#shes like a roman statue!!!!!
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oswaldpettyeyeart · 5 months ago
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blue blood.
my commissions are open!
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schmweed · 1 year ago
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#Gerri Kellman#Roman Roy#my gifs#no but listen LISTEN#Roman misses his horrible dead dad#and he knows Logan had every single tape of every single event he was ever at at a special storage multilevel basement#even after conversion to digital the footage needs lots of storage room#so Roman claims it all and everybody looks at the tiny poor rich manboy with the cut on his forehead#and they let him have it#(obviously Gerri has copies of every single byte stored elsewhere)#and heartbroken over Gerri and grieving his dad Roman does nothing but watch all day#then he watches this. and he's like WHAT? WTF is Gerri saying to Greg WHY is she linking their arms#and how DARE Greg stare after Gerri so hungrily#even though part of Roman's brain is aware enough to tell that Greg was hungry for status and money#he's still jealous because how DARE Greg#and he wonders and wonders and stalks Greg#online first because I don't think Roman would be up for anything offline now#and ofc Greg being Greg is superkeen to be in Gerri's good graces#so he's keen to have her in his 'casual' snapshots at events that he then posts to his social media#and even though Roman is 95% sure Greg isn't and was never interested in Gerri like that#and even though the other 5% is the loudest and angriest and yells excuse me? Greg has eyes doesn't he?#what Roman is most jealous abt is that all those ppl get to have the privilege of being in Gerri's presence#when NONE of them knew her like Roman did and none of them was fondly... something by Gerri like Roman was#I miss them so much!#can I also say how DELICIOUS this scene was! the unbelievable twist when I discovered it was Greg not Shiv! after I was SURE it was Shiv!#such incredible writing. incredible characters. incredible everything.#Succession
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m4gp13 · 2 years ago
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Nemesis in the classical world: Nemesis is the bringer of balance, who doles out bad fate to those with too much good and good fate to those with too much bad. She punishes and rewards in equal measure, never leaning too far in either direction
Nemesis in pjo: Nemesis is a BITCH and we hate her so much
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annachum · 2 years ago
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Julius Caesar may be Cleopatra's sugar daddy
But Cleopatra is so rich from her Princess to Queen to Pharoah Regent of Egypt status that she can sugar mommy him right back
I don't make the rules
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masquenoire · 2 years ago
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flaws.
moody | short-tempered | emotionally unstable | whiny | controlling | conceited | possessive | paranoid | liar | impatient | cowardly | bitter | selfish | power-hungry | greedy | lazy | judgmental | forgetful | impulsive | spiteful | stubborn | sadistic | petty | unlucky | absent-minded | abusive | addict | aggressive | childish | callous | clingy | delusional | cocky | competitive | corrupt | cynical | cruel | depressed | deranged | egotistical | envious | insecure | insensitive | lustful | delinquent | guilt complex | reclusive | reckless | nervous | oversensitive
strengths.
honest | trustworthy | thoughtful | caring | brave | patient | selfless | ambitious | tolerant | lucky | intelligent | confident | focused | humble | generous | merciful | observant | wise | clever | charming | cheerful | optimistic | decisive | adaptive | calm | protective | proud | diligent | considerate | compassionate | good sportsmanship | friendly | empathetic | passionate | reliable | resourceful | sensible | sincere | witty | funny
skills & hobbies.
art | acting | astronomy | animals | archery | sports | bird watching | blacksmithing | boating | calligraphy | camping | candle making | casino gambling | ceramics | racing | chess | music | cooking | crochet | weaving | exercise | swordplay | fishing | hunting | gardening | ghost hunting | ice skating | magic | engineering | building | inventing | leather-working | martial arts | meditation | origami | parkour | people watching | swimming | puppetry | pyrotechnics | quilting | reading | collecting | shopping | socialising | storytelling | writing | traveling | exotic dancing | singing | whittling
Tagged byStolen from;; @brutalscaled​ and @king-crane Tagging;; Whoever would like to do it?
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neoflect · 2 years ago
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calling grimes an “ecofascist” might be a bit too kind at this point - i dont believe anyone whos as deep into crypto as she is can have any real sincerely-held convictions about the sanctity of the environment and shes willing to rub shoulders with fascists without the pretense of ecological preservation at all. a more accurate way of describing her political philosophy might be “anarcho-capitalist accelerationist technocrat with pop-feminist characteristics”, but it might be even more accurate to say that she is not a political thinker and does not hold very many coherent or internally consistent views whatsoever. but whenever she tries to articulate her politics it comes out like this
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fromevertonow · 1 year ago
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Suzanne Collins is one of the few contemporary writers who realizes the importance of names in her stories and the significance they bear. They add so many layers to the story, additional meanings that otherwise would not have existed.
The original trilogy:
Katniss: named after a plant of which you can eat the roots. Her father taught her where to find it and told her that “as long as you can find yourself, you’ll survive” (quote may be a little bit off, but it’s from one of the early chapters in THG). Additionally, the leaves are in the shape of an arrowhead, referencing her skills with the bow which her father also taught her how to use.
Peeta: literally bread lmao. But bread is one of the basic nutritions humans need, a little bit goes a long way to keep you alive. Peeta’s presence in Katniss’s life also kept her alive, literally and figuratively—the burned bread he threw her in the flashback and their complicated relationship.
Primrose: a plant with medicinal purposes, even more significant in light of her work as a medic in Mockingjay.
Gale: literally means “strong wind” and considering that in every encounter with Katniss he’s caused some reaction, he pulls her into directions she maybe initially doesn’t want to go in. Additionally, his name also represents his determination and steadfastness in his beliefs.
TBOSAS
Lucy Gray: named after William Wordsworth’s poem “Lucy Gray” which is about the titular character of the poem who got lost during a blizzard. She literally got lost in snow. Rachel Zegler sang this poem in two parts on the original soundtrack of the movie. When Snow asked who the girl in the song is, Lucy answers that she’s a mystery, just like her.
Snow: aside from the obvious snow references, I think his name is most significant in relation to Lucy and the poem. The only one who knows what caused her disappearance is Snow. He is the reason that Lucy is gone. But her traces in the snow are still visible. He will always remember her because the memory of Lucy has manifested itself in every part of his life.
Coriolanus: named after the Roman general (and also the titular character of Shakespeare’s play), Coriolanus wanted to attack Rome and become its ruler. He was scorned and celebrated by the people, only to be later exiled from the city by them. In TBOSAS, Coriolanus is the star pupil at the Capitol’s academy but sent into exile to the districts after he won the Games with Lucy through cheating.
