"Men do fall on the arrow of love from time to time," Allectus observes, "pricked by desire." My lictors have given us space for our conversation, facing Allectus' with calm faces and watching the crowd.
"But I did not mean to say that Cupid would be my god of choice. Apollo is a fine example in many ways, although he did not have much success at home." I smile crookedly, thinking of the god's habit of cursing his lovers. "It has struck me that for a god as wise as Apollo his love affairs rarely ended well."
"But in many other cases he transformed his lover," I remind Allectus. "There are many trees and flowers, for example, we would not have but for the god's sorrows."
"But the story I like best of Apollo is perhaps the one where he comes out the least favourably - when Hermes stole his cattle. But once peace was restored, Apollo lay down with Hermes. Perhaps he was impressed by his wits, enmity turned to affection."
I smile. "It is true, that rivalry can lead to a certain affection. But I have always felt affection dwells best in alliance, as wrote Pammenes in his criticism of Nestor."
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"But I did not mean to say that Cupid would be my god of choice. Apollo is a fine example in many ways, although he did not have much success at home." I smile crookedly, thinking of the god's habit of cursing his lovers. "It has struck me that for a god as wise as Apollo his love affairs rarely ended well."
"But in many other cases he transformed his lover," I remind Allectus. "There are many trees and flowers, for example, we would not have but for the god's sorrows."
"But the story I like best of Apollo is perhaps the one where he comes out the least favourably - when Hermes stole his cattle. But once peace was restored, Apollo lay down with Hermes. Perhaps he was impressed by his wits, enmity turned to affection."
I smile. "It is true, that rivalry can lead to a certain affection. But I have always felt affection dwells best in alliance, as wrote Pammenes in his criticism of Nestor."