#story: ancient myths

[daughter-of-melpomene]

𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆… 𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐌𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐒, 𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘

Thomas Sampson has been having a truly awful last two years. Recently divorced and fired from his position at Brown after his problems with alcohol were discovered, he has been blacklisted from almost every truly prestigious university in the country, and forced to take the only job he’s been offered in months: teaching a brand-new World Mythology class at Newsome, a small university in Connecticut. Half numb inside and having lost much of his passion for the myths he teaches, he is resigned to spending his days reciting the same ancient stories to uncaring students and his nights going to AA meetings and falling asleep in front of a muted television - until a young woman with large glasses and dark clothes begins a debate with him in his first lesson and, without even meaning to, starts to bring color back into his world.

Ana Vazquez may not have been through what her professor has, but they haven’t exactly had it easy either. Having survived a home invasion that killed her parents and forced to become their younger sister’s legal guardian at only eighteen, she has finally made it to their senior year at Newsome with her sister as a freshman after being forced to delay pursuing their degree in order to be the caregiver she needed to be. Suffering from terrible insomnia and terrified to fall asleep and see their parents’ bodies all over again, she lives off of energy drinks and medications to soothe their anxiety, but is nonetheless determined to take as many classes as she can handle - including Newsome’s new World Mythology course, which they sign up for because of her childhood love for stories of gods and divine heroes, but quickly find that their professor is the part of the course she enjoys most.

In the beginning, Ana and Thomas’s relationship is that of a perfectly regular teacher and student, but after a chance midnight encounter, the two slowly begin to grow closer, sharing the darkest corners of their souls and leaning on each other for the comfort they both so crave… so, of course, it is inevitable that the bond between them begins to cross the line of what is socially acceptable. And they know, the both of them, that what they are doing is wrong, that the inherent power Thomas has over Ana is a problem and that relying on another person to hold them together is not at all healthy… but beyond the deities they discuss in the classroom, they have begun to find a new, beautiful religion in each other, to build a love that is messy and aching but so, so true, and that makes it very hard for either of them to care about what other people may deem “right”.

General Taglist: @hiddenqveendom, @auxiliarydetective, @foxesandmagic, @artemisocs, @reyofluke-ocs, @endless-oc-creations, @stanshollaand, @ginnystilinski-reblogs, @luucypevensie, @ginger-grimm, @arrthurpendragon, @fakedatings, @impales, @claryxjackson, @dancingsunflowers-ocs, @eddysocs, @lucys-chen, @ocappreciationtag. (Also tagging @nolanhollogay and @starcrossedjedis.)

[sheepwithspecs]

i don't normally make posts about things myself but i keep thinking about how the whole point of EW was that the strength you needed didn't come from a god, or a supreme being, or a primal or anything: it all comes from you

your love for this world and your friends and everything that you allow purpose and meaning- that is what gives you the strength to climb to your feet, even when you feel utterly alone at the end of the universe

In Shb we had Ardbert who gave us the strength to take that next step, but in EW we are alone (save for Zenos i guess but this ain't about him). That's why even though I agree that "it was the ancients" is becoming an extremely stale take, I still forgive MotR and the Twelve because it's hammering in EW's theme of being enough to handle what life throws at you without needing to rely on something much larger than yourself

EW's plot- and even the Omicron quests -point to the fact that dynamis alone does nothing. It has to be moved to action by feelings/emotions for it to work. As N-7000 says, "all [dynamis] requires is for us to ask "what if?""

Zodiark did not save the Ancients. Hydaelyn cannot save Her Children. The Twelve do not answer your cries. Primals are bound to the prayers of those that summon them.

The Warrior of Light is an imperfect being. More talented than most, but imperfect yet. EW does not make you a god. It shows that change can be wrought by anyone, at any time. You need not do it alone: there are others willing to come to your aid. But when you are alone, at the end of your rope, facing insurmountable odds: the strength you need can only come from within.

