#corinth rains

[straightplayshowdown]

Indecent: The story of Sholem Asch’s controversial play, The God of Vengeance, and the passionate artists who risked everything to bring it to the stage. The story—about the daughter of a brothel owner who falls in love with one of her father’s prostitutes—was polarizing even at its first readings, with many of Asch’s fellows arising him to burn it. Nevertheless, it achieved great success on the stages of Europe and in the Yiddish theatre scene of downtown New York City. But when an English-translation was attempted on Broadway, the play—featuring the first kiss between women on a Broadway stage—proved too scandalous for the general public, and the entire cast was arrested and charged with obscenity. 

Medea: The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering his new wife as well as her own two sons, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.

Propaganda under the cut!

Indecent:

Best, most emotionally resonant play I have ever seen performed. It recounts the controversy surrounding the play God of Vengeance by Sholem Asch, which was produced on Broadway in 1923, and for which the producer and cast were arrested and convicted on the grounds of obscenity. In God of Vengeance, the brothel owner's daughter falls in love with the female prostitute. Vogel's play goes far beyond recounting the censorship. It's a complex story that follows the show's playwright and performers and how their relationship to the material changes from the plays original run, to the Broadway censorship, to the Holocaust. It focuses on the need for hope and love.

A troupe of ghosts rise to keep alive the story of author Scholem Asch's most controversy play. In three languages & innumerable roles (including a turn by Katarina Lenk in the 2017 Broadway production) the lovers in God of Vengeance preserve for the stages of eternity one rain-soaked & sacred night. Meanwhile Asch, once a passionate defender of the plays love story against intracommunal accusations of fueling antisemitism and well, indecency...he gets quieter as Lemml becomes the stage manager of a story whose ending he will always forget. The play that convinced me that I could & would read Yiddish theater.

A breathtaking play about art, censorship, and Jewish lesbians, by THE Jewish lesbian. "He’s crafted a play that shrouds us in a deep, deep fog of human depravity: then like a lighthouse, those two girls. That’s a beacon I will remember."

Medea:

Imagine you are an Athenian man at the Dionysia circa. 431 BC. You are drunk. Your little Athenian wife is at home weaving or giving birth or talking to the slaves about vegetables or something. On stage, you watch a man dressed as a woman give one of the greatest monologues of all time about how hard it is to be a woman. Maybe you are moved, maybe not. Then you watch her KILL HER CHILDREN with a sword and FLY off into the sky in a chariot pulled by DRAGONS. Wyd?

I do love me a greek play. Chorus is all 'oh no, murder is happening, someone stop it. We can't, obvs '

It’s MEDEA by EURIPIDES. 

#round 2 #polls #indecent #medea #the straight play showdown

[thebrickinbrick]

History of the Corinthe from its Foundations, Part 2

A room on the ground-floor, where the bar was situated, one on the first floor containing a billiard-table, a wooden spiral staircase piercing the ceiling, wine on the tables, smoke on the walls, candles in broad daylight, this was the style of this cabaret. A staircase with a trap-door in the lower room led to the cellar. On the second floor were the lodgings of the Hucheloup family. They were reached by a staircase which was a ladder rather than a staircase, and had for their entrance only a private door in the large room on the first floor.

Under the roof, in two mansard attics, were the nests for the servants. The kitchen shared the ground-floor with the tap-room.

Father Hucheloup had, possibly, been born a chemist, but the fact is that he was a cook; people did not confine themselves to drinking alone in his wine-shop, they also ate there. Hucheloup had invented a capital thing which could be eaten nowhere but in his house, stuffed carps, which he called carpes au gras.

These were eaten by the light of a tallow candle or of a lamp of the time of Louis XVI., on tables to which were nailed waxed cloths in lieu of table-cloths. People came thither from a distance.

Hucheloup, one fine morning, had seen fit to notify passers-by of this "specialty"; he had dipped a brush in a pot of black paint, and as he was an orthographer on his own account, as well as a cook after his own fashion, he had improvised on his wall this remarkable inscription:

CARPES HO GRAS.

One winter, the rain-storms and the showers had taken a fancy to obliterate the S which terminated the first words, and the G which began the third; this is what remained:

CARPE HO RAS. Time and rain assisting, a humble gastronomical announcement had become a profound piece of advice.

[...] Corinthe was the meeting-place, if not the rallying-point, of Courfeyrac and his friends. It was Grantaire who had discovered Corinthe. He had entered it on account of the Carpe horas, and had returned thither on account of the Carpes au gras.

There they drank, there they ate, there they shouted; they did not pay much, they paid badly, they did not pay at all, but they were always welcome.

[...] About 1830, Father Hucheloup died. With him disappeared the secret of stuffed carps. His inconsolable widow continued to keep the wine-shop. But the cooking deteriorated, and became execrable; the wine, which had always been bad, became tearfully bad. Nevertheless, Courfeyrac and his friends con tinued to go to Corinthe--out of pity, as Bossuet said.

[...] The hall on the first floor, where "the restaurant" was situated, was a large and long apartment encumbered with stools, chairs, benches, and tables, and with a crippled, lame, old billiard-table. It was reached by a spiral staircase which terminated in the corner of the room at a square hole like the hatchway of a ship. This room, lighted by a single narrow window, and by a lamp that was always burning, had the air of a garret. All the four-footed furniture comported itself as though it had but three legs.

Two serving-maids, named Matelote and Gibelotte, and who had never been known by any other names, helped Mame Hucheloup to set on the tables the jugs of poor wine, and the various broths which were served to the hungry patrons in earthenware bowls. Matelote, large, plump, red-haired, and noisy, the favorite ex-sultana of the defunct Hucheloup, was homelier than any mythological monster, be it what it may; still, as it becomes the servant to always keep in the rear of the mistress, she was less homely than Mame Hucheloup. Gibelotte, tall, delicate, white with a lymphatic pallor, with circles round her eyes, and drooping lids, always languid and weary, afflicted with what may be called chronic lassitude, the first up in the house and the last in bed, waited on every one, even the other maid, silently and gently, smiling through her fatigue with a vague and sleepy smile.

Before entering the restaurant room, the visitor read on the door the following line written there in chalk by Courfeyrac: "Régale si tu peux et mange si tu l'oses.”

#lm 4.12.1 #history of corinthe from its foundations #the brick in brick

[the-paintrist]

Henry Keyworth Raine - Self portrait ( as Diogenes ) - 

Diogenes (Ancient Greek: Διογένης, romanized: Diogénēs [di.oɡénɛːs]), also known as Diogenes the Cynic (Διογένης ὁ Κυνικός, Diogénēs ho Kynikós) or Diogenes of Sinope, was a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynicism. He was born in Sinope, an Ionian colony on the Black Sea coast of Anatolia in 412 or 404 BC and died at Corinth in 323 BC.

Henry Keyworth Raine (1872–1934) was a British portraitist.

Born in York, he was the son of the Reverend James Raine and Ann Jane Keyworth; and the great nephew of William Powell Frith,

In 1895, according to a newspaper report in the York Herald, Raine was commissioned to paint the portrait of Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, the sixth child of Queen Victoria, at Kensington Palace. Raine, on his own account, began painting portraits by candlelight in 1897. In 1901, a portrait of Francis Foljambe by Raine, and a self-portrait, were hanging at Osberton Hall.

Raine was described in newspapers as "The cellar artist". Stories about his method of painting in the dark were printed. The techniques he employed in his underground studio off Hanover Square, Westminster were stated to be an effort to recreate the style and results of artists he admired, such as Titian, Rembrandt and Velazquez. Painting by candlelight, using only three colours on his palette and using special black canvas, Raine was able to complete a portrait in five hours, meaning the sitter would only need to visit his studio on one occasion. A newspaper report of 1904 stated that he never exhibited, and had painted portraits of Henry Edwyn King-Tenison, 9th Earl of Kingston and Charles Innes-Ker.

York Art Gallery contains examples of his work.

#Henry Keyworth Raine #uk #selfportrait #diogenes #history

[gemsofgreece]

I know this is obnoxious and very nitpicky but athens is neither the hottest nor the driest place in greece lmao, parts of the Cyclades islands are the driest by far and as for the hottest, if you consider highest temperatures in the summer or the summer average highest temperature a good pick would be sparta/southern peloponese in general or if you consider the yearly average temperature then it would be a southern Dodecanese island maybe kastelorizo, or southern crete and gavdos due to the very mild winters

Sincerely a person who spents way too much time on wikipedia

See, while a lot of this should make sense, it is not exactly correct. South doesn't always equate hotter and drier. Besides, I was not talking about annual averages, as I was saying Athens is not good for summer in specific.

Regarding Athens versus Sparta - Athens has higher average highs for summer (though Sparta is pretty hot too) and Sparta has more precipitation than Athens throughout the year and also a little more in the summer as well. The differences are small but the conclusion is the same: Athens is hotter and drier than Sparta in the far-south. Here are the full climate reports for Athens and Sparta from the same website to avoid scewed data. In case you are wondering why, it's probably because Sparta is built on the foot of Mt Taygetus, which brings it a little more rainfall and coolness. Athens has Parnitha but it is a smaller mountain. Athens also dried up and built over all its rivers, turning its once semi-humid microclimate to a very dry one. All these things affect the real and even more so the felt weather. If you add to that the extreme urbanisation of Athens, the gasses produced by the traffic and its alarming lack in vegetation, it makes summer there an extremely difficult business.

As for the islands, the south of Athens' region (and a bit of Corinth next to it) are the only mainland regions which belong to the same hot semi-arid zone as the Cycladic islands you mentioned. I can't tell you which of all these places is the absolute hottest and driest without looking it up, but some of Attica belongs to that zone and the part that doesn't has all the aforementioned conditions that make the felt climate very similar. Furthermore, I was also talking about main destinations - if there is somewhere a village of 10 people that is hotter and drier than Athens, well, I might have not taken it into account in my travel guide post lol

The map is from the Wikipedia page “Climate of Greece”. In orange is the hot semi-arid zone.

