brutalist candy cane

The things I can not eat as a Muslim too

“Enjoy Homer in the same way you enjoy random hc posts on Tumblr or fics on AO3.”

Best quote ever

Hiiii

First of all I really LOVE your blogue it is my little refuge, I have a question so I consider my self to be a big fan of Greek mythology and the Ancient Greek world and I’ve been wanting to read the Iliad for years now but I don’t know which translation should I go with and it’s supper overwhelming so could you please recommend one where Patroclus and Achilles are dissected as lovers and not as some Good friends or worst Cousins

Thank YOUUU <3

Hello friend and patrochilles stan!

I’ll be up front and state that I don’t particularly care for The Iliad. I started reading it back in January 2023 and haven’t gotten past Book 10. And I read about 150 books a year, so it’s not for a lack of trying. It’s just not for me 🤷‍♀️

A friend recommended The War Nerd Iliad by John Dolan when they noticed my struggles. Part of me thinks it’s supposed to be satire, but I actually think it does a good job at capturing The Iliad as a form of entertainment material per the time of Homer. There’s no patrochilles 😢 But if you’re like me and you want to better understand the plot, then I recommend this “transladaption.”

I’ve been recommended the Caroline Alexander translation by several folks on here. I’ve seen a few describe it as the most pro-patrochilles yet. It’s the one I’m currently reading (please don’t take my lack of enjoyment as a bad review -that’s just me).

A lot of people have been raving about Emily Wilson’s translation. I’ve skimmed it. The language is very pretty. If you want a translation that’s more “poem” like, then this translation is a solid choice. It’s very pro-patrochilles.

The classic translation, which is unfortunately not pro-patrochilles, is Lattimore. The passages that I’ve skimmed (looking for patrochilles) really pull you into 1250 BCS. It does a good job at embracing elements of drama.  

Not a translation but a masterpiece of an adaptation is The Age of Bronze. Very explicitly pro-patrochilles.

This Reddit Post does a nice analysis of the different translations and what they offer. Highly recommend taking a look.

I have seen a similar ask going around and it has some really excellent patrochilles resources. And some more here. Check those out for sure.

Final note that I just gotta add in cause I’m a bitch like that: Don’t put Homer on a pedestal. I think it’s cool that you’re exploring mythology, but don’t think you gotta suck Homer’s dick. He has a lot of value from the perspective of historians and related fields, but that’s about it. Case in point: No one can decide who he is; No one can decide who wrote the Iliad; There is evidence to suggest that he didn’t actually create the plot of the Iliad, he was just the one who wrote it down and had copies survive; and His work is full of anachronisms. So from a fan perspective (which I think more people need to acknowledge that they're just simple fans and not academics), my takeaway from all this is that he’s just the first to put his headcanons down on paper. And just because he was the first, it doesn’t mean that his headcanons are more legit than yours or mine or Shakespear or Miller. Enjoy Homer in the same way you enjoy random hc posts on Tumblr or fics on AO3. Don’t give him the canon treatment. Respect him, but do it with a heavy dose of salt like at least a teaspoon.

Thank you for the ask!

Hiiii

First of all I really LOVE your blogue it is my little refuge, I have a question so I consider my self to be a big fan of Greek mythology and the Ancient Greek world and I’ve been wanting to read the Iliad for years now but I don’t know which translation should I go with and it’s supper overwhelming so could you please recommend one where Patroclus and Achilles are dissected as lovers and not as some Good friends or worst Cousins

Thank YOUUU <3

Hello friend and patrochilles stan!

I’ll be up front and state that I don’t particularly care for The Iliad. I started reading it back in January 2023 and haven’t gotten past Book 10. And I read about 150 books a year, so it’s not for a lack of trying. It’s just not for me 🤷‍♀️

A friend recommended The War Nerd Iliad by John Dolan when they noticed my struggles. Part of me thinks it’s supposed to be satire, but I actually think it does a good job at capturing The Iliad as a form of entertainment material per the time of Homer. There’s no patrochilles 😢 But if you’re like me and you want to better understand the plot, then I recommend this “transladaption.”

I’ve been recommended the Caroline Alexander translation by several folks on here. I’ve seen a few describe it as the most pro-patrochilles yet. It’s the one I’m currently reading (please don’t take my lack of enjoyment as a bad review -that’s just me).

A lot of people have been raving about Emily Wilson’s translation. I’ve skimmed it. The language is very pretty. If you want a translation that’s more “poem” like, then this translation is a solid choice. It’s very pro-patrochilles.

The classic translation, which is unfortunately not pro-patrochilles, is Lattimore. The passages that I’ve skimmed (looking for patrochilles) really pull you into 1250 BCS. It does a good job at embracing elements of drama.  

Not a translation but a masterpiece of an adaptation is The Age of Bronze. Very explicitly pro-patrochilles.

This Reddit Post does a nice analysis of the different translations and what they offer. Highly recommend taking a look.

I have seen a similar ask going around and it has some really excellent patrochilles resources. And some more here. Check those out for sure.

Final note that I just gotta add in cause I’m a bitch like that: Don’t put Homer on a pedestal. I think it’s cool that you’re exploring mythology, but don’t think you gotta suck Homer’s dick. He has a lot of value from the perspective of historians and related fields, but that’s about it. Case in point: No one can decide who he is; No one can decide who wrote the Iliad; There is evidence to suggest that he didn’t actually create the plot of the Iliad, he was just the one who wrote it down and had copies survive; and His work is full of anachronisms. So from a fan perspective (which I think more people need to acknowledge that they're just simple fans and not academics), my takeaway from all this is that he’s just the first to put his headcanons down on paper. And just because he was the first, it doesn’t mean that his headcanons are more legit than yours or mine or Shakespear or Miller. Enjoy Homer in the same way you enjoy random hc posts on Tumblr or fics on AO3. Don’t give him the canon treatment. Respect him, but do it with a heavy dose of salt like at least a teaspoon.

