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purple-writer8 · 2 days

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I Know Places - ACOTAR

Rhysand x Vanserra!Reader

“They are the hunters, we are the foxes. And we run.”

warnings: abused eris, autumn court shenanigans, mentioned abuse (verbal and physical), talks of violence, forbidden love, beron being beron, beron being abusive, physical abuse, angst, sexism, the autumn court brothers, angst, beron slander (as he deserves)

1.1k words

Part Two to But Daddy I Love Him

Masterlist :)

Your father had struck you across your face. He killed you. Killed you and killed your happiness. You thought he would understand, that he would let you marry Rhysand and you would be happy. What a fool you were to think Beron would ever allow you free will. “I’m sorry, darling,” your mother had been comforting you for hours now.

Your head rested on her lap as she weaved her fingers through your dirty blonde hair. “How can he be like this? Why doesn’t he want me to be happy?” You cried softly, your hands gripping your mother’s skirts with a white-knuckle grip.

“He… well, he loves you… he means well…” she trembled as she spoke, and you knew that she did not mean that. “How can you say that, mother? Means well? He struck me three times…” you sobbed unto her lap, your heart aching for one person— your lover.

“Darling, I know he is… unorthodox in his ways, but he cares about your future.” You sat up from your stance when she spoke those words, rage flaring inside your body at her claims. "Cares about my future?! How can you say that after what he did?" You spat angrily, your hands burning with your fire that was just begging to be let out.

"Rhysand is a bad man... his court... it's a nightmare. There are no morals there. He is a cruel, wicked man, just like his father," your mother contested. You could tell that she was distressed, just like you could tell how abused she was by your father, how she feared him even when he was not around.

"Do you think I am daft, mother?" You asked quietly.

"No, honey. You are just youn-" You cut her off.

"Do you think I don't know, mother? You think I haven't seen how beaten he leaves Eris after he makes a small mistake? You think I haven't seen how he eggs Fenix on to compete with Eris constantly? How he beats each of my brothers into oblivion? You think I don't know what happened to Jesminda and Lucien?" You were erratic, trying to get her to understand that you were no longer a child.

Your eyes drifted to her arms, covered by her long sleeved dress, "you think I don't know what he does to you?"

The Lady of Autumn stilled, her face falling as she stared at you solemnly. "I have tried to protect you... Eris has tried. Even Beron has tried. Our reality is not perfect, but your father loves you, and he wants to protect you."

"I don't need protection, mother. I am not a child anymore... I am a female grown... and I want Rhys, and he wants me." You stated in an unwavering manner.

"You must understand that Rhysand is not a good man, honey. The Night Court is the worst place to be, the fae there are deranged and depraved," your mother countered.

You knew there was darkness in the Night Court, but you also knew there was light. So much light. You saw it, Rhys had shown you. But you could never say that, you had promised to keep Velaris a secret, and you would. "There must be good there, mother. I know there must," you stated softly.

When she did not answer, you said, "he loves me and he would never hurt me. I deserve him, and he deserves me. I wish to be happy."

She blinked and wiped her hands on her skirts, shaking her head, "your father has made up his mind, it is time you come to terms with that. We are Vanserras, it is the hand we were dealt." With that, the Lady of Autumn left your chambers, sending you further into despair. So, just because you were a Vanserra you had to deal with abuse and unhappiness?

You would let your family say what they wanted, but you wouldn't hear it. Loose lips sunk ships all the time, but not this time. Left to your own devices, you decided you wouldn't put up with your father's abuse. You rushed to your vanity and rummaged through the cabinet that held all of your trinkets until you found it.

A mirror. A beautiful sapphire encrusted mirror given to you by Rhys a few months back. You reached for your red tube of lipstick and wrote on the glass, Come and get me. It was an enchanted mirror, made for the two of you to communicate through it, since he could not reach you in Autumn. You set the mirror down and waited, hoping that your lover hadn't shoved his own mirror in a drawer and forgotten about it.

You spent the day pacing back and forth in your chambers, hands trembling as you constantly checked the mirror for a reply back. Rhys, please, you pleaded in your mind.

"I love it when you beg," you let out a happy shriek when your lover appeared in the middle of your room, having winnowed in suddenly. You jumped into Rhys's arms, snaking your own over his neck and pulling him in. His arms slithered around your waist, holding you steady as you held on to him for dear life.

"Thank the Cauldron," you cried happy tears, ready for him to take you away from this cage. Rhys pulled away and inspected your figure, his violet eyes turning dark, his thumb grazing over the bruising on your cheek as he growled, "Beron."

A tear slipped down your cheek, a tear he collected with his thumb, "you won't ever suffer under your father again."

"I just want to go with you," you sniffed, leaning your head against his hand as he cupped your cheek. The door to your chambers opened swiftly, "sister, I've brought you suppe-"

Eris dropped the plate when he saw the High Lord of Night holding you close, his expression turning into steel. You yelped and clung to Rhys for dear life as your older brother sent fire bolts his way-- bolts that bounced off the shield Rhysand had put up around the two of you. "It doesn't have to be like this," Rhysand told your brother in a sing-song voice.

"Let her go! This is a breach! This means war, Rhysand." Eris growled and you could only shake your head. "I'm sorry," was what you said before Rhys winnowed the two of you away.

As you were winnowed into a manor-- in the Night Court, you assumed-- you fell to your knees, loud sobs leaving your body. Rhys was quick to kneel with you, taking your trembling hands in his. "This is what you want?" He asked in a soft tone.

You nodded, "for me it's always you. It's only you, but... I'll miss Eris."

"I know, lovely. But this is the only way."

"I know." You said, standing up with his help.

A feline smile spread on his face as he motioned to the starry and gorgeous view outside the balcony he had winnowed into, "Welcome to the Night Court."

Author’s note:

Part three of her meeting th IC and fluff? ALSO THANK YOU SM FOR THE COMMENTS ON PART ONEEEEE i am bursting with love

General Taglist: @mybestfriendmademe @lilah-asteria @sheblogs @x-reader-x @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @circe143

Series Taglist: @minaethrym @cherry-cin @acourtofimagines @slytherintaco @mp-littlebit @misskennygirl @umgatochamadopercyval @nayaniasworld @tenaciousperfectionunknown

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comradekatara · 6 hours

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please please please tell me about your avatar sokka au (only if you want) sokka as the avatar sounds SO interesting because it's just like. he's sokka and also how does aang fit into this...

