September
September Birthstone: Sapphire
"The Third Eye"
When the three Olympian brothers divided the universe between them, Zeus put three gemstones in his helmet. Poseidon picked the emerald, representing the oceans, Hades the ruby for the underworld, and Zeus the sapphire, that stood for earth and sky. (The ancient Persians imagined the earth as supported by a giant sapphire pedestal; reflected in the sky, hence its blue colour, and the stones found on earth would be chipped off.) The Greeks associated sapphires with the blue eyes of Zeus’ son Apollo, and as he was the god of prophecy, they became symbols for “the third eye”. The highpriestess of the Oracle of Delphi, the pythia, wore sapphires, and you would bring her one if you sought her advice. They are the birthstones of september and are known to calm the mind and promote mental clarity. They provide clarity in a more literal sense also, as sapphire glass is used for watches, binoculars and your phone. And when you hold on to your partner – or your throne – for 65 years, you can celebrate a sapphire jubilee. Back to September overview.
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
"Problem Solving"
Young Astraia dwelled on earth during the Golden Age, when humans and gods lived in harmony and peace. She was a virgin goddess of purity, justice and innocence, hence her latin name: Virgo (“maiden”). When the behaviour of mankind deteriorated, she looked for a way out, and found a quiet spot at the night sky. From there, she spread stardust around, which created on earth the flowers that carry her name: “asters”. Observant, focused and diligent, she stands as a typical example of her Zodiac sign. Virgos are known for their logical and systematic approach. They are hardworking perfectionists, always processing, always adapting. As analytical - and critical – thinkers, on the lookout for improvement, they live in their head and can come across as somewhat detached. They have high – sometimes unrealistic – standards, for themselves and others, and often miss the “silver lining”. But they make trustworthy friends and invested partners, putting their resourcefulness to use in solving any problem… Back to September overview.
September 01: Back To School
"Seven Days A Week"
This assignment is about the days of the week, exploring them in English, German, Dutch and French. Two thousand years of Christianism only show in the French for Sunday: “dimanche”, short for “dies dominicus”, “the day of God”. While it’s just a sunny day for the rest of us. Monday is devoted to the moon goddess: “Montag”, “maandag”, and in French “lundi”. Tuesday brings in German god Tyr: “dinsdag”, “Dienstag”. Except in French, as “mardi” refers to war god Mars. The third day is an odd one. Though German god Wodan sounds in “Wednesday” and “woensdag”, the Germans themselves stay neutral with “Mittwoch”, “middle of the week”. And the French stick with messenger god Mercury: “mercredi”. Thursday brings in Thor: “Donnerstag”, “donderdag”. But the French stay loyal to Jupiter: “jeudi”. On Friday, we add a woman: German goddess Freyja: “Freitag”, “vrijdag”. Again, the French prefer a Roman goddess, Venus: “vendredi”. “Samstag” and “samedi” refer to resting days, like in the Hebrew “sabbath”. While “zaterdag” and “Saturday” are devoted to Roman god Saturn. And this concludes my presentation, I thank you all for listening. Back to September overview.
September 06: World Beard Day
"The Allegory Of The Cave"
One of the most recognisable beards of antiquity belonged to the philosopher Sokrates. He shared his wisdom in the form of “allegories” (“another way of speaking”), like this one: Imagine some prisoners, chained from childhood, forced to gaze at a blind wall. Behind them is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners is a raised walkway, upon which puppets and objects move around, operated by hidden “puppet players”. On the wall in front of them, the prisoners only see the shadows of the lifeless objects. As they haven’t seen anything else, they consider these to be reality. If a prisoner would then be freed, and turned around to the fire, he would be blinded. And it would take time to believe that what was happening behind him, was the “real reality”. Dragged out of the cave, the intense sunlight would hurt his eyes. Eventually, he would adjust, only to be blind again upon reentering the cave. The other prisoners would pity him, and fiercely resist leaving the world they know. Think about it, would you? Back to September overview.
