Writing the Return – The Warrior’s Homecoming

I’m nearing the end of the first draft of Eagles and Dragons, Book III – Warriors of Epona.

This has been a very different book to write. The characters are farther along their path, and there are many new ones that have come onto the scene.

I’ve also left the marble of Rome, and the sands of North Africa behind for the fog-choked hills of Caledonia.

War has come.

My protagonist has fought a long hard campaign with his men, the most bloody and savage of his career. He’s been on campaign incessantly for about a year without the comforts of civilization or of Mediterranean warmth.

He faces an enemy that will not come out into the open most of the time, and supposed allies that he really cannot trust.

For him, life has been a constant cycle of fighting for survival. He has led his warriors, and killed for Rome, all for the purposes of advancing the Empire’s plans for conquest.

Modern Conflict

Indeed, one of the themes running through all books is that of the powerful few sending many to die on the battlefields of the Empire. The soldiers are at the whim of those roaming and ruling the corridors of power.

Sound familiar? My, how history does repeat itself.

Always at the back of my protagonist’s mind is the family that he misses. But if he thinks on them too much, if he loses his focus at any time, his enemies will tear him apart.

The warrior’s life has never been an easy one, especially when you have something to lose.

I find myself in an interesting position now, as I write the last few chapters of Warriors of Epona.

Homecoming Parade in the UK

It’s time, in a sense, for my protagonist to ‘come home’.

But how is that even possible after the life he has led? Can he really ‘come home’?

How have warriors, men and women, dealt with the aftermath of war?

In his book The Warrior Ethos, Steven Pressfield asks a pertinent question:

“All of us know brothers and sisters who have fought with incredible courage on the battlefield, only to fall apart when they came home. Why? Is it easier to be a soldier than to be a civilian?”

In one way, perhaps life at war is more straightforward. Every day, every moment perhaps, your thoughts, your purpose, are focussed on the objective – take that position, hold that region, protect your brothers and sisters in arms, stay alive. In some cases, it’s kill or be killed.

Modern Conflict in Afghanistan

We’re back to primal instincts here.

Today, we have any number of soldier’s aid societies and government programs and guides that are intended to help veterans of wars reintegrate into society.

These groups do good work that is much-needed, but is it enough? How can non-combatants in civilian society understand the physical and emotional trauma that is experienced by warriors after the battle?

In the ancient and medieval worlds, there were no societies or organizations whose purpose was to help returning warriors reintegrate.

Spartan Warriors
Art by Peter Connolly

Granted, in warrior societies such as Sparta and Rome, the majority of warriors probably enjoyed the fighting.

Sparta, I should point out, is a unique example. All Spartan men were warriors. That was their purpose.

But in the Roman Empire, returning warriors would have had to reintegrate in a way similar to today, rather than ancient Sparta. Later Roman society valued not just fighting prowess, but also political acuity, the arts, rhetoric, skill at a trade, generally being a good citizen in society.

In some ways, the Roman Empire combined the best of both Spartan and Athenian societies.

Modern Warriors

However, going back to peace time in a civilian society after the straightforward survival life of a prolonged campaign on the battlefield would have been tough.

We read about legionaries coming back to Rome and getting into all sorts of trouble, their days and nights taken up with gambling, brawling, and whoring.

It’s no wonder that generals and emperors created coloniae of retired soldiers on the fringes of the Empire. In these places, veterans would not be able to cause trouble in Rome, but they would also be given the opportunity to have some land and make a life for themselves.

Family Reunion

In Warriors of Epona, my protagonist will soon be reunited with his family. He’ll be facing peace time.

How will he deal with this? How will his family deal with him?

War changes a person, whether it is in the past or the present day. It’s an experience unlike any other and I salute anyone who faces the conflict that comes with stepping from the world of war into the world of peace.

In the Roman Empire, they were two very different battlefields, as they are, I suspect, today.

How will my own character deal with the transition?

Only the next couple of chapters will be able to tell me.

Thank you for reading. 

Today, there are numerous organizations whose sole purpose is to help veterans, young and old, to make the transition from war zone to home front.

If you know someone returning from one of the many conflicts going on the world, here are a few resources:

US Department of Veterans’ Affairs guide to reintegration: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/reintegration/guide-pdf/smguide.pdf

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: http://iava.org/

Soldiers’ Angels: https://soldiersangels.org/

List of other Military and Veteran resources: http://www.military.com/spouse/military-life/military-resources/military-and-veteran-associations.html

Argonautica - Part II – Heroes’ Deeds, Not Words

When Jason and the Argonauts left Lemnos, they were feeling pretty good.