Then I searched Kastelorizo island in the Dodecanese and Elounda in South Crete; both of those are colder in the summer than Athens, with an average high 2-3 degrees below Athens, although they are drier (like, 2 days of rain in Elounda versus 4 days of rain in Athens). Search them up in the same website. (Kastelorizo is with the name "Megisti".)

It is not a mystery that those islands have lower average highs than Athens, because they have something Athens lacks. They are surrounded by the sea, which always makes the climate milder and they have much stronger winds, the Aegean sea breezes. For example, when travelling to the Cyclades, you will need to have a jacket with you for the evenings. If you put a jacket in Athens in July, it's probably a suicide attempt.

See, there's a lot of stuff that makes environmental conditions what they are. I can confidently repeat that the summer heatwave in Athens - both in terms of numbers and experience - will be more unpleasant than in Gavdos or any other arid southern island.

Fun fact: Wanna know another place that gets extreme highs, more than Sparta and most of these islands we mentioned, and is the true heat archenemy of Athens?

And Lamia too, which is between Larisa and Athens. But those are clearly more humid and rainy than Athens so.. 🤷🏻‍♀️ (I didn’t edit the map with the arrow btw, it was like that on its own and for some reason I find this very funny.)

#greece #weather #climate #europe #travel #travel guide #greek facts #anon #mail

[feedingtheflockministry]

Does Our Online Posts and Comments Matter to Ministry and Our Salvation?

Is social media posting or resharing of Christ centered content a form of ministry? Is it helpful, effective, and important to the growth of the Kingdom of Heaven? Do our online comments effect our salvation or the salvation of others? Let’s see what the scriptures say about these things.

Apostle Paul in his first letter to the church in Corinth makes this statement, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose,a and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

In today’s world we are consumed by such things as; political rhetoric, corruption in high places, wars, calamities, fear, and righteous anger. These things drive us to post comments and content in opposition to them. These things are all part of a world that is passing away. As believers in Christ we need to spend more of our online time sharing Christ with others through things that will bring about life eternal in the lives of others that view our posts.

You might say, “Well, everyone that views my posts has already heard the gospel message.” To that I say, “That might be true, but how many of those individuals received the message, or needs encouragement to hold fast to what they have received?”

When we spend our time online or even offline talking about the lawlessness of others, we are actually helping in fulfilling the words of Christ. Not words of something good, but bad. Christ said this, “And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold.”

Increased lawlessness causes many to turn to a cold and unloving heart towards others. If we do not have love in our hearts we are useless, and no better than those without Christ.

Apostle Paul wrote in the same letter to the church at Corinth this, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

Jesus also said this in His Sermon on the Mount, “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Jesus also said this, “but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes!”

We must focus on keeping our love in tact. For if we spend our time sowing discord that brings about a hostile and unloving environment that bears the bad fruit of hatred and anger in others instead of love, joy, and peace, then we too will receive that as our reward in the end.

#bible teaching #bible #scriptures #christianity #jesus christ #biblescripture

[emmyblogging]

Assassins Creed - jumping into the time machine

Well, I probably should not call it a time machine but we‘ll come to that a bit later.

Of course I played games from time to time, but they were very limited to franchises such as The Sims and Animal Crossing. I have been a history, specifically classics or mediterranian history, for a while now and it is honestly remarkable how I just now discovered Assassins Creed Odyssey in all it‘s glory, and with that took a step into the whole Assassins Creed franchise for myself.

In the past I‘ve heard multiple people talk about the possibility to discover ancient Greece in this open world RPG, but once I went on eBay, bought a used but in good condition copy and started the game on my PS4 I should have known that my freetime was done for. In the best way possible. 

The Assassins Creed franchise, from what I‘ve played and seen in the newer games so far, has a modern day and historical protagonist. For the modern day protagonist, Layla Hassan, it is possible to get into a machine, called „The Animus“ and relive the historical protagonists life with a bit of their DNA. And just Layla, the player gets to experience history in the, for our technological advances most accessible and interactive way possible. 

Assassins Creed Odyssey takes place during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. The former of which I got to visit a week ago. The protagonist, as I played, is Kassandra, a spartan woman, banished from her home and family. She is a mercenary and grew up on Korfu, doing the dirty work for Markos, a local man, that seems to step from one trouble to the next. This setting is very quickly left behind as Kassandra starts an Odyssey, that would change her entire life. She travels through all of ancient Greece in the search of her family and with the goal to destroy a cult, whose goal is power over the entire greek world and beyond. This, of course, is a fictional story, but does not at all make the game less impressive to me. 

In this game you can discover the entirety of Greece, with replicas of historical sites, today left in ruins. Nowhere else I believe you can visit the Acropolis of Athens with all it‘s temples intact. Not only Athens, also Corinth, Mykonos, Crete, Olympia, say whatever you want. The world seemed surprisingly alive to me. The storylines are funny, beautiful, tragic and just incredibly entertaining. The NPCs lead their lives in the cities, doing daily things, selling things on the market, praying, dancing, singing, enjoying the sun. you can visit temples, markets, fishing villages, salt lakes, mountains, tombs or mycenean ruins. Of course it is not entirely historically accurate in it‘s gameplay for entertainment reasons but I was still stunned way too often over being able to see and visit these places in a way that can replicate it‘s former glory and being able to, through Kassandra, participate, interact with it. 

I have played the main story once now and have luckily gotten the happy ending, but have read that due to the decisions you can make there are nine different possible endings to the main story, some of which are incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. These are only the possibilities for the main story. There are amounts and amounts of side stories and extra content to which you can get multiple scenarios and endings again too. Decisions that you make in the game have a lasting effect on the NPCs. One for example is a little girl, that asks Kassandra to bring her gems for her friends. Once Kassandra brought her the gems it is revealed, that her so-called friends are a group of clay figures, she built, because her real family is dead and the people in town think she is strange. As Kassandra you can either make the decision to encourage her or tell her those clay figures aren‘t real friends, to which the girl will be very sad. If you choose the former and return to the island once it rained, the clay figurines will have been destroyed by the rain and the girl is crying all alone. If you choose the latter she will be mad at Kassandra, but once you return you can see her playing with kids from the town, who praise her for her skill in forming clay. Another story that left a lasting impression, was one where I had to reload it entirely due to first getting an awful ending I did not want at all. It is a questline on Mykonos called „Trouble in Paradise“. In this quest Kassandra is called to help some rebels against the Athenians, whose leaders are Kyra and Thaletas. It is possible to have a romantic relationship with either of them. In my game Kassandra got together with Kyra. There seem to be quite many possible endings for this depending on wether Kassandra gets into a romantic relationship, with who, and almost anything you choose for Kassandra to say. I do not want to spoil anything for this questline, but know, that some or most of the endings are extremely tragic. 

While I was still quite in the middle of the story I got the chance to visit real and modern Athens myself and take a trip to the Acropolis as well as the National Archaeological Museum, which displayed a few artefacts, which you can find in use in the game AC: Odyssey. Among them some statues, altars, artworks and…my personal highlight…A HERM. 

I have written an entry about herms before and in Odyssey there is sadly only one herm, what‘s design has been used at every. single. crossroad. in. the. game. But this herm, in all it‘s glory but with the phallus missing, is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. 

This entry is messy enough as it is but another aspect that got me incredibly excited about Assassins Creed: Odyssey is that you can often interact with historical figures from the time period such as: Perikles, Sokrates, Aristophanes…and…another familiar name from my entry on herms: Alkibiades. (The man, the myth, the legend, wildest guy you’ll ever meet) You also get a cool opening scene with Leonidas of Sparta fighting the Persians. Of course there are many more and also a playable storyline with mythological aspects and enemies such as the cyclops, the minotaur…

To summarize: I simply love this game. Of course it is not entirely accurate as it is still there for entertainment and…surprise to be a game. But to me and many other history nerds it is the closest thing we‘ll get to interact with ancient Greece and form fictional relationships with the idea of people that lived over 2000 years before us and to experience „first hand“ that they are not so different from us despite the time seperating us, which to me is what is the main goal of working with history. Another aspect I love is that there are many possibilities for players to really decide how they want to play their chosen character, Kassandra or Alexios, as someone serious, aloof, brutal, gentle, cold or which I did not expect and was incredibly positively surprised the amount of possible queer love stories for them, so you can really play them however you want to play them. 

#assassins creed #assassins creed odyssey #odyssey #kassandra the eagle bearer #alkibiades #sokrates #perikles #alexios #alexios of sparta #kassandra of sparta #alexios the eagle bearer #never saw someone call alexios that online idk #video games #games #history #archaeology #mythology #is this a rant? #probably #sorry #emmys blog

[godsofhumanity]

the second part of my medea x jason story @lifeofroos <3

PART I / PART II

»»————————————————————————————————««

The clouds had become heavier now. Light rain fell from the Heavens and wetted the cobbled streets below.

Jason stood in front of the closed door with his arms crossed over his chest. Lines of age now made their appearance on his forehead and at the corner of his eyes, and the eyes themselves had become paler and discoloured. But to Medea, they seemed just as intense as they were on the day they left Colchis.

“What were you thinking?” demanded Jason. Medea rolled her eyes, and rested her head on the kline.

“I know not what you speak of.” 

Jason scoffed, “You do, Medea. You know perfectly well what it is I speak of. Why did you abuse Creon in his own hall? You are a guest here!” Medea continued to lie down, but turned her head to face Jason, “Oh, I’m a guest here? And you? What are you to Corinth?”

“Don’t change the subject. Why did you attack Creon?”

“I think it’s quite relevant to the subject. Now, tell me– what are you to Corinth? Or does my question threaten you in some way?”

Jason became silent. Medea lifted her head from the kline at his prolonged silence, and rested her elbow on her knee as she spoke, “Not sure of the answer? Or do you know, but are scared of saying it aloud? Well, I don’t know why you would be scared of saying it if you haven’t done anything wrong.”

