November
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
"A Friend For Life"
The Scorpio sign is an enigmatic one, as it stands for passion as well as destruction. The Greek goddess of the hunt, Artemis, knew one great love: the hunter Orion. According to some myths, he died from a scorpion bite and both him and the scorpion were elevated to the firmament. (Never to be seen at the same time.) And when the son of Helios ventured a joyride through the sky in his father’s sun chariot, it was this scorpion that caused the horses to bolt, upon which he fell to his death. Those tales put a shadow of negativity over the scorpions, but while it’s true that they have “a sting in the tail”, they will never lash out without serious provocation. Scorpios are ambitious and may come across as calculating and controlling. But what they really crave is physical closeness and emotional intimacy. As masters of intuition and insight, they demonstrate unparalleled empathy, depth and commitment. They’re the most loyal and loving sign of the Zodiac, and once they’ve built trust, a Scorpio is a friend for life. Back to November overview.
Birthstone: Citrine
"The Philosopher's Stone"
Do you sometimes wonder which gemstone could it be, the one that turns base metal into gold and is the key-ingredient for the potion of eternal youth? Well, if you’re born in November, you’re in luck: your birthstone citrine should do the trick. For the Egyptians, it was the stone of Ra, their sun god, and for the Greeks, it was Apollo’s. He would have caught a glimpse of the sun in a piece of quartz and called his creation “kitron” or lemon. The more saturated yellow the colour (with no hints of brown), the more valuable the stone. It has a reputation of bringing wealth and success to its wearer since ancient times. For the Romans, it was the “merchants’ stone” and it later evolved to “the philosophers’ stone”, “stone of manifestation” or “prosperity stone”, with the power to make dreams come true. It will attract luck in love as well as in business, and it repells all forms of negative energy. Natural citrine is rare, but the gem can be artificially created and it will still be the most positive stone of all. Especially in November. Back to November overview.
November 01: All Saints' Day
"Elysium"
In ancient Greece, as in today’s world, people tried to live a righteous life, some in the hope of an afterlife that would make it all worthwhile. The Greeks of course had a very concrete image of what this would look like, albeit that opinions varied about the exact location and the way to get there. In any case, a dead soul would have to cross the underworld river Styx, and they’d better bring a penny (“obol”) for the ferryman. (It was custom to put one under the tongue of the deceased.) Despite all best offers, most souls would end up in the Asphodel Fields, as a bleak shadow of their former selves. But for the lucky few, who had lived exceptionally heroic lives, a better destiny awaited. They were admitted to the Elysian Fields, and according to Homer, (after)life was good there: “And they live untouched by sorrow in the islands of the blessed, along the shore of deep swirling ocean, happy heroes, for whom the grain-giving earth bears honey-sweet fruit, flourishing thrice a year.” It’s worth mentioning that the palace of the French president is called “L’Elysée”, which suggests rather pleasant accommodation. Back to November overview.
November 02: Mourning Month
"A Mausoleum"
Not unlike people in the present day, the ancient Greeks tried to soften the grief of losing a loved one by establishing some kind of permanent reminder or memorial. Mythical gods or kings could create a new species of tree or plant (think of the hyacinth in honour of young Hyakinthos). They could also rename a town or realise a geographical feature. Ophiteia (meaning “Snaketown” – now Amfikleia) for instance, was founded by a grieving father, who had accidently unalived his own son, together with the snake that had been protecting the kid. And when little prince Lophis died in accordance with an oracle’s decree, his blood formed the Lophis-river. The most extraordinary commemorative creation however, was built in the 4th century BC, on the instructions of queen Artemisia of Karia. When her husband Mausolos died, she would mix his ashes in her daily drink and she ordered the construction of a spectacular crypt at Halikarnassos. Until this day, “mausoleum” is still the generic term for any splendid sepulchral monument. Back to November overview.
