#read mythologies and all that

[kenchann]

meli finds out something

[gotstabbedbyapen]

It's always "Hades isn't bad or cruel, his deeds are just metaphors of the inevitable death" or "Hades kidnapping Persephone represent the premature death".

But when the argument "Zeus has numerous affairs and many children because he represent the fertile rain" is brought up, all nuance is suddenly out of the window and Zeus is just a womanizer who can't keep it in his pants.

[seasicksilver]

reading the Iliad is an experience

[timetravelingtoamess]

Im reading the iliad for this first time and im going to die priam is out here like "who is that short, hairy man" and helens like "thats odysseus" and hes just like "damn thats right he was at my house"

[bashieashie]

Happy Pride Month ya'll

[coruscatingdust]

Sophocles: The Three Theban Plays

[the-storyteller78]

I've seen a lot of people here debating over whether Athena heard Odysseus' pleas for help all throughout those ten years and ignored him until she finally admitted they were friends OR legitimately did not hear him calling for her.

Thus, I'm here to offer my totally unsolicited opinion (as usual lol) and suggest that maybe Athena did the mythological deity equivalent of putting her notifications from Odysseus on do-not-disturb and then promptly forgot about it for a while until she came to terms with the fact that, yes, she and her sad, sopping little rag of a mentee were indeed friends and wow isn't that odd, I haven't heard from him in a while, only to then realize that he's been trying to contact her nonstop for seven years and she just never heard him because of a petty fluff-you decision she made way back when.

[writerfae]

I’m one of those people that lived and breathed the Percy Jackson books when I was younger and therefore regularly forgets that not everyone has read it as a kid

[artiificiial]

could you draw odysseus and penelope ?

the bride and the ugly ass groom

[dykepaldi]

y’all know about this?????????

[into-the-very-fires-of-mordor]

Genuinely curious, please humor me

Do you think that Odysseus is genuinely good at rizz (regarding Penelope) or did she fall for him for another reason?

[schibi12]

Greek Gods being desgined as colorful rainbow people my beloved

[a-d-nox]

greek asteroid observations (part 4)

these observations are completely hypothetical. they are based on my (and the those closest to me's) experiences with each aspect/placement! please don't take everything i say as predestined, astrology is possible outcomes not guaranteed ones. this is just a starting place for when examining singular objects in an entire galaxy (these are not the only asteroids in affect for you). take what resonates and leave what doesn't!

⚡︎ 9h morpheus (4197) people should be psychology or english majors

⚡︎ morpheus (4197) aspecting venus, mars, and/or pluto people tend to have very erotic dreams

⚡︎ morpheus (4197) negatively aspecting jupiter people tend to have restless sleep

⚡︎ 5h nemesis (128) and/or aspecting the 5h ruler people tend to be vengeful lovers

⚡︎ 9h nereus (4660) people could be wonderful in law oriented studies because they are often very diplomatic and fair

⚡︎ nyx (3908) aspecting sun, moon, asc, and/or mc are wildly seen as a maternal figure and/or being a mother is an important facet to who they are this lifetime

⚡︎ 8h nyx (3908), aspecting the 8h ruler, mars, pluto, asc, and/or mc people have a very intimidating energy

⚡︎ 5h pan (4450) people often have a lot of romantic anxiety especially when it comes to their appearance and their sexual abilities - whether those anxieties are warranted or not depends on the aspects made to pan

⚡︎ gemini (3°, 15°, 27°) pan (4450) people can be very good at music

⚡︎ 5h persephone (399) people are frequently fantasized over by prospective lovers

⚡︎ 11h poseidon (4341 / h47) people are often thought of last by their friends

⚡︎ 4h priapus (h22) people tend to have better romantic relationships than their parents did

⚡︎ priapus (h22) retrograde people often know their ancestry and origin story very well

⚡︎ prometheus (1809) retrograde people don't often change in appearance

⚡︎ prometheus (1809) positive aspecting uranus people are very selfless and often concerned themselves with society's welfare

⚡︎ prometheus (1809) negatively aspecting mars and/or pluto people often feel tormented in life

⚡︎ 4h psyche (16) people blindly trust their family members when they shouldn't

⚡︎ people are often jealous of a gemini (3°, 15°, 27°) or aquarius (11°, 23°) psyche (16) person's intelligence

