What If Martlet Was In Deltarune

what if martlet was in deltarune

Ganymedes: The Adolescent Boy Zeus Abducted and Raped - Tales of Times Forgotten

Tales of Times Forgotten

Ganymedes: The Adolescent Boy Zeus Abducted and Raped - Tales of Times Forgotten

The ancient Greeks told many stories about their god Zeus raping mortal adolescent girls, often shape-shifting into various animal and human

Mythical Marvels: The Love Triangle of Olympus

We’ve all heard some version of the love triangle between Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Ares. But weirdly enough, there’s also some straight up unfounded versions of the story floating around that need to be debunked. So, I wanna talk about the relationship between these three gods, give a chronology of events, and set the record straight.

The Romance of Aphrodite and Ares

Aside from one snippet that states that Eros caused Aphrodite and Ares to fall in love, there seems to be little mythical explanation for how the pair came together. The only version I found had Ares taunting Eros’ small bow compared to the size and weight of Ares’ spear. Eros agreed the spear was too heavy for him, and handed it back, and when Ares and Aphrodite both touched the spear, they fell in love. A few things, this myth mirrors the myth of Apollo and Daphne, except when Apollo mocked the size of Eros’ weapon, Eros cursed him. But when Ares mocked Eros, he fell in love. There’s also the fact that Ares is the father of Eros, so this could Primordial Eros, a being older than Gaea. There’s also the Ancient Greek ideal that a small “spear” was a sign of intellect, while a large “spear” was a sign of brutish barbarism. So Aphrodite might just like Ares because he has a big “spear” making the whole myth of why they fell in love a sexual inuendo. Which, knowing the Greeks, sounds about right. However, it is important to note a few key things. Firstly, both Aphrodite and Ares would get jealous of each other’s lovers, such as Aphrodite cursing Eos to become boy crazy, or Ares turning into a boar to skewer Adonis. But they didn’t seem to be upset when the other slept around, as Ares is the father of literally all of the Amazons, and Aphrodite bears no mythical grudge against his many bastard daughters, nor does Ares hunt down every man who glances at Aphrodite. They only seem to get violent when the affair is more than a casual fling. Once feelings are involved, then the jealousy seeps in. Which suggests they have an open (but still “monogamous”) relationship. Secondly, while Eros or Cupid is the most famous child of Aphrodite and Ares, he is not the only one. Their first pair of children were actually two sons: Deimos and Phobos, the gods of fear and panic. These sons were the followers of their father, riding beside him in battle, and in Nonnus’ Dionysiaca, even being allowed to use Zeus’ Lightning and Thunderbolt against Typhon. Their other children include Eros, the god of lust and desire, Harmonia, the goddess of harmony and peace, and debatably Anteros, the god of requited love. It’s unclear whether Aphrodite and Ares are the parents of all the Erotes or only Eros himself, but some accounts do make Ares the father of Anteros.

The Birth of Hephaestus

It’s safe to say that most people believe Hephaestus to be the offspring of both Zeus and Hera, but this is only upheld by Apollodorus and Cicero. Far more often, Hephaestus was solely the creation of Hera and Hera alone. Following the birth of Athena, created only by Zeus when he split his own head open to rid himself of a headache, a jealous Hera chose to create a god of her own too. But the resulting child was so ugly that she threw him from Olympus in both disgust and frustration. Now, this is commonly contradicted by the thought that Zeus had his head split open by Hephaestus, which may be part of why the Zeus as Hephaestus’ father is the more widely known story despite the Hera as the sole mother being the more popular version told.

