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fandomhigh2012-01-18 11:18 am
olympian-herc.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2012-01-18 11:18 am
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Practical Mythology, 1/18/12, Period 2, [Class Session 3]
Hercules' class met in the Danger Shop again, this time in a glorious simulation of... a spring meadow, with grass and other small plant life for as far as the eye could see.
And then, there were twelve seemingly giant figures behind the teacher. They were as still as statues, as Hercules didn't want to make them react like the real Titans.
"Last week I introduced the gods, at least briefly. I promise this week I will not burst into song. These giants behind me are the first twelve Titans, who predate the gods you met last week. They are not the very first, that honor belongs to Ouranos and Gaea, the father and mother of the titans specifically. They would also be the original gods of the sky and the earth. But I am digressing."
"The titans took over Olympus when Cronus," Herc pointed at one of the still simulated Titans, "the youngest of them killed their father at the behest of their mother. But their father with his dying breath said that one of Cronus' own sons would eventually overthrow him." Hercules chuckled.
"Cronus is a jerk, by the way. The titans are mainly jerks. They considered themselves perfection and were not happy when most of their kids decided they wanted to take over. Which was sort of a theme with the races of Olympus. The real lesson here, however, is about a Titan not part of this initial twelve. His name is Prometheus, and he was probably the first hero in history."
Hercules pressed a button on a remote control, and the simulation changed to a cliffside, with a figure chained to it.
"This is Prometheus. He sided with Zeus during Zeus' overthrow of the other Titans, so he was not imprisoned in Tartarus along with many of the other Titans. Instead, he was allowed to go about his business... at least until he decided to take a certain gift down to the mortal people of Earth. That gift was fire. And because he gave this important and powerful gift to mere mortals, Zeus freaked out and had Prometheus chained upon a rock." He gestured over to poor Prometheus. "Where he would remain for all eternity, a great bird coming each day to eat his liver. And yes, his liver would grow back every day."
Hercules shuddered. "Though he did not spend eternity there, as a certain dashing hero eventually came and shattered the chains that held Prometheus in place!" Herc grinned and pressed another button. Prometheus' chains shattered, he turned to look at Hercules, and gave him a big thumbs-up.
"But now comes the discussion question of the day," Hercules said after returning faux-Prometheus' thumbs-up. "Do you think it would be worth eternal punishment to do what you thought was right? Do you think Prometheus made the right decision?"
He clapped his hands. "Discuss. Just keep it civil. And if anyone has further questions on the Titans or anything, you can ask me."
[ooc: OCDcoming up. Class is in session!]
And then, there were twelve seemingly giant figures behind the teacher. They were as still as statues, as Hercules didn't want to make them react like the real Titans.
"Last week I introduced the gods, at least briefly. I promise this week I will not burst into song. These giants behind me are the first twelve Titans, who predate the gods you met last week. They are not the very first, that honor belongs to Ouranos and Gaea, the father and mother of the titans specifically. They would also be the original gods of the sky and the earth. But I am digressing."
"The titans took over Olympus when Cronus," Herc pointed at one of the still simulated Titans, "the youngest of them killed their father at the behest of their mother. But their father with his dying breath said that one of Cronus' own sons would eventually overthrow him." Hercules chuckled.
"Cronus is a jerk, by the way. The titans are mainly jerks. They considered themselves perfection and were not happy when most of their kids decided they wanted to take over. Which was sort of a theme with the races of Olympus. The real lesson here, however, is about a Titan not part of this initial twelve. His name is Prometheus, and he was probably the first hero in history."
Hercules pressed a button on a remote control, and the simulation changed to a cliffside, with a figure chained to it.
"This is Prometheus. He sided with Zeus during Zeus' overthrow of the other Titans, so he was not imprisoned in Tartarus along with many of the other Titans. Instead, he was allowed to go about his business... at least until he decided to take a certain gift down to the mortal people of Earth. That gift was fire. And because he gave this important and powerful gift to mere mortals, Zeus freaked out and had Prometheus chained upon a rock." He gestured over to poor Prometheus. "Where he would remain for all eternity, a great bird coming each day to eat his liver. And yes, his liver would grow back every day."
Hercules shuddered. "Though he did not spend eternity there, as a certain dashing hero eventually came and shattered the chains that held Prometheus in place!" Herc grinned and pressed another button. Prometheus' chains shattered, he turned to look at Hercules, and gave him a big thumbs-up.
"But now comes the discussion question of the day," Hercules said after returning faux-Prometheus' thumbs-up. "Do you think it would be worth eternal punishment to do what you thought was right? Do you think Prometheus made the right decision?"
He clapped his hands. "Discuss. Just keep it civil. And if anyone has further questions on the Titans or anything, you can ask me."
[ooc: OCD
Re: Class Discussion!
"Why did he choose to give fire to the mortals?" she asked. "Did he know he would risk eternal punishment? Why would Our Lord God not spare Prometheus's soul from Hellfire?"
Perhaps she wasn't divorcing herself from her own notions of reality as much as she thought.
She realized she hadn't answered half of the question, and said, without hesitation, "I would do it for Cesare."
Re: Class Discussion!
"Because they're different belief structures?" he said. "Much how Odin and the like did not spare him, either. Your God had no business with Prometheus."
This was hard to explain.
Re: Class Discussion!
"What love did Prometheus have for mortals, that he damned himself thus?" she asked, instead.
Re: Class Discussion!
"That is a very good question," Hercules said. "I wish he was here to speak for himself. But I think he knew that mortals would have a much better life if they had fire. Which they did."
Re: Class Discussion!
Re: Class Discussion!
Re: Class Discussion!
She had to admit, she had glimpsed something similarly dangerous and self-destructive in Cesare. It frightened her. Not because she cared much if the world burned, but because she would not like to see Cesare damned.
Re: Class Discussion!