Book 5, Part 2.2: This Here Bow

March 7, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

My translation uses the phrase “Full Speed Ahead” and it was too perfect I had to steal it. Thank you Stanley Lombardo.

I love Pandarus. He ended up having this random dialect. I honestly thought the introduction to Aeneas would be more momentous since he ends up having a whole epic written about him, but he sort of just appears, pushing his way through the crowd (because, remember, the Trojan soldiers have been retreating and they are really close together against the city wall). And then Pandarus steals the show. But that’s okay. I could have condensed this scene, but I really wanted my little Panda Man to have his moment to shine. We will give him this. Because he will not be given much more. *sniff sniff*

To Read The Death of Pandarus Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 2.1: The Wounding of Diomedes

March 5, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

I know he’s violent and kills way too many Trojans, but I still love Diomedes. Notice he is still stealing horses. [If, you are curious, the names of the men he is standing on in the last frame are as follows: Astynous, Hypeiron, Abas, Polyidus, Xanthos and Thooan (who were brothers), Echemmon and Chromius (sons of Priam whose horse Diomedes steals).]

Also, Sthenelus amuses me.

ALSO: don’t forget I am changing to Monday & Wednesday postings (which is why this is posted on a Monday).

ALSO ALSO: Have a good day, lovelies!

To Read This Here Bow Click HERE.

Retail Life: Building Supply Store Vol.1, “Marry You Right Here in the Check-Out Lane.”

March 4, 2018April 22, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ Leave a comment

Because you usually get posts on Sunday I didn’t want to disappoint you so I wrote you a comic based on My Life working at The Building Supplies Store [name has been changed for Reasons and I’m sure its identity will be a Complete and Absolute MYSTERY now]. Every once in awhile, when I have time (probably about once a month?) I will include a My Life comic (with Commentary) on Sundays (probably the first Sunday of the month?) because, my dear lovelies, some stories just absolutely need to be told because #WHAT and #WHY. Enjoy!

Asking a stranger to marry you, even if it is only an exaggeration to make a point, is not appropriate, especially when made to someone working in the service industry and they do not have the ability to escape from your comments which are making them uncomfortable.
Do not make assumptions about someone’s a) sexuality b) desire/ability to have children. I hate when people tell me to have babies, because a) it assumes I want to have sex, b) that I want to procreate, and c) that I don’t have fertility issues. A lot of women are infertile and it is a rough deal so DON’T ASSUME THINGS ABOUT WOMEN AND BABY HAVING. Just. Don’t.
I’m not beautiful, guys. I’m adorable, I’m occasionally pretty, but I’m not beautiful. This is factual. I’m not down-playing myself. But I’m a middle-of-the-road person. My body is lumpy and oddly proportioned. I mean, I love it. I get to call myself a lumpy space princess, so that’s fabulous. So I don’t know what his obsession with calling me beautiful was. I just don’t. I must have been having a really good hair day or something. Or maybe the apron I have to wear at work was hiding my lumpiness?
I wouldn’t actually break every bone in someone’s body because I’m mostly a pacifist, but people making assumptions about me or invading my personal space/life makes me incredibly internally angry and my thoughts turn uber-violent.
I still don’t understand the relevance to my ability to cook -_- OH MY GODS STOP WITH THE HETERONORMATIVE PATRIARCHAL BULLSHIT.
None of this conversation was appropriate to have with a cashier. None of it. I honestly should have been able to just say: “This is making me uncomfortable, please stop,” but he was a regular and I felt like I would get in trouble if I offended him and he complained to a manager. THIS KIND OF FEAR MAKES ME WANT TO BREAK THINGS. Like, all of the light bulbs in Aisle 1, Electrical. I wouldn’t, because the stupid “earth friendly” ones are filled with TOXIC CHEMICALS like MERCURY because that is definitely friendly for the earth and its water supplies ABSOLUTELY. Ahem. Wrong rant. THE POINT IS: this conversation should not have happened. He should not have made the comments OR I should have been able to immediately shut it down.
I feel like I should repeat: DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE IF YOU CAN HELP IT.
UGH.

