A Tale for the Gods: Eos Lost

Artemis was bathing in her favourite pool with her dryad friends, when Apollo appeared. Though the temporarily blinding flash of light that came with his arrival was nothing new to Apollo's twin sister, or her nymphs, it still took them a moment to regain their sight. Recovering, they discovered Apollo already before them, shielding his eyes, as well as Aphrodite, who was looking oddly smug. Apollo's hand was over the eyes of young Hermes, his brother.

Artemis sighed, and ushered the dryads out of the pool and into their respective trees. Entering her cave, she changed quickly, slung her quiver over her shoulder, and picked up her bow. She strolled out, and stopped barely metres away from the visitors. “Ready.”

Apollo uncovered his eyes, and took his hand away from his little brother's. He attempted a confident smile, shifting his weight from one foot to another despite having no need to do so. His older sister always unnerved him a little. He didn't like being unnerved.

Artemis fixed him with a cold stare. “A visit? After nearly a thousand mortal years, you want to visit me now.”

His smile shifted into obvious nervousness. He took his little brother's hand and gently ushered him forwards. Reluctantly, Hermes walked over to his sister. “Hermes requested you read him a bedtime story, dear Artemis. He declares your story-telling unrivalled.”

He continued, gaining confidence, without looking at Artemis. “We are trying to decide on a story for you to tell. I suggested his.” Apollo pointed to the sky, where the belt of Orion would hang at nightfall. He smirked. “You are well qualified to tell it.”

“I didn't love him, he was just a friend, how many times do I have to say it?” Artemis snapped. She turned to Aphrodite. “And before you mention Endymion, that wasn't me. Why does everyone pretend that Selene didn't exist?”

Aphrodite piped up before Artemis could continue. “You are the one pretending, cousin. Are you so afraid of admitting that you once fell in love?”

Artemis grew red. “I'm not afraid of anything.”

“Sister, you sound like Ares,” Apollo muttered. Aphrodite blushed at the mention of the war god.

Artemis took advantage of the gap in the conversation to get to the point. “I've never read Hermes a story before; I've barely even seen him before. Let the boy speak for himself.” She took Hermes' hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Crouching down, she whispered to him. “Don't be intimidated. I'm not as scary as I look – I have to keep the appearance up for Apollo. If I didn't scare our brother, who would be left to keep him out of trouble?”

Hermes giggled, and Apollo went red. “I heard your words, sister.” He waited, seemingly for an apology of sorts. When Artemis gave none, he continued. “You should understand that our dear youngest brother has been getting himself in more trouble than I have encountered lately.”

Aphrodite spoke before Artemis could answer. “My dear cousin, I am sure you do not mean to complain of trouble from our Hermes,” she cooed. “Surely it was not him. How could any difficulty come from such a charming little thing?”

Apollo laughed. “Cousin, Zeus is of half a mind to decree him the god of trickery, he has given so much trouble. Last mortal week, he stole my best cattle, rotating their shoes so that it looked as if they walked backwards. There was no doubt of his responsibility then.”

“But, cousin.” Aphrodite's head flicked between each of her male cousins. Where did her greatest loyalty lie?

Hermes spoke for the first time, squeezing Artemis' hand. “Please, Arty. Please read.”

Inwardly, Artemis melted. “Sorry, Herm. I don't tell stories. Would you like someone else to read one?”

Hermes snuggled his face into her robe. “With you.”

Apollo huffed. He could never understand why children preferred Artemis to him.

Meanwhile, Aphrodite's brain was turning. This would be the right time to see if the twins knew... “Zeus?” she suggested.

Artemis and Apollo turned to her with hesitant Zeus is busy and Our king does not have the time.

They did know. Aphrodite crossed her arms. “Busy? Cousins, He is chasing another mortal woman.”

Artemis tried to keep her expression under control, but she couldn't resist a glance at Apollo, who shook his head slightly. She calmed. Aphrodite was only guessing. “Why do you think that?”

Aphrodite smirked, and pointed across the sky to the heavy storm in the distance. “Do you think that He will fool Hera with another cow?”

Apollo hastily tried to change the subject. “Cousin, we still have not decided who will read Hermes his story.”

