am excited. (Very excited.) And trying to figure out who the new narrator will be (there’s one obvious and one less obvious choice, and I’m not sure who I would prefer).

Claire North is taking stories that are nigh on three thousand years old and making them fresh and riveting and well worth your time.

[salendola]

Just the Once - a Laertes/Penelope Fic

I'm two out of three books into the Songs of Penelope trilogy by Claire North, and my brain decided that it was time to write porn for that old man.

So here it is, the Penelope/Laertes NSFW fic no one asked for. You're welcome.

TITLE: Just the Once RATING: Explicit CONTAINS: good back rubs, cunnilingus, hand job, vaginal fingering, vaginal sex, Laertes being a gentleman, Penelope letting herself go for a bit, Aphrodite being a motivational narrator

Just The Once

Just to be clear: I am a goddess and I do not peep. Where love goes, so do I, and that is all there is to it.

Love, of course, meaning any and all kinds. I am there for the mother who holds her child to her breast, singing the songs of her mother before her, and then her mother before her, and so on and so forth, all the way back to the very beginning. Two friends sharing stories, laughing together, their bare feet soaking in the stream. You should’ve seen his face! I thought I was going to wet myself laughing. Ah, such joy there is in love. Such wonder. Such power. And yes, I am there for the passionate, desperate love too. That is hardly news, is it? I would hope not. But let’s not get distracted.

Currently, I am making my way up the path that leads to the castle of the long-absent, oft-remembered Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who, at this very moment, buries his face in the ample bosom of Calypso, squeezing a breast with a calloused hand while Poseidon lurks within the ocean, the waves lapping at the shore a perpetual reminder that, should Odysseus leave the island, it will be the last thing he ever does. My time will come, Odysseus.

Or so he thinks, at least. We shall see.

Today was one of those days that’ll be spoken of later as being a real scorcher. Here, in the fullness of summer, the trees brought what little cooling they could, but it didn’t make as much of a difference as it usually would, and the people inside their various houses suffered from the heat. A few of the elderly had already fainted. Quite the scorcher indeed, and a quiet day for me when it came to passion. There is such a thing as too hot weather, and even the most ardent of lovers may find themselves upon the stone floor of their rooms, doing their best impression of a starfish. No, today was not a day for physical intimacy.

The night, on the other hand, was a different matter entirely, and I have to admit I may even have been a little surprised. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, for there is the end of the path, and there, sandaled feet and all, stands Laertes, former king of Ithaca, in a toga that had seen better, less sweaty days, though it is still one of his cleaner ones. He wastes little time in dispatching of it and the sandals and wades into the pool.

When he’d fully submerged himself, Laertes finally felt his body cool, and about time too. No man should have this much sweat on his body for this long. Back in his sailing and adventuring days, he’d been fine being a stinky, sweaty man among so many other stinking, sweating men, muscles glistening oh so splendidly in the hot light of the sun, inviting a good ogle and maybe a gentle touch or two - it’s alright, girls, grab all you like - but the years had taken some of that flexibility and physical prowess from him, and now Laertes loved a good breeze as much as the next old man. Old. Not a word he much liked, but at the same time he appreciated having made it this far. It’s never a given, you know, is what he’d say time and again, unasked. Age is a gift.

He soaked in the lack of human voices and bickering, instead enjoying the nightly noises coming from the surrounding trees. This pool was never his domain, but rather that of Anticlea, Penelope, and their maids. He’d set foot in this place a few times, but only when invited. Granted, those invitations had been pleasant, and he had fond memories of his wife’s body as they’d bathed and made love here together.

Laertes was a man of intellect, and while he’d been taught to just take women in the Greek tradition - that being with them face down, mere tools for pleasure and procreation - he’d quickly realised this was not the way to go. What helped immensely with that realisation was Anticlea, who’d delivered an astonishingly powerful kick in his unmentionables when he’d even so much as tried it. He’d been hurt and then angry, but what truly got to him was the look on her face. You may chide him for not understanding this sooner, but Laertes had not seen fear in his wife’s eyes before, and when he did see it, decided he did not like it. What followed was many nights of deep and vested research into the dos and don’ts of physical intimacy, which was more than Anticlea expected, though it was not at all unwelcome. Thinking back on those nights he’d spent in this very pool, enveloped in pleasure with his beautiful wife, tugged on his heartstrings and certain other parts of his anatomy in equal measure. It’s okay, I whispered, caressing his arm, you’re alone, enjoy these thoughts.

