The Roots of Feminism
Author's Note: This is a fictional story I wrote for my Mythology class during the 2nd semester of my junior year in high school. Ms. Anderson, one of my more open-minded and liberal teachers (whom I also had as a teacher for Latin I in 10th Grade and Latin II in 11th Grade) had assigned us to each write our own creation myth utilizing the inclusion of Gods and Goddesses in our stories. We could either include Gods and Goddesses of any of the world cultures we'd learned about throughout the course (i.e., Greek, Roman, Japanese, Nigerian, etc.) or we could create our own Gods and Goddesses. I decided to use the Greek Olympians in my story.
Our creation myth had to convey a hypothetical account of how a certain entity or concept was created in the world. My creation myth explains how feminism was theoretically introduced into the world. Although my story is probably not based on actual accounts, there is no doubt in my mind that the Greek Olympians (as well as Gods/Goddessses of other world civiliations) may very well exist to this day and are therefore a valid basis for such mythology that exists in the world.
��� Although she had great admiration for all the Olympians, Saentia typically worshipped Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, in particular. Aphrodite knew this, and for that reason took a special interest in Saentia�s life. As the goddess continuously viewed the romantic escapades of Saentia and Meor from her palace atop Mount Olympus, she had become increasingly favorable toward their honest, passionate relationship. One evening, Aphrodite sent her son, Cupid, a love god, to hide in the bushes and spy on the devoted couple during one of their secret meetings. Cupid�s mother had armed him with the Eternal Arrow of Destiny, an ancient spear poisoned with a potent intoxicant of passion. By ritual, when a mortal was struck with the arrow he or she became destined to remain with their true love for eternity. Cupid pulled back his bow and fired the fateful arrow into Saentia�s heart, whereupon the prophecy was sealed.
��� The next morning, Saentia bluntly marched into her father�s chamber and declared her refusal to marry Choele. This act angered Poxus, as well as Poseidon; for Poseidon, the venomous sea god, favored Poxus since he utilized Poseidon�s seas by which to prosper his mercantilist trade. Poseidon, who vocalized for male dominance in the world, felt that Saentia should obey her father and honor the marriage to Choele, which Poxus had arranged for her. One evening while Poxus slumbered in bed with his wife, Talia, Poseidon decided to take action. The sea god floated through the open window of the bedroom in which Poxus and Talia slept, harmoniously whistling a soft melody directed exclusively at the ear of Poxus. Awaked by Poseidon�s musical blow, Poxus stared up at the sight of his god hovering above him by his bedside. Poseidon spoke firmly to Poxus, urging the mortal tradesman to lock Saentia in a high tower as punishment for her refusal to wed Choele. This, Poseidon contended, would motivate the foolish girl to submit to her father�s wishes.
��� At dawn on the very next morning, Poxus ordered his servants to fetch Saentia and secure her in one of the towers. This tower was stone-walled with ivy hugging its sides, and by far surpassed the height of the rest of the family�s mansion. Saentia screamed to be released from the enclosure, but her parents and their servants paid no attention. However, Aphrodite heard Saentia�s cries, and the goddess became quite irate. Aphrodite sent a thick cloud of foggy mist to the tower window; the misty mass reached in and enveloped Saentia in its grip, carrying her away from her family�s mansion. It transported Saentia to the mountainside pasture where Meor tended his flock of sheep; Aphrodite then caused the mist to pick up Meor from the ground as well. Together, Meor and Saentia were brought by the mist to one of Artemis� shady forests of myrtle, cypress, and laurel trees. There they lived among Artemis and her tender forest nymphs for years to come. The couple built a cottage and raised their children. Hestia, goddess of the hearth and home, maternally watched over their cottage and family. Every now and then, Aphrodite would journey into the forest to pay a visit to Meor, Saentia, and their children.
��� As Aphrodite made these periodic visits, her husband, the craftsman god Hephaestus, grew increasingly suspicious. Hephaestus was the ugliest of the Olympians, and his personality occasionally tended to match his appearance. Still stinging with envy from Aphrodite�s affair with Ares, Hephaestus suspected that his wife was once again making love to another. One afternoon, Hephaestus followed Aphrodite as she embarked into the forest to see Meor and Saentia. Trailing behind the goddess, Hephaestus followed his wife at an inconspicuous distance. He spied on Aphrodite through the cottage window and saw her conversing ecstatically with the young couple and their offspring. Immediately, possessiveness took hold of Hephaestus; he was convinced that Aphrodite and Meor had eyes for each other. After confronting Poseidon about the situation, Hephaestus hurried to Athens where he armed Choele with sturdy armor made of steel. Dark, long-tressed, thick-bearded Choele charged through the forest in a chariot until he arrived at the cottage. Adorned in Hephaestus� armor, Choele speared Meor through the heart with one hostile thrust. As Meor collapsed to the ground and died, leaving Saentia grief-stricken in tears, Artemis appeared. She was furious with Choele for having maliciously slaughtered a devoted father and husband; Artemis promptly turned Choele into a serpent.
