by Brick ONeil
Part THREE
Three Furies and Three Graces
“Oh look, it’s the goody two-shoes!” Exclaimed Allecto, in false enthusiasm.
“At least we’re not in trouble with the Gods and Goddesses for stealing.” Thalia teased back, while munching on some deep red wine grapes on the table.
The Three Furies and Three Graces were bade to meet by their triplet older sisters, the Three Fates. The Fates have the subtle but awesome power of deciding a man's destiny. They assign a man to good or evil. Their most obvious choice is choosing how long a man lives. There are three Fates. Clotho, the spinner, who spins the thread of life. Lachesis, the measurer, who choses the lot in life one will have and measures off how long it is to be. Atropos, she who cannot be turned, who at death with her shears cuts the thread of life.
“They made this happen!” Megaera frowned. “Them and their dratted Tapestry! Not even the Gods are immune to them” She frowned again and reached for a juicy red apple.
The Three Furies, their names being Allecto (endless), Tisiphone (punishment), and Megaera (jealous rage), shared the same mother as The Fates and Graces, being Mother Nyx. The Furies were usually solemn and purposeful maidens, wearing the richly adorned attire of huntresses, with a band of serpents around their heads, and serpents or torches in their hands and were responsible for avenging offenses by children against their mothers, and eventually came to be the divine punishers of those guilty of matricide or patricide.
“Well you are the Goddesses of vindictiveness and retribution, so your foul mood suits you, Megaera.” Teased Aglaia, brushing her shoulder against her sister’s back. The snakes in Megaera’s headdress shifted and one head peeked out to sniff the myrtle crown on Aglaia’s head. Aglaia reached out and petted the snakes head.
The Graces were minor goddesses who symbolized beauty charm, and goodness. The three Sisters were Aglaia (brightness or splendor), Thalia (good cheer or blossoming one), and Euphrosyne (mirth or joyfulness). The main role of the Graces was to bestow beauty, charm, and goodness on young women and to give joy to people in general and were attendants of Hera, the wife of Zeus.
“So, why are we here?” Asked Tisiphone. “Is this some punishment for stealing?” She pouted along with Megaera, who was pacing long some windows, where she was watching some cherubs and cupids shooting each other with little heart arrows.
“Mother Nyx asked our sisters, The Fates, to intervene. She felt we should start getting along, seeing as we all deal with humans directly.” Aglaia replied, with neither happiness nor sorrow. “So, if Mother Nyx wants us to meet, the Fates made it happen. We might as well enjoy our meeting, for all we know, Mother Nyx is watching.”
At this, the Three Graces started dancing and singing in a circle around the Three Furies, who watched with sullen faces.
“Why not join us, Allecto?” asked Euphrosyne, picking up Allecto’s hands and dancing with her around the table, giggling madly. Allecto could not help but smile at her joyfulness.
“You certainly must be a goddess, Euphrosyne, to get even Allecto to smile so.” Teased Megaera, sipping some lemonade. “What is it like?”
“What is what like, Megaera?” Asked Euphrosyne, confused.
“What is it like to be so infernally happy, dealing with the lying, cheating humans for all time?” Asked Tisiphone at Thalia.
“We act as muses for artists, writers and sculptors, Megaera. We see the happy side of Humans.” Thalia replied, admiring Tisiphone’s huntress outfit. “Maybe you would like to watch as we help someone create?” She asked brightly while Tisiphone’s snake headdress sniffed the myrtle crown, Thalia pet the snakes head.
Tisiphone gently brought the snake back into her headdress and answered Thalia.
“It would be nice to see a different side of Humans, Allecto.” Tisiphone looked at Allecto, who had picked up a lyre, that belonged to Thalia. She strummed along the wires, sidetracked.
“Only if you Three Graces came along with us while we punished those who would kill their parents or not follow the law.” She gave a compromise, looking at Thalia.
“That would be interesting for all of us,” Euphrosyne started, as she sat on one of the cushions along the table. “We Graces could see the dark side of Humans while you Furies saw the bright side.”
“That would be so sad,” Aglaia said to no one in particular, sorrowfully.