@adeusdelta asked: Hey I just saw your post about the idea of an avatar Yue au. So basically I’m curious if you’ve ever talked the other possible aus you find more compelling (sokka, azula, etc.) and if you have, would you mind linking me to the posts? I’m curious to hear on your take on it!

so i have a post on this and how i don't really think that "other avatar" really work all that well, but i do think that sokka and azula would be the most compelling alternate avatars, simply because they both function as dark mirrors to aang in a way that would make the story infinitely more cynical. like sokka as the avatar with azula as a deuteragonist of sorts (the avatar and the firelord, edgelord version) is actually fascinating to me and i have been thinking about that concept specifically, um.... a lot. mostly because katara, still as the narrator, but instead of the object upon whom she has pinned all her hopes and dreams being this fantastical, mythical figure, it is instead her miserable bastard brother, is just an absolutely fascinating character study to me. her one thing, her one claim to specialness, is now wholly undermined by the fact that her brother is literally the most special person on the planet. her role as hero, discoverer of the avatar, teacher of the avatar, best friend of the avatar, narrator and catalyst of this sweeping tale of revolution, is basically just reduced to being "the avatar's little sister." and unlike aang, who is an idealist who wants to save the world out of a vision of hope and beauty, sokka is a cynic who wants to fix the world because he considers it his burden and his duty. he doesn't care who he has to hurt to get his way, and katara isn't powerful enough to stop him, she just has to trust that he'll make the right call every single time, because there is simply no one who can keep him in check (besides his past lives). it's terrifying. avatar sokka is lowkey a horror story.

more specific outline under the cut (in no chronological order; trust me, i tried to move my bullet points around so that they'd flow better, and this stupid fucking website wouldn't let me. whatever):

sokka genuinely hates being the avatar and considers it the greatest curse of his existence. he tries to advertise it as little as possible

nonetheless, word eventually gets out, as sokka develops a reputation for being ruthless, deadly, and unfuckwithable. he uses his reputation to control everything he thinks needs fixing, especially azula and the fire nation

azula watches sokka kill her father without blinking (he simply explodes his heart using waterbending) and immediately decides never to test her loyalty to him as his firelord

katara is rightfully wary of sokka simply accepting azula’s offer to puppet her, but sokka is just like “well azula is ruled by fear. before me her unquestioned loyalty was to ozai, but now that I have killed ozai, I have proven myself to be scarier than him and so she will devote herself to following me.” and katara's just like “um that’s literally sick and twisted????” she understandably doesn’t know how to feel about her brother killing the most powerful man in the world and puppeting his teenage daughter, but, admittedly she also sees the incentive.

eventually and azula and sokka just become actual friends. sokka uses logical proofs and verifiable data points to illustrate to azula why her ideology is dogshit. even though she’s still reasonably terrified him, azula actually gets to grow and learn and heal through her partnership and eventual friendship with sokka

for years azula keeps asking sokka to track down zuko so they can reunite. she’s like “i’ve followed your every order to the letter and all I ask in return is to reunite with my brother” but sokka only remembers zuko from that stretch between the south pole to the north pole where he was trying to hunt him down and capture him, so he is very dismissive of her requests. and azula keeps insisting that if he KNEW zuko he would love him because he’s such a sensitive sweetiepie, but sokka’s like “uhhh im pretty sure he’s a stupid bully” and largely just ignores her. finally he actually grows fond enough of azula to actually honor her request and track zuko and iroh down in ba sing se.

toph and katara are the only members of sokka’s team avatar, but he still knows yue, suki, jeong jeong, and pakku (he never meets bumi or piandao)

he finds toph before he gets to the north pole, so when they go to the north pole together he is basically just carrying her on his back the entire time. she hates it there and can’t wait to leave

azula never gets the chance to claim ba sing se, so iroh and zuko remain there indefinitely, since sokka is still under the impression that it’s a functional city state that requires no intervention until much later down the line

he figures out the presence of the white lotus through frequent communication with yangchen, his favorite past life. yangchen teaches him politics and airbending

he visits yue in the spirit world almost immediately after the war ends. he notes sadly that she seems somewhat terrified of him. she didn’t know that he was the avatar while she was still alive because he thought it best to keep it secret to everyone except those with a dire necessity to be in the know (obviously word has since gotten out)

he learned firebending first, then airbending, then earthbending, then waterbending. it’s in completely the wrong order, which yangchen chastises him for when she teaches him airbending in the spirit world

sokka doesn’t really waterbend much because he’s afraid of encroaching on katara’s domain. as for katara, she absolutely hates that the one thing that made her special in a way that sokka wasn’t is actually not even that impressive now and she HATES that the mystical figure she has been searching for her entire fucking life is HIM and she HATES that it’s not her WHY ISN'T IT HER…

she also hates that sokka lied to her about it for their entire childhoods because she assumes it was his patronizing way of sparing her feelings, even though he doesn’t think that being the avatar is anything remotely good, and only hid it from her because he was scared and ashamed. and he knows that eventually there will be a reckoning (in the form of somehow being a better firebender than zuko despite being completely untrained) but in the meantime he just wants katara to think he’s Normal

so at first he feels weird about waterbending because he sees that as katara’s “thing,” but eventually he starts doing shit with waterbending that katara literally can’t, and so (in his mind) it’s fair again. like he starts isolating individual atoms in H2O molecules to make H2O2 and shit, and katara’s just like "HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT." but then he starts bloodbending (he bloodbends azula, for example) and katara is like nvm i'm glad i’m a normie :)

he never meets hama but develops his own mode of bloodbending, he invents metalbending independently as a way to break free from handcuffs, and he develops all kinds of other niche sub-bending categories as well

sokka’s firebending is like azula’s on crack. he just shoots a tiny bit of fire out of his fingertips like a gun and hits someone right in their neck and they double over in pain and boom he’s won.

he starts off not really knowing any earthbending because he doesn’t exactly have earth at home, but then once he meets toph, he realizes the potential of the element and gets really obsessed with expanding that potential as much as possible

and air is his worst element. because it’s the element of freedom.

he has to reveal to jet that he’s the avatar because he accuses him of being a firebender. jet doesn’t believe him at first, but then he sees him go into the avatar state to hold back the water from the dam for long enough for the whole town to evacuate

when he first calls the kyoshi warriors a bunch of girls, kyoshi herself screams at him for like an hour. lesson learned.

he reunites with hakoda only after the war ends, at azula’s coronation. hakoda learns that he’s the avatar once ozai is already long dead. hakoda doesn’t recognize him at first, and instead assumes that he’s somehow kya’s long lost son that she had with a fire nation noble. he then immediately realizes how stupid that is, but is still completely shocked by the revelation of who sokka has become and what he even is.