��� Poseidon was now enraged, for he felt Choele had done nothing to warrant Artemis� wrath. He once again advised Poxus, this time telling him to send Yemedes, Choele�s brother, to avenge Choele�s death. Yemedes, a hot-tempered, hateful soul with a shaggy jet black mane, a rugged beard, and flaring hazel eyes, convinced himself that the best way to honor his brother�s memory would be to claim Saentia as his own, marrying her into his family as was Poxus� original intent. Hephaestus, also being the god of fire, armed the broad-shouldered Yemedes with a blazing torch. Hades, relentless lord of the underworld, provided a helmet for Yemedes that would make Yemedes invisible. Aided by Poseidon, Yemedes let the winds carry him to Saentia�s cottage where she was comforting her children. Using Hephaestus� fiery torch, Yemedes set the cottage aflame and grabbed Saentia persistently, whisking her away to Athens. Saentia shrieked as she was kidnapped by this mighty force, unable to even see it. Yemedes then took off his helmet so Saentia could see him. He told her they would be married.
��� Hestia, angered at Yemedes� abusiveness toward Saentia and torching of Saentia�s cottage, appealed to Zeus for help. But Zeus, supreme and empowered king of the gods, refused to intervene. He insisted upon remaining neutral, as Poseidon was his brother and Aphrodite and Artemis were his daughters; Zeus did not wish to upset any of them by taking sides. Still, Hestia could not accept things the way they were. She sent her nephew, Hermes, the messenger god, to deliver a mandate to Poxus and Yemedes: return Saentia to Artemis� forest alive and well, or else face Hestia�s wrath. But when Hermes arrived at the ivory chapel where Yemedes and Saentia were to be wed, he discovered some startling news: Saentia had poisoned herself with a lethal herb prior to the matrimonial ceremony. She could not bear to spend the rest of her life with the man whose brother had killed her husband. Hermes brought the news back to Hestia, who became infuriated. The goddess was protector of families, mothers and children especially, and she was vexed that a family had been torn apart and children had become orphaned by two meaningless deaths. Knowing Zeus would be of no help, Hestia approached Artemis, who similarly protected women and young people. Artemis was delighted that Hestia wished to conspire with her; the huntress had always been quite fond of her aunt even though she hardly knew Hestia. Over a leisurely meal of ambrosia while sitting and dining in the forest, Artemis and Hestia discussed how they might avenge the deaths of Meor and Saentia.
��� Meanwhile, Saentia�s sister, Rhona, grieved in Athens over Saentia�s death. Rhona was a lovely maiden with sleek, flowing dark hair, bright blue eyes, and soft lips; her curvy physique gave her wiry arms and nimble legs for speed. She was independent and courageous, yet kind toward others. Highly religious, Rhona worshipped Hestia from afar despite not having a husband or children of her own. On the evening following Saentia�s funeral, Rhona kneeled by her bedside and prayed to Hestia, who suddenly appeared before her. Rhona faithfully knew her goddess instantly, and Hestia whispered to Rhona not to be afraid. Hestia told Rhona to help to avenge Saentia�s death and make the world a better place for all wives and mothers. Rhona nodded vigorously, complacent and admirable with Hestia�s beautiful image before her. All of a sudden, Artemis appeared next to Hestia. The wild moon goddess emphasized to Rhona that Rhona�s actions would be destined to eventually affect all mortal women for centuries to come. Artemis assured Rhona that her very own forest nymphs were caring for Saentia�s orphaned children, Rhona�s nieces and nephews. At this same time, Artemis� brother, the sun god Apollo, had gone to recruit Naxeris, Meor�s brother, for their mission of vengeance. Naxeris, handsome and of medium height, was bathing in his home when Apollo appeared before him. At first Naxeris was startled, fearing it might be a female watching him bathe nude; but then he recognized Apollo�s image, and breathed a sigh of relief. Apollo then made Naxeris get dressed and led him outside into the forest.
��� Artemis and Hestia had already brought Rhona to a forest clearing under the moonlight. Apollo and Naxeris soon joined them. Suddenly, Rhona and Naxeris found themselves surrounded by an indignant assembly of additional goddesses, including Athena, Aphrodite, Hera, Eris, Persephone, Demeter, and several others. The goddesses were all angry with Poxus, Choele, and Yemedes for what they had done; they felt Saentia�s freedom and human liberty as a female had been violated. Hestia and Artemis had informed the other goddesses about Poseidon�s interference and how Hades and Hephaestus had helped him. Artemis declared to the group that Rhona must carry on Saentia�s legacy with the aid of Naxeris, and the other goddesses voiced their agreement. Apollo, also the god of truth, recognized the clarity of his sister�s valid words; he and Hermes supported the cause. Once their meeting adjourned, Hera, maddened by Poxus� chauvinist greed which had triggered the whole situation, headed straight toward Mount Olympus to complain to her husband, Zeus. But Zeus simply laughed in his temperamental wife�s face, making Hera even angrier. Another goddess of married women, Hera was struck with sympathy for Saentia. She venomously floated through Poxus� bedroom window and diabolically set his bed ablaze. Robust, balding Poxus helplessly burned to ashes as Hera�s inferno swallowed him and his bed whole; however, Hera had spared Poxus� wife, Talia, out of principle. The queen of the gods lifted Talia up into the air away from the bed, as it burned Talia�s husband, Poxus, alive.