[generouskittentidalwave]

Please gods I'm on my last nerve

Me: "Wow, as a greek buff it warms my heart to see a new telling of Odysseus's tale in the modern era, as a form of a musical no less. It's so good :DD"

Meanwhile you fuckers in every comment section I am forced to bare witness to: "Well Eurylochus actually did nothing wrong it was all Odysseus's fault" "Odysseus gave his name to the Cyclops" "Odysseus should've never assumed a leader's position" "Odysseus-"

Me: "...."

Me: "Come here, yes you there reading this tumblr post who also listens to Epic the musical. Listen to me closely, VERY closely. If you become TOXIC like the percy Jackson fandom can be, like these commenters here, I will PERSONALLY grab your neck WITH MY BARE HANDS through the screen and TIE IT around YOUR HANDS AND FEET like a CARTOON so you will *NEVER* BE ABLE TO MAKE STUPID COMMENTS LIKE THAT IN YOUR LIFE *AGAIN*

[ljjsims]

Greek Goddess Legacy Challenge: Generation #1: Gaia, Complete sheets

I present to you, the woman who started it all: Gaia! Or, as we know her now, Mother Earth. Enjoy this challenge :)

You are new to this world you have just moved to. A world that, to you, is the most beautiful yet. Nature all around you. A perfect place for a fresh start. You are so excited to meet all the people around you, find love, start a family! You want it all! Soon you meet your neighbors Ouranos, Pontus and Aitna. You soon become best friends with both Aitna and Pontus. And that Ouranos, He has something, doesn’t he? He makes you feel like he would steal all the stars in the sky just for you.

Little bit explanation with the sheets: - First sheet is for describing your current generation, with the challenges you need to do each life-stage. Also, because I love the myths, a bit of mythological background. May it inspire you :) - Second sheet is the preparation sheet for this generation, with important characters for your story. It is technically optional, but I love seeing sims with a backstory in my world, so I would highly recommend it. - Third sheet is for your gens children. They all have their own little challenges if your interested in those. I try to make all of them a bit different from each other, so it doesn't get boring. Your heir is also on this sheet, but I've put their challenges on their own sheets. Stay tuned for those ;) - Fourth sheet is completely optional. If you want sims with names from the myths and love making sims to see them in your world, this is for you! All with a little mythological background ofc, you know me.

Finished Gaia's Challenge? The next generation is Aphrodite! If you want to try her childhood challenges as well, look up her page once she is born :

The Greek Goddesses Challenge by LJJ-Sims is a challenge based on the ancient mythical creatures and stories from Greece. I fell in love with Greek mythology in high school and have not let that love go since. In this challenge you will follow 10 deities in their journey through life. Every goddess has a different take on and goal in life. Special about this challenge?  All your kids have little challenges of their own, not only your heir. These challenges are optional, so if you feel like these are too much or just too restricting for you: by all means let them go. I also have sheets for characters that you can make before you start each generation. This gives your challenge a lot more personality and makes it frankly easier and more fun!

A little disclaimer: because I made these gods and goddesses into a legacy challenge, the relationships in the myths don’t exactly match the relationship in this challenge. There is a lot of keep it in the family in mythology, to put it lightly. And apart from the fact that you can’t do that in the Sims, I don’t really like that part. So I didn’t include it, thus the inconsistency. An example: Ares is now Hera’s stepfather instead of her son, which she conceived with her brother  and husband Zeus. This inconsistency can also be found in the stories. It’s just based on and not copied exactly, as Sims live lives that are a lot shorter than those of immortal gods. And it takes a way from the creativity if we just copy the myths. Even if we wanted to do that, it’s quite hard, as every myths has its fair share of variations and some are just completely different stories.

I use the MCCC-mod to alter the length of life states. You can find the days-years ratio here: the boring stuff.

[wish-i-were-heather]

"icarus imagined himself to be the stick of a candle, the wings to be the wick, and the sun to be the flame. for a small time, the wick would burn. the candle would be alight, shining brilliantly, lighting up the space for as long as the wick could last. until inevitably, the wick reached its end, the candle burning out. until the wick finally died, reaching the stick of the candle and engulfing that, too, in flames."