Volumnia: Coriolanus mother who played a part in his ascent to power. In TBOSAS, she almost serves like a mentor to Coriolanus, teaching him how to think in terms of power.
(Edit) Sejanus: a roman soldier who was betrayed by the roman emperor Tiberius, just like the future president betrayed him.
(Edit) Plinth: got this info from here, but it was too good not to include here. A plinth is a base for a statue or vase to stand on. After Sejanus’s death, all of the Plinth fortune was given to Snow for being such a good to friend him. It was this money that skyrocketed the Snow family from poverty to filthy rich. The Plinth money was the foundation upon which Snow built his power.
There are so many other names that have historical (mostly Roman and Greek) connotations—Plutarch, Seneca, Cinna—but also regular names like Trinket and Beetee bear meanings that represent the character beautifully.
Names are important. For any lover of literature or (aspiring) writers, please look closely at them. They can shape your story into something unique.
Feel free to correct me if I’ve said something wrong. I know there are many names missing, but I can only add so many examples ✊🏻😔
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frogspawned · 2 years ago
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the weird thing, honestly, is how much he's not there. i find that consoling. who's the scorpion? um. you, i guess. you know. i love you, but you kill me, and i kill you. just let the wave hit you. float out. i think i am the wave, actually. and.. and... you know, maybe he isn't real.
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frogmascquerade · 2 years ago
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nasa · 9 months ago
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Black Scientists and Engineers Past and Present Enable NASA Space Telescope
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is NASA’s next flagship astrophysics mission, set to launch by May 2027. We’re currently integrating parts of the spacecraft in the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center clean room.
Once Roman launches, it will allow astronomers to observe the universe like never before. In celebration of Black History Month, let’s get to know some Black scientists and engineers, past and present, whose contributions will allow Roman to make history.
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Dr. Beth Brown
The late Dr. Beth Brown worked at NASA Goddard as an astrophysicist. in 1998, Dr. Brown became the first Black American woman to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of Michigan. While at Goddard, Dr. Brown used data from two NASA X-ray missions – ROSAT (the ROentgen SATellite) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory – to study elliptical galaxies that she believed contained supermassive black holes.  
With Roman’s wide field of view and fast survey speeds, astronomers will be able to expand the search for black holes that wander the galaxy without anything nearby to clue us into their presence.
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Dr. Harvey Washington Banks 
In 1961, Dr. Harvey Washington Banks was the first Black American to graduate with a doctorate in astronomy. His research was on spectroscopy, the study of how light and matter interact, and his research helped advance our knowledge of the field. Roman will use spectroscopy to explore how dark energy is speeding up the universe's expansion.
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NOTE - Sensitive technical details have been digitally obscured in this photograph. 
Sheri Thorn 
Aerospace engineer Sheri Thorn is ensuring Roman’s primary mirror will be protected from the Sun so we can capture the best images of deep space. Thorn works on the Deployable Aperture Cover, a large, soft shade known as a space blanket. It will be mounted to the top of the telescope in the stowed position and then deployed after launch. Thorn helped in the design phase and is now working on building the flight hardware before it goes to environmental testing and is integrated to the spacecraft.
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Sanetra Bailey 
Roman will be orbiting a million miles away at the second Lagrange point, or L2. Staying updated on the telescope's status and health will be an integral part of keeping the mission running. Electronics engineer Sanetra Bailey is the person who is making sure that will happen. Bailey works on circuits that will act like the brains of the spacecraft, telling it how and where to move and relaying information about its status back down to Earth.  
 Learn more about Sanetra Bailey and her journey to NASA. 
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Dr. Gregory Mosby 
Roman’s field of view will be at least 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope's, even though the primary mirrors are the same size. What gives Roman the larger field of view are its 18 detectors. Dr. Gregory Mosby is one of the detector scientists on the Roman mission who helped select the flight detectors that will be our “eyes” to the universe.
Dr. Beth Brown, Dr. Harvey Washington Banks, Sheri Thorn, Sanetra Bailey, and Dr. Greg Mosby are just some of the many Black scientists and engineers in astrophysics who have and continue to pave the way for others in the field. The Roman Space Telescope team promises to continue to highlight those who came before us and those who are here now to truly appreciate the amazing science to come. 
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To stay up to date on the mission, check out our website and follow Roman on X and Facebook.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!
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harmoonix · 5 months ago
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🥀 𝕻𝖗𝖔𝖒𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖚𝖔𝖚𝖘 🥀
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Medusa Asteroid 149 Observations
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🥀 - Medusa (149), aspecting harshly the ascendant (square, opposition, conjuct, quincunx), can have people envying them hard. It can be the personality or something they have
🥀 - Medusa (149) aspecting the ascendant harmoniously (sextile, trine, conjuct, quintile) can have people hating on them for simply being themselves, in a way they wish to be like you
🥀 - Medusa (149) in the 10H/In Capricorn, you're very magnetic, and that attracts people into you. They care because they may also be attracted to the status you have, to the things your status gives to them. Be careful not to get betrayed in the end
🥀 - Medusa (149) in the 5H/in Leo, you get lots of attention. For some, you can always be in the spotlight, and for some, you never got the attention you deserved. Your energy is manifested like a child who hasn't experienced pain yet, very pure and you know..childish. After a pain episode happens, you're basically hurt to be in that pure energy again. Maybe you got people telling you that "you're too childish," but that doesn't really matter because if you want to heal your inner child, you have to let yourself be a child again
🥀 - Medusa (149) in the 7H/Libra, relationships can get messy, so sometimes people can be attracted to you only for your looks and you can feel used because of that, make your own justice, because sometimes even your partner can come against you. Like being betrayed even for that person you loved the most. Medusa here can be tricky as hell because Libra in this position will represent Athena, you know Medusa was one of the priestesses of Athena in the Roman version, worshiping her. And she is very tied with the 7H because of what happened with her and Neptune (Poseidon) in the myth
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🥀 - Medusa (149) in 9H/Sagittarius, a very enchanting energy for Medusa, you can be very wise and inteligent, you're proud of your roots but people may try to take your faith/beliefs as a joke and make fun of it, not only very disrespectful but immature as well. You can teach them how to appreciate all of these things without having to judge it
🥀 - Medusa (149) in the 1H/Aries, for some reason, you can feel like you're always guilty for something or someone. People may try to manipulate you because you're an intimidating person, and they may hate that. Is it important to always stick to yourself and not let anyone tell you that you're wrong for just being yourself
🥀 - Medusa aspecting the Moon gives full intuition and wisdom, you may know what people think of before they even say it