Of course, Laertes wouldn’t be alone for long. A new set of footsteps approached, and the old man swiftly and quietly dove under, swimming softly to the far end of the pool, hoping no one saw him.

Penelope, too, was having a night of little sleep. It was simply too warm for such things. She’d managed to sneak out of her room, leaving her maids to their dreams. Now, wearing nothing but the flimsiest and most basic of robes, her sandaled feet barely making a sound, she too approached the pool.

From behind a large water lily, Laertes observed as Penelope sat down by the water, took off her sandals and bathed her tired feet in the stream, as she’d done many times before, and let her thoughts drift into far-off places. Well, she tried to, at least. To dream of a life different from her own, somewhere far away. Sadly, the rules of the patriarchy invaded even the deep recesses of her mind, and she found she had some trouble coming up with a scenario wherein she enjoyed the same degree of freedom and influence she currently had, and so her mind wandered instead to summer seasons, fresh fruit and sheep shearing.

She’d undone all her weaving for the day, and while she was tired of a long day of entertaining suitors and regular displays of piety and sorrow, she found she did not have it in herself to sleep. Her head was still all ache as the muscles of her neck reminded her she’d been peering at the weave too hard. Foolish thing, really. It’s not like she needed to do a good job. She could have written a swear in it and it would have been fine and unmade by morning. Oh well, no sense in regretting now. She watched her feet as they moved around in the water, sticking out one leg, then the other, watching the water drip-drip-drip back into the pool. Should she? Would she dare? She decided that she would, and soon Laertes was treated to a view he thought he’d never see again: that of a naked queen, lowering herself in the cool water.

Of course, he could not stay here now. Not with Penelope - beautiful, naked queen Penelope - in the pool with him. Why, there’d be talk. Not immediately, of course, but if he ever stepped out of line, those maids of hers would know just who to sing to like the pretty birds they were, and there’d be a reckoning. Laertes respected the queen immensely, and he knew full well the network of women on the island and how they schemed and kept the place in check. It was a world he was not privy to, and he was fine with that. He’d hate to be on its bad side, however, so he gently lowered his head beneath the water and began to make his way carefully back to where his clothes were.

Penelope was enjoying this little time to herself, allowing her thoughts to drift. She dove under for a moment, then submerged, letting the water run down her face and past her neck. She made for quite a pleasing sight, if I do say so myself. She rubbed her sore neck in an attempt to relieve the ache a little, but was only moderately successful. A gentle splash caught her attention, and she turned her head to see a pile of clothes on the rocks nearby, and Laertes himself in the pool, looking at her, naked as - well, as any other day no one required him to wear clothes. Well, this was quite the predicament.

“Please don’t scream,” the old king said quietly.

“I suppose I could hold it in,” Penelope responded with as much dignity as she could muster, lowering her entire body so only her head was visible. Of course, this may very well be moot. How much had he seen? She’d have to assume he’d seen everything, just to be safe. Well, this was going to be a problem.

“I’ll just be heading out then,” Laertes said as if he was going to market.

“If you must. There is plenty of room.”

The answer gave both of them pause as they stared at each other. For her part, Penelope wasn’t entirely sure why she didn’t just let him leave so she could have the pool to herself, but she’d said what she’d said and a queen did not go back on her words.

Laertes let go of his tunic and returned to the cool embrace of the pool.

“Thanks very much.”

“You’re most welcome, father.”

She made that movement again, rubbing her neck. Should he offer? I placed my hand on Penelope’s. Someone with a surer grip really should have a go, don’t you think? Usually, my advice fell on deaf ears, but it seems tonight was going to be an exception.

“Neck giving you trouble, is it?”

“A little.”

“All that weaving, no doubt.”

“Quite so. It is surprisingly strenuous on the body.”

“I could… That is to say…” Laertes had a sentence planned, but found he couldn’t quite get the whole thing together as he’d intended, instead stumbling over the easiest utterance like he were a boy of thirteen instead of a man well into the fullness of life.

“If you could…” Penelope replied, turning her back to him slightly.