[sarnai4]

Athena: Ares, have you had a candy called Warheads?

Ares (suspiciously): Are you messing with me right now?

Athena: I'm being completely serious.

Ares (equally shocked and overjoyed): Really?!!

Athena (makes a bag appear): Try one.

Ares (eats it): So sour. You have to be courageous to eat these... I love them! (Devious) I bet I can eat more than you can.

Athena: I didn't necessarily tell you about them to start an eating competition.

Ares (downs another handful): Tastes like victory!

Athena:...(makes a bag appear for herself) That's what you think!

[xixovart]

“intertwined, sewn together.” is just such a beautiful raw line. two souls sewn together. two souls that were once apart, seperate and loney, but now will shred if forced apart. so they will remain as one. not a lot, just forever

(not a lot, just forever - adrianne lenker)

[unboundprompts]

Prompts Inspired by Songs about Greek Mythology

-> writing prompts from the lyrics of songs about Greek Mythology. feel free to edit as you see fit.

"It's got nothing to do with fate and everything to do with you." - Sisyphus by Andrew Bird

"Redemption lies plainly in truth." - Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youths

"You have come to love what you will always fear." - Persephone by Tamino

"I will follow you down even through the gates of hell." - Orpheus by Shawn James

"In the end, all I hope for is to be a bit of warmth for you." - Boreas by The Oh Hellos

"Look out to the future, but it tells you nothing." - Icarus by Bastille

"I get what I want, one way or the other." - Pomegranate Seeds by Julian Moon

"I remember when you told me you were afraid to die." - Icarus & Apollo by Ripto

"As the clouds slowly gather in the night, I hear nothing but the sound of broken cries." - Dionysus by Tomo

"I'm really sorry, but I will win unintentionally." - Eros by Young the Giant

"I don't mind when you play with my head." - Greek God by Conan Gray

"I want to fall in love again. Not in love with a man of this world, but fall in love with life itself." - Aphrodite by Honey Gentry

"Nothing is simple just because you wish that it is." - Ambrosia by Rosie Tucker

"I got your folded piece of paper and the few words that were laid there." - Persephone by The Tragic Thrills

"Time — she moved so slow— that she taxed my feeble mind. And I waited, impatient, for something to come around." - Persephone in the Garden by Aiudoneus

"We'll be the envy of the gods above." - The Cult of Dionysus by The Orion Experience

"Loving you is my Achilles' Heel." - Achilles Heel by J. Maya

"Do not grow complacent and take less than what you deserve." - Atlas Drowned by Gang of Youths

"I will never be the same because of the way you made my whole life change." - Artemis by Stephen Rezza

"We keep fixing what we know is only bound to break." - Theseus by The Oh Hellos

"You think you're in gold but I can see the dirt in your lines." - Alrighty Aphrodite by Peach Pit

"Stars are dying in the sky." - Medusa by Kailee Morgue

"Promise me that you'll start where I end, and I promise to give you everything that I am." - Boreas by The Oh Hellos

[marcvscicero]

apollo using the leaves of the laurel tree, of daphne’s tree, daphne who had ran so, so far to get away from him, who had begged her father to do anything to save her, who had even still shrunk away from his embrace after she had turned into the tree, is something so evil + rotten to me.

after her clear “no”, emphasised over and over again, after her desperation to escape him, he then uses her leaves and bark to “honour her” in a way that ensures she can never be free of him, must always be touching him, brought with him wherever he goes, part of his “glory” + “victory”.

even after a kind of “death”, even after trying so hard to outrun him that she gives up her life + dreams + family, by doing the only thing she now can, he doesn’t let her go. and now, not only does he have her, but she can’t refuse:

she can’t say “no”, and she can’t pull away.

she can’t even speak.

[moony-2001]

You know who I’d like to see more stories about? Hecuba, the Queen of Troy. Her story is genuinely so tragic.

