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nayeonline · 25 days

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Idolizing Imperfection: The Ancient Allusions of 'Midas Touch' - KISS OF LIFE (an essay)

I have missed writing kpop essays so much and after watching the new Kiss of Life MV, I couldn't resist doing a scene by scene (with some lyrics) breakdown of the allusions to ancient mythology - (there are lots of other modern references, especially to Britney Spears, but the ancient ones are what I will be focusing on here, believe me there is more than enough to talk about.) I don't have any official qualifications surrounding this field (yet), but I am studying classical civilization and roman literature for a qualification, and I have a long time obsession with Greek mythology especially. Obviously all of these are my interpretations, this is not a definite guide to what exactly the creative direction team at S2 Ent. were thinking about for this comeback, and if you think I missed something or have a different interpretation of one of the scenes, please let me know in the reblogs/comments.

Let’s begin with the title of the track, ‘Midas Touch’. It references the Greek myth of King Midas, who (according to Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’) after winning the favour of the god Dionysus, was granted any wish he desired. Midas chose the ability to make everything he touched turn into gold, a wish driven by greed. Midas revelled in his new found powers, but the problems arose when he realised that all food he touched would be turned to gold too - he had condemned himself to starve to death. The myth is essentially a cautionary tale about the effects of greed; Midas is a tragic hero that brought about his own suffering due to his hamartia (tragic flaw) - his blessing becomes his curse. Today, having a ‘midas touch’ means that everything you are involved with is successful, but the main association of Midas with greed still remains. In the context of the song, KOL are saying that a relationship with them, although destined to end in tragedy, would be worth it for the ‘gold’ they can bring - “위험할수록 재밌잖아” (“The more dangerous it is, the more fun it is”). Midas may have died a tragic death, but his time alive was quite literally golden. Still, it feels slightly odd that KOL are associating themselves with someone so flawed - an idol should be the image of perfection, and in this way, the meaning of the song becomes quite subversive on a meta level. Keep this interpretation in the back of your mind, we will return to it later.

Within the music video itself, each of the four members are given solo scenes that I believe allude to different women of Greek mythology. Julie is first, depicted lying on a blush pink velvet heart with gold embellishments, shell and heart shaped boxes littered around her. The composition of the framing, as well as the beach imagery seems to allude to Boticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’, linking Julie with Aphrodite/Venus, the goddess of love. In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is seen as beautiful beyond compare, but is also often characterised as highly vain and self absorbed. After hearing that some Greeks had begun to worship the ludicrously beautiful mortal woman Psyche instead of her, (and also out of protection of her son Eros to whom Psyche was married), she sent Psyche on a series of impossible trials designed to kill her, so she could remain the most beautiful. Once again, KOL compare themselves to people in the ancient world who were famously flawed.

Natty is seen next, intertwined with glittering spider webs. This is perhaps a reference to the tale of Arachne, a mortal woman who was highly skilled at weaving. She boasted that her skills were greater than Athena herself, the goddess of handicraft (and many other things), and Athena transformed her into a spider as punishment for her hubris (excessive pride). Like the tale of King Midas, Arachne’s story also centres around a fatal flaw bringing your own downfall, and like Midas and Aphrodite, Arachne is not typically remembered fondly within Greek Mythology canon.

Perched on a half dress, half throne that resembles a peacock, Belle is seen next. Originally I wasn’t certain who was being referenced here, but after some research I believe it may be Hera, although if you have another interpretation here I would love to hear it. Hera, the goddess of marriage and fertility, queen of the gods, and wife to Zeus, is affiliated with peacocks as they are one of her sacred animals, and are said to pull her chariot like horses. Hera is also, like Aphrodite, a goddess often portrayed in a negative light in mythology, repeatedly characterised as jealous and spiteful. A famous example of this is when Hera sent two snakes to strangle Heracles/Hercules, the illegitimate son of her husband Zeus, out of spite and jealousy for the boy’s mortal mother. Whether Hera had a right to be annoyed at her husband’s repeated adultery is another discussion, but generally speaking, when Hera is in a myth, she is often the villain.

Finally, we see Haneul, perched upon a corinthian style column (we love a greek column) surrounded by severed heads on spikes, a clearly war ridden scene. This is the allusion I am the least confident about, but I think perhaps she is supposed to be Helen of Troy? Helen is famous for being the catalyst for the Trojan War (perhaps this is the war scene she sits within?), she is the ‘face that launched a thousand ships’. Depending on the source, Helen is either a victim, kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, or she was seduced and went willingly, abandoning her Greek husband King Menelaus. The second seems to be the accepted narrative among many Roman authors, with writers such as Martial (in Epigrams 1.62) portraying her as the polar opposite of Penelope, who was seen as the image of loyalty. As a result, Helen is commonly portrayed as disloyal and unfaithful, the opposite of what an ideal woman in the ancient world was supposed to act like.

In their group scenes, there is also SO MUCH Medusa imagery - with snakes crawling all over their faces and hissing at the camera, and half broken stone statues littered here and there. As I am sure you are probably aware, Medusa is very much a villain in the myths she is depicted in, and despite modern reevaluations of her story (that I agree with) portraying her as a victim, in the primary sources, she is essentially an evil monster for Perseus to destroy - her death marks Perseus’s ascension to hero status.

So why oh why are KOL comparing themselves to figures so flawed? In their previous releases, especially their first comeback with ‘Bad News’, the girls are depicted trying to fix injustices in society - they expose corruption in corporations, they combat casual misogyny and sexual harassment, and they call out bullying and abuse. In ‘Midas Touch’ I believe they continue their addressing of injustices and double standards, this time with a focus on the idol industry, their own stomping ground. In the kpop industry, idols are expected to be perfect in every way - beautiful, highly skilled, never controversial, and loyal to their fans. Should an idol fail to uphold these impossible standards, they are relentlessly punished, especially if the idol is a woman. Last month, Karina’s earnest apology to ‘fans’ for falling in love exposed how ludicrous the standards are to the world, and other idols like Sakura, Wonyoung, and Jennie, continue to get bullied on a daily basis for not meeting all of the bars the industry sets them. A kpop idol should be talented, but never show off, they should be beautiful and care about their looks but never be vain, confident but never egotistical, and driven by passion, not the desire for fame and money. It’s all fucking impossible, especially when what constitutes being called the second traits is utterly arbitrary and depends on how many people woke up on stan twitter and decided they didn’t like you that day. In ‘Midas Touch’ KOL calls this out by openly depicting themselves with the traits that kpop stans hate - Julie is Aphrodite, beautiful but vain, Natty is Arachne, talented but boastful, Belle is Hera, confident but jealous, Haneul is Helen, influential but disloyal, and they all are Midas, spurred on by greed instead of passion. They recognise that these accusations are unavoidable, and by reclaiming the imagery of these symbols of undesirable traits, they call out and reject the standards the idol industry places upon them. Like Medusa, they may be seen by many fans as a villain, a hurdle for their favourite groups that have more promotion and budget to overcome on their way to the top, but in actuality, they are victims of an industry desperate to mould them into products to be bought and sold. I’ve seen lots of discussion online about what KISS OF LIFE’s concept is, as it seems to vary every comeback, but after ‘Midas Touch’ I am led to believe that their concept is rebellion, against society, idol culture, and the things they deem as wrong in the world. Other groups have done concepts similar in the past, such as LOONA in ‘Butterfly’ (you really thought I wasn’t going to bring them up at some point?? Are you new here??) but KOL is doing it explicitly, and consistently, and to me, that's very exciting. The kpop industry is ever changing, and with the foundations of the new 5th generation being established as we speak, perhaps KOL could cause it to change for the better. In summary, I am SO excited to see what they do next.

That honestly took a turn I wasn’t fully expecting at the end, but I hope you enjoyed regardless - I didn’t really talk about the actual song here, but I fucking loved it, and my full review will be part of my April monthly roundup - see previous installments on my masterlist. I encourage all of you to listen to ‘Midas Touch’ if you haven’t already, congratulations KISS OF LIFE for graduating nugudom, stream Birth by ARTMS, stan loona, and prepare for the loossemble comeback - lmk if you have any thoughts on my analysis or any other interpretations, or any topics you want me to write an essay on. cya next time ~ ari

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tsarinatorment · 2 years

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Riordanverse: Gods and Mortals and Nicknames

So I wrote this in response to another post but it was kinda tangential so I’m gonna just slap it down as its own thing, too. Very rough and ready because I’m tired and have no free time at the moment, but if people are interested (and I can find time), I can absolutely try and tidy this up at some point! I believe it was @fearlessinger I originally breached this topic with some time back in the toa discord but there were probably a few others lurking as well...

But anyway: Gods and Mortals and Nicknames!

Specifically, the way that the gods never canonically shorten each other’s names, or use anything less than a full name (barring Dionysus’ chronic inability to say most demigods’ names correctly) to refer to each other and the demigods (with one glaring exception which I’ll get onto in a sec).

It almost reads as though there’s an etiquette there, that using their full name is a mark of respect - that you acknowledge their power and you’re not belittling it by bestowing some sort of pet name/nickname - and it’s interesting to me that they keep that up with the demigods (who we know they envy, thanks to Apollo dropping that little truth in his narration, and are of course the major source of their own worship and therefore power in the modern day). A key example here, and the one that contradicts fanon the most, is the fact that Apollo never, ever, calls Artemis anything other than “Artemis” or some variant of “sister” (titles being the alternative to using a full name, eg. “father” when they’re not trying to get Zeus’ attention!). There is no Arty or any other typical shortening one might expect from a twin.

That’s completely different to how a lot of (Western, I’m British and that’s the culture I can speak for; I won’t make assumptions on others) mortals view names; nicknames/pet names are very common when you’re close with someone and like someone. And we see it with several of the main characters:

Percy, of course, is the prime example. We all know it’s short for Perseus and we all know that Percy never, ever, goes by Perseus. He doesn’t like it when people call him that (and maybe that’s because it sounds a bit pretentious, or because Perseus is too much the shadow of his predecessor rather than him), and the only time people call him that is gods or monsters, or when he’s in trouble/people are intentionally trying to rile him.