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Saturn may tell you that you're a very strong and capable person, you may work hard to keep all the things in order and sometimes you may need order in your thoughts
🥀 - Medusa aspecting the Midheaven (MC) gives the vibe of a very powerful and influential person, someone who can change something in the world, from rules to literally politics, you can stick for people's rights/for people's lives
🥀 - Medusa Retrogade is literally Medusa story itself (for those who know it), you can try to look for a "saving" in people, but they won't listen, you are the only person you can count on
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Venus may tell you that you can be interested in people who may not give the same energy back to you, basically you being into them, but not them into you. That's why you may be afraid to fall in love thinking they can hurt you
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🥀 - Medusa in the 2H/In Taurus, your body can be very provocative, and you can feel like you have to hide it to not get others' attention, or simply that you don't want people staring at you. You may also have issues with dressing up, wear whatever makes you happy, and bring you joy. Also, for some, you can have body issues like feeling insecure with your body, and that can be a slow recovery, but trust it will change you forever
🥀 - Medusa in the 12H/In Pisces, you can feel like you're trapped, your energy in a way is sadistic yet melancholic, im thinking of a violin who sings a very emotional song for this placement is like you don't know you suffer, but in a way you're also very protected and loved..So Is like your soul can be emotional at times but doesn't know how to embrace that energy
🥀 - Medusa in the 3H/in Gemini, you're that type of person who got enough of people gossiping or talking bad or just you got tired of mean people in general, you don't always have the voice to speak up for yourself when something bad happens to you, yet you use that voice to speak for others, try to think at yourself as well. This Medusa is with one eye closed, meaning Medusa is afraid to know some "truth" in these placements
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Pluto can have people abusing your power, your human being, and your soul. Don't let people take advantage of you to profit out of you because you're a very powerful person, and you're here to evolve and rise from pain into a big ball of happiness
🥀 - Medusa in the 6H/Virgo, this energy is manifested as being drained by others, you have people with a very low energy in your life and that can drain you both mentally and spiritually, you can have some bad habits from them as well and you can feel a forced "bond" to them, like you cannot escape from that energy. I'm gonna tell ya if someone is being mean, rude, disrespectful, racist, homophobic etc they have a low energy, and you're like a magnet to that. Therefore, the key is to just let the toxic people out of your life before your life become toxic as well, like literally save yourself
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Mercury in harsh aspects can have people lying to them, hiding the truth, being very fake
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Mercury in good aspects have the people who tell them the harsh truth, like when you want to know something and people are damn honest about it with no hesitation
🥀 - Medusa in the 8H/Scoprio, this energy is manifested as someone who has been through a lot of personal and inner evolution, someone who has learned from their mistakes, someone who doesn't need nobody to make themselves complete. You're like a lone wolf because I think you got enough from people continuously showing you that they don't deserve you. They did you dirty, and they showed you their real face. And about this placement is that..you don't have to forgive people, you can just acknowledge what they did without forgiving them
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Juno (3) can indicate your marriage can involve some dramas about jealousy ane envy from others, to give you an example how mad were Selena Gomez fans when Justin Bieber married with Hailey Bieber
🥀 - Medusa aspecting the Sun can indicate you radiate a lot of popular/known energy is like you're the popular person in your domain and of course that attracts jealousy..you need the 3rd eye open to acknowledge when hate comes in your way
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🥀 - Medusa aspecting Neptune is very mystical, very dreamy..that mysterious character in a movie like Megara from Hercules, though your magic is not known by everyone but in the same time chaotic if we talk about Medusa and Neptune they kinda hate eachother in one of the myths about her
🥀 - Medusa in the 11H/in Aquarius, so your energy is very welcoming you have that aura that makes people feel understood and comfortable, that makes people to just come to you and tell their feelings, your friends can mean a lot to you, you can find yourself being like the "founder" of the group and the one who unites them all, yet you can get envy from others about how easily you get others attention and about your friends/social group of people. Eventually your 'fake' friends can sometimes turn bad and betray you
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Mars is somehow that Medusa who holds a lot of anger for those who didn't found their justice, for those who need righteousness and a balance in their lives. Medusa might hate people who are simply mean on others, rude, people who discriminate and who are against others rights
🥀 - Medusa in the 4H/In Cancer, with this energy people can feel attracted to your empathic and emotive nature, your kindness can attract others, so literally a princess vibes..a princess who sometimes get to be villainized even by your own family/close relatives, to feel like you're the black sheep, I feel like you're the most calming when you're all alone by yourself and that type of person who cries when no one is around, I hope someday you can get free from those who do you wrong. You're kind but in a way hurt at the same time, you can manipulate people by their emotions sometimes without acknowledge it
🥀 - Medusa aspecting the IC (is different from the 4th house), you're like a mirror to your family, it reflects your whole persona, your roots and ancestors can be very connected with you even if you don't realize it, your ancestors could have fought with finding their own rights/and freedom back in the day (This can apply more if you have harsh aspects between those 2)
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Chiron the healer, with this energy you are able to heal the wounds from the past, I imagine this aspect as someone with scissors who cuts the "toxic" or bad lines out of their life, Medusa is in slow recovery but for sure it will change her forever. If you never found your justice, this is a good time to find it (during your healing era)
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🥀 - Medusa in contact with Uranus, this is one of the very few placements where Medusa is actually more intuitive/clever than ever, she can feel very psychic, more connected with the universe
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Lilith h12/h13 are charming! It works if you have them in the same house as well, its a very intense energy because both Lilith and Medusa were neglected
🥀 - Medusa aspecting the Sun harshly can talk about how you always see and feel your dark traits, is like you look through a mirror and inside that mirror is the darker version of yourself
🥀 - Medusa aspecting Mercury harshly is not afraid to call people out, to curse/cuss, to talk dirty when it is needed
🥀 - Medusa in your sidereal chart can be more active than Medusa in the tropical chart, check it in both charts, and see where you relate more with the asteroid
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓷𝓭
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🥀 Medusa 149 is noted on the list of the "negative asteroids" on the astro seek site, so therefore, the energy can be considered as negative as well. Make sure to check it out in both charts even draconic if you want to know how Medusa influenced your chart before you were born 🥀
H a r m o o n i x 🥀
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a-little-revolution · 20 days ago
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Haven't posted little people in art in a while:
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This is Eugenia Martinez Vallejo, a Spanish court dwarf owned by King Charles ll and put on regular display due to her height and weight. She is painted here in The Monster Clothed by Juan Carreno de Miranda.