Who wouldn’t after spending time on a beautiful island making love to women who hadn’t seen in man in years? The young heroes would have been feeling pretty positive as the Argo cut through the sea once more.

But, for men, happiness can be fleeting.

The Argo plies the sea through the Chersonesus and along the Dardanian coast. Again, Apollonius shows his knowledge of geography by detailing the many places and peoples that the Argonauts pass on their way through the Hellespont.

There are so many episodes along the way to Colchis that are ignored by modern productions. Of course, one film or two-part series can’t hope to capture them all. But they are wonderful and, I think, would make for a fantastic HBO series.

Six Arms Are Not Better Than Two

One such episode is when the Argonauts encounter the Doliones and their king, Cyzicus. The Doliones, descendants of Poseidon, are friendly and welcome the Argonauts with feasting and supplies. 

Jason builds an altar to Apollo on the beach, in thanks. The gods must be given their due.

The Earthborn

However, the Doliones’ neighbours, a vicious race of six-armed men, known as the Earthborn, seek to block the Argonauts’ way. Jason and most of the men are not there when the attack comes, but Herakles and a few others hold the Earthborn off with bows and spears until the others arrive. They slaughter the Earthborn on the beach.

When the Argo leaves the Doliones, great winds rise up and take them back to the island of the Doliones without them knowing it. This is where the tragic reality of Greek tales hits.

The Doliones take the returned Argonauts for Macrian enemies and soon a huge battle takes place between the two armies in which Jason kills King Cyzicus, his former host. Many Doliones die.

Both sides realize their error and they mourn and hold games for three days. Cleite, Cyzicus’ new young bride, hangs herself in her grief.

The Argonauts are held there for twelve days because of high winds and it is only after Mopsus, the crew’s seer, tells Jason that he must propitiate the great goddess that they are able to calm the winds.

They set sail, less happy than the last time they left the Doliones. The journey continues, and there are more storms, until they come to the land of the Mysians who welcome them with provisions, sheep and wine.

Dangerous Beauty

At this point we come to an episode that, I admit, I did not know was a part of the Argonautica. I’d known it from famous paintings, even recreations in movies such as Sirens. So, when I read this passage, I was pleasantly surprised, despite the tragedy it entails. Here's what happens.

During the storms, Herakles had broken his mighty oar, and so during the feasting he heads into the forest to look for a tree that will serve as a new oar.

While he is gone, his friend Hylas goes into another part of the wood to fill a pitcher with water so that he can prepare a meal. Hylas comes to the spring of Pegae where the nymphs are beginning their dances in honour of Artemis. The nymphs…

“…who held the mountain peaks or glens, all they were ranged far off guarding the woods; but one, a water-nymph was just rising from the fair-flowing spring; and the boy she perceived close at hand with the rosy flush of his beauty and sweet grace. For the full moon beaming from the sky smote him. And Cypris [Aphrodite] made her heart faint, and in her confusion she could scarcely gather her spirit back to her. But as soon as he dipped the pitcher in the stream, leaning to one side, and the brimming water rang loud as it poured against the sounding bronze, straightway she laid her left arm above upon his neck yearning to kiss his tender mouth; and with her right hand she drew down his elbow, and plunged him into the midst of the eddy.” (Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica)

Hylas and the Nymphs

Hylas cries out, but he is gone. Some of his comrades think a wild beast is attacking him and they go searching for him. While searching, they find Herakles who is overcome with wrath when he hears what has happened to his friend. The hero refuses to continue on the journey with the rest of the Argonauts, opting instead to remain in Mysia and search for Hylas whom he never finds.

Herakles

Amidst much quarrelling, the Argo sails without its greatest hero.

This is certainly an interesting turn of events. In the Hallmark production, Herakles goes all the way to Colchis where he dies in battle, and in the Ray Harryhausen version, he stays to look for Hylas on the island of Thalos, who does not make an appearance in Argonautica until the homeward voyage.

We discover that it is the will of Zeus that Herakles not accompany the Argonauts to Colchis since he has yet to finish his Labours. As soon as the heroes discover this, their quarrelling ends and they press on. The Gods’ will must be respected.

Boxing the Bebrycians

The next part of their adventure is another that is often ignored, but I think it is a great part of the story that speaks to the power of youth and the Argonauts’ sense of adventure and optimism.

Ancient Boxers

When the winds die down, the Argo is forced to beach itself in the lands of Amycus, king of the Bebrycians. Amycus is a violent, arrogant man, and where the Argonauts have been well-received before, they now get anything but a warm welcome.

Amycus, a monster of a man according to Apollonius, tells the heroes that they will never be allowed to leave until one of them faces him in a boxing match.