The Marriage of Aphrodite

If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard the alternate version of this myth. That after washing ashore following her birth, Aphrodite had every god fighting over her hand, and in order to prevent an all-out war, one of two versions happened: Either A. Zeus forced Aphrodite to marry Hephaestus to prevent infighting, or B. Aphrodite chose Hephaestus. Yeah, so first of all, Aphrodite was born way before Hephaestus, so this myth is already bunk. She was born when Kronos castrated his father in a coup to usurp his throne, and her presence is why Kronos fell in love with and married Rhea. Her existence led to the siring of Hestia and the rest of the Olympians. The more accurate story goes that after Hephaestus was flung from Olympus and handicapped as a result, he was bitter toward his mother. He built her a magnificent throne and placed an enchantment on it. When she sat in the throne, it bound her to it, and only Hephaestus could release her. Zeus promised Aphrodite’s hand in marriage to whoever could bring Hephaestus to Olympus to undo the binding. Ares, along with his sons Deimos and Phobos, went to Hepheastus’ forge to try and drag Hephaestus back by force, but being on his own turf, the blacksmith was able to keep the war gods at bay, and they slumped back to Olympus defeated. Dionysus then went down and told Hephaestus about Zeus’ offer, and Hephaestus willingly came to Olympus. And since he had been the one to deliver himself to Olympus, he got Aphrodite’s hand in marriage. And keep in mind, she’s already had two children with Ares at this point.

The Affair of Aphrodite and Ares

After being forced to marry Hephaestus, Aphrodite continued to see her lover in secret, and bore at this time, the child Eros. The child was so beautiful that Hephaestus knew the child was not his. So, he crafted a net to catch Aphrodite and her secret lover red-handed, and in fact, he did. In the carnal act that would beget the goddess Harmonia, Ares and Aphrodite were caught in Hephaestus’ net, and Hephaestus brought all the gods to the chamber to laugh at the adulterers. However, depending on the version, the gods would laugh at either the couple… or at Hephaestus.

The Curse of Hephaestus

The Necklace of Harmonia is an artifact given to Harmonia by Hephaestus as a wedding present for her marriage to Cadmus of Thebes. Two versions of this story exist. In the first version, Hepheastus had made the necklace as a gift to Aphrodite out of joy that Eros had been born without any handicaps, and she had given the necklace to Harmonia. In the other version, the necklace was a false gift, crafted by Hephaestus to get revenge on Harmonia for his wife’s adultery. The Necklace of Harmonia would give whoever wore it youth and beauty, but it would also curse whoever wore it to be doomed to tragedy.

The Divorce of Aphrodite and Hephaestus

If you’re like me, you’ve probably never even heard this before. It sounds like crazy fanfic. Surely if Aphrodite and Hepheastus had gotten a divorce, it would be a well-known part of their tale, right? It’s only been mentioned in irrelevant stories like the Odyssey. After seeing Aphrodite and Ares canoodling, Hepheastus screams to Zeus (or more accurately, the sky) that he’s fed up with Aphrodite, and he shows up in the Iliad married to Aglaea, one of the Three Graces, the beautiful servants of Aphrodite. In Nonnus’ Dionysiaca, he delivered a lovely necklace to Persephone, having begrudgingly rebuked his claim over Aphrodite, and sought to make Persephone his new bride. Which he did prior to her being married to Hades. He also chased Athena when she came asking him to forge weapons for her.

Hey quick question princess andromeda from the myth with Persus is from Ethiopia ? But then how come in paintings she is white ?

Quick question, long answer. Yes and no. It’s a little confusing. There are several parameters to this.

Aethiopia, an etymologically Greek name, is the name different Greeks gave to different places of the world. In the classical era (440 BCE), Herodotus called all the area south of the Sahara and the Nile as Aethiopia, making thus the most relevant description. Pindar however, a contemporary of his (~450 BCE), calls Aethiopia the region around Elam (Southwest Iran). Same as Hesiod, who did that in 700 BCE already. In ~500 BCE, both Scylax of Caryanda and Hecataeus of Miletus seem to agree Aethiopia is east of the Nile and expands throughout the Arabian peninsula all the way to the Indus Valley and the Indian Ocean. The first mention of Aethiopians is by Homer (~800 BC) who vaguely says that they lived in the extremities of the world, in the far east and west.