Aphrodite smiled. “Indeed. Perhaps Athena? She weaves the best stories. I have seen them myself.”

Artemis put a finger over her lip. “Shh,” she whispered urgently. “Don't let Athena hear you mention the W word. She still hasn't recovered from the Arachne incident.” There was a moment of silence.

“Gaia?” Apollo suggested.

“She won't have time, brother. She must be busy– ”

Hermes clapped. “Gaia,” he repeated gleefully. “Gaia, Gaia. Please.”

Aphrodite came over to him and picked him up, hugging him to her. She deposited him gently in Apollo's chariot before getting in herself. Once Apollo had helped his reluctant sister onto it, he drew his whip over the chariot-bearers, and they streaked across the sky to Gaia's favourite part of her creation.

Artemis leaned over to Aphrodite and quietly asked why she was travelling with them instead of attending to her other duties.

“I – I wish to hear the story as well,” Aphrodite answered uncertainly.

Artemis gestured pointedly at Apollo with her eyes. The goddess of love's face grew red, and she barely restrained herself from slapping the other goddess.

Artemis' eyes widened. “No,” she whispered. “I didn't mean it like that. I want to help, believe it or not.” She mused for a moment while Aphrodite glared at her disbelievingly. “You're in charge of Eros, aren't you? Just get him to shoot my brother again.”

Aphrodite smiled. “I appreciate the help, cousin, but Apollo will not allow my dear son within a hundred miles of him after the affair of his last mortal love. Besides, Eros is visiting that girl.”

Artemis remembered the news one of her dryads had given her about the affair of Psyche. That would have to be who Aphrodite was calling that girl.

After a minute or two, they entered the valley of Meteora. Apollo considered it their best bet on finding the essence of Gaia, since it was her favourite place to visit. It had taken him the whole trip to explain to Hermes – simplified into language the boy would understand, making it even harder to explain – that Gaia was the earth, so she was technically everywhere, but her essence was the only 'sentient' part of her. He succeeded in explaining with much difficulty, only to dig a bigger hole for himself as they dismounted by asking Hermes to address Gaia as 'mother'.

“But she's not,” Hermes said, with a finger to his mouth. He thought hard. “She's my... great-grandma?”

“Yes. But you must call her Mother. It is the polite way to address her.”

“But she's not.”

“She is the mother of the universe,” Apollo explained patiently. “The mother of every animate and inanimate being.”

A quiet, earthy laugh interrupted them. A voice came from the ground. “He may call me anything he pleases, my son.”

Apollo looked to the ground and bowed, pulling Hermes gently down beside him. The laugh erupted again. “It has been a long time since one of my children bowed to me. The last time one of my daughters visited, she boasted that her children were superior to mine.” The laugh faded into a thin chuckle. “It did not occur to her that her statement was treason to every god and goddess of Olympus.”

The two goddesses finally realised they had found Gaia. They turned to her – to where her voice came from, at least – and bowed deeply.

When Artemis straightened, Apollo came over to her and privately filled her in on what she had missed. She sucked in her breath.

“Mother,” she said quietly. “Surely you don’t speak of our dear mother, Leto?” She knew Gaia’s need for formality, but always found it hard to comply with. Where were the right words when she needed them?

The humanoid figure of Gaia rose from the earth. Taller than any of the gods, her soil-brown hair floated like thin tree branches in the wind. She wore a simple white robe that showed no sign of having been submerged in earth.

Aphrodite bowed again deeply, her face close to the ground to mask her expression. She tried to hold back her jealousy in the presence of her Mother; Gaia was more beautiful than she.

Gaia smiled. The smile expanded her beauty like the opening of a flower expands the petal’s bright colours. “Aphrodite, you forget that I am the earth. I see and feel the emotions you are restraining. You cannot hide from me. Indeed, you have no need to. Be at peace, daughter.” She addressed Artemis without turning. “And my other daughter – your mind is still on Niobe. It was not dear Leto. We both know how unaccustomed to boasting she is. Now, what is your purpose in visiting me?”

Apollo let go of Hermes’ hand, prepared to coax him towards Gaia, but Hermes needed no persuading. He ran over to his Mother and threw his arms around her. He whispered his request into her ear.

