Gaia: Primeval Earth Divinity. Mother to all. Consort of Ouranos, the Sky.
Hades: God of the Underworld, Death, Wealth. Son of Kronos and Rhea. Brother of Zeus. Husband of Persephone. Called Pluto, Receiver of Many, Hidden One. Attributes: helm of invisibility, bird-tipped scepter. Modern alias: Aiden.
Helen of Troy: Daughter of Zeus and a mortal woman whom Zeus appeared to in the form of a swan. Reputed to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Her abduction instigated the Trojan War. In the late sixteenth century, Christopher Marlowe coined her most famous epithet, “the face that launch’d a thousand ships.”
Helios: God and embodiment of the Sun. Also identified with Apollo, who has dominion over the sun.
Hephaestus: God of the Forge and Fire. One of the Twelve Olympians. Son of Hera, born parthenogenically. Lamed when thrown off Olympus by Zeus and walks with a crutch. Called the Smith, the Sooty God, He of Many Arts and Skills, Lame One. Attributes: hammer, tongs.
Heracles: Greatest of the Greek heroes. Also known as Hercules (Latin). Half-mortal son of Zeus. Completed twelve famous labors. On his death, he was made immortal by the gods and ascended to Olympus.
Hera: Queen of the Gods. Goddess of Women, Marriage, and the Heavens. One of the Twelve Olympians. Daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Sister and jealous wife of Zeus. Mother of Ares and Hephaestus. Known as “white-armed.” Attributes: crown, peacock, lotus-tipped staff.
Hermes: God of Thieves, Liars, Travel, Communication, Hospitality, and Athletics. One of the Twelve Olympians. Son of Zeus and a nymph. Known as “the Psychopompos,” the Conductor of Souls to the Underworld. Herald to the gods. Called Messenger, Luck-Bringing, Trickster, Many-Turning, Busy One. Attributes: caduceus (winged staff twined with snakes), winged sandals, winged cap. Modern aliases: Swifty O’May, Dash Mercer.
Hestia: Goddess of the Hearth and Home. Eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Sister of Zeus. Virgin. Once part of the Twelve Olympians, but gave up her throne to Dionysus. She tended the sacred fire at the center of Mount Olympus. Called “The Eldest.” Attributes: veil, kettle.
Khaos: Primeval embodiment of Chaos. From the same root as “chasm,” the name means the void from which all other primeval divinities sprang.
Kronos: A Titan. With the help of his mother, Gaia (the Earth), he overthrew his father, Ouranos (the Sky), to become King of the Gods until overthrown in turn by Zeus, his son. Father/grandfather of the Olympians.
Leto: Goddess of Motherhood and Modesty. Daughter of the Titans Phoibe and Koios. Lover of Zeus. Mother of Artemis and Apollo. Chased by jealous Hera to the island of Delos, where she finally gave birth to her twins. Called “neat-ankled,” Gentle Goddess, Mother of Twins. Attributes: veil, date palm. Modern alias: Leticia Delos.
Merope: A nymph. Sometimes identified as one of the daughters of Atlas, the Titan who holds up the Earth. Artemis’s hunting companion.
Odysseus: Hero of Homer’s Odyssey. Fought in the Trojan War, then took ten years to get home to his wife after many adventures along the way. Known for his cunning, cleverness, and eloquence. Mastermind behind the Trojan Horse.
Orion: Son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. Artemis’s only male hunting companion. Some tales describe him as blinded and exiled after raping Merope, a king’s daughter. Other myths say he raped one of Artemis’s nymphs. He was killed either by a scorpion or by Artemis’s arrows. Placed as a constellation in the sky. Called the Hunter.
Ouranos: Primeval Sky Divinity. Father of the Titans. Also called Uranus. Overthrown by his son Kronos.
Persephone: Goddess of Spring and the Underworld. Daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Wife of Hades. Worshiped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which commemorate her abduction by Hades into the Underworld and her eventual return to her mother. Called Kore (“Maiden”), Discreet, Lovely. Attributes: wheat sheaves, torch. Modern alias: Cora.
Phoibe: Titan goddess of the Moon and Prophecy. Mother of Leto. She gave the moon to her granddaughter, Artemis, and the gift of prophecy to her grandson, Apollo.
Poseidon: God of the Sea, Earthquakes, and Horses. One of the Twelve Olympians. Son of Kronos and Rhea. Brother of Zeus. Father of Orion, Theseus, and other heroes. Called “blue-haired,” Earth-Shaker, Horse-Tender. Attributes: trident.
Prometheus: A Titan. After molding mankind from clay, he gave them fire, despite the prohibition of the other gods. As punishment, the Olympians chained him to a rock and sent an eagle to eat his liver every day for eternity.
Rhea: A Titan. Goddess of Female Fertility. Queen of the Gods in the Age of Titans. Helped Zeus, her youngest son, overthrow his father, Kronos.