Nico is another one, and one I didn’t realise about at all until THO, when Apollo refers to him as Nicholas. Honestly, I thought Nico was his full name until then, but I’ve been informed by someone with a far greater understanding of Italian names than I that Nicholas makes more sense as his full name than Nico, so there we have it.

Meg, leaning into TOA because that’s where this is going to go, is a third; she refuses to be called Margaret under any circumstances and if she got her way, no-one would even know Meg wasn’t her full name.

Will isn’t a main character (much to my ongoing disappointment), but we got canon confirmation that his full name is William, and yet it’s never used except when people close to him do that good old Full Naming Thing when they’re fake-mad.

Which leads me off to my point about names and etiquette and Apollo, our god who loves humanity and quite frankly, understands and respects humanity better than the rest of the gods (and yes, even pre-TOA but I’m not getting into that rn) so it makes sense that he might be willing to switch which etiquette he’s using depending on if he’s talking with/about mortals rather than gods.

Because Apollo calls Percy “Perseus”… but only sometimes, when he’s being a bit of a little shit because especially at the start of TOA, Apollo was really laying that facade on thick, lbr. Otherwise, unlike literally every other god, he calls him Percy - Percy’s preferred name. With Nico, Nico told him “it’s Nico”, and Apollo immediately switched to that, his preferred name, without hesitation. Meg, when asked, did give her full name but also made it clear that she hates it, and Apollo never used it.

And of course, there’s Will, Apollo’s beloved son, who he calls Will right from the start of THO, completely bucking the trend of full names unless requested otherwise, and being a lovely beacon of “Apollo and Will had enough interactions pre-BOO for Apollo to know Will’s preferred form of address and default to it when he’s mortal and half-conscious and very groggy to the point he barely recognises his own son - yet still uses his preferred name and not his full name”.

Dionysus, as mentioned earlier, can also buck the trend, but it seems to be much rarer, and with good reason - unlike Apollo, who gladly gets attached to mortals over and over and over again, he doesn’t want to get attached, so he distances himself with fake names most of the time (but uses full names when he does use them… except with Nico and Will, who are the only two demigods I can think of off the top of my head that Dionysus refers to by name (and nickname, no less) in every appearance he has with them. With Nico, I assume this is because of the therapy sessions and the way that he’s chosen to get close to him for some reason. Slightly less clear with Will, but considering it was from Apollo’s pov and therefore Apollo was there, I am fond of (and amused by) the idea that Dionysus knows better than to mess up Apollo’s kids names when his brother is there and will go all papa bear on him for getting it wrong. Maybe he calls him other names when Apollo isn’t in earshot, who knows…

#riordanverse meta #riordanverse #rrverse #rrverse meta #percy jackson and the olympians #heroes of olympus #trials of apollo #pjo #hoo #toa #pjo apollo #pjo dionysus #percy jackson #nico di angelo #meg mccaffrey #will solace #tsari analyses things

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russosafehaven · 1 year

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Maroon

A/N: No new chapter of Widows and Men yet, so I’m continuing with the Midnights collection of one shots :)

Title: Maroon

Song - Maroon - Taylor Swift

Pairings: Hades!Billy Russo x Persephone!Reader

Content: GN!Reader, No use of Y/N, Pre-Rawlins!Billy and Frank, In fact it’s just a different universe where Billy doesn’t work for Rawlins, Billy’s abuse, Modern Greek God AU, Ares!Frank, Aphrodite!Maria, Harmonia!Lisa, Deimos!Junior, Asclepius!Curtis, Karen is reader’s roommate, Mortal!Karen, Themis!Matt, Nemesis!Foggy, Dionysus!Jessica, Calliope!Trish, Mentions of pregnancy, An emetophobia warning, Reader can get pregnant but again they’re basically gods so genitalia isn’t really relative at all to that

This is obnoxiously long compared to my other writings, at least in my opinion :)

When the morning came we were cleaning incense off your vinyl shelf

‘Cause we lost track of time again

Laughing with my feet in your lap

Like you were my closest friend

How’d we end up on the floor anyway? You say

“Your roommate’s cheap-ass screw-top rosé, that’s how”

I see you every day now

The gods lived forever, that’s what mortals believed. To an extent they were correct. The divinity of the gods lived on in different forms and names, life after life. Yet they were never quite the same as before. You’d often find yourself wondering what it would be like to be worshipped at a temple again. For people to pray to you as they once did all those millennia ago. A part of you wanted to know how you ended up here, laying on the floor next to your captor and lover. Despite the reincarnations you all had similar stories, you suspected the Persephone’s before you felt the same. Your eyes trailed over the figure next to you. His perfect, chiseled jaw and dark eyes that felt as if they bore eyes into you.

Mortals had many variations of the stories between Persephone and Hades. You had read many of them during your lives and found yourself teasing Hades often. Calling him your captor and then your lover, sending his head for a spin. The two of you loved the other deeply, desperate to do anything for one another. The night you first met was one of your favourite memories.

You were out with your roommate, Karen, at a local bar. She was a mortal unlike her friends and work associated, Matthew and Foggy. Matthew was Themis, ruling over justice who was blind just as each reincarnation was. How perfect that Matthews best friend would be the incarnation of Nemesis who ruled over balance and divine judgment. The two ran a small law firm, Karen was their first client and now worked with them.

“Okay okay, I see where you’re coming from Persephone, but you don’t understand what it’s like to work with Themis!”

You let out a small laugh, the truth was in all your lives you never really spoke to Themis or Nemesis. As the deity of spring and rebirth it was never really needed. Yet now the three of you bonded over your reincarnations, telling tales of the lives you’ve all lived. Entertaining your mortal friend with loud storytelling. The moments you lived in like this felt like living in your divinity again. Since the cycle of reincarnation started, you had lived many lives. Nothing felt more special than your first thought, the beauty in seeing the seasons change. Your mother, Demeter destroying lands for you. It was special and having friends who could relate to the deity ship was nice.

“Yes but that is only this life isn’t it? I’m sure he can’t have been that bad in previous lives”

Matt shook his head, the red lenses of his glasses catching the poor lighting of Josie’s. It was simple, a mortal meeting place yet the energy felt static. Like Dionysus himself had blessed the place. You wouldn’t be surprised if he had.

“Hey Seph? There’s someone watching you, over by the bar”

Matt’s voice was quiet, almost as if he was nervous. You could tell he was sending a deity. Like yourself and Foggy, you could all sense other godly beings. Making it easier to find those who were close to you. Your eyes trailed over, landing on a dark haired man. Slicked back hair and nice dark eyes, next to him sat a man and a woman. Both had dark hair, the man’s hair was cropped tightly while the woman had hers in soft waves.

“Hades…”

You murmured softly. Karen’s eyes widened, as did Foggy’s. Many of your young adult years were spent searching for Hades. Your destined other half, as the Fates would dictate. Scanning the man’s details you couldn’t help but noticing he was doing the same. A glass of what looked like whiskey was resting in his hand, being nursed gently. If you looked close enough you could make out semblance of scars. Soon enough a dark skinned man walked over, clapping Hades on the back before taking a seat next to him. You wondered how the group knew each other. Was it pure chance like you and your friends or were they all close in previous lives?

And I chose you

The one I was dancin’ with

In New York, no shoes

Look up at the sky and it was

A waiter came over, placing down a maroon liquid in front of you. A small tray of pomegranate seeds on the side, six to be exact.

“Curtesy of the gentleman at the bar”

The waiter walked off and you looked up at the man. He was staring at you, a small smile gracing his lips. You picked one of the seeds up, placing it to your lips and eating it. A smirked crossed your face, mirroring his and you sent him a wink before returning your attention to your group.

“Was that some sort of deity foreplay?”

Karen’s question was from a nice place but you couldn’t help but snicker at the way she said it. Before you got a chance to respond, a familiar brunette figure slid their way next to Foggy and Matt.

“Yes, it absolutely was”

It was none other than Jessica Jones otherwise known as Dionysus. She was pretty much always chronically drunk and very blunt. Lightly you shook your head, amused by her antics.

“It barely was Jess”

She snorted lightly. The two of you had been close in a few lives and you were glide to find one another again in this one.

“The most important story mortals tell about you is the whole you eating six or eight seeds for Hades? That’s definitely foreplay and I hope you get some tonight cause I have money on it with Calliope”

You took the rest of the seeds, eating them while sipping the wine you had been sent. All while being watched intently from the bar. The rest of your friends went off into their own chatter as you eyed Hades. Looking over to Karen, you sent her a look. Asking for confirmation, she nodded and you walked over. Taking slow steps towards the bar. As you reached him you placed your hands on the back of his chair, placing your lips to his ears and whispering to him.

“Thank you for the drink Hades”

Before you had the chance to walk off, her turned around. Grabbing your wrists gently. His eyes looked ink black up close, like small pieces of obsidian. Fitting him perfectly.

“How about you come with me Persephone? You were my flower after all, besides, I need to clean up my mess”

The burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me

And how the blood rushed into my cheeks, so scarlet it was

The mark you saw on my collarbone, the rust that grew between telephones

The lips I used to call home, so scarlet, it was maroon

You sent him a questioning look before he picked up a glass of red wine, purposefully spilling it on your top. Your face warmed rapidly at the gesture. Not to mention his voice, smooth as honey on your ears. Shyly you nodded towards him. He turned around to pay which gave you enough time to send a thumbs up towards your group. Jessica had moved next to Karen, allowing Foggy and Matt to be less squished. They all returned the gesture, Matt a few moments later as Foggy took the time to explain.

