I was watching The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare and thinking to myself, "This play is so unrealistic, the king gets into his head that his wife is cheating on him and won't be dissuaded by anyone." And then it struck me in the face when the gods intervened to correct the king, "This play is horrifying because if the king gets the wrong idea in his head, no one can stop him from destroying everything." For a second, I got way too comfortable in my sanguine, 21st century, democratic country mindset. In a monarchy or a dictatorship, a single person could drag an entire country down and there wasn't a lot anyone could do to stop him... or maybe I should have thought a bit more about current events and other counties today (I don't live in the US). This isn't a hot take or anything, I'm just admitting to be an idiot (briefly, hopefully) and not taking the right perspective while watching a play.
This speech stood out to me in Hamlet because it's talking about the same thing. Hamlet is the heir to the throne, if he's actually insane, that's a big deal for Denmark:
GUILDENSTERN: Most holy and religious fear it is
To keep those many many bodies safe
That live and feed upon your Majesty.
ROSENCRANTZ : The single and peculiar life is bound
With all the strength and armor of the mind
To keep itself from noyance, but much more
That spirit upon whose weal depends and rests
The lives of many. The cess of majesty
Dies not alone, but like a gulf doth draw
What’s near it with it; or it is a massy wheel
Fixed on the summit of the highest mount,
To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things
Are mortised and adjoined, which, when it falls,
Each small annexment, petty consequence,
Attends the boist’rous ruin. Never alone
Did the king sigh, but with a general groan.
The country's fate rests in the hands of the king. He can't go insane alone, he drags everyone down with him, and that is, of course, what happens and what Shakespeare's audience would have known as a very real fear.
Anyway, I'm occasionally dumb. This post probably applies to some things happening in the real world right now but I don't want to dwell on that... It is not great times when your country's survival depends on the mental health of one dude who is extremely hard to remove from office the throne.
Like sure there is a lot more than to say that Priam was an old king of Troy, king of a great city, father to countless children and victim to the violence of Neoptolemous!
So here are some small pieces of info or thoughts in regards to Priam that honestly I wish I saw people talk about more.
Priam is definitely an interesting figure. Most of us know him as the King of Troy; the leader of great age and great wisdom that kept his own land safe against the attacks of the Greeks however there is so much more to him indeed!
He had a long life filled with his own pains and adventures and daresay his mistakes! Priam was also a deeply emotional man! We already see that to the Iliad when he tries to persuade Achilles not only with words but also with emotions. No wonder he was the only one able to persuade him to give Hector back;
Priam and Achilles share the common factor that they are emotional!
The king of Troy being deeply emotionally traumatized acted out according to his own emotions too. Drastically one might say in many occasions when his efforts were in vain especially when he tried to save his sister, Hesione, who was also partially the reason why he was saved himself. Carrying the burden of his father's refusal to keep his word and this led to the dysanalogous reaction by Heracles which led to the domino of decisions and emotions on his part that indirectly led Troy to its doom!
Let's unwrap together some of these small facts and thoughts about Priam based on some later sources!
Priam born with a different name!
Priam's original name was Podarces (Ποδάρκης), the youngest son of king Laomedon of Troy. His name being Greek in this and meaning literally "swift-footed"
(Goddamn the FORESHADOWING! Like his doom to his family comes from a man that was known with the epithet "fast in feet!)
Priam being sold as a slave to his own sister for a veil and earning his name
Hesione being rescued initially by Heracles from the sea monster she was offered to but when her father refused to pay the price he promised to Heracles, Heracles took the city, taking Hesione as a captive but he offers her to Telamon as a war prize instead of keeping her himself. He told Hesione to pick anything she wanted to have with her. Hesione picked her brother Podarces. Heracles however pointed out that he should first be a slave to be taken by her. Hesione agreed and she offered Heracles her golden veil to buy her brother as ransom.
Ever since Podarces got his name "Priam" by the Greek verb "πρίαμαι" which means "to buy"
(Like guys do you understand?! The KING of Troy has a name belonging to a SLAVE!)
Uncle to Teucer
Hesione as a war prize to Telamon becomes either his second wife or his concubine, depending on the source. She gave birth to her son Teucer with Telamon. This made Priam the uncle of Teucer.
Teucer or "Teukros" comes from different origins but one more that seems to be spoken by some later sources is an alternative name for the Trojans "Teucroi" from one of their leaders by the name Teukros -like poor baby was probably literally called "the Trojan" all his life!-
(DUDE! THE DYNAMICS AND THE DRAMA! Teucer was fighting a fight against a family he didn't know that came from an affair or a marriage between a king and a war-prize that was also an ex-princess and Priam was watching the child of his beloved sister that saved his life fighting against him!)