November 03: Mourning Month
"Any Worse Injury"
Koresos was a priest of Dionysos, hopelessly in love with the ravishing and bubbly maiden Kalliroë. She was just discovering life, and in her mind, a man was not a plan. Maybe if Koresos would have given her a bit more time, a bit more space. But he pursued her relentlessly, and when he felt he had tried hard enough, he called on his god and master for help. Dionysos – never the subtile one – brought on a curse on the entire village, and demanded the sacrifice of Kalliroë, or anyone who wanted to take her place. Not surprisingly, nobody came forward. Thus, Kalliroë, alone and frightened, walked up to the aisle to be slaughtered. Koresos however couldn’t find the courage to do the deed. (This obviously wasn’t the outcome that he had prayed for.) Instead, he took his own life. For Kalliroë, life had already lost all appeal, and she followed him in death. According to the Roman writer Pausanias, “love never inflicted any worse injury on a man”. I tend to disagree. Love had nothing to do with it. Back to November overview.
November 04: Mourning Month
"Endearing"
In young Kuparissos’ family, deer were no hunting preys. They were literally held dear, as one had suckled Kuparissos’ father after he had been abandoned. Kuparissos had always had a tame one, that followed him everywhere. The god Apollo found it endearing, the boy and his deer playing together and one day, he joined in. Kuparissos felt flattered by the attention of a god, especially one as bright, talented and witty as Apollo, and they shared some blissful weeks of warmth and joy. Which – in Greek mythology – is the most you can wish for. So on an autumnal morning, when playing a hunting game, Apollo mockingly took a shot at Kuparissos, who ran for cover laughing. Alas, the deer ran with him and was hit by Apollo’s next shot. While it died in his arms, Kuparissos cried inconsolably. He kept on sobbing for days, and eventually, Apollo transformed the boy into a cypress, with tears of sap on his trunk. Until this day, the trees can be found on cemeteries as symbols for grief and mourning. Back to November overview.
November 06: Mourning Month
"Resurrection"
The theme of death and resurrection was not a popular one in Greek mythology. As their world view was based on the strict distinction between mortals and immortals, it would come close to hubris to explore the possibilities of rising from the dead, even in the form of a fairytale. When a mortal died, his soul traveled to the underworld, and the best one could hope for, was to end up in “Elysium”, the “Isle of the Blessed”. The myths where souls get a second chance are few and far between, Alkestis being the proverbial exception. So, when the famous explorer Herodotos gave his account of this wonderful Egyptian bird, called a “phenix”, that regenerates every five hundred years, it didn’t cause much of a stir. There are no traces of it in Greek art or literature, and the only “Phoinix” they knew, was a Trojan war hero. But the theme has survived the ages, and the notion of this phenomenal bird that will self combust and then rise from its ashes is popular in modern culture. For the Greeks, though, it was just a bridge too far. Back to November overview.
November 07: Mourning Month
"Go With The Flow"
Greek mythology nymphs can be categorised according to their habitat: Dryads (tree nymphs), Oceanids (ocean nymphs), Oreads (mountain nymphs),… Or according to descent: Hesperids (Hesperos), Nereids (Nereus),… Not all nymphs were as “nymphomaniac” as tradition wants us to believe. Maybe the Naiads (fountain nymphs) were the most libertine. Ravishing Argyra for example, who mesmerised the naive sheperd boy Selemnos. When she dumped him just as nonchalantly as she’d seduced him, he was distraught. Aphrodite, goddess of love, felt sorry for him, transformed him into a river and wiped all memories from his mind. For centuries, boys and girls who had their heart broken – by nymphs or otherwise – would submerge themselves in this stream, to “forget their passion and cure the wounds of love”. Now, wouldn’t you agree with Pausanias that “if this would work, the water of the Selemnos would be worth more to mankind than a good deal of money.” Back to November overview.
November 08: World Urbanism Day
"Life In Technicolour"
The image that we have of an ancient Greek city is that of a grey and lifeless ruin. In fact, Greek cities were anything but dark and dull. Greeks loved exuberance and lavishly decorated temples, clothes and utensils in all the colours of the rainbow. The artefacts that remain from these days have of course lost their layers of paint over the years. And in the period of the “renaissance”, when people went out of their way to recreate the ancient art and culture, pure white marble was the material of choice. But it would have been only a starting point for the Greeks. In modern eyes, their style choices seem over the top and sometimes, it went too far even for their contemperaries. Some posh Athenians for instance criticised the designs of the sculptor Pheidias for a new Athena-temple. The building would look like “a prostitute with too much make-up”, not a fitting tribute to their virgin patroness! But the man in the street loved it and the “Parthenon” was built as planned. And it seems all other gods were jealous of Athena’s magnificent new home. Back to November overview.