Slowly, so as not to startle her, Laertes swam over, sitting down on the stones by the shore.

“Come here, then.”

Penelope did not like being ordered around. Her many years as ruler of the island had taken its toll on her will, and she found she now had quite a vast amount of it. Nevertheless…

“Alright.”

She sat down below Laertes, pinning up her hair again so it was out of the way. As she felt the rough hands on the back of her neck, she couldn’t hold back the shiver that ran down her spine. So long without another’s touch. She hadn’t quite realised it. Her own company had been enough, hadn’t it? Furtive touching in the night, trying to be quiet so she wouldn’t wake Eos, dutifully asleep nearby in case she needed anything.

Laertes for his part did his best not to get any funny ideas, for however much good that did. He hadn’t touched another so intimately since Anticlea died. Penelope’s slender neck felt warm under his hands.

“Bit of a knot here,” he commented, trying to keep any hint of desire from his voice. For one, he really liked her, and then the image of his wife’s fearful eyes still haunted him. He rubbed her neck and shoulders with purpose, feeling for knots and teasing them out, sometimes pushing down hard, causing a groan from Penelope he really shouldn’t think about for too long.

“Always wondered how this place managed to stay so calm, considering the mad house is just over there,” Laertes said in an attempt to diffuse some of the tension. Not that there was much tension left in her.

“I suppose limited access helps,” Penelope commented, managing to keep her voice level. Laertes had gotten all the knots he could find, but he had some difficulty proclaiming his task finished. Instead, he traced his thumbs down her neck and between her shoulders, moving out below her shoulder blades.

Penelope moaned.

I could go on for quite some time about all the moans I’ve ever heard, and I’ve certainly heard and made better ones than this one - truly deep, guttural moans that could shake the earth and mend all hurts - but I will say that Penelope’s had just that extra bit of zest from having been constrained for so long, a wild animal looking to escape its confines and finally - finally - finding its cage just open enough to risk it.

Now, Laertes may be on the older side and liked to pretend he was going deaf sometimes if he thought it would annoy whoever was trying to bore him with mundane conversation, but he felt that moan run all the way down his spine.

“Like that, did you?” he chuckled, then immediately regretted his tone.

“You’re very effective,” Penelope remarked, leaning into his hands.

She didn’t want him to stop. She knew this was a bad idea. She knew there would be consequences if anyone saw them here, but the pool was secluded and off-limits to anyone not allowed here by her, so perhaps…

I felt her desire to give in, to be unbound by duty for just a few moments. Do it, my love, I whispered in her ear, enjoy yourself. These times are rare.

Laertes shared her thoughts, understood the danger, then went ahead anyway. They both needed it, he felt. He wasn’t wrong.

Behind her, Penelope felt his body shift as he lowered himself to sit behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her close, his other hand holding her upper arm in a grip that was firm yet not stifling. She felt his breath on her neck as he nuzzled it, taking in the smell of her, some floral scent barely lingering after a long day of being responsible and unapproachable.

“Gods, but you smell like a feast,” he murmured into her naked flesh, as one hand moved from her arm to her chest, claiming a breast left unattended. Penelope leaned back and let it happen. She trusted Laertes like she trusted Damon. She knew he’d never desert or betray her, that their bond was strong and long in the making. As his fingers moved from massaging her breast to tweaking her nipple, she groaned and pushed her body into his, and hoped her faith wasn’t misplaced.

Laertes felt her body react and he had to admit he was chuffed. Old man Laertes still had it, yes he did. I had to admit this made me giggle. I’ve always had a weakness for smart older men, though this is not what I will be remembered for. Yes, you do, I whispered in his ear, suggesting he guide his hand from her waist to somewhere lower down, now let’s see how well you remember your lessons. Surprisingly, he seemed eager to follow my suggestions. Well, well.

Penelope gasped as his hand slid down to her intimate region and began gently rubbing her.

“How’s that for you?” he asked, his voice gentle, but with an undercurrent of desire that had her flustered.

“It’s… I like it just fine,” she managed to reply, angling her body to meet his hand in a way that improved the entire process. Laertes, ever the scholar, took a mental note, and continued the way he was going.