“I’m heading out, don’t have to much fun without me. Look out for Asclepius you two. No more fighting either Ares and thank you for your company as always Aphrodite”

Hades turned around, placing an arm around your waist gingerly. As he led you out the bar you could feel your heart getting faster. The rhythm in your chest remaining slightly unsettling with each step you took with the man. The two of you reached a classic white Rolls Royce Wraith, dripping with luxury. ‘Fitting for a king’ you thought. Hades opened the passenger side door, allowing you to climb in before he buckled the seat belt for you. You watched with patience as he got into the drivers side, turning the car on and pulling out from the parking spot.

“So, Persephone-“

You cut him off, giving him your mortal name instead. Not many called you Persephone, since most of your friends were mortals. There were a few deities, but not many.

“What?”

Hades was confused, you could tell. Chuckling quietly, you tried to compose yourself. Allowing your voice to explain why you had interrupted the man who was driving you to his place.

“It’s my mortal name, most call me it seeing as most of my friends are mortals. I’ve only got… what five friends that are deities? I’m much more in touch with the mortals than some others are”

He nodded, eyes focused on the road yet his hearing focused on you. His hand closest to you reached out and you guided it down to your thigh, giving him your consent. His thumb strokes your legs through the fabric of your pants.

“Well as I was going to say. I thought we could go back to mine. It’s still pretty early, we could watch something?”

You blinked in surprise. In all your lives no Hades had ever been so chivalrous surrounding your relationship. Despite all the stories mortals told, most incarnations of Hades were still violent and cruel. Ruling over the Underworld was no easy task and it came out in a hurtful way towards you.

“You… you don’t want anything from me?”

His eyes flicked over to you for a brief second. Cracking a grin before answering you.

“Flower I want nothing from you but some answers to questions I have. I know my past incarnations weren’t the… nicest people. Truth is I’ve been hurt myself pretty badly. My mum, my mortal mother in this life. She abandoned me. Fucked me up pretty bad. I was what 11 when I learnt I was Hades. This guy he told me I was pretty, tried to feel me up. I ended up almost killing him with my powers. Anger, fear, all that it’s a pretty big trigger for me to get out of hand. Guess it’s why I became a marine, because if I’m scared there I can deceive myself into thinking I’m just fighting for this country. Marines was where I met Ares and Asclepius, their mortal names are Frank and Curtis. That was them back their, Frank’s already found his Aphrodite. Names Maria, they got two wonderful kids too. Lisa who’s Harmonia reincarnated and then Frank Junior, Deimos. They’re my family, even if that wasn’t what the fates planned for us in past lives. It’s nice”

He ended his story as he pulled up to an apartment building. You smiled to yourself at the thought of the King of the Underworld being around two young kids. It made you wonder if the two of you would have any. If you’d have your Melinöe and Zagreus.

When the silence came, we were shaking blind and hazy

How the hell did we lose sight of us again?

Sobbin’ with your head in your hands

Ain’t that the way shit always ends?

You were standing hollow-eyed in the hallway

Carnations you thought were roses, that’s us

I feel you no matter what

The rubies that I gave up

That happened nearly three years ago. Hades or Billy as he told you to call him had asked you out 13 months after knowing you. Wanting to take it slow due to your histories. Now here you were laying on Karen’s floor, making dumb jokes about the underworld. Karen was out on a date with a Homeland Agent named Dinah, another mortal you were close with having interviewed her for the Bulletin before. Frank and Aphrodite had told you they’d be visiting the apartment some time today with the kids, seeing as Hades was now confident in your relationship.

A wave of nausea hit you, as it had been the past few weeks. Bolting to the bathroom, your held your head over the toilet. Vomiting uncontrollably. Billy had followed you quickly, wanting to stay on your tail. As he heard the violent retching he burst in. You clutched at your stomach tightly.

“Do you want kids Hades?”

You asked him, voice hoarse from the retching. Turning your head around weakly, tears welled in your eyes. His eyes widened at your question. Realisation dawned on him, despite being celestial beings you still experienced things such as pregnancy in a mortal way. Which you despised. Weeks ago you had taken some pregnancy tests as your period had been late. You and Billy had always been careful, never wanting to conceive accidentally until you were both sure.

“Flower… you’re pregnant aren’t you? How long have you known?”

The questions overwhelmed you, but you didn’t want to show that. He noticed your state and knelt down, placing a hand to your face. Wiping the tears gently away.

“Few weeks, I’m not far along. I was just so scared you’d hate me”

And I lost you

The one I was dancin’ with

In New York, no shoes

Looked up at the sky and it was maroon

Billy pulled you into his chest, rubbing your back softly. As he pulled away you felt his face move down, tracing soft kisses down until he reached your stomach. He kept smothering you and neither of you had the chance to recollect yourselves when you heard the jingling of keys in the door.

“Hades, Persephone where are you two?”

Franks voice called out, you heard the footsteps before you saw anyone. It was Frank and Maria, looking down at the sight of you two. From behind them you could see two small kids, Lisa and Junior.

“What’s happening here?”

You looked at Billy and he looked at you. Nodding gently he begun to speak.

“We- I just found out I’m gonna be a dad. Seph is pregnant”

Maria brought a hand to her mouth and Frank let a smile cross his face. Looking different to his usual scowl. Lisa popped out from behind Maria, running over to Billy. Who she called her Uncle to give him a tight hug, Junior joined shortly after. You stood up to clean your mouth out. The six of you exited the bathroom, taking up residence on the couch as Maria made you all hot drinks.

“So we’re gonna have cousins?”

The young girl lived up to her previous incarnations. Bringing nothing but absolute harmony wherever she went. Lisa smiled brightly at her Uncle Billy.

“And what about Persephone, are they our auncle too Uncle Billy?”

Junior sat close to his dad, understandably so. Being the young god of fear must not be easy. Billy looked over at you silently asking you if you wanted to be family to them.

“If you want me to be, I don’t have to be family until you trust me little one”

You tried your best to remain gentle towards the young boy. As Maria rejoined you all, placing down a variety of hot drinks. Hot chocolate for you and the kids, coffee for Frank and tea for Billy and herself.

“This is your first time meeting Persephone, you don’t have to trust them right away Deimos and nor do you Harmonia. As long as you respect them and don’t speak poorly”

The burgundy on my T-shirt when you splashed your wine into me

And how the blood rushed into my cheeks, so scarlet, it was (maroon)

The mark you saw on my collarbone, the rust that grew between telephones

The lips I used to call home, so scarlet, it was (maroon)

Nine months later you were laying in hospital. Covered in sweat, a gentle hand rubbing your arm in an attempt to soothe you.

“Persephone, you just gave birth to a healthy girl and boy. Seems like you and Hades now have your Zagreus and Melinöe”

Curtis’ voice cut through the post birth giving haze. You were still tired and in pain. Dopily you gave Asclepius a smile. Seeing as he was close to Billy, he had helped you both through the pregnancy. Being god of healing he was qualified for it luckily enough. The two of you had become close friends over the nine months, taking Billy away from you when you were just too overwhelmed to put up with the clingy god of the underworld.

Two nurses came in a few short moments later, carrying the twins. One was passed off to Billy and the other to you. Looking down at the baby girl you were filled with energy. Relishing in the peaceful bliss of having your own son and daughter.

“Renata Maia Russo and Cade Achlys Russo. How does that sound love? Our Zagreus and Melinöe”

Billy looked over at you, smiling. The sun was setting behind you. The sky a lovely maroon colour. Life felt peaceful and the red sky flowed against Hades skin. That day three years ago you ate your seeds, you allowed yourself to fall for Hades. Your other half, your king of the underworld. Now here you were, as scarlet skies bled onto the once baby blue background, you felt at home again.

Billy Russo Taglist: @snowkestrel

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khaire-traveler · 3 months

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No it's absolutely fine! I'm happy to answer ^^

I don't have any experience with Greek paganism nor Hellenic Polytheism, and I think I'm most interested in Hermes but I'd be happy to seek out any other Gods and Goddesses alongside him.

And I do have a bit of experience with paganism, having interacted briefly with Frigg and Loki before :3

Thanks for your help!!

Hey there, sorry for the delayed response!

Read more because this is quite long. 💀 Also, just a reminder that I am not an authority or professor or anything like that. Always, always, always double-check information if possible. 🧡

So, unfortunately, covering all of Greek paganism/Hellenic Polytheism is virtually impossible, but I can try to give you beginner tips based on your experience with Norse paganism.

There are two "types" of deities: Ouranic and Chthonic. Ouranic deities reside in the Heavens on Mount Olympus, whole Chthonic deities reside in the Underworld and are often closely connected to death. There are also deities who roam the earth and seas, but as far as I know, there isn't an official title for those deities.

Oftentimes, burning an offering (if safe to do so) was a practice commonly done for Ouranic deities, as it was believed that the smoke would travel to Mount Olympus. Burying an offering (if safe to do so) was typically done for Chthonic deities as a means of "returning it to the earth".

Fire is sacred; my advice is to make use of it when you can. Incense is also sacred and makes for a great offering for Greek deities. Water is also also sacred, especially salt water (literally just mix salt in the water; it doesn't have to be from the ocean); salt water was seen as cleansing, and if you add herbs (laurel leaves are great), it makes for a great and respectful way to clean your altar and your hands (washing hands before interacting with altars was a common practice, but you don't have to do that).

Just like Norse deities, Greek deities are extremely complex with many facets to their domains and personalities. Although modern media often depicts them as petty and one-dimensional, always keep in mind that they are far cooler (and much more mature) than that.

Many Greek deities share sacred animals (and even symbols sometimes) in common. Hera and Persephone share pomegranates, Apollo and Dionysus share snakes, Hermes and Apollo share hawks, etc. It's very common for Greek deities to have overlaps in worship and symbolism.

Greek deities often shared altars with each other in ancient times, so it's ok to do so in modern times as well. That said, it's still respectful to ask first if you can, but if you don't have the means and they need to share, that is almost always ok.