September 07: Superhuman Day
"Run To Her"
Ambrosia was the eldest of the Hyades sisters, stepmothers of the infant Dionysos. They raised him, out of sight of a jealous Hera, and later, joined his campaigns to spread the art of wine making. When the god was met with disrespect or jealousy, the Hyades were his most fierce defenders. One of Dionysos’ arch enemies was the Thracian king Lykourgos, who didn’t recognise him as Zeus’ son. He raised an impressive army, and Dionysos stood up to him, as a shining example of righteousness and bravery. Or not. The god fled to the depths of the ocean, and sought comfort with the beautiful Nereid nymphs. Ambrosia was left behind to defend herself, and although Zeus – out of vicarious shame maybe - gifted her with supernatural strength, she was no match for Lykourgos. So, earth mother Gaia stepped in too, transforming the girl into a vine. Not giving up the fight, Ambrosia trapped Lykourgos in her branches. Hera cut him loose, but Ambrosia did get a hero’s welcome at the Olympos. No thanks to Dionysos. Back to September overview.
September 08: International Literacy Day
"Alpha To Omega"
Our word “alphabet” is made up by the Greek letters alpha and bèta. We are surrounded by Greek letters, more than we realise. We’re all familiar with that ominous number “pi”, as we are with “alpha” males, “gamma” rays, “beta” readers, “omicron” variants, river “delta’s”, and sororities like “Phi Beta Kappa”. But there’s more. The letters on their own make stylish names, like the Upsilon Lake in North Dakota. And this spectacular car: the Pininfarina Sigma. The sometimes become symbols, like the lambda, for the queer community. Also they are used as an alternative way of cataloguing. The Bermudan “Greek Letter Islands” are a nice example. Until recently, they were en vogue to number storms too. You might remeber hurricane Eta in 2020. And last but not last, we also use them to sort stars, not according to size, but to brightness. The well known Alpha Centauri for example, is the brightest star of the Centaurus constellation. Which is more than can be said for most alpha males, isn’t it? Back to September overview.
September 09: Falsely Accused Day
"Victim Blaming"
Monsters play a prominent part in Greek myths. The most infamous is Medousa, the terrifying maiden with the snake hair, and eyes that turn you into stone. But she hadn’t always been like that. Born as a daughter of two ancient marine deities, she grew up to be a ravishing beauty. Her beauty was her curse, because she attracted the attention of ocean god Poseidon, who brutally raped her. And by doing so, he offended the war goddess Athena. Oh, it was not the rape that grieved her, but the fact it took place in her temple. And of course, her wrath didn’t affect Poseidon, but poor little Medousa, who was changed into the monster that history mistook her for. As did Perseus, the overrated hero who beheaded her, using his shield as a mirror. But her story doesn’t end there. Since Poseidon – known for his passion for horses – got her pregnant, out of her headless body sprang the winged horse Pegasos. He went on to have some adventures himself, and can still be admired at the night sky. He was tasked with carrying Zeus’ thunderbolts. As well as… lots of screaming children in theme parks all over the world. Back to September overview.
September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day
"Cold Inside"
Sometimes, I feel entitled to tell my own verson of mythology. Today’s myth is about Anaxarete. As her name means “excellent princess”, I have to assume that she was more than just a pretty face. When the sheperd boy Iphis fell in love with her, according to Ovid, she scorned him most cruelly. But wouldn’t it always feel like cruelty when your love goes unanswered? Iphis kept on trying to win her heart, but sadly, they didn’t grow nearer. People around him tried to comfort him, told him he had still so much to live for, kept telling him to move on. But he couldn’t. He didn’t see a future without Anaxarete, or any future at all. In the end, he took his own life, leaving friends and family in shock. Anaxarete didn’t know what to feel. Was it her fault? Should he have given in, even if they weren’t right for each other? She became withdrawn, lethargic, and lost her lust for life. Almost unnoticeably, she changed into stone. Cold and unfazed from the outside. Cold and petrified within. Back to September overview.
September 11: No News Is Good News Day
"The Sword Of Damokles"
Damokles had a nice life, as a member of the household of king Dionysius. But he couldn’t help feeling jealous of Dionysius himself, who not only had the wealth and comfort of a king, but also the unparallelled power. The king wanted to get the message across that with power, come responsibilities, and constant manoeuvering to keep your position. He told Damokles he wouldn’t hold on for even one day, but Damokles wasn’t impressed. “Let’s switch places then”, the king proposed. So, Damokles sat on the king’s throne, enjoying the rugs, perfumes, sweet treats and beautiful slave girls. But Dionysius had arranged that a sword would hang above the throne, held at the pommel on a single horse’s tail hair. Because that’s what it ‘s like to be king: always having to watch out for threats, danger, jealousy, slander, enemies, or your own bad decisions. It only took a few hours for Damokles to give up, realizing that while he had everything he wanted at his feet, he couldn’t foresee what hung above his head. Back to September overview.