Book 5, Part 1.2: The Death of Trojans

February 28, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

Athena randomly being angry at Ares and pulling him aside seems kind of sudden and odd – – until we remember that Athena just gave the Argives an advantage and wants to be sure Ares doesn’t think to do the same. She wants the Argives to have as much time as possible to kill as many Trojans as possible.

I find Idomeneus to be slightly unhinged and his brother Meriones as being a bit bloodthirsty. I also see both counting the deaths they deal as sacrifices to their gods. I’m not sure why I’m thinking this? I don’t know much about early Crete… But that’s what Idomeneus is doing in the fourth panel, looking up to his god and trying to honour Him with Phaestus’ death. I’m not sure that Phaestus appreciates this…

Honestly, this part of the story I find to be very depressing and I found myself emotional as I drew it. Homer gives us these little windows into the lives of the Trojans who are being killed. The question is why? Are we supposed to feel bad for them? To see their deaths as useless and pointless? Or maybe it’s supposed to make us feel like their deaths are valid. Phereclus has a really horribly painful death – – but he IS the one who made the ships for Paris, so this war is, in some respects, his fault. Pedaeus is an illegitimate son. And yet… Phaestus was just a local Trojan ally. Odios probably was as well. Scamandrios has dedicated himself to Artemis, which means he would have been a young, virgin dude who really had no business being at war. Hypsenor was the son of a priest. Did any of these guys really deserve to die? I think Homer is saying, “Absolutely not.” Which. Is not surprising. The Iliad is usually thought of as a Greek work, because it has come down to us from Greeks. However, Homer is said to be from Lydia. Lydia is in Asia Minor. He was from the same area as Trojans. The Iliad is often way more pro-Trojan than pro-Achaean/Argive/Greek. The Greeks are vicious and bloodthirsty and angry and cruel. The Trojans are merely trying to defend their city.

I think this is especially clear when we consider the final panel. The Argives toil in war, but the Trojans that they have just killed? They are traders and merchants, craftsmen and artisans, farmers and shepherds. They are innocent.

To Read The Wounding of Diomedes Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 1.1: Diomedes Descends

February 25, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 3 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read Book 4 Recap Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

I find it interesting that Athena chooses Diomedes to grant special strength to, considering how she is the patron of Odysseus all throughout the Odyssey, one might think that Odysseus gets to be the hero. HOWEVER, Odysseus is less war hero and more tactician, when Diomedes, well, I believe Diomedes is able to more easily connect with the spiritual world. I think he’s the only Argive who would be able to receive the gift Athena gives him – – but this is all conjecture.

ALSO, Phegeus’ brother Idaeus should never have left his brother’s body behind. The fact that Hephaistos is willing to save this coward does NOT leave him in a good light. BUT, I really like that Hephaistos is shown as being compassionate and that we have a glimpse of him grieving. I drew Idaeus to look a bit like Hephaistos in order to show the almost familial connection he has with the god-smith.

ALSO, this is not the first time Diomedes steals horses and it won’t be the last. He is ALWAYS stealing horses. Always. I’m not entirely sure why this is important, but eventually I’ll figure it out and share the information with you.

ALSO, I enjoy Panic and Terror.

As a side note: I’m probably going to shift to posting on Mondays and Wednesdays (with the Occasional Friday), since I’m going to start posting Random Writing Prompts over at the NaomiRuth Facebook page.

To Read The Death of Trojans Click HERE.

Book 4: Recap

February 23, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

IANR.Bk4.Recap.jpg

Check out THIS PAGE for any posts you may have missed!

To Continue on to Read Diomedes Descends Click HERE.

Book 4, Part 3.2: Revenge Pleases Eris

February 21, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

I love how Homer wraps up this mini story about Simoeisius inside of this great epic about war and rage. The image of this young dead boy as this rotting tree trunk is visually engaging and I wish I could paint better, because I would paint this scene.

The idea of death begetting more death and how revenge only results in more pain and more grief comes out so clearly in this mini Odysseus moment.

On a less serious note: when Apollo is shouting at the Trojans all I could imagine was that scene from the Princess Bride when the guy at the gate keeps shouting: “Stand your ground, men! Stand your ground!” Which was fairly distracting while I was drawing that panel. I had to re-draw Apollo because it was so bad the first time.