"In Eugenia’s case, the painter goes as far as to refer to her as a monster. Indeed, the paintings are known as The Monster Clothed and The Monster Undressed. The latter portrait shows Eugenia posing naked and deprived of her humanity like a mythological creature. This often leads the painting to be subtitled Bacchus, who is the Roman God of wine, festivity, and insanity. In the other portrait, Eugenia wears a red and white dress which transforms Eugenia’s body into a grotesque shape. While the portraits are praised by art historians for presenting her with dignity, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, the paintings are very hard to look at and it is impossible to deny the darker reality which is so obviously at play. In the portraits, Eugenia appears highly sad and uncomfortable." (1)
Eugenia's story is one of objectifying humiliation, and her longstanding popularity reminds us of our ableist history.
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Her nearly life-sized statue etches her unique size and uncommon beauty. In straying from The Monster Undressed we attempt to return dignity to Eugenia and break the stigma that caused so much strife to her life. She died in the 17th century at 24. (2)
(1): The Story of Eugenia Martinez Vallejo, Claire Rochet, Girl Museum Inc 2021
(2): Sculpture of Eugenia Martinez Vallejo, Atlas Obscura 2021
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lovesonblog · 9 months ago
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interesting Lady Aphrodite facts!
- she is also the goddess of ports, and port towns!
- many ancient artworks of her, depicted her with traditionally male features, like beards, along with traditionally female features. she has long been associated with gender ambiguity and sexual fluidity.
- she was revered during times of politics.
- seashells are not only offered to Lady Aphrodite due to her associations with the ocean, but also due to seashells’ likeness to the biological female genitals.
- a statue of Lady Aphrodite was the first ever fully sized, fully naked, female form stone sculpture to be created. this image is a recreation of said statue, made from marble, during the roman era.
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- traditionally, Lady Aphrodite was depicted wearing clothes. it wasn’t really until the roman era that this changed, and most artworks began depicting her naked.
- julius ceasar was very fond of the roman version of Aphrodite (Venus), and a lot of roman artworks depicted her wearing armour, or armed with weapons.
- opiates were once associated with Lady Aphrodite. Many people offered her Opiates, or did Opiates in her honor. opium-burners were often found at her shrines in ancient times.
- she is also associated with lotus flowers!
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kiss-me-muchoo · 4 months ago
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𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞? || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐚
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part one: here || part two; i’ve been the archer
summary_ after returning from Egypt, you are set to marry your half brother Geta. When you fall in love with General Marcus Acaius, your brother tries everything to prevent you from slipping away from him.
warnings_CRINGE, age gap!, semi incest (do not romanticize irl) reader x Geta, drama, angst, VERY quick love confessions, implied SMUT +18
NOTES_ who’s afraid of little old me?, I just wished there were gallows in Ancient Rome, listen to my awful playlist for Marcus and the classic I have for Pedro bb.
♪ ♫ Pedro playlist + Marcus’s playlist ✰ Index (+ fics here)
If there was something you’d never miss… were the carmine sunsets. Those lasted more than usual. That kept the beginning of the night warm and made you the silent promise of another good day by the following morning.
It had been easy for your father to send you away as soon as your mother quit their marriage. Your brother was a big inconvenience and a hidden mistake that shattered your little wealthy family. Under the cautious look of the Roman Senate, your parents were still bonded in a strong marriage. But the truth was that your father never truly loved the woman who gave birth to you. Which led to your mother leaving for Egypt, a Roman Province. Soon after her departure, you were sent to Alexandria too.
Each day was a boost to your status. Learning a vast variety of languages and dialects, learning different types of dances, being able to handle weapons, and gaining control over the Egyptian cities, to help your powerful father; The Emperor.
You barely missed Rome. Your mother was a cold Empress that loosened all the knots your father could have tightened around you. Growing up used to the Egyptian parties, drinking the finest beer and bread. Taking occasional lovers since virginity was not a necessity for marriage in Egyptian society. One of those lovers specifically, was a tall warrior with sun-kissed bronze skin that transformed you into a woman in every aspect you couldn’t discover by yourself. It was a shame when he died after a bad injury during war.
In the present, being in your first years as a young woman, things were likely to change, and you were very aware of it. That didn’t stop you from having the time of your life in the vivid city of Alexandria. With very few friends, a dead lover, and a dream.
Every night you savored those carmine sunsets to pray to Venus. Perhaps your dream of finding a true love hadn’t happened yet due to praying to her instead to Hathor; the god of love in Egyptian territory. Nevertheless, you intended to marry a man who was ridiculously, recklessly, and borderline obsessed with you. You wanted to live the broken dream of your mother.
Until desires were abruptly paused one night. When you received a letter from your father.
“A letter from the Emperor. It is the wish of your father to have you back in Rome” Your walls crumbled into pieces. The face of shock was splashed all across your face as you listened to your mother.
“What motivated his decision?”
“I can assure you, I don’t know, my child,” your mother says vaguely, tending his favorite flowers inside the palace.
“Do not lie to me, mother” she sighs and suddenly, she starts crying. You don’t know what to do, but the sight unsettles you.
“He wants you to marry Geta…” your eyes get impossibly wide open, and you gasp in shock.
“My brother?” your mother nods. You pace back and forth, wondering why and how could your father come to that conclusion.
Although you were used to attending weddings in Egypt that came from a mother marrying her son, to a brother marrying his sister, it was… awkward. This was the boy that destroyed your family, the boy that would take half of your rights as heir was meant to be your husband and father of your children.
The mere thought scares you.
“Will you accompany me?” It’s the first thing you come up with.
“I must stay here since Egypt won’t have you now” You frown at her words. But your throat tightens, defying to produce tears that quickly threaten to spill everywhere.
“Be strong, remember everything I’ve taught you. No men will defy the tenacity of the emperor’s daughter.” you nod, your eyes prickling with fear that explodes in your chest.
“And in between, find the love I couldn’t keep, no matter what, y/n…”
“I’m seeing you again, Right, mother?” she nods, giving you a cold hug.
“I’ll always be here…”
For the first time, the carmine sunset does not bring you peace. Your mind is edging towards collapse as you approach Rome. As the light of the light leaves, you question everything. So many questions and nothing of time.
There were no shattered crystals after dinner as you expected. Your brother Geta welcomed you in Rome with excitement and it confused you even more. He gave you a short and personal tour of his newest garden and prepared the finest banquet made by all of the servants.
Geta is a sole copy of your father. Same mannerisms and style. Only behind his attentive look, you were aware of the sadistic man who talked to you with respect.