The arts were heavily important to the ancient Greeks, so as you can imagine, they are a great way to worship Greek deities. Carvings, poems, hymns, drawings, knittings, etc. are all wonderful ways to show devotion, although they are not required.

Food offerings were commonly given to Greek deities, such as bread, wine (often watered down), rosemary, laurel, olive oil, fruit, pastries, and water. Thankfully, these are relatively common these days!

Festivals were extremely common amongst the ancient Greeks. Celebrating the gods in all their forms for different occasions happened pretty much everywhere. You're more than welcome to participate in these festivals, but you don't have to. There aren't many celebrating Hermes from ancient times, but you're able to create your own if you want!

Epithets are a great way of invoking specific aspects of a Greek deity. They're similar to titles, such as Odin having the title of "All-father" or Loki having the title "Father of Lies". For Greek deities, epithets can help immensely when you need help with something specific. For example, "Hermes Eriounes" means "Hermes Luck-bringer/Ready-helper" and is specifically invoking Hermes' domain of luck and helping others.

There is an overwhelming amount of information about many Greek deities out there, but unfortunately, not every source is trustworthy. Be wary of where you're getting your information from.

There are multiple versions of many myths because worship of Greek deities was not the same in every part of ancient Greece. Some places had festivals that didn't exist in others and even worshipped deities that didn't seem to be acknowledged even just a city away. Myths vary, and sometimes, depending on the area, they were also laced with heavy bias towards deities, such as many existing myths of Ares being from Athens - a city where Ares was often openly disliked in favor of Athena. Worship was extremely diverse in ancient Greece, so myths, festivals, and even traditions tended to vary significantly.

Just because a myth pins a deity against another does NOT mean those deities hate each other in actuality. It also doesn't mean that, even if those deities do dislike each other, they won't be mature if you're worshipping them at the same time.

Myths give us a lot of great information, but just as you likely wouldn't do in Norse mythology, don't take the myths as a Holy Bible. There is no specific set of rules to follow or ways to do things, and the myths are not the end all, be all for the deities they depict.

The above is just general tips, not specific to Hermes. Regarding Hermes, though, here's some tips I could give based on personal experience:

Coins, frankincense, crocus flowers, sheep, turtles, hawks, snakes, hares, cows, caduceus symbolism, strawberries, lyre symbolism, winged sandal symbolism, winged helmet symbolism, souvenirs from personal travels, handwritten letters addressed to Hermes, family heirlooms, divination tools, and candles are all great offerings for Hermes!

Hermes offers his help freely to his worshippers, and he takes great care of his people. If you need help, even if you don't have something to give in the moment, ask for it. I think he honestly enjoys helping people. c:

His domains are many. You don't have to focus on each and every one, but don't forget to utilize his many areas of expertise.

I've found that Hermes will sometimes play little jokes on you. Make sure to establish boundaries of what things are and are not ok, although he is pretty considerate and doesn't mean to intentionally cause harm, in my experience.

Hermes is more than happy to help you curse a bitch, in my experience, if you ever need help with that sort of thing. I've found he's also helpful with spell creation, bringing up loopholes and things that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise. This is obviously witchcraft-specific.

Hermes, in mythos, was said to have been taught the art of prophecy from Apollo. He is FANTASTIC with divination, and even better with helping beginners. Throughout all my divination with him, he has always been the easiest deity to communicate with, giving very clear and concise answers that are fairly easy to interpret. If you ask for his help with interpretation, he WILL deliver.

If dreams are important or relevant to you, Hermes is great at communicating through them. In my experience, he has even helped keep nightmares at bay. I highly recommend asking his help if you struggle with peaceful sleep.

As a guide to human souls to the Underworld - a psychopomp - he is extremely helpful when you've lost your own direction, even in life. He can be an invaluable friend when you need someone to point you back in the right direction. In my experience, he typically encourages you to listen and stay true to yourself. I've found he's helped a lot with gaining confidence in one's own judgement.

His reputation in other online spaces is typically that of Silly Mail Guy™, but remember that he is extremely sharp and witty. He is one of the cleverest deities I've interacted with, and his wisdom far surpasses his reputation. Trust me, if you need advice, he's a great deity to ask.

He is extremely compassionate. Something I consistently hear from other worshippers is how kind, considerate, and compassionate Hermes is. If you ever make a mistake, he tends to be very forgiving, and if you ever need emotional assistance, he can be such a great ally. Genuinely, he is so sweet, and I assure you that he's wonderful to turn to in times of need.

He's a god of thievery and trickery, and I'm just going to say without saying, that domain can be immensely helpful if you find yourself in a difficult situation. *wink wink*

Hermes and Loki, in my experience, team up often when you worship them simultaneously. They are almost guaranteed to come up with a lesson to teach you or a silly prank at some point, in my experience. They seem to get along very well lol.

This is all the information I can think of, honestly. I don't think there's an easy step-by-step process of getting started with Greek paganism or Hermes worship, so I just focused on giving tips and information that came to mind. These are obviously not exhaustive lists, but I'm hoping they can give you some useful information that you might not have had before.

I hope these things are helpful to you. I wish you lots of luck on this new spiritual journey. You've got this. c: Take care, and have a great day/night! 🧡

#asks #answered asks #upg for Hermes

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barncultus · 11 months

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Developing Local Cultus: A Companion Library

In preparation for the revamping of my Local Cultus series over on wordpress, I have begun to gather this small reference library for anyone who may be interested. Containing mostly works which inspired me to set out on the path of developing a localized religious practice, as well as some of my research materials. For those interested in the series, and the topic which it covers, I absolutely recommend giving these titles a flip through.

The first of this series, an introduction and mapping out of what is to come, will be up on the Barn Cultus website by the end of July.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Indispensable knowledge of ecological relationships as written by an indigenous woman and professor of environmental biology.

The Green Mysteries by Daniel Schulke An encyclopedia of the spiritual, magical, and folkloric qualities of plants. Written by the Magister of the Sabbatic tradition.

The Golden Bough by James George Frazer Frazer tracks the role of religion and magic up until the modern day, introducing along the way some of the key ideas behind my style of cultus developing (such as re-enchantment). This book is always on my reference shelf, close at hand, and while the anthropology is at times laughably outdated, it is a beautiful read with some interesting groundwork.

Viridarium Umbris by Daniel Schulke I'd be remiss to not include this in my list. Another Schulke work and a comprehensive grimoire of verdant magics. I personally view this book as overhyped, though a should-read, perhaps not a must.

Demons & Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices A foundational text of folkloric land spirits and the operations used by Pre-Modern Europe to interact with them.

Roman Cult Images: The Lives and Worship of Idols from the Iron Age to Late Antiquity In my own eyes, the finding of localized images. Images references the faces, attributes, and fauna of the region in which each divinity of the cultus is depicted. The crafting of cult images, in the forms of eikons and idols, is another aspect of this.

Idolatry Restor'd by Daniel Schulke Schulke speaks to the ensouled fetish, which connects greatly to the idea of the Living Statue and the cultic image. More of a sorcerous read, but worth it nontheless.

We Are In The Middle of Forever: Indigenous Voices of Turtle Island on the Changing Earth I hold the strong conviction that those of us in America who find our bloodlines here through the powers of colonialism absolutely must be listening to indigenous wisdom- full stop. Publications like this one are a huge boon to the mending of the rift between the descendants of colonialism and the land which they inhabit. I think this becomes doubly important to those practices land-based religions.

The Sacred and the Profane by Mircea Eliade I come with the bias of studying the anthropology of religion full time. This book has in many ways aided in bridging the gap between my academic studies and the building of my theologies, and is a profound read by an author with a storied collection of publications within the field.

Mystai: Dancing out the Mysteries of Dionysus An interesting look into the mystery cult of Dionysus during late antiquity. Mystery cults often operated regionally and with localized aspects to their mysteries.

Eleusinian Mysteries and Rites by Dudley Wright All literature on the Eleusinian mysteries is a boon- this is my recommendation. Following the ritual life of the local agriculture cult which has gone down in history as one of the largest surviving cults into the Christianization of Greece.

Walking the Worlds: Building Regional Cultus Less of an academic read than the others on this list, but one I found equally as inspiring. The articles speak to diaspora and tensions of modern polytheism, and I think without some kind of academic pre-knowledge of these topics the articles themselves would fall a little flat, but a worthy read for the genuine pursuant.

Mystery Cults in the Greek and Roman World by the MET

Kongo in Haiti: A New Approach to Religious Syncretism by Luc de Heusch This article explores religious syncretism through the lens of Vodou, an African traditional religion known for its syncretic relationship with Christianity here in the US and Haiti. De Heusch explores a little bit of the roots in West Africa, and how the religion operates in both syncretic and nonsyncretic ways across the African diaspora.

Why Cecropian Minerva?: Hellenic Syncretism as System by Luther H. Martin This article explores syncretism in a western context, from the other side of the isle. This is not syncretism brought on by oppression and colonialism, instead highlighting syncretism theologically proposed by the oppressors, a favorite of the Romans. Martin explores the theology of this, the politics of this, and offers interesting analysis of the historical evidence.

Epithets in the Orphic Hymns by W. K. C. Guthrie There's powers in names. You know it, I know it, Guthrie certainly knows it. Behind that power is meaning. While Guthrie does not particularly touch on regionalized epithets, I still find this to a be a great read to get one thinking about cult specific poetic titles.

#from the baserri #library #developing local cultus

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ancientorigins · 4 months

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Dionysus was the multifaceted deity who embodied the essence of wine, theater, and ecstatic dance. His captivating history and symbolic significance made him stand out among the gods of antiquity.

Dionysian mysteries, secretive rites filled with dance, music, and wine, symbolizing communion with the god. These mysteries offer a glimpse into the ancient world's spiritual practices and the pursuit of deeper understanding.

Discover how the festivals dedicated to Dionysus gave rise to modern drama theater, with performances that explored the complexities of human existence and echoed the themes inherent in Dionysus's worship.

