#annirambles

[anniflamma]

Hi!! I adore your Poseidon design so much. I love how you made him shapeshift into a horse--and oh my god was that horse terrifying. I wanted to ask if there was any inspiration to the design of the horse? The way you drew it just looks so creepy and I am absolutely in love 🥺🥺🥺❤️

ALSO YOUR RUTHLESSNESS ANIMATIC?? My JAW dropped around the end when Poseidon started wrecking Odysseus's fleet. You managed to capture the sheer brutality and might of Poseidon. I just can't get enough of it!!

Ah, thank you! The scene where Poseidon is wrecking Odysseus' fleets was the very scene that I really didn't want to make. My head was literally empty when I made the rough draft and had no idea how to visualize it! So I just asked my friend to lay in my bed and pretend to drown so I could film references and get inspiration from there. 😅

As for Poseidon's design process? Well, it all stems from the Abduction of Persephone myth. When Demeter is mourning over her discovery that her daughter has been married off to Hades by Zeus' approval, Poseidon enters the scene, can't read the mood in the room, and then proceeds to assault Demeter in the form of a stallion. That part of the story has always stuck with me, I guess? So I always wanted to include the horse symbolism in Poseidon.

Then we have the biggest inspiration for Poseidon being a black horse. It's the very thing that also made me really love horses, a music video called "Alegria" by Cirque Du Soleil. In that video, a woman with a beautiful purple dress interacts with a black horse in the desert. The visuals are so beautiful!

Here is a link to the music video if you are interested!

That's the main reason why I designed Poseidon as a black stallion!

As for Poseidon being nightmare fuel mode, it's actually inspired by horror analogs like The Mandela Catalogue. There have been comments here and there where people think it reminds them of the Demon Horse form in Berserk, which is also an inspiration, but mostly it's from Mandela.

#greek mythology #AnniAsks #AnniRambles

[anniflamma]

I have a list of every audio/song I want to do an animatic of. I really wanna do Obedience from Beloved King after one song from the Circe Saga.

The problem is, which song should I pick? I know if I take Wouldn't You Like, I will just end up animating Hermes in 24 fps.

Then we have There Are Other Ways… I have some neat visual ideas when Circe is taking advantage of Ody, but I don't really want it to be too triggering for people. I have seen others' animatics of that song, and the majority of them are very "safe". Like, they are only holding hands and almost kissing each other. And mine sketches are more… sexual in an uncomfortable way. There are also some that are "sexy," but it's more for the sexual sake, not about a person taking advantage of someone else.

Maybe it's just me complaining, but I think that the idea of blackmailing isn't sexy nor romantic. I have seen so many comments about Odysseus cheating on Penelope with Circe, and I'm like, Umm… No???

I visualize that both Circe and Ody have distorted faces. I don't really wanna spoil, but it's in the same lane with my idea of horror horse!Poseidon. I think that Circe's motivation is that men have come to her island before, and she suffered a "heavy loss," and now is willing to do anything to protect her daughters. So she is willing to do anything, from blackmailing to using her body, so she can put Odysseus in a position where she can stab him in the back. Odysseus is pretty much unaware of this information, as far as I understand, and in his position, he is being forced into it. At least this is what I got from the snippets we have so far....

But then again! The song itself already has this really romantic/sensual tune, so my ideas don't really fit as visuals for the song anyways. 😑 I probably gonna wait for the whole song to be released until I start working on anything.

#epic the musical #beloved king: a queer bible musical #AnniRambles #epic the circe saga

[anniflamma]

Hello! I adore your Epic animations. Your ruthlessness animation literally brought me into fandom!

I've stumbled upon your beloved king animations, and as a non religious person I have some questions, if you don't mind answering.

Is Saul in love with David? Lyrics imply it, but I'm not sure.

And why did Saul off himself?

Your animations are top tier❤❤❤❤❤

Ah, thank you! 💛 It's so fun to know that my work introduce people to Epic and heck… even Beloved King!

So a lot of stuff is going on with Saul. Buckle up, this is going to be long! (I think)

Is Saul in love with David? Yes and no! In the musical, Saul lusts after David because he is desperate for control, which then manifests in his inappropriate behavior. I would say that Saul doesn't really love David, but he wants him for himself.