“Where is Father?” you ask him, sipping at your wine.
“An important meeting surged. He’ll join us tomorrow, we are preparing vast festivities”
“Festivities for what?” he smiles, you don’t like how compassionate and polite he’s being.
“Our marriage, soror” The heavy makeup on his face does everything to hide the truth of the narcissistic man he is.
You could swear he hated you because your mother was the sovereign empress and you the rightful heir. Your father just happened to have two wives and two kids at the same time.
And despite everything, you didn’t hate your brother. You despised her mother for drawing your own apart from your father. For convincing him to send you away from your solemn fair future. For transforming your brother into some incompetent who seemed to have a hunger for chaos and madness.
“I must thank you, for welcoming me… despite our background differences” It takes him aback. Geta expected a disheveled girl, a rebellious female who followed the ways of the savages; the Egyptians. But he encountered a bright and marvelous sister who tried to act with peace after being so far from home for so long.
“I wished we could’ve grown together, like a united family” you admit coldly, avoiding the whole marriage issue.
“We will be a family, y/n. I’ll make sure of that” he says hiding his lips in his cup of wine and it sends shivers running down your spine.
Geta sees how you stand up and politely push forward the chair you were seated in; excellent manners.
“As a tradition of mine, I’ll see the sunset and pray before going to rest. Please excuse me….” your brother nods, still processing your words as you leave the imposing place where you were born. You desperately need fresh air.
Near there’s a meadow with empty spaces. It’s just a piece of land that soon would probably serve to build another coliseum.
One thing is noticeable. Sunsets in Rome aren’t carmine… they are mauve. And for some reason, you can’t feel peace.
But you hold tight to your dream. Your happiness is what you’ve prioritized ever since a teenager.
That’s why you hadn’t failed a day to pray to Venus.
Venus, hear me, please. You whose care, throughout all the centuries, the unions of men and their lovers have been placed, what, I pray, have I come to merit? Release me from this uncertainty, gift me a lover, who will warm my heart for eternity. Venus, save me from the hells of my ancestries.
Someone touches your naked shoulder, it makes you gasp in horror.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.” someone says. When you turn around, you are facing a man who’s incredibly taller and broader than you. He’s significantly older than you, but he’s graceful. The second he takes to appreciate the sunset as well is your chance to study his profile. Gorgeous classical profile.
“Excuse me, but… Who are you?” you ask, moving aside, leaving his hand that rested on your shoulder in the air. He noticed it.
“General Marcus Acaius… I wondered why a woman was here all alone” you know him. He’s the most successful general your father ever had. He was a concise warrior, even considered a killer.
Somehow, you couldn’t help but find some sweetness in his deep voice. By knowing him for just a second, you felt comfortable by his side.
“I take pleasure in appreciating the sunset…” your soft features intrigued him. You looked slightly different than most of the women he sees in Rome.
“I haven’t appreciated the sky since I was a kid”
“What a shame, General. You would find some peace hidden between the clouds” Your accent was slightly colder than everyone’s. You didn’t have the golden hair that usually meant power. He was infatuated and tremendously interested in the woman he was facing.
“I must know where you come from…” he says, paying attention to your eyes. You smile, touching the little pearls that fall from your pale blue dress.
“I was born here… but circumstances made Alexandria my home. I arrived last night…” his eyes show surprise. He analyzed your bracelets, made of pure gold. You had a leaf crown with tiny sapphires that shimmered around your head. It wasn’t hard to tell who you were.
“majestas… you shouldn’t be here” he mutters and you don’t even flinch.
“I can assure you, General Acaius… I rarely find myself in the position of damsel in distress” he chuckles and you are relieved to see he doesn’t carry a ring around his finger. It was happening so fast, you wanted to know everything about him.
“You may call me Marcus. Except when we are in the presence of your father or brother” you remember you are supposed to marry your brother. But it wasn’t official just yet. And you were quickly falling for this older and gorgeous General.
After a sweet battle or glances, he has to put down his sword. You notice the details and the signs of years of use it has.
“Is this the weapon you master the most?” he nods, noticing the dry blood around the edges.
“Indeed… I learned to wield it before I even went to school” You smile, nervous but eager to throw your next comment. He was speaking very softly towards you. But it was obvious that he was a reserved and serious man.
“I use the spear and axe” Your revelation leaves Marcus surprised. There were very few female gladiators, most of them being treated worse than common slaves. No female in the Roman hierarchy wielded weapons.
“You truly are one of a kind, majestas” As the emperor’s daughter, you weren’t supposed to ever wield a weapon. Contrary to that rule, you were required to learn about politics. In Egypt, you were free.
“Oh, don’t call me that… my name is Y/n”
“Precious name…”
His smile mixed with yours burst in an obvious mutual flirtation. After talking for about two hours, the moon is the only witness in the dark meadows, where Marcus and you kiss until your lips are swollen and he has hydrated him after days of dryness. He promises to keep close to you as his fingers slip under the fabric of your tunic. You swear to welcome his touch no matter what as your hand palmed his girthy length under his heavy armor.
That night both of you seal your fate. That night Marcus Acaius ignites a vivid fire inside your heart.
Often, you wondered if candles could run out due to the excessive use of them each night. At least thirty candles are illuminating the place. You patiently wait in the room Marcus had in the Emperor’s palace, seated on the edge of the bed. When the General comes out, he spots you at his resting place. Immediately, you frown at him.
“You said it was a minor injury” There’s a lot of dry blood on his shoulder. He had taken a bath… but the injury was there, uncomfortably lying over his skin.
“It is a minor injury.” He assures, sitting beside you on the bed.
It’s been only a couple of days since you met him… and you are already too keen on him.
“There are no gladiators where I come from. Only warriors… Generals only command their soldiers. We never used weapons as a spectacle”
“I’m starting to believe Egypt is a better place than Rome” you shrug.
“I miss my home. I miss the freedom. I can’t marry Geta…” you admit out loud for the first time. Marcus huffs, he doesn’t have a problem with letting you know he is jealous.
“Right… the wedding.”
“I have to marry him after all. Only that way I could share the title of Empress with him” Marcus sighs tired.
“Am I descending into madness for these strong feelings I have for you?” you turn to look at him. Your hand moves to the end on top of his.
“I look into your eyes… and I feel safe, Marcus” you admit, straddling him. Your fingers trace his beard as you lean to kiss him deeply. He reciprocates and holds your hips steadily.