katara goes back to the south pole to be with her family, but sokka stays in the fire nation to oversee azula, with toph at his side. when toph asks him if he doesn’t also miss his family, sokka very matter of factly states that as the avatar, what he wants doesn’t matter. he’s not a person with desires, but rather a servant of the world, a vessel through which peace can be achieved.

azula is a very good firelord. she is also unwaveringly loyal to sokka and will do anything to achieve his vision. sokka basically replaces ozai in her mind. but with more banter between them

she asks sokka if they can’t retrieve iroh and zuko from ba sing se, but sokka doesn’t really think that having more evil family around will be a good influence on her. he goes to ba sing se to scope out the situation for himself, and decides that they’re pretty much harmless, but that if azula wishes to see them, they must meet in a third, neutral location

zuko finally learns that sokka kills ozai, and is so enraged that he tries to fight sokka. it goes very poorly, but out of some faint fondness for azula, sokka doesn’t hurt him. iroh just expresses his gratitude and appreciation (on both accounts).

despite azula being their ostensible ally, katara cannot fucking stand her. the feeling is mutual

sokka and toph, however, get along fairly well with her, and mai and ty lee also (mai doesn't understand why the avatar enjoys her presence so much, but she doesn't take it for granted either)

a couple years after the war, sokka starts taking an interest in more global politics, widening his focus from simply the fire nation. he goes home for the first time, revisits the north, and starts to tour the earth kingdom in earnest. that is when he starts to learn of and work to dismantle the police state of ba sing se and other unjustly hierarchized social systems, such as in the north pole. the nwt in particular is a sore spot for him due to his relationship with yue.

sokka uses spies from within the white lotus to keep tabs on the white lotus so as not to repeat the platinum affair, which yangchen warned him about. eventually he stops trusting his own spies and sends toph in there instead.

sokka also develops a very tender affection for kuruk, who reminds him of hakoda and who is the only person who can even somewhat get through to him regarding sokka’s somewhat toxic, self-dehumanizing ideal of what and who he should be. he thinks kyoshi is sweet and admires her ruthlessness and similar approach to the self (as a vessel rather than a person). he dislikes roku and thinks he has no redeeming qualities, and tells him as much the first time they ever talk. he talks to aang sometimes, but seeking advice from a kid who was captured by firelord azulon and died in prison (yes) always hurts his heart.

he feels a responsibility to the entire world and claims that he must remain impartial in all matters, but he would still lay down his life for katara (or toph) if it came down to it. that childhood conditioning doesn’t go away, it just gets worse as his responsibilities grow.

in conclusion: avatar sokka is sooo sick & twisted that i can actually kind of justify it as a compelling AU. like, aang's role in it is somehow even more tragic, because this narrative would necessarily dial the cynicism up to 11. sokka and azula as the avatar and the firelord duo in question would be absolutely miserable, just as katara's narratorial status being undermined at every turn would be miserable, just as an aangless world would be miserable. and guess what. i <3 misery

#dragonsarecats #adeusdelta #asks #AUs #sokka #azula #katara #not tagging everyone else #i love misery and suffering and pain <33333 #hence why i like the kyoshi & yangchen novels #kuruk novel when........

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crumblinggothicarchitecture · 13 hours

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I read your fake smart-girl coded Taylor Swift post. Ended up on my feed because it was tagged philosophy. It was long enough that I caught a few words and actually read it. Honestly thought it was satire until I read your answers to other people.

I do not care about TS. But I do care about philosophy. You have a degree in it ? Funny, I have one too. You've read Aristotle ? I did too. But did you read though ? Did you really get into philosophy, and heard what the people you, I'm sure, can quote really well, actually said ? Because what it looks like, is that you got a degree in philosophy, but did not get philosophy at all. What makes me say that ? Your attitude, and that paragraph :

"Also, for the record, I don't think Taylor Swift knows anything of substance about Aristotle. I, on the other hand, took a three-hour long oral exam over Aristotle's life work while out-of-my-mind-high on Dayquil and pain meds after a surgery. I got an "A", and, somehow, I lived through that, I doubt the validity of Swift's claims to know anything at all about philosophy. Especially, considering how all her songs are about as deep as a puddle. "

Sounds like you're here to show off, and to make yourself look like something, without having a clue what it means to have the inclination of a philosopher. Or you know what it means, and you've lost it somewhere along the way.

If you've studied philosophy, and actually took time to read and understand the words of philosophers, you know not one of them would condone your attitude, the way you use their names, the way you're making your arguments. Having an A for an exam on Aristotle does not guarantee that you'll be able to make good arguments for the rest of your life. Nor does it guarantee that you understand his work, or are good at philosophy. It just means that, at one point, on a very specific part of Aristotle's work, you had enough knowledge to be rewarded with a good mark. It stops there. It does not mean anything else. Even if it was for your master's thesis. Sure, you know more than TS about philosophy and she fakes knowledge in her songd, but is showing off your grade and putting yourself as the center point of your argumentation the best way to convey that message ? No. You're trying to put her down by putting yourself above others. To anyone with a sense of philosophy, it just looks like you're a student who never understood the works he/she read, and focused on grades and others' approbation instead.

You care about your degree ? Re-read the books and make use of your ability to understand them. Not as a way to show off, but as a way to lean into the attitude a philosopher might have.

You write posts using philosophy ? Make it palatable to others, and show its uses. Be humble. Same thing for literature. The people whose books you read, they want knowledge to be spread. Studying philosophy should have, at the very least, helped you see that. The degree you got is here to push you to continue doing what all previous philosophers and writers did before you got to read them. Otherwise, your degree serves no purpose, other than satisfying your ego. At least, that's how it looks in that post.

Anyway, it'd just be nicer if you used your degree to show the benefits of philosophy, rather than to stroke your ego. Think about Socrates for a while. He asks questions, he makes simple arguments, he rarely talks about himself, he wants others to learn. That's the idea. Not showing off. Not being an ass to a girl you've never met. But being open for discussion, and make sound arguments, for others as well as yourself. What was the point of you fixating on the misuse of 'soliloquy' ? What did it bring to others ? And your anger towards TS, why ? Why write a whole post about it, shove it in her fans' face, what's the point ? Did anyone get anything positive from that ? And why bring your degrees and grades into the mix ? Anyone can make an informed and sound argument, even without a degree. What did it give you to say all those things ?

Fyi, I was taught philosophy in France. I know people in America and the likes get taught philosophy differently than how its done here. Wouldn't be surprised if there was a cultural difference in the way we understand the discipline. I've got a master's degree in the subject, and six years of study under my belt, if that matters to you. Was top of my class also. And I've lived with a philosophy teacher for eight years, too. In case you try saying I have no place speaking about philosophy the way I do.