#Thracians #Dionysus #Greek #Gods #Greek Gods #Wine #The 12 Olympian gods #Ancient Greece

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sabrinathepolytheist · 9 months

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Do you have to follow ancient tradition to be an Hellenic Polytheist?

Hello! Welcome to my very first official passion blog post! I hope you enjoy reading it and do let me know what you think! <3

I would like to start right off the bat and say that Hellenism, otherwise known as Hellenic Polytheism, can be a very vast topic to explore, and even with the depth that I provide in this post, I don't think I will ever be able to convey everything correctly. It is also important to note that this post is mostly theoretical, and philosophical in nature. My sources you may ask? Well, that's just it, my sources are the many things I have read, and learned over the past year about being a Hellenist. I cannot provide a direct source to what I know as to me it is now common knowledge.

I will go ahead and say that I do not represent the entirety of the community who worships these gods. I am just one person, and this post and my blog is just my perspective on our shared spirituality. I don't know everything, and frankly, I am sure neither do you, dear reader. Let us all remember a remarkable quite by Socrates;

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing" - Socrates

This post will discuss the following:

A general definition of what a Hellenic Polytheist is.

A description of what ancient traditions and customs were like.

How ancient tradition, and customs can change to accommodate our modern era

Do you have to practice ancient tradition to be considered a Hellenic Polytheist?

What is a Hellenic Polytheist?

To answer this question simply, an Hellenic Polytheist is a individual who practices Hellenism - the ancient Greek religion. A Hellenic Polytheist simply believes in the gods of Greece as being the divine powers over the universe itself. One who is not familiar with these gods may know their names from just pure happenstance. Their names consist of; Zeus, Hera, Apollon, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, Athena, Dionysus, Poseidon, Demeter, and last but certainly never least, Hestia. Yet, there are countless of other gods, daemons, heroes, titans, and primordials that fall into the pantheon of the Greek gods. However, some Hellenist only worship a handful of gods, or all the gods, or just primordials, or perhaps just titians, and some even worship only one of the gods. The range of gods that you worship in Hellenism can vary from person to person, just as it varied from city to city in ancient times. Interestingly enough, Hellenism even has an element of animism to it.

A great example would be the many personified deities the Greeks had. Thanatos - the personification of death, and Hypnos - the personification of sleep, are just the tip of the iceberg when talking about personified deities. Another example of animism in Hellenism, would be the many nymphs whom are believed to frolic around in the forests, seas, rivers, and more. Both personified deities, and nymphs seem to be powers whom encompass the human condition, or nature itself. Mother Gaia is another example, whom is seen as mother nature, or the earth herself in some views.

What did ancient tradition look like?

What about the tradition behind the worship of these gods? Well in traditional Hellenism, there were structures in place that would determine if you were ready to approach the gods in worship. Typically, in ancient Hellenic tradition one would have to rid themselves of any "Miasma" or otherwise known as "spiritual dirtiness" before ever approaching the gods for worship or prayer. The concept of Miasma is not to be confused with the Christian concept of "sin", rather Miasma was seen as a spiritual fifth, often acquired by being among the dead - this included being in the presence of blood, death, illnesses, or fighting in a war. Some claim that Miasma can also come from sexual acts. With Miasma being such a feared thing in ancient times, purification became an essential part to the practice.

When addressing the gods after a purification of Miasma was completed, one would then commence in ritual, or prayer to the gods. Most often the first and last prayer of the ritual was given to Hestia - the goddess of the hearth and home. It was believed that Hestia was the center of the home, and without her fire burning within the home, the home would surly parish. Of course, a home does not have to be a building, it could also be a family, or a group of people you are close with. Most often after addressing and giving to Hestia, libations would then be poured to other gods.

Libations where an essential part of ancient Hellenic practice, and they were often the only type of offering given to the gods by some. For some, Hellenism is not Hellenism without the offering of libations. Libations were poured liquids. The liquids would consist of water, or wine most often. It was said that libations poured to the gods should not be drank, but instead poured into the ground to return the liquid to the gods. After all you offered the liquid to the gods, it is technically now theirs.

There were likely many other types of offerings given to the gods in ancient times. In fact, some have excavated votive offerings to the gods that were buried in the ground. There is so-so-so much more that goes into ancient Hellenic practice, however, I cannot go through them all here, as that would literally require me to write a book. Goodness, even the customs, and ancient traditions are a huge mouthful to explain - this is just the very tip of the iceberg.

How ancient tradition, and customs can change to accommodate our modern era

One might say that the ancient tradition never changed and will never change. However, is that really the case? How could it be? Everything changes at some point, right? Well, it depends on who you ask really. Re-constructionists (Recons) of the ancient Hellenic practice would argue that one should practice the exact way that the ancients practiced the tradition. The thing is this is a very hard thing to replicate to full accuracy in the modern day. There are people out there who have tried to replicate an ancient ritual to the gods to an absolute spitting-image. The problem? They still had to substitute items into the ritual because they simply didn't have access to the items that the ancients used for their honorings. So even Recons must stray away from tradition.

Revivalists are more lenient and would tell you to take what vibes with you and leave what doesn't vibe with you (for the most part). A revivalist is more likely to accept the fact we live in modern times, and our world is modernized, and because of this, we can honor the gods in modernized ways, as we see fit, so long as we remain respectful of the gods. The practice is modernized, but the gods are still ancient.

Other worshipers of the Greek gods may not even identify as Hellenists, and may be eclectic Witches, or Neo-pagans. This goes to show that Hellenism - the tradition, isn't what connects you to the gods. What connects you to the gods, is in fact - well, you! Yes, you have the ability to connect to the gods just as you are now.

In our modern world, it can be hard to cling to the past. This is why recons may be annoyed with revivalists, or Neo-pagans. Recons tend to have a harder time accepting the modernization of ancient practices, while revivalists, and other groups do not have this issue (again for the most part). A thing we must realize is, change is inevitable. Even the physical planet we live on itself has morphed its shape with tectonic movements countless times. The seasons too, are a great example of change. Everything goes through changes and phases. The sooner we take note of this the happier we will all be.

Do you have to practice ancient tradition to be considered a Hellenic Polytheist?

I must reveal for those who are concerned that I am not a Re-constructionist, although I am to a slight degree, I am mostly a revivalist. You could even consider me to be a hybrid; a Recon-Revivalist. it is my personal belief that tradition is only secondary to divine relationship and communication. You do not have to stress about performing an ancient ritual to absolute perfection in order to have a connection to the gods. To me, Hellenism is about the gods, and how you connect with them. In ancient times there would be communal rituals and cleansings of miasma, that multitudes of people would be able to participate as well as city-wide festival celebrations, and worship rituals. These people were capable of honoring the gods in the same environment, so it is no shock that they would have similar ways of worship to each other.

However, we live in a modern world, and we are modern people. While ancient tradition provides a much needed insight into the way the ancients went about worshiping their gods, and I do think it is only respectful that one would at least consider trying to do worship the way the ancients would have conducted it, that doesn't make it the end all be all for what Hellenism is. Think about the vast amount of philosophers, and philosophical wisdoms, and ideas passed down from the ancients. Not a single one of them thought about Hellenism, or the gods in the exact same way (to my knowledge). Due to this, we can come to realize that philosophical thinking is not something limited to the ancients. Everyone can think about life philosophically and come to see what they truly believe about themselves and about the world.

So, do I have a personal philosophy? Well, yes, but I would say as I learn, and grow myself, it can change as time goes on. I would say I have a tendency to take things from many different ancient philosophers. For example, I agree with Sallustius that the gods are pure good and are never the cause of unrest and heartache in our lives. That said, there are also many other things I believe in that are not of ancient context. I believe that true Hellenism in the modern day is most easily experienced in the eyes of the individual. In ancient times it was a communal tradition, now days it is harder to do so, and because of this it is much easier to be a solitary Hellenist rather than a Hellenist that is a part of a community. Not many of us have local temples to our gods, and that is a valid and real thing to understand. Our homes are our temples now.

I know the idea of straying away from strict ancient tradition may put some individuals off from my blog. However, I am willing to take that risk in order to be able to provide a safe place for fellow Hellenists to gather and read my blog; a blog written from the hands and mind of a Hellenic polytheist, for the eyes of other Hellenic Polytheists, or aspiring ones.

Conclusion - Do you need to practice ancient tradition?

So, in closing, to answer the question each and every one of you have been waiting for; no, you do not have to practice ancient tradition to be an Hellenic Polytheist. Just do you, stop batting around the thoughts and opinions of a million other people in your head, and get up, walk to your alter(s), and just pray. Connect with the gods, speak with the gods, grow a relationship with them. This is true Hellenism in my eyes. The relationship that you have with one or more of the gods is priceless, and it is something no human being could ever take away from you. So, cherish that relationship. Of course, this view could be seen as subjective, and that's okay, people deserve to think what they wish, but this will not change my personal viewpoint.

Above all respect each other's practices. A hardcore re-constructionist, and a more lenient revivalist are one in that when we consider that they worship the same gods. Neither of these groups should be viewed as any less of a Hellenic Polytheist either. We must learn to co-exist with one another without getting into arguments. Arguments only lead to a bad situation for each party involved. So, to settle this dispute, if at all possible, perhaps recons could be more lenient and accepting of revivalists and their more modernized traditions, and revivalists could perhaps explore parts of ancient tradition do resonate with their practice and incorporate those parts of ancient practice into their own.

I personally do find it important to consider ancient ways of practice when starting out your path, as the last thing we want to end up doing is appropriating a culture - that would be a no-no. That stated, I do also feel it is completely valid if one wishes to stray a bit away from tradition. Do you like offering libations? Yes? Good for you! Own it, it's your practice. Say you don't enjoy giving libations due to the possible inconvenience of having to return the liquid to the earth, or maybe you do not like that you can't consume the liquid offered to the Chthonic gods according to tradition. That's A-okay. You don't have to do libations, you can simply offer votive offerings like stones, rocks, crystals, anything physical really. Perhaps devotionals are more your speed. Good! Write a song, or a poem, or a story in honor of the gods and offer that work to them.