September 12: World Dolphin Day
"Follow The Music"
In ancient times, ships would stay close to the coast, because piracy made transport by sea a treacherous undertaking. If you were a human, that is. If you were a god, a pirate attack would be your moment to shine. Dionysos for one couldn’t resist the opportunity to demonstrate his powers, most likely to impress his father, supreme god Zeus. He dressed up like a peacock, wearing gold, ruby and emerald and walked up and down the beach. Before long, some pirates from a passing ship rowed to shore and carried him off to their ship. When they bound his hands, the rope changed into trailing serpents, crowling round the mast, that had become a cypress. Vines grew around the rudder and a fountain of wine spouted from the stern, while roaring lions and bellowing bulls ran around on the deck. Struck by madness, the pirates thought to see grasslands and wooded mountains and on the tones of an imagined herder’s flute, they jumped overboard. Where they changed into dolphins, still jumping and dancing to inaudible music. Back to September overview.
September 13: Positive Thinking Day
"Hysteria"
In the 5th century BC, Hippokrates described a diseased called “hysteria”, caused by a woman’s distressed “hystera”, or womb. Its symptoms vary from emotional instability to epilepsy and it has been a diagnosable medical condition up to the twentieth century. (In Victorian England, one of the possible treatments was to “relax” the woman in question by means of a specialised device.) Today, the term “hysteric” refers to a mental state and is often just used as an insult. Now, mental conditions weren’t recognised by the ancient Greeks, because any state of mind would be caused by some divinity. They had a whole pantheon of “daimones”, responsible for every aspect of the human condition. And in their Roman adaptation, they are still going strong today. Think about Veritas (truthfulness), Ira or Furor (rage), Quies or Silentia (calmness), Poena (vengefulness), Sobrietas (moderation),… The list goes on. Of course today, we adopted the concept of free will, so with some positive thinking, we can choose which of those we let in. Back to September overview.
September 14: Sober Day
"A Bad Review"
The god Apollo passed on his many talents to his descendants, like Orpheus and Asklepios. But one of his sons overclassed them all, as his name reveals: Aristaios (literally “the best”). Aristaios excelled in prophecy, herborism, hunting, farming, fishing, herding, wine making, gardening, weaving, rope making, metalworking, pottery, and last but not least, bee keeping. Started out as a hobby project, his honey from the beehives on mythical Mount Hymettos, was an instant hit, and Aristaios even became the offical suppliar for Mount Olympos, where cup bearers Hebe and Ganymedes served the drink with delicacy. Until… a certain Dionysos introduced a brand new liquid, made from grapes. Supreme god Zeus noted that one cup of nectar made him feel “full”, while the second, third and even fourth glass of wine kept on tasting better than the one before. The bad review cost Aristaios his most precious clientèle. Except for Hera, who never condescended to taking a sip of Dionysos’ brew. Back to September overview.
September 15: International Democracy Day
"I Have A Dream"
“Our administration favours the many instead of the few. Thus we call it “democracy”, “rule by the people”. If we look to the laws, the afford equal justice to all. If we look to social standing, we do not let class considerations impede merit. Nor does poverty bar the way. We obey the magistrates and the law, particularly for protection of the weak. We throw open our city to the world, and never exclude foreigners. Wealth, we employ more for use than for show. We see no disgrace in poverty, but only in refusing to struggle against it. Our citizens, though occupied with the pursuits of industry, still judge fairly in public matters. Instead of looking on discussion as a stumbling block in the way of action, we think it an indispensable preliminary to any wise action at all. When it comes to generosity, we win our friends by giving rather than receiving favours. In short, I say that a a city, we serve as the school of Greece!” Perikles, Athens, around 430BC. Back to September overview.
