Myth:
“It’s a small city that was safe for demigods and other descendants of the gods. It’s safer for us than the outside world,” Sam had said during their Via Rail trip from Calgary, to wherever this was. Somewhere in between Banff and Jasper, if Jena had to guess.
Jena took in the air of the small metropolitan city as she sat in the communal outdoor dining pavilion. The pavilion was located in the centre of the city, with two long, large tables decorated with food for everyone in the small cities. They were surrounded by lit torches, that warmed the civilians on the late September evening. The food decorating the two tables consisted of fresh vegetables, bread, fish, and various cheese. However, Jena was more interested in the wine in the wooden cup before her, as it was the best wine she had ever tasted.
“Yeah, the wine is the best thing,” the boy in front of her exclaimed. Jena earlier in the conversation had learned his name was Raj, a son of Athena.
There were many small families in the city, but mostly young adults. They varied from early teenagers to young adults in their late twenties, who looked like they ran the city.
“Is it common to see them? Do all demigods see them?” Jena asked. She was referring to the Stymphalian birds that had previously attacked during her trip to Walmart. Sam, the young Asian-Canadian daughter of Dionysus, turned her attention to Jena.
Jena had first met Sam when the latter had shown up in the middle of Walmart trying to tell Jena that she was a demigod. Honestly, Jena would have ignored her and tried to proceed back home if not for the swarm of birds, with metallic wings and bronze beaks had shown up.
“More so now than before,” Sam said. “It wasn’t common when I first came, but they are getting angrier every day.”
“Who’s getting angrier?”
“The Titans.” It was a short explanation like Jena should’ve known.
Jena slowly nodded, but her confusion must’ve shown because Sam continued her point. “The Titans are angry at the Olympians; they think they are doing a bad job at controlling the mortal world. The mortals just get worse every generation. They become greedier, more corrupt, worse mannered. Titans think it’s because of the way the Olympians rule. They’re mad because they ruled better. That’s why they set wildfires, droughts, extreme heat, the rising sea levels, but the mortals they never learn. ”
Jena nodded, this time actually understanding. “The Titans are creating climate change?”
“Obviously; why would the Olympians want to destroy a world they rule,” Sam exclaimed.
“So why are the Stymphalian birds worse?” Jena asked.
“Killing all the Stymphalian birds was one of Heracles’ labours” Raj said, clearly eavesdropping in their conversation. “His tasks had gotten rid of the last remaining traces of the Titans.”
“So the Titans are not only getting angrier, but stronger. Which, as children of the Olympians is not good for us,” Sam finished.
There was a small pause between the three, which made Jena realize they had started to catch the attention of other civilians around them.
“So, Jena,” Raj started trying to lift the mood around the pavilion, “Who’s your godly parent?”
Analysis:
Jena meets the Stymphalian Birds is a Canadian adoption of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, with a couple of minor differences. The story explores the idea of Jena being introduced to the phenomena of the demigod world. This myth is illustrated as a passage of a larger story that introduces the idea of a threat of the Titans' anger rising. This is used to explain the concept and the effects of Global Warming to the readers. However, this passage further analyses various mythological texts to creatively explain the Titan’s anger and rising danger.
This analysis will explore the various topics that the new myth possessed that are similar to the oral traditions that were told by the Ancient Greeks. It will also discuss why there were differences that this myth had from the stories that were once told. First, it will discuss the aetiological myth of Global Warming; this will look into the creation myth by Hesiod, to explore the similarities and differences. Secondly, there will be an exploration of Heracles’ 12 Labours, as they were mentioned during the story. Thirdly, this analysis will explore the importance of feasts in Greek culture, and how its significance was shown in oral traditions by the Greeks. Lastly, there will be a small analysis of Jason’s antihero characteristics and how they can be seen in the main character, Jena.
Titans are Global Warming
During Jena’s dinner conversation, it is implied that the Titans are the ones that are behind Global Warming, and its extreme weather. The myth implies that the Titans are angry at the Olympians for allowing the humans to become “greedier, more corrupt and worse mannered”.
This specific concept is similar to the creation myth by Hesiod; the Olympians are the younger generation of gods that take over after the Titans (Hesiod, Theogony.). Though the Titans did not create the universe, they ruled it after overthrowing the fathers before them (Hesiod.). In this myth, the Titans feel as though they deserve to rule as much as the Olympians.
The Titans' anger with the corruption around the world can be explained by the Titan, Themis, who is the Goddess of divine law and order (Hesiod.). The evolution of the world has moved toward capitalism, large income inequalities, poverty, and various other social issues. Thus, the Titans are upset because the mortals do not seem to want to change.
In this specific story, the Olympian rule is trying to be overthrown by the generation of Gods before them, the Titans. This is was created as a plot to explain the inconsistencies of extreme weather because of Global Warming. Furthermore, the story explores one of the tasks that Heracles completed to explain the Titan’s return.
Héraclès’ 12 Labours v. Jena’s 1 Labour
Similar to the Hercules in Euripides’ Herakles, in this myth, Jena has an encounter with Stymphalian birds (Euripides, Herakles 1.). This is supposed to support the statement of the Titans becoming angrier at the Olympian world. In Euripides, Heracles does twelve tasks to redeem himself; all twelve of these tasks are the last remaining traces of the Titans (Euripides.). Heracles riding the world of these monsters meant creating a world that was consistent with just the Olympians.
