A to Z Challenge: H is for Hermione

I know who we all think of when we hear the name Hermione, but did you know that she was also a Greek heroine? Hermione was the only daughter of King Menelaus of Sparta and Helen of Troy. There is some confusion regarding her betrothal. Some sources say that she was betrothed to two different suitors. Her father offered her to the son of Achilles, Neoptolemus. Although Euripides has Orestres say,

You were rightfully mine from a long time ago. Your father has promised you to me before he left for Troy. But then, the liar that he is, when he got to Troy, he offered you to Neoptolemus, your present husband, if he in turn captured the city.

Ovid does not mention a betrothal at all. Instead we learn that Hermione is claimed by Neoptolemus as his wife, ten years after the Trojan War.

The marriage between Hermione and Neoptolemus does not go well. Hermione blames Andromache, her husband's concubine, for her own inability to get pregnant, claiming that the concubine was casting spells on her to keep her from conceiving. Hermoine wants Andromache killed. She begs her father to execute the woman while her husband is away at war, but he refuses.

Hermoine flees her home with her cousin, Orestes. They are married and she gives birth to Tisamenus.

A far as the myth goes, we never hear anything more about Hermione, except that her husband leaves her for someone else. Of course, we're all familiar with Hermione's name due to a certain book series. Did JK Rowling choose Hermione's name after the Greek myth? I remember reading the Harry Potter books for the first time and stumbling over the name. (This was back in the dark ages before the books were well-known, and before the movies. I know, I'm ancient.) I never realized that Hermione shared her name with a Greek character. If Rowling did choose this name after the Greek tale, then why? Hermione doesn't seem to have done anything heroic. She's mainly known for who she married, and even then her marriages turned out badly. Rowling could have chosen any name she wanted. So why Hermione? Any theories?

As always, thanks for following. And don't miss your chance to read my novella. Raze, Shine #6 is part of William Bernhardt's Shine series, about young girls who posses unusual abilities.

A to Z Challenge: G is for Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh, while not commonly thought of as a Greek hero, does play a role in mythology. He was the legendary ruler of Uruk, a city-state in ancient Sumer. He became the hero of the world's oldest narrative poem. We as a culture didn't learn of Gilgamesh's tale until the 1850s, while archaeologists excavated Ninevah, the ancient capital of Assyria. They found twelve tablets containing the Gilgamesh epic--a story that has striking similarities to the later Greek heroes.

Gilgamesh's tale is divided into two parts. In the first, he bonds with a wild man, Enkidu, whom the gods created out of clay to be his life partner. The two friends battle monsters, such as the fiery Humbaba and the frightening manifestation of drought and earthquake--the bull of heaven. Enkidu, after an encounter with the goddess Ishtar, is killed, and Gilgamesh must endure his first experience with death. This changes him, and sets him on a life-altering course.

In the narrative's second half, Gilgamesh becomes desperate to live forever. His quest takes him to a man called Utnapishtim, who has survived a flood that annihilated all humanity. The old man tells Gilgamesh that he must pluck a magical plant from the bottom of the sea if he wishes to live forever. Gilgamesh finds the plant, but before he can eat it, a serpent steals the plant from him and devours it. Ironically, this allows the serpent the ability to shed his skin, renewing its life, taking the power away from mortals to rejuvenate their own life.

In the end, Gilgamesh meets a barmaid who turns out to be a minor goddess. She gives him the advice to leave the search for immortality. He must accept the ordinary life, and thus enjoy each day with hope and gratitude.

Gilgamesh's characteristics of bravery, friendship, strength, courage, and the hero's quest, all closely resemble the later myths, such as Odysseus's heroic quest in the Odyssey.

I found the myth intriguing. One of my favorite authors, Ilona Andrews, uses Gilgamesh's tale throughout her Kate Daniels series. She gives it a unique twist which, after studying Gilgamesh's actual story, is even more fascinating.

As always, thank you for following my blog! I hope you enjoyed today's discussion of Gilgamesh. And if you're into hero's tales, you should check out my novella RAZE. It's only $2.99 on Amazon and tells the story of two sisters who embark on their own quest to rescue a girl with unusual abilities, but what they really find may surprise you.

A to Z Challenge: F is for Furies

For today's post I've chosen the Furies. I was somewhat familiar with the Furies before writing this segment, but didn't know how they came to be, or what their exact role was in mythology. Do you know? If not, keep reading, the answers may surprise you.

The Furies, also called the Dirae, were born from Uranus's blood. They were the goddesses of blood vengeance. Aeschylus refers to them as the daughters of the Night. They were also called the Erinyes and they make their home in Hades. 

The Eriynes are more ancient deities than any of the Olympians.Their task is to hear complaints brought by mortals, such as children to their aged parents, hosts to guests (which was very important to the ancient Greeks). They torment their victims, which would have been easy for them to do as they had snake-hair, bat-wings, bloodshot eyes, coal black bodies and dog heads.

Today the Furies remain a source of inspiration and legend. Neil Gaiman's The Sandman graphic novel features the Furies. Have you seen them portrayed?

As always, I want to give a special thanks to all my new followers. If you aren't following my blog, could you please do so? It would put a smile on my face. 

Also, my novella Raze is available on Amazon for $2.99. If you like a plot that keeps you guessing, girls with unusual abilities, and cage fights to the death, then please don't miss out!

A to Z Challenge: E is for Endymion

As promised, today's Greek myth is one of obscurity, though I found it just as fascinating as the more well-known myths.