She loses her husband, all of her children, and her kingdom/title

She finds out that one of her daughters, Polyxena, was “claimed” by the ghost of Achilles’ as one of his soils of war and she is brutally murdered at his tomb

Her other daughter, Cassandra, is claimed by Agamemnon the asshole as his “bride prize” and she’s carted off, never to be seen again

Her daughter-in-law is also shipped off to be a “bride prize”

Her grandson is thrown off a roof by Odysseus, the man who Hecuba becomes the “prize” of

As she sets off for Ithaca, she finds out that the man who was supposed to be keeping guard over her last remaining son, Polydorus, has not only stolen the riches meant for him, but that Polydorus had also been murdered

But despite that, in my mind, she gets the last laugh. Not only does she claw out the eyes of and (in some interpretations) kill the man who killed her final son, she manages to be free from having to belong to Odysseus by turning into a dog and even the gods take pity on her.

Hecuba’s story is another wonderful example of the rage of a bereaved mother and the incredibly sad realities of what happened to the losing side after a war.

[katerinaaqu]

It's hard talking about the disrespect to Greek mythology and religion when every argument people brings to the table is "look at this original novel that is adapted into a movie that is turned into a tv show that didn't follow the original plot" as if the Greek culture is on par with fictional story instead of a tradition and heritage of real life people.

A media that is broadcast to the public and make accessible to everyone that erased the values and lesson of a cultural story still can do harm when it feeds misunderstanding and misinterpretion of the culture it originated from.

Greek people has the right to be upset when their culture keeps getting misrepresented, doesn't matter the good intentions behind it, why must it be at the expense of Greek culture?

You can create arts that is so beautiful and so praises by many, and years from now you could look back and see what an amazing experience and community you have created out of it. But at the same time you also continue feeding the distorted ideas and flawed understanding about a culture as a whole.

All because you took from a culture and want to tell your own story.

Retelling is telling back the story. Any addition or new ideas you bring is when there's part in the original story that is vague or open for interpretations. Even then, when you elaborate, you follows the already presented ideas that the original story already established.

If it so beloved to you and so meaningful to you, why couldn't you be faithful when adapting and retelling with the talents you have?

Shouldn't it be better if you created an original story inspired by it? If you feels that the values and standards are not to your taste, but you so loved the stories and could related to it, isn't it better to create original characters and settings with your own voice and narrative with the story inspiration as the backdrop?

At this point, what is greek mythology and lore to you? That makes you so passionate so inspired, that spark your imagination that encourage you to be creative but it is at the ruin of old age history that is meaningful for the Greek identity. Do you really appreciate the values and moral that you gained from the stories, or did you forget yourself along the way?

I couldn't have said it better! I agree to all that because that is exactly my sentiment as well! On one hand of course I am proud that Greek mythology contnues to inspire and people want to create stuff on them or that even now there are people who think the values of Greek Mythology are universal and they are!

But as you said it pains me to no limits when stories that were literally created from people based on their culture and religion to pass on messages are not only distorted beyond recognition but also to a degree where nowadays most people of Greek mythology liking spectrum know only how terrible villains some men are (in actual mythology they are complicated personas) and how weak women are (there are literlly figures in Greek mythology that are so strong personas that honestly I am shocked. See Helen for example how she is the most projected persona as a pretty face that does nothing when Helen literally taks back to Aphrodite, she is the only one who sees through Odysseus's disguise, she has knowledge of medicine and so much more for once) Mythology loses all its meaning, all its allegory and all its cultural spectrum because as you said people do not use it to retell the story, they use the word "retelling" as their excuse to just tell a story that fits them by using the popularity of greek mythology and yes as you said why cannot they say their original stories while using inspiration from Greek mythology?

Honestly I have nothing to add! You said it all dear Anon!

[daughter-of-melpomene]

Ship Soundtrack: Thomas Sampson + Ana Vasquez?

