Fun coincidence: just finished reading the chapter of Odysseus/Trojan war in Madeline Miller’s “Circe”, laid down the book to have one last flick thru Substack before sleep and stumbled upon this article 😃
I don’t know how I found your Substack but omg am I glad I did. I’ve been so interested in Greek mythology but it wasn’t accessible and this is the exact type of writing I’ve been craving. Thank you for writing!!
My favorite part of this is the myth of Pelops shoulder. Tantalus for some sick reason killed Pelops and cooked and served him as a stew for the gods. But the gods are not mocked, and they immediately knew it was human flesh, and so Tantalus got his eternal punishment. But this leaves out Demeter, who was sad and distracted by the fact that Persephone was in Hades, and who just started chowing down on Pelops shoulder. She was just peckish I guess, and a girl's got to eat. But the gods can fix most anything, so they resurrected Pelops and Hephaestus made him an ivory shoulder to replace the one that got gnawed. All's right with the world.
Love this. You’ve made the whole shenanigans so accessible
I’m so glad! It’s a wild ride 🤠
Fun coincidence: just finished reading the chapter of Odysseus/Trojan war in Madeline Miller’s “Circe”, laid down the book to have one last flick thru Substack before sleep and stumbled upon this article 😃
Oh I love that!! Madeline Miller is the best ❤️🔥
Nice to read a piece from you again..have missed my regular dose of Ancient Greek dysfunctionalty..
I’m very glad to be of service (and my 2025 goal is to put out newsletters every week) 🏺🖤
I don’t know how I found your Substack but omg am I glad I did. I’ve been so interested in Greek mythology but it wasn’t accessible and this is the exact type of writing I’ve been craving. Thank you for writing!!
This is so kind of you to say 🥹 I’m so glad you’re enjoying it ~ let me know if there are any topics or myths you’d like to me to cover 💛
Greek family life, based on such tragedies, must have been a delight.
I really hope it served as a what NOT to do kind of guide…
Love this! Was definitely a rollercoaster of a read.
Whenever I find my family dysfunctional, I rate them on a scale of 1 to House of Atreus. Always makes me look on th.more fondly.
My favorite part of this is the myth of Pelops shoulder. Tantalus for some sick reason killed Pelops and cooked and served him as a stew for the gods. But the gods are not mocked, and they immediately knew it was human flesh, and so Tantalus got his eternal punishment. But this leaves out Demeter, who was sad and distracted by the fact that Persephone was in Hades, and who just started chowing down on Pelops shoulder. She was just peckish I guess, and a girl's got to eat. But the gods can fix most anything, so they resurrected Pelops and Hephaestus made him an ivory shoulder to replace the one that got gnawed. All's right with the world.
I fear the ancient Roman imperial dynasties took some inspiration…
Never a quiet family dinner in Mycenae smh
stopppp this is so my niche. the house of atreus has been an obsession of mine over the past few years this is great