Melinda -Achelous & Hercules, Hercules, Deianira & Nessus, Hercules & Deianira (Ovid Book 11)

Achelous was a one-horned river god.  Achelous and Hercules trying to win Deianira as their wife.  One boasting over the other.  Hecules accuses Achelous of lying about who he is, they fight a angry fight.  Brawn vs. Tongue, they clas, foot against foot and brow against brow as bulls fighting to win their mate.  Achelous turns himself into a snake and Hercules laughs bragging about the killing of Hydra.  Losing as a river god and as snake, he tries again as a bull. 

This still was not match for Herucles.  He ripped of one of Achelous's horns (the gracious Naiads filled this horn with flowers, fruits, and sacred things.)  The river god was done and at first light the men leave, not waiting for the stream to simmer it's rage.  Now Achelous still sound in mind, masks his one horned brow with weeds and willows. 


But then, Nessus was still in love and wanting Deianira for himself.  Hercules and Deianira depart together but reach the raging stream and for fear of Deianira being harms, reluctantly hesitates to cross.  Nessus steps up and tells Hercules he would be glad to help get Deianira across the river. 


Hercules agrees and once Nessus was across the river with Deianira, he started to flee with her.  Seeing this, Hercules shot his shaft at Nessus striking him through and through.  Nessus spilling blood poison from Hydra's venom that Hercules dipped his shaft in.  Dying, Nessus gave Deianira his tunic (soaked with blood) saying it would help return Hercules if he ever strayed from her. 



Soon Rumor showed up and told many falsehoods to Deianira and she believed them.  Hercules was supposedly having his way with Iole.  After much thought for revenge, she decided to sent Lichas with the tunic to give to her husband so he would return.  Neither Lichas or Deianira new the fate the tunic would bring to Hercules. 





Hercules accepted the tunic and suddenly he was being burned to death.  Hercules as he's dying a much painful and grusome death, pleased to Juno to feast upon him and end his life.  He reminds her of all he's done to help her with her deciscion.  Then Hercules sees Lichas and askes if he was the one who brought death to him.  Trembling, Lichas was hurled into the sea to which her turned into a hard stone.  (I guess this is how licken became).  So with bow and arrow in hand,


Hercules sets himself upon the pyre as the fire rages around him.  The gods are dismayed and afraid of losing the earth's defender, and Jove glad to see this let them know that only the mortal part of Hercules will die.  The part from Jove's side will live eternally. 


Just as a snake sheds his skin to a new, so did Hercules.  Then his father wrapped him in a cloud and laid him with the stars.

Melinda - Scylla, Nisus, Minos to Daedalus & Perdix (Ovid book 8)

Minos leads war on Scylla's village. 


Scylla wanted King Minos's love.  Love for an enemy, she had.  Minos stood there in all his glory and Scylla became crazy with love, lust and desire.  Scylla could decide whether to welcome or mourn the war Minos brought.  She becomes insane to win Minos's love by offering him anything of value in her world. 
Her gift to Minos would be to end this war and win his hand.  Her father's purple tuft is dear beyond any other values, so she plan to steal it from her father.  After obtaining the fatal tuft, she offers it to Minos and let him know that she preformed this act out of love. 



Minos rejects this offering in disgust and asks the god to bannish her from he world of land or sea. Scylla pleads why?  All else from family to village have shunned her.  Scylla lashes out with word to get back at Minos.  Now with grief for what she has done, she asks to be punished by death for her crime. 



Wondering why Minos should claim right to punish her, when her action were to benefit him.  (then I am lost).....Minos leaves on his ship.  Scylla flees after him along side the ship stern.  Her father see her and turns himself into an osprey, swooping down upon Scylla and turning her into a bird called Ciris.  Minos returned to crete and turned over the 100 bulls to Jove.  Minos shame of his family grew (lost again - not understanding who is ashamed of whom or who turns one into the labyrinth) 


Daedalus designs this labyrinth, a maze of endless paths.  Minos jailed the minotaur (biform bull-man) into the labyrinth. (where, when and whom was this minotaur born from?) 


Minotaur killed by Theseus and Ariadne. Ariadne use thread to lead Minos out of the labyrinth. 


Minus not really greatfull, leave Ariadne by the shore where Bacchus sees and admires her. His admiration leads her to the skys - now a costellatin.  

 Daedalus is weary and wants to return to crete.  His artisty of wings and the admiraton of his son, Icarus leads to an ill fated path.  Upon creation of both sets of wings,


Daedalus guides and teaches his son how to fly.  Upon leading the way, the boy is in awe of his surroundings and flies to high, allowing the sun to scorch his wing, melting the wax.  Icarus falls to his death, now an island called Icaria.  While giving his son to the earth,


Daedalus notices a partridge mocking him.  Not knowing this is the son of his sister, knowing his crime, he throws down the bird.  Minerva who favored characters like the partridge returned him to his previous form, but the bird will never fly to high nor too low.  The hedgerrows is where the eggs are laid.  His name now Perdix.