There is barely anyone who gives a damn about philosophy. You're one of the few who cared about it enoigh to study it. Make good use of your degree, and don't be an ass to others.

Let’s me give you a piece of my mind, because, honestly, my dear friend, what are you doing?

Is this some kind of moral flex in which you prove to be the better person because you’ve never implied that there’s no way a certain person knows anything about Aristotle? You want to seem like the better person, because I took one single cheap-shot at Taylor Swift’s intelligence amid a full literary explanation as to why she is using a specific term wrong? Are you joking? You want to call into question my entire education? Because I said Taylor Swift is not as “deep-thinking” as she claims? Okay, yeah... you’re right I guess that makes my entire education invalid. My bad. I’ll go rip up my degrees.

First of all, let’s address your arrogance. You write, “Sounds like you are trying to show off, and to make yourself look like something, without having a clue what to means to have an inclination as a philosopher” (para.4) in response to me saying Taylor Swift probably doesn’t know anything about Aristotle. Yeah, obviously that line is a quick jab at Taylor Swift. So, what? Am I writing an essay? No. Am I writing a journal article? No. Am I writing to a conference committee with a submission of my finest work? NOpe. I’m saying that I would bet money that I know more about Aristotle while suffering the effects of surgery-induced delirium. It’s not that deep. It’s not meant to be a deep, philosophical take on the nature of Taylor Swift’s work. I’m throwing a metaphorical tomato at her, while yelling “boooo.” So, what? You say, “Play nice.” No. Taylor Swift is not my student, nor my friend. I, thus, have no obligation to try to teach, guide, or help Taylor Swift understand anything. I’m not her philosophy teacher, and, you know what, I don’t think she cares about philosophy at all. You know why she name-dropped Aristotle? It rhymes with “full-throttle” and “Grand Theft Auto” (Swift “So High School”). I’m laughing at her so-called poetical lyricism. In the same breath, I’m judging her for relegating Aristotle to a cheap throw-away line in a dumb pop-song in which she sings about how her football boyfriend makes her feel like she’s 16 again. It’s so mind-numbing.

I’m sad. It’s not anger that compels me, but sadness and disappointment. I’ve been a fan for nearly 15 years and my original post came from lamentations about outgrowing an artist I once respected. Granted, I might have been angry while writing that post (sue me about it).

I do respect Taylor Swift’s work enough to criticize it, however, do not twist my words to mean that as an attack on her personally. I do not wish harm to other human beings, yet it is worth noting that I talk in many other posts about my disgust towards her immoral actions. Even still, most of my posts about Taylor Swift are linguistic or literary criticisms meant to help me process this absolute let-down of an album. I’m also just practicing my literary criticism abilities (I start Grad School in like 2 months, so I’m trying to keep my skills sharp). It’s all low-stakes. And, you’re mad at me? You think I’m being mean? Why? You think that I’m “being an ass to a girl [I’ve] never met”? (para. 8). Taylor Swift is not a girl, first of all, she is older than me and I’m a grown woman. She is way richer, and way more powerful too. What is your point?

Let’s talk about the next line in question: “What is the point of you fixating on the misuse of ‘soliloquy’? What did it bring to others?” I’m fixating on the term soliloquy because Taylor Swift has been using this faux literary/ dark academia aesthetic to sell her records for years now. She’s wears “my coat” (if you catch my meaning). She’s using my real-life study as a way to sell shoddy, sloppy records. I’m going to call that out. Despite her using all the aesthetics of academia, she’s not intelligent enough to even just use the term soliloquy correctly. I noticed it right away, and so did many others. If she can’t even get small details correct about literature, why should I believe that she even knows anything about literature at all? It destroys her creditability. I’ve taught students the term ‘soliloquy” as high school kids. It’s not too much to ask for the biggest pop star in the world, and someone who claims the title of “good” writer, to teach herself what a soliloquy actually is before using it in a song just because it sounds similar to “sanctimonious.” If it’s wrong, she’s just wrong. She could have hired an editor. Now, I won’t go into the context of the line here, too much, but the whole line is her calling her audience a bunch of sanctimonious morons who are talking to themselves. (Is Taylor Swift playing nice enough for you? I wonder....)

Let’s move on.

Now, let’s talk about your concept of “inclination of a philosopher.”

You are correct in saying that often teaching Philosophy varies remarkably from country to country. I was weaned on the analytic philosophy, whereas I believe the French are more continental. (Correct me if I am wrong.) So, the effect of this is that I am obviously quite blunt and fond of Aristotelian logic. Who doesn’t love a good syllogism? A funky little linguistic proof? Yes? Still, I must remind you that I wasn’t really making an argumentative point about actual philosophy in relation to Taylor Swift.

To the crux of the issue, however, I must say that I was actually showing the inclination of philosophy by correcting the intrinsic flaws of the songs I disliked so much. What is philosophy if not the spirit of seeking truth and wisdom? Critique and analyzing poetical works often tie directly into the philosophical field of aesthetics wherein the goal is true, fruitful, understanding on how literary devices and aesthetic representation actually function. If anything is also in effort of seeking truth, surely, you see that critique and correction is? And asking for better workmanship? I was only mad, because mining Taylor Swift work for aesthetic meaning is like searching for Gold in a parking lot. : (

Next point: “to anyone with a sense of philosophy, it just looks like you’re a student who never understood the works they read, and focused on grades and others’ approbation instead.”

First of all, this is rude. You don’t know me. You read my honest, brief anger, that I managed to condense into a couple lines in one single tumblr post, and that gives you the audacity to say I’m a bad student who sought grades above all else? Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh................. Okay, tell me why I spent hours in study rooms and sent countless emails begging for guidance through things I didn’t understand. Tell me why, I’ve stood in front of people and blatantly admitted that I did not understand the readings. Learning takes time, and there is no shame in taking your time. Grades are just letters. What matters is how the strength of what you learn impacts how you act in life. I’ve learned my lessons with all the ferocity of a child falling down a hill and running back up it again. I know my own intentions, and you don’t. I mentioned my "A" in the post really just to lend credibility, through professorial authority (lol), to the fact that I think Taylor Swift is fake smart.

Next: SocRaTeS? You're Joking! What is he doing here?

In an eternal quest for my own understanding, I often returned to Socrates. Did you not see my profile picture? Socrates is my homeboy. If ever I get to choose how to die, I will die like Socrates. Willingly, and with a full-bodied credulity of my own philosophical stances.