⚡︎ pisces (12°, 24°) psyche (16) and/or negative aspecting neptune people are often manipulated by others, while a scorpio (8°, 20°) psyche (16) will manipulate others

⚡︎ 5h rhea (577) and/or positively aspecting moon people are super fertile

⚡︎ selene (580) aspecting moon people are very feminine looking

⚡︎ scorpio (8°, 20°) selene (580) people often seem like they are doing something covert

⚡︎ selene (580) negatively aspecting mars and/or pluto people lack control of their sexuality

⚡︎ 1h themis (24) people are often treated like everyone's rock

⚡︎ themis (24) retrograde people aren't the type to dish out corporal punishments

⚡︎ 5h typhon (42355) people tend to scare their romantic prospects away

⚡︎ zeus (5731 / h42) positively aspecting mars typically indicates having a very active sex life

⚡︎ 11h zeus (5731 / h42) people are often in charge of any group they find themselves in

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[gingermintpepper]

You're not wrong, but all the gods are terrible in Blood of Zeus. It's why Gaea goes scorched earth.

Actually, I'd argue that we only see a case for the older Olympians* being terrible and even then, it's not all of them: Poseidon, for one, is a really good example of someone who understood that mistakes were made, that something had to give, and was more that ready to set old conflicts aside in order to move forward in the wake of Zeus' death. Hera also seems to be genuinely reflective and apologetic for the crimes she wrought and wanted, more than anything, to be given the opportunity to make amends for her actions by doing the one thing everyone thought she never could; give up her power.

Going down the line, the talking point of "oh, all the gods in Blood of Zeus are terrible" becomes weaker and weaker: Apollo's only actual crime is being too filial/his contempt of Hera, but he shows more compassion and understanding than anything - both while comforting Electra about the nature of her son and by welcoming and supporting Heron, Hermes is also similarly shown with a very strong familial loyalty, but prioritises his work above all else, Hephaestus is a councillor and assistant, Athena is protective and shown, not only rallying together her siblings in order to properly inform them of the nature of the foe they were facing (even when they had been on different sides of the Hera/Zeus conflict and even when it casts Hera in a good light and plainly makes it known that she's being framed) but also getting Persephone to fess up her part in the scheme without resorting to violence.

The only gods that were portrayed poorly in Season 2 were Ares, who feels like he'd be better off being called Damian Wayne with how intensely he's preoccupied with blood purity and being Zeus' legitimate son, Aphrodite who sides with him (but even then is shown feeling ill at ease at going along with his treachery prior to the Eleusinian Stone trial), and Demeter who is so far removed from simply 'being an asshole' that she's hurtled headfirst into being a sadistic supervillain.

(Of course Hades is also a tyrant and an asshole but I also consider him too wishy-washy and inconsistent to figure out what angle they were trying to take with him. I can't think of him as good or bad, merely confusing)

Anyway, I think people hold on to the idea that the gods in BoZ are all assholes too closely because Heron and Seraphim, our main characters, hold on to the idea that ALL gods are assholes due to being the pawn of -counts on fingers- exactly two of them. With the exception of Ares, all of the other gods have been nothing but welcoming and supportive of Heron! And what Hades does to Heron in S2 has nothing to do with his feelings about Heron himself but rather with his own goals and desperations that have been multiplied by Demeter's machinations and his own frustrations at being unable to keep his family together.

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Hyacinthus Iceberg Meme EXPLAIN (P4)

Part 1 ✿ Part 2 ✿ Part 3 ✿ Part 4 ✿ Part 5

It's time for me to answer your questions about this Hyacinthus iceberg meme. There is a lot to tackle, so I'll divide it into 5 parts for the sake of my sanity.

Quick disclaimer: I am NOT an expert in Greek mythology, just a fan of Hyacinthus who wants to learn about him and anyone related to him. Most of the things I'm about to discuss are just theories and speculations of a passerby on the Internet, so do not take them as valid facts!

The Hyacinthides (Hyacinthus' daughters)

People are yelling for answers, and I shall give them.

The Hyacinthus with four daughters sacrificed in Athens isn't Apollo's lover Hyacinthus. But the confusion is understandable because the "father" Hyacinthus is also from Lacedaemon.