Whatever you are doing, you are doing it for you. You aren't doing it for anyone else but you. So, understand, especially those new to Hellenic Polytheism, that when I say it is okay to stray from tradition, that it is absolutely okay. Individual practice is individual practice, and it is very sacred to the individual, and no one can tell you how to do your individual practice. Don't listen to the people who try to control your practice for you. There is no way you can do your own personal practice wrong. The only way to go with your own practice is up.

-Sabrina the Polytheist

Thank you all for reading! If you wish to learn more about Hellenism, or perhaps start learning about Hellenism, here are some sources that I would recommend:

Hellenic Polytheism : Household Worship by Labrys https://www.amazon.com/Hellenic-Polytheism-Household-Worship-1/dp/1503121887/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UVH9MRG9RL5K&keywords=hellenic+polytheism+household+worship&qid=1691612186&sprefix=%2Caps%2C299&sr=8-1 (This is a stable in the Hellenic Polytheist community, this book tells you in detail how ancient tradition was conducted in the home: can be found on Amazon for $14.00 USD!)

https://www.theoi.com/ (A site to learn about the many gods of the Hellenic pantheon, as well as to read up on myths)

https://hellenicfaith.com/ (This site showcases a multitude of information about ancient tradition, philosophy, and worldviews)

Pic the Pagan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmVTgvWkXrbdod_Ni1XFUw (is a well-known Hellenic Polytheist content creator, he creates short form V-log style videos that are very insightful, I do recommend you check him out).

#hellenic polytheism #hellenic worship #hellenic pagan #hellenic polythiest #hellenic pantheon #sabrinathepolytheist #pagan #Hellenism #philosophy #hellenic community #hellenic devotion #hellenic gods #hellenic paganism #hellenic polytheist #hellenic reconstructionism #helpol

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apollomes-supremacy · 1 year

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LO Dionysus design 🍇🎭

This will be a long post since Dionysus isn’t a character yet so I had to create him from 0.

The beginning of Dionysus’ introduction started on EP 93 (with Semele, Dionysus’ mother), but it has been more than 100 episodes and we got absolutely nothing from that plot, which is bad considering that other gods get involved in the og myth (Zeus, Hera and Hermes, mainly), but none of them (before and after the time skip) display any knowledge or memory of the event, especially Zeus, who is the one who accidentally kills Semele in the first place.

I already talked about it here, but im 100% sure that the child mentioned in episode 218 is Dionysus. He should be 10 yo right now and he’s the only character (vaguely) introduced who is around that age. Not to mention, Dionysus does have some connections with the Underworld. My main theory is that he will be adopted by HxP and will remain a child for the rest of the series (probably skipping the majority of Dionysus’ myths). And that’s honestly such a waste of potential. So I decided to give my take on him if he was in LO, like the redesigns I did with many other characters.

Design

My main inspo was 60′s and 70′s Hippie fashion, with a lot of patterns, accessories (crystals, evil eyes, beads, rings, etc), loose clothes and a more lazy/cozy look. He’s two shades of purple that split his face, which is meant to represent his duality as the god of parties and joy & god of wrathful madness. Hermes gave him nymph ears to use as a disguise when he was young, but he doesnt want to change them back because he grew up and feels comfortable with them. He has a very androgynous/feminine look, which leads to a lot of people thinking he’s an actual nymph.

In his true form (which can come out voluntarily, but usually happens when the god gets so mad that they are unable to control themselves) he can get really big. Leafs and grapes sprout everywhere, he gets another pair of arms made of plants’ stems and his eyes go full neon green.

Story

His story is very similar to the og myths, with just some small differences. He is born from Zeus’ thighs and goes to live with Demeter and Persephone as one of their nymphs to escape Hera’s wrath. There he starts to question a lot about himself, like his gender and his origins (he doesn’t know he is not an actual nymph), and when puberty hits, his body and his powers go crazy. Its also around that time when he meets and falls in love with Ampelos (and you know how that story ends).

When the wine he creates starts growing in popularity and Dionysus starts getting worshipped by some cities, Zeus decides that there’s no reason to hide him from Hera anymore, so he brings Dionysus to Olympus and reveals the truth, inviting him to become an Olympian. Dionysus says yes without thinking twice, so he moves in and starts to get prepared for his ceremony and his new life.

But there’s a problem. The Olympus lifestyle is way too different from Dionysus’. People are sophisticated, modern and even mean-spirited, while he is the complete opposite. It’s hard for him to fit in and he just wants to go home with the nymphs and satyrs, and he eventually does... illegally.

Personality & relationships

Dionysus is very outgoing and funny. He’s kind to everyone around him (not discriminating against nymphs, satyrs or mortals), but he can get very emotional very fast. He gets easily annoyed, which will prob just result in some unwanted vines around the house and a grumpy look, but the moment he gets mad is when everything falls apart (wrath form). Anger issues + no control over powers = no good.

He sees Demeter as a mother and Persephone and the nymphs as older sisters, while Silenus and the other satyrs served as fathers. His favorite brother is Hermes who kept an eye on him during his entire childhood and still cares deeply for him. He also has an interesting relationship with Apollo, he is very scared and intimidated by him (I understand why lol) but wants to start a friendship. Except for the fact that Apollo already has a soft spot for him, Dionysus is just oblivious to it. Ares is also scary and kinda mean, but he likes Dionysus and cares for him. He’s very indifferent towards Zeus, Hera hates him (he hates her too) and everyone else is pretty neutral, considering he doesnt know a lot of people outside of the nymphs and satyrs.

Powers

Dionysus is a fertility god (which in this universe doesnt mean that much), this means he has powers over vegetation (like Demeter) and mortals’ desires (like Aphrodite). Being the god of madness also means that he can make people so mad to the point of committing atrocities and completely losing their minds. In his true form, simply looking at him can lower your sanity. He also has the powers all the other gods have, like changing forms, cursing and blessing people, being summoned by mortals, etc.

That’s all I have the energy to write rn. I tried to replicate the LO art style, and honestly I really liked the result! Hope you guys liked it too <3

(Also, Dionysus would be around his 20′s when the story takes place. He is Pansexual and is still confused about his gender but he’s fine with any pronouns).

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astoryfullofwoe · 7 months

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worship // greek lovers

i play your body like a lyre

and savour the sweet songs you sing;

my fingers know every string by heart,

i’m fluent in your vocal poetry.

i would start and end wars

for your ambrosia lips

and the way they trail down my figure—

your mouth more devastating

than any of Eros’ arrows.

we make such beautiful music together.

modern greek lovers; Sappho must be proud.

caress me like you’re

making love to Aphrodite;

i’m all soft curves and pink skin,

dripping sea foam, ready for your touch.

gently work the oyster shell open,

and polish the pearl ‘til it shines.

trace my flower petals with your tongue,

drink the nectar forged only for you.

bite me like you’re

fucking Dionysus;

claw me open, hear me cry out—

you know i like it rough.

curl around me like ivy,

scratch down my back and feel it arch.

sip on my wine, suck on the cork;

watch how i put on a show for you.

embrace me like you’re

bedding Hera;

spread yourself wide, peacock-style,

give yourself up to me in offering.

brush heavenly kisses down my neck,

you know i’m your queen—

your hands gripped in my hair, my crown,

your face of carved marble, my throne.

make my mortal body tremble

on our altar of honey-sweet elixir

and damp, discarded bedsheets;

climb Mount Olympus, make a religion out of me.

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umbran6 · 8 months

Text

What if... Leo got a Cult?

For those of you who have seen some of my previous posts, this one is based on the What if… Leo Became a God? For those of you who know liked, reblogged, or both, thank you very much. For those of you who may not know, please click on the underline. But for those who just want a quick TLDR about that: Leo burns away his mortality while fighting Gaea, which led to him becoming a god.

Now, I know I’m jumping into possibly ridiculous territory. Leo just became a god. How the hell does he get a cult so quickly? However, I argue that this is one of the most vital components when considering any headcanon that involves one character becoming a god. Gods need domains, belief, memories to maintain their form in the real world. We see an active example of what happens when gods don’t have this through Pan — his domain had been defiled and belief in him had dwindled to the point he ceased to exist. You can't just have demigods like Percy reach godhood without explaining what's going to keep them around afterwards, so this is my attempt to explain as such.

Hera teaches this to Leo when she informs him of his newfound godhood. To truly become a god beyond the few years after his ascension, he needs to give people reason to believe in him. Hercules had his Twelve Labors which are still told to this day. Dionysus had his cult which actively praised him as the God of Wine, and his memory is associated with the twelve Olympians. More minor gods such as Triptolemus lean on a divine patron for their domains, becoming their lieutenants to help make up for a lack of belief.

Leo needs something to latch him into the real world, because once his friends die and people start forgetting about him if he doesn’t do anything about it, he will cease to exist unless he decides to piggyback off Hephaestus or Hera. Yeah, that course of action is not going to fly - Leo still has a grudge against Hephaestus for ‘going out to get milk’ for nearly all his life, and while Hera is starting to make up for the Nanny-From-Hell Incidents, he still doesn’t trust her.

Leo understands that but does not know how to achieve it. Nor does he know if he wants to achieve it. Aside from his own feat of destroying Gaea, he doesn’t see why someone would want to worship him. He hasn’t given anyone reason to. So, he decides to avoid doing so - if he was to be glorified, it would only be through ways he thought were right. Little did he forget a good portion of genre-savviness - A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.

Instead, he focuses on the benefits of becoming a minor god. Not the supreme power, but more on the practical benefits. Practical, as in, Leo has everything he needs to live. He easily erases records of his past from the public eye, allowing him to be among mortals without any issue, though he does slightly gaslight his mortal family by popping up in front of them when they least expect it, slowly driving them to insanity. He doesn’t have to worry about money because he can easily conjure it. Our boy got himself the upgrade and glow-up in ways that he could never imagine and doesn’t have to experience the hardship he went through in the streets anymore.