Jena describes the birds to have “metallic wings and bronze beaks”, to explain them to be the same Stymphalian birds that Heracles defeated (Euripides.). However, the birds are known to be habiting in the swamps in Stymphalia, which is where they get their name from. In the new myth, the birds are said to attack Jena at a local Walmart in Calgary.
The act of Stymphalian birds attacking Jena is meant to depict that the Titans are getting stronger; therefore can bring back monstrous species that have been extinct for centuries. Furthermore, the Stymphalian birds were a creation of the Titans and them specifically attacking Jena is meant to show the Titans taking out their anger on the Olympian’s kids. Heracles Labours are added to this new myth to simply amplify the idea of the Titans' anger being the cause of Global Warming.
Feasts Create Communities
The town in the story is meant to be similar to other Ancient Greek cities. To indicate this, the new myth includes certain traditions and cultures that are common in Ancient Greek cultures. Feasts play a large role in Ancient Greek communities during special times. They are known to bring together communities and are often dedicated to the goddess Demeter or the god Dionysus.
Demeter is the goddess of agriculture and harvest. Ironically, the specific feast in the myth takes place during late September, which is usually a harvest time in Canada. The myth also goes into detail to explain the types of food that are present around the table, which is also consistent with that of the food present during an average Ancient Greek feast. Furthermore, to show the presence of Demeter, there are also torches lit around the pavilion to add warmth and light to the atmosphere. In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, she carries a torch for 9 days, when searching for Persephone, who is kidnapped by Hades and forced to marry (Homer, Homeric Hymn to Demeter, 2.48.). Persephone’s kidnapping results in Demeter being angry and taking away agriculture from the mortals (Homer.); likely, this colder time could also be represented by the late September weather.
Similar to Demeter being acknowledged metaphorically, Dionysus is also indicated to be present during a feast. Euripides’ text tells readers to respect Dionysus, the god of wine, without whom a feast is incomplete and unsatisfying (Euripides, Bacchae 770); this is also shown in the myth. However, the characters do not specifically show their respect for Dionysus, they are very much so very fond of the wine. To have wine present is also a common factor of Greek feast; however, the major difference being the way the containers the wine is usually present is. Ancient Greek is known to have goblets, whereas here they have wooden cups; this is to show their adoption of Canadian cultures.
Jena v. Jason
The story of Jena meets the Stymphalian birds shows Jena as an individual who has similar characteristics to the Greek hero, Jason. Throughout all four of Apollonius’ books, Jason is interrupted as an individual, who is unlike any of the other heroes in the Argonauts (Apollonius, Argonautica, 1-740). All the other heroes that are listed in the Argonauts, such as Heracles, Pollux, Castor, and many others, are known for their various heroic stories (Apollonius). Whereas, Jason is depicted as an individual who is often uncomfortable and unsure about how to handle problems that arise, despite being the leader.
Similar to Jason, Jena is also someone who becomes unsure and uncomfortable in situations that she is unfamiliar with. Throughout the whole dinner conversation, Jena is depicted as someone uncomfortable with the new information that is being thrown at her. This environment was created so that Jena would be seen as a character, who does not wish to be a hero or a demigod. It is also not clear if Jena is the leader, however, she is the protagonist, who does not have the ideal protagonist characteristics.
The idea of an antihero is further represented by the other demigods that are also represented in the story. In Book one of Argonautica, the Argonauts preferred Heracles as their leader, as he was a better fit to be a leader (Apollonius). This passage indicated that Sam was far more heroic than Jena, however, Jena remains the main character of the story. This may be further explored throughout the whole story.
Conclusion
This story is illustrated as a small passage of a larger story; during this passage, Jena learns about how the Titans are the reason for Global Warming. Hesiod’s creation myth explains that the Titans were the rulers of the world before the Olympians (Hesiod, Theogony). This passage indicates that the Titans feel they would be better rulers than the Olympians, as corruption and greed did not exist when they ruled. The growing anger of the Titans is shown by the attack on Jena by the Stymphalian birds. In Euripides Dramas, we learn that Heracles’ 12 Labours rid the world of the remaining dangers of the Titans era; the attack of the Stymphalian birds' emphasis that the remains of the Titan era are growing from their anger at the Olympians.
From the story we further get evidence of Jena and her world, as one that is inspired by oral traditions from the Greeks. The emphasis on the importance of feasts is shown throughout the passage, as well as the idea of an anti-hero. Jena is someone is uncomfortable with her surrounding and unsure about how to handle the problem; thus holding similar characteristics to Jason. This specific myth not only adopts attributes from oral traditions of the Ancient Greeks, but also the modern-day Rick Riordan’s stories of heroes.
Reference:
1. Theogony, Hesiod.; Hesiod.; Lamberton, Robert.; Lombardo, Stanley, 1943-Indianapolis : Hackett Pub. Co.c1993 (from the Quercus page)
2. ‘Euripides’ - "Greek Dramas" (p251, 1900)
3. Homer, Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter, 48 ff.
4. Euripides, Bacchae 770 ff
5. Apollonius Rhodius. Argonautica. Translated by Seaton, R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912.