"[...] the Athenians at first, in obedience to an ancient oracle, slaughtered the daughters of Hyacinthus, to wit, Antheis, Aegleis, Lytaea, and Orthaea, on the grave of Geraestus, the Cyclops; now Hyacinthuss, the father of the damsels, had come from Lacedaemon and dwelt in Athens." - Pseudo-Apollodorus, "Bibliotheca"

Another account claims that Hyacinthus (the father) killed his daughter on his own.

"Hyacinthus, a Spartan, killed Antheis his daughter according to an oracle on behalf of the Athenians." - Pseudo-Hyginus, "Fabulae"

When I first read these on Theoi.com, I thought that was that. There is another dude named Hyacinthus who lost his daughters to a human sacrifice (or sacrifice them himself). Cool!

But then I read Michael Pettersson's "Cults of Apollo at Sparta" book, and some of his analyses intrigued me.

According to Pausanias, there is an altar depicting Hyacinthus and Polyboea taken to the heavens by a parade of gods and goddesses. The Hyacinthus in this relic has a beard, which means he is a grown man by Spartan standard.

Pettersson explains the bearded Hyacinthus contrast the usual depiction of Apollo and Hyacinthus' myth because, in most versions, Hyacinthus is a youth. Pausanias also acknowledge this as he mentioned the depiction of youthful Hyacinthus.

So from there, Pettersson suggested that the young Hyacinthus and mature Hyacinthus (on the altar) should be two separated figures. I will disagree with him on this because in Pausanias' work, the altar of Hyacinthus was built under Apollo's statue, so bearded Hyacinthus has to be related to Apollo somehow, possibly still his lover.

"The pedestal of the statue [of Apollo] is fashioned into the shape of an altar and they say that Hyacinthus is buried in it, and at the Hyacinthia, before the sacrifice to Apollo, they devote offerings to Hyacinthus as to a hero into this altar through a bronze door, which is on the left of the altar." - Pausanias, "Description of Greece"

Pettersson also mentioned another version of the sacrifice of Hyacinthus' daughters. The Hyacinthides may have been the daughters of another man named Erechtheus. And Erechtheus and mature Hyacinthus may have connection with one another, though that is still up for debate.

Furthermore, Pettersson went as far as to say the mature Hyacinthus in Athens could have been the same as the Spartan Hyacinthus.

From there, he suggested that the scene of mature Hyacinthus and Polyboea on Pausanias' record isn't about a brother and sister because they might have a large generational gap (a bearded man and a virgin maiden)

And if we want by the conflation of both Hyacinthus figures, the scene of Hyacinthus and Polyboea could have been the scene of a father sacrificing his daughter.

So what does that mean?

From my non-expert opinion, Hyacinthus might have different depictions in ancient Greece, sometimes as a bearded man and others a young fellow (like how Dionysus is seen as a hairy guy and a flaming twink). As a bearded man, he has one or four daughters (the Hyacinthides), and his daughters were conflated with Erechtheus of Athens' daughters. I rule out the possibility of Polyboea being Hyacinthus' daughter because I think that is a bit of a stretch, but it's fun food for thought.

Hyacinthus and Hymenaeus

Like Hyacinthus and Erechtheus, Hyacinthus and Hymenaeus' conflation is... complicated.

If you remember part 1, I already talked about Hymenaeus as the Thessalian version of Hyacinthus. He is the son of Magnes of Magnesia and a lover of Apollo.

Another figure by the name of Hymenaeus is the god of wedding hymns and a son of Apollo and/or one of the Muses, presumably Clio.

Why did I mention Clio specifically?

Because if you remember part 1, I mentioned that one of Hyacinthus' parent is the Muse Clio and King Pierus!

These three figures (Spartan Hyacinthus, Thessalian Hyacinthus, and god Hymenaeus) all have similar parentage and some kind of relationship with Apollo.

Is this a coincidence or the result of century-long syncretism? We will never know - or, at least, not for now.

But pairing with the previous part about Hyacinthus and Erechtheus, we can see there are a handful of different depictions and counterparts of Hyacinthus outside of Sparta, so it's possible that he wasn't as obscure back in the day as many would have thought.

Hyacinthus is Persephone's male counter part

This is more of a personal headcanon than an actual discovery. I've talked about it before but there are a few things I want to add in.

First, quick run down on why Hyacinthus' death and Persephone's abduction share a few common traits:

They were Chthonic deities associated with vegetation. They were even theorized to be very ancient deities possibly outdating other partners (Hades and Apollo).