That part of the musical is based on the discourse surrounding David and Saul's relationship as possibly a pederastic relationship (before David became the giant slayer). One of the main arguments is the altercation between Jonathan and Saul (which is the song "Shame" is based on). In the Bible, Saul accuses Jonathan of having an improper relationship with David, causing Jonathan to shame his mother for witnessing her nakedness. "Witness someone's nakedness" is a euphemism, which means it's the aftermath of a sexual act. And that it can pass to other partners. So for example, you are not allowed to be intimate with someone who has been with a family member of yours, because doing so will "witness that person's nakedness" as well. So if we take Saul's words literally, that means that Jonathan must have had a sexual relationship with David, which then David had a relationship with Saul for that accusation to make sense. Then again, there are other people who say that Saul is just crazy, says insane stuff, and we should not take his words seriously. 😅

And why did Saul off himself? (trigger warning)

This one is also a can of worms. When God abandons Saul, he sends "evil spirits" to torment the king. This is possibly a representation that someone suffering from mental illnesses, perhaps depression or schizophrenia. I don't want to add any labels, but we do know that in the Bible, Saul becomes very suicidal and exhibits behavior indicative of deep depression. He never leaves his room, doesn't want to leave his bed, and stops eating. He recovers when David comes into the picture and helps him. But alas, Saul then becomes paranoid, and drama ensues.

His suicide wasn't viewed as something weak, but instead, something courageous. He ended his life because he didn't want to be captured by the enemies on the battlefield. But we, the readers, and Saul too, know that he has lost EVERYTHING. His sons are dead, he has lost his entire army, God has abandoned him, and Samuel, his father figure, even after death in the form of a ghost, has disowned him. He has chased away David. Even before the last battle, he fell into his depressive state again, and the only one showing some form of compassion was the witch of Endor, who gave him food before he left for battle.

Saul is a very complicated man! Very sympathetic, but he has done some horrible stuff. Like mass murdering... 😬 I think that the Beloved King musical makes a very good depiction of Saul. At least with the songs we have now.

#tw sui talk #beloved king: a queer bible musical #anniasks #long post? #annirambles #I actually recommend the book Jacob's Wound by Theodore Jennings! #That book goes in much more detail of Saul and David's relationship

[anniflamma]

Saint Boris and George the Hungarian

I'm going to start with this. Where are all the retelling books? The discussions? The TV series? The Movies?

So let me begin by talking about Saint Boris and his favorite servant, George.

In medieval Russia, Saint Boris and his younger brother Gleb, both princes of Kiev, played crucial roles in the state established by their father, Volodimir, who introduced Christianity in 988 Russia. Boris had precisely 12 brothers, and himself was born from Anne the Bulgarian. He wasn't the oldest, but due to being loved by his father, he was trusted to be called upon to lead troops against enemy invaders.

However, upon returning from the military campaign, Boris received devastating news of Volodimir's death. Svjatopolk, the accursed, his half-adoptive-brother, had concealed their father's passing and seized power for himself.

Despite having the opportunity to claim the throne, Boris refused to raise arms against his brother, choosing instead to trust in him and God's will.

"He (Boris) was in distress and grief, and his heart was oppressed. And he entered his tent and wept with a broken heart but a joyful soul, sorrowfully lifting his voice: “Despise not my tears, O Lord. For as I have my hope in Thee, so shall I, together with Thy servants, accept my portion and lot with all Thy holy ones, for Thou art a merciful God, and unto Thee shall we render praise forever. Amen.”

Svjatopolk then conspired to assassinate Boris, due to his being a potential threat to his rule. He ordered Boris's assassination, sending men to attack him while he prayed in his tent. Throughout the night, Boris fell asleep and with him by his side was his favorite servant George The Hungarian.

In the text "The Narrative Passion And Encomium Of Boris And Gleb," it never mentions that Boris' servant George was with him when he was sleeping; however, in ancient arts, George is depicted being by Boris' side at all times. He confides his fears of death to George. They pray close together. And George guarding over the sleeping Boris.

We get a short but concise description of Boris and George's relationship.

"He was a Hungarian by birth named George, and upon him was placed a golden necklace; and he was loved by Boris beyond measure."

While Boris and George's bond was initially perceived through the lens of Christian views, it transcended mere "a very good friendship." After all, the lord bestowed a golden necklace to his servant, suggesting something much deeper.

Eventually, three assassins arrived, entered the tent, and Boris was pierced without mercy. In the midst of chaos, George refused to abandon his lord. He threw himself over Boris and said: "I shall not leave you, my precious lord; where the beauty of your body withers, there too will it be granted me to end my life.”

The assassins then tore Boris out of George's embrace, stabbed George, and threw the servant out of the tent, bleeding and dying. And as he was wounded, Boris ran out of the tent (presumably went to George's side) and told their assassins to finish their job. Boris prayed and forgave the murderers....