September 16: World Barber Day
"A Bad Hair Day"
The biblical figure Samson, one of the Israelian judges, couldn’t be hurt or unalived as long as nobody cut his hair. As we all know, Delilah did, and has never been forgiven. Delilah’s counterpart in Greek mythology was the princess Skylla, daughter of king Nisos of Megara. This Nisos had a lock of crimson hair, and as long as it stayed untouched, he would be invulnerable. Which came in handy, when his city was sieged by king Minos of Crete. Now, Scylla quite fancied the idea of becoming misses Minos, ruling next to him and sharing his wealth. That’s what he promised, so she cut the lock and betrayed her father and her city. Minos took Megara effortless, but instead of marrying Skylla, he cursed her. She became a shearwater and would forever be pursued by her father, turned into a falcon. It took generations to rebuild Megara, and finally, the god Apollo stepped in, to help reconstruct the walls. It’s said that he left his lyre on a corner stone, and Megara’s walls have been “singing” ever since. Back to September overview.
September 18: International Equal Pay Day
"Delicate Things"
The Roman journalist Pausanias recalls an event where the Spartans refused to fight a regiment of women. “They realised it would be an inglorious kind of success if they slaughtered the women, and a most shameful disaster if they failed.” This vision on women has proven quite persistent. In Boccaccio’s novel about ancient Greek and Roman heroines, he puts it like this: “If men should be praised whenever they perform great deeds, how much more should women be extolled, almost all of whom are endowed with tenderness, frail bodies and sluggish minds by nature?” And what about his view on Niobe’s tragic story: “It’s annoying and impossible to suffer proud women, because nature has made women humble in character and submissive, more apt for delicate things than for ruling. Therefore, it should not be surprising if God’s wrath is swifter against proud women, whenever they surpass the boundaries of their weakness.” This was written in the 14th century. How I would like to say: look how far we’ve come. Back to September overview.
September 19: Early Autumn
"The Deer Hunters"
For Aphrodite, goddess of love, monogamy – even serial – was an absurd concept. Most of her partners accepted this, except for one: Ares. He had reluctantly endured a string of flings, but when Adonis entered the scene, things changed. Aphrodite really liked this handsome youngster, and Ares risked losing her for real this time. So he sent in a wild boar, that dealt with the competition quite efficiently. Ares hadn’t foreseen though the intensity of Aphrodite’s grief, nor the magnitude of her rage. She called in the Aloadai-brothers, “insatiate” Otos and “nightmare”-Ephialtes, fearsome giants, who had even stormed the Olympos once, by piling up mountains on top of each other. They had no trouble locking Ares in a bronze jar. (The Aloadai couldn’t be killed, but eventually, Artemis outwitted them by changing into a deer, throwing herself in between them and forcing them to shoot one another.) Some myths say that Ares was eventually freed by Hermes. But I think he’s still inside his bronze cage, ready to fulfill your wishes if you rub his lamp. Back to September overview.
September 21: International Day Of Peace
"Peace And Quiet"
The ancient Greek goddess of peace, Eirene (Pax in latin), was not one of the A-listed Olympians. She was a daughter of supreme god Zeus and his second wife, Themis, Titan-goddess of divine order. Together with her sisters, Dikè and Eunomia, she formed the Horai-trio, responsible for regulating nature and ensuring social justice. They did a good job with nature, establishing the seasons. (But as far as social justice goes, they had a hard time.) After a won seabattle against Sparta, the Athenians established a cult for Eirene, but it seems they mistook her for Nikè, goddess of victory. It’s a common mistake. In their worship of their goddess of peace, the ancients weren’t hypocritical about their mpotiviation. World peace is good for trade and business. That’s why Eirene is depicted with a sceptre in the one hand and a little baby in her other arm, looking at her trustingly. Meet Ploutos, little god of wealth. Though not mother and child, peace and wealth form the perfect combo, and without a peaceful environment, little baby Wealth will not flourish. Back to September overview.
September 23: International Day Of Sign Languages
"Simply The Best"
In ancient Greece, people nodded their head firmly if they disagreed. They spat on the ground to avoid bad luck and snapped their fingers to show joy. Symbols and signs were omnipresent and highly important. The most famous example was the mythical shield of Achilles. It was crafted by divine smith Hephaistos and the decoration referred to creation and cosmos, origins and destiny, war and peace, life and death, the seasons, urban and agricultural civilisation, identity and eternity. After Achilles died, befor the walls of Troy, a fight broke out between Odysseus and Ajax (the Great) over who could claim his armour. With the goddess Athena as his prompter, Odysseus laid out his case and won the dispute. Ajax then stormed out to take revenge on his comrades, but Athena clouded his mind and he unalived some cattle instead. After which he ended his own life in shame. Odysseys walked away with the shield, which pointed him out – without words – as the new “best of all the Greeks”. Back to September overview.
