I found myself wondering about the Aristasians (or Chelouranyans as they are known now) who used to share 'elektraspace' with me on my own extension of the mission of the Amazons. Their groups grew quieter and quieter to the point of complete silence for... oh, at least a year, I'd reckon?



Their embassy on the mainland is long gone; the house they were using as a White Roses base likely as well.



I still have dreams of creating an Amazon island on the grid some day, and I want to make a little corner for a large, dignified house with little cottages for my fascinating sisters from another world. I would name the cottages after the Herthean nations, arrange them around the manor, and make a bit of beach just for them to access as they like — or maybe even make an islet just for them and their new embassy, empty and waiting for appropriate residents to return.



I found this thoughtful post that fills in a little more than what I knew — What’s Aristasia? A Long Post - My Experiences and Thoughts, from two and a half years ago. Every culture changes over the years, of course, even on Paradise Island, although there less than most; I would be sad to see this one diminish and fade entirely. The current aether-site is Daughters of Shining Harmony, with links to the Chapel of Mother God, an aetheric discussion site and other relevant places. Their Encyclopædia seems to be broken at the moment, unfortunately.

There was a vision once of seventeen Silver Laurels, Amazons and Aristasians together, supporting our own little land on the grid. How they would love the new mesh looks, and better wigs and smoother skins! I dream it alone for now, but perhaps some day....

The Veneralia was the Festival of Venus, honoured in Her aspect as Venus Verticordia, "The Changer of Hearts". This festival was primarily to petition Venus for support and aid in one's love-life.

After the rite, Venus invites you to Her romantic al fresco (all'aperto) banquet, where we'll share food and have readings of love poetry as well...

Did you know that Google produces no useful results at all for 'Amazons' love poetry'?

To be more precise: amazons love poetry -site:amazon.com -site:amazon.co.uk -site:amazon.* -site:pinterest.*

Hmph.

I did find a few things to save here, though:

( To the Amazons at Epídauros )

( 46 The Modern Day Amazon )

...and then there was this book of an epic poem with a 20th century woman facing cancer, and a Scythian girl facing the invading Greeks, but that was not aetheric, merely listed for sale.

by William Carlos Williams, 1913

(This one is for Urania - M.)

The Archer is wake!
The Swan is flying!
Gold against blue
An Arrow is lying.
There is hunting in heaven--
Sleep safe till to-morrow.

The Bears are abroad!
The Eagle is screaming!
Gold against blue
Their eyes are gleaming!
Sleep!
Sleep safe till to-morrow.

The Sisters lie
With their arms intertwining;
Gold against blue
Their hair is shining!
The Serpent writhes!
Orion is listening!
Gold against blue
His sword is glistening!
Sleep!
There is hunting in heaven--
Sleep safe till to-morrow.

Themiscyran split from Greek fairly early on, retaining some of the obsolete characters and accenting later Hellenic Greek/Attic Greek discarded, and which modern Greek doesn't even remember. One of these is the 'rough-breathing' sound of H, which has been represented during some transcription periods as 'hēta' (see depiction in link) and was eventually reduced to a diacritic mark. (Hēta always precedes an upsilon (Υ/υ).) Ionian Greek reduced this to ēta (Η/η) and changed the symbolised sound.

One interjection which is shared between most Indo-European languages is the vocative 'O', which has been defined as an 'expression of earnestness or reverence, used before the name of a deity or revered person in impassioned speech.' The later Ionian/Athenian speech spelled this with an omega (Ω/ω). Among the Amazons, with their culture of general mutual respect, this became an all-purpose greeting, spoken with a 'rough breathing' vowel, and spelled:

Ⱶ ο (heta-omicron), ὅ, or ὁ

...depending on the transliterator.

λα, or 'la', is an intensifier. ολα (omicron-lambda-alpha) also can translate as 'all' (or 'whole' - a subtle distinction and one which usage may have caused to drift), as a plural neutral vocative - therefore, greeting multiples or collectively. After some use, Ⱶολα became a colloquial greeting in the Themiscyran dialect, the approximate equivalent of the modern Southern American casual 'Hi, y'all!'

The Roman-alphabet transliteration is 'hola', a slightly unfortunate homonym to the Spanish greeting in spelling and nearly in pronunciation. Curiously, it may have somewhat similar origins and date back to proto-Indo-Europan at the very tips of its roots.

See also: http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/370/index.htm

Aside from the 'tack form', , hēta may also be written as , , , — or the confusing or which look too much like Norse runes for convenience. It's bad enough everyone assumes this is Spanish.

Jenny Everywhere told me about how her latest page was for a man named Mike Meyers, whose gentle and generous nature was preyed upon by a scoundrel, who stole Mike's lifelong Superman memorabilia collection.

