#i love circe i love when she watches odysseus sail away and she knows she's pregnant and i love how much she loves everything despite | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

canolaaoil · 2 years

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Are you the knife or are you the pad of butter?

1. Wishbone, Richard Silken. // 2. A Ghost in the Throat, Doireann Ní Ghríofa. // 3. Blood Relatives, Claude Chabrol. // 4. Circe, Madeleine Miller. // 5. Naturally, Tinashe. // 6. To Be or Not To Be, Oneus. // 7. ingydar, Adrianne Lenker. // 8. vulnerability, @achillics . // 9. Eat the Music, Kate Bush. // 10. Viasterna, Alessandro Teoldi. // 11. Stigmata: Escaping Texts, Helene Cixous. // 12. Pang, Caroline Polachek. // 13. growing up and saying goodbye, @angelwingspdf . // 14. body tracks, Ana Mendieta. // 15. Where it Begins, Erica Jong

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1. [Image Description: excerpt from a poem reading, “But we both know how it goes- I say I want you inside me and you hold my head underwater, I say I want you inside me and you split me open with a knife.” end ID]

2. [Image Description: excerpt from a poem reading, “Love, your blood was spilling in cascades and I couldn’t wipe it away, couldn’t clean it up, no, no, my palms turned cups and oh, I gulped.” end ID]

3. [Image Description: a cropped, grainy, black and white movie poster, showing only the bottom corner. The poster shows the lower half of a person’s face, facing the viewer, and a hand in front of them, as if they are pressing on glass. Imposed in front of the person is a large chef’s knife, with blood spatter near the tip. In the lower left side of the poster is typeset reading, “BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD / the most intimate act is... murder!” end ID]

4. [Image Description: excerpt from a paragraph, reading, “He was another knife I could feel it. A different sort, but a knife still. I did not care. I thought: give me the blade. Some things are worth spilling blood for.” end ID]

5. [Image Description: a screenshot of a lyrics page, reading “[Pre-Chorus 2] / Baby, I believe we’re meant to be / You see it too, I know / And if it was up to me, you’d never leave / I’ll make you comfortable, whoa” end ID]

6. [Image Description: a screen shot of a music video, showing a person’s open mouth. They are laying down and much of their face is not in the image, only their nose, mouth and chin. Their mouth is only slightly parted, with their upper teeth visable and on the left side of their mouth, the side closest to the viewer, are several drops of blood. The blood is not dripping, as if it has just hit their mouth moments ago. end ID]

7. [Image Description: a screenshot of a lyrics page, reading, “Everything eats and is eaten / Everything eats and is eaten / Everything eats and is eaten / Everything eats and is eaten / Everything eats and is eaten” end ID]

8. [Image Description: a poem, reading, “I am afraid of you. / in loving me / you hold a knife at my throat. / in loving you / I tell you exactly where to cut. / we are two against the world / yet I still do not trust your hand / in mine, / this is new / and I am terrified.” end ID]

9. [Image Description: a screenshot of a lyrics page, reading, “ [Verse 1] / Split me open / With devotion / You put your hands in / And rip my heart out” end ID]

10. [Image Description: an embroidered depiction of hands holding another hand. The background is a dark, blood red. From the right one pair of hands intertwines with another hand coming from the upper left corner. The hands are hand out of a beige material, and are sewn onto the background with white thread in a backstitch pattern. end ID]

11. [Image Description: an excerpt of a paragraph, reading, “Fear of eating, fear of the edible, fear on the part of the one of them who feels loved, desired, who wants to be loved, desired, who desires to be desired, who knows there is no greater proof of love than the other’s appetite, who is dying to be eaten up, who says or doesn’t say, but who signifies: I beg you, eat me up. Want me down to the marrow. And yet manage it so as to keep me alive. But I often turn about or compromise, because I know that you won’t eat me up, in the end, and I urge you: bite me. / Sign my death with your teeth.” end ID]

12. [Image Description: a screenshot of a lyrics page, reading, “[Verse 1] / There’s a look in your eyes when you’re hungry for me / It’s a beautiful knife cutting right where the fear should be / [Chorus] / Into me / Pang, and I go / Into you / Pang and you go / Into me / Pang, and I go / Into you / Pang and you go / Into me” end ID]

