GABRIEL THABO YOU THANK GOD THANK JESUS ALL HE NEEDS TO DO IS DRAW THE OWL HOUSE AND DARSKIN NIGHTWING

Let’s talk about translations of the Odyssey for a second, because, honestly, I’m over here sobbing over how ridiculous some of these choices are.

Every time I pick up a new translation, I hope it’ll finally capture the true grit and messiness of Odysseus, but nope, every one of them polishes him up too much, turning him into either a tragic hero or a charming rogue. Where’s the Odysseus who lies as easily as he breathes, who manipulates his way through every encounter, and who leaves a trail of ruin wherever he goes? I want the man whose brilliance is as sharp as his selfishness, whose cleverness cuts both ways — not just a hero, but a survivor who’s as flawed as he is formidable.

Anyway, I’m gonna break down the biggest mistranslations that really make me want to pull my hair out and remind everyone how different the original Greek actually is. Prepare yourselves.

Let’s start with the absolute disaster that is Telemachus and Peisistratus’ bond. Homer used the word ὁμοφροσύνη to describe their relationship, a term that’s about fucking soulmates, alright? But what do these translators do? They water it down to “just good friends” or “nice companions.” It’s about a relationship where minds and hearts are aligned — telepathic level shit, not just a handshake between two dudes. Yet these translators just gloss over the whole thing, so you get this milquetoast version of their relationship when it’s actually so much more.

Homer says: "ὁμοφροσύνησιν ἐνὶ καρδίᾳ ἐνθα καὶ ἄλλων οὐδὲν ἐπέλθομεν" ("In like-mindedness of heart, where no other man could compare.") So, Telemachus sees Peisistratus as someone he’s totally aligned with, in a way that’s almost romantic in its depth. ὁμοφροσύνη is usually used for romantic couples most often.

Then, we’ve got Odysseus and Calypso, which — oh my god, don’t even get me started on this absolute trainwreck of a translation. The term ἀνάγκῃ is used when Homer talks about Odysseus’ “relationship” with Calypso, but translators somehow miss the force behind the word. It doesn’t just mean “necessity” like they’d have you think. It means force, violence, and distress. When Odysseus is on Calypso’s island, stuck there with her, it’s not this peaceful love story where Odysseus is some willing lover. It’s a prison. There’s no choice, and no one’s riding off into the sunset together. But translations just gloss over this desperation and make it sound so much more peaceful and comfortable than it ever was. It’s forced captivity, and the use of ἀνάγκῃ screams that: “ἔνθα μὲν ἀμφ᾽ ἀνάγκῃ, τῇ δὲ θεὰ ἐρῶσά μιν ἔσχε.” (“There he stayed out of necessity, for the goddess, in her love, held him there.”).

Homer uses the same word when Odysseus describes his time with Circe: “ἀλλ᾽ ἔμεν᾽ ἐν σπέσσι λαῶν ἀνάγκῃ.” (“But I stayed in her halls by necessity.”). Again, ἀνάγκῃ shows that Odysseus's relationship with Circe is dictated by forces beyond his control. His connection to her isn’t out of love or desire, but out of a divine obligation, a situation where choice is completely stripped away. It’s not love; it’s divine manipulation. So much for romantic freedom!

And let’s not forget how Homer actually portrays the suitors and their reaction to Antinous’ violence. After Antinous, in his full rage, decides to throw a chair at disguised Odysseus, other suitors chime in, disapproving of his actions. They say things like “ἀργὸς εἶναι,” which roughly translates to “you’re acting cowardly,” and “ἀτασθαλία,” meaning “reckless.” They’re still on the same side, sure, but they can’t quite get behind the utter savagery of his actions, and it’s maddening how this detail is often glossed over in some translations. They make it sound like they were all in on the violence, but in the original text, these suitors are not all cut from the same brutal cloth, no matter how much some translators want to make them seem like one big mob.

Homer uses the word οἰκέτες to refer to the people in Odysseus' house. "οἰκέτες" means slaves, people who are literally owned by the household. But oh, what happens in the translations? We get “maids” and “servants,” as if these slaves were just there because they wanted to be, doing chores like it was a normal job. But no, they’re not “maids,” and they sure as hell aren't "servants" in the modern sense. These people have no freedom — they belong to Odysseus. The translation of οἰκέτες as "maids" completely erases the brutality of the system that Homer is talking about.

