Essay for Week 2: May the Gods be Ever in Your Favor

Greek mythology has always had an interesting take on their gods and goddesses. It has always seemed like Greek gods were more human-like than any other gods. They are portrayed as selfish, manipulative, and heavily flawed. They simply use their powers to do whatever they want - not caring about the humans they are higher than. It seems as though the gods just lucked out and somehow had powers and were placed above mankind. The morality of it all is almost nonexistent it seems. However, they are interesting characters, especially in understanding how the Greeks believe certain things were brought to existence and certain events (particularly weather) took place.

In these stories, some of the gods are helpful and listen to human desires, but a lot of them are just doing their selfish thing and not really caring about humanity. Jupiter in particular has a terrible problem with lust, it seems. In this unit alone, he rapes three different women. Now, the subject of rape is a rant for some other time, but this is a clear sign that Jupiter is not going to compromise his own wants for anyone else. He's a god - so I guess people should be thankful that he wants to rape them? I don't know. Plus, is sexual escapades gets him into a whole lot of trouble with Juno, his wife.

Onto Juno, she has every right to be mad at Jupiter regarding his wandering eyes and body parts, but she is a jealous wife to the point of altering the lives of others to ensure she can spy on her husband accurately. What is coming to mind is the causing Echo to only repeat the last things other people say. Echo is forever haunted by her speech issues just so Juno would not have a distraction in catching her husband in the act of sex. Again, it's granted that Juno has a right to want to catch her cheating husband, but the methods to reach her goal completely disregard the lives of humans.

I think this is common with many of the other gods, as well. Vulcan's wife, Aphrodite, had an affair with Ares, which is a very human thing to do. Poseidon was angered by humans to the point where he made them sacrifice Andromeda to his son. I mean, the gods clearly have an agenda all their own - and humans are simply caught in the crossfire. It's a bad place to be, and it seems that even though there are gods in the world, one still has to be lucky to live a decent life.

Zeus and Io

Ovid's Metamorphoses I

Storytelling for Week 2: Lion Hearts

Once upon a time, there was a lion who lived in a wooded area behind a decent-sized village. He lived right outside the village because that's where lions lived at this time. Greece was the hotspot - kind of touristy and kitsch, but a good place to live nonetheless. Eventually, he would migrate to Africa - where all lions would eventually live - and bunk with his cousin, Ted, and all his wives, but that would come later.

Grazing in the Grass

The lion was resting in a forest, when he noticed a woman sitting by some shapely rocks. Humans and their traditions. They put so much effort into those rocks. Don't they know that, when they die, their bodies become the grass? They never really grasped the circle of life. Anyway, back to the girl. She had taken off some sort of material from her head and placed it right next to her.

She was very interesting to look- Ooh! A cow! He loved the taste of cow. They were always so tender. He couldn't resist. The lion chased after the cow, claws unleashed, teeth bared, and was soon tasting a mix of hair, blood, and delicious steak. He was going all in with this. He was rather hungry the more he thought about it and tore into the bovine.

Now, after he had finished his midnight snack, he decided he wanted to go see what that girl was up to. He emerged from the forest and went to go make a friend, but she screamed and ran into a cave.

That was weird.

The lion went back into the forest, but was caught by surprise when a man ran into the forest and stood by a tree. He began to stab himself, which the lion thought a very odd and slightly sadistic ritual. When he stopped breathing, the lion was much more confused than ever before.

Soon, the woman came from the cave she was hiding in and walked over to where the man was. She seemed to get very upset, to the point of stabbing herself with the same metal stick. The lion was honestly getting a little freaked out, but he would not allow others to think him cowardly, so he began to walk over to them.

Looking over the situation, the lion simply shrugged his shoulders. "Teenagers", he thought.

Author's Note:
I took this from Pyramus and Thisbe, the part of Ovid's Metamorphoses. I chose this story because it was basically Romeo and Juliet, and I wanted there to be a character who didn't understand the tragedy or greatness of the story, because I don't understand it. The lion was the perfect outlet.

Week 2:Ovid's Metamorphoses I

Deucalion and Pyrrha
There's a flood? I thought I chose Classics and not the Bible. Interesting how the logic behind both floods is similar.

The world is drowned, but there are survivors - the titular characters. Adam and Eve reborn?

Note the use of the conch.

Themis is the goddess they appeal to. She tells them to scatter their mother's bones (i.e. throw rocks). Pyrrha is all like, "Ain't gonna happen!"

They hesitate, but agree to do it. The stones that Deucalion throws turn into men, and the stones that Pyrrha throwa turn into women. Yay, procreation!

Io
Io is raped by Zeus/Jupiter, and is turned into a heifer so the god can hide her from Juno. However, she is claimed to the earth. If Zeus argues, he gives his deeds away, otherwise he must forego the love.

She looks at herself in a pool and is horrified by what she is. She runs away crying.

She finds her father, Inachus, and follows him and his family around.

Argus takes her away, but Jupiter seeks to kill Argus so he can have his heifer, and has his son, Mercury, live out the task.

She is eventually turned back into a human.

Phaethon and the Sun
Phaethon has a desire to drive the chariot in the sun and heads to the Palace of the Sun.

He is instructed on how to properly operate it.

It turns out to be much more difficult a task than could be expected.

Phaethon's Ride
Phaethon begs to drive the chariot despite warnings against doing so.

Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, then begins to rise as she does every morning. Phaethon is to drive behind her to bring the sun.

However, the horses prove to be too difficult to control and Phaethon not only struggles to control them but also lets go of the reigns like a moron.

Now, the sun begins to get to close to the earth and the mountains begin to burn. The earth whines and complains.

The Death of Phaethon
Jupiter fixes the issue, but Phaethon literally falls like a dying star.

Cycnus becomes a swan, which had previously never existed.

Phaethon's father refuses to do any more work as he is overcome with grief, so Sol comes in and takes over the sun duty.

Callisto
Once again, Jupiter can't keep it in his pants. He rapes Callisto, a nymph under the care of the goddess, Diana.

Diana realizes what has happened to Callisto, and tells her to go away. Eventually, she is turned into a bear.

Now Callisto, along with Arcas - the grandson of Lycaon - are made into constellations and placed in the sky.

Semele
Jupiter has - yet again - knocked up a woman. This time, her name is Semele. She is pregnant with Jupiter's child. Juno is pretty upset.

Semele asks for the "touch of Jupiter", so to speak. However, her body can't take it.

The baby is still delivered, and it's Dionysus.

Echo
Dionysus' birth causes Jupiter and Juno to argue over the pleasures of love. To settle their debate, they go to Tiresias - who has been both sexes at one time or other - and he says Juno has it right.

Narcissus is born and becomes a handsome devil. He catches the eye of Echo, a nymph who played lookout while Jupiter was off doing the nasty with various other nymphs and was given the curse of only being able to say the last word someone else has said.

She comes on to Narcissus but he is not attracted to her and runs away. Echo cries and is shamed, and she hides away never to be seen again.

Narcissus
Nemesis hears the cries of the nymphs that ill should befall Narcissus, so she makes a pool nearby very clear and Narcissus looks into it, only to discover and fall in love with himself.

He loves himself so much, but can't be with himself. He gets really emotional and dies...sort of. He is transformed into a flower.

Pyramus and Thisbe
see Romeo and Juliet, but with a lion instead of a monk.

Mars and Venus
Not a lot going on here. These two have an affair, the husband (Vulcan) finds out. He decides to ensnare them, and when they are caught in the act, the rest of the gods get a peep show. It's like Porky's. Sort of.

Perseus and Andromeda
see Clash of the Titans.

Perseus and Medusa
see above.