You say, “Think about Socrates for a while. He asks questions, he makes simple arguments.” First, he does not make simple arguments. Is it not a syllogism? He writes full dialectical structures. This is some of the most complex stuff I have ever read. Let’s talk about why: Over the centuries, we’ve come to call it the Socratic method. This method includes discursive questions meant to make people question not only others on their reality but to question the most internal mechanisms of the mind. It asks them to think about why we believe or hold the beliefs that we do. He, famously, likens it to a child's development in the womb. The questions are meant as an external way to engage with mechanistic development of thought itself- thus we untangle the dangerous thread of rhetoric internal to our own rational minds. It’s a type of meta-analysis of the self-more than it a simple game of question and answer. Like children from the womb, according to Socrates, we must develop our rational minds too. And, above all else, the Socratic method seeks truth.

Socrates would approve of my literary criticism of Taylor Swift, because I am using it to seek a higher truth. And, in some way, I am inversely questioning my own reasons for seeking what I do. I enjoy poems for a reason. I like to ask myself why I like what I do, and what meaning it brings through my unique perspective. (Applied to others as well, I love to hear from others). I critique Taylor Swift not because I hate her, but because I want to engage with the aesthetic qualities of the material world that elevate my ability to empathize, to think, to engage, to feel the world around me. I love art. I love reading, I want people to write with intelligence. You know then, the soul-crushing feeling of realizing an artist is actually bad. She rhymed Aristotle with Grand Thef Auto... Socrates himself would shudder. Socrates would also recognize that aesthetic quality ought to undergo critique and beauty interrelates to moral value. He was of the belief, and I dare say I believe it too, that beauty, aesthetic beauty, can be likened to moral value through the identification of ways in which it reveals the truth of our very souls. To him engaging with aesthetics is one way in which to reach out and connect the metaphysical to the material, in such awe-inspiring ways.

Ever been moved to tears by a painting? I have, but the question is WHY? That is why I critique literature, poetry, art... music. Whatever I can get my hands on really. I really want to find out, WHY? why was I crying in the Art Gallery, right next to the ice cream shop and everything.

You are perhaps right that I could make more of an effort to explain my points, and also the "moral of the story" or what I hope other people will take away from what I wrote. I’m only ever critical of something if I care enough to either love it or wish it was better so that I could love it. To be honest, I didn't think anyone would read my silly vent post about Taylor Swift, but here we are. I could do better. I usually save my real efforts for my published work, though.

And you, my dearest colleague, are apparently spineless. If your conviction on philosophy is that we must all be kind and precious to each other for fear of causing offense, then I think your career will sink like a rock. Socrates was mean as hell, though not spiteful or malicious. He was mean in the sense of asking people to take a good, long hard look in the mirror. I would ask Taylor Swift to look in the mirror too, but she has a whole song about how she’s not going to do that (Anti-Hero). As you see, I hope that I am not spiteful either. But I do want people to be better and make better art. Socrates would say the same. I say what I say and I mean it. Because I am desperate for something true and beautiful and real. There is no one on earth above reproach. There is no school of philosophy which suggests passivity is tantamount to intelligence. I will not be passive.

You say: “Make it palatable to others. Be humble”

How’s this for palatable: No <3. Why diminish myself? Why should I obfuscate and dance around my own hard-won intellectual skill? Why should I dumb it down? It is not egotistical of me to use my own skillset. Does a doctor not save lives? Do they apologize for using their skills? Does a mechanic not do the same? Does the poet not also do the same? What of the critic?

I can be humble, though. Humility is being self-aware enough to recognize that some might have a skillset more advanced than your own. I seek guidance and consistently challenge myself in academic endeavors. I can recognize the authority others have just as well as I can recognize my own authority. I will not, however, shrink down because you think I’m being too know-it-all-y.

Humility does not require that I speak only when choking back apologies for the audacity I have to speak. I am not sorry. I spent the last 6 years of my life working on two degrees while working 3 jobs. It was hard. I’m proud of myself. If someone feels upset that I speak about the field of study I have fought to participate in, well, I genuinely don’t know what to tell them. Intellect is not a threat (to most). I would say, “if you have a question, ask it.” I actually am very friendly despite my sharp tongue. I am a teacher to my bones <3 and I love my job.

Anyway, if I missed any of your points, misrepresented them, or offended you greatly- my inbox is always open. And I love a good, well-structured argument. However, next time can we talk about actual philosophy instead of you just attacking my character, thanks. <3 Obviously, I took offense. I think you meant to offend me though, for whatever reason. Really, I did go back and crack open a few books to write this, double check some things, so thank you.

Did you get your graduate degree in America? Would love to know. I am planning on getting another Master’s after I am done with this first one. I want to study aesthetics ( LOL).

Ps. Why can’t people show off? I love when people have a talent that they aren’t afraid to share.

#philosophy #anti taylor swift #ex swiftie #english literature #literary criticism #socrates #philosopher in training- dont worry about it #english lit student #academia #aesthetics #literary aesthetics

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thecarnivorousmuffinmeta · 1 day

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In Amulet if Tom had actually gone through with his threat and exposed Alphard for having posed as Lucy to get the silver back early on, what would have happened?

Amulette d'Amour by me and @therealvinelle

He'd realize this is a stupid plan and not do it.

The thing about that plan is it sounded great in 19-year-old Tom Riddle's head, he had it all figured out, he's going to get back at Alphard for having sex with other people, being better at sex than him, running out like he didn't care, uh stuff. It'll absolutely ruin Alphard's life on so many levels, it's fiendishly evil, and Tom can just laugh and leave the country.

There's just one problem that Tom in his moment of petty brilliant revenge hadn't hammered out the details for yet.

How does he prove it?

Tom announces this to the world, "GREAT NEWS EVERYBODY, ALPHARD'S A HOMOSEXUAL MUGGLE-LOVER WHO DRESSES LIKE A WOMAN" he accomplishes really only one thing: he outs himself as a dirty homosexual who engages in sodomy with a crossdresser. Or at least, the kind of person who would claim to do such a thing and is trying to use this outlandish claim to besmirch an old school rival who is by all accounts a very upstanding citizen.

People ask Alphard, he responds, "I have no idea what you're talking about, I went into Borgin and Burke's a few times, did try to get my silverware back from him and Muriel but I had no luck". No one's going to make Alphard take Veritaserum or read his mind to verify that this story happened. Slytherins remember Tom from Hogwarts and think to themselves "that fucker would do this" and think it's a pointed vendetta against Alphard for having made the mistake of walking into Tom's store.

