Round the Herne

 My version of the graphic and ghastly Greek myth of Polyphonte who made the fatal mistake of trying to exclude Aphrodite from her life (a lesson to everyone - let love in!). This is one of the more eye-watering myths and definitely not safe for work. There are a number of Greek myths in which people scorn Aphrodite and are cursed with various revolting forms of sexual obsession that invariably lead to carnage and suffering, which provides both a mythical and a Jungian explanation for deviant sexual fixations. There's probably a paper in that notion.

 At a memorial service to a long time friend, Adam, I was asked to read a poem by Eugene Field in honour of Pan which my friend had liked. With this in my thoughts I decided to record it here, as I do not think it is that widely known, and to add in a couple of extra poems on the same topic, one by Elizabeth Barratt Browning and the other by Robert Frost in which the Greek deity appears in America.

  My version of the story of Adonis' birth (be warned, it involves very adult themes and might upset some people) and the conflict between Persephone and Aphrodite over him. Persephone herself is the subject of near identical dispute between her mother and husband and to who she spends time with, and becomes a possessive (adoptive) mother in her turn, resentful of what loosely be called her daughter-in-law. The Adonia festival was held for three days at the summer solstice, marking the death, funeral, and hoped-for resurrection of the handsome god. The lengthening nights are the time spent with his adoptive mother Persephone but could also be considered indicative of the sadness felt by Aphrodite when he is no longer in her bed. The winter solstice marks Adonis' return to her Olympian boudoir. The Greeks described him as androgynous, a word whose meaning has somewhat shifted over the centuries. Back in the day, it meant that he took the macho, manly role when with Aphrodite (an...

 All five parts of my reading of Forrest Reid's supernatural teen romance "The Garden God" (1905). This is a somewhat controversial work, when it was published same-sex romances were illegal and, whilst there is no sex and it is all sighing and gazing rather than anything else, it was still incendiary ground for any author to tread upon. Even today the work is challenging, given that the main characters in the flashback sequences are about 16-years old. Teen romance novels have become very popular of late, but some of us are sufficiently old and crusty that we would sooner ignore adolescent crushes! However, this work follows the same intensely lyrical style that Oscar Wilde adopted, including the same great love of Greek mythology that weaves throughout this short story, and the vivid embrace of nature imagery. Reid, like his fellow Irishman Wilde, was clearly deeply wedded to the countryside. The supernatural elements are low-key, mostly centred around the possibility t...

 It was International Dog Day recently (who on earth actually decides these things?) and I was going to record a story, but work got in the way. So here is a belated account, my version of the final Labour of Herakles where he must acquire the giant dog Cerberus and bring him to the court of his mealy-mouthed cousin King Eurystheus. For the literary among you this is a katabasis tale (the journey into Hades) followed by an anabasis one (the return to the living). I'm sure you are glad to know that.

 This is my version of the Greek myth of Perdix and his uncle Daedalus the inventor. This story reminds me of the Irish myth of Dian Cecht and his son Miach whose skill (in medicine rather than engineering) threatens to outstrip the master. Whilst both stories can be read as straightforward warnings about the dangers of envy, the Irish tale has subtext about the dangers of immortality which the Greek story does not have. 

 A short-ish philosophical musing on the Ancient Greek understanding of time and how it relates to two deities, Kronos and Caerus. It would be interesting to hear people's views about the nature of time and particularly the issue about whether brief good times can outweigh long bad times in the qualitative Caerus-sense.

 It is harvest time in Britain, so thought I would record a story connected to agriculture. This is part of the myth cycle of Demeter and how she forms an association with the kingdom of Eleusis and the birth of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Disguised as a mortal woman, Doso, she looks after the baby Demophon and his older brother Triptolemus, There are close parallels between this story and one told of Aset (Isis) when she too is wandering the land in search of a lost loved one and ends up taking care of a royal baby. One story may have inspired the other, or both may reflect a universal truth.

 This recording was made for the Suffolk Jungian Circle monthly online discussion in June (7.30pm on the 25th, if you want to join in let me know and I'll send you the Teams link). This month we have a look at one of the post-Jungians, James Hillman. He is perhaps best known for his book "The Soul Code" (1997).

 My reading of my favourite chapter (the seventh one) of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 children's classic "The Wind in the Willows". Here a baby otter goes missing and, on the adventure to find him, the friends encounter Pan Himself - in a scene that still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up even after multiple readings. I do wonder if this scene came to Grahame as some kind of dream of visionary experience - to me it feels like a genuine spiritual encounter and it sits quite strangely in the wider story.

