Here Up High
Celebration of Merriment
Dionysos should have seen it coming, really it was as inevitable as the tides. He had never meant to get Hestia off her throne, only one of the young ones, like Ares or maybe Hermes. Never beloved Hestia, the first and the last.
Apollon had a feral look in his eyes as he leant in closer to Dionysos, his sister behind him watching along with the rest of the young Olympians. “Your choice Dionysos, what piece of flesh would you like us to chop off?”
“Hm, let me think a second.” Dionysos’ eyes darted about those gathered, Apollon, Artemis, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus and Athena. So he was up against two war gods, the fastest god in the Olympians and a goddess who would find him even if he hid at the ends of the earth. There was no chance of him running as he usually did, he had to use his wit. It would be easy, Apollon was notorious for not being gifted in wit, along with his sister. “Are you sure you wish to do this, noble and bright Apollon?”
“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”
“And why is that?”
“Well you booted my favourite aunt off her throne, you are a threat to the realm I preside over and oh yeah, you poisoned my sister!”
“Hestia willingly left, your sister is just as much a threat to your realm as I am and I didn’t poison her, she seemed happy to me.”
Artemis remained silent, but turned away slightly. Dionysos tried not to panic, it was a sure sign that when the goddess of wilderness, who always had an opinion or something to say, remained silent that something very bad was going to happen.
“She lost her wits you idiot, she was stumbling around the place like she was ill. She only appeared happy because she was delirious. My sister is the wilderness that has never been tamed, I am the civilisation that lives beside it, and we are separate and harmonious. You on the other hand bring wildness to and destroy civilisation.”
“You know I honestly can’t see how taking flesh from someone is very civil. Wise and brave Athena, what say you about this behaviour.”
Athena pressed forwards, proving an impressive figure with her muscle and her height that towered over them all. “It is not a desirable outcome, I must admit, but it is fair punishment for dethroning beloved Hestia, first and last.”
Dionysos looked round to the others who just shrugged except for Ares. “I don’t care, I just want to do the cutting.”
Dionysos had really stuck his foot in it, Ares and Athena working together was something seen once every few thousand years. He swallowed nervously and once more looked to Artemis. “Wild and untamed Artemis, surely you have something to say.”
“I stand by my brother’s decision.”
Dionysos’ eyes narrowed as he saw it, a hint of hesitance in Artemis’ eyes. “Surely you have something to say on the matter? What did you truly think of my gift?”
“It was poison.”
“No, it wasn’t. It was wine, it may affect your brain, but you have to admit it is fun. I drink it all the time. Someone as wild as you would have to appreciate it, well, that’s what I thought, I guess you aren’t as wild as I thought.”
Artemis’ face flared red and she stormed forwards, grabbing Dionysos by the neck. She held him above her head and crushed his windpipe with her grasp. She sure was strong for such a small dainty goddess.
“Do you know what the mortals say about me, young god born of their flesh? They call me the fierce huntress who delights in woodland combat, I am swift in the chase, the dread mistress of the bow, wanderer of the night, she who rejoices in meadows, generous of mind, revered divinity, nurse of mankind, immortal yet earthly, bane of foul monsters, blessed maiden of the tree-crowned hills and even though this last part certainly isn’t true they say I am as tall and proud as a man. I am wilderness incarnate little party god, you can only hope to be a housecat before me, a lioness. Your little drink of wine would never be too much for me!”
She dropped him as she realised what she had said, putting her hands to her mouth as her brother growled in frustration. The others sighed audibly, except for Athena who watched Dionysos unblinking.
Dionysos got to his feet and brushed the dirt from his clothes. “Well I think we have determined that I never poisoned goddess Artemis and as for beloved Hestia, first and last, well she willingly gave up her throne. One of you could have done so to save her place, but you didn’t. Making you to blame just as much as me. As for you noble and bright Apollon, I am no threat to your realm, as Artemis has so wonderful shown how weak I am. Now I have to ask you to be on your way.”
Artemis screamed in frustration before storming off, Apollon closely following her. Ares sighed deeply and stroked his unused knife before skulking away and Hephaestus who had been distant from the whole situation limped after. Leaving only Hermes and Athena with Dionysos.
Hermes stepped forwards first, a large smile stretched across his face from ear to ear. “Well, it seems we have a new god with some brain cells between his ears, how fascinating.”
“You flatter me swift and generous Hermes, fleet of foot and mind.”
“No, I am warning you. I know your strengths now, which is important to know in a foe as their weaknesses. I shall see you pose no threat to Apollon. Farewell Dionysos.”
Hermes disappeared as Dionysos blinked and only the impressive form of Athena, first born of Zeus. Unlike the others she offered him a scrap of cloth. “You are bleeding from the nose.”
Dionysos touched the cloth to his nose and it came away red. “That little goddess is stronger than she looks.”
“It is unwise to underestimate the wilderness, it is full of unseen dangers. She is just the same, I sometimes have to remind myself she rules over the wilderness like a god and isn’t the wilderness like a titan.”
“I’ve never been wise.”
“That might be true, but you have wit and potential for wisdom. Potential is a great virtue, you never know how that little seed will grow. It might be a weed or it might be a great olive tree. You just don’t know until you give that seed water. I intend to nurture this plant.”
“What?”
“I have high hopes for you and so I shall stand beside you as a friend and so shall my spear. I shall see you soon, I must take my leave.”
Athena strolled away amongst the pillars of Olympus as Dionysos watched in shock.
“Farewell wise and brave Athena, first child of Zeus, maiden of the battlefield.
