Book 7, Part 2.1: Menelaus Tries to Be Brave

September 19, 2018September 18, 2018 ~ 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 6, Part 1.1: No Mercy

April 17, 2018April 21, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 3 Comments

To Start From the Beginning Click HERE.
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IANR.Bk6.P1.1.1-2 IANR.Bk6.P1.1.3-5 IANR.Bk6.P1.1.6-8 IANR.Bk6.P1.1.9-11

I was excited because Acamas showed up again and I didn’t think he would… And then Ajax happened.

What I love about the Iliad are how many stories are untold. Like Axylus. There is a whole story there we are only given a peek of.

I feel like there’s more I wanted to say, but this is my first day without having to go to work or do paperwork and I feel a little bit like death. Or maybe like Tisiphone, or whoever it is who stands over the lake of fire in the Aeneid. ANYWAY. I hope you have a good day lovelies! I’ll get you Part 1.2 and recaps at some point. I have a less crazy life for the next to weeks so *fingers crossed* I can get caught up on life.

To Read The Advice of Helenus Click HERE.
To Read About Hittite Prayers & Terror and Panic Click HERE.

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

March 30, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 2 Comments

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

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 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 4, Part 1.2: A Fine Fool

February 7, 2018April 15, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 4 Comments

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This part of the story leaves us with a question. A question that may not have an answer. Does Agamemnon actually care about his brother? We haven’t really seen him show any affection to anyone. At all. Or is he simply using Menelaus’ wound to re-start the battle and convince his soldiers to fight? Honestly, I’m not sure. I think it would be easy to say he’s just using Menelaus since he’s an arrogant illegitimate son of a lady dog HOWEVER, there is something to this freakingout-panicattack-ohgods-Agamemnon that feels legit to me. I just don’t know. I tried to leave the comic open to both possible interpretations.

Also, poor Menelaus.

Also, also: here is another question. Who is the fine fool? Is it Pandarus, who is simply listening to what a god told him to do who wanted honor and glory just as any fine soldier would? Or is it the man shouting unreasonably at the front of a battle line? I will always love my little Panda-Pandarus, so… I am biased and you’ll know what my answer is. ;P

Also, also, also: Talthybius shows up way more often than I thought he would. It really makes me want to do a mini-retelling of that one play he shows up in (Hekuba, I think?). Maybe after I finish The Iliad…*daydreams of that wonderful day*

Last Also: if you can correctly guess who all of the soldiers are in the first panel I will give you a round of applause.

NEXT WEEK we will we back with Part 2.1: Agamemnon and His Troops. Nestor is there and some random dudes and pretty much Nothing. Happens. Huzzah?

To Read Agamemnon and His Troops Click HERE.

Book 3, Part 3.1: Aphrodite Intervenes

November 12, 2017March 29, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 3 Comments

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

Sorry this is a week late, my dears! Working 3 jobs caught up with me, as I picked up some extra shifts over the weekend and it pushed all of my plans over into a pile. I am going to step down from teaching for a little while (at least) while I try to get a handle on this double-retailing thing. I am not used to working to retail jobs at a time. It. Sucks. Don’t do it unless you have to, for reals.

ANYWAY. Wednesday we should *fingers crossed* be back on track and hopefully there won’t be anymore interruptions, but with Thanksgiving and Christmas/Yuletide on the horizon I cannot make any promises. However, I shall promise to do my best, because doing these posts are the only non-retail thing I really have in my life right now, so I need that.

I hope you have a good day my lovelies! I shall see you in Olympos on Wednesday.

To Read Sassy Helen is Sassy Click HERE.

Who You Need to Know Part I: The Argives

August 9, 2017March 29, 2018 ~ TheNaomiRuth ~ 5 Comments

…also known as The Achaeans and The Dananns, because this is “Greece-Land” where everyone has at least five names because too many people have the same names and so they need nicknames in order to lessen confusion.

The Argives are from many different Greek areas, including some of the Aegean islands. More on geography later.

Main Characters

IANRArAchilles Achilles, son of Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis. Momma’s boy. He cries a lot. Leader of the Myrmidons. “Best Friends” with Patroclus.

IANRArAgamemnon Agamemnon, a.k.a. Atrides, King of Mycenae, leader of the Achaean army, brother to Menlaus. Kind of a dick.

IANRArMenelaus Menelaus, brother to Agamemnon, ~~cuckold~~ husband to Helen, King of Sparta, definitely not one of the mightiest Achaean warriors, sorry pal. There’s a reason your wife left you.

Odysseus, he cries and he lies, has his own story “The Odyssey” which is long and fairly pointless, he comes off less whiney and pathetic in The Illiad, where he has a best bro, Diomedes, goes off on night spy missions, steals things, and helps mediate between the aggressive, hot-headed, ill-tempered, Achilles and Agamemnon.

Diomedes, a.k.a. Tydides, youngest Achaean commander, friend of Odysseus, a bit impetuous, fears no man nor god, loved by Athena, but Ares and Aphrodite? Not so much. He also goes on night spy missions. ~~I love him.~~

Supporting Cast

IANRArPatroclus Patroclus, ~~lover~~ “best friend” to Achilles.

IANR.AjaxAeantes The Great Ajax, also spelled Aias, a.k.a. Telamonian Ajax, Achaean commander, huge and strong, bff is Little Ajax, together they are known as the “Aeantes.”

Little Ajax, also spelled Aias, a.k.a. Locrian Ajax, a.k.a. The Lesser Ajax, Achaean commander, son of Oileus, small and swift, bff is Great Ajax, together they are known as the “Aeantes.” [And yes, his stick figure self looks… unusual. Oh well.] [ALSO: If you want to know more about the two Ajax/Aias characters check out Classical Wisdom Weekly’s post about them.]

IANRArNestor Nestor, a.k.a. Nestor the Wise, King of Pylos, oldest Achaean commander, acts as advisor to Agamemnon, a bit long-winded.