13. [Image Description: a poem, reading, “growing up and saying goodbye: / i’m cleaning blood of my kitchen floor but all i can think about is how you looked as you waved goodbye and maybe if i’d replied a little faster or let you hold me in your arms the world would not have ended and i wouldn’t be sitting here with stained tile sinking into my skin. i love you. i love you. that is one thing i am sure of that is one thing i know above all else i just don’t know if i love you enough. sink your teeth into my wrist and scrape your fingers against my bone and tell me you still need me because everyone is always leaving and the cycle never chcanges and someone is always left behind. / maybe in some other version of the story we find out where we went wrong or maybe there is some version of the story where we never meet at all. growing up is hard. the world gets too big too fast and i’m not 5 years old anymore i’m where i never wanted to be in the first place. there’s an empty space without you here and i don’t want to close my eyes because i can’t keep seeing your face. i hope you’re well. i’m sorry growing up is so hard i’m sorry i didn’t hold your hand tight enough i’m sorry i let you slip away. i hope you find someone that stays and i hope that you’re okay.” The poster of this post has underlined, “ sink your teeth into my wrist and scrape your fingers against my bone and tell me you still need me “ with red. end ID]

14. [Image Description: three consecutive photographs in a line of a woman, with blood coating her arms, facing away from the viewer, pressing against a white wall. In the first image she is standing with her arms stretched above her head, hands pressed against the wall. in the second she sinks to her knees, keeping her hands pressed to the wall. in the third she sinks lower, drawing her hands closer together on the wall. As she sinks the blood on her arms makes red trails against the wall. None of the woman’s face is visible in any of the images. end ID]

15. [Image Description: an excerpt from a poem, reading, “The corruption begins with the mouth, / the tongue, the wanting. / The first poem in the world / is I want to eat.” end ID]

#richard silken #kate bush #web weaving #ana mendieta #madeleine miller #tinashe #caroline polachek #circe #parallels #comparatives #totally completely 100% unrelated to anything that has happened in my life in the last month #hahaha #like a pomegranite.. inside out...#what a song that song is #i chose this specific version of body tracks bc i feel like. the movement inwards at the end is a bit more. active. than the others.#the others feel like she is just falliing directly down but the choice here to make like a cupping/holding shape is less like 'this is #happening to her without her choice' and more 'she is letting this happen to her. she is participating'#i love circe i love when she watches odysseus sail away and she knows she's pregnant and i love how much she loves everything despite #knowing better. i love how unfandom-izable that book is its really a good one #ive had blood blood blood the most intimate act is murder sitting in my folder for at least a year or more now i love that one it calls me #im also obsessed w how eating is how everything in the world is connected but honestly thats a different topic a different post but i like #the line 'the first poem in the world is i want to eat' like too true its the first thing we ever say #olivia can and should wear red eyeshadow #also i love teeth. i didn't include any teeth but i love teeth

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ringwandervng · 4 years

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𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 … odysseus laertes was known as the quick-witted & loyal king of ithaca / wanderer with a reputation for being a anthony mackie doppelganger . but now , under the stress of the war on the horizon , the natural born hero human has become widely known for being rather prideful & wily . let’s see how long the olympus native will last during this war . after all they’re only forty-two years old . + cismale, he/him , odyssey / iliad .

bio.

odysseus was a simple man with simple desires. he wanted to lead the people of ithaca, whom he greatly care for. he wanted to spend his time with his beloved wife penelope. he wanted to be there for his son telemachus, to watch over and taught him to be a great and honorable man.

so when he heard the calls for brave men to fought in the war, he had devised a plan to evade. surely they wouldn’t send in a mad man into battles, for anyone wouldn’t risk such harm upon their own army. but just as his love for his son been the reason why he wanted to stay, it had also been the reason for his departure. and so he sailed with his men, promising his wife that he would be back as soon as the war was over.

but fates seem to have a different plan. or perhaps it was his own wits and pride had cursed his journey home. but after the encounter with the cyclops, the sea was not in his nor his men’s favor. they had to sail through storms, his men were plucked away by sea monsters, lured and charmed to stay in an island by a sea witch, and his ship was eventually wrecked, killing everyone on board – except for odysseus himself.

no, he washed up on an island instead. for years, he was cared by a witch by the name of calypso. despite his gratitude to be kept alive, his heart still longed for the home that awaits him, even with all the years that had gone by. so when the sea witch finally released him and sent him to sail off her island, he was more than ecstatic – perhaps this voyage would be his final one.

in a sense, this was true. while the sea had not make it easy, he managed to get to shore. odysseus didn’t know where he was, where to go, or how he was going to survive without money or weapons. but he was glad that he could finally walk away from the wrath of the sea – and that with each steps he took, he was getting closer to home.

wanted connections.

people he had known when he was younger – since he grew up as a prince & a king, i would imagine he’d travel a lot even before the war & made friends & foes from all over

people he had encountered with during the war

people he had encountered during his voyage – sirens, sea monsters, witches

people who took him in – he never stays long in one place, but he definitely appreciates their hospitality !!

people whom he traveled with briefly

on the more specific ppl –– i would love a telemachus!!! and penelope!!! bc odysseus would love to have his family!! also athena, since she is his patron goddess!! and ofc circe!!