“Farewell, merry and joyous Dionysos, nimble of mind, thrice born party god.”
Apollon had a feral look in his eyes as he leant in closer to Dionysos, his sister behind him watching along with the rest of the young Olympians. “Your choice Dionysos, what piece of flesh would you like us to chop off?”
“Hm, let me think a second.” Dionysos’ eyes darted about those gathered, Apollon, Artemis, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus and Athena. So he was up against two war gods, the fastest god in the Olympians and a goddess who would find him even if he hid at the ends of the earth. There was no chance of him running as he usually did, he had to use his wit. It would be easy, Apollon was notorious for not being gifted in wit, along with his sister. “Are you sure you wish to do this, noble and bright Apollon?”
“I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”
“And why is that?”
“Well you booted my favourite aunt off her throne, you are a threat to the realm I preside over and oh yeah, you poisoned my sister!”
“Hestia willingly left, your sister is just as much a threat to your realm as I am and I didn’t poison her, she seemed happy to me.”
Artemis remained silent, but turned away slightly. Dionysos tried not to panic, it was a sure sign that when the goddess of wilderness, who always had an opinion or something to say, remained silent that something very bad was going to happen.
“She lost her wits you idiot, she was stumbling around the place like she was ill. She only appeared happy because she was delirious. My sister is the wilderness that has never been tamed, I am the civilisation that lives beside it, and we are separate and harmonious. You on the other hand bring wildness to and destroy civilisation.”
“You know I honestly can’t see how taking flesh from someone is very civil. Wise and brave Athena, what say you about this behaviour.”
Athena pressed forwards, proving an impressive figure with her muscle and her height that towered over them all. “It is not a desirable outcome, I must admit, but it is fair punishment for dethroning beloved Hestia, first and last.”
Dionysos looked round to the others who just shrugged except for Ares. “I don’t care, I just want to do the cutting.”
Dionysos had really stuck his foot in it, Ares and Athena working together was something seen once every few thousand years. He swallowed nervously and once more looked to Artemis. “Wild and untamed Artemis, surely you have something to say.”
“I stand by my brother’s decision.”
Dionysos’ eyes narrowed as he saw it, a hint of hesitance in Artemis’ eyes. “Surely you have something to say on the matter? What did you truly think of my gift?”
“It was poison.”
“No, it wasn’t. It was wine, it may affect your brain, but you have to admit it is fun. I drink it all the time. Someone as wild as you would have to appreciate it, well, that’s what I thought, I guess you aren’t as wild as I thought.”
Artemis’ face flared red and she stormed forwards, grabbing Dionysos by the neck. She held him above her head and crushed his windpipe with her grasp. She sure was strong for such a small dainty goddess.
“Do you know what the mortals say about me, young god born of their flesh? They call me the fierce huntress who delights in woodland combat, I am swift in the chase, the dread mistress of the bow, wanderer of the night, she who rejoices in meadows, generous of mind, revered divinity, nurse of mankind, immortal yet earthly, bane of foul monsters, blessed maiden of the tree-crowned hills and even though this last part certainly isn’t true they say I am as tall and proud as a man. I am wilderness incarnate little party god, you can only hope to be a housecat before me, a lioness. Your little drink of wine would never be too much for me!”
She dropped him as she realised what she had said, putting her hands to her mouth as her brother growled in frustration. The others sighed audibly, except for Athena who watched Dionysos unblinking.
Dionysos got to his feet and brushed the dirt from his clothes. “Well I think we have determined that I never poisoned goddess Artemis and as for beloved Hestia, first and last, well she willingly gave up her throne. One of you could have done so to save her place, but you didn’t. Making you to blame just as much as me. As for you noble and bright Apollon, I am no threat to your realm, as Artemis has so wonderful shown how weak I am. Now I have to ask you to be on your way.”
Artemis screamed in frustration before storming off, Apollon closely following her. Ares sighed deeply and stroked his unused knife before skulking away and Hephaestus who had been distant from the whole situation limped after. Leaving only Hermes and Athena with Dionysos.
Hermes stepped forwards first, a large smile stretched across his face from ear to ear. “Well, it seems we have a new god with some brain cells between his ears, how fascinating.”
“You flatter me swift and generous Hermes, fleet of foot and mind.”
“No, I am warning you. I know your strengths now, which is important to know in a foe as their weaknesses. I shall see you pose no threat to Apollon. Farewell Dionysos.”
Hermes disappeared as Dionysos blinked and only the impressive form of Athena, first born of Zeus. Unlike the others she offered him a scrap of cloth. “You are bleeding from the nose.”
Dionysos touched the cloth to his nose and it came away red. “That little goddess is stronger than she looks.”
“It is unwise to underestimate the wilderness, it is full of unseen dangers. She is just the same, I sometimes have to remind myself she rules over the wilderness like a god and isn’t the wilderness like a titan.”
“I’ve never been wise.”
“That might be true, but you have wit and potential for wisdom. Potential is a great virtue, you never know how that little seed will grow. It might be a weed or it might be a great olive tree. You just don’t know until you give that seed water. I intend to nurture this plant.”
“What?”
“I have high hopes for you and so I shall stand beside you as a friend and so shall my spear. I shall see you soon, I must take my leave.”
Athena strolled away amongst the pillars of Olympus as Dionysos watched in shock.
“Farewell wise and brave Athena, first child of Zeus, maiden of the battlefield.
“Farewell, merry and joyous Dionysos, nimble of mind, thrice born party god.”