Thank you for the ask!

O and I have an other question how do you think Achilles will react once he finds out about the fact that Patroclus had slept Deidameia. Because I do believe Patroclus haven’t to Achilles about it .

<3 <3 <3

Ah, the single plot point in TSoA I disagree with.

🎵How do you solve a problem like Pyrrhus🎶

So if we’re all gonna suck Homer’s dick, then let’s all get on the same page that Deidamia isn’t in the Iliad. Or the Odyssey. You also gotta be careful with any source material mentioning Deidamia as most of this content was part of a smear campaign by the Italians coughDantecough.

Pyrrhus is such a random character if you think about it. Achilles was not married, otherwise Agamemnon wouldn’t keep trying to get him to marry his seemingly endless supply of daughters. Pyrrhus isn’t labeled as a bastard, but what else could he be? Achilles would’ve had to have knocked up some chick.

And isn’t it strange that Achilles would do this? I don’t want to say it’s not in character, but it seems strange compared to his prophecy-focused life. (Also, Patroclus and Achilles don’t have little bastards running around the camp, so do we really believe they’re fucking the slaves? If they’re fucking the slaves, where are the babies? Birth control and abortions were not that good in 1250 BCE. But I’m getting super off topic now.)

This is why I personally believe Achilles found a random baby, adopted it, and had Mother feed him ambrosia.

I’m very passionate about ^this headcanon of mine.

Now back to TSoA…

First off, remember that Patroclus is a LIAR. He is not just full of bologna, he’s made out of bologna. He wants us to believe he’s a feminist? Anti-war? A doctor? Achilles is perfect? Patroclus PLEASE!

But you have to respect the lies because TSoA is essentially an autobiography and lying is like the first law of autobiography writing.

I’d also like to point out the clever literary trick at the end of TSoA. The book ends with Patroclus and Thetis chatting about Achilles. She says “Speak, then” to get Patroclus to share his memories. Thus, the book is not so much an account of his life, but essentially all the memories he had to share with her. He wants to show her how glorious her son was, the side she never got to see, the human nature she shunned, Achilles’ mortality. So of course he’s going to highlight the good, even enhance it as well as downplay or even lie about the bad.

But back to your question…

What happened at Skyros? Patroclus wants us to believe a lot of non-con was going on. I low-key have a very messed up theory about what actually happened and why it happened, but I don’t want to get into it rn a blogger on here might be unhappy bcs of a related ask I coincidentally just sent them. So for simplicity's sake, let’s assume that the non-con did indeed happen. I think he told Achilles a half-truth. Something to the effect of mentioning having comforted Deidamia and given her an official farewell (of the husbandly kind) on his behalf. He used a lot of double-meaning words to allow Achilles to interpret as he pleased.

And how did he interpret what Patroclus told him? First he was relieved that he would not have to deal with her again. Then he was his usual dumb blonde self (Patroclus calls this 'trusting', Pat pls) and took the words at face value. And I wouldn't blame him for it. When traumatic things happen to you, you do what you can to cope.

And please don’t take this as victim blaming or non-con denial, but the last lines of Chapter 13 never sat quite right with me.

Sorry to keep harping on the lying. Part of me thinks the scene with Deidamia was either a hallucination-false memory sequence to reinforce that patrochilles is 2-bodies-1-soul -what happens to Achilles happens to Pat; and part of me thinks this was Pat’s sly way of showing Thetis how she hurt Achilles by enabling the non-con. Sadly, we'll never know the truth, so it's up to you what you want to believe.

I hope this rambling rant answered your question. Thank you for the ask! I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Song of Achilles and am capable of ranting and raving about it for hours at a time 😘

🌝🌚

Thank YOUUU ALL for your repost lovely comments they truly made my day LOTZ OV KIZZEEESS TO YOUUU<3<3<3

I just finished rereading The song of Achilles for the second time and it had the most wholesome and happiest ending :) :) ;)

Thank you Madeline Miller for this wonderful experience see in hell <3

Some of my I drawing process

GeGEeeee when I find you 🔪🔪 What have you done to our little sunshine ☀️

I’m praying day and night for this reunion

Reposting this tweet by @louhetar bc they were manifesting the c2e2 announcement (x)

"you're good at art you should go to college you should start animation you should get a job in the industry you have so much potential" I SHOULD BE IN THE WOODS. EATING POISONOUS BERRIES

The Trojan war summarised :

I’m wheezing kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Oh boy, this is the best day of my life!

I feel like something we don’t talk about enough in ‘The song of Achilles’ is Chiron. In the book Patroclus mentions vaguely that he views him as a kind of father figure. Chiron takes the two boys in and teaches them everything they wish to know. He also heals them and helps form bonds with the land.

“A bitterness of habit, of boy after boy trained for music and medicine, and unleashed for murder.” Page 189

During my moat recent reread of Madeline millers masterpiece I noticed this quote. It gave me a sudden sadness for the old Centaur, up on his mountain, knowing that another boy he taught was being sent off into death. Knowing that a strong bond between boys would soon be broken. Waiting for the cycle to continue and for him to get his next student. Maybe this one will live a long life and die a calm death…

i need to know every language immediately