anything else you might have in mind (bc tbh, i’m always down for anything)

#tales.intro #// idk why i'm bringing in another dad dbashjdb #// BUT odysseus is odysseus so i have to

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whenthisstoryendsarchive · 5 years

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Meta #7: Elizabeth’s Siren Song

In this meta on magic in the movie, I briefly mentioned Elizabeth’s power related to the siren song in the following quotes:

potentially a bit of siren singing {when Cam overhears her singing ‘When This Story Ends’}

In the third site, we see: Other times the songs are sung to call those within mankind to love a Mermaid, or are sung by those of the Mer-world seeking a mate from among mankind instead of one of their own. This would seem to indicate that Elizabeth’s song in her tent was a siren song, despite her not knowing Cam was there, and his initial alert being her music box. It’s her voice itself that makes him stay.

Her siren song is clear, and I think it helped to entice Cam to her more than he already was captivated by her.

And I’ll admit, it took an embarrassingly long time for me to realize Elizabeth’s song was a siren song. I don’t think it clicked until I was doing the research for that meta and found that quote from Witchvox.

As such, today I’ll look into what a siren song is- mythologically, the powers it is said to have over humans, how it works with Elizabeth and Cam, and finally, break down the lyrics of Elizabeth’s song.

Mythologically speaking, most of us probably relate sirens and their song to Homer and The Odyssey. Odysseus is warned of sailing near the island of the sirens by Circe, and tells his men to plug their ears with beeswax. He is then tied to the mast of the ship so he can safely listen to their song.

Now, these sirens that Odysseus encountered are very different from what we consider a siren to be today. The Sirens of ancient Greece were closer to Harpies, as they were part bird and part human. Descriptions of them varied, with some saying that they were birds with the faces of young women, or young women with the wings, legs, and tails of birds. When we think of sirens today, we may see something closer to a mermaid; a young woman with a fish’s tail and long flowing hair.

According to Mythology.net, this merger of mermaids and sirens may have taken place as far back as the days of Shakespeare, taking the beauty of mermaids and giving them the voices of sirens. Though the Greeks also had mermaids in their mythology as well, where mermaids were the daughters of Triton and the granddaughters of Poseidon. It is also speculated that the two were merged together because the powers attributed to mermaids were contradictory. Then, of course, as Grecian belief spread to Europe, myths of sirens increased as well; especially in the Roman Empire, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, and England. In these countries, sirens became fully water dwelling, dangerous, chaotic, and hostile.

Mythology.net also says that this link tightened so much that the image of sirens and mermaids are nearly inseparable. This all despite the fact that mermaids and sirens are different species with the powers of hypnotic song.

The ties between sirens and mermaids are even more cemented in modern times because of languages such as Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Romanian, and Portuguese- where the words Sirena (which applies to 3 languages), Sirene, Syrena, and Sereia are all words for mermaid. And, of course, within the animal kingdom, the link exists as well. The family Sirenia includes fully aquatic herbivores like dugongs and manatees.

Now, of course, we imagine a siren song being used to lure sailors and their ships to a watery grave, but there is much more to the siren song than just death and destruction. For example, the beauty and voice of a siren or mermaid may be used to draw a specific individual to them, according to Witchvox. The site also describes the song as leading to visions and mystery.

Mythology.net also gives us some descriptions of the siren song’s powers. A quote from Nonnus portrays the song as thus: “When a sailor hears the siren’s perfidious song, and bewitched by the melody, he is dragged to a self-chosen fate too soon... Falling into the net of melodious fate, he forgets to steer, quite happy”. This would, of course, indicate the more sinister nature of the song. But another interesting aside is mentioned, saying that the song the siren sings may reach so deep because it is prophetic.

The 2018 Freeform show Siren also delves into the powers of the song. According to their Wikia page, it is described as a “potent ability”, one of almost supernatural levels, that stems from the special voice box of the siren; which is a hybrid of a larynx and syrinx at the base of the trachea. The song lures anyone who hears it with its melody, and makes the hearer feel an addicting level of calm, relaxation, and loss of stress. Furthermore, the song leaves the listener wanting to hear more and more because it imprints on their brain, and it is even said to be calming and addictive to the Siren that sings. Other powers include effectiveness regardless of distance or obstacle, even working through glass, and having more strength and effects on those who hear it more than once.

A quote on the page additionally says that “My Ancestors always said it had different meanings: Great love to some, but to others, it could be dangerous”.

I found this quote to be interesting, especially in relation to a section of quotes on Witchvox that I felt applied greatly to Elizabeth and When This Story Ends. “Mystical Meramid represents the power of unconscious desires”, “Reminds us that unless we follow the truth of our inner selves, our lives are as momentary as sea foam with nothing left behind”, “Gives power to seek beneath the waves of our emotions and imaginings for the pearls beneath”.

