(not) the victim

Artist: Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Italian, Florence, ca.1432–1498Hercules and Deianira The story about how Deianira was fought over by Hercules and Acheloüs like a prize is one thing, but when Acheloüs and Nessus start talking about Nessus' encounter with Deianira and Hercules it really shows toxic masculinity. Just because things did not go their way, the way …

Godhood and its implications

What is godhood and how does a mortal obtain it? Are there different standards for mortals in comparisons to demigods or are the gods inconsistent? Hercules is noted as the hero who ascended to godhood through his amazing works. By slaying the hydra, stealing the golden apples, strangling the Nemean lion and the other trials …

I Call This Character Trait “Thanks it’s the Emotional Trauma”

There’s something that I saw recently that says there are two ways to feel about trauma. One is once you’ve experienced it, you want everyone else to suffer the same way you did. The other is that you never want anyone to feel that sense of suffering again. In my personal experience, it’s not one …

Fate & Justice vs. The Untouchable Gods

The end of the "Meleager and the Calydonian Boar" story brings up questions of the roles of fate, justice and free will in the lives of mortals. We are told that when Meleager was born, “There was a log of wood which, when Althea was in labor, the three Fates threw into the fire as …

Meleager and the Eager Beaver

First off. I have a question about this line: Caeneus, no longer a woman;Book 8 line 351 What exactly does this mean? Did Caeneus go through a change? Did they change sex? this is the only descriptor line for Caeneus so I am understandably a little intrigued about who they were. Secondly, this is an …

If I were a woman in Ovid’s stories I too would be nuts, especially around men like this.

Book 8: Scylla - another women led on by a mans one success story, scalps her father Nisus, and gives Minos (success man) his purple hair which contains her late fathers powers. This is a big turn off for Minos but he goes about it in a kinda dick way. Scylla states that this man …

Grief and Rage in the Met

“Why does tragedy exist? Because you are full of rage. Why are you full of rage? Because you are full of grief.”- Anne Carson The Lament for Icarus exhibited 1898 Herbert Draper The thing that stuck to me the most in books 8 through 9 of the Met was how frequently we saw themes of …

The Strength Of A Hero: Expectations Vs. Reality

We often have expectations for the ancient mythological heroes that they will be immensely strong, and generally rather successful in whatever their task is. Perseus slays Medusa. Jason gets the Golden Fleece. Theseus slays the Minotaur. In each of these instances, these heroes rely in at least some way on their masculinity and brawn (and …

Irrational decisions from an arrogant man

Throughout various myths that we have read men have proven to be arrogant and very prideful. There are various heroes that are known for achieving difficult tasks and one that many people know without reading much about it is the story of Hercules and his twelve labors. Hercules was tasked to do things like kill …

Immortal Wings

Two very close calls with the sun, the stories of Phaethon (2 1-361) and Icarus (8 221-278) have similarities and differences both of which reflect the power of the sun. While both Phaethon and Icarus take for granted that the sun can kill as well as give life, Phaethon does so for want of power, …