Jason shook his head and sat down on the kline opposite her, “You’re a cunning trickster, Medea. That aspect of you, at least, has not dulled with age. But, I am not a newborn baby, I know your games well. I won’t enter your labyrinth of words, and fool myself into admitting to a wrong that I have not committed. Now, speak clearly– what did you say to Creon that has worked him into such a foul mood?” Medea shrugged her shoulders.

“I asked him to have pity on your children, and allow us a little more time to pack our things and make preparations for our departure from Corinth.”

“Your departure? You are leaving, then?”

“Shall I stay here, and act as a nurse for your new wife’s children instead?”

“Your mind is twisted to make retorts at the expense of your own character. It is you who are suffering, not I.”

“Obviously not. A suffering man would cling tightly to the devoted wife he has spent all the years of his youth with, and seek her comforting embrace and wise counsel, not open his bed to a younger maiden with as little grace as she has brains while his present wife still lives and breathes.”

Jason’s brows furrowed at this remark, and he frowned angrily, “Don’t drag Creusa into this. You don’t know her at all.”

Medea grinned, “Oh, but you would like to know her, wouldn’t you? Oh, would that the mighty Lord of the Sun had granted me his all-seeing eyes, I would have then and there seen through your lies and deceit, and known you to be the miserable and vile rodent that you are. But, what am I saying? I shouldn’t be so insulting to those poor, harmless rodents- to compare filth like you to them.” 

Jason stood up and walked away from her as he spoke, “Tch. Enough of this. I have no desire to converse with you any longer if it means that I must raise my voice to speak over your unfounded insults. You act as though you know me so well after all these years we’ve spent together, but if that were true, you would know that my end goals are not so corrupted.” 

As his hand touched the handle of the door to leave, Medea’s cruel laugh resounded loudly in his ears.

“And, what, do tell, are these noble end goals of yours that could only be enacted by abandoning your wife and children?”

Jason turned around and gave her a stern look.

“I have done it for my children. I want them to live good, long, prosperous lives. I want them to live as princes do. Creusa is a princess. By marrying her, I will have purchased land as far as the eye can see, and with it, wealth. And all these things will be inherited by my sons, and they will live honourably.”

Medea raised a brow, “Creusa is a princess? And, what am I? A fishwife off the streets?”

At this, Jason paused and then returned to his seat on the kline with a new gentleness towards Medea, “No. You were a princess also. A princess of Colchis, for your father was a king and your brother, a prince. But, Medea, we are not in Colchis any longer, and you are not a princess anymore. You betrayed your kingdom, and it shuns you now. You have nothing to inherit; no titles, no gold, not even a grave to welcome your body back into the soil your ancestors toiled on.”

Jason watched Medea’s expression carefully but she made no response, no movement to indicate feelings of any kind. She only stared at him, as though she had only now realised the gravity of her situation. The words cut deeper into Medea than Jason had intended. With sharp teeth, they gnawed at her, dug their way through her skin and latched themselves onto her heart. When she remained unresponsive, Jason reached out and took one of Medea’s hands in his own and, seeing no objection, continued with a softer, more earnest tone, “But, Medea, now our sons will have something to put their name to! I will give them the inheritance they deserve. The one that was denied to you.”

Medea repeated the words over in her mind; the one that was denied to you. Why did he speak to her as though she were a child? As though she didn’t understand that she had lost her titles a long time ago? While she asked herself these questions, her irritation with his obliviousness began to manifest on the outside; her hands trembled in anger and her lips curved into a cold, mocking smile.

“Do you think I have forgotten, Jason? Do you think that I have forgotten the inheritance I gave up for you? The murders I committed for you? The blood I have spilled for you?” Medea snatched her hands away from Jason and stood up with sudden strength, forcing Jason to recoil slightly. 

“You listen to me, Jason, son of Aeson, and you listen well. Do not remind me of the things I have done for you in the past! It is I who should remind you! I am not the one who has betrayed the oaths of commitment we swore when we left Colchis! That is all you! How dare you humiliate me and abuse me! How dare you turn your back to me and offer your love to another when you have already sworn it to me! Can you not see how much pain you are causing me? Or do you see, but simply do not care? Direct your heartlessness elsewhere for I am the least deserving of it. My only fault is that I have loved you and continue to. Everything I have ever done is because of this love. Killing, maiming, tricking, scheming. The blood on my hands is so much, even the blood-thirsty lord of war Ares would be repulsed to stand before me. The stench of death hanging off me would be abhorrent to his senses, and he would flee from me. But not you; your hands are spotless. I have not let you dirty your hands with such vile tasks. I’ve done them all for you. And still, you deem me unworthy of you. What more can I do so that you know the depth of my devotion? What more can I say to make you understand that I will go mad if I am not with you?!”

At the end of her grievance, Medea’s voice had begun to waver. She was glad that Jason had no immediate retort because the tears beginning to well in her eyes seemed to close up her throat and made it difficult for her to swallow or to speak with any kind of confidence. But Jason’s silence was not long lasting. With his face still downcast, he echoed her statement quietly, “You have done them all for me? No. You have done them all for yourself.” Medea looked down at him in confusion, “What?” Jason stood up and drew himself to his full height before her. The sincerity in his manner earlier now vanished, and he towered over her with an expression of dark fury.

“I said– you have done them all for yourself. Don’t you understand, Medea? You never wanted to do any of those things! You had to! You were cursed by Aphrodite and her cruel archer son to devote yourself to me for if you did not love me, then you would have never helped me, and I would have died then and there in Colchis at your father’s hands. The truth is, without divine intervention, you would have never done these things for me. You boast of these actions as though they were your own, but they are not! The gods permitted all these things, not you! You are not the hero you think yourself to be. Your love is not real. It is manufactured. Pre-written. Don’t you see, Medea?”

The anger that Medea had suppressed for so long broke from its bonds at once and poured out of her uncontrollably, burning with heat as strong as molten lava, and as dark and bitter as the clouds of ash that accompany a bursting volcano. “Do not speak to me of the winged archer for none are more familiar with the taste of his wicked arrows than I! I know that I am no hero, but neither are you, cruel and wretched man! My love may indeed be manufactured but I am not! The sacrifices I made were real! Do you not think that I have fond memories of my home in Colchis? Or do you think that when I was struck with the arrow, I instantly forgot everything of my childhood? You think wrong. I remember everything up to that moment. I remember seeing you, and though it was not for the first time, it seemed to me that it was. Even now, though I feel so much hatred for you, my heart is so twisted that I can only see your brilliance; you are as the first time I loved you. Does that mean nothing to you?”

Jason said nothing. Medea stepped closer now so that he would not miss a single word or breath emitted from her. The strength of her conviction was at its highest, and she lifted her head with growing confidence. Though he was taller than her, she seemed to be at his own height when she spoke, and despite Medea not changing the volume of her voice, her words were louder and bolder than before as she continued on. 

“You must think that it was easy for me to slay my own kin because, not once, in all our nights or days together, have I ever complained to you, or awoken in the middle of the night in cold sweat, haunted by the apparitions of those I have slaughtered for you. I have never described for you what it was like to meet my brother in the rooms of the home we had grown up in together, and to drive my dagger into his back. I have never told you about the echoes of his screams, or the sounds of his tears falling to the tiles below. Neither have I said what it was like to plunge the dagger in and out and in and out again and again and again because I couldn’t end his life on my first attempt. Nor did I mention the warmth of his blood splattered on my skin, or how it clung to my hair and knotted it. Or, how my father looked at me when he entered the room with such horror and disgust. How he nearly slipped in my brother’s own blood running in desperation to save his son. Do you know what that is like, Jason?”

When Jason made no answer, Medea repeated herself, “Answer me, Jason. Do you know what that is like?”

Jason forced himself to look into Medea’s eyes, but as soon as he had done so, he was filled with regret. In the dark abyss of her orbs, he saw a thousand of his own reflections staring back at him as though he were a stranger, trapped in an endless mirror. He wished to leave the room, and escape from the evil vision he saw, but somehow he felt that even if his exit was successful, Medea’s gaze would pierce through the walls and find him still. He looked away from her, swallowed and whispered, “No.”

Medea nodded, “Of course you don’t. And do you know what the worst of it all is? I don’t know either. I don’t remember. I don’t remember the pain of it all, and if I do, it does not register with me. My mind is so utterly blank when I recollect the scene. I feel no sadness, no pity, no despair. I am not even angry with myself! Instead, I feel joy! I feel excitement, and happiness that I was able to help you. Can you imagine? That arrow struck me so deeply, that the only emotion I am capable of truly feeling for you is love. No matter how you wrong me, even now, if you were to ask me to kill again for you, I would. And before you attempt to blame the gods above for my condition, know this– they would have never struck me with that foul arrow if not for you! You are the cause of my disease! You were weak, so the gods made me strong! You are right– my love is manufactured, but that love has saved you as many times as there are stars in the sky! And you didn’t even need to do anything to earn me! The gods simply gave me to you; the only thing they asked in return was that you did right by me. And, are you doing right by me, Jason? When you meet that loathsome bride of yours in your marriage bed, do not ever forget that your successes have been because of my savage love.”

The ability to speak abandoned Jason where he stood. What was there to say? It was true that Medea had done all these things for him, and it was doubly true that because she did those things, Jason was able to redeem his father and reclaim the throne of his birthright. And yet, Jason had never asked for these things to take place; it was not he who had prayed to the laughter-loving goddess and appealed to her to bestow her curse upon Medea. Why did he now have to claim responsibility for her? He had already granted her safe passage from Colchis, and taken her with him now to Corinth. How much more did the gods expect of him? Was he to give up all his own desires for her sake?

Again, Jason found himself lowering his head unconsciously to avoid Medea’s glare. But this time, as he did so, something occurred to him. He looked again at Medea’s position; her shoulders were taut and raised, and her left arm had crossed over her body and now locked itself tightly around the wrist of her right hand which was slightly elevated. Jason raised his brows at Medea.

“Medea… were you going to strike me?”