These quotes, I felt, linked back perfectly to the section in the meta mentioned above that the siren song can be used to make a human fall in love with a mermaid, and my own belief that the song reflects the wishes of both the singer and the listener.

No matter what train of thought a person believes, the siren song is an appealing temptation that without a doubt is hard to resist, potential consequences notwithstanding.

In the film, we see Elizabeth able to draw Cam to her tent from across the fairground, though his initial draw is her music box. Even then, he backs away and comes back to listen again. It even appears at times that he has tears in his eyes as he listens to Elizabeth.

And if we consider the characters of both Cam and Elizabeth, we can see that the song describes them both in a way. It is, of course, Elizabeth’s song, and her monologue to her inner emotions. We hear her pain during that song more than perhaps any other time in the film. But if we consider that Cam and Elle’s family are gone, and all they have are each other, we can see how it would describe his emotions as well.

Cam has had to leave England and move to America to care for his sick niece after the death of her parents. He has already lost a sibling and potentially his own parents. And he may lose Elle as well if he doesn’t find a cure for her. Cam is just as lonely and far from home and all he knows as Elizabeth is. He may not be trapped by magic, but he is trapped by fear.

Elizabeth sings to comfort herself and renew her belief that she will someday be free to return to the sea and her family. She sings to give herself hope that she might find the true love she thought the prince would be able to give her.

Cam, if we consider that he felt comfort and saw a reflection of his own wishes in the song, not only wants to save Elizabeth and take her home, he not only feels drawn to her, but he also feels that he isn’t alone. He wants to have someone there for him too, just as much as he wants to be there for her.

Now, we’ll look at the lyrics of the song, and how they reflect Elizabeth’s wishes.

It's so enchanting I'm trapped and drowning Here for everyone to see They don't notice How far away I am From everyone and everything Silly to have gambled with my heart out on the line I guess that's just the way it goes But I'm holding on I know a day will come when I can be myself again And I hope someone will love me When this story ends Round in circles, pointless wandering And the crowd lines up again "Give a smile, girl! You make them happy " "Bring your parents, bring a friend " Silly that main attraction would long so much for love I guess that's just the way it goes But I'm holding on I know a day will come when I can be myself again And I hope someone will love me When this story ends If someone could, someone right for me Finds a way to take me home again I believe it One day I'll be home Still I'm searching Round in circles While the crowd lines up again

Breaking it down by verses, we see that in the first verse, Elizabeth is reflecting on her life in the circus, and her past mistake by trusting Locke.

The 2nd and 3rd lines here are particularly interesting, because we see that Elizabeth feels that she’s suffocating, and everyone is watching her, and think it’s just a part of the charming show. No one sees how she feels, and no one cares. Additionally, because of how small the tank is, how it doesn’t allow for the movement of the water, or her body, she literally is drowning every time she gets into it. And everyone just stands and watches.

She admits that she was wrong and foolish to trust Locke to help her. She was naive to believe that love would have given her the acceptance that she felt she was lacking at home. But she admits that there was nothing she could do to change it. Still, she clings to the hope that things will work out in the end.

Round in circles, pointless wandering And the crowd lines up again "Give a smile, girl! You make them happy " "Bring your parents, bring a friend " Silly that main attraction would long so much for love I guess that's just the way it goes But I'm holding on I know a day will come when I can be myself again And I hope someone will love me When this story ends

This verse is even more about her life in the circus, and how every day runs into the next. There’s no change. There’s no stimulation or anything to sustain her. Then, of course, we have lines that were likely told to her by Locke to gaslight her. He tells her to smile for the sake of the crowd, to ignore her own pain and misery for them. Because the crowds matter more than she does.

She then says that it’s ironic and rather ridiculous that she should be so desperate for love when everyone comes to see her. But she can’t do anything about that either. All she can do is to continue to be hopeful that someone will see and love her the way that no one else does.

If someone could, someone right for me Finds a way to take me home again I believe it One day I'll be home Still I'm searching Round in circles While the crowd lines up again

This verse is the one that focuses on her real wish. Yes, Elizabeth wants and needs love. But more than that, she wants freedom. She wants to go home. And she has to believe that she’ll be able to go home because it’s all she has. Because in the end, the crowds will not stop coming. People won’t stop using her, and her hope is the only thing that keeps her going.

Now in a way, Cam too is trapped because he has so much stacked against him. He’s terrified that he’ll lose Elle too, and he’s also given the task of raising a child on his own when he’s so young himself, in a country that he has no familiarity with. But he has to do what’s right for Elle. He has to put his own misgivings and worries aside for her.