So as you see, the earlier back in time, the more generic and distant the term’s meaning is. Herodotus is likely the one who seals the association of Aethiopia with only sub-Saharan Africa and the country south of Egypt in particular.

The origins of Greek mythology precede all these writers. In general many historians suggest that the Aethiopia of the myth of Perseus and Andromeda was supposed to be in west Asia and perhaps somewhere around Israel and Palestine. Some believe it is Jaffa, Tel Aviv in particular. I am not totally sold on the explanations why. The point is however that Aethiopia’s geographical definition especially before Herodotus and even more before Hesiod was very vague and fluid. It seems it described places that in general were too hard for Greeks to reach, exotic.

The name itself can help us understand. Aethiopian means the one who looks burnt, smoked. From αίθω (aétho - burn) and όψη (ópsi - look, face). Now, this sounds low-key horrible in English but in Greek it’s not derogatory, but I have no better way to explain it. Ancient Greeks had written quite a few times about the attractiveness of the Aethiopians (whoever they were) so they didn’t associate the term with a repulsiveness like that of burnt flesh but just as the effect of the sun on their complexion.

In short, at least prior to Herodotus, Aethiopia was all the land inhabited by POC, even if that included large parts of Africa and Asia all the way to India. It did not include Libya (North Africa) and Egypt. This was not so much due to skintone (although it could be too - as North Africans can be way more white passing than people far from here believe) but because Greeks were well aware of these regions. Aethiopia was associated with exotic, distant places with darker people. This could be black people and brown people and all their various tones. Perhaps simply anyone who was noticeably darker than a Greek.

Now if we compare Jaffa (Andromeda’s Aethiopia) with modern day Israel or Palestine, then Andromeda and her parents could be medium brown or light brown or white / white passing.

However, I seriously doubt Ancient Greek art was concerned about skintone accuracy, simply because it was art made by Greeks and viewed by other Greeks. Everyone depicted usually followed the Greek standards of beauty. Besides, it’s a Greek myth, right? If we wonder about Andromeda’s complexion, then we should also wonder about her name! And her mother’s name! Why are they Greek? Well, simply, because it’s Greek mythology, which provides a genealogy where all progenitors are kin to Greek progenitors. Cepheus, Andromeda’s father, is brother of Danaus and has Argive ancestry (since this is a myth from Argos!). So if that’s true, Andromeda has Greek ancestry and might be white-passing because of that. But these is just exhaustive and in my opinion unnecessary nitpicking.

In Ancient Greek art complexion is almost always not depicted accurately but men are usually depicted as dark and women as fair because this was the beauty standard.

No this doesn’t mean Perseus was black and Andromeda white! It only shows the beauty standards of the time. Corinthian vase. Archaic period.

Andromeda, Perseus and Cepheus. Apulian vase, Classical Period. All look white or white passing.

Here although the skintone is the same, the artist makes Perseus blonde in order to stress Andromeda’s darkness through the haircolour. Zeugma, Roman period.

And… look at that!

In this ‘mildly’ racist art, Andromeda is depicted as a dude as the tall white-passing person in the middle and she is getting tied for the beast by fellow Aethiopians who however look nothing like her. They are shorter and clearly African. Andromeda wears Phrygian, thus non-African clothing, but also nothing like the Greek clothing. This artist wanted to provide some diversity but apparently not for the beautiful princess lol Attic vase, probably Classical period.

Anyway so, Andromeda was either brown or black or white passing at most, because of Jaffa and the argive ancestry. Once Aethiopia - Ethiopia’s location had become more specific though, western artists depicting Andromeda as pretty fair of skin or blonde is misrepresentation with questionable motives. My opinion is that there is a wide range of looks Andromeda can be depicted to have, but not something that makes her look whiter or even just as white as Perseus.

