#thebes

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Stela of a Man.

Period: Middle Kingdom, 11th Dynasty

Date: ca. 2030–1981 B.C.

Place oforigin: Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Deir el-Bahri, Cemetery 100, Tomb TT 114, MMA excavations, 1926–27

Medium: Limestone, paint

[blackrainbowblade]

Luxor Temple, March 2023

[illustratus]

Pentheus Pursued by the Maenads by Charles Gleyre

[ditoob]

Was doing some research on Diomedes and found out Tydeus was a pupil of Athena, a favorite of hers to the point she offered him immortality. He was a man blessed by the gods and yet, his actions disgusted the gods himself. In battle, Tydeus ate the brains of his enemy. An act so barbaric and out of line that it lost him the blessing of Athena.

Why did that happen? How come Tydeus decided to take that barbaric action? The act most certainly did not represent Tydeus’ character (if it had why would Athena be surprised and shocked?). Could one blame the gods? Striking Tydeus with madness? Or was it simply a fatal flaw in the king? A rage so unnatural and overbearing that it took control of him completely — a flaw overlooked by the gray-eyed goddess. A mistake that she would not commit again.

Diomedes himself is typically characterized as short-tempered and prone to anger, although he has far more self control and respect than any of the other greek kings (except for Nestor I suppose). He was mentored and sculpted into the man he was in the Trojan war by Athena herself, aiding him at all times, blessing him more than she did even Odysseus. She felt she owed the family of Tydeus, most likely treating them much like she treated Odysseus’ family in the Odyssey.

She most certainly succeded in preparing Diomedes to be such a great warrior, Aeneas comments that he was second only to Achilles in the greek army (although typically it is Telamonian Ajax who is said to be the second strongest greek) and Diomedes is most certainly one of the highest-trusted greeks in the army (It is he who is entrusted with the espionage to Troy, and it is he who is tasked with choosing who will follow HIM). Diomedes also has armor made by Hephaestus himself! An honor only appointed to Achilles. He was beloved by the gods, most definitely, and talented in all parts of war — talent which certainly came from his experience taking Thebes to avenge his father.

Diomedes shows incredible restraint, care, and control in his time in the war. He perhaps represents exactly what a greek warrior should be. Not burdened by the suicidal rage of Achilles. Not hindered by the constant lies of Odysseus. Not tainted by the pride of Agamemnon. Perhaps that is why he went on to be worshipped as a divine being in parts of Greece.

[basimsenkidu]

Assassin's Creed Origins | Thebes (2/?)

[beatricecenci]

Frederic Leighton (English, 1830-1896)

Antigone

[death-before-ilion]

Fundamental sources

Greek mythology is recorded in numerous texts, covering multiple centuries, locations, traditions and variations. Many of these ancient sources are lost to us, or fragmentary. This leaves us with an incomplete (albeit vast) and oftentimes incoherent collection of written sources on which to base my own work.

The sources which are considered by the ancient Greeks themselves as foundational and central to Greek mythology are essentially : the early Greek epic poets (amongst which is, of course, Homer), Hesiod (author of the famed Theogony, not counted as an epic poet) and the Homeric Hymns (called Homeric because they are written in the same language, style and meter as the Iliad and Odyssey). These texts were written down between the 8th and the 5th centuries BC, and are based on oral material that goes much further back.

Of the early epic poems, only the Iliad and the Odyssey attributed to Homer still survive, considered by the ancient Greeks as the pinnacle of their literature. Of all the other epics, only fragments and (if we're lucky) summaries remain. The Trojan Cycle was made of the following works :

The Cypria, which describes the origin and early years of the Second Trojan War

The Iliad, which tells of the wrath of Achilles and the death of Hector

The Aethiopis, which describes the intervention of Amazons and Ethiopians in the war, and the death of Achilles

The Little Iliad, a dense work that covers events from the funeral of Achilles to the episode of the Trojan horse

The Sack of Troy, which, as its title suggests, tells the events from the Trojan horse to the desctruction of the city and the anger of Athena

The Return from Troy, in which the Greek heroes return home, with tragic developments, such as the murder of Agamemnon and the revenge of Orestes

The Odyssey, tells the return of Ulysses, the longest and most adventurous return of all Greek heroes

The Telegony, that covers further adventures of Ulysses until he is killed by Telegonus, his son by Circe

To this we can add a Theban Cycle (covering the life of Oedipus, both Theban Wars and the revenge of Alcmaeon) and a few additional epics (including a Titanomachy I would have loved to read). Chances are high that there were many more, lost to us even by name.

Hesiod left us three complete works and a number of fragments, the most important of which is the Theogony, which describes how the universe began and the early history of the gods.

Lastly, the Homeric Hymns, of which three may be later additions, are poems or songs that praise the gods, each hymn being dedicated to a specific god.

In the context of my work, these sources will be taken as having the highest authority. Later sources will be accepted if they provide additional material that completes or extends the earlier texts, or if they help resolve an obvious inconsistency or impossibility.

[we-are-going-crazy-at-thebes]

hey so your boyfriend tried to drive a god of drugs and his orgies of nymphs out of thebes and these maenads ripped him to shreds in the woods. yeah sorry about that.

[archaeologs]

In the "House of Eternity" belonging to Royal Prince Khaemwaset, the son of King Ramses III, located in QV44, west of 'Uaset'-Thebes, a depiction showcases the God Shu, offspring of Ra, with His right hand extended in a gesture of blessing, adorned with the symbolic feather. Learn more / Daha fazlası https://www.archaeologs.com/w/shu/

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Perfume bottle in the shape of a hes-vase inlaid with the figure of a princess.

Period: New Kingdom, Amarna Period; 18th Dynasty; Reign of Akhenaten

Date: ca. 1353–1336 B.C.

Place of origin: Egypt; Possibly from Upper Egypt, Thebes

Medium: Travertine (Egyptian alabaster), carnelian, obsidian,gold, and colored glass inlay.

[blackrainbowblade]

Ra, in the form of a falcon, hanging out in the Underworld (Duat).

[illustratus]

Epaminondas defending Pelopidas by William Rainey

[ditoob]

Diomedes, King of Argos

[spacesis-art]

So, Thebes Huh?

[basimsenkidu]

Assassin's Creed Origins | Thebes (1/?)

[ophierian-vp]