 What started off as some research for a lecture (around male friendship) took me off down various mythological tangents, including into the daimona/goddess/spirit Philotes from Ancient Greece who formed and sustained friendships between people (and sometimes also sexual relationships, but that is a side issue). The work-related research has been looking at the connection between social isolation and what are euphemistically called negative life outcomes - ill health, mental problems, increased chances of suicide etc.). While friendship may not get anywhere near the modern cultural coverage of romance (thinking about all those soppy songs, films, Mills & Boon novels etc.), in ancient times there were plenty of tales about friends going off on adventures together.

 The River Styx of Greek mythology is referred to by some ancient writers as the "Dread River of Oath", a suitably poetic image to inspire a few thoughts on the symbolism of both goddess and river within Greek religion and the nature of oath making.

 There are a number of variations on the story of the Moon Rabbit in Chinese mythology. This is my take on how Yue-Tu came to live on the moon. Apologies to Chinese friends and listeners for the dire pronunciation of the names. Cannot help but feel sympathy for the rabbit when he is confronted by the Queen Mother of the West (whom I keep imagining as a Chinese equivalent to Lady Bracknell). I guess as the 12th Doctor said, sometimes there are no good choices - but you still have to choose.... and live with the consequences of that choice.   Video

 A Greek myth about the invention of the aulos (two-reeded flute) and the subsequent fate of the satyr Marsyas, whom the Romans considered to be a great exponent of, possibly even inventor of, parrhesia (free speech). This myth, a bit like the one involving Apollo and Pan, can also be understood as a clash of musical cultures: the high classical lyre music of Apollo, versus the bawdy, rural, flute music of the satyrs (and to some extent the labouring classes). The fate of Marsyas is a tad grim, but (if you want to put a more positive spin on it) think of it as being akin to a snake sloughing to become a fresh, new form.  

 To celebrate the arrival of a magnificent statue of Sebek in the house (a gift from close friends), I have recorded a story featuring the Great Crocodile. He is a side character in the myth, so I have padded his role somewhat - there being little in the way of surviving stories in which He is central. This story forms a subplot to the infamous Myth of the Lettuce, which regular readers of this blog will be familiar with. This story is a bit graphic and not suited for either children or anyone listening whilst bored at work. The kinds of things which horrify 21st century Westerners did not much phase Ancient Egyptians. The city of Nekhen was called Hierakonpolis during the Ptolemaic Period, meaning the City of the Falcon - and it does indeed contain the oldest example of a zoo so far found in the world.

 The video is a reflection on the story of Demeter and her daughter Kore (later Persephone) from a Jungian point of view. This is primarily as a basis for discussion in the Suffolk Jungian Circle at the end of the month but, as ever, it might be of some interest to others as well. I have included reflections on how the myth can be understood and applied in psychological contexts from the viewpoints of Kore, her mother Demeter, and her eventual husband Hades.

 A reflection on a variety of issues from a polytheist perspective - linking the notion of worship (from the Anglo-Saxon weorth-scip) to Max Weber's ideas on religious value systems, medical ethics and the boundaries of Beauchamp and Childress's philosophising around moral values in medicine.

 My reading of the sixth of Oscar Wilde's children's stories from his collection, "The Young King". A visually sumptuous story filled with Wilde's love of description. Some of the language is a bit dated so if you are offended by such things best not to listen. One of the dream sequences is resonant of Greek myth and the presence of the nosoi (entities that spread diseases). Speaking of Greek references, there are also subtle allusions to Antinous and a few other homoerotic figures slipping in. Perhaps Oscar had not been long back from one of his forays when he composed this story. Wilde's essay of socialism was a tad dull, but this tale puts across many of the same ideas in a much more effective manner. It also avoids offering daft solutions to social problems, which makes a nice change in a politicised text. Although the angelic imagery at the end does imply a resolution without going into any practical details. 

 This is my version of the story about the Greek goddess Demeter and her search for her daughter Kore. This story formed the basis of the Eleusinian Mystery cult that had significant influence in Greece. There are several versions of this story and I have tried to blend elements of each together - the snippet about Somnos and the poppies, the account of Baubo's dance and of the baby Triptolemos and the magical fire (both of which were probably inspired by near-identical Egyptian myths). I recently purchased a new laptop and this is my first recording on the device, so this will give me a sense of how well the video function works.

  My reading of the fourth part of Longfellow's (1863) poem "Tales from a Wayside Inn". In this section we get the Musician's Tale (which is about King Olaf, who later became St Olaf, and is guaranteed to offend all Heathens), an Interlude, and the Theologian's Tales (of a monstrous father and his meeting with the equally putrid Grand Inquisitor Torquemada - more than a whiff of Antisemitism in this one).