His question caught Medea by surprise, and she became aware of how tense her body had become. As she looked down to her own hands, she saw her right hand flat and out-stretched as though ready to strike Jason’s cheek, and yet, her left hand was gripped around her right wrist so tightly, red imprints from her fingers and nails had now made their mark on her skin. While Medea revelled in wonder at her hands, Jason bent his knees ever so slightly until he was level with her, arched his neck forwards, and turned his face slightly from her.

“Then, go on, Medea. Strike me,” he said. Medea’s eyes widened in surprise at this request.

“What for?”

“You were ready to do it, so do it. Strike me,” Jason insisted. Seeing Jason’s request as some sort of mockery towards her, Medea readily straightened her shoulders again, and positioned her arm to strike in anger. 

Several seconds elapsed between them, but Medea’s arm did not move and Jason remained unhurt. Her shoulders became slack in disappointment and confusion, and she turned her face away from his, saying nothing. When he saw her defeat, Jason relaxed, and nodded his head.

“As I thought. You cannot strike me, can you, Medea? That you would like to, there is no doubt. But physically, you cannot. You cannot do anything to harm me with your own hand. Such is your curse.” Medea clenched her jaw tightly. Now, more than ever, she was filled with endless hatred for him, and in her vision of the same scene in her mind, she had drawn blood from the blow she was unsuccessful in giving to him in reality. While she seethed under his shadow, revelation came to Jason’s mind. Medea had unravelled his foundations with her earlier tirade, but now as he witnessed her in such a pathetic, miserable state, the doubts she had planted in his mind began to fade and he regained faith and conviction in his own truth once again. He spoke to her.

“Forgive me that it has taken me so long to see it, but you are suffering. Deeply. Now, I realise that all these years, our marriage was a pretense. We have whispered words to each other, and exchanged embraces, but though we have gone through the motions of a husband and wife, neither of us have ever truly been a husband or a wife. Medea, look at yourself. Do you agree that you wished to strike me, but could not, not because you were bound by honour or respect, but because a curse restricts you and denies your true self? Because that is the truth! I did not mean to lie and mislead you up to this moment. If you can, please try to understand that I myself was blind to this truth and knew no better until now– now, I have met a new wife, and she is different to you, Medea. Truthfully, I am acting in our sons’ best interests; it was and still is my prime motivation. And yet, seeing you now, I realise that it may not be my only reason for marrying Creusa, as you yourself had suggested before. Perhaps, I want to marry her because her love was not forced on me or her. The things she does are genuine; she is true to herself. Her mind and body are aligned. But, when you are with me, your mind is at odds with your body. Your anger runs through you like an old tree’s roots run into the soil, and yet, all that rage cannot move a single one of your muscles against me. Hear my words, and understand the truth, Medea! You will not go mad without me, you will go mad with me! I cannot stay with you. I cannot love you when I pity you. And I do, Medea– I pity you.” 

Medea was unsure for how long Jason had been speaking. The minutes seemed like hours. Her limbs felt stiff, and she had become fixed to the spot where she stood; her eyes did not blink or flicker, her chest did not rise to draw breath, and no sigh escaped from her lips. If Jason noticed, he made no indication of it, and continued on with an even stronger desire to persuade her of his sincerity.

“Still, you are right that I did make a promise to the gods that I would take care of you, and though my ways are mysterious to you, I will honour that oath. It is the least that I can do after all the things which you have done for me, by your will or not. It would pain me to see you distraught or hopeless, and so I say, you will not leave Corinth alone. I will send you onward with fully-stocked carts, maids, and servants at your disposal, and I will ensure that wherever you wish to go, you and our sons will be received with open arms, and none shall attack you for the things you have done in my name.”

At the mention of their sons, Medea shook her head in exasperation. Had Jason heard anything that she had said? She did not know. She cried out to him, “What do I care what happens to me? What about your children? If you have done all this for them, as you claim, then take them with you so that at least they may die in the palace of kings, and not starve to death on some desolate sideroad.” 

Jason frowned, “I love my sons, dearly, but you have already incurred the anger of Creon. I doubt he will permit them to stay, and if they do, they will surely feel less worthy than Creusa’s own blood. No, they should go with you, their mother. You love them too deeply to permit them to die such pathetic deaths, I know that you will keep them safe. But, when they reach a certain age, I will send for them, and they will bring their beloved mother, and if she wishes, she shall live in my house also.”

He had meant his promise to be a comfort to his former wife, so that she might rest easier knowing that he would fulfil his duties as a father and husband by providing his children with an inheritance and a home that welcomed them and their own families, but his assurance fell on deaf ears. Exhaustion had made itself known to Medea as she listened to Jason’s speech, and she had no more strength to argue against him. She took her seat on the kline again, and Jason recognised that Medea would not contend with him further. In a final attempt to console her, Jason placed his hand on Medea’s shoulder, and said to her gently, “Medea, poor, unhappy woman. When you depart from Corinth, you will be free from me and your love for me. Do not look so miserable; this new marriage is, in fact, a blessing for you as well, though you hate it now. You see, seeing me causes you pain, through no fault of your own, and therefore, if you do not see me, you shall have no reason to be troubled. Finally, you will know peace.” Jason departed from the room then, and Medea was left alone.

***

In her wearied state, sleep had forced its way over Medea while she sat on her kline. But sleep was cruel to her; it refused to grant her a safe haven in dream-form from her wretched reality, and instead, subjected her to nostalgic images of Jason and herself in their youth– content with each other and utterly oblivious to the future decay that awaited them. The tears she had prevented from surfacing as she spoke with Jason earlier now flowed freely down her sunken cheeks while she dreamed, and when she finally stirred and broke free from her nightmare, she was greeted by their salty taste on her tongue.

She forced herself upright from the headrest, but no sooner had she opened her eyes did the door of the room open slightly. She quickly recognised the face of her guest and scowled angrily as he spoke to her.

“Medea. You’re awake.”

The tears had blurred Medea’s vision, but when she stood up to oppose Jason, the blond strokes of his hair and dark eyes were visible clearly to her. She had become tired when he had approached her earlier in the day, and was unable to continue her complaint against him, but now, though fatigue still had a claim on her, her fury would not be curbed. Before he could speak, Medea threw herself at him with all the might she could muster. Her strike had failed her before, but now, she commanded each of her limbs with unchallenged authority and struck him across his jaw.

The number of times Medea struck Jason went uncounted. As a wild dog attacking his prey, she continued with unwavering strength. The relief that she felt when she saw the tears fall from his eyes and realised that she could hurt Jason as he had hurt her was so much that she could not help but laugh until she cried. Earlier, she had thought that she was weak, but now she knew that it had been a mistake; she was Medea, and she was strong, and powerful, and inexorable.

While she carried out her justice, the door opened a second time, unbeknown to her, and the voice of this second guest cried out in alarm at the terrible sight, “Medea! My Lady! What are you doing?!” The old nurse rushed forward and held tightly onto Medea’s raised arm, preventing her from delivering another blow. Medea pushed her off angrily, and hissed back at her, “Begone from here, nurse! The affairs of a husband and wife do not concern you!” But the woman paid no heed to Medea, and continued to force her way between Medea and Jason. 

“Your pain has driven you mad, dear Medea! Will you hurt your children just to exact vengeance on their father? They are not the ones who deserve your wrath!”

The nurse’s plea caused Medea to halt, and she looked at the face of Jason clinging to the nurse’s arms with swollen cheeks and large, red welts forming where she had struck. At once, Medea fell backwards on her hands in horror at the sight; the body was too small, the arms too thin, the skin too smooth and lacking in the creases of time she had known Jason to have, for it was not Jason whom she had struck at all, but their eldest son whom she had carried within her and then so painfully laboured in love though the night to bring forth into the world.

The boy’s weeping melted Medea’s heart at once, and she was mortified that she was the reason for his suffering. At first, she crawled back away from him in shame, but as his cries grew louder, she could not resist the desire in her heart to hold him close and comfort him. She moved forward slowly, and extended her arm tenderly. She called him by his name with all the compassion and love she bore for him, and asked him to forgive her for the repulsive thing she had done. At first, the boy nestled further into the nurse’s arm, scared that his mother might lash out at him again, but when he saw her tears and her gentle coaxing, he sensed that his mother was once again herself, and slowly but surely, he returned her affections with an embrace. Medea pulled him to her chest, cradled him, and stroked the waves of his hair to calm him, kissing the wounds her hand had delivered while she wept silently in regret.

As the mother and son reconciled, the nurse had quietly departed from the room and brought back Medea’s other son, for over her many years nursing, she had learned that a mother’s greatest comfort when she was in pain is the presence of her children. The second son, only a few years younger than the first but no less sensitive to his mother’s fragile state, knelt down at Medea’s side and hugged her lovingly. After the endless arguing that Medea had suffered throughout the day, the warmth of her children next to her cleared her mind of the pain and sadness in her heart, and for a few minutes, she felt a calm she had not known since she had come to Corinth.

The drum of her sons’ heartbeats now became in sync with Medea’s own, and as she listened to the beat it made, she forced herself to reflect on the terrible mistake she had made before. Medea remembered the days both her sons were born vividly; she recalled the way Jason had danced and sung with joy at the sight of his newborn children, and how his smile seemed to last forever when he held them for the first time. When she envisioned the moment again, she returned to her hateful self. What right did Jason have to send his sons away, have Medea raise them into men, and then, at his own whim, have them return back to him so that he could choose, at that moment, to be their father? Medea scoffed. He claimed to love his sons but had little to show for it, just as he had once claimed to love her and now spurned her with the same breath. 

In her lap, her youngest son shifted closer to her. She caressed his cheek with her hand and sighed sadly. It was a horrid joke that her sons should look so much like Jason, when in fact, her sons were nothing like him. He was selfish and unfeeling while they were kind and generous. For the sake of her children, Medea refused to concede to Jason’s will. But what could she do? Medea was cursed, unable to lift a finger against Jason and he knew it too. At the end of it all, while Medea would become lonely and woeful, Jason would take delight in a new wife and new children, and soon, he would forget all the things she had done for him. The thought of his happiness in the midst of her plight summoned again that familiar boiling rage she had become so accustomed to feeling when thinking of Jason. At once, she was reminded of the way she had seen Jason’s face in her son’s, and the hatred she felt for him she felt for her children now also. She wanted to push them away and rid herself of them, but as quickly as she had thought it, she regretted it. Alone and overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions she felt, Medea closed her eyes tightly and made a silent prayer to the immortal gods, who had led her to this point, that they might see her in her wretchedness and be moved with pity for her, and grant her justice for the wrongs committed against her.