��� At daybreak, Hera gathered the other goddesses and boasted to them of her vengeful deed against Poxus. Rhona showed distress over her father�s demise; Artemis was upset at Hera. The moon goddess resented how Hera had murdered Poxus without telling the rest of them first; Artemis further held a grudge against Hera for using her own bows against her to box her ears back during the conclusion of the Trojan War. Hoping to avert conflict, Hestia mediated between Hera and Artemis, reminding them of the goddesses� true cause and offering to act as a buffer of communication between the two. Simultaneously, Poseidon denounced Hera for killing Poxus, who he was protective of. As an act of revenge against the goddesses, Poseidon orchestrated an assassination attempt on the life of their prot�g�e, Rhona. He ordered Yemedes, accompanied by Ares, the irrational war god, to track down Rhona and dispose of her. But as Yemedes and Ares neared Artemis� forest, the goddesses were prepared. Hestia disguised herself as a voluptuous maiden and solicited Yemedes to make love to her. Yemedes could not resist Hestia�s invitation; yet, the virgin goddess of the hearth set Yemedes on fire before he could take her to bed. Outraged by Hestia�s manipulation, Poseidon confronted Zeus asking him to reprimand Hestia. Zeus simply maintained his neutrality. Feeling betrayed by his brother, Poseidon assembled Hephaestus, Hades, and Ares at his palace under the sea. Hades offered to send his evil, seething hounds up to Earth�s surface to attack Rhona and rip her to shreds. Nevertheless, as the Hounds of Hades ascended from the underworld, Athena saw them coming. Instinctively shifting into her warlike personality, Athena gave Rhona an aegis and spear to use against the hounds. As Hades� hounds approached Rhona, the maiden aimed her sharp spears at the dogs, and Athena guided them into the hounds� bodies, wounding them severely.
��� Ares then descended upon the forest wearing a magnificent exterior of breathtaking, godly glory. With one gaze at Ares, Rhona stood frozen in awe, unable to move because she was so captivated by his grandeur. That would have been the optimum opportunity for Ares to attack Rhona, had Artemis not interfered. Floating over to them, Artemis instilled clarity within Rhona, causing Rhona to see through Ares� contrived facade for who he really was. It all became clear to Rhona that Ares had attempted to fool her. From that moment on, she vowed never again to let her judgment be impaired by the supernatural beauty of a man. Also, Rhona resolved that she would teach other women to follow suit in such assertiveness. In another second, Aphrodite was at Rhona�s side, holding a colorful, sparkling orb in her hands that glimmered with radiant magnitude. This, Aphrodite explained, was the Orb of Power and Effeminacy. The goddess carefully placed it in Rhona�s hands, and Rhona held it to the sky. Rays from the orb veered directly at Ares� face, temporarily blinding him. Ares howled in pain from the strength of the orb and fled the forest. Smiling congenially, Apollo reached out and touched Naxeris� forehead, instilling in him the concept that men and women were truly meant to be equals on Earth, and without one the other could not survive. From the bushes emerged Cupid once again, bow and arrow positioned on his shoulder. The cherubic love god fired arrows into Naxeris� and Rhona�s hearts, causing the two to fall in love with each other. They resolved to be married and raise Meor and Saentia�s children together. As Naxeris and Rhona lovingly linked hands, Hestia instructed them to pass the Orb of Power and Effeminacy down to their eldest mutual future daughter, setting a pattern of its inheritance for future generations.
And so the groundwork for human feminism was laid. Zeus, relaxing in one of his palaces in the sky on the outskirts outside of Mount Olympus, found himself confronted with the issue. A massive assembly consisting of thousands of goddesses, Olympians and lesser goddesses alike, stormed up to Zeus� palace led by Artemis and Hestia. There, they demanded that Zeus acknowledge the rights of mortal females and condone punishments against transgressors who violate females� liberty. When Zeus saw Apollo and Hermes also present to support the goddesses� cause, he began to seriously consider the matter. Hestia narrated for her brother the saga of how Naxeris and Rhona came to be united, and the account moved Zeus somewhat. But when the thunder god caught Hera�s eye and noticed his wife looking him squarely in the face in an intimidating manner, Zeus knew he had no choice but to grant fundamental equality to mortal females. Zeus proclaimed that men and women were entitled to equal rights as humans. He empowered Hestia, Artemis, and Hera with the prime leeway and responsibility for overseeing this basic truth. Additionally, Zeus put them in charge of handing out punishments for crimes against women. The three goddesses accepted this tremendous responsibility, and vowed to ensure that as many women as possible would be taught self-worth, self-sufficiency, and independence for ages to come.
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