Perhaps he even realizes that he’s one of those people Elizabeth sings of; coming to use her for her ability to heal while ignoring her pain. And if this is the case, I’d like to believe that this is when Cam turns his leaf. He knows after this that something at the circus isn’t right, even if he has yet to believe in magic.

And in the last verse, it shows that he also wants some companionship, someone to help him and for him to turn to when he’s scared or unsure. It cements his desire to save Elizabeth and set her free.

Sources:

https://www.gonext.com/2018/11/08/sorrento-sirens-the-truth-about-mermaids/

https://www.crystalinks.com/sirens.html

http://www.realmermaids.net/mermaid-history/siren-history/

https://siren.fandom.com/wiki/Siren_Song

http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usfl&c=words&id=8519

https://mythology.net/greek/greek-creatures/siren/

https://whenthisstoryends.tumblr.com/post/181177903367/meta-4-magic-in-the-little-mermaid

#Outofsouls (Ooc)#He Took A Part Of Me (Headcanons)#Meta #Sources in links #And below

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sgannaoui-blog · 5 years

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The Odyssey- 2019 Film Adaptation

"'When your crew have taken you past these Sirens, I cannot give you coherent directions as to which of two courses you are to take; I will lay the two alternatives before you, and you must consider them for yourself. Homer’s great literary work, The Odyssey, is coming to the big screen in 2019. With background information on the film, we are interviewing Sound Designer Sophia Gannaoui. We have a list of songs featured in the film with descriptions of why they were chosen by Gannaoui herself.

*Note: This film is Rated R because of strong references to alcohol and the inclusion of mild curse words.

1. The Light Behind Your Eyes by My Chemical Romance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSg-eHng52E

Book 1 in The Odyssey holds an introductory discussion about the fate of Odysseus- the king of Ithaca. The instrumental of this song at the beginning represents sadness and mystery which is reflected upon the whereabouts of Odysseus himself. When the song transitions into having lyrics, the lyrics contain a very resigned mood starting off by saying, “So long to all my friends, every one of them met tragic ends.” For Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, he has given up all hope of reuniting with his father by saying “‘My father is dead and gone,’" answered Telemachus, ‘and even if some rumour reaches me I put no more faith in it now. My mother does indeed sometimes send for a soothsayer and question him, but I give his prophecyings no heed.’” Odysseus is the friend of Telemachus and the possible death of Odysseus is the “tragic end” that is mentioned in the song.

2. Pachelbel's Canon in D Major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80

Love is in the air in Books 3 and 4 filled with great elegance. Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major is a classic song played at weddings and is enjoyed by many. It already emotes romanticism through its legato playing. The celebration of the marriages of the children of the King and Queen of Sparta was a grand event, “For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta, daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heaven vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself. So the neighbours and kinsmen of Menelaus were feasting and making merry in his house. There was a bard also to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers went about performing in the midst of them when the man struck up with his tune.] “

Weddings bring people together in great unity and the ones in the story were what brought Odysseus closer to the royalty that took him in and discussed the Trojan War altogether.

3. Aaron Burr, Sir from Hamilton the Musical (Karaoke)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLgo9drgZ6g

This song contains many breaks for dialogue to speak over which is needed for scenes in Book 7 because of the main conversation going on between Ulysses and Alcinous. The original song contained comedic lines of reasoning and logic about drinking and reaching an elite level of political control. When “Ulysses said: ‘Pray, Alcinous, do not take any such notion into your head. I have nothing of the immortal about me, neither in body nor mind, and most resemble those among you who are the most afflicted,’” we had our actors saying this in a teasing way for the idea of immortality to be such an absurdity to Ulysses.

4. Troy Song from Phineas and Ferb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIOjFkcWT5g

In Book 8, “the muse inspired Demodocus to sing the feats of heroes, and more especially a matter that was then in the mouths of all men, to wit, the quarrel between Ulysses and Achilles, and the fierce words that they heaped on one another as they sat together at a banquet... Thus sang the bard, but Ulysses drew his purple mantle over his head and covered his face, for he was ashamed to let the Phaeacians see that he was weeping.” The Troy Song tells the story of the Trojan War in an upbeat matter. It is a positive song about defeat and victory which would give a reason for Odysseus to cover his face while crying. If the song was meant to be sad, Odysseus could freely express his sadness and memory of the war through tears but because it is a celebratory song, it gives him the purpose of hiding his true emotions.

5. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by Sleeping at Last

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU81DihqD0c

When Odysseus reveals who he is in Book 9, he describes his experience in fighting throughout the time of the Trojan War. When telling of the victory his soldiers faced, Odysseus said, “‘Thence we sailed onward with sorrow in our hearts, but glad to have escaped death though we had lost our comrades, nor did we leave till we had thrice invoked each one of the poor fellows who had perished by the hands of the Cicons.’” This represents sadness and struggle after the war and I imagine each soldier to have had the mission and duty to work as hard as walking the “500 miles” somberly sung in the song. The song does represent the hope of reuniting with loved ones saying “when I wake up, yeah I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man that wakes up next to you.” Soldiers waking up each day in hopes of being a day closer to being at home with their family in comfort, a fantasy that could not be lived by other members of their party.

6. Sail by Awolnation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CaypEojjKQ

As the men accompanying Odysseus on the ship believe him to be hoarding gold and silver in Book 10, their distrust corrupted their minds “‘Thus they talked and evil counsels prevailed. They loosed the sack, whereupon the wind flew howling forth and raised a storm that carried us weeping out to sea and away from our own country.’” The “ooh’s” in the song represent the strong howling noise caused by the wind escaping from the sack that was irresponsibly opened. In addition, the fragmented beats of the song represent the quick jumping of conclusions that led Odysseus’ men to open the sack.

7. Coming Home by Diddy featuring Skylar Grey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ImCpNqbJw

In Book 12, Circe warns Odysseus, "'When your crew have taken you past these Sirens, I cannot give you coherent directions as to which of two courses you are to take; I will lay the two alternatives before you, and you must consider them for yourself.” This line marks the true life or death matter in the journey back to Ithaca. Circe gives the choices of safety or risk to Odysseus and the beginning of the song’s slow tempo and somber tone represents this sad moment of decision making and risk taking. When the song transitions into rap, this follows the build-up of anticipation and danger in what Odysseus would have to face on his journey back home.

8. Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK8mJJJvaes

This song represents a complete wardrobe change based on a lower budget on clothing spending in thrift shops. Minerva transformed Odysseus into a man that looked older and dirtier than what he was in Book 13 and “As she spoke Minerva touched him with her wand and covered him with wrinkles, took away all his yellow hair, and withered the flesh over his whole body; she bleared his eyes, which were naturally very fine ones; she changed his clothes and threw an old rag of a wrap about him, and a tunic, tattered, filthy, and begrimed with smoke; she also gave him an undressed deer skin as an outer garment, and furnished him with a staff and a wallet all in holes, with a twisted thong for him to sling it over his shoulder.” The complete transformation of Odysseus’ looks is something new for him to experience and the increasing pace in the song is empowerment and motivation to make this change worth the sacrifice in order to take his kingdom back.

9. Jealous by Nick Jonas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQw2qIl838Q

In Book 18, Odysseus gets into a fight with a beggar named Arneaus (also called Irus). Irus challenges Odysseus in fighting for the hand in marriage of Penelope by saying, “I have a good mind to lay both hands about you, and knock your teeth out of your head like so many boar's tusks. Get ready, therefore, and let these people here stand by and look on. You will never be able to fight one who is so much younger than yourself." As the song says, “I turn my cheek, music up, and I’m puffing my chest, I’m getting ready to face you,” Odysseus is indeed getting mentally prepared to fight off Irus to become the suitor of his own wife Penelope. This is the moment where Odysseus goes into his mind for a moment to gain strength and realize his fight from the Trojan War is not over until he is reunited completely with his family.

10. Thousand Years by Christina Perri

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrM-Bkm4c_I

In Book 19, Odysseus talks with Penelope, still in disguise, about how he will return to her soon. Penelope has waited for so long for him to come home but there would be civil unrest if she waited any longer to find a suitor. She comes up with a solution to the public that would delay time for her marriage in order for Odysseus to come home before then which “Ulysses answered, ‘Madam wife of Ulysses, you need not defer your tournament, for Ulysses will return ere ever they can string the bow, handle it how they will, and send their arrows through the iron.’” Thousand Years reflects the undying love Penelope has for Odysseus as she truly does not want to find a new partner. She has waited for a long time for Odysseus to come home which can hyperbolically be compared to waiting a thousand years.

11. Shut Up and Drive by Rihanna (Karaoke)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPVo9MnoiEc

In Book 22, Eurymachus encourages Odysseus to fight every man fighting for Penelope by announcing, “‘My friends, this man will give us no quarter. He will stand where he is and shoot us down till he has killed every man among us. Let us then show fight; draw your swords, and hold up the tables to shield you from his arrows. Let us have at him with a rush, to drive him from the pavement and doorway: we can then get through into the town, and raise such an alarm as shall soon stay his shooting.’" The fighting montage that ensues after this proclamation has the karaoke track of Shut Up and Drive playing underneath it because it is as fast paced as the action taking place.