Becoming king of Troy
Priam, previous Podarces, was left to his homeland by his sister Hesione, because she hoped that he would restore it in the future and so it happened. Priam became the king of Troy after the sacking by Heracles already marrying to secure the throne and produce heirs
(Priam rising from a captive and a slave to a king pretty fast huh?)
He abandoned his newly born son to save his country
Priam heard that the child born (later known as Paris) would be the destruction of the city. Knowing that he takes the decision to give the child away to his servant Agelaus who let the baby suckle milk from a bear for five days. When the baby was safe to travel he took it away.
(Again FORESHADOWING MY BELOVED! Priam let go of his son because he chose his country and its safety over him. His city was then to be taken by a man who chose his son's life over the danger of war)
Tried to take his sister back
Priam waited enough for his city to be secured and for some time to pass till he thought it was about time to right the wrong of his father not to keep the promise to Heracles, in order to get his sister Hesione back so that she would be a servant or a concubine no more. He sent Antenor to Peleus first and when Antenor repeated the requests of Priam, Peleus was upset and sent him away. Antenor didn't give up and went directly to Telamon to ask for Hesione. Telamon refused saying that he committed nothing wrong against Priam and refused to give no old Hesione back and sent Antenor away. Antenor then jumped to the next king. This time Castor and Pollux took him in. Antenor tried again but the two brothers refused to help him take her back by force saying that no injury was caused to Priam or anything else to justify such a conflict. Last Antenor went to Nestor himself who not only refused but also scolded him by daring to make such a proposal due to many factors. Antenor was forced to return
(I mean one needs to give kudos to Antenor for being freaking persistent now right?)
Tried to start a war against the Greeks
Priam was furious and thought that Greeks thought of them as source of scorn and so he spoke to his sons especially those he had fathered by concubines to show them his fury and of course his eldest, Hector, to begin an expeditions against the Greeks and make them pay for their crimes. Hector said he would definitely do that especially to avenge his grandfather's death by the hands of Heracles but he also mentioned they would lose not only because the Greeks in their own grounds would have allies but also because they had built no ships and they would have a disadvantage. Paris now actually insisted that they should build a fleet and take them down and that he too would lead the expedition if he had to
(Dude but THE FORESHADOWING AGAIN!!!!! Priam was willing to start a full war against all Greeks for the sake of his sister! Menelaus started a war against all Trojans for the sake of his wife! Man! Talk about two men take things personally!)
Thought of options and building of fleet
Even if he considered other options and heard the warning of his son Helenus that if Paris brought a wife from Troy, everything would be over. Even Cassandra warned him that if he tried to attack the Greeks then Troy would suffer. Priam thought that a dream he had would mean that Aphrodite would be by the side of Paris and therefore the odds would be to his favor. Troilus even spoke up and basically told them not to listen to Helenus and the fleet began to be built
(Tsk tsk tsk... Priam my man you have sons that warn you...one of them being a freaking prophet or at least augur that is not cursed by Apollo not being believed! Perhaps you should have listened shouldn't ya? But then again fate again!)
The march of the fleet
After the fleet was built eventually it was ordered to head for the Greeks with Paris leading one portion of it. He crossed paths with Menelaus who was on his way to Pylos to visit Nestor. Menelaus was surprised at the magnificence of the fleet he saw obviously being a royal one and vice versa, given that both adversaries wondered where the other was heading. According to Dares the Phrygian always, Paris went to Cythera to offer sacrifices to Aphrodite and for some reason Helen also went there, where the affair begins. Although I personally go with the hospitality at Menelaus's arrangement still!)
(Dude all this DELICIOUS DOMINO EFFECT! LIKE COME ON! Also typical Paris! He marches with a fleet to war and he returns with a married woman as loot! Come on dude! That's not how wars are done!
And imagine Priam later seeing the march of the Greek fleet after HE had sent a fleet against THEM first! This time a grand fleet that was coming to get HIM! Gosh!)
Delighted to see Helen
Unlike what you would believe, he seems initially delighted to see Helen because he believes he can strike a bargain to get Hesione back by also returning Helen. He even noticed that Helen already had regrets so he consoles her and he even gives her as a wife to Paris (or I would expect that he approved their bond if one takes the sources that Paris consummated his marriage earlier)
(My dude Priam...come on! You thought you could slip away from the war YOU wanted to start already? Tsk tsk tsk...my poor delusional old boy!)
Locking Cassandra away
Cassandra kept on and on with her prophecy that the union would bring destruction to Troy. Priam eventually ordered for Cassandra to be removed from the room and locked away!