Gaia laughed. “Of course, my dear child. I will tell you the story of creation. But I must keep it short; it is near to the underworld’s time to claim Persephone. Demeter will need my consolation.”

With a wave of her hand, she grew a low rock for Hermes to sit on. He dropped onto it with a giggle, and Gaia grew more rocks for the remaining immortals.

“I was there, in the beginning,” she began. “In some ways, I was the beginning. Before me, there was only Chaos, which I do not count as a creation or creator of any sort. But while I was the only existence, I was lonely. So I created Uranus, the sky and the heaven, to wrap around me and keep me company. He is a good companion.

But soon we grew bored – do not blame us, child. We were the only entities, and how could we talk if there was only us to talk about? I am not as conceited as that.” She chuckled.

Hermes looked up at her with large, awed eyes, and Artemis found herself feeling a little jealous of the titan who could command such wonder into the eyes of her little brother. She fought the jealousy down; she would rather become a mortal and die than share a trait with the goddess of love. Jealousy was Aphrodite's forté.

She forgot her thoughts as Gaia continued. “Of the children I had, my twelve sons and six daughters, Theia was the first to birth my grandchildren. She gave me Helios, and Selene.”

Artemis couldn't restrain herself. She stood up, mouth open. Selene, she mouthed silently.

Gaia smiled. “Yes, daughter. I admit their existence. But those under me – I mean that in the family lineage, with no disrespect to my children – should be careful of their mention. There is a strong sorcery against recalling the names of those you became.”

Artemis sat down, puzzled, but she knew better than to interrupt a second time. Despite Gaia's words, and her appearance, she disliked interruptions as much as the other goddesses.

The Mother continued. “Those children disagreed with each other often. They were so different, it was hard for them to do otherwise. Personifications of the moon and sun, they had nothing in common to speak of, until the birth of Theia's third child. Eos.”

The immortals shifted in their seats, eager to hear what would come next.

“They met her each morning, when Selene sank beyond the horizon and Helios chased the sun into the sky. Eos knew every aspect of both their worlds, and was endlessly fascinated by both, stuck between them as she was. Hers was the edge-world, a merge of both day and night that managed to be unique on its own.

She brought her brother and sister together by sharing her knowledge of one to the other, and growing their understanding of each other. Both found her fascinating. Their favourite time was the hour when they passed over her and greeted her, able to enjoy her company for a single moment before they continued their duties.

But her greatest strength was also her greatest problem, for Helios found her so fascinating he began shirking his duties to be near her. Short day followed short day, and Selene's dark cloak could only cover up so much before she snapped.

She brought the three siblings together to commune. Although Helios refused to admit the danger, Eos saw it, and eventually the two goddesses convinced him. They decided to allow him two days a year to visit Eos on the perpetual horizon, for twelve hours each time.”

Artemis and Apollo looked at each other in surprise, recognising the tale from some forgotten memory they shared.

“On those days,” Gaia continued with a glance and a smile at each of them, “Selene agreed to cover the sun so that the mortals would not recognise the abandonment of their sun god.”

The listeners waited for her to continue, but she didn't continue. Slowly, they stood up. Artemis walked over to Apollo and they shared a whispered conversation before looking at Gaia for an explanation.

She opened her arms for Hermes as he ran to her, before answering. “The memories of your past – representations, shall we say? – are inside you, but buried. To put it in ways you would understand, it was you who made that agreement, yet it was not you. There is no understandable way to describe it in detail. Besides, you are immortal. You have all of time to figure this out for yourselves.”

Artemis opened her mouth, but Apollo, knowing his sister would forget the necessary formalities, interrupted before she could speak. “Great Mother, may you please explain Eos? We do not know of her, yet she seems so important.”

“That, thankfully, is simple, my son. When your sister and yourself appeared, Eos was no longer needed. She melted into the rose-coloured tint of dawn on the horizon.”

Apollo hastily stopped his sister from replying to that, instead holding out his arm to Hermes. Hermes looked from Gaia to his siblings. With a nod from his Mother, he let go of her and reluctantly took Apollo's hand as he was led back to the chariot.

“To bed, brother,” Apollo said gently. “Let your sister return to her duties, for nightfall is almost upon us.”