Literature

Meanwhile In Argos…

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ Leave a comment

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Aegiale was the wife of Diomedes. While he was away at war she took up some lovers. You heard that right. Not just one, like Klytemnestra, but multiple. The accounts aren’t super clear on how many. It looks like just two dudes, but my little bi heart is imagining some lady involved too. But there’s not necessarily cultural/historical evidence for that. BUT, there is evidence for at least two dudes. I originally was going to draw Aegiale all super evil villain, but she just came out adorbs, because how could I not support this poly-woman? I mean, I love Diomedes, don’t get me wrong, but this woman was not afraid to go after what she wanted.

Some records state that she took a lover only out of revenge because some guy named Oeax told her Diomedes was coming home with a lady love whom he loved more than her. This wasn’t true. But the chronology is unclear from the (admittedly very quick) article I read and I feel like she already had lovers and this was not a revenge thing. I feel like some man decided it was a revenge thing because Women Having Sexuality is Scary. Men. *eye roll*

She has some parallels with Klytemnestra, HOWEVER, there is a difference. She didn’t kill her husband. She did try to, threaten to, and the only way he escaped was hiding in a temple to Hera, where he then had to sneak out and run away to Italy (which is why he is there to give Aeneas advice over in The Aeneid). BUT. She didn’t actually kill him. She also had more than one lover and, as far as I can tell: got away with it. Not avenging sons came along. I mean. I don’t know how long it last before some man came along to stop her, but I like to think she lived a tolerably long time with her lovers and died happy.

I drew her with crazy long sleeves because there is a butterfly that shares her name.

Want more Greek Ladies?

Click HERE for Penelope.

Click HERE for Klytemnestra.

Click HERE for Hermione.

Book 7, Part 3.2: Hector is Not Unnerved

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ Leave a comment

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

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Hector and Ajax Telamonian are both so sassy. I love them.

My life continues to be overwhelming. I have been able to get some editing done on my current WIP and I’ve met some inspiring people and read good books, so that’s exciting. I am entering 1) Retail Holiday Land and 2) The Time of Seasonal Affective Disorder Fun, so I honestly have no idea how the next few months will go, but I will post when I can. Thank you for reading!

 

Book 7, Part 3.1: Lots Are Chosen

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 3 Comments

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-_- The second to last panel is supposed to say leather-worker and I ONLY JUST NOTICED IT NOW. I will try and go back to fix it later. AUGH.

Also, I am imagining Ajax Telamonian with sort of a Lumpy Space Princess type voice happening? Because my brain is a weird place.

I know this is short and you have to wait A WHOLE FLUFFIN’ WEEK for the next installment, please don’t throw rocks and/or shields at me. *throws shiny glitter to distract you and runs away*

But seriously, if you are still reading, which I’m assuming you are if you’re reading these words, thank you for reading and sticking along. ALSO, feel free to share this with your friends/mother/grandmother/librarian/nerdy person in your life if you think they would enjoy this. ❤

Have a wonderful day, lovelies!

Book 7, Part 2.1: Menelaus Tries to Be Brave

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 1 Comment

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
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And lo! I have returned! I’m not dead! July my depression kicked me in the gut, which messed with my anxiety, which was – – – –

So……… I started this post 24 August and now that it’s ALMOST AN ENTIRE MONTH LATER. -_- My hours went up which was Great, because Monies, but ALSO then I had no time at all for projects. It is a difficult struggle to balance Money and Projects. Ehk.

Ah, Menelaus. He tries. I love his nameless attendants and how relieved they are.

Annnnnnd…. That’s all for now folks! We are skipping Monday and there won’t be another post until Wednesday. I know, I know. I wish I could be more consistent with this, but my room is half-organized, my WIP is only one chapter edited, my other WIP needs to be pieced together, sewn, and cut. Also, I need to edit my Song of Roland Comedy that I have needed to do since 2016. -_-

ANYWAY. I HOPE YOUR DAY IS MAGNIFICENT. I LOVE YOU ALL.

Book 7, Part 1.2: Hector’s Challenge

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 1 Comment

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I wonder if it’s painful at all for Helenus to suddenly have this kind of information beamed down into his head. Does he have visions? Does he just suddenly know? So many questions. #allofthequestions

And ah, the ol’ “You’re not going to die, that isn’t your Fate yet.” And you’re so relieved you’re not going to die you COMPLETELy FORGET that little word “YET.”

I find it fascinating that in order to get everyone to sit down and to call a ceasefire all you have to do is stand in between the armies with your spear horizontal in front of you. So the next time your in an ancient Greek war… Now you’ll know.

See you next week for the Greeks’ response to this challenge!

 

Book 7, Part 1.1: The Plan of Apollo

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 1 Comment

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If you do not remember: Glaucus is the one that had a conversation with Diomedes and whom Diomedes let go because of xenia (guest-friendship). If Diomedes had NOT given him mercy (as Agamemnon would have wanted, since he shouted at Menelaus for considering mercy) then many of the Argives would not have died (or, at least, not by Glaucus’ hand).