Minerva would try to believe Tom but even she would think he's just getting back at Alphard for something. "Though it was very funny" she'd admit just... you know... a bit much.

(Muriel thinks it's hysterical, by the way, but doesn't believe a word of it.)

Tom's lack of Lucy isn't even proof because that doesn't prove that it's Alphard or even that Lucy doesn't exist.

The reason Alphard reacted the way he did with horror and misery was a) Tom was suggesting that he was manipulative and evil enough to do this for no fucking reason b) Alphard's so terrified of the repercussions of who he is that he's not rational about how likely it is to ever get out unless he really fucks up. Alphard's gut reaction to "Tom will tell everyone" is to panic and fear the worst.

But if Tom really decided on it, he's totally going to do it, totally, it's going to be great--the moment before he opens his mouth in the town square he has a "OH SHIT FUCK" moment where all of this crashes down on him.

His only prayer is that Alphard never realizes it was an empty threat.

(Remember that Tom in Amulette is 19. He's very brilliant, but sometimes he's so stupid.)

#harry potter #amulette d'amour #tom riddle #alphard black #meta #vinelle #therealvinelle

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bomberqueen17 · 1 day

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Big Easy

I am on vacation this week in New Orleans. There are many reasons for this but mostly they're not about me. I'm just here for the ride. Hilariously the one thing I found on on my own that I was like "oh i gotta do that while we're here" is also the thing that has been recommended to me by literally everyone i've spoken to including the Lyft driver from the airport, which is the WWII Museum, and conversely the more people recommend it the more I'm like :/ I might not enjoy this that much. WWII history was a childhood hyperfixation of mine but I've found the shit I was into about it is not the stuff other people like about it. This museum features a movie narrated by Tom Hanks so I feel like it's going to mm emphasize the bits I don't care about a lot. BUT I am going to go and I am probably going to devote a whole day. The upside of this is that probably Dude will not be deadly bored by it. He does tend to have the issue of not being into what I'm into sometimes... but this will probably be fine.

My hip is doing okay, the one I've been physically therapizing for ages? But what's popped up is that as the bad hip heals, the "good" hip starts giving me trouble-- I have prettty bad sciatic nerve problems on that side, and I didn't notice them so much because the cartilage tear on the bad side hurt enough to distract me. But lately it's like-- a little electric current of Badness inside the back of my right knee. No fun. But I've been doing physical therapy exercises for about fifteen weeks now (I just counted), three times a week, so I'd damn well better have seen some improvement LOL.

But mostly I can walk around, and I have a better idea earlier on whether walking is going to be good for me or not, so idk it's progress.

So far I have had a few bites of a shrimp po'boy (in the Atlanta airport, where we ordered something else and the waitress didn't hear us and just brought better food, no regrets on our part), some amazing gumbo, a bit of really good crawfish etouffe, and a really good Hurricane cocktail, and have seen the steamboat Natchez going up the MIssissippi with a brass band playing on it. Oh yeah there was a live band at the baggage claim? Apparently there were Many Doings in the French Quarter last night because of Cinco de Mayo, our Lyft driver was explaining they'd barricaded a bunch of the streets and she was delighted they'd moved one barricade because otherwise she could not have dropped us at our hotel. But by the later evening when we were out and about it wasn't quite so crowded but there were police cars and sirens and apparently some kind of disturbance a couple blocks away from our hotel. We kept walking because whatever it was was Not Our Business.

I'm mostly here for the food. I brought mostly me-made clothes. I was wearing a nice button-up shirt to fly in, and i sat at the gate during our layover and hand-bound two of the last three buttonholes on it (I'd cut and overcasted them at home but ran out of time). Relaxing and chill, honestly.

There are a couple of fabric stores I want to visit but apart from that I have zero agenda. Maybe Dude came up with something. I think he's mostly been researching restaurants.

I did not expect this, though: I know the names of so many of the places here from the news coverage of Katrina, and when I saw the Superdome in person i started crying, and had to explain to the driver that I'd been an airport bartender during that time and so had been stuck in front of huge TVs with 24h live coverage, and I'd had a bunch of online friends living there and I didn't realize until this moment how much it scarred me, so I could only imagine for the people here, and she talked about how she'd been a cleaner in an apartment complex at the time (I'd sussed that she was my age or older so I figured she'd remember it as well as I do, because to my shock that was 20 years ago now) and how many people had just left and never come back, had abandoned their possessions and just never came back for them because the power didn't come back on for two or three months.

She said "Now I know, when they tell you to evacuate, you get the hell out."

She also complained that nobody knows how to act, because it's all tourists. Which, fair.

... Anyway, anyone with recs for New Orleans feel free to tell them to me, I'm just here for the food and the vibes.

#about the author #vacationing #new orleans #louisiana

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stugotonck · 3 days

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Mirror

Crooked is the heart above all things, And it is incurable -- who doth know it?

As the saying goes:

Mother: "You have no heart." Son:"It's hereditary."

Gege sketched a visual representation of an actual void, a literal hole, where his heart would be, mirroring the charred remains of his attire, being.

Given Sukuna's consumption of his twin brother and subsequent acquisition of a taste for his flesh, he now harbors the potential for self-cannibalism, given their flesh shares an identical taste. Does the inclination to sacrifice parts of oneself to augment strength arise from this unique circumstance? Furthermore, in consideration of his "humanity," what does his apathy towards everything, including himself, appear to imply?

The acquired taste for his own flesh could symbolize his detachment from his human identity or a latent desire for self-annihilation. This underscores his essence with words about his principles - he doesn't value life itself, only survival, epitomized by his primal instincts: "I eat when I want to eat. If someone annoys me, I kill them. If they interest me, I play with them. I simply exist within my own parameters. Anything beyond that is someone else's problem for failing to gauge my existence."

It can be argued that according to his beliefs, his life holds no intrinsic value, and as he reigns supreme, perched atop the food chain, he sets the standards of existence. Only when someone, through spiritual superiority, transcends his immorality, embodying ideals beyond mere survival and selfishness, he will grasp values of a different nature, such as love, demanding self-sacrifice and the abandonment of individual selfishness for the sake of others' lives

Hence, Sukuna's assertion of understanding love before his encounter with Gojo and his demise provokes bewilderment. What aspect of love could he genuinely grasp, aside from perhaps catching a glimpse of it through Yuji's altruism?"

Thus, despite Sukuna's claims to understand love, one may doubt his comprehension.

For him, it could be associated with practical utility, such as support and protection, rather than emotional connection or selfless devotion. Love might signify temporary alliances or attachments, contingent upon mutual exchange or fulfillment of needs. Instead of viewing it as the pinnacle of human soul or ideal, he likely regards it as a useful tool in his harsh reality. This is evident in his relationship with Uraume.