Unable to remove a golden necklace from George's neck, one of the assassins beheaded him and disposed of his body.

The land mourned the loss of Boris, a righteous and humble prince, while Svjatopolk's reign of terror continued. Yet, Boris's legacy lived on, and he was canonized in the year 1071. Boris and his younger brother Gleb became the first saints recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church, earning the title of "Passion Bearers" for facing death with Christlike forgiveness. They rest at the Church of St. Basil near Kiev in Ukraine, alongside their parents, Volodimir of Kiev and Anne.

While Boris and his younger brother Gleb gained widespread recognition as saints in Russia and Ukraine, George the Hungarian's role has been increasingly marginalized and obscured over time.

Despite Boris being a prince and a skilled military commander, it was his profound love for George that left an indelible mark on early biographers and hagiographers. Professors, such as Simon Karlinsky delves into their same-sex love story in his analysis of the medieval classic, "The Legend of Boris and Gleb," compiled between 1040 and 1118.

Boris's gesture of crafting a magnificent gold necklace for George is highlighted as a testament of love. Karlinsky emphasizes the sympathetic portrayal of their mutual affection and acknowledges the unjust fate that befell George due to the open expression of their love. However, George is recognized in some traditions as a co-martyr, passion bearer, and saint.

Wikipedia on St. Boris (and his brother Gleb)

Blog post from a professor and art historian focusing on their relationship

English Translation of the 1100 year old text "The Narrative and Passion and Encomium of the Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb"

#oh boy here we go #long post #ancient queer history #queer saints #queer christianity #St Boris and George the hungarian #annirambles

[anniflamma]

So I have just finished an informative text about Saint Boris and George the Hungarian. Its pretty much just me rambling about these two historical men but I realized it looks pretty empty... Just text... Hmm, I'm gonna make some Saint fanart!

#annirambles #ancient queer history

[anniflamma]

It always makes me laugh to think that the Apostle Paul's Hebrew name is Saul and his Roman name is Paul. Considering that Jesus healed the centurion's servant, he had no interest in homophobia, but considering that Paul left that infamous homophobic letter… Paul (Saul): I don't know why, but I feel like I lost my crown, which I never had, because of my gay son and bisexual son-in-law.

Hehe, I'm going to dump my knowledge of the Bible now! XD

I guess the 'infamous homophobic letter' you mentioned is the Corinthians, right?

Paul says that individuals who continue in sinful behavior will not attain heaven and among these 'sinners' were drunkards, people who bangs alot, and cheaters. He also references two Greek words that many translate and associate as expressions of same-sex behavior. These two words are malakoi and arsenokoitai.

Of course, these are the words throughout history that translators have had the worst time translating, and of course, homophobes change the meanings of what these words actually means.

Malakoi directly translates into 'soft,' and it was usually used to describe someone who lacks self-control and is weak, cowardly, and lazy.

Of course, people being sexist and all translate this word to 'effeminate' instead. Because women are lazy and cowards, I suppose... 🙄 Instead, the word doesn't really have anything to do with gay men, but it could have a connection when you use the word in a sexual context. However, that word is frequently used to describe men who were seen as lacking self-control in their love for... women.... For the past centuries, English translations used the word 'weaklings'. It's only in the past century that they connected the word with same-sex relationships instead.

Arsenokoitai comes from two Greek words: arsen (male) koites (bed). This is the word that makes many speculate that this term was used to condemn same-sex behavior. Alas again! CONTEXT 👏 ALWAYS 👏 MATTERS! 👏 The word likely relates to sexual or economic exploitation, due to in ancient literature, the word only appears in lists of vices. Some historians even think that this was about temple prostitution. So yeah, it probably relates to same-sex behavior, but not in a consensual way.

And then we have the whole deal that many people points out... The dude was a Roman who could speak Greek... Why didn't he just use the words Erastes and Eromenos if he wanted to be really clear to condemn same-sex behaviors? Malakoi and Arsenokoitai have never really been used as a pair by other ancient writers.

So again, why didn't Paul just use the already existing term that was associated with same-sex behaviors? Why not the latter? Hmmm... Mystery.... 😶

And I'm not going to talk about the Romans letters because there he just slut-shaming EVERYONE!

I'm definitely wanna/gonna talk about Paul's sexuality! But that will be later... I need to rest!

(ps. I don't really know if you even wanted to know this, but here we are... I also feel like I spiraled a bit… Sorry!)

#tw mentions of prostitution #queer christianity #new testament stuff I supossed? #AnniAsks #AnniRambles #Ancient Queer History