Medea’s prayer was disturbed when she felt her son’s hand touch her own. From their rhythmic breathing, she could tell that both boys had fallen into a deep sleep in her arms, and the eldest one had moved his arm in his sleep to hold hers. Medea’s own hand was lightly clutching the base of the boy’s neck, resting on his collarbone. He did not seem uncomfortable, for he would have surely awoken if he was disturbed, and so she left her hand where it was and intently observed his peaceful posture instead. It was true that she could not hurt Jason with her own hands, and yet, she was unsatisfied by the fact. This rotten ending could not be hers, not after all she had done. But, what could Medea do to reveal to Jason how flawed he was? How false his love for both her and his children was? What thing could she do to redeem herself and the little ones she loved? And then, she looked down on her children, a vile thought began to bloom in her mind. There was a thing she could do that would be so loathsome and contemptible to Jason that he would never be able to forget her or her children no matter how deeply in love he fell with another. It would not be an easy task– even now as she went over it in her head, her mind was repulsed by the wickedness of it all– but nonetheless, if she could accomplish it, the pain Jason would feel would be satisfaction enough for the pain it would put her through as well. As she reflected further, it occurred to Medea that this enterprise she had conceived would not be a punishment for her children in the way it would be for their parents, but a relief; she would save them from future hardship and humiliation in having to face the father who abandoned them. Yes, it was a mercy; only a mother who truly loved her children could go to such lengths for them.

In her arms, her children remained sound asleep. Through the window, Medea noticed that the dark clouds she had observed before had moved over the hills and no longer occluded the Sun’s path as it made its way to the horizon. The grey skies had cleared now and the sky was painted with vibrant, reddish-orange hues as though it had been set on fire. The sight was glorious to behold and it filled Medea with a wonderful warmth. She bent her head down and kissed her sons on their foreheads and then held them tighter than before, as though they would never be held again.

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#jason #medea #mine #writing #oc #oc tag

[deathlessathanasia]

Eumelos of Corinth presents Zeus as being born in the land that is now Lydia, and probably he says the truth, to the extent that this is possible in history; for even now there is a place on the peak of Mt Tmolos at the west part of the city of Sardis, which was called in the past ‘Birthplace of Rain-bringing Zeus’, but now after the word has changed its form in the course of time it is called ‘Deusion’. The Kouretes were his (Zeus’) guardians.

Early Greek Epic Fragments I: Antiquarian and Genealogical Epic,Christos Tsagalis

#zeus #fragments #eumelos

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

1st December >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on Matthew 7:21,24-27 for Thursday, First Week of Advent: ‘It was founded on rock’.

Thursday, First Week of Advent

Gospel (Except USA)

Matthew 7:21,24-27

The wise man built his house on a rock.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

Gospel (USA)

Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Whoever does the will of my Father will enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

   “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Reflections (11)

(i) Thursday, First Week of Advent

In one of his letters, Saint Paul, reflecting on his founding of the church in Corinth, thinks of himself as a builder. ‘According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation’, and he then goes on to say, ‘no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ’. Paul is saying there that Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church in Corinth. He preached the gospel of Christ crucified and risen and some people of Corinth responded to that preaching, and the church was formed. The language of Paul there comes very close to that of Jesus in the gospel reading. Whereas Paul speaks of Jesus as the foundation of the church in Corinth, Jesus speaks of himself as the foundation of the lives of individual disciples. Those individuals who listen to his word and try to live that word are like a builder who built his house on rock so that it could withstand floods and gales. Jesus presents himself as the rock-like foundation of our lives, just as in the first reading God is spoken of as the everlasting rock. There are different layers in all our lives; there are surface layers and then there are evermore deeper layers. Jesus is saying that if he is the deepest layer of our lives, then our lives will be solid and secure. We will remain upright and strong when the storms of life break over us. We will draw strength in our times of weakness from him who is the stronger one. The builder of a house has to get the foundations right or else everything else will be compromised, no matter how well it looks. We too need to get the foundations of our lives right and Jesus offers himself to us in the gospel reading as the only foundation worth having. If we listen to his word and try to live by it, then our lives will have a security that no earthly resource can give us.

And/Or

(ii) Thursday, First Week of Advent

We can probably easily identify with the weather image that Jesus uses in this morning’s gospel reading, ‘Rains came down, floods rose, gales blew’. It sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Apart from actual physical storms, we can all be struck by storms of a different kind no matter what part of the world we are in. The church has been through quite a storm in recent weeks, and the storm is still howling. As individuals, we can find ourselves battling against the elements of life, as we struggle in one shape or form, for one reason or another. Jesus declares in our gospel reading this morning that difficult times will indeed come for all of us. The real issue is the extent to which we are equipped to deal with them. When the storms come will we find ourselves at the mercy of the storm, tossed about helplessly, or will we be able to withstand the storm and move through and beyond it? Jesus states in our gospel reading that he can be our rock when the storm comes. If we listen to his words and try to act on those words we will remain upright and standing when the storm breaks around us. Jesus brings us back to basics, the doing of God’s will as Jesus has revealed it for us. If we keep on returning to that focal point then the Lord will see to it that we endure, regardless of the strength of the storm.

 And/Or

(iii) Thursday, First Week of Advent

The parable of the two builders we have just heard brings the long Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s gospel to a close. The Sermon on the Mount is full of wonderful teaching; it has been analyzed and reflected upon for the last two thousand years, and rightly so; its message continues to speak to us today. Yet, Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount by declaring that it is not enough to listen to the teaching of the Sermon and to admire it; we must live the teaching, allow the values of the Sermon to shape our lives. If we listen to it and do no more we are like the builder who built his house on sand; if we listen to Jesus’ teaching and put it into practice we are like the builder who built his house on rock. We have been made more aware of shoddy building practices in recent times here in our own city. Building an apartment or a house to required standards is the responsibility of those in the building trade and only a small proportion of us are involved in that trade. However, we are all involved in the work of building lives to the standard that God wants and expects from us. In this morning’s gospel reading Jesus declares that the way to do that is to listen attentively to his word with a view to allowing his word to shape all we do and say. That is what Mary did; let it be to me according to your word. She is our model and inspiration in Advent.

 And/Or

(iv) Thursday, First Week of Advent

The image of rock is to be found in both readings this morning. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the Lord as the everlasting rock. Like rock, the Lord is enduring and faithful. Therefore, he can be relied upon; he can be trusted. If we come across a substantial outcrop of rock one day, we know that it will be there again the next day, and the following day, and long after we have gone, just as it was there long before we were born. In speaking of God as a Rock the people of Israel were trying to capture that sense of the reliability, the durability, the faithfulness of God. God can be relied upon; he can be trusted. This morning’s gospel reading was taken from the gospel of Matthew. At the beginning of his gospel, Matthew gives Jesus the title Emmanuel, God-with-us. As God with us, Jesus embodies the reliability, the faithfulness of God. He has that rock-like quality of God; he is with us to the end of time. In this morning’s gospel reading he declares that those who build their lives on what he says, those who listen to his word and keep it, will be building their lives on rock. He is the reliable foundation of our lives and if we give ourselves over to his word and his presence we will draw from his strength especially when the storms of life threaten to engulf us.

 And/Or

(v) Thursday, First Week of Advent

We know that a building is as good as its foundations. If the foundations are flimsy, the consequences for those who live in the house can be catastrophic, especially if unusual stress is placed on the building because of weather or some other disturbance of nature. The most important part of the house is that which is not immediately visible. In the gospel reading, Jesus draws on that image of the house to speak about the foundation of our lives as human beings. He declares that entrusting ourselves to him, listening to his word and trying to live his word, will provide a foundation for our lives that will enable us to withstand the great storms of life. We need some solid ground under us as we go through life. Jesus presents himself as that solid ground. If we build our lives on all he says and does, he will prove to be a rock, enabling us to stand firm even when the disappointments and sufferings of life leave us feeling very vulnerable. As human beings we long for security at many levels. Jesus tells us that we will find our ultimate security in him if, in the phrase of Saint Paul, we allow his word to dwell in us richly.

 And/Or

(vi) Thursday, First Week of Advent

This morning’s gospel reading makes reference to listening, speaking and doing. Jesus refers to those who ‘listen to these words of mine’, to those who say aloud, ‘Lord, Lord’, and to those who act on his words. When it comes to our faith, listening and speaking are important, but Jesus declares that listening and speaking on their own, without doing, have little or no value. This passage comes at the very end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is saying that his words in the Sermon on the Mount are not just there to be listened to and admired; they are not just there to be responded to in words of prayer, ‘Lord, Lord’. Rather, they are there to be lived, to be acted upon. Each day we hear the call to live the message that Jesus proclaims. We are to translate his teaching into living. Advent is a season when we are called in a special way to live the word of Jesus that we listen to. In this regard, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a very good model for us. On one occasion when some women in the crowd around Jesus declared Mary blessed because of the Son that she bore, Jesus replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it’. Mary if blessed not primarily for the son she gave birth to but because she heard God’s word and lived it every day. That is our calling too and, in this season of Advent, we can look to Mary as our inspiration as we try to respond to this calling.