The first wonderful part is that comics fans all over who heard about this immediately started sending Mike all sorts of new Superman things to help make up for his loss. Art jams at conventions, donations from comics shops, all sorts of things.

Then an update - the fiend who stole the collection was caught! Mike's collection was returned to him! And the wonderful things that people sent him, he'll be sharing with others to make them feel as good as he did when he got the first package.

The gods send us lessons in many ways. We must develop the wisdom to learn from them, however.

Lots going on, but documenting it seemed less important. I did want to share something, a poem the Muses inspired me to craft for the Ludi Apollinares festival.

Pray with profound thanks to our gods for being.
Pray and hail! Bold Artemis, Hestia;
Pray to wise Athena and Aphrodite;
Pray to Demeter.

Hail my Queen, one blessed by the gods and sisters.
Hail to her who saves us from Ares' altar.
Hail and praise, Hippolyta, subjects' saviour.
Hail to you, great one.

Praise Princess Diana, the blesséd daughter.
Praise the Gods' Ambassador: Message offered.
Praise the hero! Patriarchs' World gives honour.
Praise clay-born Favoured!

Honour sisters, Amazons old and new-born.
Honour Sent Forth, Guardians, priests and war-sworn.
Honour women Patriarchs’ World keeps forlorn.
Honour feminine potence!


(For those technically inclined, it's ἀναφορά, an anaphora with Sapphic metre; the stanzas have loose terminal rhyming except for the first, and each is linked to the next by the anaphoric word.)

Pages 46-47 of this particular version:

Turn towards the rising sun and traverse plains
That have not felt the plough ; thus shalt thou reach
The nomade tribes of Scythia, who, sublime,
Inhabit wicker dwellings, raised upon
The rolling wheels of chariots, armed with bows
Potent to send the feathered shaft afar:
— Approach not them, but pass their territory
On the resounding shore, which closely keep!
The Chalybes upon thy left reside,
A savage and inhospitable race.
Who temper the rude iron — these avoid!
Thus shalt thou reach the stream, not falsely named
Hybristes, haughty river ; nor mayst thou
Attempt its tide, that does not easily
Afford a passage, until at the foot
Of Caucasus, the highest mountain ridge,
Thou stand, from whose imposing summit, down
The river vehemently breathes its rage;
Ascending its bare top, that rises high
In neighbourhood of the stars, thou must attain
Beyond, a southern path, and gain the land
Of man-detesting, warlike Amazons,
Inhabitants of Themiscyra's plain,
Upon the bank of Thermodon, where opes
Rude Salmydesia her dread jaws marine,
Hateful to seamen, with a step-dame's care
Their shattered barks protecting.
Readily The Amazons will guide thee on thy way.
Next the Cimmerian isthmus thou shalt reach,
And narrowing portals of the ocean-lake:
Leaving the shore, with resolute heart, thou must
Pass the Mæotic strait, and in the world
Thy passage shall be celebrated ever,
And the surname of Bosphorus be given,
Commemorative of the deed.

Although it is not in service of the Five as we know them, I am being raised to the Roman priestly title of 'flaminia discipula' today at 2 PM, and will dedicate my service to Artemis and Hecate. I would love to have my sisters present for this ceremony, and any other friends who would like to join us.

But this wonderful quote from here deserved quick sharing:



(She's talking about ad-farm owners, but that applies to so many, doesn't it?)

First, or of a greater priority to all, the Legio, my Roman sisters, are part of Roma Pro Vita, raising money for the Relay for Life. One of the events for this was a challenge ludus between the Legio as a whole and the Gladiator School. One of the Amazons (only one, sadly) participated! Here are the pictures I took of Centurio Jo fighting first, Brodbiz and second, Scooter. I think. (I can't remember their proper names, those Romans make things so complicated sometimes).

The second thing is more important just to me, but my adelphe are glad for me, too. Our sister Kara, she who is also called 'Supergirl', purchased a whole island for the Justice League Unlimited to use as a base after some recent upsets... and I have my own parcel there, and Kara raised me a little island all my own. I have built a shrine to Artemis, surrounded by plant sacred to her - cypress and amaranth - with a translucent roof so her chariot's light will always shine within.



Obviously this is dedicated to Artemis Phoebe. Since it is surrounded by water, I will also honour one of her aspects where she was depicted as half-fish, Artemis Eurunomê; her temple at Phiglea in Arcadia is said to also have been surrounded by cypresses. And Artemis Chitônê, for her guidance and protection when (and that is presuming I will become a member) I act as elder sister Donna... I mean, 'Wonder Girl', with the League. I need ikons.

(That is the House of El in the background with the glowing mist and crystal columns. Beyond that is the tiki bar, in the centre of the land.)