To put it bluntly, Leo knows the negatives of immortality, that everyone he loves will die eventually. But now he can, ironically enough, live. Being able to pop into a country with a snap of his fingers, be free of searching for food every day, having the time to study whatever he pleases and indulge when he never could. All of those are miracles he never takes for granted. Leo loves being a god because there are just so many benefits and so little loss to him on a personal level in the short term.

So, he travels the world, enjoying what he could never appreciate in his voyage in the Argo II, bringing his mom with him for the ride while Calypso adjusts to the modern world. They backpack or rest in luxury, but Leo is not blind as he travels the world — regardless of his newfound godhood, he still sees the poor, the hungry, the sick. The people they used to be before he was aware of his status as a demigod, and before he gave his mom a second chance at life.

So, Leo helps. Out of empathy, he conjures food and builds shelters for those in need. He teaches what he can and offers resources that help people learn when he can’t teach while he quickly studies the subjects necessary to make their lives better. When violence breaks out, he is the first one to intervene, bringing order to bloody chaos. and crushing threats with the snap of his fingers. Normally the Mist hides the divine, but the world has become more open-minded as fantasy and the supernatural become more entrenched in popular culture. Mortals don’t recognize what he is, but they can understand that there was something more powerful hiding behind the face of a young boy. Children who are more open to the concept of the supernatural know his true nature.

The mortal world formally recognizes him when the media sees Leo put down a war between gangs with steel, fire, and blood, sparing the civilians caught in the crossfire and clutching the leaders by their neck in front of the press. Articles spring up and the rumors and videos lurking in the internet are given legitimacy by the public. They don’t know how to name Leo at first - and they initially draw on pop culture as a reference. Some call him The Boy on Fire, others more familiar with his philanthropy dub him The Architect. In the end, they settle for one title: The Ashborn, for his arrival was heralded by the ashes of those burnt by his flames. Debates regarding what exactly Leo is are furious - some claim he’s a spirit, others claim he is the reincarnation of whichever spiritual figure they pray to. Some think he’s a devil, but even they can’t deny the good he does. The people he saved praise the god hidden among humans, and the Cult of Ash is formed, though Leo keeps a strict eye so that it does not cause harm, physical or mental, to anyone.

Inspired by his travels when he comes back home while keeping a laser focus on his growing cult, Leo builds. A lot. He makes the first demigod cellphones and starts distributing them around the world to demigods in need, allowing them to communicate with both their mortal and supernatural loved ones, though he partners with Iris so that it has more support among the gods. When he comes across the Waystation, he is inspired to create similar locations around the world so demigods can have temporary shelter. He builds smaller versions of the Argo II so that demigods can travel between camps with ease. He becomes practically a one-man industrial revolution for the demigods, and that resonates through most of the world.

The demigods don’t know how to react to this. They’ve never had a god actively be interested in improving their lives before, much less so directly. To them, the gods have always been distant - important, of course, but not omnipresent and certainly never aiding them unless it was quid pro quo. But Leo is there. He’s talking to them, handing his inventions without charge. He’s helping, and they don’t know what to do because some of them feel they can do more than just say thank you.

The demigods, in their confusion, go back to the ancient ways of their predecessors when treating the gods to show respect and praise. Sometimes it’s a simple ‘Thanks Leo’ when a demigod uses their phone to call their mortal friends and family. Sometimes it is food burnt in his honor. Some decide to take a more modern approach and make things in his image. Yes, that means the demigods make Leo merch, including a Mythomagic card and figurine that makes Nico choke on air.

But what stands out are the prayers. Demigods start praying to him for safety, for his intelligence and strength when facing the challenges they face in life. When an attempt to transport three demigods to Camp Half-Blood goes horribly wrong, the satyr prays to Leo for protection. Leo appears and slays the horde in a single motion while he guides the demigods to Camp. The demigods he saves sing his praises while getting a more positive outlook of the gods, for now they know there is someone among the divine that advocates for them.

Much like the mortals, the demigods give him his own epithets, but they recognize the truth about his ascension. Those who focus on his work in improving the lives of the demigods call him Léon o Efevrétis - Leo the Inventor. For those who focus on the true power he wields, they call him as thus: Apocalypsis Leo. Leo of the Apocalypse, for he was the one that struck down the world when it dared to rise against the gods.

Leo can sense these prayers. He doesn’t know how to react to them because he’s never had people… believe in him. He’s used to hiding his powers, hiding who he is. Now people are idolizing him (literally - someone’s already made an idol figurine of him, and it makes him look too hot than he really should be) for who he really is. It feels good, but he doesn’t know how to react towards them. He doesn’t know if he is doing the right thing by allowing them to worship him, or that he should encourage them to focus elsewhere.

So, with a bit of advice from Hera, Leo turns towards the closest god to experience what he went through, Mr. D. Only he would be the one to understand the dilemma that Leo is going through, at least in passing for he himself was also idolized. Leo, with a bit of time, confides in him - mainly because he knows he can’t exactly go about spilling everything to the Olympian. But with time, he does bring up the problem - by allowing people to venerate him, was he doing the right thing?

Mr. D. can’t answer that. Because Leo’s cult is still growing in numbers, and the results of their actions were yet to be seen. But he does give a nugget of wisdom. That how he treats his followers defines him as a god, but if he cares about the independence of his followers, or how they act, then he should lead by example. Do not encourage them to glorify him but guide them. Whether he was worth being treated as a deity, and if that was the right thing, was a decision the mortals would make among themselves. Thus, outside of Hera and Apollo, Leo makes his first friend among the gods. With this, Dionysus also begins his path as the Camp’s official psychiatric counselor.

The Olympians' (and the other Pantheons) reactions are mixed. Zeus of course thinks that it should be put down, seeing it as possible threat against the gods. Those more reluctant to accept Leo think that if his cult keeps growing, Leo may gun for a throne among the council. His friends among the divine (his demigod friends are a mixed bag, but I'll get back to that later) see it as Leo getting the reverence he deserves as a god, the same reverence they went through during the times of Ancient Greece, Macedon, and Rome. Some just think the cult will devolve over time. The other Pantheons keep a close eye on both him and his cult, seeing him as a new and powerful player on the international stage of the gods.

However, Leo’s mortal friends are a mixed bag of responses. Reasonable, of course - they’re witnesses, and in some cases, unwitting conspirators to Leo’s ascension. They see their friend unknowingly shaping the world around him through his travels, the news articles and shrines being created in his name, and the legend that grows. And of course, each one has a different take on the cult that grows.

Annabeth is not worried about it. She is somewhat wary of the pace Leo is bringing innovation, for demigods never had to deal with modernization in the ways most mortals dream of. Oh, she loves all the new phones and the fact that she doesn’t have to constantly rely on more impractical methods for communicating with her friends. But she wants Leo to allow other inventors to grow, and for the cult not to persecute those who want to create and stand on their own two feet.

Percy sees Leo as his ‘what if’ — what could’ve happened if he chose godhood. He sees all the inventions that Leo makes and how he is making life so much easier for everyone, and he can’t help but compare himself to him, wondering if he could do more. Whenever some of Leo’s worshipers see their subject of worship, they radiate gratitude. He doesn’t know what to make of the cult, but he feels a bit envious when he sees the smiles on everyone’s faces whenever Leo shows up.

Frank, Hazel, and Reyna, while trying to be friends with him, don’t know how to handle the cult. The cult is gaining influence in New Rome, and its slowly starting to show as more statuettes of Leo appear and more prayers are sung. It speaks volumes of the cult’s growth when New Rome's Senate officially pardons Leo about the Eidolon incident without any prompting. The best they can do is that Leo keeps his cult in check, which he is more than happy to do so.

Unfortunately, and ironically enough, its Jason and Piper that cannot accept, or at least overcome the cult, but for two separate reasons. Regardless, it has a very devastating effect on their relationship because these two reasons are heavily linked to them as characters.

For Jason, Leo has unknowingly made his job as Pontifex Maximus extremely more difficult. Leo has indirectly set a higher standard for the minor gods - minor gods aren’t just allowed to exist anymore. They should have influence on their lives, or they should somehow benefit the demigods. Gods such as Tyche/Fortuna and Nemesis still have their own domains that are seen day-to-day, but the more minor gods are heavily criticized for their inaction, with Jason bearing the brunt of said criticism. It’s a slap on the face for Jason when he has spent weeks trying to get a single minor god’s temple approved by the Senate and now must beg and grovel for funding, while the only reason Leo’s worshippers haven’t built him a temple is because they want the guy’s approval of it.

Leo, although doing his best to maintain neutrality, knows the truth behind Jason’s oath — that he had done it to save his and Percy’s skin when they were at Kymopoleia’s mercy. When the minor gods try to blame Leo for the lack of the oath’s success, he argues in his own defense - the people chose to worship him out of their own free will and Jason was still doing his best to uphold the bargain. But when they ask Kymopoleia about the deal, they get a lot more context and see Jason as unwilling and selfish, seeing his lack of success as more him trying to find a loophole in the oath he swore.

Jason doesn’t see the bigger picture. All he sees is that everyone is more than happy to sing Leo’s praises for being the hottest god on the block, while everyone is hating him for making sure that the minor gods get their moment in the sun. This slowly starts to build more resentment as the monopoly-board with all the minor gods' shrines seems to be just a dream. In an ironic twist, Jason is now resentful about Leo being the golden boy in the eyes of everyone while he’s the one being overlooked, which was the exact opposite situation when Leo was a demigod.

Piper, in the meantime, is more resentful of Leo as a whole. Mainly because she sees Leo growing more famous, and more people are asking her about trying to speak with Leo rather than her. She’s reminded of a similar situation with her and her father - that she was seen more as a link to him rather than as a person overall.