(Like...the classic "go to your room without supper" I hope? Somehow not convinced like...yeah Priam that was extreme! I know she is not believed but damn! And I gotta give it to Cassandra she KEEPS TRYING!)
Calling back the fleet
When Priam finds out the Greeks prepare a war for Helen he immediately calls his fleet back to regroup and prepare themselves for the worst
(A bit too late dude...and how tragic irony again how he planned war first but now he sees a counter measure for a similar reason and man what a counter-attack even if subconsciously that was! He had 1000 ships at his doors and 10.000 men like there on the spot!)
Sending away Odysseus and Menelaus
When the demands were made Odysseus and Menelaus were reminded by Priam the actions of the Argonauts to take Troy, kill the king and take Hesione. Even brought the subject of the treatment of Antenor up to be refused the return of Hesione. He ordered for the two to be removed from the premises. I expect things would get rough if we take into account Homer and Paris's bribe to make sure Menelaus and Odysseus wouldn't come out of there alive!
Honestly the dude manifested everything there! That was the last moment he had to negotiate but he chose not to! Like Priam! What happened to your other plan to exchange women Priam? Off the window?
[A large number of this information comes from later lores of course such as Apollodorous and Dares the Phrygian as well as Pausanias among others but man I love the digging of the sources! I think Priam's own sufferings but also his wrongdoings or miscalculations and his emotions ruling him are not talked enough so I thought I should bring it up!!!]
is it possible for the avatar to not be able to bend his/her own “natural” element?
like what if there was an air bender avatar (probably before Yang Chen to see the four nations still semi-isolated) whose personality was just the total opposite of the nation he/she was supposed to represent.
I always found incredibly interesting how both ATLA and LOK managed to play with the concept of how the avatar’s personality can influence his/her affinity towards mastering the other elements.
It would be both hilarious and interesting to see an air nomad avatar who was too stubborn and hot headed to be “the leaf” and could master all the elements EXCEPT for the one he/she was supposed to learn first to begin with.
I’d rather see that that whatever apocalyptic version the new avatar studios is planning on doing tbt
i know jealous andrew is like the Thing but neil josten was not in that series like 'andrew hanging out with his only friend instead of me is making my chest feel weird…time to go talk to her about it even tho ive been avoiding her the entire time bcus she gives me the creeps. which could mean nothing.' for his jealous gf vibes to go unappreciated and unnoticed!!
For some reason I always imagined Peter having Malia in his teens like I'm so serious like when I watch teen wolf I like imagine him as like 24 when the fire happened and him being like 16 when Malia was born?? Making him like 29/30 in the first season.
And Derek is a whole other fucking shit show because I see him as 19 in the first season(the age he was supposed to be but then the shows writers and shit decided to age him tf up so that Kate's assault didn't look so bad) which the fire happened six years before that which makes Derek 13 when he got assaulted by Kate and then Derek would have been like 13 or 12 when he got his blue eyes by killing Paige. (Which I refuse to believe that was his fault give my baby his yellow eyes back)
Also back to Malia when the Wolves/Coyotes stay in their full shift form for like years at a time I imagine they age faster for some reason like dogs would? But I'm not following that train of thought here with Peter's age so if it did work like that maybe I'd like say he was older when he had her around maybe 18?
I don't know if any of this even makes sense tbh. My thoughts on their ages are just as screwed up as the shows Canon ages.
“It’s fathers day so im gonna draw my fuckass (birth) father ” -hollyleaf/me
Anyways i drew crowfeather because i keep forgetting it’s fathers day lol- hey he kind of looks like me
I think i can recall him visiting tc every so. But only when i was a young apprentice when i would sometimes snoop around camp at night and catch leafpool speaking to him. He stopped coming over after a while tho. And i didnt say anything (i didn’t know they were together back then lol. I assumed he was either a rouge or clan-mate i haven’t met?)
But me, jay and lion did meet him later tho, he was chill
Why tf am i talking about kin memories this is supposed to be an art post
I kind of don't see the appeal of mtf or ftm as terms. They feel reductive, while trying to push people into really specific boxes of gender identity and expression.
I find that transfem, transmasc, trans man and trans woman are better descriptors for those of us that are closer to a binary gender identity. But you can also be non-binary, gender fluid, agender or a whole set of unique gender identities for intersex people.
Mtf and ftm feel like terms that exist to appease cis people. They don't feel like terms that belong to me necessarily. I'm sure that there are trans people that see these terms as important for their lives. But I feel like their meaning can't be disconnected from us trying to be the good little docile trannies that are going to hide away to not trigger a cis person by our mere existence.