Interestingly, Telemachus, who is often portrayed as rude or immature, calls these individuals “servants” or "maids" in a more respectful manner. This is the same guy who can barely get his act together most of the time, but here he is, calling the οἰκέτες — slaves, remember — not just slaves but “ἄνδρες ἰκέτες,” which translates to "men-servants" or “butlers.” Like, hello, Telemachus! For once, he’s actually treating them like people instead of just the property that they are in Homer’s original telling. Respectful? Who knew?

And lastly, let’s talk about Penelope. Odysseus, when he finally speaks to her, he says: "ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπεὶ καὶ σὺ μὲν ἔμπεδος ἐν οἴκῳ, ἔτλησαν δ’ ἐμαὶ ἄλγεα." ("But you, steadfast in your home, endured my sorrows."). Odysseus sees Penelope as the rock, the one who has suffered patiently in his absence. Unlike the goddesses, she’s his equal in suffering, not a forced relationship due to divine will. He longs for her, and her presence stands in stark contrast to the chaotic, imposed relationships he’s had with Circe and Calypso. Penelope is the constant, the one Odysseus has chosen — no divine manipulation, just pure, enduring love.

Anyway, all of this goes to show that translations can twist what Homer was actually trying to say — especially when it comes to the relationships in the story. It’s frustrating to see these critical, subtle moments get flattened into bland, palatable phrases. Maybe if they spent less time trying to make everything sound "noble" and more time actually getting at the grit of what Homer wrote, we wouldn’t have to deal with these watered-down, emotionless versions of The Odyssey that everyone is so obsessed with.

Me (🥛) and bro (🧊)

THIS IS SO FIYAAA

The small boy and the big demon. (Jason Todd - Damian Wayne)

batfam meets seafam (miasma au)

alfred, frantically running after a group of people as they walk through the front door: "sirs, madams, you cannot be here! i demand you leave willing this instant or you will removed by force!"

percy, poking his head out of the library, followed closely by jason, duke and billy: "alfred? whats going- ah shit."

amphitrite, effortlessly graceful: "language, perseus"

rhode, immediately tackling him and squeezing the air out of his lungs: "PERCYY!! oh im so glad to see you!!"

percy, strangled: "it's only been 8 months-"

poseidon taking a hand off of tritons shoulder to rest it on percys before also pulling him into a firm hug: "my son, it is great to see you in such good health. you have grown into your powers nicely-"

triton, tripping over his feet the second poseidon lifts his hand: "HOW DO YOU MORTALS USE THESE AWFUL APPENDAGES"

--------

*everyone gathered in the gaming room so theres enough space for them all*

triton who has insisted on introducing percy the 'proper way fitting of a child of poseidon' to every notable person: "it is my solemn duty to formerly introduce prince perseus jackson, son of sally jackson and poseidon, saviour of olympus, hero of olympus, champion of hera-"

billy, trying not to sound awed: "ok overachiever"

triton: "-former praetor of the 12th leigon, head councillor of cabin 3, one of the prophesied seven-"

poseidon, grabbing percy by the scruff of the neck while he's trying to escape: "i don't know why he does this every time. it is not his solemn duty."

amphitrite: "it is also not how children of poseidon are addressed"

triton: "-slayer of the giant polybotes, slayer of medusa, slayer of the minotaur, slayer of-"

duke unimpressed because he's heard multiple of these stories but also saw percy walk into the same sliding glass door 5 times in 20 minutes: "is he breathing?"

jason, openly gawking and having a nerd breakdown: "do gods need to breathe?"

triton: "-formerly bore the curse of achilles, holder of the sky, survivor of tartarus, and wanted criminal across multiple continents"

dick: "that's what you end on??"

steph: "saving the best for last obviously"

percy who's had to sit through this so many times its his version of boots by ruyard kipling: "and this is my brother triton"

Seabomb, Seabomb!

Featuring Siren! Vi !

AN ALNST AU IM GONNA SOBBBB

Explodes

"they were his colors" or whatever he said

different eras

I LOVE TUMBLR

Because none of my friends care about batman so I can't just be like "hey do you ever think about Bruce Wayne being in an empty house even before his parents died? Do you ever think about how he never actually had a real family that wasn't cracked or broken in some way? Do you ever think about a lonely boy in a big house watching his parents car leave spindled gates? Do you ever think about when his parents died nothing changed excepted he was now empty and peopled seemed to care he was alone?"

Lalala la Canon is my sandbox and I wreck homes and livelihoods but I keep the foundation and fix it to my whims lalala