Melinda - Orpheus, The Bacchantes and Bacchus (book 11)

Orpheus, charming and mezmorizing poet.  Enchanged all those within the woodlands.  Thracian women frenized attacking Orpheus. 


Then the Bacchantes attacked and slaughtered all those enchanged by Orpheus (with song and lyre music), birds, serpents and beasts.  Ganging up on Orpheus, the women kept attacking.
The nearby pheasant started to come to help, the Thracian women retreated them in anger.  Returning to Orpheus, they murdered him.   


Leaving Orpheus in peices, bloody on the banks, the stream Hedrus carried his body parts to the coast.  Just as a snake was about to bit the head of Orpheus, Phoebus turned the snake into stone.


Bacchus saddened wanted to avenge those responsible for Orpheus's death.  He took the toes of the women and rooted them deep into the earth.  During their struggle to free, the faster they turned wooden.  Leaving only an oak tree bearing boughs resembling arms.

Melinda - Fables of human/animal relationships

We are in a pretty "vivid" part of Ovid.  All this talk of bulls, cow, animal, relationships with humans, gods (?) etc.   The first fable that came to mind when this discussion hit the floor, especially thinking in hidden terms:



was Little Bow Peep,               
the one who kisses the frog and the frog turns into a prince (or does he),






Little Red Riding Hood, etc. 



What was mother goose trying to teach us?




Had to have a little fun here folks......:)

Melinda - Fire Festival in General (Frazer - middle ages)

mythic bonfire


mythic hallow e'en

The seasons of the year when these bonfires are most commonly lit ae spring and midsummer; but in some places they are kindled also at the end of autumn or during the course of the winter, particularly on Hallow E'en (the thirty-first of October), Christmas Day and the Eve of the Twelfth Day.  (Frazer 706)



Mr. Sexson is right...it is too weird with last weeks Frazer blog and this weeks how finding just seems to fit the day, month, topic, season, etc.  Creepy.....

Melinda - more grusome & descriptive words "Frazer"

My quote/passage from "Frazer"



A man who has killed another man may not return to his own house on the same day, though he may enter the village  and spend the night in a friends house. 


He kills a sheep and smears his chest, right arm, and his head with the contents of the animals stomach.




His children are brought to him and he smears then in a like manner. 




Then he smears each side of the doorway with the tripe and entrails, and finally throws the rest of the stomach on the roof of the house. 






For a whole day he may not touch food with his hands, but pickts it ups with two sticks and so conveys it to his mouth. (Frazer 249)




Okay, back....I had to run and catch my golden chariot to the palace of knowledge.  I have a question though on this....if we have done this before and have previous knowledge, why am I sucking with my exams?



I must be in a seriouly deep sleep.

Now my thoughts on this passage from Frazer...
Not sure if I want this person as my neighbor, community member or lover.......

Melinda - Things that don't kill you, make you stronger

Tuesday I related so much with the story/truth of Job (never heard it before, not much in
favor of the bible).

Loosing everything - what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger...Job and this quote go
hand in hand.

I had some similar experiences in my life.

The earthquake of 1994 - Northridge California:





This took everything I was and had.  I was a high end Corporate Purchasing agent for over 12 years.  Money, home, car, clubs, shopping, clothing, shoes (180 pairs), etc.  It was the late 80's early 90's.
LIFE WAS GREAT or so I thought.

In literally seconds, my life (great life) was gone, along with my job and two friends.  With no light at the end of the tunnel, suicide was on my mind and actions were taken twice over a years period.  After many doctors, therapists, drug, etc. I knew if I was going to live again, I had to leave LA.



Not to go into much detail...that earthquake shook the shit out of my and I actually woke to my true
self (if self is the right word).  Not making crap anymore for money, I have the greatest life in the world and it just keeps getting better.

I had another life/death experience in 2004...I was actually one night away from never waking up again.  I had a terrible condition called sleep apnea.  Mentally messed up from years of lack of sleep, I considered suicide again.  Then I had the chance to get help at UCLA and once again, my life came back.



I have lived a life of hardships (with some great moments), but I would not trade on of my hardships for any other life.  It made me who I am today.  Even at 47 (next month) I am surely not done experiencing both good and bad.

Melinda - a subline experience "past"

Subline experience - the awe is just being in the Teton's:



The scary shock of a majestic beast (Teton's 399 near Jackson Lake Lodge):

Driving to breakfast at just before 6am, I stopped just at the entrance, seeing  a brown figure.
Oh, the moose from yesterday..my friend Katie and stop...I get out of the car, walk across
the road and he looks ups.  I know he is thinking..."should I get her or protect my kill?"  He
(sad as it was) was devouring the baby moose/calf from the day before.  399 had already gotten
this mother moose's other baby a few weeks ago.  Then up 399 rose...fozen if awe vs. fear, I clicked away.

Today I look at these pictures and think "get shots, but what an idiot".