12. i love you by Billie Eilish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXfh63M5yLo

In Book 23, Penelope struggles with believing that the man who claims to be Odysseus really is him. Euryclea reasons "‘My dear child," answered Euryclea, "I am not mocking you. It is quite true as I tell you that Ulysses is come home again. He was the stranger whom they all kept on treating so badly in the cloister. Telemachus knew all the time that he was come back, but kept his father's secret that he might have his revenge on all these wicked people.’” The back and forth tempo increase and decrease in the song represent the fluctuating belief of Penelope that Odysseus is with her.

To listen to all of these songs incorporated within the storytelling of Odysseus’ journey home, watch The Odyssey in theaters- coming in the summer of 2019.

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elleberquist6 · 5 years

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Play Upon Me Like This Piano - chapter thirty-three

Summary: In many ways, Phil’s life is perfect: he loves his life in London, he has a wonderful brother and parents, and he has a great job as a radio DJ for BBC Radio One. There’s only one thing missing in his life… A rumor reaches an executive at the BBC about a talented local piano player named Daniel. The executive decides that Daniel would be the perfect guest on Phil’s radio show, so she sends Phil to speak with the evasive and mysterious piano player.

When they finally meet, Phil starts to think that he has found the person who will make his life complete. Unfortunately, Dan has a secret that will make getting close to him difficult.

Rating: Mature

Word Count:1763

Warnings: Smut

—

Siren fact: Siren, in Greek mythology, a creature half bird and half woman who lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of her song. According to Homer there were two Sirens on an island in the western sea between Aeaea and the rocks of Scylla… In Homer’s Odyssey, Book XII, the Greek hero Odysseus, advised by the sorceress Circe, escaped the danger of their song by stopping the ears of his crew with wax so that they were deaf to the Sirens. Odysseus himself wanted to hear their song but had himself tied to the mast so that he would not be able to steer the ship off its course. Apollonius of Rhodes, in Argonautica, Book IV, relates that when the Argonauts sailed that way, Orpheus sang so divinely that only one of the Argonauts heard the Sirens’ song. According to Argonautica, Butes alone was compelled by the Sirens’ voices to jump into the water. [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Siren-Greek-mythology/]

After coming home from the train station to sleep in Phil’s bed, Phil had gone to work that morning, leaving Dan alone with some time to think. Dan decided to go home, feeling safe to do so now that the police had caught his stalker. Then he had called his boss to tell him that he was available to work tomorrow night. He had practiced a song on his keyboard, deciding that he wasn’t too rusty to perform.

Once all of that had been settled, he had nothing else to help him procrastinate away from what was really important: Phil was coming to the performance tomorrow night. Dan wasn’t regretting the fact that he had asked Phil to come to the show. He knew that Phil needed to see this. It was just that Dan now had to accept what was going to happen when Phil saw this. It was all going to be over soon.

After he got off work, Phil came over to Dan’s apartment, carrying a bag of Thai food. They ate and if he noticed that anything was off with Dan, he didn’t comment. Then Dan took Phil to bed, and ran his hands over his body, memorizing every inch of his skin. If this was going to be the last night, then Dan would soak in every second of it. He fell asleep entwined in Phil’s limbs, unsure where his body ended and Phil’s began.

The next morning, Dan woke first and he felt the same impulse he had felt last night, on the last night because now it was the last morning and he had to commit every moment with Phil to memory because he would never have this again after tonight. The sun was coming through the curtains, and all he could do was stare at the way Phil’s face was glowing in the light. Dan wanted to spend the rest of his life staring at this face, but once Phil saw him perform he knew that Phil wouldn’t want him anymore.

Dan had to take several deep breaths to stop himself from crying, not wanting his eyes to be red-rimmed when Phil saw him. He wanted this last morning to be perfect for Phil, too. After regaining his composure, Dan slipped out of bed. He made his way to the kitchen, where he pulled the milk and eggs he needed to make pancakes from the fridge. He worked quietly, wanting Phil to be awakened by the scent to cooking batter, not clattering bowls and pans.

By the time he was flipping the last batch of pancakes in the pan, Phil appeared in the doorway, wearing just a pair of pajama bottoms slung low on his hips. Dan smiled as Phil homed in on the plate of pancakes and looked ready to drool. He asked, “What’s this for? Oh my gosh…”

Dan just shrugged in answer. He didn’t feel up to making much conversation, afraid he would start talking and his tongue would keep going and he would soon be spilling how anxious and terrified and devastated he already felt about what was to come tonight, and then he would be crying and… and so he just shut up. He shoved a forkful of pancakes in his mouth and just made a sound of agreement whenever Phil mentioned something. Luckily, Phil was preoccupied with his breakfast, so he didn’t say much.

By the time they were putting their empty plates in the kitchen sink, and Phil had dressed to go to work, Dan’s tongue couldn’t hold back words anymore. He spoke slowly and carefully, not wanting to accidentally let too much slip, “Phil, um, about tonight…”

He turned away from the door, his ocean eyes bright. “Yeah? I’m still coming to see you sing, right?”

