The End and the Beginning
by Marty Sturino
by Marty Sturino
The great battle that had lasted nine years was now over. Priam, sacked by the Achaeans lay in ruins and many brave Trojan men as well as
innocent women and children were lost. Achaean soldiers too had entered into Hades in great numbers. The embers of the city still glowed
even as mighty Achilles, the greatest man-soldier fell to his death upon the earth from the arrow of Paris. The gods of heaven were dismayed.
This blood lust and was not of their design or want. Jove was called to account for the tragedy that was becoming humankind. In that time, the
heavens thundered for some seven days and nights with a fury never before witnessed by man or god. Then on the eighth day, the doves
returned, from skies filled with serene and majestic clouds. On that day Jove, son of Saturn, and the most powerful of all the immortal gods of
Olympus commanded all of the lesser gods to appear before him. Even Neptune, from the depths of the seas, and Hades from the world below
were to appear as he commanded. Juno the wife of Jove called them together and bade them to listen and listen true.
Jove sat quietly for some long time, with his head in his hands as if after a great loss. His sadness was on his face and in his voice as he spoke.
“Hear me and hear me well. The gods of heaven above have spoken harshly unto me. We have failed in our task here on earth. The mortals
are now destined to continue in the ways of strife and war, for they know no other. This failure was ours, and not the mortals for they have
offered sacred hecatombs in earnest, asking for help and intervention, and we have defiled them with lies and given them misfortune rather than
teach them how to live upon the earth in harmony. Instead of life, you have taught them death. Now it shall surely be that the price of your
transgressions against them, each one to the other and to me will be repaid in these days to you henceforth in kind. No more will we remain
among them to poison the souls of mortals or use them to perform wretched tasks that feed your appetites for death, destruction and revenge
nor to satisfy your own selfish egos.” Minerva the daughter of great Jove began to speak but by Jove’s will was unable to utter even a sound.
His gaze was upon them, and they were afraid. “Your days upon the earth are numbered less than the fingers of my hand. Your journey is
nearly upon you, but not before the last trace of your existence is removed or covered so much as can be accomplished. When the child of
morning, rosy fingered dawn appears on the 6th day we will be but a memory. I myself will oversee the destruction of my own house high above
Olympus rather than allow even a lingering memory of our existence. From this day forward only I and Hades will remain of the earth and even
our days will be numbered by the will of the heavens above. Thus did he speak. “Go and provoke me no more, for heaven hath not instructed
me, nor given you leave to curse these retched beasts of humanity.” The scars of your vile intrigues will no doubt live on for many a lifetime, for
wicked ways come easy, while virtuous lives are few and cursed with difficulties. It will be my task to set things right while they live, to teach them
the truth, and show them the way. But even that will come after the Achaeans are destroyed by the wars and killing that you have taught them
all too well. The great cities of Arcadia will fall into flames and ashes, and the slaughter of soldiers and citizens both brave and afraid will endure
throughout their lives. Hades alone will remain as far below as the heavens are above, at the very gates of hell to tend to their souls when they
fall into the veil of darkness. Upon hearing these words the gods knew that any words were without use, not even his own wife would remain.
With this, the gods raised from their seats and departed in silence. For the next days they did as Jove commanded, and Neptune went among
them to prepare their departure.
Only Minerva the daughter of great Jove dared to risk his wrath for the love she had for Odysseus a man-god she coveted. Minerva visited the
dreams on a newborn girl child that would later be chosen as an oracle to foretell the future to the Achaeans. The oracle, now ten years later
visited Odysseus soon after his return to Ithaca telling him of the dream from her infancy and the need for him to return to the lands beyond the
seas to the west where he had struggled for 10 long years before finding the bed of his own Penelope. Odysseus, knowing that his fate was
decided by the gods did as the oracle said, but first he took revenge on those false suitors that had taken advantage of Penelope and his son
Telemachus. Within the year Odysseus departed Ithaca with family and followers to return to the land he knew well from his travels.
The gods took their leave as instructed. The living earth was again without the presence of the gods of Olympus, except two. Jove and Hades
And in the next age Moses, after being visited in his dreams by Jehovah began to scribe the laws of the ancient world as they were told to him.
There would be but one god of the land. Sacrifice would be required in the form of burnt offerings for the favor of god. Moses scribed the
testament, but the men of the world would have nothing of it and Jehovah caused a great flood to cleanse the world of wickedness and save but
a few to renew the earth and mankind. Now as the waters of the great flood subsided Noah builded an alter unto Jehovah, and took of every
clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the alter. And Jehovah smelled the sweet savor; and Jehovah said in his
heart. I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake. For clearly, the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Jehovah
then came to other men in their dreams in the night to instruct them in his bidding and with his blessings one was favored over the other.
Ciao!