September 26: Love Note Day
"A Promise Made Is A Debt Unpaid"
The humble apple plays a part in many a myth or fairy tale, like in the story of Akontios and Kydippe for example. She was an aristocratic Athenian, he was a peasant from Keos. They met at an Artemis festival, but Kydippe wouldn’t dream of going out with, let alone marry someone so far beneath her. Naturally, her “hard to get”-attittude only encouraged Akontios and he made a bold move. He wrote on an apple: "I swear by Artemis that I will marry Akontios", and threw it at her feet. Kydippe picked it up, and mechanically, read the words out loud. “There’s nothing to it, it’s just a sick joke”, she convinced herself, threw the apple in his face, and returned home. A string of far more suitable candidates then presented themselves, and she got engaged three times. Only to fell ill the day before each marriage. The oracle of Delphi put an end to all speculation: the oath taken at the stairs of the Artemis temple had to be honoured. So, Akontios’ scheme worked out. I imagine that was as big a shock for him as it was for her. Back to September overview.
September 27: World Tourist Day
"Diana's Bath"
It was a beautiful day in early autumn, when Artemis went for a bath in a tranquil and secluded little pond, in the middle of the woods. She didn’t expect any company beside her nymphs, but the hunter Aktaion was scouring the same forest. Some say he was actively looking for a glimpse of beautiful Artemis, but most myths agree he stumbled upon the naked women by accident. Artemis – known for her impulsive nature – had an outburst of anger, changed him into a deer, and poor Aktaion was devoured by his own hounds. After which Artemis commanded her nymphs to clean up the mess, and continued her beauty ritual, undeterred. Now, many generations have tried to find Artemis’ beauty spot, and one of the possibilities seems to be near the guesthouse “Le Relais des Fagnes”, owned and run by the creator of this series. In its picturesque surroundings meanders a little river. One of its curves forms a crystal clear and inviting basin. “Diana’s Bath” is a popular hikers’ destination. But tourists, beware… The goddess values her privacy! Back to September overview.
September 28: International Day For The Universal Access To Information
"Persuasion"
As a young man in love in ancient Greece, you’d better have the goddess Peitho on your side. She was the goddess of persuasion and she would be vital to win the heart of your beloved (and the approval of her dad.) Peitho famously intervened for the Phenician prince Kadmos, when he had his eyes set on Aphrodite’s daughter Harmonia. And notoriously for Paris, when he plotted to take beautiful Helen to Troy. Throughout the marriage, you’d call in Peitho too, to resolve conflicts without quarrelling. On a state level, she was deemed essential for the functioning of a democracy. Obviously, she also played a major role in the justice system. It was Peitho who assisted Athena to get Orestes acquitted after he unalived his mother. Her parentage is uncertain, but she was a confidant of Aphrodite, maybe as one of the three Graces. According to some, she would have been the wife of Hermes, which makes sense. The smartest, wittiest and slyest god, paired with the most articulate and convincing goddess. This could have been a match made in heaven. Back to September overview.
September 30: International Translation Day
"Lost In Translation"
I’d like to be the SCENOGRAPHER of a modern MYTH, based in a DYSTOPIAN world, containing a TERABYTE of TANTALISING Greek IDIOM. It would be a HERCULEAN labour, with some DEMONS in it, of course, a METAMORPHOSIS or two, and as APOTHEOSIS, a EUREKA moment, or even a CATHARSIS. Although being slightly DYSLECTIC and not a POLYGLOT, I’m ADAMANT it would be worth it, and not an ODYSSEY into the ABYSS. The EMPHASIS would be on PARALLELS with today’s CHAOS, maybe introducing a PATHOLOGICALLY lying AUTOCRAT and his SYCOPHANTS, hoping not to sound too PATRONISING. CYNICS could say it’s HUBRIS, or deem it a SISYPHUS task, EUPHEMISM for impossible. To avoid IDIOT criticism, like not obeying the laws of PHYSICS, or being too NOSTALGIC, I would sign my CALLIGRAPHED POEM with a PSEUDONYM instead of my AUTOGRAPH. That way, PARASITES couldn’t destroy my EUPHORIA when I finish my HEROIC quest for ETERNAL FAME. Wich could turn out to be my SIREN song. Wouldn’t that be TRAGIC?