Quiz: Who was Endymion?

Does anyone know?

If not, here's your answer: Endymion was a handsome shepherd boy with whom the goddess Selene fell in love. Selene was a goddess of the moon. She drove her moon chariot across the heavens, and is said to have had several lovers, including Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion.In some traditions, Selene was thought to be the personification of the moon itself. Her Roman equivalent is Luna.

In many accounts of the story, after Endymion's encounter with Selene, he was put into an eternal sleep, where he would never age or die. How this eternal sleep came about, and what role Selene played in it, are unclear. In one version, Zeus is said to have granted Endymion's eternal sleep. In another version, Selene is thought to be responsible.

What I would like to know is why? Why did Endymion decided he wanted to sleep forever without dying? Did it have something to with Selene? Did he wish to be free from her? Or did he love her? If so, why the eternal sleep?

I've done some research and can't uncover the answer. But for all of my writing friends out there, I can't help but see the potential with this story. Endymion would be alive today. He is ageless. What's his story? Did he love Selene? Or was he at the mercy of an evil moon goddess?

Myths aren't dead. Yesterday's post was evidence of that. So what did happen to Endymion? And where is he now?

As always, please support my blog by following. And don't forget to check out my novella RAZE, about young women with extraordinary abilities called Shines. Each girl has a unique power. Read my book to see what powers you can discover!

A to Z Challenge: D is for Descending

While I usually focus on the original Greek myths, today I'd like to focus on a modern retelling. I discovered Holly Kelly's RISING a few weeks ago and loved it. Kelly incorporates the tales of Triton, messenger of the sea, and son of Poseidon. However, her book is not a retelling of The Little Mermaid. She's created an undersea world inhabited by Dagonians, the descendants of Calypso, a sea nymph, and Dagon, a Sumerian sea god. The Dagonians don't have traditional scaly fins. Instead, their fins look more like a shark's fin. In this story, mermaids are thought to be extinct, and the undersea universe is populated mainly by the Dagonians, who hate mermaids.I loved the way the author incorporates the old myths to create her universe. While Triton wields a trident and lives mostly undersea, he also the ability to walk on land and use transformative magic. I love the new twists on the old stories, which is one of the reasons I connected with this book.

RISING fascinated me. I am now reading the sequel, Descending, which I am also enjoying, although to me it feels a bit more rushed than the first.

That said, discovering new myths is one of the reasons I chose this challenge. Look what worlds can be created from studying the old myths. Kelly brings a unique perspective to the mermaid tale, one which I thoroughly enjoyed, and hope you will too! Her books are available on Amazon and B&N. RISING is free. 

Also, don't forget to follow me and check out my book, RAZE. Have a great weekend!

A to Z Challenge: C is for Cadmus

Happy Thursday to you all! I'm huddled inside my house here in Oklahoma, waiting for the storms to hit, or the tornadoes to tear through. Hopefully not. 

Speaking of death and destruction, I've found a wonderful Greek hero to discuss today. His name is Cadmus. He was the founder and king of Thebes. He married Harmonia and was the father of Agave, Autonoe, Ino, and Semele. His feats of bravery include killing a dragon and, under the direction of Athena, he planted the dragon's teeth.

From these teeth sprouted warriors. They fought among themselves until only five remained. These surviving warriors built Thebes, and their descendants became the Theban aristocracy.

In modern times, Project Cadmus is a fictional genetic engineering project in the DC Comics universe. Some interesting creatures came about because of these experiments, including the Golden Guardian, Auron and Dubilex, a DNAlien telepath who resembles a tall gray alien with horns.

Hendrick Goltzius Cadmus Statens Museum for Kunst

Also, I would like to give a huge "thank-you!" to my new followers. I'm sure you all know how it is to have a fledgling blog, and know the feeling of getting a few new followers. It makes my day! And if you're not following me yet, could you please do so?

My book RAZE is available on Amazon. Cage fights? Teenage girls with extraordinary abilities? A plot that keeps you guessing? You'll find it all in RAZE. Need a fast read for the weekend? You've found it!

A to Z Challenge: B is for Bellerophon

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I'm fascinated with Greek mythology, especially with the myths that aren't as well-known as others. Bellerophon was a perfect choice for today's letter B. 

Do you know who Bellerophon is?

Neither did I. So here's you chance to find out...

Bellerophon is Pegasus's rider. He accepts a magical bridle that lets him mount the horse and kill the Chimaera--a fire-breathing, part lion, goat, and serpent. Bellerophon also fights the Amazons. But he's not content to fulfill his role and retire, as others, like Perseus, have done. Instead, he keeps his magical weapons. He once again mounts Pegasus and attempts to leap the barriers to the heavens. He provokes the gods' hostility.

During the Middle Ages, Perseus eventually replaces Bellerophon as Pegasus's rider, although the original hero was always Bellerophon.

Other notes of interest: the first planet discovered orbiting a sun-like star, 51 Pegasi b, was unofficially nicknamed Bellerophon.
The name Bellerophon has appeared in several TV shows, including Star Trek, Firefly, and Xena: Warrior Princess.

Keep a lookout and I'll bet you'll find Bellerophon in other places--books, TV, science. I hope you learned something new! 

I'd also like to let you know that I've published a novella as part of William Bernhardt's SHINE series. Cage fights, teenage girls with extraordinary abilities, a plot that keeps you guessing--if you need a fast, fun read, please check out my book! RAZE is available on Amazon for only $2.99. And don't forget to check out the other books in the series.