Ultimate Greek Mythology guide

TITANS - precursors of the Gods

Children of Uranus (The Sky) and Gaia (The Earth)

Oceanus

Titan of Sea & Water

God of the River

Husband of Thetis

Hyperion

Titan of Light, Wisdom, & Vigilance

God of Heavenly Light/ Sunlight personified

Father of Helios, Selene, and Eos

Husband of Thea

Conus/Kronos - Saturn

Castrated his father, Uranus

Titan, Ruler of the universe

God of destructive time

The youngest child of Uranus and Gaia

Father to Hestia, Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus

Husband of Rhea

Rhea

Titan Goddess of Healing and Childbirth

Tricked Cronus into swallowing a rock, saving her son Zeus 

Wife of Cronus

Themis

The personification of Justice, Divine Order, Law, and Custom

Fondly known as Lady Justice

Mother of the Fates and the Seasons

Associated with oracles and prophecies

Iapetus/Japetus

Father of Atlas, Prometheus Epimetheus, and Menoetius

Not much else is said about him

Coeus

Titan of the North, Resolve, and Intelligence

Also known as the Polus/ personification of the celestial axis

No active part in Greek Mythology

Mnemosyne

Titan Goddess of Memory

Mother to the Nine Muses

Tethys/Thetis

Wife of Oceanus

Mother to many powerful deities

Atlas

Titan of Astronomy and Heavenly Constellations

Condemned to Hold up the sky for eternity (so Uranus and Gaia couldn’t meet again)

Punishment bestowed by Zeus

Epimetheus

The Stupid Titan

Known as Afterthought or Hindsight

Helped in the creation of mankind

Brother of Prometheus

Eos

Titan Goddess of the Dawn

Mother of the Wandering Stars

Leto

Titan Goddess of Motherhood

Mother to Apollo and Artemis

Daughter of Coeus and Pheobe

Menoetius

Name means “Doomed Might”

Father of Patroclus

Asteria

Name suggests Titan Goddes of Nocturnal Prophecy, Night, and Stars

Mother of Hecate

Eurybia

Titan Goddess of the Mastery of the Seas

Lelantos

Titan of Air

Minor mythological figure

Pheobe

Titan Goddess of Prophecy

Mother of Leto

Wife of Coeus

Theia

Titan Goddess of Sight and Vision

Mother of the Sun(Helios), Moon(Selene), and Dawn(Eos)

Selene/Mene - the Moon

Titan Goddess and Personification of the Moon

Drives her Moon Chariot across the Heavens

Helios/Helius - the Sun

Titan and Personification of the Sun

Drives his Horse-drawn Chariot through the sky

Prometheus

Titan of Fire

Known as Forethought” - Able to Foretell the future

Helped in the creation of mankind

Stole fire from the Gods of Olympus and gave it to humanity to form technology, knowledge, and civilization

Brother of Epimetheus

GODS

The 12 Olympians

Zeus - Jupiter

God of the Thunder, Skies, and King of the Gods

Son of Cronus and Rhea

Notorious for Throwing lightning bolts when angry

All roads lead to Zeus

“Husband” of Hera (among many others)

Poseidon - Neptune

God of Seas, Storms, Earthquakes and Horses (???)

Son of Cronus and Rhea

Carries a Trident as a symbol of power

Posedions temper controls the seas

Protector of seafarers and guardian of cities and colonies

Husband of Amphitrite

Hera

Goddess of Women, Marriage, and Queen of the Gods

Vengeful and Jealous (take it out on humans and other goddesses)

Only bares children to Zeus

Daughter of Cronus and Rhea

Wife of Zeus

Demeter

Goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture

Controlled Seasons and Growth of crops

Mother of Persephone

Daughter of Cronus and Rhea

The Barrenness of winter is caused by Demeter’s sadness about Persephone being with Hades.

