Arrogance: A Greek Mythology Gay Retelling (Book 2 of the Mythologay Series) by B. J. Irons

Author:B. J. Irons [Irons, B. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Spectrum Books
Published: 2022-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Artemis

Nothing angers me more than a liar. The worst kind of people are those who claim to be loyal to you and then wind up disappointing you in the end. Take Polyphonte for instance. A woman who used to be pious to Aphrodite, but then shunned the goddess and her beliefs, only to vow to be dedicated to my deity. Polyphonte was a rarity among mortals. Not many people had the courage to switch and go from worshipping one god to another.

But Polyphonte had a gallantry about her that I admired. She went against her family and her people in order to support her conviction of being a virgin. I respected Polyphonte and the peril she endured by taking such a stance.

My plan was to honor Polyphonte at a festival held in Brauron. It was a yearly event in which all of my female adherents joined me in a celebration of life and chastity. Those who attended would gain my guidance and have many of their prayers answered for their allegiance towards me.

A parade was led throughout the streets and towards my temple, in which many of my patrons were lined up, awaiting my appearance at the very end of the line. It was a grand tradition that I dressed up as a mother bear, with adolescent girls running around me dressed as my cubs. Once these girls hit puberty, it was customary for them to perform in this ceremony and then once we reached the temple, I would bless each of them through a ritual of purity, followed by the onslaught of several goats to complete the purification process.

As the festival was drawing to a close, it was nearly time for me to announce the honorary woman of the evening, which was Polyphonte. She and I met privately in a chamber of the temple to discuss the ceremonial rites she would be performing upon the closing of my speech.

But the cheerful and self-assured Polyphonte I had grown accustomed to was not present today. The Polyphonte that stood before me was demure with a skittish demeanor about her. “Do not be frightened, Polyphonte, for you have nothing to worry about. The ceremony is fairly straight-forward,” I stated in an attempt to alleviate any sort of apprehension she may have had.

She deeply exhaled, taking a rather long breath. “My Goddess, I am unworthy of such a title.”

I shook my head. “What a thing to say! Of course you are worthy, Polyphonte. There is no one else present today that I could think is more deserving of receiving the honorary title this year,” I assuaged.

“You will not think so highly of me once I tell you all that has transpired,” she began to explain.

“And what happened that makes you think so skeptically of yourself?”

“My chastity is no more, Artemis. I have failed you. I made love to a bear in Cyprus. I am in love and bearing his children. We are living peacefully together in the wilderness,” Polyphonte revealed.

Were my ears

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