Literature

Book 5, Part 6.1: Sarpedon vs. Tlepolemos

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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

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I do think there is a clear message here that in war there is no winner. Sarpedon doesn’t win. Tlepolemos doesn’t win. Each time two people face off it only leads to death on both sides.

I feel like the two Ajaxes are just off in the corner going, “Um? Guys? A little help over here? Maybe? …. Uh…. Anyone?”

And seriously, don’t mess with Odysseus. He will cut you. That being said, I regret how I wrote it and wish I had said: “Soon seven Lycians were slain” or even the ridiculous “Soon Lycians seven were slain.” Oh well.

Um. Yeah. So. I just realized Sarpedon doesn’t have a spear stuck in his leg in the frame where his friends are idiots (how could you miss the giant spear stuck in your friends leg? HOW?) so just imagine it is poking out away from the audience so it’s there you just can’t see it. That totally works yes.

I think Pelagon has a nose? It was supposed to be a tear but look like a nose. DON’T TELL ANYONE SHHHH. No noses allowed.

Ares is so proud.

I CAN’T BELIEVE I GOT THIS READY IN TIME. I’m going to my sister’s this weekend (last weekend for you) so I worked like crazy today to clean two rooms and prepare for two days away AND for when family comes over on Sunday. I didn’t vacuum like I wanted to… but comics are more important. Right? Right.

*raises invisible glass* Here’s to hopefully not getting behind ever again. Cheers!

To Read A Trip to Olympos Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 5.2: Ares and the Lessons of War

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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

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I love how Homer goes out of his way to prove Agamemnon wrong and incompetent as a leader. He says you can never retreat, but both Aeneas and Diomedes do it, and they both have gained glory and honour. Both show up later in The Aeneid (although, yes, Aeneas has a greater role, but still) and both are important cult figures.

Also, Ares turned out better in these ones. He had some weird body issues happening in The Wounding of Aphrodite. I think this just proves that he is better in battle than at waiting by Scamander. Right? Right.

I want the scene between Aeneas and Apollo when Apollo just wakes up, healed. I want that entire temple scene with Aeneas and Leto and Artemis and Apollo waiting outside patiently. OH. I think it is important to note that Apollo was connected to healing (especially through his son Asklepios).

If you’re wondering who Enyo is…. I’ll explain later. Hopefully. If I have time. *dies laughing at the idea of having time*

ALSO I never want to work two jobs and put up three posts in a week while ALSO prepping Sunday posts for the next month and a half because it is way too stressful.

I have a lot of family things happening this weekend so I’m worried about having the post up in time on Monday, but I don’t want to get out of sync again -_- Ugh to being an adult and having to work long hours *faints*

ANYWAYS, have a good weekend my lovelies!

To Read Sarpedon vs. Tlepolemos Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 5.1: Apollo and Sarpedon Assist the Trojans

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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

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I love Apollo and I wish I were better at drawing him consistently. I knew from the beginning he would be difficult and he has not failed me in that respect.

Also, I love love love that Demeter got to show up here and get a cameo ❤

Also, yay for Artemis and Leto.

You can understand why Aeneas became such a cult hero. He has not just one, but FOUR (plus kind of Ares) gods watching over him.

Sarpedon is going to show up again and he’s mildly important. Not very, very important, but more important than, say, that guy on the island whose sailors mutinied. So. I guess pay attention to him? If you feel like it?

Hopefully on Friday I’ll have the next post up! We shall see. I still need to get next week’s stuff done and I’m working all week and have plans all weekend AND also I still haven’t done my taxes *faints* So we’ll see how life goes. In the meantime! Have a lovely day! 😀

To Read Ares and the Lessons of War Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 4.2: Dione and a “Silly Little Girl”

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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Aphrodite is shown as being this “silly little girl,” but she’s the only one who takes Diomedes as the threat that he is.

Dione, Aphrodite’s mother, has a murky backstory. She is connected with Diana, with Aphrodite herself, and with Canaanite/Hittite goddesses (which makes sense, since Troy is a Hittite town).