Ohhh, bless you for this!! Also gonna tag @ginevrastilinski-ocs since she’s my other original story supporter. <33

opening credits: “i know the end” by phoebe bridgers. meeting for the first time: “good looking” by suki waterhouse. hey, i kinda like you: “if u think i’m pretty” by artemas. i’m going to kiss you now: “hostage” by billie eilish. falling in love: “i wanna be yours” by arctic monkeys. your place or mine: “wicked game” by chris isaak. naked in bed: “as the world caves in” by matt maltese. first fight: “tough love” by avicii. maybe we should take a break: “illicit affairs” by taylor swift. i want you back: “it will come back” by hozier. will you marry me: “golden hour” by jvke. first child: we’re getting older: “i saw you in a dream” by japanese house. if you die i’ll go with you: “fade into you” by mazzy star. end credits: “cover me up” by jason isbell.

send me an oc ship and i’ll create their soundtrack!!

[h0bg0blin-meat]

"We need more morally grey female characters" You guys can't even handle Athena.

[generouskittentidalwave]

Odysseus: *Gets Palamedes framed and stoned to death after he threatened his son*

My reaction: "Damn, I wonder who he got that from-"

Athena: *Drives greater Ajax mad to the point that he kills a bunch of sheep before then killing himself all because he was hostile towards Odysseus.*

My reaction: "Oh, that's who"

[g0blinm0d3]

something something in some versions of The Odyessy Epic: The Musical Ody has a kid with Circe named Telegonus. What if Epic!Ody didn't technically cheat on Penelope but still had the kid b/c he can have brain children b/c of his connection to Athena?

Telegonus travels to Ithica to meet his father, but ends up killing him because he doesn't recognize Odysseus as the same man his mother told him about.

He then takes Penelope and Telemachus back to Circe's Island, where she makes them immortal.

Circe marries Telemachus, and Penelope marries Telegonus. This family tree is a wreath worthy of the gods, but somehow not genetically incestuous

And they live happily every after the end but also probably not because Greek Mythology.

And what I love about this story is that it turns his vision in The Horse and the Infant into an inescapable fate.

His destiny: to be killed by a son avenging the death of his father.

I see you on the brink of death/I see you draw your final breath/I see a man who gets to make it home alive/But it's no longer you

The man Circe knew is dead and it's Odysseus who killed him. (And it's so fitting that she's the one who sent him to recieve the prophecy of his first death.)

The entire thing is just so poetically fucked up. I love it so much.

[500 notes and I'll share my roommate's reactions when I told them this version of events💙]

[sarnai4]

Gifts

Hippolyta: Hey, happy birthday.

Diomedes (unhappily): Thanks.

Hippolyta: What's wrong?

Diomedes: It's Dad. You know how he always gives us gifts?

Hippolyta: Yeah?

Diomedes: Well...I don't want to hurt his feelings, but they're kind of terrible.

Hippolyta: I can't say I haven't noticed that.

Diomedes: What did he give you?

Hippolyta: This girdle. Most uncomfortable thing I own, but it gives me more strength to fight at least.

Diomedes: That's better than my gift. He gave me mares.

Hippolyta: That doesn't sound so bad-

Diomedes: That EAT people.

Hippolyta:...

(Someone starts singing "happy birthday to you")

Hippolyta: Better hope for something better this time.

Ares (grinning and gives both kids a hug): Happy birthday, Son! I got you something!

Diomedes (sheepishly accepts gift): What is it?

Ares (excited): See for yourself!

(Diomedes opens the box to find a head)

Ares: You can put that on a stake outside your kingdom. That way, you’ll scare off anyone who thinks they can try to invade. It doesn't even rot! You can have this forever.

Diomedes: Gee, thanks, Dad.

Ares: No problem! Only the best for my kids. There's a war going on right now, so I can't stay long, but I wanted to stop by. Love you both!

(Ares leaves and Hippolyta holds out her hands)

Hippolyta: Consider my gift to you disposing of that head.

Diomedes (hands it to her): Best gift I've ever gotten.