His mother's attitude towards him could serve as a gauge for his understanding of love.

If his mother didn't receive him joyfully at birth due to her own starving, it could significantly affect their relationship and parenting style. Perhaps she displayed negative emotions or even rejected him, which could evoke feelings of unacceptance and inadequacy in him. In such a scenario, his mother might allocate less attention and care to him, fostering feelings of undervaluation and lack of love.

This experience could lead to complex emotional issues for him, including low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority. He might develop defense mechanisms like selfishness and a drive for dominance to compensate for his negative experiences.

In the context of his worldview, his relationship with his mother could be complex and ambivalent. To him, his mother might symbolize the ideal of "love" - a source of survival and satisfaction of his own needs. He might see her as a source of support and protection, fostering a certain attachment.

If dominance and selfishness dominated his relationships, he might view maternal love as natural and self-evident, intended for his own benefit. He could use his mother as a tool to satisfy his own needs, without genuine loyalty or concern for her well-being.

Likely, maternal care focused on his physical needs, neglecting emotional support and sacrificing his well-being for her own. This led to the formation of a worldview where life and love are seen as means of survival, devoid of sincerity and deep commitment. He is unloved, his detached gaze wandering in emptiness, devoid of true understanding. He is fixated on physical existence but unable to grasp its meaning. Pursuing a hedonistic lifestyle, he is immersed in superficial desires, failing to find profound satisfaction. Entangled in an endless cycle of distraction from reality, he tries to fill the void within himself. The tattoos , or rather seals, on his chest, on his soul, only underscore what he lacks or what he sacrificed in pursuit of power. Devoid of heart, he remains estranged from the true essence of love, robbing him of its profound meaning.

🔥

"Sukuna's second pair of hands embodies an intriguing attraction to matter, symbolized by the sacrifice of wings for the sake of worldly strife."

"The longing for peace within himself engenders strife, much like the relentless flames of fear devouring him, consuming all in his path — a perception of burning that scorches reality itself.

In the fiery depths of his gaze, behold the reflection of his perception, a prism fracturing his soul into twain . He stands as the Janus of his essence, carrying two faces — one, bereft of mercy and fallen, the other, a shattered entity scattered amidst the void "

What I'm trying to convey is that, like Tengen, he lacks a distinct personality, but Tengen's connection with others makes her personality essentially representative of humanity as a whole. In contrast, Sukuna has replaced his individuality with strength, annihilating his sense of self and desires, leaving behind emptiness; His emptiness, his "mask", is the denial of his own existence - hatred of his own humanity . However, strength cannot take on personhood; it remains an attribute. Hence , Sukuna BEARS two faces, torn between emptiness and strength,split into strength representing his human aspect and the mask a consequence of the devastation and erosion of his soul. Unlike Tengen, Sukuna's dissolution doesn't occur "bleach" amidst people and connections ,not in harmony with the world of people ; it's erased , within the void - hollow

During the battle with Yuji, Sukuna essentially attacks himself, reflecting his inner emptiness and directing his aggression towards one he sees as his reflection. He assaults that which he lacks: meaning, purpose, internal strength. Each wound he inflicts upon Yuji not only physically injures him but also reminds him of his own emptiness.

Given that his appearance symbolizes destruction and strength, each injury he returns to Yuji in the same spot becomes an act of self-destruction and an expression of self-loathing.

The ego has denied reality, vocalizing itself yet unable to mirror the shared experience, and it's engulfed by the existence of such inner emptiness.

In the world of abstract concepts, the tough guys just can't seem to let go of their strengt . It's like it's baked into their very essence after a lifetime of being in charge. Their lives are just one battle after another, trapped in a cycle of conflict, and they can't seem to see anything positive about it. Meanwhile, the rest of us, living in the realm of wellness, get ignored, like we're not even on the radar. But really, it's all just a front, a desperate attempt to mask the inner turmoil they're going through. Giving up control, like they talk about in Buddhism, is something they can't even fathom because they're too stuck in their own past and pain. They've become so wrapped up in their own suffering that they can't see past themselves to recognize anyone else's worth.

Sukuna, with his stubborn refusal to face reality, just keeps scowling and making up lies to protect himself. But let me tell you, Yuji puts Sukuna to shame. Yuji's spirit doesn't just match Sukuna's—it eclipses it! He's pushed past his own limits, reaching heights beyond what his physical body could ever achieve. He embodies the very essence of humanity itself! IT CONTAINS THE SUFFERING OF EVERY HUMAN BEING.Every ounce of human suffering, that's Yuji's territory! THE DOMAIN A true temple.

He's not just fighting for himself; he's fighting for every person who has ever felt lost or alone. In his journey, he finds strength not in domination, but in connection—with others, with the world, with the very essence of being.

Yuji isn't just strong—he's the definition of spiritual strength! What sets him apart as the ultimate force? It's simple: he's let go of his ego completely, driven by an unrelenting desire to better himself. The strongest ! supreme Over what? Above yourself above the ego. He carries the weight of humanity on his shoulders, taking on their hopes and dreams like they're his own. That's true strength right there.

He's true strength isn't about brute force; it's about his unwavering determination to face suffering head-on, staring into the abyss of pain without flinching. Like a tank charging forward, he doesn't let anything stop him, standing firm against Sukuna's futile existence! While others might judge themselves by nature's "reality" harsh standards, Yuji rises above it all. His personal struggles don't define him; instead, he stays true to his compassionate nature, refusing to let tough times harden his heart.

He's not just a winner—he's indomitable! His spirit, unyielding and unbeatable, towers over everyone else - over the suffering . While others drown in their sacrifices, finding only emptiness , Yuji not only persists in existing; he flourishes—committed to purpose, to others, to life itself….

Yuji's fight is not just a story of survival; it's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of love and compassion. And as long as he continues to walk his path with courage and conviction, there's no limit to the impact he can have on the world around him.

Why did Sukuna decide to organize a merger and destroy everything that, as Kusakabe noted, does not suit his nature? Because Sukuna realized that he wasn't just fighting Yuuji, he was fighting all of humanity. This means that all the time their confrontation was one-sided and Sukuna was fighting with himself in a way, his own nature..

Humanity, with its vast diversity, collective knowledge, and boundless potential for growth and adaptation, represented an untapped well of power. By merging with humanity, Sukuna could tap into this collective consciousness, gaining access to an infinite reservoir of experiences, skills, and perspectives.

