Anesidora

Prompt for: February 20, 2013
Subject or Theme: Mythologically Speaking
Word(s) to Include: scatter(ed/s)
Forbidden Word(s): (none)
Additional Parameters: Minimum 30 lines.


Anesidora

I
Prometheus had dared to goad him, dared to steal eternal flame:
Man must be chastened, must pay penance, must bear the weight of Zeus’ blame.
Yet with cunning did the mighty seek to form the penalty--
A two edged sword to help and hinder: venom mixed with frailty.
Zeus saw the wisdom of his thinking, figured how best to work his plan;
Then he called the gods together to create the bane of man.

II
As punishment, their lives shall change, their circumstances, effect a shift
For they have not the minds nor cunning to see what lies behind this gift.
I shall please them with the one hand, with the other take away
And for eons to befall them, for all the future man shall pay.
I shall create the first woman, she who will become their mate
And give to her such attributes; that she will rise and seal their fate.

III
Hephaestus, I charge thee, mold me a woman from earth and clay,
Forge her strong, and sharp of tongue, give her evil beauty, grace.
Men should be bound to serve her, yet in their ignorance, not see
That in desiring this woman, their very downfall, shall she be.
Blow ye bellows, with fire cure, diamond heart, fatal allure,
Create this vision to equal a goddess, make her devious, make her pure.



IV
So Hephaestus poured a molten female, forged of iron, heart of earth,
Created her with life and fairness, added jewels to seal her worth;
gave her eyes of deep-earth emeralds, gave her lips of rubies fine,
gave her hair that rivaled sunset, gave her skin of milk divine,
Gave her crystal tears, emotions; gave her backbone, and for his part,
Saw that even he could love her, and so he gave her last, a heart.

V
Zeus looked upon this new creation, saw that she was as he’d planned,
And called upon the gods to give her, special gifts, to torment man.
When first they laid their eyes upon her ‘wonder seized them’ said Hesiod,
‘sheer guile, not to be withstood by men,’ such the creation of the god.--
A deadly race, conniving, trouble, all the more to try men’s souls.
Zeus smiled, in his glory, for he was pleased with the punishing toll.

VI
Athena dressed her all in silver, elaborate veil and gauzy gown,
Gave to her garlands of flowers, and at last, a silver crown.
Taught her needlework; to embroider: little tales, lies, deceits,
Taught her weaving, sewing, crafting; warp and shuttle wifely, sweet.
Gave her matronly arts and wishes, to keep a home, to ply the fan
And then added to the mixture; a waspish tongue to sting her man.


VII
Aphrodite showered her head with grace and added even more;
Gave her longings, impulse, wantings; gave her feelings to her core.
Made her often most unknowing of the cost of things desired,
Gave her energy to spare, thus would man be ever tired.
Hermes added his gifts too—‘deceitful nature and shameful mind’
Gave her the gift of spoken words, both the sweet and chilling kind.

VIII
Persuasion and the Charities gave her necklaces and jewels,
Gave her rings and sparkly objects, gave her diamonds and ocean pearls.
The Horae adorned her with added garlands, rose with thorn surrounded crown,
Thistle entwined with evil ivy, snakeweed, belladonna found.
Then Hermes added one last present, ever enjoying the god’s new game;
Because she was the one ‘all gifted,’ Pandora was to be her name.

IX
Now Zeus deemed that she would marry Epimethius, the fire thief’s brother
And he was happy to agree, although he’d been fore-warned by another:
No gifts from Zeus should he accept. That was ignored, put to the side
And thus could Zeus now sit back and see the result of royal bride.
A final gift from God to mortal was a jar made out of stone;
Locked and sealed; told not to tamper; leave what was ere inside alone.



X
Pandora drove new husband mad: what was inside, what could it be?
Insidious gift along the way: insatiable curiosity.
One day when she was left alone, when she was certain she’d not be seen,
Pandora crept up to the vessel, yearning, wanting, desire keen.
When she broke the god-seal on it; unlocked the jar with feminine key,
All inside escaped and scattered; damning mortals for eternity.

XI
Sickness flew out and went on to infect. Toil flew free; bringing work to men,
Meaness, cruelty, need and want, lies, deception, greed times ten.
Vile creatures, hideous, profane, flew out in the world to cause much distraction—
She simply stood and stared, and then, fear caused her far to slow reaction.
She thought to slam the lid, but no, foul winged creatures had long disbursed
and thus the world was a darker place, as in his mind, Zeus had rehearsed.

XII
When her husband returned and she told her tale, telling him of her horrible deed,
he remembered brother’s warning, knew they’d been punished for Promethian deed.
She showed him the vessel and opened the lid,
Yet when she looked within, saw another still hid.
It rose from the bottom, all shining and bright, crying, “I am Hope!” and flew off in the night.
For even Zeus could understand, for the world to continue, every man, had his right.

XIII
To at least have hope when disaster loomed, when sickness invaded, when pain lashed through
Hope alone could make the difference between giving up or striving true.
Some asked ‘Why was Hope with the terribly evil?’ Some say redemption, but others cry Not!-
Saying hope’s just as cruel when it leads all for naught, but either way: Hope’s all we have got.
Zeus was arrogant and failed to understand , indeed, he couldn’t imagine the scope
Of what men and women together could do with that final gift; the presence of Hope.