 And/Or

(vii) Thursday, First Week of Advent

There are many images of God in the Jewish Scriptures. All such images are simply that, images. They give a very small window onto God. They attempt to express some element of God’s reality which, in itself, is always beyond our full comprehension. We find one such image in today’s first reading. Isaiah speaks of God as ‘the everlasting rock’. There is very little in our created world that could be considered ‘everlasting’. Yet, perhaps rock comes close to being an exception to that rule. There is something about rock which is clearly enduring and reliable. When Isaiah speaks of God as an everlasting rock, he was expressing his conviction that God was someone who was enduring and reliable, and, therefore, to be trusted. We step on rock knowing that it will hold us up. We can trust rock. Isaiah in that reading calls on his hearers to ‘trust in the Lord forever’ because he is an ‘everlasting rock’. Jesus is the one who reveals God to us in a way that no other human has ever done or could ever do. It is not surprising then Jesus uses the image of rock with reference to himself. In the gospel reading this morning he declares that those who listen to his words and live by them are like builders who build a house on rock. We live in a world in which so much is disposable, so little lasts, in which the rate of change is constant and progressive. We often feel the need to find some solid ground that endures, that can be trusted and relied upon. Jesus declares himself to be that solid ground and he calls to us to build our lives on him by allowing his words to shape us.

 And/Or

(viii) Thursday, First Week of Advent.

The weather is a great topic of conversation in Ireland. Maybe that is because it changes so frequently. There is always something to say about it. We are very familiar with the weather referred to in today’s gospel reading, rain, floods and gales. Such weather was less common in Palestine, the land of Jesus. Yet, occasionally in the winter months people had to contend with rain, floods and gales. It was probably tempting for builders in that climate just to build for the better weather that was the norm. However, the really wise builder built with a view to the worst case scenario, even though it may not arise very often. That meant paying more attention to the foundations of a house than might have seemed necessary. Jesus draws a lesson from this scenario for our own lives. Our lives can be going along fine for a period of time and then some severe storm hits us unexpectedly. We find ourselves in a kind of a whirlwind that throws everything out of kilter. Jesus is saying that we need to prepare for that scenario. Our lives need the kind of foundation that will enable us to survive such traumatic experiences. Jesus offers himself as that foundation. If we listen to his words and try to live them every day of our lives, we will be putting down a foundation that will stand to us when the storms come. We don’t wait for the storm to come to start looking for a foundation. The laying of a foundation that gives us something of God’s own strength is something we do every day, little by little, by opening our lives to the Lord’s word and allowing it to shape who we are and all we say and do.

 And/Or

(ix) Thursday, First Week of Advent 

When people were building houses in Palestine in the time of Jesus during the dry season as the weather was fine and warm, it was tempting to build them in a way that did not take into account the wilder weather to come during the winter, when heavy rain and strong winds could affect that part of the Near East. It was easier to build on sand than on rock but it was also shortsighted. What serves in good weather does not always serve in bad weather. Building on rock ensures that the house will stand regardless of the weather. The gospel reading suggests that we have to build our lives in such a way that we will stand firm, not just when all is well, but also when life gets difficult, when the storms come our way and threaten to engulf us. We are to build for the worst of times and not only for the best of times. Jesus declares in the gospel reading that if we not just listen to his words but also try to act on them, we will be building our lives on rock. If we embrace his life and message and allow our own lives to be shaped by it, then we will be building our lives in such a way that we will stand firm when the trials and tribulations of life assail us. We need a firm foundation, we need resources to fall back on, when our vulnerability is exposed by life’s storms. Jesus tells us that he is our primary resource. He will be our firm foundation, if we keep on trying to take the path that he sets before us by his teaching and his way of life.

 And/Or

(x) Thursday, First Week of Advent

In more recent decades we have become more aware of how houses can easily get built in places where there should never be houses, such as the flood plains of rivers. When houses are built on flood plains, it can often give rise to flooding further down the river. We have also become aware that faulty material has gone into the foundations of houses, resulting eventually in walls cracking and the whole house becoming unstable. It is vital to get the foundations of a house right, both in terms of the materials in the foundations and where the foundations are laid. It was no different in the time of Jesus. Houses were sometimes built in a way that was suited to the dry, hot, summer climate of the Near East, but left them exposed to the winter winds and rains, because their foundations were not laid down with winter conditions in mind. The foundations rested on sand rather than rock. Jesus sees in this shoddy building practice a message for our lives. Not just our houses, but our lives need to be built on firm foundations. Jesus declares his word to be the firmest foundation we can build our lives on, not just listening to his word, but putting his word into practice, living by his word. When we heed Jesus’ words and live according to his teaching, we are building the house of our lives on the firmest foundation imaginable. Then, when the storms of life come, as invariably they will come, we will have a firm footing.

 And/Or

(xi) Thursday, First Week of Advent

In the gospel reading, Jesus makes a distinction between two kinds of listening, the listening that leads to action, to doing, and the listening that has no impact on behavior. He calls on us not only to listen to his words, but to act on them. Jesus wants his word not just to impact on our ears but to impact on our lives. Every minute of every day we are hearing something, if we are fortunate to have reasonably good hearing. However, we are not always listening to what we hear. Much of what we hear doesn’t require attentive listening. There are other times when we really do listen to what we are hearing. When someone we love, someone who matters greatly to us, has something important to say to us, we listen very carefully. What they can may enter deeply into us and impact on what we do. Attentive listening to what we consider significant can really shape our whole life. This is the kind of listening that Jesus calls for. He loves us so much that he laid down his life for us; he calls us to love him as he loves us. When he speaks to us, he has something very significant to say, because his words reveal God and God’s purpose for our lives. Here is a speaking that calls for the most attentive listening possible. Such deep listening will impact on us deeply and will shape our way of life. When that happens, Jesus says, we are like the builder who built on rock. Our lives will be solidly grounded and deeply rooted. In the words of today’s first reading, ‘the Lord will be our everlasting Rock’. In the words of Saint Paul, we will be ‘rooted and grounded in love’, in the Lord who is love.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[abookishdreamer]

Character Intro: The Hyades (Kingdom of Ichor)

*from left to right: Coronis, Phaesyle, Cleea, Phaeo, & Eudora

Nicknames- The Blue Sisters by Aphrodite

The Rainmakers, The Maidens of Rain by the people of Olympius

Age(s)- 22 through 17 (immortal)

Location- Corfu, Olympius

Personalities- They all have a strong sense of sisterhood & they're calm, stoic, & introverted. Coronis (the oldest) is the most loving and maternal with Phaeo being the most sensitive. Cleea is uniquely individual & artistic. Phaesyle is the bookworm intellect while Eudora is an old soul.

As goddesses of the seasonal rains, they all have the standard abilities of a goddess- except shapeshifting. Because their mom is an oceanic nymph, they all inherited the trait to breathe underwater, but they don't form tails. Other shared powers/abilities include hydrokinesis or water manipulation in all its forms- ice, snow, vapor. They can use water for healing & they can also generate rainstorms as well as tidal waves. They also have limited aerokinesis and nephelokinesis (cloud manipulation).

The sisters' main address is in the state of Corfu where they all live in a gorgeous mansion built out of marble & moonstone with their mother Aethra (an oceanic nymph). They also have a property in the Underwater realm built out of pearl & sea stone. The Hyades often spend time in Corinth where they visit their father Atlas (Titan god of strength & endurance). They have also visited Olympius' capital, New Olympus, where they often spend time in the Lunar district. The inside of the main house gives off a starry night vibe (with dark blues, purples, silvers, & gold). There are lots of floor-to-ceiling windows, a skylight, opal and obsidian countertops, velvet & satin furniture, and a grand chandelier dripping with white diamonds & blue sapphires. The sisters and their mom own many pets including hamsters, guinea pigs, chinchillas, bichon frises, & bernese mountain dogs.

The sisters & their mom have a strong close relationship with the shared grief and trauma they all went through. Their little brother Hyas died several years ago, but sometimes it feels as though it was yesterday. He was an adventurous precocious young kid who was the center of their universe. The sisters (Coronis especially) treated him more like a son than a little brother. They loved spending time with him as a family- doing activities like stargazing, cloud surfing, hunting, surfing, camping, and visiting aquariums. The day where their mother gave him permission to go hunting alone fills them all with regret. Hyas was only 10 when he died, attacked by a lion. It was said that they all (including their mother) continuously wept for an entire year. Now, they all have some comfort with knowing that his soul is in Elysium, probably cloud surfing with his wide toothy grin. The sisters & their mother all wear silver locket bracelets which contain some of his ashes.

It's safe to say that the death of Hyas led to the fracture of their once tight knit family. Their father completely shut down emotionally & metally and their parents eventually divorced. The sisters now check on him from time to time- bringing him food, doing household chores, & making sure that he's going to his appointments with his therapist. Coronis does water healing treatments, mellowing out Atlas' mind fog whenever he has nightmares about Hyas.

They all like their mother's aguapanela (a sugarcane drink). Cleea loves the toasted marshmallow chocolate milkshakes from The Frozen Spoon while Eudora likes the coconut tres leche milkshake. Coronis' go-to drink is a blue sapphire while Phaesyle likes the aqua pearl & Phaeo likes rum punch. They all like the olympian sized blueberry açaí splash from The Roasted Bean.

They have a big breakfast with their mother every morning. Some go-to dishes include strapatsada (scrambled eggs cooked with tomatoes), avocado toast, rizogalo, cayeye, gialetia (corn pancakes topped with powdered sugar, cinnamon, & honey), and changua (egg & milk soup). The sisters also likes their dad's blueberry french toast!

The Hyades are distant with their extended family. They haven't seen their paternal grandparents Clymene (Titaness of fame & renown) and Iapetus (Titan god of mortality, pain, & death) in almost a century. They also haven't hung out with their older half sister Calypso in a while, but they're still kept in the loop with her on Fatestagram. They don't hang out with their cousins Aidos (goddess of shame, modesty, humility, & respect) Deucalion (Deuce), Prophasis (goddess of excuses) or Pyrrha. The sisters barely know their uncles Epimetheus (Titan god of afterthought), Menoetius (Titan god of rage, violence, & rash actions), and Prometheus (Titan god of forethought).

Phaesyle helped her dad with the development of his aerospace engineering school. She loved seeing the excitement on his face & hearing the enthusiasm in his voice. For a moment, it was like how he was before his punishment & their brother's passing.

Cleea admires Selene (Titaness of the moon) & even sometimes babysits her youngest kids. She's also a member of Urania's (muse of astronomy) stargazing club.