November 09: Mourning Month
"Till Death Do Us Part"
In Greek myths, parents are allowed to have a favourite child, and for king Pelias, that would be Alkestis. Suitors who came to ask for her hand, were set and impossible challenge, but a colleague-king, Admetos, enlisted the help of his mate Apollo, and passed the test. Alkestis was enamoured by her strong and handsome husband, and her rather enjoyed her unconditional admiration, so they spent a very pleasant honeymoon. But then, Admetos managed to upset the Fates, goddesses of destiny, who promptly set a date for him to die. Unless… someone would take his place. To Admetos’ horror, his elderly parents clung to life, and didn’t volunteer. Sweet Alkestis though, didn’t want to live in a world without her man, and freely descended to the underworld, leaving Admetos more ashamed than he’d anticipated. Most myths then talk about Herakles stepping in, but older versions say that Persephone, warmhearted Queen of Souls, sent Alkestis back. Hopefully with some words of advice about equality and self esteem. Back to November overview.
November 10: World Science Day For Peace And Development
"Does Not Compute"
The term “computer” dates from a 17th century novel, but when asked who invented such a device, answers vary. Rarely anyone mentions the ancient Greeks, yet they built the first analogue computer, before the 2nd century BC, guided and assisted of course by their science-muse Ourania. This wonderful astronomical calculator with 37 gears analysed the path of celestial objects, predicted eclipses and tracked the olympiads (periods between two Olympic games). The unique example that’s conserved, was dived up near the island of Antikythera, hence its name. It would have been extremely useful, but we have still have no clear idea of how it worked. And while we’re at it, let’s throw in another mysterious object, less rare, but equally mind boggling: the Roman dodecahedron. Over a hundred are found thus far and their suggested purpose varies from a children’s toy over a fortune-telling device or an apprentice piece to a coin measurer. Any contructive input would win you a Nobel prize for sure. Back to November overview.
November 11: Remembrance Day
"The Weight Of The World"
It took Zeus and his fellow Olympians a decade of battle to take over power from the former generations, the Titans. This war is known as the “titanomachy”. Afterwards, Zeus and his brothers drew straws to divide the universe among them. Ending up with the shortest straw, Hades became king of the underworld, while Poseidon would rule over the oceans and Zeus became the lord of land and sky. Not long after this, they had to once again defend their newly gained power, against Mother Earth’s children, the Giants, in the “gigantomachy”. (The terms “giant” and “titan” have become tangled, so now they mean more or less the same.) The surviving Titans and Giants were incarcerated in the Tartaros, with the exception of Zeus’ nephew Atlas. He was assigned the task to carry the firmament on his shoulders, in later versions reinterpreted as the earth globe itself. It was a heavy load to carry and gradually, Atlas petrified and eroded. What’s left of him is the African mountain range with the same name, still supporting the sky above our heads. Back to November overview.
November 12: Mourning Month
"Lethargic Love"
When Zeus first met his niece Leto, he fell head over heels in love. He proposed on the spot and she gracefully accepted to become his sixth wife. Very soon, she bore him the divine twins Artemis and Apollo. Artemis would become the goddess of the hunt and Apollo the protector of arts and music. The children were Leto’s pride and joy, and she wouldn’t stand for any mockery or criticism. When some peasants thought it was funny to stir up the mud in a pond, so her family couldn’t drink, she turned them into frogs, still dwelling in murky waters. And when the Theban queen Niobe boasted about being a better mum, having fourteen children instead of just two, she called upon the twins to unalive every last one of them. Poor Niobe literally petrified from grief, as Mount Sipylus in Turkÿe, and her tears are still flowing today. According to some, Leto’s name is connected to the river Lethe in the underworld (the “River of Forgetfulness, “Oblivion” in latin), and also to the term “lethargic” (meaning “slow to react”). Somehow, I doubt that. Back to November overview.