They were killed literally and figuratively by their partners. Hyacinthus was slain by a discus and Persephone was kidnapped to the Underworld.

(This is common knowledge at this point, I ain't gonna put snippets)

They represent a natural cycle. Persephone's journey to and from the Underworld brings the change of season. Hyacinthus' death and resurrection symbolizes flowers wilting under the summer heat but regrows again every year.

Now these might only be coincident and it would be a stretch to assume they are related.

But! There is another thing I've found that further convince me that Hyacinthus and Persephone could have been counterparts at some point.

Yeah, spending time in two worlds is no longer Persephone's trademark. And there's a post that analyze Hyacinthus' travel to Hyperborea that you can read for further insight.

Wikipedia said this theory came from Frederick M. Ahl's "Amber, Avallon, and Apollo's Singing Swan". I'm trying to find a PDF version of this book to confirm its legitimacy, so for know take this new knowledge with a grain of salt.

And now with the final note! This one is very interesting.

You guys remember that Demeter, Kore (Persephone), and Hades were also presence on Hyacinthus' tomb? There may be a reason as to why these three in particular were somehow connected to the Hyacinthia.

Basically, the girls in ancient Sparta would attend the Hyacinthia - a festival for a chthonic deity - like a ritual that transfer them from young girls to adult women. This tradition might have been "inspired" (for a lack of better words) by Persephone's myth, who was a maiden before the abduction and a woman after the abduction.

Pretty cool, huh?

Cult of Apollo - Hyakinthos

This is an actual research topic in the classical and archaeologist fields, and there are scholars written about it before. I won't talk much on this part because I really want you guys to check out the academic essays yourself, they are really worth the read!

Hyakinthos and Apollo of Amyklai: Identities and Cults A Reconsideration of the Written Evidence (Angeliki Petropoulou)

Hieromênia and sacrifice during the Hyakinthia (Angeliki Petropoulou)

A Companion to Greek Religion [pg 49, 212, 238] (Daniel Ogden)

Hyacinthus is a pre-Hellenic nature god

This is one of my favorite Hyacinthus theory, and it seems to be supported by scholars alike.

(Angeliki Petropoulou, "Hyakinthos and Apollo of Amyklai: Identities and Cults A Reconsideration of the Written Evidence")

But just how old is Hyacinthus' worship? Here are some theories:

(Michael Pettersson, "Cults of Apollo at Sparta")

In the section about Hyacinthus' death symbolizing the vegetation wilting, I already talked about how the myth of Apollo and Hyacinthus is an analogy for Apollo's worship taking over Hyacinthus'. You can check it out in Part 2!

The final days of the Hyacinthia festival???

So we all know what the Hyacinthia is by now, but not all of it. One of the biggest mystery of this festival is what was happening on the final days (some say that the Hyacinthia lasts for three days but others suggests it can be longer, up to nine or eleven days!)

But we can still have some guesses.

(Angeliki Petropoulou, "Hyakinthos and Apollo of Amyklai: Identities and Cults A Reconsideration of the Written Evidence")

(Hellenica World, "Hyacinthia")

I can't find many articles talking about the final days for the Hyacinthus, given that it's a mystery to both the ancient people and modern scholars. But if you do know something, I would love to hear to out!

TO BE CONTINUED

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

Why Jason Grace is The Most Tragic Character in the Riordanverse

*in no way is this trying to dial down Nico's own suffering, I'm just stating my case for Jason because godsdamn SOMEBODY needs to say it!*

@most-tragic-character-tournament here's propoganda i came out guns ablazing

List of why fans are saying Nico:

Lost his mother

lost years of his life

found out he was a demigod at age 10

lost sister at 10

rough relationship with his dad

closeted gay

crush is madly in love with somebody else

forced to come out

List of why Jason is more tragic:

Lost his mom to alcoholism/mental decline

Lost his ENTIRE FUCKING CHILDHOOD because Said Mom gave him up to Juno to be raised by a PACK OF WOLVES who would've EATEN HIM if he was WEAK FOR EVEN A SECOND - AS A FUCKING TWO YEAR OLD

Was a trained demigod FROM THE GET-GO (again, TWO YEARS OLD)

Because of previously stated separation, was TAKEN FROM HIS SISTER WHO LOVED HIM SO MUCH SHE RAN AWAY BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T TAKE THE GUILT AND FEAR AND RAGE THAT FILLED HER AT HIS ABSENCE

Was set up into a "perfect" relationship by Juno/Hera WHILE HAVING HIS MEMORIES TAKEN

Jason may not have had the awful forced outting Nico had to go through, but...that's not really his fault? Nobody has any control over their sexual identity, and Jason? Well. He never really got to explore it. Because that was taken from him too.

