-Vainglorious Girl-
"Do you know anything about Greek Mythology?" she asked.
Perhaps the only test I ever aced without studying was on Greek and Roman Mythology in back in High School. So I tried to sound neutral, if not humble, when I said I knew a lot about the subject. She had a followup:
"Who's an interesting woman [in Greek Mythology]?"
Athena is always my first choice in these unlikely situations in which someone asks me to name an interesting mythical deity. Wisdom personified - she's the classical smart woman who doesn't hide her brain or her power. Artemis hold a similar appeal, but she's ultimately aloof, a huntress who doesn't care to share any knowledge she's gained.
Choosing a godess seemed wrong somehow, and I pressed for more details: "Should it be a mortal or immortal woman?" After the answer came back that either would be acceptable, she finally explained herself. It seems the girl has a project where she must chose a figure from Greek Mythology to be the subject of a 2-3 minute dance.
Immediately I switched gears and focused on mortal women, judging the extended careers of the deities to be too much material for a short performance. There's still so many options, though Persephone (she of the abduction by Hades, six pomegranate seeds eaten, Demeter's seasonal motherhood allegory) was already taken.
Acting out the beauty that kills - as in Helen of Troy and Pandora - did not occur to me at the time.
Back to Athena. She has some interesting mortal encounters. Take Arachne, for example. Arachne boasts of her skill at the loom, A disguised Athena sees it for herself, hears more boasts, reveals herself, and challenges the girl to a contest. Technically, both tapestries are flawless. But Athena finds Arachne's chosen subject matter blasphemous, depicting Zeus's sexual misadventurers and rapes.
We get our term "arachnid" because of what happened next.
Before I'd finished relating the story to my young friend, she was enthusiastically on board.
"Oh, I want to play a spider!" she gushed.
So maybe my reference abilities have been used for good today. I'm not really sure.
"Do you know anything about Greek Mythology?" she asked.
Perhaps the only test I ever aced without studying was on Greek and Roman Mythology in back in High School. So I tried to sound neutral, if not humble, when I said I knew a lot about the subject. She had a followup:
"Who's an interesting woman [in Greek Mythology]?"
Athena is always my first choice in these unlikely situations in which someone asks me to name an interesting mythical deity. Wisdom personified - she's the classical smart woman who doesn't hide her brain or her power. Artemis hold a similar appeal, but she's ultimately aloof, a huntress who doesn't care to share any knowledge she's gained.
Choosing a godess seemed wrong somehow, and I pressed for more details: "Should it be a mortal or immortal woman?" After the answer came back that either would be acceptable, she finally explained herself. It seems the girl has a project where she must chose a figure from Greek Mythology to be the subject of a 2-3 minute dance.
Immediately I switched gears and focused on mortal women, judging the extended careers of the deities to be too much material for a short performance. There's still so many options, though Persephone (she of the abduction by Hades, six pomegranate seeds eaten, Demeter's seasonal motherhood allegory) was already taken.
Acting out the beauty that kills - as in Helen of Troy and Pandora - did not occur to me at the time.
Back to Athena. She has some interesting mortal encounters. Take Arachne, for example. Arachne boasts of her skill at the loom, A disguised Athena sees it for herself, hears more boasts, reveals herself, and challenges the girl to a contest. Technically, both tapestries are flawless. But Athena finds Arachne's chosen subject matter blasphemous, depicting Zeus's sexual misadventurers and rapes.
We get our term "arachnid" because of what happened next.
Before I'd finished relating the story to my young friend, she was enthusiastically on board.
"Oh, I want to play a spider!" she gushed.
So maybe my reference abilities have been used for good today. I'm not really sure.
posted by Benedict | 9:19 AM
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