“Suggestions are welcome,” he added in a soft tone as he moved his hand in tandem with the movements Penelope’s body had started making without any conscious effort on her part. The queen of Ithaca let herself drift on the river of her desire, and placed her hands on his, guiding him in her pleasure. There, please. Yes. Gods.

Laertes felt her shudder as her release came, and she leaned back, her face close to his. As she came down, he leaned in just a little and kissed her. He’d tried not to, he really had, but her lips were beautifully swollen with excitement and he just couldn’t contain himself. Her lips parted and their kiss was deep. He drank her in as she turned a little, moving her hand down to where she knew she’d find a handhold.

Laertes startled a bit when he felt her fingers on his erection. Penelope looked up at him.

“Suggestions are welcome.”

He had to stifle a laugh immediately. Of course she’d say that.

“Just don’t pull it like it needs to come off,” he chuckled.

“I suppose I could manage that.”

She started off slowly. He’d suggest a bit more speed. Also, remember the tip is the most sensitive part. Bit more pressure on the- yes, that’s it. Penelope for her part was a quick learner, but I expected nothing less. She soon found a rhythm that had Laertes leaning back, closing his eyes for a moment so he could focus on the feeling. He soon realised he had to intervene as Penelope was too good at what she was doing.

“Wait.”

Penelope looked up, awaiting further instructions. She’d overheard some interesting conversations between her maids about how certain men enjoyed it when they stuck a finger up their arse. If he was going to ask her for that, she really wasn’t sure she’d be able to comply. That didn’t seem to be what he was after, however, as he submersed his body into the water once again.

“Why don’t you have a seat, make yourself comfortable,” he suggested, nodding at his former perch. She hauled herself up and sat down, readying herself to rub his shoulders as Laertes took her place below, except he didn’t turn his back to her. Sitting on his knees facing her, he pushed her legs apart until her warm centre was right in front of him. This time, Penelope blushed in full view as he started kissing his way up her sensitive inner thigh, all the way to her sanctum, and she had to fight the urge to pull back. His arms had snaked their way underneath her legs and he now held each thigh as he looked up at her. It was often said that Odysseus had his mother’s eyes, but Penelope had to disagree. She’d seen her husband in this very position, and his father gave her the exact same look; a raw, intense thing, that stoked a fire within her she’d thought she’d lost. Knowing his intent, she leaned back and let him taste her.

“Good girl,” he growled as he started lapping at her sensitive clit. Ah, he’d missed this tangy flavour. Laertes pushed his tongue in-between her folds as he held her firmly in his arms, and he could see her back arch, feel her body’s need. One hand released a thigh and moved down to her folds, and Laertes slipped in a finger, moved it as if beckoning, gauging his effectiveness by the sound of her moans and the movement of her hips. Not quite so, but maybe… And an extra finger could… Yes, there it was!

Penelope was at a loss for words as his tongue and fingers were engaged in some form of expert dance with her body, and she found she had to cover her mouth quite vigorously, lest the inordinately loud moan half bordering on a scream wake the entire palace as she felt her desire hit a high she didn’t remember ever feeling before. Her body twitched as he kept licking her clit, and she moaned her continued desire, imprinting it into the very stones around the pool. Oh Aphrodite, help me, she prayed. I am, believe me. Let it wash over you. She wrapped her hands in his hair, holding his head in place. Yes, take your pleasure.

Eventually, Laertes figured enough was enough and moved away, releasing Penelope and letting her catch her breath. It took her a moment to sit up and compose herself. Her hair had come undone again and now fell in loose, chaotic strands around her face. His loins stirred at the sight and he found himself moving up as his face drew level with hers.

“Penelope,” he said, voice low and filled with a lust he’d not felt in an age, “I’ll leave right now if you want. Gods know it’ll be hard, but I will. I’ll be honest with you, though… If you don’t tell me to go, I will have you.”

His face was so close to hers, his body, while affected by age, still contained some of that physique that had gained him a place aboard the Argos, and Penelope was too far gone to say no. She didn’t want to. She wanted more, wanted to feel someone inside her again.

Her legs pulled him in, and Laertes wasted no time in putting word to deed as he slid into her in a smooth motion, helped immensely by the work he’d already put in. That being said, it had been much over a decade since Penelope had a man enter her, and she did need a moment to get used to an erection inside her. Laertes knew this, but the warmth of her made it difficult to contain himself. I placed a gentle hand upon Penelope. Relax, for you are in good hands. I promise it.