It’s a wild moment to openly share carnal passion, but neither of you cares. You push him against the feathery pillows and continue kissing. His hair gets tangled around your fingers and his forearms and hands have disappeared under your dress. You start throbbing and he gets hard. But the moment is suddenly interrupted by some footsteps near the room. In a blink of an eye, you get away from Marcus and he stands up from the bed too.
“Use the trail at the end of the hallway. I’ll see you tomorrow, satis” he says, kissing your forehead before you quietly leave his resting place.
Some guards were wandering around the place as usual. You skillfully pass by them, using the trail Marcus told you. But it’s dark and very quiet, not even illuminated by torches. Your sandals barely make a sound against the floors.
So it’s a huge surprise when a hand covers your mouth and the next thing you feel is getting slammed against the wall. It didn’t hurt you but it was violent.
You gasp for air and encounter your half-brother. He has his golden crown and velvet robes, his face almost clean of tints that weren’t his natural skin.
“What were you doing with General Acaius?” You frown.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” his ginger hair is the only thing that shines in the dark trail.
“Quit the lie, soror. Has he made you impure?”
Oh dear brother, if you knew my purity has been gone for many years. But the truth was that Marcus hadn’t claimed you his yet.
“No. And it should not be a matter of importance to you” he chuckles.
Geta isn’t an idiot. He had seen the way Acaius looked at you during dinners. He noticed you came back to rest later than usual. And it was making him boil in anger. His disgust towards you before your arrival was strong. But after you turned to be a delight for his taste, Geta was burning for you.
“Oh, but it is a matter of importance to me. You are my future wife” he says, threatening to seal his lips with yours. The arm that was holding you still sneaked around your waist, applying a little too much pressure.
“Do you think I like the thought of other men touching or even smiling at you?”
Oh… so he was jealous.
His lips gently brush your neck as you set your eyes on the moon, waiting for the moment to be over. His touch is vicious, possessive, and harsh. The trail his lips have followed from your collarbones to your throat ends in your chin, mere inches away from your lips.
“If we can even consider this love… you have an odd way of showing it” he lets you go, the cocky smile on his face never leaving.
“Love or not… you are going to be mine”
“I’m also the heiress of the Emperor. We’ll see about that, Geta.” You spit bitterly, literally running away from him.
You have converted into an enemy for him. And you had to be ready to walk cautiously. Because you had changed your mind. Perhaps you would lose the crown… but weren’t going to marry him.
You missed dates so badly, but then the following morning, when a plate of them was included in the morning, you couldn’t resist. You are eating alone. Until the doors open and your father appears followed by two guards.
“Father…” you stand up, making a reverence to him. He smiles, extending his arms to hug you.
“I have wonderful news. We’ve arranged an encounter for you to demonstrate your abilities in combat” You are extremely confused.
“What?” Your father sighs, breaking the hug.
“I’m aware you performed in celebrations back in Alexandria. This is just the perfect opportunity to show the senate and council you are a prepared lady to receive the title of Empress one day…”
“Father… as much as I appreciate the intention. I’ve performed as a way to train for battle; gods forbid us from having to go to war, but… here, your soldiers and slaves fight for the mere feeling of feeding the greediness of hierarchy. I can’t do that…”
You weren’t a target for the empire to show off. You were more than just a woman with the ability to carry a weapon. You valued your freedom. And ever since arriving in Rome, day by day, you feel that you keep slipping away from it.
“The decision is taken. Heavens know why but the official announcement of your engagement with Geta remains being delayed. Hence, I won’t turn the Senate and council against me when there's no need. I may only wish you good luck, dear” You remember Marcus. He could have voted against the encounter. He was the General.
Suddenly you are bursting in anger, making the coldest reverence to your father as he leaves.
Your angry steps lead your way to Marcus. You found him taking a rest on a nearby balcony. When he spots you, his smile vanishes.
“You couldn’t impede that brainless idea of me participating in a combat?” Marcus has to sigh, placing his hands on his hips. He was expecting your anger to be honest.
“I couldn’t say no. If it did, they would suspect. I already have your brother behind my back all the time” You can fight him because he’s right. But it doesn’t dissipate your anger.
“You are going to be fine. I may be able to arrange the rules. I can choose the gladiator that will fight you, but your father and brother have the last word. What weapon do you want to use?”
“The spear…” he nods.
“Female gladiators tend to wield the bow and sword. You can easily disarm her…” you are not scared, you are just frustrated.
“Teach me the methods warriors use here…” you mutter. Marcus nods, taking your hand and giving an apologetic look.
“You will win, my dear.” His fingers place some strands of your hair behind your ear, it melts your anger and transforms it into peace. You want to scream how much you desire him. But you must retain your feelings given the hatred days you were living.
“Let me thank you for the training in advance, General,” you say, getting on your knees.
“Good girl…” Marcus whispered as soon as your tongue started working on him.
The usual crowd in the Colosseum couldn’t be compared with the amount of screams and cheers from the people watching the emperor’s daughter fighting one of the greatest female gladiators in Rome; Calista.
The sandy floors were covered in an elegant tapestry that marked the square where the show was occurring.
You are sweating, there's blood running down your chin and you can’t breathe correctly. Calista was ordered not kill you, but for some reason, she seemed to be personally trying to knock you out.
She had a helmet and armor in gold and red. But it was hard to deny everyone was invested in the attire you wore. A golden mask of Neith, the god of war that covered your face and a gold vest and bare shoulders. Everyone thought you were insane for that.
You remember all the things Marcus told you. Soon after your father started the encounter, you learned gladiators were blinded by the necessity of seeing blood on their rival instead of following a technique of combat.
Calista’s sword is sharp enough to give you a long cut by the movement of a soft swatch. You yelp in pain and she kicks your ribs, making you fall to your knees.
Marcus stands worried from his seat, but he soon returns to his place after making eye contact with Geta, who sends daggers with his eyes. Marcus understood your brother was insane when he disapproved of the gladiator he had chosen. Geta picked the most sanguinary and violent warrior to fight you.
Marcus couldn’t do anything. But he was impressed by your skills. He sighed with joy everytime you slipped from Calista’s touch. Even your father was displaying a face of proud.
But it’s not the same for you. You enter in panic, knowing you are at full mercy, almost dropping your spare. Your father is about to stop the encounter. The crowd is impossibly louder. You want to throw up. The sweat mixed with nausea, the cold air of the night, and the dryness in your throat are too much to handle. But you refuse to lose. With the sharp edge of the spare, you cut Calista’s calf. She’s startled, ready to strike back when your leg pushes her on her back. The heavy sword she carries makes a loud noise. Her skull crushes against the floor. It gives you enough time to stand, place your foot in her throat and point the spare against her forehead, ending the encounter.