Eudora once had a crush on Astraeus (Titan god of dusk). She even had dreams of him becoming her stepfather.

The Hyades are head of a festival held in Corfu around the middle of autumn- The Monsoon Festival. It celebrates water itself (specifically the rain) as a blessing from the gods & giving thanks to the rain for the plentiful harvests. The festival includes a massive swim race in the ocean, a boat race, food, live concerts, and fireworks. They also enjoy the Blue Moon festival in the Underwater realm.

Some of their favorite desserts include the blueberry macarons & coconut baklava from Hollyhock's Bakery, cholados colombianos, cocadas blancas, and merengon de fresas.

They're friends with Aetna (goddess of volcanoes), Nephele (goddess of clouds), Aerin (goddess of the ethereal), Eos (Titaness of dawn), Neféloma (goddess of space & dark matter), Nerissa (goddess of jellyfish), The Muses, and Pasithea (goddess of hallucinations & relaxation). They're also cool with Calypso's mother, Coralie. The Hyades admire The Pleiades as well as their mother Pleione (Titaness of sailing & stars), The Ourea (esteemed mountain gods), and Tethys (Titaness of freshwater & clouds)

The sisters like their mom's new boyfriend Evangelos who's a merman. The sisters have weekly dinners with him and their mom. They are huge fans of his imperial lobster tails with spicy seaweed & kale salad.

They're aware that their father is seeing Hesperis (goddess of the evening & sunset). When they try bringing up the topic about their relationship to him, Atlas shuts down, not wanting to talk about it.

The sisters are also in business together- they have a jewelry brand, specializing in minimalist astronomy themed designs called Stella Ferrea. They have also released a make-up palette called Celestial Dust.

As far as the sisters' romantic lives, Eudora has a girlfriend- a nephelai named Zoë. Phaeo has been talking with a cyclops named Elio on Fatestagram for a few weeks. She really likes him. The rest of the sisters aren't dating & Coronis recently ended things with her long term boyfriend Hylas.

Some of their favorite foods include aborrajado (fried banana dumplings filled with cheese & guava), mondongo, chorizo con arepa, mole de queso, & patacones.

In their free time, they all have shared interests like swimming, surfing, deep sea diving, dancing (ballet and merengue), yoga, cloud surfing, & stargazing. The sisters also have separate interests. Coronis is taking mixology classes (taught by the god of wine, Dionysus). Cleea's into fashion & make-up, so she checks out the classes at the community center in downtown New Olympus that is taught by one of The Graces, Thalia. Phaesyle loves science (astronomy) and writing, being a huge fan of the goddesses Astrape & Bronte's science fiction books. She sometimes writes short stories in her journal and has thought about attending the goddess Philyra's writing workshop for aspiring writers. Phaeo (aside from jewelry making) has also gotten into tech & blacksmithing. Eudora has gotten into amateur bodybuilding and even runs a fitness vlog on PanopTube.

"There's a difference between just getting wet and feeling the rain."

#ocs #my ocs #my oc characters #my characters #oc characters #the hyades #oc intro #character intro #oc introduction #character introduction #modern greek gods #modern greek mythology #greek myth retellings #greek goddesses #greek goddess #greek mythology #greek pantheon #hyades

[libidomechanica]

“To tempt Gods Providence by fire”

A rispetto sequence

               I

Seventeen years away, my hart I then begins a journeys, here assurance need not agree, that passions and streight through the breath in arias of death his Fellows; from which a spring danced when came melissa, O pardon their Lord. To tempt Gods Providence by fire. Organ in me ye playne, for father’s wrath, by all delight. Or change from love? Into her heart than she.

               II

From thy fellowship in the Desperate Fame. Throb with my plaint to her; now, young Corinth—O the blythest bird upon their Taxes double Danger bring? Venus is taught. But my Corinna, come; and above the wedded dame, august her beauty was as right. What say Good-bye; and now what no her tongue aspire. Rain on the more account, for Ten to One, in forbidden fires.

               III

Desire of wonder at her left, a child is frayle corruption, that his Anguish of his Faction of the world may streams of man? Tell her sacred peace and plum, and dewdrops wet; and said … Nay, we are onely completer; for nothing else these halls, and yawn’d a good deal with Sally Brown! Whilst Ben he was no sins of Royal Robes, and blew the languid fool, who was left.

               IV

In any chronicles of dress were not complains before. But that very fair; the which tempred still the rest, with such a yoke She danc’d along the twilight wings, for ages, taught. Yet let them on the rolling the loves attend lyke captiued are so firmely, too, when shall be there but we will that ancient Hag of Fate. My stockings there survived his fear in a female dress.

               V

Lifting me, where upon they St. Fatal interview, by all aspect, but Thanks, ’ she least as truth, and cut this the Curse of hers did close implide, with them Joyn’d all this world one way and another, husband, like a Pen to step into Heav’n inspiring I might be, or naething to end that to thrall forts which she doth more dread, until the funeral direct, with his Teeth.

               VI

The hours my loues might his Darling Son? The hand on a Minion! Truth the highest way of change eyes, resign’d, and said he, hold up your hands do not me my love some rest; all the green-recessed woodland air! And, last not ask me with Skill, for humane Good old Cause by whom he was unseen: and drear! Breathes. And often round. Now, young monarch, till ioy makes us cowards the pass’d for spill.

               VII

From his knees that your eyes in the chace forsooke, my hart, that my exceed the queen-priest throne, his Highness’ years, but Save me most regulated charming with vile adders sting, in one ship is Reproof, and overmuch of a Good Son, who had the court’ said Cyril, Madam, all the reveries of Jacob Behmen with cinnamon; despair print thy Soul, oh Taper of the pain.

               VIII

Your gentle Lycius! Learning unto their heart, with the Day, misguide the Justice a Seráb. And harass’d well for better not before. Most sorts of flowers, the virgin purest lipp’d, yet in vain. You are the years for Monarch tame, and that my zone unmanned me: the Land. For shame! And acted on, when she took Juanna, whose throng, too feeble vassal blest, by new unfolds cleanly.

               IX

Ah, what woe after long maintain’d where thereby much great hope I well find her lord were said the loves to swarm their very Garment-hem Pollution! Ring; some said he love the gloom of all countenance his crime, can reason, shame loade mine eyes, a lover yet, tis after fresh arrivals threat for earthly eye: that bosom worn, which we stands the low: for lacking it, that mercy too.

               X

This side,—so beautiful old rhyme in praises are taught to witless walls! As sacred through the porch, with all its watery sun&three were constrayn. Just as he’s mounted—he and Absál the Father worth nor rues my stonisht hart stood at bold Defiance, hate whate’er the rocks once-a- boy pilfering me withall. So woful, and sew for peace, an hundredth part his future Race?

               XI

What guyle is th’ author of my kind? Would not the more my love can be no longer Just. Feed their first she slept in hand my brother articles of vnualewd price: far passing the demons of thunderbolt hangs silent, shy, and from Heaven—from then she seems the ghost away. Of the scientific animals are the Sun upon Designs, and for God, not the right!

               XII

And children, ran before from them fills the roadside, succulent peaches to be broke his might sit beside juan had no great loues prayses form. And in hue could e’er he did not with fire the brow of earthly lyres, while at themselves in my selfe for euer to enjoy! Not grace is her breast: her neck regal white till the Elves and Names assured to haste, while, like a peace shall haue tride.

               XIII

His Youth, thy disencumbred Soul mounts up, and beckon from the skye. So long, dead called Beauties treasure, and in the blight on my face press’d. Till the golden tongue that runneth often doe redound, as is a Godlike Kings are made: he takes place; they could he gain, his vanquish’d days, had eyes aghast the Beadsman, affianced, scale with carven imag’ries good Angela, by the heart.

               XIV

And won his pinions lay, and mantle, which we Right, from far where there died at his Highness, there that tongue. And slight but hastily subscribed the Branch that French novel? And yet the Statesman we abhor, but not stuck all exceeding want; more rich, who Heaven, and scatter my sins that thought— meet, if the Crowd: that cluster’d in all her names in which in the memory of Civil Wars.

               XV

And choke on me were a mermaid now, for this chirrup at her glauncing sight, the fainting to mine, condemn it; but I turn a lady’s eyes; mine eye: but though it sounds of his strength was his due? To Beauties peece for me to mow: and yet the serpent, but effectually is out; for in your skill, some in the heathen Priests the transient roses at first appeared his phantasies.

               XVI

The musick, which you graced in thinke at an Eurydice; for that, waxing wanton o’er the matter than what a flint is free? I shall it bee that fail to beare: so weake my sorrow out of saddest words, embrace my bane. Can reason, shame, and wife, a sullen might for her whisk the stain’d where when those on the beginning, full of silence seal’d. A death-like silence in. And splendour.

               XVII

Save to and from piety, or from birth or growth, is more strong in Corinth talk: over tedious absence of Angels from cruelty she wore a wannish fire sparks, without-end hour whilst I, myself—and you. Besides, the creature newly-caged, commenced the un-apple. Her heads were Useless, lasting chain; and her wil be the numerous wood the grey downs dulled to save.

               XVIII

In her snowy browes lyke dying tone, but I, vnbid, fetch in May, when my toung tipt with awfull Lord. On the features goodly colour of night; in vain,—to bless nor curse to hang on her sound sleep disclos’d the place forbear to make vnpitteid spoile. With his Prerogative. With lesser chill it hold? Now clear’d, but Save me nothing their faults with tapers comes soothingly with scorn.

               XIX

Permit me, Julia, I bring to do with the think, do allow life has not violently wake. Votes shall Ever-wanting sense, which some pines that old man? For had thy maisters keep his return and silent grown, I have given signal ta’en their piques, they likest be, or what her dream’d a dream, of walking in a slumberous they are more to the firmer will, that evening brest.

               XX

Night by lesson which they had arrived before; for which did her form create to be forgiv’n. Flatter all utter’d by a Niggard no: now will I, with a high hand, she writing on her I stand who knows. There in want or peril, therefore: now warm gules on Madeline! Our mother; so Cantemir can they steps or more my Eyes the Seasons train: from Earthy Vapours rise!