Dan nodded, and then he couldn’t help it – he walked up and wrapped his arms around Phil, holding him tight like it might be the last time. With his face pressed against Phil’s neck, he said, “I’ll understand if you don’t want to see me anymore after tonight.”

“What?” When Dan didn’t explain, Phil put his hands on Dan’s shoulders and pushed him back so that he could see his face. “I don’t understand.”

“You will,” he said, and then went to the door to hold it open for Phil.

Phil frowned. “You’re not going to tell me what that was about? You just expect me to leave after that?”

Dan nodded, and then said what he knew he had to say to get Phil to leave. “Please.”

Then Phil left without another word.

On his way to work, Dan found himself frozen in place on the sidewalk, staring at an abandoned building. The broken glass had been swept off the sidewalk and the missing window at the front of the drycleaner’s had been boarded up. He wondered what would have happened if that window had been boarded up earlier, on that terrifying night when he was running for his life. If he hadn’t been able to hide in there, would he be dead right now?

“Dan?”

Dan jumped and whirled around. His hand was on his chest, clutching his racing heart. Then his frantic eyes settled on a familiar face. “Robert?”

“Hey, it’s been a while!” Then Robert noticed Dan’s hand on his chest. “Jeez man, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you and scare you.”

“It’s okay.” He glanced back to the building, not knowing how to explain. It hadn’t been Robert’s fault that he jumped out of his skin – it was this place and the way it conjured up memories of that awful night.

Robert stepped into place at his side, also looking up at the empty building. “Is this the place?” He whispered, not needing Dan to explain why he had been so startled. “I heard that you hid in somewhere near the bar when that guy tried to grab you.”

Dan nodded and swallowed heavily, remembering when he climbed into the wardrobe in the drycleaner’s too scared to even breathe in case the sound betrayed where he was hiding. Suddenly, Robert wrapped Dan in a tight hug, and Dan realized that he had been holding his breath again as he gasped in surprise at the hug.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Robert said as he squeezed him tighter. Before Dan could respond, the hug was over and Robert released him, but he looked at Dan with an awkward smile on his face and nodded in the direction of the bar. “I guess we should get going before we’re late for work?”

Dan nodded and they started walking side-by-side down the sidewalk, as Dan bit his bottom lip, contemplating how to fill the silence. Finally, he asked, “How has the bar been while I was out?”

“A bit boring. Not as many people have been coming in to watch the entertainment. So, the crowds have been small.” Robert shrugged, and then glanced at Dan. “Are you going to be alright to perform tonight? Like, I don’t mean to make you anxious, but that would freak me out… knowing that someone who watched me perform wanted to hurt me. I know that asshole has been caught, but, um, it would probably take me some time to get the courage to get back on the stage. Dan, you’re not pushing yourself too hard, are you?”

“Oh,” Dan thought about it, feeling some anxiety stir at these thoughts. He hadn’t considered any of this, not thinking about the other people who would hear him sing tonight because tonight’s performance was all about Phil. But would someone else hear him sing and try to hurt him? He couldn’t think about that now. He had to do this. So, he shook his head in answer to Robert’s question and said, “I think it will be alright.”

Robert bumped his shoulder against Dan’s. “It will. You’re going to be safe. Johnathan says he’s going to keep an eye out for creeps paying too much attention to you. And if you don’t feel safe walking home, I can drive you. I’ll give you a ride tonight if you need it.”

Dan started to open his mouth to say that he would be leaving with Phil tonight, but then he remembered that Phil might not want to see him after this, so he nodded. “Thank you.”

As Robert held open the door of the bar for him, he glanced at Dan’s face and his brows furrowed in concern. They stepped into the empty, and he waited until they were nearing the back room to ask, “Are you alright, Dan? Um, I’m sorry, man. I probably made things worse by bringing up that stuff about other creeps, but I just wanted to tell you that stuff about how John and I are going to be looking out for you. You know, in case that stuff was already on your mind and you were nervous.”

Dan nodded. “I know. Thanks. It’s nothing.”

Robert stopped walking and faced him, his expression still twisted with worry. “Is something else bothering you? Is it something to do with Phil? You guys alright?”

Not expecting Robert to mention the thing that was actually bothering him, all Dan could do was shrug. He said, “We’re good. He’s actually coming to see me perform tonight. And, um, it’s the first time he’s going to see that since we started dating, and I want him to see this but I’m also scared. I don’t know…”

Robert nodded, understanding enough that he didn’t need to press Dan further. He said, “It will be alright.”

#phandom #phanfiction #phanfic #dan and phil #dan x phil #mermaid #merman #siren

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