BUT what is most important about this scene with Dione and Aphrodite is how it parallels, so closely, the scene between Achilles and his mother Thetis. Both Thetis and Dione initially respond with: “Oh no, my poor baby” but as the scenes unfold they begin to read more and more sarcastic. I am not, currently, entirely sure about the relevance of this, but when I figure it out I’ll let you know.

ALSO, yes, I know, this is terribly late. No promises, but if I’m able to get stuff done tomorrow I’ll put up 5.1 on Wednesday and 5.2 on Friday to try and get back on track. More hours is good money-wise, but frustrating creative-wise. Anyways! I hope you have a good day, my lovlies!

To Read Apollo and Sarpedon Assist the Trojans Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 4.1: The Melodrama of Aphrodite

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 3 Comments

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I’ll have more to say about Aphrodite in the future – – I may even put together a post for her later this month if I’m able to make the time for it, UGH jobs getting in the way of comic-making – – BUT I will say I love how Athena made Ares sit on a riverbank and he’s just sitting there, his horses nearby, his spear resting against a magical cloud of mist, relaxing, as a war is going on. I’m not entirely sure why Ares listens to Athena or why he is so easily distracted from the war (I have him staring fixedly at his biceps, but that’s my interpretation). I have my theories, but that involves my theories on Athena, which would need a post of its own.

ANYWAY. I hope you have a good day lovelies. *throws confetti and fairie dust*

To Read Dione and a “Silly Little Girl” Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 3.2: Diomedes vs. Aeneas

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
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Ah, their obsession with horses. Although looking at Sthenelus’ bat-like-horse-ish-monstrosities, it makes more sense.

Also, Diomedes is holding a giant rock, NOT a giant potato. I just wanted to make that clear.

I don’t have much else to say with this one. Another short post. I have written the script for the next few posts so hopefully next week I won’t be as rushed, drawing comics THE DAY THEY Are DUE, but I doubt it, since I have EVEN MORE hours next week. UGH. But also YAY because monies.

You may be wondering Will We Ever Finish Chapter Five? The answer is absolutely not. Haha, just kidding. I have scripted out up to part 6.1 and I think I can finish it by 7.2 *fingers crossed* It will be the longest chapter so far, taking two months instead of one UGH. And I don’t think Chapter Six is going to be too much shorter. I was hoping to be finishing up Chapter 12 in August/September, but I don’t think that’s likely. Not unless further chapters are much shorter. But *shrugs* Who knows. ANYWAY. I shall stop rambling now and post this bad boy. Have a good day my lovelies! *throws eco-friendly glitter and poofs away*

To Read The Melodrama of Aphrodite Click HERE.

To Read a Random Comic about Brighid and St. Patrick’s Day Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 3.1: The Death of Pandarus

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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

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I love Diomedes response to Sthenelus, ahahaha… And man, still obsessed with horses.

I have never done close up shots of people’s faces before, so it was kind of odd that I had two this time, but Pandarus’ has become strangely important to me. He is the one that really ends any hope of peace and he tries so hard, but the gods are against him, and his wife is going to hear the news of his death, and it’s just sad times. I do think that there is some symbolism in his death. He has his tongue sheared off and the javelin/spear enters close to his eye. He has great eyesight and used that as part of his bow and arrow skillz and because of this he boasted that he killed Diomedes – not once – but twice. It makes one wonder that if he hadn’t been as boastful would his fate have been different? It’s easy to blame Diomedes or Athena, but the Iliad includes this idea of cause and effect. There is Fate, yes, but your attitudes affect how your Fate plays out. It’s a mixture of Fate and Freewill (unlike, I would say, The Aeneid, but that’s for another day far into the future).

Anyway. Today was short, and Wednesday will be too. It will take some time to get through books 5 and 6, so just be prepared for that. ANYWAYS. Have a good day my lovelies!

To Read Diomedes vs. Aeneas Click HERE.

Book 5, Part 2.2: This Here Bow

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
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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

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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

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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.

Book 5, Part 1.2: The Death of Trojans

~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
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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.