©copyright 2008 Property of MJSturino,LLC
Any reproduction with-out the owners express written consent is strictly prohibited
innocent women and children were lost. Achaean soldiers too had entered into Hades in great numbers. The embers of the city still glowed
even as mighty Achilles, the greatest man-soldier fell to his death upon the earth from the arrow of Paris. The gods of heaven were dismayed.
This blood lust and was not of their design or want. Jove was called to account for the tragedy that was becoming humankind. In that time, the
heavens thundered for some seven days and nights with a fury never before witnessed by man or god. Then on the eighth day, the doves
returned, from skies filled with serene and majestic clouds. On that day Jove, son of Saturn, and the most powerful of all the immortal gods of
Olympus commanded all of the lesser gods to appear before him. Even Neptune, from the depths of the seas, and Hades from the world below
were to appear as he commanded. Juno the wife of Jove called them together and bade them to listen and listen true.
Jove sat quietly for some long time, with his head in his hands as if after a great loss. His sadness was on his face and in his voice as he spoke.
“Hear me and hear me well. The gods of heaven above have spoken harshly unto me. We have failed in our task here on earth. The mortals
are now destined to continue in the ways of strife and war, for they know no other. This failure was ours, and not the mortals for they have
offered sacred hecatombs in earnest, asking for help and intervention, and we have defiled them with lies and given them misfortune rather than
teach them how to live upon the earth in harmony. Instead of life, you have taught them death. Now it shall surely be that the price of your
transgressions against them, each one to the other and to me will be repaid in these days to you henceforth in kind. No more will we remain
among them to poison the souls of mortals or use them to perform wretched tasks that feed your appetites for death, destruction and revenge
nor to satisfy your own selfish egos.” Minerva the daughter of great Jove began to speak but by Jove’s will was unable to utter even a sound.
His gaze was upon them, and they were afraid. “Your days upon the earth are numbered less than the fingers of my hand. Your journey is
nearly upon you, but not before the last trace of your existence is removed or covered so much as can be accomplished. When the child of
morning, rosy fingered dawn appears on the 6th day we will be but a memory. I myself will oversee the destruction of my own house high above
Olympus rather than allow even a lingering memory of our existence. From this day forward only I and Hades will remain of the earth and even
our days will be numbered by the will of the heavens above. Thus did he speak. “Go and provoke me no more, for heaven hath not instructed
me, nor given you leave to curse these retched beasts of humanity.” The scars of your vile intrigues will no doubt live on for many a lifetime, for
wicked ways come easy, while virtuous lives are few and cursed with difficulties. It will be my task to set things right while they live, to teach them
the truth, and show them the way. But even that will come after the Achaeans are destroyed by the wars and killing that you have taught them
all too well. The great cities of Arcadia will fall into flames and ashes, and the slaughter of soldiers and citizens both brave and afraid will endure
throughout their lives. Hades alone will remain as far below as the heavens are above, at the very gates of hell to tend to their souls when they
fall into the veil of darkness. Upon hearing these words the gods knew that any words were without use, not even his own wife would remain.
With this, the gods raised from their seats and departed in silence. For the next days they did as Jove commanded, and Neptune went among
them to prepare their departure.
Only Minerva the daughter of great Jove dared to risk his wrath for the love she had for Odysseus a man-god she coveted. Minerva visited the
dreams on a newborn girl child that would later be chosen as an oracle to foretell the future to the Achaeans. The oracle, now ten years later
visited Odysseus soon after his return to Ithaca telling him of the dream from her infancy and the need for him to return to the lands beyond the
seas to the west where he had struggled for 10 long years before finding the bed of his own Penelope. Odysseus, knowing that his fate was
decided by the gods did as the oracle said, but first he took revenge on those false suitors that had taken advantage of Penelope and his son
Telemachus. Within the year Odysseus departed Ithaca with family and followers to return to the land he knew well from his travels.
The gods took their leave as instructed. The living earth was again without the presence of the gods of Olympus, except two. Jove and Hades
And in the next age Moses, after being visited in his dreams by Jehovah began to scribe the laws of the ancient world as they were told to him.
There would be but one god of the land. Sacrifice would be required in the form of burnt offerings for the favor of god. Moses scribed the
testament, but the men of the world would have nothing of it and Jehovah caused a great flood to cleanse the world of wickedness and save but
a few to renew the earth and mankind. Now as the waters of the great flood subsided Noah builded an alter unto Jehovah, and took of every
clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the alter. And Jehovah smelled the sweet savor; and Jehovah said in his
heart. I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake. For clearly, the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Jehovah
then came to other men in their dreams in the night to instruct them in his bidding and with his blessings one was favored over the other.
Ciao!
©copyright 2008 Property of MJSturino,LLC
Any reproduction with-out the owners express written consent is strictly prohibited