“We would even hold your hand, Aglaia,” Allecto promised, showing strides of closeness by picking up her sister’s hand. Allecto smiled when Aglaia looked at her brightly and giggled.
“You are so pretty when you smile, Allecto.” Aglaia said, absent-mindedly.
“Well, we have been known to crack our stony veneer.” She smirked.
“Humans sometimes see us as repulsive winged female creatures wearing black robes, with snakes twined in our hair, piercing red eyes dripping blood, pitch-black bodies with bat wings, and even sporting the heads of dogs.” She acted out the vision, which caused Aglaia to retreat and shriek with laughter.
Thalia and Euphrosyne joined in when Megaera and Tisiphone mimicked Allecto acting out the vision that the Humans had of the Furies while dishing out their punishment.
“Would you each have three dog heads, like Cerberus?” asked Aglaia. Cerberus was the gigantic hound which guarded the gates of Hades. He was posted to prevent ghosts of the dead from leaving the underworld. Cerberus was described as a three-headed dog with a serpent's tail, a mane of snakes, and a lion's claws.
Allecto laughed at the innocent question. “Even with the serpents tail. We’ve even got the snakes in our hair!” Which caused all the sisters to laugh.
“Did you three really take Narcissus’ mirror, Sisyphus’ boulder and Atlas’ heavens?” Aglaia asked seriously while Thalia and Euphrosyne listened in great interest.
“We did,” answered Megaera, “and Sisyphus and Atlas were punished for losing them, they were bade to join Tantalus in never drinking or eating the water and fruit.”
“And can you believe Narcissus grew more despondent than he did when he could not touch his reflection?” Megaera spat the words out, clearly not over the brush off.
“Zeus eventually found out. We think Mother Nyx told him.
“So all as it should be once again.” Euphrosyne simply stated and reached for an apple as well.
“Yes, I suppose it is.” sighed Megaera.
Allecto picked up the Lyre again and strummed a tune. Her sisters looked on with interest.
“Do you play, Allecto?” Aglaia asked brightly. “It would be wonderful for us to give a concert to Hera!” She bubbled with much enthusiasm. “We could even show the Fates we can get along.”
“I would give anything to see those three smile.” Agreed Megaera. “Though I cannot imagine anything making Hera smile.”
“Did Clotho tell you that she tried to poison Aphrodite again?” Giggled Thalia, to Megaera.
“No, she didn’t!” Megaera listened intently with Allecto and Tisiphone listening as well.
Tisiphone laughed with glee. ”Shows the beauty queen right!” She laughed again.
“Tisiphone, that is terrible!” Thalia hugged Tisiphone “But very amusing! She could not help herself by reminding Hera she lost the popularity contest with Paris!”
“What happened to Paris when he didn’t choose Hera?” Asked Thalia.
“Well, Paris cheated on his wife, Oenone, during the Spartan war with Helen, who was King Menelaus’ wife!” Began Tisiphone, who stopped to drink some lemonade.
“Then while he was absconding with the fair Helen (whom many said was the cause of the war), Hera saw her chance at revenge and tried to cause a storm to destroy the ship.” Gossiped Megaera, leaning over to Euphrosyne and let slip a giggle.
“Aphrodite stepped in and saved Paris, which further enraged Hera.” Finished Allecto, with a knowing wink to Aglaia.
“No wonder Hera is in such a foul mood when Aphrodite pays a visit!”
Laughed Aglaia.
All the sisters joined in the laughter and much gossip ensued, involving the ongoing infighting Hera caused the other Goddesses and their offspring by Zeus.
So for an extended period of time, the Three Furies and the Three Graces, followed each other during their jobs. The Furies saw how happy the Graces made Humans and what they helped create. Music, Poetry, Sculpture, Paintings, Literature, the Furies saw great wonders and knew why the Graces were so happy.
In turn, the Graces watched as the Furies punished those that would kill their mothers by matricide, their fathers by patricide, how humans tried to break laws and punished out those that entered hades without paying for their sins. Even though they did not understand how the Furies enjoyed their work, they witnessed how they earned their reputation as Huntresses.
About the author:
Currently living in Seattle, Washington with my two cats, Bobcat and Bootstrap, where I've been blogging and writing on my blog, https://brickoneil.com.
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