Aphrodite - Venus

Goddess of Love, Fertility, and Beauty

Daughter of Zeus OR Risen from the Sea

Wife of Hephestus - Cheated on him with Ares

Athena

Goddess of War, Wisdom, and Battle Strategy

Born from Zeus’s Head in full armor

Female counterpart to Ares

Artemis

Goddess of the Hunt, the Wild, Animals, Nature, Vegetation, Care for Children, and Chastity

Twin sister of Apollo

Daughter of Zeus and Leto

One of the Virgin Goddesses

Apollo

God of Light, Music, Poetry, Art, Healing, Archery, Dance and Prophecy

Known as The Healer - Can both Heal and Spread disease

Taught Humans the art of Medicine

Twin brother of Artemis

Son of Zeus and Leto

Unlucky in Love

Ares - Mars

God of War and the Spirit of Battle

Son of Zeus and Hera

Carries a blood-soaked Spear

Was with Aphrodite

Hermes - Mercury

The Messenger God of Thieves, Wealth, Luck, Language, and Travel

Clever and mischievous

Credited with the invention of Boxing and Gymnastics

Youngest Son of Zeus

Depicted wearing Winged Shoes

Hephaestus

God of fire, metalworking, and sculpture

Associated with craftsmen and blacksmiths

Physically Flawed

Known as The Lame One due to being thrown off Mount Olympus by Hera

Son of Zeus and Hera

Husband of Aphrodite

Hestia (Unclear)

Goddess of Hearth, Family, and Home

Daughter of Cronus and Rhea

Interchanged with Dionyusus as an Olympian

Dionysus(Unclear)

God of Wine, Theature, Festivities, and Fertility

Cultivated Grapes and taught Humans how to make Wine

Son of Zeus 

Interchanged with Hestia as an Olympian

Other Gods and Goddesses

Hades - Pluto

God of the Underworld

Son of Cronus and Rhea

Not one of the 12 Olympians, contrary to popular belief

One of the more peaceful Gods

Rules the underworld along with Nyx

Husband of Persephone - And he’s loyal to her

Eros

God of Love

Promotional Deity

Companion of Aphrodite

Born of Chaos and witnessed the creation of the Cosmos

Blessed the Union of Gaia and Uranus

Psyche

Goddess of the Soul

Lover of Eros

Nyx

Primordial Goddes of the Night

Feared by Zeus

Mother of Hypnos(Sleep) and Thanatos(Death)

Hypnos

God and Personification of Sleep

Son of Nyx and Erebus

Brother of Thanatos

Thantos

Personification of Death

Son of Nyx

Brother of Hypnos

Appears to Humans to carry them to the underworld

Ordered by the Fates

Iris

Goddess of Rainbows and Messanger between Humans and Gods

Personal Messenger of Hera

Hecate

Goddess of Magic, Crossroads, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Ghosts, and Necromancy

Daughter of Perses and Asteria

Hebe

Goddess and Personification of Eternal Youth

Daughter of Zeus and Hera

Wife of Hercules (one of three)

Power to Restore Youth to Mortals

The Fates

divinities that presided over human life

1. Clotho, The Spinner - Birth

2. Lachesis, the Alloter - Life

3. Atropos, The Inevitable - Death

The Nine Muses

Protecters of Arts and Creativity

1. Urania - Astronomy

2. Polyhymnia - Hymns

3. Melpomene - Tragic Theater

4. Thaila - Comedic Theater

5. Clio - History

6. Calliope - Epic Poetry

7. Euterpe - Song and Elegiac Poetry

8. Terpsichore - Dance

9. Erato - Lyrical Poetry

Nemesis

Goddess of Revenge

Embodiment of Jealousy, Envy, and Anger

Believed to punish Gluttony

Tyche

Goddess of Success, Fortune, Luck, and Prosperity

Determined the fortune of people and Cities

Sure, everyone talks about Hera resenting and persecuting other women Zeus has children with, but let's also talk about Themis and Dione, both consorts of Zeus, coming to support Leto on Delos during her labour (Homeric Hymn 3), Maia raising Kallisto's son by Zeus (Apollodoros, Library 3.101), Leto raising a son of Zeus and Europa (Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.13.5), and Artemis and Athena being reared together with Persephone (Diodoros of Sicily, Library of History 5.2.3), which leads me to believe that (at least in this tradition) Demeter and Leto are on good terms and raised their daughters (and Athena) in common.