Also, I’m not really sure why Apollon and Athena think this plan is going to work, since having Paris and Menelaus fight didn’t work. I guess because Aphrodite intervened and didn’t let the fight end properly? I guess after having read Livy I just know THIS NEVER WORKS. (Ohmygoodness, guys, read Livy’s The Founding of Rome. Great stories in there. One day I will stick figure it, if I am able, but that day is far in the future.)

Oh, also, I know I started with using the name Apollo, because He’s more commonly known as that, but I will probably start using Apollon. I also might change Ajax to Aias, because I don’t know why I didn’t and I have this problam with ‘j’s bobbing around in Greek words when Greek doesn’t have that sound. I’m trying to stay consistent, but it’s just really not working for everything *shrugs* I suppose that comes from not plotting this thing out at all. Oh well.

 

Book 6, Part 5.1: Fate and Denied Blessings

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I told you we would have an issue in a later post because Hector doesn’t have a helmet… Oh well. Astyanax is supposed to be crying because Hector has a scary helmet on and doesn’t recognize his dad and that’s why Hector and Andromache start laughing so… The humour works better in the original. Helmets are just difficult to draw and then Hector wouldn’t have such fabulous hair.

As for Andromache’s servant lady, what’s up with her? Why is she glaring all the time? At first I wasn’t quite sure, but then I was thinking about it and the servant ladies who took care of rich people’s children were really the ones raising them and acting as the child’s parents, and here these two keep passing the child around and laughing at it’s terror and… well. I’d be upset to and feel a bit possessive of the kid.

She’s probably glaring and rolling her eyes and thinking, “Rich people, ugh.” I wish she had a name. It is moments like these when I miss teaching, because my students would just make up names for all of the unnamed characters we came across. *is reminiscent*

ANYWAY. Zeus showed up way angrier than I had intended *shrugs* I’m sure there’s a reason for it.

Fate is creepy and wonderful and I love her.

I’m going to try and continue posting twice a week *fingers crossed* I’ll just make the segments shorter if I need to. If it takes me longer to make my way through Book 7, so be it. OHMYPENGUINS. WE’RE GOING TO START BOOK 7 SOON! Ahahahahahaha…hem. *clears throat awkwardly*

Have a good rest of your day, lovelies!

 

Book 6, Part 4.2: Hector’s Response

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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Hector is definitely better (in my opinion) than many of the other men in The Iliad, but damn, he’s kind of a donkey’s derriere here. I think this conversation really highlights how much men did not understand what women went through. Hector lists all of the terrible things that he believes are absolutely 100% going to happen to his wife and his reaction is all about his pain and how terrible this is for him and how glad he is he will DIE before he has to see it happen. Um… But what about Andromache? She’s the one who will actually have to suffer through all of these things? It’s so easy for the warriors to go around talking about pillaging and stealing ladies and ladies being stolen, but they have no real concept about what it would be like to be pillaged or stolen.

Anyway. That’s my feminist moment of the day.

Today’s was a shorter post and I’m thinking about possibly moving to shorter posts instead of only posting one day a week? I haven’t quite decided yet. I’ll keep you posted. Have a lovely day!

 

Book 6, Part 4.1: Blameless Woman, Poor Dear

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 1 Comment

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It really should not be a surprise that the women of the house are just staring at Hector considering, remember, how he’s covered in blood and guts, holding a sixteen foot spear and wearing a golden helmet.

Also, Andromache is often portrayed as the sad wife who doesn’t want her husband to fulfill his duty to his troops, as selfish, as a “seductress” trying to thwart the hero, etc., etc., and so forth. However, the more I think about this scene the more I think that’s not really what’s going on here. She asks Hector to stay inside the walls with a retinue of men BECAUSE this is the weakest part of the city, there is a prophecy about how this side of the city is dangerous (or something? my translation is unclear?) AND it is the only part of the city with scaleable walls and Ajax, Idomeneus, AND Diomedes keep making attacks at this WEAKEST PART OF THE CITY. Sure, Hector is the next in line to the kingdom, but it was normal, from what I remember, for kings in Asia Minor to personally fight for their cities. I don’t think Andromache is asking Hector to stop being a dutiful soldier, I think she’s asking him to be a SMARTER one. I think she is an intelligent woman who has thought this through and, yeah, sure, she doesn’t want her husband to die. But she also doesn’t want her city to be overrun by Greeks.

ANYWAY. Those are my two cents. Or five cents. Whatever. There’s some cents of mine, take it or leave it or share thoughts of your own.

In addition: Andromache going on about how Hector is her father/mother/brother/husband reminds me of Ruth and Naomi, I’m not sure why.

AND I have been thinking and I might have to go down to posting only once a week? I’ve just been working 40+ hours a week and trying to write more, stay up with my reading, keep up relationships with friends, and also trying to post 2-3 times a week and it’s not working. I keep missing days/weeks and I’d rather be consistent less often than inconsistent more often, if that makes sense? I also want this to be something fun I do, and I never want it to become some sort of chore I dread, because that defeats the purpose of this. Anyway. I’ll let you know what I decide about that by the end of the month (WHICH is RIDICULOUSLY soon WHERE THE HECK did May go?)