I was not expecting Eris to have the presence that She does, but it’s appropriate, and I have a feeling She’s going to continue to pop up unexpectedly.

AND that’s it for Book 4. We will have a recap on Friday of what all happened in Book 4 and then we shall continue on to Book 5 on Sunday. Book 5 is centered on Diomedes. I have drafted the script for Parts 1.1 and 1.2. ALSO, Aeneas is going to show up, FINALLY.

To Read Book 4: Recap Click HERE.
To Start Book 5, Diomedes Descends Click HERE.

Book 4, Part 3.1: First Blood

February 18, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

While I have been incredibly affected by my reading of The War of Achilles by Caroline Alexander, I have to say re-reading this chapter really makes me look at it through the anti-war lens. People die, horrible, in stupid, useless deaths, for no good reason at all. Again and again we are told the victim’s names, their stories – – especially the Trojan.

More death is coming in 3.2: Revenge Pleases Eris.

Book 4, Part 2.2: Agamemnon is Annoying and Eris Awaits

February 14, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
To Read the Previous Post Click HERE.

Don’t mess with Odysseus, hehehe…

ALSO, I drew Diomedes with a little bit of scruff to show that time has past, because I feel like so much time has gone by with people just staring at each other or being dramatic.

Sthenelus looks a lot like how I drew Macbeth back when I was teaching. Whoops.

Also, also: yes. I have a ridiculous love of Alliteration that borders on the absurd. Shhh…

In the second to last panel you will see Terror and Panic. Panic actually showed up riding a horse in one of the previous posts. If you can find him you will prove that you have way too much time on your hands. Haha… Ahem. Sorry. One day I will actually have prizes of some sort that I will award you. I’ll be working on that this month *fingers crossed*

ANYWAYS. Next week will be “First Blood” and everything gets serious for awhile. If there is humour it will be rather macabre. BUT ALSO DIOMODES is going to be starring in most of Book 5 & 6, so we can all look forward to that.

Thank you, lovelies, and have a wonderful rest of your day!

To Read First Blood Click HERE.

Book 4, Part 2.1: Agamemnon and His Troops

February 11, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start from the Beginning, Click HERE.

To Read the Previous Post, Click HERE.

For Recaps of Book 2 & 3, Click HERE and HERE.

This second perusal of the troops is one of the reasons why people think The Iliad was written by more than one author. It was not that long ago where we were introduced to all of the generals. Also, it’s a little awkward. I mean. Paris and Menelaus were just fighting. Agamemnon calls for war. And meanwhile, all of the Trojans are just STANDING there, twiddling their thumbs, waiting. HOWEVER, one could argue that we’re just about to plunge into battle, it’s a good idea to remind your audience of some of the Most Valuable Players, especially considering this was originally a tale that was being told outloud from memory to a crowd that may not be consistent. Repetition is important to remind people of what is going on and who is going on

Also, Nestor does not speak consistently at all, and while normally I am all about having consistent dialogue I have come to accept that Nestor just does what he likes and really doesn’t care what I think.

Also, I don’t really care about the Ajax’s (at least, not in The Iliad. Sophocle’s play is another story).

Also, also, Idomeneus finally gets to speak. Hooray for him!

Join us next time for Book 4, Part 2.2: Agamemnon is Annoying and Eris Awaits.

Only Slightly Deranged

All the Stories You Never Wanted to Read. Updated most Sundays and Wednesdays.

Comics

Book 5, Part 2.2: This Here Bow

Book 5, Part 2.1: The Wounding of Diomedes

Retail Life: Building Supply Store Vol.1, “Marry You Right Here in the Check-Out Lane.”

Book 5, Part 1.2: The Death of Trojans

Book 5, Part 1.1: Diomedes Descends

Book 4: Recap

Book 4, Part 3.2: Revenge Pleases Eris

Book 4, Part 3.1: First Blood

Book 4, Part 2.2: Agamemnon is Annoying and Eris Awaits

Book 4, Part 2.1: Agamemnon and His Troops