He could feel her relax and pushed himself in further until he was fully sheathed. By the gods, he had missed this. He started thrusting, slowly at first, wanting her to want this, to want him to keep doing this. Penelope grabbed him by the neck, pulled his head down and kissed him. Their tongues played with each other as his thrusts increased in power and speed.

“Laertes,” she breathed as she felt her body readying for another climax.

“I see you,” he said, adjusting angle and depth just a little bit. “Like this?”

“Gods, yes.”

He kept going, smothering her moans in a kiss as he felt her walls tighten around him. As the scent of her desire filled his nostrils and played merry games with his mind, I leaned in, whispering in his ear one final time. Let go, dear one. Unleash yourself. She deserves no less.

Gods, to have a man be so attuned to my instructions. It’s such a rare occurrence, I’d almost forgotten how great it was. He held her tight and began his work intently; a deep, intense fuck, meant to stretch, to fill, to breed. Penelope rode this wave like a true queen as Laertes absolutely demolished any semblance of reason she had left with the intensity of his thrusts, burying his face into the nape of her neck to stifle his grunts.

He lifted one of her legs for a better angle.

Yes, just like that.

His thrusts became quick and shallow as he felt his release come upon him. Deep, he had to go deep. He pounded her in earnest, holding her firmly in place as he came, filling her with short, deep thrusts, his breathing ragged as he tried to find himself somewhere within the rutting beast he’d just unleashed.

Penelope looked at him. Ah, there he was. She was certain he’d gone for a moment and left an animal of a man in his place. Not that she minded. What with all the preamble, she almost felt he was owed that much, at least. Laertes took a few deep breaths in an attempt to steady himself.

“That went places,” he finally managed to say in-between breaths.

“Quite,” Penelope managed to say. She found she was also a bit out of breath. Fancy that.

Laertes pulled out, though reluctantly, and looked apologetic. “Figured I was gonna pull out before anything came of it, but it seems the old meatsack had other plans.”

To his surprise, Penelope just shrugged. “I will make sure nothing comes of it.”

The old king nodded. Of course she would. Part of him felt sad about this, but it was for the best. Having a child with the son only to then have another one with the father, well, that might be cause for a kerfuffle.

He backed away as Penelope lowered herself into the stream and began washing herself, and he did the same. Couldn’t be found smelling of sex when he went back to his farm. Otonia would know in an instant. A nose like a bloodhound, that one.

“I don’t suppose this’ll be a regular thing, then?” he ventured, knowing the answer.

Penelope washed her face as she pondered how to word her reply. She looked up at the man who’d given her such sweet pleasure tonight, and found she actually regretted what she had to say, even if it was the best - and really only - option she had.

“I’m afraid not. There’d be… difficulties.”

He nodded. He knew this already, of course. They both did. Still, best to talk it out. Good way to avoid problems in the future.

“Just the once, then”

“Yes, just the once.”

[theeloquentpage]

House of Odysseus by Claire North

New Review: House of Odysseus by Claire North #review #fantasy #HouseOfOdysseus #TheSongsOfPenelope

Please note, that House of Odysseus is a direct sequel to Ithaca. It is highly likely that if you’ve not read the first book what follows might contain something akin to spoilers. Dont say I didnt warn you! In the palace of Odysseus, a queen lies dreaming . . . On the isle of Ithaca, queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband Odysseus sailed to war with Troy…

[ishouldsleepbut]

this came to me about 0.2 seconds after the stream ended

[backpackingspace]

My actual favorite part of wisdom saga is telemachus trying to lean against Athena (he thought about that for .03 seconds and then was like nah !!! :D she's my friend not the goddess of war!!! Good to see that the audacity is running strong in odysseus's family) and then just passed threw her and fell on the floor. And then Athena did not move at all!!! And just stood there looking at him.

