From The Introduction To Emily Wilsons Translation Of The Iliad

from the introduction to emily wilsons translation of the iliad

She heard him come a little closer but made no comment, nor did she change what she was doing. This must genuinely be all completely new to him, and if she were honest with herself, she found the innocent curiosity and eagerness to learn incredibly endearing.

The God of the Tides, almost as curious as a human child about the world around him, above the waters. In the back of her mind, she could almost see a few of Eolchaire’s passages she once couldn’t quite believe to be true.

I miss the days when Caspian would look around the forest as though he were seeing color for the first time. Each little berry, each flower, each one fascinated him, and he seemed to be trying to imprint everything I did with them into his mind.

These days, he’s almost as comfortable as I am here. He’s unbearable whenever I happen to forget a small detail—but it’s impossible to be truly upset with him. Not when I can feel just how much he loves it here.

While Rafayel didn’t seem to be as intense (or unbeknownst to her, she may have just been not looking), Dolasach couldn’t really deny the similarities she’d noticed. Though she may have underestimated just how little he knew about how things worked above the water.

“Some seeds are edible, but not all of them. Or, well, perhaps to us they are, but some are poisonous, or are just plainly disgusting no matter what you do. Nuts generally taste nice, especially when cooked.”

She surprised herself with how patiently she was explaining things, but then again, this was her first time really doing anything like this. How fun—she gets to learn about herself some more.

“And trees…” she nodded, pausing her cutting and absentmindedly gesturing with her knife while speaking. “Yes, they do also grow from seed, but they take much, much longer than a flower to mature. Sometimes I’ll help a few saplings if there’s been—if I need it to grow a bit faster.”

And truly, she wasn’t bothered by seeing Rafayel sheath his dagger within himself. At most, it’s now sparked curiosity. But she didn’t think that now would be a good time to pry, not when it was obvious that he didn’t want her to see him do it.

So she held onto her question for now. Other matters occupied her anyway, such as actually cooking the fish. She gently took the improved skewed fish from Rafayel and brought them over to the fire, quickly using her powers to grow a small woody arch over the fire the had vines hold the skewers in place.

“I think you’d become quite popular with the locals if you make your first impression by presenting them with pearls,” she teased, looking back to give him a playful grin.

“And at least now you know of a few fruit… Though I can’t imagine you subsisting on a diet of only these if your diet on Lemurian consisted of sea life.”

She returned to her spot sitting across from him. His words make her pause and stare at him, her mind once again momentarily going blank from the words she couldn’t quite believe she heard him say.

Huh?

…

“You’re rather bold, and you do a good job of reminding me that you are,” she eventually an aid, regaining her senses and finally sitting down on her spot across him. Eyebrow quirked, she shot him a questioning look before getting started on cutting up the peaches.

“You’ve only met me thrice. Do you really think I’d be a good person to live near?”

₊❏❜ ⋮ i'll chase you to the ends of the earth. ⚬𓂂

@dolasach

He is used to it; however, that didn't mean he accepted it.

Rafayel sighed as he let his head rest against his palm, the same thing being drilled into his mind by the endless sea of words spewing the history of Lemuria and the world on the surface repeated like a broken record from the elders. He seemed to be falling asleep and was immediately scolded for not paying attention.

Evidently, something came up that had the elders leave the vicinity for the time being and this served as an opportunity for Rafayel to escape. He had attempted in doing so a few times, but he was sure that this time he would be able to be successful. 

A blue fish swam around him and held his hand out, allowing the fish to swim over his palm. 

"Shall we head to the surface? It's a little boring right now and I'm tired of hearing the elders saying the same thing over and over again." 

The fish continued swimming over his palm before seemingly directing him toward an opening to which he was able to squeeze through. It was then he realized that he was out of the city walls of Whalefall City and was able to swim to the surface.

He thanked the fish before it disappeared back through the city walls and Rafayel didn't have to think twice as he turned away from Whalefall City to swim up to the surface; however, before he allowed himself to fully come out, he swam slowly as the damn words from the elders rang in his head. 

"The world on the surface is dangerous, even if those people worship our Sea God, there is a chance that someone will try to capture him."

"As the previous Lemurians have..." 

"Rafayel, you must never venture out to the surface world. Your people are here, that is all that should concern you." 

And the annoying part of all. "The Sea God will one day meet the Goddess of the Forest, and when that day comes, should he fall in love with her, it will be the beginning of the downfall of Lemuria."

Rafayel always thought it to be those stories to be something a parent would tell to their child to make them listen. And besides, Rafayel had always been, not only a rebellious soul, but one of sheer curiosity. 