Furthermore, much like Jason, she is also feeling overshadowed. When people speak of their quests, they don't give her the respect that she deserves. They don't discuss Piper giving Festus sentience to fight Khione, because nobody else on the Argo II can’t really accept it —Piper’s charmspeak never showed such a degree of power before. Her role in defeating Gaea? She claims that she ‘put Gaea to sleep’ with her charmspeak, but the thing about an auditory power is that… you can’t exactly hear it from several stories high up, and Jason’s supporting claim is looked upon with suspicion because he is her boyfriend, of course he’ll speak on her behalf. Only Leo can testify otherwise, but outside of that she is given the ‘Princess Peach treatment’ (and no, not like the new Mario Movie), with most of her role being downplayed.

It doesn’t help that her cognition of Leo is very much against the view his followers have of him. She and Jason always viewed Leo as… more of a jester than the inventor he always was. Good for jokes and getting along with, not exactly one she could see as engineering a plot to kill a goddess. She treats the cult’s viewpoint of Leo as a joke. In the meantime, the cult views him as the leader of innovation, the one who killed Gaea and brought an age of information to the demigods. This ends up in her getting involved in several arguments which leads to a nearly borderline fight with Leo’s followers. Either way, she’s convinced the cult needs to be shut down and Leo is ridiculous for allowing it to flourish.

It’s tragic, because they were the ones that cared the most about Leo, and they cannot accept the ways everything close to him changed. They, who should’ve accepted him unconditionally, are the least tolerant of him changing. They cannot accept the new status quo and want a return to normality that can never come back.

When they confront Leo, it's not pretty. They never really argued, for Leo always held his tongue whenever he was frustrated, always willing to talk less and smile more when he wanted to lash out. It always was like that, him shutting up when he wanted to make a comment that would sting. Not anymore.

Leo doesn’t have a good reason to shut down the cult, and neither does he want to. They haven't hurt anybody in his name, nor has he encouraged them to do so (and he’s been keeping a tight grip on that). He would advocate for Jason and Piper, but shutting down his entire group of worshipers just because his friends didn’t like them? Especially from Jason, who was supposed to honor all the gods, Leo himself now in that category? No.

What occurs is an between friends that have completely different views of the future. Leo recognizes that there’s no returning back to ‘the good old days’ — in his point of view, there weren’t any. Jason and Piper believe they’ve lost their friend to his newfound godhood… but they never had him in the first place. They had the façade, the mask of jokes he put in front of the world, so they didn’t have to see his true reaction. Now that people seem to be appreciating him for his abilities, for what he has done and how he treats everybody, he finally decides to take it off and verbally starts swinging. It’s the first and last time they fight before we get into the Trials of Apollo.

This cult doesn’t initially have any impact… until Trials of Apollo. And Leo’s presence, though subtle, is practically everywhere throughout most of the book. Rather than Apollo landing in a dumpster, Leo tweaks things slightly so that he ends up landing at a close mattress. When Apollo gets to the Jackson residence, there’s a small shrine Sally put up - not out of worship for Leo, but out of respect for what work he has done to protect demigods. Apollo stumbles upon a newspaper rambling about the Ash Cult.

Here’s the thing where things get ridiculously funny for those in the know. Apollo doesn’t remember that past six months, and therefore thinks Leo is dead. He unknowingly mutters a prayer to Leo, thinking Sally’s shrine is to honor his memory and not the god. When he gets to Camp Half-Blood, he’s shocked to see demigods using phones and thanking Leo. He sees the smaller versions of the Argo II, which just transported a bunch of demigods from Camp Jupiter. He sees a temple with a statue of Leo which Apollo mistakes for a monument. The Triumvirate’s attempt to silence demigod communications through Harpocrates is shattered because Leo is several times stronger than the fading god with his vibrant worship in a world where the gods’ power remains in the memories they laid upon the human consciousness.

Most interactions whenever Leo is name-dropped can be summarized as such:

Apollo: I’m sorry for your loss. He was the greatest hero I’ve ever known.

The Campers: Eh, its ok. We’re sure he’s going to show up soon.

It comes to a head when we get to the part of where Apollo is being forced to open the gates to the Grove of Dodona. During his attempts at stopping himself, he does his best to resist the command. He starts praying for somebody to stop him, because there was no way in Tartarus he would willingly cooperate with Nero. He prays to his sister, to his father no matter how much Apollo may hate him. He hopes that anybody will appear - Will and Nico, preferably with backup of a hundred demigods and Percy Jackson. He latches into a small hope the prayers the campers utter. He hopes that Leo shows up soon.

It seems nothing happens. The gates still open. In the distance, Apollo sees the Colossus Neronis lumber towards Camp, showing up several minutes ahead of schedule. Nero still tosses that lighter and ignites the Greek fire, which spreads towards the hostages at the stake. And for the sake of drama, I’m going to switch it to Apollo’s first-person point of view.

For a second, everything’s falling apart. Nero starts to lug his guard like an oversized potato sack. The fire is starting to roar in its toxic green, burning through everything that it can touch with its bare hands. There’s no stopping it - unless magic’s used, Greek Fire will burn through everything it can consume. If I already felt enraged when Nero tossed the cigarette lighter to the ground, my heart is now sinking as I look into the distance, feeling the ground tremble at my feet.

The Colossus Neronis. How did forget about it? The statue’s already marching forward, the hundred-foot-tall masterpiece hitting the magic barriers of Camp Half-Blood with a blade the size of a ship rudder. Though my legs are getting me to Austin, I don't know how the heck we were going to beat this thing and put out the fire in time.

Then… I see something. For a second I think I'm going mad due to the smoke, but then my eyes focus, getting a picture that was crystal clear for just a few precious seconds. A figure soars across the sky, glowing gold that is tinged with red as it carves through the blue sky. It collides with the Colossus, and the statue staggers back at the sheer amount of force for a few seconds.

I heard of Deus Ex Machina. I appreciated it, derided it, criticized it, and loved the trope when it occurred on mortal media. I loved being one when I really wanted a chance to shine. But I was never on the other side, witnessing it in action until now. I can’t help but freeze in awe as the figure stopped the enemy with a single motion.

The Colossus stares at the figure for a few seconds, but that was all the figure needed. They unsheathe a sword which glows with the same aura that enshrouds its wielder and slices towards the machine. The blast it unleashed was thin, yet shined with the intensity of a laser, and the figure sheathes the blade.

Then the Colossus is split straight down the middle as soon as I blink, one half superheated to the point it was a mirror of the horizon before both sides fell towards the distant hill. A threat that would’ve stomped Camp Half-Blood is defeated in just a few seconds. Numbly I could hear someone shouting in frustration, but who it was, I didn’t pay attention.

The figure turns, and it takes me a second to realize - somehow, they were facing me. Then in a second they fly where I’m at with the speed of a fighter jet, landing next to the flames. The figure’s still covered by that blinding light, but the shadow of their palm is visible, and it sucked in the Greek fire like a vacuum until there was nothing left.

Loud clapping resonated across the grove, and it takes me a moment to register who its coming from - Nero. Nero’s clapping at the figure with a rare expression on his face - one of respect.

“So, the rumors are true. A new Ascendant has reached the ranks of Olympus.”

“And I heard rumors that the supposed dead are walking. Guess it’s time to confirm that they’re going to stay rumors.”

I don’t have a chance to react at the implications, and neither does Nero. The figure grasps the emperor by the collar and tosses him to the air in one smooth swing of their arm, too fast for Nero to defend himself. The figure unsheathes their sword once again and this time the motion is too fast for me to keep track of. When its done, only the blessing of immortality prevents a pink and red puree of organs and blood from spilling out out when the figure kicks Nero in the chest as a final coup de grace. Instead, Nero is shattered into a pile of golden blood and dust.

Meg screams. The hostages start to wake at the sound, shaking off their varying degrees of unconsciousness at the peal of the alarm. Austin’s the first to register his surroundings, and there’s a smile on my son’s face. “I knew you’d come. You’re always looking out for us.”

Part of me wants to take the win. But I know Austin’s eyes aren’t focused on me. No, they’re focused on the figure, whose aura is slowly dimming with each passing second. Reverence. Respect. Worship. Emotions seen so rarely in demigods these days are plain to see in my son’s gaze.

“Thank your father. His prayer wouldn’t have allowed me to pinpoint your location.” The figure’s aura vanishes completely, and suddenly everything makes sense in the most horribly right way.

Austin did something that was akin to a chuckle. "But you are. Your temple wouldn't have been raised at Camp if you weren't."

My mind was still looking at him. Curly hair that was black like ashes. Light brown skin that sometimes reminded me of copper. A smile that radiated mischief in a way that would rival Hermes. All of those are staring right back at me, and now part of me wants to slap myself for being an utter idiot.

My mind flashes to Sally Jackson’s shrine, the picture and statuette surrounded by food. Then it moves towards the monument at Camp Half-Blood. The gratitude people showed whenever they made a call with the cellphone they used. Nico giving a weird look at the deck of Mythomagic cards that featured Leo. Harley’s confidence when I expressed my condolences at losing his half sibling. “It’s okay. He’ll be here soon.”

Leo never died. Or at least, he didn't die in the traditional sense of the word. Because the person in front of me isn't the same nervous boy who traded an impromptu masterpiece of an instrument for the Curse of Delos. He also very much isn't the demigod who slayed Gaea.

Leo Valdez is a god. The third Ascendant of Olympus. The thought passes through my brain like one of my father’s lightning bolts. My legs turn to jelly, and I barely see Leo catching me with a look of worry on his face before everything turns black.

#leo valdez #heroes of olympus #hoo #pjo hoo toa #percy jackson #pjo #trials of apollo #rick riordan #annabeth chase #toa #frank zhang #hazel levesque #jason grace #piper mclean #nico di angelo #reyna avila ramirez arellano #Leo becomes a god au #dionysus #apollo (pjo)

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