Selene: Goddess and embodiment of the Moon. Lover of Endymion, a mortal to whom Zeus grants eternal youth and eternal slumber. While Artemis has dominion over the moon, Selene is the Moon incarnate.
Tithonus: A shepherd boy loved by Eos, the Dawn. She begs Zeus to grant him immortality but forgets to ask for eternal youth. Eventually, he grows so old and shriveled that he’s turned into a grasshopper or cicada.
Zephyrus: God and embodiment of the gentle west wind.
Zeus: King and Father of the Gods. God of the Sky, Lightning, Weather, Law, and Fate. One of the Twelve Olympians. Youngest son of Kronos and Rhea. After Kronos swallowed his first five children, Rhea hid baby Zeus in the Cave of Psychro. After coming to manhood, Zeus cut his siblings from his father’s gullet, defeated the Titans, and began the reign of the Olympians. He divided the world with his two brothers, taking the Sky for himself. Husband (and brother) of Hera, but lover of many. Father of untold gods, goddesses, and heroes, including Artemis and Apollo. Attributes: lightning bolt, eagle, royal scepter.
The Eleusinian Mysteries
A Brief Outline
Day One: Procession of the Sacred Objects (hiera) from Demeter and Persephone’s temple in Eleusis to the Acropolis in Athens. The objects were carried in a kiste (chest) and a kalathos (basket). (Note: This is often considered the “Day Before Day One,” and the Agyrmos is counted as Day One. For simplicity’s sake, I’ve counted the Agyrmos as Day Two.)
Day Two: Agyrmos, “the Gathering”: The opening ceremony. Initiates (mystai) are given their instructions. The Sacred Objects are taken into Demeter’s Athenian temple, accompanied by singing and dancing.
Day Three: Alade! Mystai!, “Seawards, Initiates!”: Ritual cleansing of the initiates in the ocean south of Athens.
Day Four: Heireia Deuro!, “Bring Sacred Offerings!”: Initiates offer suckling pigs to the goddesses. City-states bring tithes of grain to Athens.
Day Five: Asklepia, “Feast of Asclepius”: The cult of Asclepius joins the rite. Initiates spend the night seeking “healing dreams,” probably in the Athenian temple to Asclepius, built in a cave with a sacred spring.
Day Six: Pompe, “Procession”: Hierophants (priests) and initiates process with the Sacred Objects from Athens back to Eleusis. They start at the Kerameikos Cemetery, then cross the Bridge of Jests, where jesters mock them with bawdy jokes. The Pompe is sometimes associated with Dionysus.
Day Seven: Pannychis, “Nightlong Revelry”: Torch-lit dancing around a “well of beautiful dances” near Demeter’s temple in Eleusis.
Days Eight and Nine: Mysteriotides Nychtes, “Nights of the Mysteries”: Exact rituals unknown. Secret rites took place inside Demeter’s temple at the Telesterion, the “Hall of Completion.” The ritual included three components: Legomena (“Things Said”), Dromena (“Things Done”), and Deiknumena (“Things Shown”). Likely, the rites involved the display of the Sacred Objects and a reenactment of the story of Persephone’s abduction by Hades and her later return to her mother, Demeter. Initiates drank kykeon, a special potion, possibly consisting of barley water and pennyroyal. At the climax of the ritual, they received a holy, life-altering vision.
Day Ten: Plemochoai, “Libations”: Initiates pour libations (offerings of wine or water) to the gods and to their ancestors.
GLOSSARY OF GREEK AND LATIN TERMS
Athanatos (pl. Athanatoi):
“One Who Does Not Die” (an immortal).
Chiton: a long tunic worn in Ancient Greece.
Hiera: sacred objects.
Hierophant: head priest of a Mystery Cult, literally the “Revealer of Sacred Things.”
Kalathos: wool-gathering basket.
Katharsis: catharsis, from katharos, meaning “pure.” Release from strong or repressed emotions, often through experiencing tragedy in art or drama.
Kharisma: charisma, from karis, meaning “grace.” A talent conferred by the gods.
Kiste: a chest or box.
Kykeon: special potion drunk in the Eleusinian Mysteries.
Lararium: a shrine in Roman homes honoring the household gods or protective spirits (lares).
Makarites (pl. Makaritai): “Blessed One.”
Meandros: a decorative element common in ancient Greece, also called the “Greek key,” named after the twisting path of the Meander River.
Mystes (pl. mystai): an initiate into a Mystery Cult.
Sex crines: hairstyle of six braids worn by Roman brides, denoting virginity.
Thanatos (pl. thanatoi): “One Who Dies” (a mortal).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As an extrovert in an introvert’s profession, I’ve found myself seeking out companions since the beginning of this journey. Luckily, I’ve been blessed with more than my share of friends generous enough to travel along with me.
