Artemis

Artemis sits on a rock on Mt. Kyllene, her chin resting on the palm of one hand and her hair loose about her shoulders. She'd climbed the mountain on foot by herself. Now she looks moodily at the mouth of a cave, holding a wreath of crocuses in one hand.

She'd meant to do the traditional thing and sacrifice a ram. Had one in mind, even--a big, thick-fleeced yearling who spent his time fighting or mounting anything that moved. But that wasn't it. As she had leaned on the fence, looking at the sheep, she'd seen a young country woman walking the road far off, a little child trotting by her side. Suckling lynx cubs, nursing babes, very young children....remembering a particular precocious and laughing baby boy, Artemis had waved off her nymphs and wandered the meadows instead, gathering flowers.

If she closes her eyes and opens them again, she will see time as it was, Mt. Kyllene as it was. She doesn't do it, but she lays the wreath of crocuses on the ground and looks out at the present day.

I figured I'd go ask the Mousai about a record player for that lady Sigyn. Apollon was there and I'm always happy in my twin's presence, but I kind of think I walked in at a weird moment.

They thought it was hilarious that I wanted an wind-up record player and some disks. Terpsichore was like, "How about an iPod, and one of those Bose sound systems you can plug it in to." She was pretty scandalized when I said I wasn't looking for any "sound system." I don't know, I can sympathize with not wanting electricity. Iphigenia has a victrola in her temple. It's nice.

My brother picked out some records. I trust his taste. I don't listen to a lot of recorded music myself. I'll listen to him play on his lyre for hours, or a pipe-player, or singers. But that's different.

I knew I left one of those lying around somewhere.

I've been very sociable today.

It's not that bad.

I'm back from the mountains. It was pretty good hunting. There was one giant boar that nearly killed three of my hounds, but they're better now. I took it up to Olympus for the family. It was the usual thing, you know:

"There in the entrance I meet Hermes and Apollon: Hermes Akrakesios takes my weapons, Apollon takes whatsoever wild beast I bring. Well, okay--so Apollon did before strong Alkides came, but now Phoibos hath this task no longer; in such wise the Anvil of Tiryns stands ever before the gates, waiting to see if I'll come home with some fat morsel. And all the gods laugh at him with laughter unceasingly and most of all his own wife’s mother when he brings from the car a great bull or a wild boar, carrying it by the hind foot struggling....For me the Amnisiades rub down the hinds loosed from the yoke, and from the mead of Hera they gather and carry for them to feed on much swift-springing clover, which also the horses of Zeus eat; and golden troughs they fill with water to be for the deer a pleasant draught. And myself I enter my Father’s house, and all alike bid me to a seat; but I sit beside Apollon." Plus, "with my own hand cover my shoulders and bared arms, myself arrange the bow and quiver, and pull down the girt-up robe, and am proud to trim the disordered tresses."

It's nice to have dinner with the family sometimes.

Oh, and I'm getting a unicorn.

Artemis is sitting on a fallen log, hunched over her laptop and scowling in concentration. She sent her nymphs off to play in the wood, and most of her hounds lie asleep in the shade. Artemis is a slow typist.

Okay. I know I'm not a thinker like my brothers Apollo and Hermes, or like Athena. No one calls me Counsellor or Contriver and I don't compose verse. I'm not good with words. Whatever. It doesn't mean that I'm stupid. I know the world is different now. There isn't much room left for me to hunt in on Earth and it's been a long time since I've seen a mortal like Hippolytos.

But I think I still have a place. I knew when I was just a baby what I wanted to be. Didn't we all? Hermes launched a cattle raid; Athena sprung out in full armor; Dionysos--I guess he had a few parties to go to on the way, but he got himself over to Olympus.

So don't ever try to make me believe that I'm wrong about what I do. Don't think I can be made to doubt myself for long.

I brought my damn laptop. Why did I bring my laptop? This damned thing is addicting.

I'm wrathful and I wish Apollo were here, and I'm damn well going to go kill things now.

I am wrathful and I wish Apollo were here.

I am wrathful.

It's stupid and I don't understand it.

I still don't see any reason not to just kill people.

I can't take my nymphs anywhere. Last night I brought supplies to the poor people besieged by..."fangirls"...and I was happy to talk strategy with them (they were using water to fend off the enemy, which is kind of an interesting approach, even though I think that arrows were called for in this situation) but then I saw Polyboia waving and batting her eyelashes at the men.

All I ask is a few dedicated virgin attendants. And I don't mean dedicated-until-they-see-something-better attendants. What is wrong with these nymphs today?

That's nice. Someone needed a place to store lost innocence so I took it. I like the innocence itself. It can't help having been lost.

It was all on a big planet. I got Hephaistos to make a chain so we could tether it to Olympus and we've been bringing it in groups to my shrines. I put Iphigenia in charge of it. Maybe now she won't be telling me to go out and meet more people.

The nymphs are weaving garlands of flowers for the innocence; only the purest will do, unseen and untouched by mortals.

Got back from a long hunt in the mountains. Just myself and the dogs. Stopped off to visit Hermes, who is still unhappy. I don't understand why he doesn't just bring the man up to Olympus as an immortal. It's been done. The man seemed pleasant enough.

Apollo doesn't like me worrying about these things.

Iphigenia thinks it's great that I'm spending time in internet communities and "getting to know people." I turned my back on her and went hunting by myself all day after she said that. I still don't know what to think.

Someone called me "hardcore."

I went hunting with Hippolytos this morning. We saw a fine she-bear but we didn't shoot--she had cubs.

I wish there were more people like Hippolytos. Every year, some of my servants lay aside their girl's toys and go off to marry. They totally have my blessing. It's not like I want unwilling companions. But I wish more of them stayed.

That was probably enough time socializing.