ye_olde_renault | Drabble/Drawble: Conversation Starters 101

Hullo!

We are fascinated by and more than a little invested in Mary Renault's Ancient Greece novels, but for various reasons have found ourselves side-tracked, distracted, not looking enough, definitely not as much as we want. We assume everyone here shares the love if not the distractions. Above all, we hoped (are hoping) for an open-access space for like-minds to meet. And this is one of the handful of things we have lined up to kick-start the conversation.

So, to cut the ribbons on this comm, we thought of a Drabble/Drawble Prompt Fest. Anonymous comments are enabled, come in your guise or in disguise and leave a prompt. Responses come in the form of drabbles, ficlets or quick sketches (we love stick figures! We swear by them!). Responders can also stay anonymous if they choose, obviously. Do as you will, we are too lazy to screen anything. *g*

One request: leave the fandom of your prompt and the title of your fill in the comment-header so we can figure out where to click if the threads roll up (oh thrilling thought!).

Hope the responses leave you presently-surprised-to-flabbergasted, in all the nice ways!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Thettalos on any of his missions from Olympias.

Ariadne on Naxos, awaiting Theseus.

Chryse's thoughts on her first bull-dance.

Hephaistion's first impression of Aristotle.

I leap the bull.

Tomorrow, my turn will come—to run, to grasp, to dance, to land. (With the grace of the god, by the skill of my team.)

I leap the bull.

Today, my turn will come to face the bull—to stare in the eyes of the god, my fate in his hands, on his horns.

I leap the bull.

I face the horns, the dance, the thrust, the air. To the hands of the catcher, in the hand of the god, I leap the bull.

The horns are sharp.

I leap the bull.

This is so gorgeous and evocative! Thank you!

Glad you like it!

This is lovely. ♥

Thanks!

Surely he will come? The labyrinth proved no barrier; how can the sea prevent him? I am the Mother; all men come to me. Little man, graceful man: I love you.

He busies himself with manly tasks, empty tasks. Forget not, Theseus: Athene is of my family. Little man, inconstant man: how can you neglect me so?

They say he yearns only for Artemis now. Despoiler of her acolyte; she will not protect you. Little man, faithless man, foolish man.

Bright sister, do you love him still? Vengeance is ours to plan. Little man, profligate man: you wasted good fortune.

(100 words exactly)

Edited 2015-01-11 12:55 (UTC)

Very nice

Oh, that is perfect ♥

Phaedo in later life, remembering Sokrates and his life in Athens.

High praise from the Queen of the Drabble!

Hephaistion watched, bemused, as his friend ignored him, excited about Aristotle’s arrival. Slaves were still making the gangplank secure when Alexander handed him Boukephalos’ reins and leapt aboard, lightly running to the deck where he paused searching for his new teacher.

“There – he has found him,” remarked Antipatros. “It won’t be long now before Alexander expedites disembarkation.”

Hephaistion watched his friend charm the philosopher into abandoning his baggage to the servants. Formal introductions were brief and it was but a few moments delay until all were mounted. Alexander and Aristotle led the way, with Antipatros and Hephaistion in the second rank.

It provided an unparalleled opportunity to observe them together: bright golden youth and grey middle age. He looked like a philosopher, clearly no warrior. But he sat his horse competently, as a man should. And he appeared willing to answer questions which already Alexander was putting to him. Memories of the dour tutor his father had hired before Hephaistion joined the Court had not endeared him to the idea of yet more formal schooling. But this man smiled; that was different. Of course, sophistry and mathematics were all very well in their place, but had their limitations. Aristotle was clearly a thinker not a doer. The same could not be said of Alexander whose deeds already outstripped men far older than him. As long as the lessons did not interfere with weapons practice….

Oh, Phai

Very poetic. I like the shift from section to section as her feelings alter.

Oh, yes: one must keep in mind what is truly important in life. (Well, in ancient Macedonian life, anyway.)

Thanks

Like Alexander, Hephaistion is more of a doer than a thinker. Well, after all, he is Alexander too!

He became a general, after all. One doesn't achieve that just through reading books.

Oh, I enjoyed that, but most especially the last two lines: "Vengeance is ours to plan. Little man, profligate man, you wasted good fortune.". Thesus was a tad over blown with self-confidence at times, I thought. Lysis

You put us in the ring with her, we feel her heartbeat, and the pounding of her small feet as she moves, dancing for the bull. Wonderful imagery! Lysis

Quick sketch: (Hope I did this right! Did you mean "The Mask of Apollo"?)

The mad queen sits snake enchanted, her eyes glitter in the lamp light like two lustrous agates found near the cross-roads on a moonless night - mysterious, cold, and entranced.

Her eyes find me, she is Persephone with her box of beauty, lovely, but fatal. I breathe in deeply smiling in relief. This play I know well. I will not be as Psyche! I have no curiosity!

Edited (correct something left out.) 2015-01-21 10:08 (UTC)

Wonderful! "As long as the lessons did not interfere with weapons practice..."

Lysis

Lucky Thettalos to be so focused on acting he is immune to Olympias' beauty and spells!

I'm sure it must be MoA (not the requester!)

Thank you so much. That was just the effect I was trying for.

Drabble/Drawble: Conversation Starters 101

The Last of the Wine

The King Must Die

Chryse, The King Must Die

no subject

I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: The King Must Die: Ariadne on Naxos, awaiting Theseus.

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: The King Must Die: Ariadne on Naxos, awaiting Theseus.

The Last of the Wine

Re: The King Must Die: Ariadne on Naxos, awaiting Theseus.

Fire from Heaven: Hephaistion's first impression of Aristotle.

Re: Fire from Heaven: Hephaistion's first impression of Aristotle.

Re: The King Must Die: Ariadne on Naxos, awaiting Theseus.

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: Fire from Heaven: Hephaistion's first impression of Aristotle.

Re: The King Must Die: Ariadne on Naxos, awaiting Theseus.

Re: Fire from Heaven: Hephaistion's first impression of Aristotle.

Re: Fire from Heaven: Hephaistion's first impression of Aristotle.

Re: The King Must Die: Ariadne on Naxos, awaiting Theseus.

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)

Re: The Last of the Wine, Thettalos, on any of his missons from Olympias

Re: Fire from Heaven: Hephaistion's first impression of Aristotle.

Re: The Last of the Wine, Thettalos, on any of his missons from Olympias

Re: I Leap the Bull (The King Must Die)