Helen Shaw introduced me to the Eleusinian Mysteries and generously supplied me with ideas and inspiration, not to mention invaluable moral support, editorial help, comic relief, and unconditional friendship, throughout the entire process. If you found something especially clever or funny, you can probably thank her. The indomitable Dustin Thomason not only gave reams of helpful feedback, but his introductions, encouragement, and extraordinary generosity of spirit truly made the book possible. Tegan Tigani, my partner in creativity since the third grade, never balked at reading more drafts and sharing her publishing expertise. She is the best advocate and the best friend anyone could ask for.
My heartfelt thanks to my other readers: Jaclyn Huberman, Eliot Schrefer, Emily Shooltz, Christopher Vander Mey, Chandler Williams, Chad Mills, and John Wray. Great minds and great friends—you made The Immortals a better book, just as you’ve made me a better person for so many years.
Dr. Michael Shaw and Dr. Anne Shaw, classicists extraordinaire, generously provided most of the Ancient Greek translations and transliterations for the book. Any brilliance in Theo’s work is theirs; any errors or inconsistencies are my own.
My undying gratitude to my tremendous agent, Jennifer Joel at ICM, who pored over every line of the book multiple times, always leaving the pages a little shorter and a lot better than when she found them. Her unerring eye and superhuman patience never fail to astound. Thanks as well to Madeleine Osborn at ICM, who carried the book to new heights at just the right time. Without the advocacy of my editor at Orbit, Devi Pillai, this book would never have seen the light of day. She believed in The Immortals when no one else did, and for that I owe her a debt that I can never fully repay. To Tim Holman, Jenni Hill, Lindsey Hall, and the whole staff at Orbit and Hachette, thank you for welcoming me, and Selene, into your world with such enthusiasm.
My family, both Brodsky and Mills, gave me the foundation of love and acceptance that makes creativity possible. My parents, Lewis and Cathy Brodsky, handed me D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths as a child, instilling a lifelong passion for mythology and storytelling, while my grandmother Tamara Rottino and her husband, Joe, provided the enthusiasm that galvanized me at the very beginning of this project. The entire Mills clan seemed to accept from the first that I would eventually get this book published; their matter-of-fact confidence made me believe it, too.
And finally to my husband, Jason Mills. My first, last, and twenty times in-between reader. The love of my life, the song in my heart. His own immense talent served as a goad, pushing me to prove myself. Every time I wanted to give up, he refused to let me. Without his tireless enthusiasm, unquestioning faith, insightful editorial comments, and knack for making a good cup of tea, I would have stopped writing after page two.
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C ONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Welcome
Dedication
The Gods’ Family Tree
Epigraph
Chapter 1. Punisher
Chapter 2. The Huntress
Chapter 3. The Classicist
Chapter 4. Singer of Stitched Words
Chapter 5. Moon Goddess
Chapter 6. A Learned Man
Chapter 7. She Who Leaves No Trace
Chapter 8. The Scholar
Chapter 9. Deer Heart
Chapter 10. The Detective
Chapter 11. The Olympian
Chapter 12. The Hierophant Part I
Chapter 13. Unwithering
Chapter 14. Protector of the Innocent
Chapter 15. The Goddesses of Eleusis
Chapter 16. Mistress of Beasts
Chapter 17. Huntress of the Wild Boar
Chapter 18. Daughter of Leto
Chapter 19. She Who Helps One Climb Out
Chapter 20. Stormy One
Chapter 21. The Far Shooter
Chapter 22. Goddess of Girls
Chapter 23. Conductor of Souls
Chapter 24. Receiver of Many
Chapter 25. The Hidden One
Chapter 26. Mother of Twins
Chapter 27. The Hierophant Part II
Chapter 28. Swiftly Bounding
Chapter 29. Untamed
Chapter 30. The Lady Captain
Chapter 31. She Who Roams the Night
Chapter 32. Goddess of the Wilderness
Chapter 33. Shooter of Stags
Chapter 34. The Face That Launched a Thousand Ships
Chapter 35. He of the Wild Revels
Chapter 36. He Who Unties
Chapter 37. Artemis
Chapter 38. Lady of the Starry Host
Chapter 39. The Delian Twins
Chapter 40. The Epic Hero
Chapter 41. The Laurel Bearer
Chapter 42. Hurler of the Javelin
Chapter 43. The Hunter
Chapter 44. The Corn King
Chapter 45. Undying
Chapter 46. The Relentless One
Chapter 47. She Who Leads the Dance
Chapter 48. Thanatos
Epilogos. The Good Maiden
Author’s Note
Appendices: Olympians, Heroes, and Other Immortals
The Eleusinian Mysteries: A Brief Outline
Glossary of Greek and Latin Terms
Acknowledgments
Orbit Newsletter
Copyright
Copyright
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Copyright © 2016 by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Helen is reproduced with permission of Curtis Brown Group Ltd, London, on behalf of the Beneficiaries of the Estate of Rex Warner. Copyright © Rex Warner 1951
Cover design by Kirk Benshoff
Cover photograph by Jaap Vliegenthart @ Lensmodern
Cover © 2016 Hachette Book Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written per
mission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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