Being a goddess isn’t easy. From the outside, people may think it’s all fun and games, feasts and chariot races, decadence and offerings…and I guess it is some of those things, but people never talk about all the complications that it can cause.
Yes, many people adore you. These people will praise you and appreciate you, but they’ll also expect a lot from you. Sometimes humans don’t understand that there’s only so much you can do and you’re never going to be able to keep everybody happy, no matter how hard you try.
Other people will hate you. They’ll be jealous of your power, they’ll be upset that you didn’t come through for them, and they’ll place blame on you for the problems in their lives.
The people who like you and the people who hate you probably have one thing in common: they’re all living in fear of you. You have one little incident and your reputation spins out of control. People will think you’re going to snap on them at every possible moment.
Of course, that’s not the case. Like everybody else, I had my moment. However, I’ll defend what I did to this day, and I think if you knew the whole story, you’d be on my side, too. I’ll tell you. You’ll see.
I had just given birth. To twins. Like it was no big thing. Juno was unhappy about this, and she was out to get me. Only minutes removed from giving birth, I had to take my newborn children and make a run for it. As if running great distances with two babies after having just given birth wasn’t bad enough, it was exceptionally hot on this particular day. The sun was beating down on me and I could feel my throat tightening and my mouth drying out. I was drained in every sense of the word.
When I stumbled upon a small lake inside of a valley, I was very excited. It was about time. A drink of water had never looked or sounded better to me. There were some countrymen around the lake, but I thought nothing of them. I approached the lake and knelt down for a well-deserved drink, but they came before me and stood in my way, keeping me from the water I so desperately needed.
I asked them what their problem was and explained to them that water, like all things of nature, should be free to all. I told them that I didn’t intend to use the water for any purpose other than drinking, and I pointed out how badly I needed to quench my thirst.
Still, the men would not let me drink! Not only did they stand in my way and keep me from accessing the water, they jumped in the pool and stirred it with their hands and feet, churning up the soft mud from the depths and ruining the perfect, clear water.
At this point, I was beyond angry. Nobody deserves to be denied the simple necessity of drinking water, and they had messed with the wrong woman today. With that, I cursed them and ordered them to live in the swamp they had created forever. In my opinion, that was what they deserved. Before my eyes, the men were transformed into frogs. Now, they spend all their time in the dirty water. They are free hop around as they were so eager to do the day I first came to the lake.
I feel no remorse for my actions, and if that makes me frightening – so be it, I suppose. I didn’t randomly select people and maliciously ruin their lives. I retaliated, yes, but if everybody had the power to do the same thing I did in my situation, I think many people would’ve acted similarly.
(Painting by Johann Georg Platzer of Latona turning the peasants into frogs, Wikipedia)
Author's Note: I chose to base my retelling on Ovid's story of Latona and the Lycians. I decided to keep the basic elements of the story the same, but to tell the story from Latona's point of view. When I initially read the story, I sympathized with her and totally understood why she'd want to turn the countrymen into frogs. In the original story, an old man is explaining why Latona is feared, but I couldn't help but feel like she was feared undeservingly. I tried to convey that in my retelling.
Bibliography:
Book: Metamorphoses
Author: Tony Kline (Translated Ovid's original into english)
Year Published: 2000
Web Source: Ovid's Metamorphoses
Melanie,
ReplyDeleteI thought this story was really interesting. When we read classical mythology stories, they are always from a third person point of view. I feel like we never get to see what the characters are seeing through their eyes, but the eyes of someone outside the story. I loved that you told the story through the eyes of Latona's point of view. It was great and I really liked your take on the story of Latona and the Lycians.
I think you did a great job of retelling the story from Latona's point of view. I think it is very important to see all views of a story. You were able to capture her point of view and justify her actions. I also like the way in which you told it, you made it seem very casual and not dramatic, which makes her seem like her actions were even more justifiable.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your post!! :)
I thought this was a really creative twist on the original story. Changing up the point of view is a great way to enlighten the readers of an emotion that can't be previously seen. You did a wonderful job in producing a sort of fire that comes from Latona that made me feel for her. Plus me being a twin myself also made me like her that much more :). Your writing made this story flow really well! I hope to read more of your stories in the coming weeks!
ReplyDeleteReally cool to see this classic story told from a first person perspective! Although the first person perspective has some drawbacks, such as not being able to have the narrative apart from the protagonist, it really provides a closer view into the thoughts and feelings of the person who we are looking through. Plus, those guys in the story sounded like jerks, I'm glad they got turned into frogs.
ReplyDelete