Thinks he LOST LEO VALDEZ, ONE OF HIS ACTUAL FIRST FRIENDS, WHO LIKED HIM FOR HIM AND NOT BECAUSE OF HIS STATUS

FORCED TO COMPLY TO A DEMANDING SOCIETY THAT EXALTED HIM FROM DAY 1 BECAUSE HIS DAD IS THE OH-SO-IMPORTANT JUPITER (*cough victim of nepotism cough*)

AND WHEN HE TRIES TO COMBAT THAT NEPOTISM HE KEEPS GETTING PUSHBACK UNTIL HE FALTERS

then. then his girlfriend breaks up with him - not because of any drama, or even a disagreement, but over a very valid point

their relationship didn't exactly start out very...honestly. Jason had been mind-wiped of all memories and Piper had fake ones implanted into her to make her think she liked Jason as more than a friend. sure. they had a pretty nice relationship, but when everything slowed down and they took a look at their lives?

Piper's the one who sees it first, and makes the decision. Jason is heartbroken, but understands - he even, dare I say, agrees that they should end the relationship. it was built on fake memories - you could say it was built on lies.

and now Jason has this opportunity to step back and analyze who he is and what he wants.

what he finds is depressing. everything he's had, everything's he's been up till now...

it's not him.

he never wanted to be raised by Lupa and her wolves.

he never wanted to be Jupiter's son

he never wanted to be the exalted leader Camp Jupiter praised him for

From day 1 his life was somebody else's. his first steps were under the tutelage of a wolf, not of the loving eyes of his sister

Camp Jupiter only ever saw him as the demigod to be praised and turn to above all others, even before he became praetor.

Jason's life...was never his own.

and now that he's away from all that pressure and expectation...he doesn't know who he is.

Son of Jupiter?

Champion of Juno?

Praetor of the Twelfth Legion?

Member of the Prophesized Seven?

Hero of Olympus?

no. he was never himself under these names.

he was never...Jason.

but maybe now he could start navigating his own life. without some god intervening for once. this would be good for him, and for Piper, to find their own way.

but then. then they talk to Herophile...and find out one of them will die. And Jason? Well, he's not going to let Piper be taken from the life she deserves. he may not be her boyfriend, her knight in shining armor, but he sure as HELL loves her - especially as a friend. And if there's one thing you should know about Jason? It's that he loves his friends.

so what does he do? He sacrifices himself. He duels Caligula himself, and urges Piper, Meg, and Apollo to Go, save yourselves! and -

he's stabbed. through the chest. the only thing he can do? Look to Apollo, to the blue gaze so much like his own drenched in horror, and ask; Remember. because he didn't get to live the life he wished, but maybe Apollo could - no, Apollo can, he can make the difference Jason wanted. Because he trusts Apollo.

Jason doesn't regret his sacrifice. he saved Piper from the prophecy, after all. He saved Apollo & Meg's lives too.

in fact, Jason didn't really mind dying. Because he didn't have much of a life either. And a life like that? shrug It's worth sacrificing for those who deserve theirs.

and as icing on the cake, remember who Jason's father is? The almighty, all-powerful Jupiter himself, King of the Gods?

he doesn't do a damn thing to help Jason. Not a single. Thing.

because Jupiter/Zeus doesn't care about his children. Especially his sons.

Zeus saved Thalia. But he didn't even try to save Jason.

Trying would have at least lessened the pain...

People like to claim Jason is a bland, boring character who's never suffered a minute in his life. That he's a golden retriever with no flaws.

Well.

Take a look up there and ask yourself - it that the life of a boy who knows no suffering?

Because it sure as hell don't look that way to me.

To me, it looks like Jason was a used, depressed young man who never got to choose his own path. Who's father abandoned him first to his wife's mercy, then to a cruel emperor's.

Jason Grace suffered.

and he never got to live that happy life he saw within the Fates.

Never got to get that family, those grandchildren he saw himself telling the story of the Argo II to.

Because The Fall of Jason Grace is a true, utter tragedy.