[darlsbardlife]

Zeus really showed up in The Horse and The Infant like “here, it’s time to make an impossible choice that will fuck you up forever”

And then pops back up in Thunder Bringer like guess what Ody babygirl

✨ it’s timeeee ✨

[australet789]

Calypso, baby, im so sorry people can't understand the nuance of your character being a an antagonist and 100% raping someone just because they want to justify liking you, and instead, ignore that men SA exists and try to claim they are cheaters

(and for the record, is canon that Odysseus told Penelope what happened to both Circe and Calypso and she understood and literally said "dont blame yourself for something you were forced to you" so suck it up)

[gingermintpepper]

I haven't read the Odyssey so I'm asking you. Are you telling me besides Athena, Apollo was the god who helped Odysseus and his family the most? Indirectly at least.

If that's true it's really a missed opportunity in EPIC.

No, no, the god who assists Odysseus the most after Athena is unquestionably Zeus.

Zeus genuinely has no problems with Odysseus and makes it very clear that he finds the man brilliant and would have already had him home and safe if he had his way, but he makes it clear that he's deferring to Poseidon who actually has the problem with Odysseus because, ultimately, the sea is Poseidon's domain and kingdom and Zeus doesn't intend to step on his brother's toes.

(Od. Book 1 trans. Robert Fitzgerald)

I'd definitely give third place to Apollo however. The big bug-bear about Apollo in the Odyssey is just that he's much less tangible than Athena or even Hermes who appears to Odysseus multiple times to help guide him/give him proclamations. His presence is everywhere though; like I've previously mentioned (and like he did with Jason) it's Apollo protecting Odysseus from Poseidon as he sails the sea after Odysseus blinds Polyphemus. It's also Apollo keeping Telemachus safe. His most vital role by far is when Odysseus returns to Ithaca in time for the challenge that will determine the next king. Not only is it a shooting contest whose first hurdle is to string a bow, the challenge itself takes place on a festival day for Apollo. Athena is there with Odysseus and Telemachus physically, but Apollo is looking after them in spirit, sending signs and signals to keep Telemachus especially safe.

(Od. Book 15, Telemachus warns about the state of Odysseus' house to Theoclymenus, a son of one of Apollo's prophets.)

There's also the fact that Odysseus makes sure to pray to Apollo before he attempts to string the bow:

(Od. Book 21. Beggar-Odysseus petitions to shoot his shot)

Likewise, before he slays the first suitor, Odysseus again prays for Apollo's guidance and gaze to guide his arrows:

(Od. Book 22. Odysseus commits the first of many (divinely-sanctioned) murders)

Also, as an additional thing, have Telemachus invoking Zeus, Athena and Apollo that he could see the suitors have their asses beat:

(Od. Book 18. Telemachus excitedly gushes to him mom about his cool new friend (Odysseus. Odysseus is the friend.)

There's a lot of minimisation of Apollo's role in the Odyssey because it isn't as bright and showy as his role was in the Iliad but hey, even there people tend to minimise how truly present Apollo is for the duration of the war when they're doing adaptations. Within Epic, the stage is already more than set for both Apollo and Athena to be there at the advent of Odysseus' revenge but none of that matters if that's not the creator's intention, y'know?

[impulsivebrainrot]

When you keep collecting new hyperfixations but aren’t over your old ones lmao. Collector here is inspired by Gigi’s Aeolus :3 Check out her animatics on yt!!That part of the song has always reminded me of them, glad I finally got to draw it XD

WIP for now, will prolly color it in the future :3 Also my watermark is diff for artworks not part of Forbidden Friendship, but still a deerfox .w.

[shorooq-mahmoud]

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[doloneia]

any au with diomedes hanging out on ithaca during the events of the odyssey is already perfect but it becomes even better when you remember theoclymenus (that guy telemachus offers a ride to in book 15). does telemachus give him a tour like “alright theoclymenus, welcome to ithaca. heres my house, its currently being squatted in by 108 guys that wanna fuck my mom. also this is diomedes, your former king, legendary member of the epigoni, sacker of thebes and troy, he lives here now. hes not here to challenge my dads throne or anything though just to farm.” do they make awkward small talk. do they talk about theoclymenus’ two cousins that diomedes sacked thebes with. are they just the passing cars meme. the comedic potential here is endless

[themoonplantwrites]

Percy torturing Akhlys with her own poison 🤝 Odysseus torturing Poseidon with his own trident

Just two fiercely loyal guys who have been pushed to their breaking point

[0ghostwatcher]

Imagine Laertes mistaking Telemachus for Odysseus everytime then be confused cause they're so similar and yet so different,where is his boy go?