My story in Metamorphoses

I chose the story of Arachne in "The Metamorphoses" because it was so strikingly beautiful. I loved the story, and how even though Arachne was the better weaver, she was still punished. Perhaps my darker side is being shown in this class, but I'm finding that I love the dark and twisty. I could just imagine Arachne, weaving, while one day and Minerva put forth the test. Minerva believed that there was no chance that she would be beaten, so she decided to weave the wonderful things that the god's had done, from Thracian Rhodope and Haemus, to Pygmalean, Antigone, and Cinyras. All of the mortals who challenged the gods, and wear taught a lesson. She showed all of the times that the god's showed their power and reigned over the mere mortals who dared think they were better than them. Arachne on the other hand, showed how unjust and horrible the god's wrath could be. She showed pure, Innocent Europa, Asterie, Leda, Antiope, Amphitryon, Alcmena, Danae, Aegina, Proserpina, Aeolus, Enipeus, Aloids, Melantho, Isse, Erigone, and Chiron. All innocent victims of the god's lust and wrath. "Not even Pallas, even Jealousy, could find a flaw in this girl's artistry" which of course made Minerva crazy, and so "the goddess sprinkled the juices of the herbs of Hecate over Arachne; at that venom's touch, her hair and then her eyes and ears fell off, and all her slender fingers clung to her as legs. The rest is belly; but from this, Arachne spins out a thread; again she practices her weaver's art, as once she fashioned webs." These were my 8 lines because not only are they beautiful, they are so descriptive that you can actually see this happening. I have shown many different paintings of this transformation, either afterwards, during, or before. It is fascinating, horrifying, beautiful and brilliant all at the same time.

Zeus the ripper

The entire time I was reading 'The Metamorphoses' of Ovid all I could think about was how big of a jerk Zeus was! I couldn't believe how many women that he had raped, and how every other story was about his atrocities. I had a naive view of him, the view of him from the Disney's 'Hercules', and reading these stories led me to understand who he really was, and that his wife was not as horrible as everyone thought she was. I think it's understandable for her to be angry when her husband was out every weekend with another woman. I would be angry too. I think the most horrible part about his raping sprees was that all the women that he raped were not only virgins, they were also rejected and humiliated by their fathers afterwards. I cannot imagine being raped, then because of it being excommunicated from my family. How horrible!! I personally hate Zeus because of this, and will never be able to watch 'Hercules' again!

The Symposium Vocab

symposium: 'drinking together' pg xiii

symposiarchos: 'leader' pg xiii

auletrides: 'flute-girls' pg xiii

philla: 'love, which applies indifferently to the feelings of friends, family members, and lovers' pg xiii

eros: 'a particularly intense attachment and desire in general. Most commonly, however, it is applied to passionate love and desire, usually sexual, and to the god who personified that state' pg xiii

erastes: 'lover' pg xiv

eromenos: 'beloved' xv

encomia: 'formal speeches of praise' pg xx

logoi: 'ideas' or 'discourses' pg xx

philosphia: 'wisdom' pg xxi

exaiphnes: 'all of a sudden' pg xxii

daimon, daimonion: 'spirit' pg xxiii

kalos: 'fine,' 'good,' 'beautiful,' 'noble,' and 'honorable'

sophia: 'wisdom,' 'skill'

techne: 'profession,' 'science,' and 'expertise'

arishros: 'ugly,' 'bad,' and 'shameful'

eudaimon: 'happy'

oute poion poiei: 'and the effects he has on others are not forced'

The Bacchae

I read 'The Bacchae' on the plane on the way home for spring break. It was definitely a perfect 'plane read' which is what my Aunt calls it. I think that added to the atmosphere of it as well. I was thinking while reading it about how excited I was to go home, and how I could finally drink wine. It seem may seem strange, but I promised my Dad that I wouldn't drink any alcohol until I came home for spring break. It was really important to him that I didn't, so I promised. I felt like these were the perfect thoughts for reading about Dionysus. Although this story was a little dark, I really enjoyed it. I may be deranged, but I love the part at the end when Agave experiences her anagnorisis, and discovers that the head she holds is not a lion, but really her son Pentheus. It was such a horrible moment, but written in a way that made it beautiful somehow. "That horrible thing you carry is Pentheus.... Do you see? It's the hero-trophy I captured, so you could hang it in your house... Grief beyond measure- I can't take it in. Achieved? Wretched hands! It's murder.... I wish my son could follow my example, and be a lucky hunter whenever he goes after game... When you know what you've done, you'll feel the most terrible agony of pain.... What do you mean? It's not beautiful? It's painful?..." (50-1). It keeps going onto the next few pages, and it is horribly beautiful. Maybe it's like my older sister used to say when she braided my hair and she would pull on it so hard I'd cry "nothing beautiful ever came without pain."

Lysistrata

Although when I first started reading Lysistrata I have to admit that I was a little mortified, the more I read the more I liked. It is so sarcastic and hilarious that you can't help but enjoy it. It reminded me of reading Lolita last semester for American Lit. When I first started reading it I admit that I was a little horrified, after all it was about a pedophile, but the language was so beautiful that it was transformed into something beautiful besides the horror. Lysistrata was the same for me, it started out being a little horrifying, and troubling but with every speech and every line, it became something besides just a bunch of men running around with erections. It became a woman standing up for what she believed even though it was taboo, and with her amazing leadership skills she led the women to prevail (although it was difficult for them) and stop the war. It reminded me also of the first time that I watched 'G. I. Jane.' I was 15 ( I was quite the impressionable teenager) and the movie made me so inspired that I honestly was considering joining the seals. Because Jane made it in a male dominated program and was able to join them and become part of the team, I believed that I could too. This is also part of the reason that I decided to join a firefighting class my senior year of high school. The power and inspiration that these powerful woman gave me was something that I will always remember, and I got the same feeling from reading Lysistrata. And it was just plain entertaining too!