November 13: World Kindness Day
"A Special Request"
For the ancients, kindness or empathy was nothing to be proud of. Cruelty and random violence were omnipresent and egocentrism was the only way forward. As is illustrated in a novel from the 2nd century AD: “They in the boat, fearful of being swamped, laid about with their swords and axes. Each looked to his own preservation, for the effect of pressing danger is that it dissolves even the tenderest ties.” But even without pressing danger, it was perfectly acceptable to put your own interests and feelings first, especially when you were in power. So, when Alexander the Great felt offended by the people of Lampsakos, they knew their fate had been sealed. They sent the diplomat Anaximenes to plead for them, knowing Alexander had sworn an oath to do the opposite of what would be asked. So Anaximenes put in this shocking request: “Enslave the women and children of Lampsakos, burn their temples and raze the city to the ground!” Bound by his oath, Alexander left the city in peace, feeling haunted by this good deed ever since. Back to November overview.
November 14: Mourning Month
"The Drunken Sheperd"
When the god Dionysos had discovered the secret of wine making, he couldn’t wait to share it with the world. He was warmly welcomed in Athens by the citizen Ikarios, who owed his wealth to his fine herd of sheep. Ikarios was a generous man, and he thought it was only fair to enjoy this delicious liquid together with the sheperds who took care of his flock. By the fire, the leather wine bag went round and round and laughs and cheers filled the air. But after a while, while some sheperds and Ikarios himself fell asleep, some others started to feel nauseous and dizzy. What was this poison that Ikarios had brought them? Was this a mean trick? An attempt to unalive them all? In a drunken rage, they assaulted their master and when Ikarios’ daughter Erigone came looking for him the next morning, she could only mourn his dead body. Dionysos was grieved and offended and the whole of Athens had to suffer. Ikarios was elevated to the night sky and he’s still there, as the constellation Boötes or “Herdsman”. Back to November overview.
November 16: International Day For Tolerance
"The Enemy Of My Enemy"
“Beware of the man with one sandal”, was the advice of the oracle, when Pelias declared himself king of Iolkos. Even as an illegitimate child, he had the full support of his mother, because he had unalived her abusing stepmother. But the unaliving had been done in Hera’s temple and the goddess had no tolerance for desecration. Unaware he was a target of Hera’s wrath, Pelias enjoyed his newly gained position. Until the one-sandaled man arrived, in the form of his nephew Jason, who’d just lost a shoe on the beach. As Jason was the rightful heir, Pelias had to get rid of him. Why not send him on an impossible mission: retrieving the mythical “golden fleece”? That was Hera’s chance. According to the principle “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”, she stood by Jason all the way, making his expedition with the Argonauts to an astounding succes. Pelias of course didn’t give up his throne without a fight. Which he lost, and his life too. After which Hera lost all interest in Jason, who would never become the king. Back to November overview.
November 17: Students' Day
"Kottabos"
"Work hard, play hard,” is most students’ motto. The ancient equivalent of a student’s party was a “symposium”, where attendants in drunken conversation would change the world for the better. The ideal number of guests had to be “no less than the Graces” (three) and certainly “no more than the Muses” (nine). Most symposia were men only, with some paid female attendance for extra fun or relaxation. Instead of biljarts, darts or computergames, the ancients enjoyed dice gambling or a game of knucklebones, hoping to come up with a “small street”, known as “Aphrodite’s throw”. But the most popular partygame was “kottabos”: slinging – or spitting – wine sediment to a predetermined target. Even for young gods, it was a favourite pastime: “Eros was next for a turn with the cup. He held it masterfully… fixed his eyes on the mark, then he fired off the sticky missile. The drop of nectar hurtled through the air and smacked the statue right between the eyes.” So, how about kottabos as the next social media challenge? Back to November overview.
November 18: Mourning Month
"Reincarnation"
Most ancient Greeks believed that dead souls spent eternity in the underworld. But Plato invites us to an interesting mindgame. What if a deceased person could switch places with another soul – human or animal – and start again? Wouldn’t Orpheus go for a swan? He died by women’s hands and wouldn’t want to be reborn from one. The singer Thamyris would opt for a nightingale obviously, while Aiax the Great would choose a roaring lion. King Agamemnon, remembering the treason of his wife, would fly away as a majestic eagle. Swift Atalante would return as a male athlete and Epeius, who designed the Trojan horse, would definitely switch with a craftsperson, even if it were a woman. And imagine Odysseus… He would be exhausted by all of his trials, and surely go with the uneventful life of an ordinary man. Now, a philosopher of course, wouldn’t have to change a thing, as he chose a wise lifepath in his previous life, and he would make equally wise choices in all of the next. Back to November overview.