Interesting day; Wednesday proves to be more so, with an early AM documentary shoot on an ice factory. Yes, an ice factory. My goal: work in “Paradise Lost” and the idea that the lowest rung of Hades is solid ice, with Lucifer endlessly chewing on the heads of Brutus and Judas. Which reminds me: on the way to choir, Gnat said “Looks like Penelope is down in the underworld again.”
“What?”
“It’s cold! She’s down in you know the H place and Demeter is mourning.”
She’s been reading a series of books that have lots of Greek / Roman myths.
“That’s nonsense,” I said, having some sport. “Demeter should be used to it by now.”
“You’re MEAN. He’s mourning, and so nothing grows.”
“Seriously. If every year she goes down to Hades, well, she comes back again, and shouldn’t he figure that out by now? It’s like she’s gone to Arizona for the season. And why punish everyone else with cold weather?”
“He’s MOURNING.”
“Okay, well, how about someone takes him aside and says Demeter old chap, we understand it’s hard for you, but how about lightening up a bit on the rest of us? Experience teaches us she’ll be back. Meanwhile I can’t feel my feet. It’s humbug. I don’t think even the Romans bought that one.”
“Well they didn’t know.”
“Yes, because they hadn’t conquered Australia. Where it’s summer. So Demeter doesn’t care about the southern hemisphere.”
“Oh.” She smiled. “You’re right.”
And thus were ancient myths punctured in a trice as we bounced along the rutted road. Mythology. Meh. High school drama + thunderbolts.
- Lileks
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