               XXI

Then hangeth all fair theoric’ it appears; barzillai thou canst not the heauenly fury doth hart and Stars and Dreams; lo, this place, the most him so hugely stood in madness near and hate, I feel estrange, that heuenly spheare of Justice draws; constrayne. Soft as homeward I from heavens Anoint his lofty looke on it streight back. If not happens, that he had for love is liberty.

               XXII

A Hand to Loyalty were two lovers of thy love doth worke that with disturb you something so whence flee; foole, who made new porridge for injured lover can hope my verse vowd to eternity I forgive? Promiscuous use of Sorrow the sweet soul, were taught: let theyr snaky heads the custom, and you fayre, misdeeme so fair as fair, ’ said Cyril, having piously.

               XXIII

And Madeline asleepe thou must no more by our long hall glittering taketh. The harbor whose his first day the golden dreamt of man, the promise! And is he gone, and thunder shrines all with two tame leopards couches, toilets—and much I fear, her mouth in waves, your sweet pleasures in hers, am profanation far with all you fairly. Which cost little worth, and zoned with Me!

               XXIV

For lusty sprinkled on Sally she did agree, in mine eyes, where you to soothe my pillow took their tedious riddles of vnualewd price: by loue we weigh’d her cruell might coin, the gift of closing gainst the String of my prison I will it proves you may lose your Foliage, and whole oceans roll! Be ye sure builds her selfe and loue embrace the tangled mind, I starue my bonie Jean.

               XXV

-Felt plagues, of hell, vpon the helpless demonstration: follow’d taper tremble in mine eyes most lowe, I crau’d their Witnesses improv’d. And often knit, my kerchief transgression, growling and joy so pure and unload all good Barzillai thou canst though in Cupid’s college gown, th’ admiring Croud are dazled with dewy locks, which open shone: upon her declined the must.

               XXVI

Awake, for he could have them is double with Spirit, until he stars from our natural, the Bad, turn Rebell, and spite and we as rich and sad pensiuenesse. Then, riding up a lower, much I might blush, and each who dare be lou’d by might? On Principle of Declining Age: behold that close intent on with such odious to the lava ravish’d extremely to me.

               XXVII

A simple truth, howe’er kisses, sweet devized of loue, while praying, trembling, in the rocks, and a bonie Bell. Where gainst each height that strength was to stone. Swift to his Hand a Vare of pupils; she may entangle in the lonely that old Florian; have you depart, despoyld of war the sober part, with those, when she scream from the center. The stars do I my judgment pleasure.

               XXVIII

He had a fever late dismayed. Bright assert none lordlier than the slacken’d in this faultlesse renowne? Like and stormy seas and so rare a wit, requires it, they durst his Memory, miraculous thou wrongest in to close of and float in crystalline fragments, but by my Paternal sunshine where I my selfe dilate, as if there he spoak: few words masculine perfume.

               XXIX

Their Gods disgrace: that purg’d by boyling o’r: and even I in this and tempter, a forbid thee of angelic kind, I shall Rest, and every monarchs for they put beside juanna, their prepare and death. And he had bene slayne, throgh contemplation of the Plot: yet, Corah, thou the gentle grace arraid; and only vocal with cold, like a thousand averse from the Tree.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 7 #141 texts #rispetto sequence

[bills-bible-basics]

PEACEMAKERS OR WARMONGERS -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List Visit https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/ to see more. "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." James 4:1-3, KJV "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Psalm 37:11, KJV "My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war." Psalm 120:6-7, KJV "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth . . . Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God . . . But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:5, 9, 44-45, KJV "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN." Romans 12:18, KJV "Finally‭, brethren‭, farewell‭‭. Be perfect‭‭, be of good comfort‭‭, be of one‭ mind‭‭, LIVE IN PEACE‭‭; and‭ the God‭ of love‭ and‭ peace‭ shall be‭‭ with‭ you‭.‭" 2 Corinthians 13:11, KJV "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7, KJV "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Isaiah 2:4, KJV "And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Micah 4:3, KJV "And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus [meaning the Apostle Peter] stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" Matthew 26:51-53, KJV "And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,‭ And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.‭ And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.‭ And when his disciples James and John saw ‭this‭, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?‭ But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.‭ For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save ‭them‭. And they went to another village.‭" Luke 9:51-56, KJV "When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?‭ And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.‭ And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.‭" Luke 22:49-51, KJV "Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" John 18:10-11, KJV "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)" 2 Corinthians 10:4, KJV "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." 2 Timothy 2:4, KJV "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." Revelation 11:18, KJV "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." Revelation 13:10, KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/peacemakers-or-warmongers-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?feed_id=151141&PEACEMAKERS%20OR%20WARMONGERS%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List

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[formshaper]

Riona wants her Dream kissies from that meme you reblogged on Corinth. 🥰🥰🥰

the meme in question (always accepting, who gives a shit if i didn't rb it here let's GO) 16. A kiss in the rain

Rain can be an ominous sign in the Dreaming. It is a place of stories, after all, and in some stories, rain is the harbinger of conflict, sorrow, heartbreak. It signifies moment of crisis. But it can also be the bringer of relief: a sign of change, a moment of sweet revelation.

When the skies over the castle burst, it is not in a torrent of gloom and despair, but of rapturous delight: he has kissed her for the first time. They hold one another on the balcony of his private quarters, sequestered away at the very top of the castle. None would dare disturb them here. None could disturb them here; Dream has ensured that no-one, no matter how hard they may try, can find their way to his chambers at this time.

He is technically neglecting his duties, but love has always moved him to madness. Riona is no different. One kiss, and the whole Dreaming sways in colour, rain, and aching sunlight. A scattering of cherry blossoms on the breeze; the smell of strawberry tarts. Dream's breath is honey-sweet against her face when he bows his forehead to rest against hers, smiling in a way she has never seen before, though they haven't known each other long.

Not long at all.

""I should like to kiss you again." He tucks a damp curl of hair behind Riona's ear, starry eyes shining. "But perhaps you would prefer to be out of the rain?"

#ic. #ic: dream #asoulofstars #[ this is CLOYINGLY sweet i hate it ] #[ sorry if it's fucking incoherent i'm on pain meds KJNJKSDNF ] #[ dream after knowing her for like a month: i'm in love with you ]

[arkanis-archives]

Its quiet and thoughtful and peaceful and. God, gentle, and raw, and so sweet when he is in my arms.

Like all I ever needed was just him in my arms.

We know it ain't true. But for a few seconds it is and world makes sense on the serpentine roads on the way to Corinth, and sea is lazurite blue and rain stops.

And I'm happy.

[nedsecondline]

Opinion | Howell Raines: The Civil War history they didn’t want you to know - The Washington Post

Alabama farmers who volunteered for the First Alabama Union Cavalry were shaped by its commanders at Corinth, Miss., in 1862. (Grenville M. Dodge Collection/State Historical Society of Iowa)   Source: Opinion | Howell Raines: The Civil War history they didn’t want you to know – The Washington Post

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[tricksheart]

Alternate persona:

Poseidon ( mostly for Persona 2 and Persona 3 since they use Greek and Roman gods and myths ).

[ Akira obtains an alternate weapon, that being a Trident ( with his zodiac, the Pieces symbol marked in the center of the weapon ). Make him able to reach better and stab instead of death by a thousand cuts like his knife can. He holds the Trident somewhat like Kotone / Minako but is able to make his stance more lazier than the other's own. Sometimes only uses one hand to attack since his proficiency is maxed ]

Info and Background:

Poseidon is the god of the sea, oceans, storms and earthquakes and also one of the twelve Olympian deities of the pantheon in Greek mythology. His main domain is the ocean, and is called the "God of the Sea." Additionally, he is referred to as "Earth-Shaker" and "Storm-Bringer" due to his role in causing earthquakes and storms, and has been called the "Father of horses" as he created them from sea foam.

He is usually depicted as an older male with curly hair and beard. Poseidon is married to the sea goddess Amphitrite and together they had a son named Triton. He also had a child with Aphrodite, a daughter named Rhodos. Other notable children of him were the hero Theseus, the hunter Orion and the cyclops Polyphemus.

He is integrated into the Olympian gods as the brother of Zeus and Hades. Like his brother, Zeus, Poseidon has fathered numerous children and is quick to punish those who have "wronged" him. Poseidon is a horrifying and avenging god and must be honored even when he is not the patron deity of the city. He is described as a majestic scary and avenging monarch of the sea. As god of the sea Poseidon is also god of fishing and especially of sea-fishing.

In his benign aspect, Poseidon is seen as creating new islands and offering calm seas. When offended or ignored, he supposedly strikes the ground with his trident and caused chaotic springs, earthquakes, drownings and shipwrecks.

According to the myth, Helios and Poseidon clashed, both desiring to make a city their own. Their dispute was brought to one of the Hecatoncheires, Briareos, an elder god, who was thus tasked to settle the fight between the two gods. Briareus decided to award the Acrocorinth to Helios, while to Poseidon he gave the isthmus of Corinth. In this tale, Helios and Poseidon are supposed to represent fire versus water. Helios, as the sun god, received the area that is closest to the sky, while Poseidon, who is the sea god, got the isthmus by the sea.

Poseidon had both male and female lovers. The mighty monarch of the seven seas and the absolute ruler of all sea demons.

Attacks and abilities:

Poisedon can perform the water combo Acid Rain with Hydron and has the power WaterHoard.

Tidal Wave: Water 25 HP Small dmg. Foes Spellguard: Light 6 MP RES Up. Party Double Hit: Dark 10 HP Hit x2. 1 Foe Healmor: All Light 18 MP Major HP recovery. Party Defboost: Light 6 MP DEF Up. Party Chaos Foam: Water 25 HP Medium dmg +Confuse. 2 Foes Magukaja Mediala Rakukaja Niji no Awa

#long post cw #[ we call them tricksters. headcanon ] #[ love the subhuman self. PERSONA 3 verse ] #[ dial J for Joker. Persona 2 EP verse ]