The cheers are disgustingly excessive. But you’re done. You did what your father asked. You take off the mask and look at your brother in anger. Geta offers you a fake smile. He was surprised to see you were able to slip away, from his evil plans, from defying your father.
You offer your hand to Calista, but she refuses. She looks like she wants to kill you. But she only reverences your family and leaves.
Everything is forgotten when you set your eyes on Marcus. You want to smile and run to his side. He sees you with adoration. He sees the reincarnation of Psyche in you. A woman who Marcus swears it’s even more graceful than Venus and Persephone themselves.
Marcus Acaius makes a decision; He must marry you.
After a banquet, your bones and muscles ache with each movement you make, but you run towards Marcus. You need to see him after such a long day. He waits for you in the secure spot of the farthest tower. His light robes and leaf crown are securely dressing him when you spot him. The gold in his attire matches your bronze bracelets and indigo dress.
He’s the man you desire. He’s the man that had offered you a real demonstration of affection. He wasn’t trying to manhandle you like everyone before did. It’s more than enough to make you think your prayers to Venus have worked. You collide in his chest, giggling.
“I love you”
Both of you say at the same time. It leaves you shocked. Marcus smiles and you have to kiss him to believe it’s real.
“I promise you… we’ll be together” you nod dying out of happiness. He kisses you back and you feel you want to cry out of happiness.
What feels like a second was an hour of kissing.
And Geta was able to witness some of that time. Drowning in a monstrous wave of jealousy, he ran towards the Emperor to accuse you of adultery. But it was too late, your father was out of the city for the rest of the day. Geta is beyond enraged with the news. So he sends part of his father’s cabinet to a brothel, hoping his evil plan would work.
Later, when he finds you going towards the garden, he fastens his pace to harshly grab your forearms and stop you.
“That General is no good for you.” He spits with disgust as you squirm away from his touch.
“Neither are you” you fireback, stepping backwards.
“Go find him. You should know he just uses you to have our father’s approval. So I insist you, go find him and see what kind of man he is after you leave his bed” You raise your hand ready to slap him, but you don’t. You simply turn away and keep walking.
Geta’s words echo through your mind. You question him, valuing the honesty of his words. Marcus was a man after all. There wasn’t a perfect man nor a perfect woman, but you liked to believe there was still good in the hearts of the people.
Perhaps Marcus would be disappointed by your mistrust. But the uncertainty of his loyalty was something you couldn’t risk.
That night, you go out in a linen cloak, hunting the man you love. The guards won’t know you went out prowling around the city.
It’s late, but not for the city. Although is not crowded, there are a lot of people in the market. You let yourself wander across the place. There’s handmade stuff that women and kids sell. It makes you think about power and how not all of the people had it. If you ever became Empress, you wanted to see a prosperous and bright city. You want to ensure them with security and peace. You want to get rid of eccentric stuff, including gladiators.
The sound of music along with laughter draws your attention to a specific place. At first glance, you think it’s a tavern. But as your feet made it to the entrance, you gasped in shock. There are more men compared to women. The females are scattered around the place. Some feed grapes to men. Others dance and use their bodies to charm. All of them have their chests bare, showing their breasts and silver bracelets. It shocks you to see some of the females naked, kissing between groups of four or more and almost fucking them at the sight of everyone. The wine smells cheap, the whole place smells like sweat and sex combined.
You see from afar a large table of men. Your eyes look at the head of the table and it causes a great mix of confusion and intrigue. Because it’s your Marcus who’s seated with those men. He talks and looks seriously intimidating with his sword resting on the table. Your heart starts racing as a woman gets closer. She raises her hand to touch him. Marcus turns to look at the woman. She has short blonde hair, pale skin, and purple fabric that barely covers her body. Your eyes water at the sight. Your lover, who promised find the way to be with you hours ago is there, surrounded by naked women and you can hear him cursing. When the blonde woman is about to sit in his lap, you leave the place running away. There’s not even time to tear yet, you are completely covered in shock and disgust.
Soon you are back. You gasp for air, opening the doors of the place you call home. Two guards let you enter and you throw your cloak to the floor. When you look at the end of the long hallway, you spot Geta talking with his counselor. At the sigh of you, he indicates the man to leave. You want to leave him behind so bad, you avoid his eyes but it’s his voice that stops you.
“I told you so…” he says with an evil smile.
“Be quiet…” his laugh is loud and it angers you more.
“He doesn’t care about you. Acaius only cares for power. He could never love you-“
“SILENCE!”
You push him towards the granite bench behind and he is taken aback.
Even more when you lean to smash your lips with his.
It’s disgusting. There’s no care, only two individuals fighting for control in the lips of each other. Even the beetroot juice you applied hours ago has transferred to your chin and Geta’s. His hand is resting with pressure on your nape, and you slightly pull his hair, making him groan before kissing you even harder.
Just when you are about to sit in his lap, you stop. You look at him in horror. There’s no way you just kissed him. That you almost succumbed to his touch. But you remember Marcus with that woman. What were you doing?
Geta sees you quietly crying before standing up from the bench and watching you bolt.
You run to the meadows. The place where everything began. And at that moment, you realized you had completely failed.
Fighting in that encounter with Calista for what? Unnecessary approval of men who would surely die before you birthed your first child.
You pleased your father to live in peace for what? To carry the weight of a narcissistic brother and a traitor lover.
Your prayers were in vain. The love you wanted to find was over before it even started. Because it wasn’t real. You should’ve stayed back in Egypt. Maybe you should have married Geta on the first day. At least whatever he did to hurt you would have a payback. But with Marcus, it resulted in an excruciating pain that you had never felt before. Which makes you feel so ignorant and brainless. All that ego your mother had helped you build collapsed at that moment. You just wished for a remedy. Which for sure didn’t exist. But there must be a way, to make everyone feel at least a drop of what you have.
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part two or what? (Literally didn’t add the part I wrote for the sneak peak lol)
taglist: @drewharrisonwriter @my-dearest-agent @yellowheartz @spookyxsam @natasharomanoffsmotorcycle @uncassettodiricordi @kluvspedritooo @littleblackcatinwonderland
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somewhereincairparavel · 7 months ago
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Alright. I came across someone saying that Rick "put Jason in a pedestal" and "overhyped" him by emphasizing how good looking he is and that Jason shouldn't have been so attractive looking. (Tbf tho that person made it sound like they seemed more mad bc their least favourite character was considered good looking lol) but I'll yap about the significance here anyways. Beware of a very long yapping session below.