Once he peeked out from the water, he spotted a woman by the shore. And he had seen a few other humans before, but something about her was different and he couldn't help but to swim towards the shore, closer to her. Who could she be? For some reason... he needed to know and while he doesn't know why he needs to, he simply just has to try; in a way, it felt as though there were residual feelings, feelings that weren't from him and that in itself baffled him.

So without thinking, his mouth opened to speak.

"Who might you be? You don't seem... human to me, although you do appear to be." He tilted his head briefly before letting out a laugh. "Ah, apologies. This is bold of me, I will admit."

by Alexander Fankovin

J.M. Bourgery. Plate VI. Muscles and nerves of the neck and shoulder. Traité complet de l'anatomie de l'homme: comprenant la médicine opératoire. vol. VI. 1839.

Halloween Collection // Kakeung Gardens

She noticed how the river’s flow briefly began to grow troubled and rough, only to calm down before it could grow to an alarming intensity. Her eyes reflected her concern—was he upset that he might really have to go already?

Of course he was. But she remembered that he couldn’t really let himself be upset, or else the water resonated too strong with his emotions. The river water growing as troubled as he was until he calmed himself down was clear evidence of that.

What a burden. Perhaps that was part of why he was so playful and nonchalant—if he were as emotional as she was, if his temper were as short… Then the seas would be constantly wild and unruly.

She sighed but gave him a small smile and a nod. “Alright. I’ll trust that you’ll be able to handle everything once you return home.”

Truthfully, she was still worried. He was a god like her, but he seemed more constrained by his handlers and people than she was able to really comprehend. And the elders… She knew what they were capable of.

“Maybe I do have a lot to learn about you,” she agreed, trying to keep the atmosphere a little more light despite the heaviness and depth neither of them wanted to discuss. “This is only your… Third time here? Perhaps over time, over each meal… I’ll get there.”

She hummed and tapped her cheek as thought over what he could do to help prepare their food. Did… Did she trust him with any cooking?

“Could you… Get a small fire started? I’ll go get a few things. Then could you maybe get a few fish from the river?”

A small part of her was still quite worried that the food she made was decent onto to her, but now that he was staying… Well, there was no choice but to commit.

₊❏❜ ⋮ i'll chase you to the ends of the earth. ⚬𓂂

@dolasach

He is used to it; however, that didn't mean he accepted it.

Rafayel sighed as he let his head rest against his palm, the same thing being drilled into his mind by the endless sea of words spewing the history of Lemuria and the world on the surface repeated like a broken record from the elders. He seemed to be falling asleep and was immediately scolded for not paying attention.

Evidently, something came up that had the elders leave the vicinity for the time being and this served as an opportunity for Rafayel to escape. He had attempted in doing so a few times, but he was sure that this time he would be able to be successful. 

A blue fish swam around him and held his hand out, allowing the fish to swim over his palm. 

"Shall we head to the surface? It's a little boring right now and I'm tired of hearing the elders saying the same thing over and over again." 

The fish continued swimming over his palm before seemingly directing him toward an opening to which he was able to squeeze through. It was then he realized that he was out of the city walls of Whalefall City and was able to swim to the surface.

He thanked the fish before it disappeared back through the city walls and Rafayel didn't have to think twice as he turned away from Whalefall City to swim up to the surface; however, before he allowed himself to fully come out, he swam slowly as the damn words from the elders rang in his head. 

"The world on the surface is dangerous, even if those people worship our Sea God, there is a chance that someone will try to capture him."

"As the previous Lemurians have..." 

"Rafayel, you must never venture out to the surface world. Your people are here, that is all that should concern you." 

And the annoying part of all. "The Sea God will one day meet the Goddess of the Forest, and when that day comes, should he fall in love with her, it will be the beginning of the downfall of Lemuria."

Rafayel always thought it to be those stories to be something a parent would tell to their child to make them listen. And besides, Rafayel had always been, not only a rebellious soul, but one of sheer curiosity. 

Once he peeked out from the water, he spotted a woman by the shore. And he had seen a few other humans before, but something about her was different and he couldn't help but to swim towards the shore, closer to her. Who could she be? For some reason... he needed to know and while he doesn't know why he needs to, he simply just has to try; in a way, it felt as though there were residual feelings, feelings that weren't from him and that in itself baffled him.

So without thinking, his mouth opened to speak.

"Who might you be? You don't seem... human to me, although you do appear to be." He tilted his head briefly before letting out a laugh. "Ah, apologies. This is bold of me, I will admit."