In essence, merging with humanity offered Sukuna the chance to elevate himself beyond the confines of his solitary existence as a cursed object, tapping into the limitless potential of humanity to become something greater than he ever could be on his own.

Sukuna could also potentially transcend the constraints of his cursed existence. As a "cursed" , he was subject to certain rules and limitations imposed. However, by merging with humanity, Sukuna might be able to reshape his existence, potentially even attaining a form of immortality or "godhood" by integrating himself with the essence of humanity itself.

#jjk meta #ryomen sukuna #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen theory #jujutsu kaisen analysis #jjk #jujutsu kaisne spoiler #jjk manga #jjk analysis #jjk 257 #jjk 258 #sukuna

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fuzzbuns · 19 days

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Arlecchino discourse is really awkward because both sides are so convinced they are right and that the other side just lacks media literacy but 9 times out of 10 the take in question is also wrong and it leaves me scratching my head a little bit….

#fuzzy rambles #like either they are like ‘no she is bad and doesnt care for the kids at all’ or its ‘she is good actually and does care for the kids’#and for me its like… damn…. its actually a little more complicated than that but ok ig #saw someone say she doesnt care for freminet or lynette she just uses them as pawns for lyney to be her heir #which is so incorrect on almost every level #it’s basically a self report that they dont know freminet or lynettes relationship with arlecchino #like i think we can agree raising child solider is problematic or whatever while not painting everything she does as master manipulation #like the things ppl claim are just her 5000 level iq manipulation… rolling my eyes it doesnt even make sense #but at the same time she obviously isnt a saint who has everyones best interests in mind because they are still childe soliders #even tho things got better when she took control there is still a lot of cultish and cruel behaviors the kids get drilled into them #tho honestly the whole fatui is like that look at any of the recurits who arent from the orphanage and they are equally brainwashed #if not us than who or whatever (girl who thinks about what happened in the chasm and want to eat drywall)#idk. dont yall have parents? like u can love and care for a child and still suck as a parent #you can try to not become ur abusive mother and still turn into a monster of sorts #ignore the childe instead of child its literally muscle memory how embarrassing

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wishesofeternity · 10 days

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"Antiochos’ and Stratonike’s activities in the eastern part of the [Seleukid] empire are largely shrouded in mystery, but, as Engels has argued, Antiochos was far from idle since he embarked on a large building programme and was active in securing the frontier. There is some evidence to suggest that his new bride accompanied him for much of this period. We can perhaps identify Stratonike’s presence with her new husband in the Upper Satrapies through the gold coinage minted in Susa and Baktria in c . 287. The two gold coin sets are of the same type, the obverse features the laureate head of Apollo facing right and the reverse features Artemis in an elephant biga facing left with the legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ in exergue.

Figure 1: Coin of Seleukos I from Baktria Depicting Apollo on the Obverse and Artemis with Elephant Biga on the Reverse (Houghton and Lorber 2002, SC I no. 163).

Figure 2: Coin of Seleukos I from Baktria Depicting Apollo on the Obverse and Artemis with Elephant Biga on the Reverse (Houghton and Lorber 2002, SC I no. 257).

The reverse image of Artemis in the elephant biga is within the same design type as a large range of other coinage issued by Seleukos I celebrating the success of his elephants and thus his eastern campaigns. The appearance of Artemis is however unique to these coin types. This suggests the emphasis on the close links between the twin gods, Artemis and Apollo, depicted on the obverse and reverse of this coinage . Since there appears to be as a close link between Apollo and Antiochos as there is between Zeus and Seleukos, the presence of Artemis could be seen as a symbol for Stratonike. This would create a series of parallels: Seleukos/Zeus, Antiochos/Apollo, and Stratonike/Artemis. The first two reflect what we see for these two kings at the list of priests of Seleukid kings in Seleukeia in Pieria . Additionally, it may be notable that the sister-wife ideology [...] appears to be evident later in the reign of Antiochos.

As all of the Apollo/Artemis cointypes were produced on high value gold coinage, this suggests that it was issued in order to commemorate a significant event. While the type was similar to other Seleukid coinage, the shift from Athena to Artemis was clearly discernible and unique. The arrival of the new joint-King and Queen in the region to take up residence would have been a suitable moment for the issuing of the new coin type. This advertisement of their new rule certainly falls in line with Seleukos’ wedding speech which confirmed their new roles."

-David Engels & Kyle Erickson, "Apama and Stratonike – Marriage and Legitimacy", "Seleukid Royal Women" (edited by Edited by Altay Coşkun and Alex McAuley). The pictures of the coins are screenshots from the book.

#historicwomendaily #stratonike #antiochus I soter #seleukid empire #hellenistic period #ancient history #history #'Antiochus’ and Stratonike’s activities in the eastern part of the empire are largely shrouded in mystery' don't do this to me #this mystery is mainly because of lack of accessibility or of evidence than lack of activity - but it's still a shame #also re the 'sister-wife ideology'#as historians have pointed out Stratonike was called 'hirtu' aka 'principal wife' in the famous Borsippa Cylinder of Antiochus I #an unusual title which indicates her precedence but also implies a polygamous situation (which was normal in the Hellenistic period)#centuries later Stephanos of Byzantion claimed that Antiochus named the city of Nysa 'after his wife Nysa'#Stephanos isn't really reliable: he's almost definitely wrong about the adjacent information he gives about the city of Antioch being named #after Antiochus's mother #but it may nonetheless indicate he had a minor wife named Nysa #epigraphic evidence also suggests Antiochus married a woman called 'sister-wife'#which many scholars have theorized was Nysa (as his half-sister)#though others believe the title was most likely honorific and shouldn't be taken literally #(for example Laodike - queen of Antiochos III - was also called sister-wife when we know she was actually his cousin)#so the epigraphical evidence may indicate a non-sibling Nysa or Stratonike #if it was a non-sibling Nysa then she may have also been a cousin or relative #but these coins of Antiochus and Stratonike as Apollo-and-Artemis clearly does play into the 'sister-wife ideology'#we know Antiochus strongly associated himself with Apollo and Stratonike made generous donations at Delos at Artemis-and-Apollo temples #so IF the title was honorific then it could have likely referred to Stratonike as well #also - we have no idea who Nysa was but if a city was named after her I wonder if her marriage was to boost local alliances?#which doesn't prelude the idea of her being a relative #we also don't know when they married - he married Stratonike in his late 20s so he may have even been married to her before that. who knows #anyway. the title of 'hirtu' being applied for Stratonike was VERY unique for the Seleukids...it's interesting to think about #(ik nobody but me cares about this but oh well)

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