I do understand their frustration though, because jason getting told that he looks good all the time makes it seem very shallow and unfair to the others.
And let me tell you, Jason is SUPPOSED to be gorgeous looking in everyone's eyes. He is supposed to be conventionally handsome, Rick didn't intend for his looks to be "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder " or something like Percy's (like how Piper didn't find him as impressive) Percy's is supposed to be more authentic. Percy's character isnt centred in people idolizing him, everyone can acknowledge that he's handsome looking, but it isn't in a "perfect" type of way, he's a carefree spirit and that reflects on his looks. While Jason is hardwired as this ethereal looking hero in people's eyes that not even ONE can deny that he looks good, bc ppl in Rome had set him as the "standard". Jason said this before in the lost hero, that him being a son of Jupiter, makes him feel like the support he gets is only because his dad is a very regal and intimidating figure.
That's kind of the whole point, he's supposed to look like this perfect man who can do no wrong. His "Golden noble boy" arc is literally the whole concept of his character. Why else do you think rick wrote Aphrodite approving of Jason's looks saying that he needed no improvement (which she rarely does) ?
Because Jason is supposed to be put like a statue to admire and idolize, that's ALSO why rick made sure to add that Jason looks like a Roman sculpture, bc that's like a metaphor for his inner conflicts. The guy was put like an artifact for people to ogle at in camp Jupiter ever since he was a kid of 4. That's part of the tragedy.
Annabeth said it perfectly “Annabeth tried to hide it, but she still didn’t completely trust the guy. He acted too perfect - always following the rules, always doing the honorable thing. He even looked too perfect. In the back of her mind, she had a nagging thought. What if this is a trick and he betrayed us?” Mark of Athena, page 6.
His mother, whom he's supposed to look like, is also a literal world wide tv actress. So you can't expect anything less either.
Also, Jason is supposed to mirror Percy. And let's be real. Rick put Percy in a VERY high pedestal looks wise, aswell, Not just Jason. And that's okay.
Rick made Hazel mistake Percy for a literal god because he was just that good looking (tbf, in a way, when I was younger, I found this to be a little bit of an exaggeration, bro was covered in mud and seaweed and was compared to a god, it was rlly funny to a 10 year old me 😭 yeah but don't mind this though, this was just a younger me jealous that I couldn't be as pretty as Percy was in mud lol) If Percy can be "hyped" up so "unrealistically" in that particular situation then so can Jason. They are both literal half gods, so unrealistic praise is very normal) and rick also made sure to emphasize that almost all the teen characters had a crush on Percy. So apparently that isn't called putting a character in a pedestal but Jason's is? They are BOTH put in pedestals, because they're both heroes.
Jason and Percy are supposed to be equals, so both of them being in the top two when it comes to looks makes SENSE. Because people are supposed to argue about who is better looking, since they're written as foils.
You cannot expect rick to make Percy look like a god and Jason look like a rat 😭 then there's no point of having them as parallels if one has the upper hand in something. Rick did a good job by conveying that they are BOTH attractive, but in different ways. That's why the Percy/Jason looks debate always have mixed answers.
Jason getting complimented by Aphrodite, the GODDESS of beauty, for his looks and her saying that he didn't have anything to "fix" in his face BC it already looks gorgeous = Percy getting compared to a gorgeous Roman god by hazel. They are both equal comparisons in slightly different tones.
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junipernight · 9 months ago
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I redesigned Yangchen's outfit!
... I actually designed a lot of outfits for her, because I am Extremely Normal about these books, and also I like costume design and learning about historical clothing.
Short disclaimer: These fantasy clothes aren't culturally or historically accurate, just historically and culturally influenced. I don't have any expertise in East or Central Asian culture or clothing, I've just been clicking around on the internet a lot the last two weeks learning things because that's my idea of fun lol. If you wanted to talk to people who actually know things you should check out @atlaculture or like @ziseviolet, both of whom's blogs I referenced while drawing.
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I only designed two alternates for the outer robes. The first is based loosely off the robes Buddhist monks wear (loosely, because drawing draped fabric is hard ^^') especially the Tibetan zhen robe. This garment is just a long wide rectangle of cloth which can be draped across the body in lots of ways (versatility ftw!).
The other garment I drew is a Chuba, a traditional garment from Tibet and the Himalayas. It's a robe, but it highkey reminds me of kilts and hoodies, in that it a) can be worn over one or both shoulders or just as a skirt and b) it makes a giant pocket over the stomach. The long sleeves can be folded up or tied back btw.
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I spent the most time on the middle layer, because I was thinking it has to be something she could comfortably fight in while also being suitable for diplomatic meetings, meditating, espionage, and possibly sleeping.
And like. You can fight and hike and whatnot in loose skirts, but it's annoying how twisted up they can get while sleeping. ALSO, YC does a lot of flying and leaping, so my girl needs pants. My faves are definitely the Xiaolin monk pants and the yellow wrap pants Aang wears. I tried dhoti (Indian wrap pants) because that kind of looks like what the giant statue of Yangchen meditating might be wearing, but I think it looks odd paired with a highwaisted shirt instead of a long tunic. Maybe I'll do some more drawings with her in a tunic and dhoti or a monk's dhonka and shemdap later, idk.
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As any good historical fashion nerd knows, foundational garments are everything (◡‿◡✿).
But also, there's a scene where Yangchen and Kavik pretend to be lovers, and are "discovered" by a maid sleeping in the same room, with Yangchen in a state of partial undress (gasp!)
I am living for this fake drama; I need to know how scandalized the maid was lmao.
When the maid walks in, Yangchen immediately wraps herself in a bedsheet before ushering the maid back out the door. Maybe all she did was take off her outer robe... but why would she need to wrap herself in a sheet if she was wearing a long-sleeved high-necked gown? I got the sense from both the book and cursory research about buddhist monks that walking around without your outer robes was socially acceptable, at least in casual settings. I think it more likely she was in her underclothes, which historically (in the west anyway) would also double as sleeping clothes.
"The Aang" is censored because this is Tumblr-dot-com. Its mostly a joke, but also, I know other countries are less uptight about bººbies, so like, maybe it's a valid option ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The ~Water Tribe~ look is based off Sokka's swimwear and not Katara's, mostly because chest binding seems antithetical to airbending.
All the other undergarment designs are based on hanfu neiyi, because that's what I could find reference photos and romanized names for.
I'm tired of typing now. Lemme know if you have questions about something, or want me to post a larger version of a specific outfit. I am open to feedback and tentatively open to requests.
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