Amycus is no slouch when it comes to fighting – he has killed many men with his challenge.

Polydeuces, the twin brother of Castor, and son of Zeus, steps forward to accept the challenge. He is young and powerful and known for his skill in boxing.

Amycus stands by, still and confident, watching the young Polydeuces step forward. Polydeuces carefully removes an ornate cloak that was given to him by one of the Lemnian maidens. He folds it, and begins warming up his body before tying the rawhide gauntlets to his fists.

“The one seemed to be a monstrous son of baleful Typhoeus or of Earth herself, such as she brought forth aforetime, in her wrath against Zeus; but the other, the son of Tyndareus, was like a star of heaven, whose beams are fairest as it shines through the nightly sky at eventide. Such was the son of Zeus, the bloom of the first down still on his cheeks, still with the look of gladness in his eyes. But his might and fury waxed like a wild beast’s; and he poised his hands to see if they were pliant as before and were not altogether numbed by toil and rowing.” (Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica)

The two men begin to circle each other, Amycus taunting Polydeuces. But the latter does not give in to the taunts. Rather, he observes Amycus’ style, testing him, trading blow for blow.

Castor and Polydeuces

The youth is fast and gives as good as he gets before a break is called and the two step back. When they return to the ring, the fight is much more ferocious, and Polydeuces takes his chance to land a punishing blow on the side of Amycus’ head, crushing the side of the king’s skull and killing him instantly.

The Bebrycians rush to attack Polydeuces, but the Argonauts come to his aid, his brother Castor first, and they beat and kill many of the Bebrycians.

Another thing I noticed in this episode is that even though Argonautica is about Jason’s journey as a hero, to this point, he has not yet performed any great deeds. Though he has fought in battles and killed enemies, the king he did kill was his one-time friend and host, Cyzicus. It was a mistake. The glorious set pieces such as this fight with Amycus, are the deeds of others in his company.

Apollonius is building to something I think, by leaving Jason on the side. Perhaps the listener, or reader, is meant to begin doubting the youth as others do, the expectation built up?

But Jason’s time is coming.

Obeying the Gods

Another set piece that has received much attention in film and television is the Argonauts’ visit to Phineus, the blind prophet tormented by the Harpies. After leaving the land of the Bebrycians with spoils, the Argonauts come to the place where Phineus lives by the sea.

Jason and Phineus

Phineus was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo himself, but after he slighted Zeus by revealing too much to people, he was cursed with permanent old age and the loss of his eyes. He was also cursed with Harpies who would not let him eat anything.

When Jason arrives, we discover that Phineus is expecting him and knows of their mission for the Fleece. When they hear his tale, the young pity the old man and want to help him. In exchange, Phineus shares his wisdom.

When the Harpies come to attack, it is not Jason who attacks them, as in the Hallmark production, but rather fascinatingly, the sons of Boreas, Zetes and Calais, who take to the air to attack the Harpies. They come close to killing them, but Iris, a goddess of the sky and a messenger, as well as the Harpies’ sister, stops Boreas’ sons from carrying out the killings.

Iris swears on the waters of the Styx (the ‘water-tight’ oath feared even by the gods) that the Harpies will no longer bother Phineus. In the films, the Harpies are killed or caged.

The Boreads and the Harpies

The Argonauts make sacrifices to the gods and prepare a feast for the old man who devours enough food to sate his incredible hunger. Then it is time for him to tell Jason and his men what they can expect.

But he cannot tell them everything, having learned his lesson in revealing too much. To get to Colchis, he tells them that they must pass through the Cyanean Rocks, and how they can use a dove to help them get through. When they pass into Pontus, they are to keep Bythinia on their right. They must stop in the land of the Mariandyni.

This is where Apollonius continues to show off his geographical knowledge. Phineus goes through all the peoples and places they will see on their way – the land of the iron-working people, Amazons along the River Thermodon etc.

The Cyanean Rocks

They are to travel until they come to the River Phasis which will lead them to Aeetes’ capital in Colchis, and the Grove of Ares where a terrible dragon watches over the Golden Fleece where it hangs on an oak tree.

This impending danger strikes fear into the Argonauts’ hearts.

Jason asks if they will see Hellas again, and Phineus replies that they will, but with the help of many guides.

He does give one striking piece of advice. Phineus tells Jason that he must heed Aphrodite’s aid most of all, since the success of their entire quest depends on her!

This is where the Argonautica stands apart from all other stories, indeed it breaks new ground.

The theme of Love, and the romantic treatment of Love, was new to epics when Apollonius of Rhodes composed the Argonautica.

As we shall see in Part III of this series, Love will play a major role in the development of Jason as a hero.

Thank you for reading.