Now that Anthesteria is officially over I’m going to resume working on Wine Dark, but I have to share something infuriating amusing first.
Astute readers may have noticed that in this Bacchic Orphic adaptation of the Odyssey I am weaving together Odysseus’ travails, Empedoklean fragments and the Gold Leaves to tell a story of wandering and transformation which culminates in initiation a la Apuleius’ Metamorphoses; if you haven’t caught on yet, well, that’s what I’m doing.
The inspiration for this was reflecting on the three very different conceptions of what a hero is found in these sources – epic, in which the hero demonstrates their kleos through exceptional traits and accomplishments; mythic, in which it is a matter of regaining a preincarnational status through suffering and purification; and finally telestic, where one attains the status of hero after undergoing certain trials and rites. All of which I intend to explore through the work.
Pretty neat, huh?
Well, today I happened upon an article by Miguel Herrero de Jauregui called …
… wait for it …
Salvation for the Wanderer: Odysseus, the Gold Leaves, and Empedocles.
Motherfucker.
I thought I was being all creative and innovative with this shit.
On the other hand, I suppose this means I’m on the right track? Or something. Not the first time I’ve experienced cryptomnesia, but still.
