Appreciating Petty Deities
Because they have feelings, too.
For a long time, I held it against the ancient Greek goddess Artemis that she was a petty bitch.
I adored her for her ferocity, her deep attachment to the wilderness, her freedom, and her love for women and children. She was the badassest badass that ever badassed, but… god, she was petty. Like, some guy accidentally peeped her while she and her hella sexy friends splashed around naked in a pond, and she lost her shit? She turned him into a stag and then his own hound dogs tore him to pieces? Like, you’re an ancient, all-powerful goddess. Chill.
And then America shat in its own mouth on November 8th. I suddenly felt dramatically less safe as a woman, much less a mouthy, thick, queer woman. I felt an even deeper sense of protectiveness for the kids I work with, many of whom have been raped or otherwise assaulted multiple times.
And then one night while I was doing nothing of any importance, I put myself in Her shoes. I thought, “If I was an all-powerful deity, what would I do to people who enraged me through their unjust and hateful treatment of others?”
And then I thought, “I bet it would be pretty fucking satisfying to let a rapist’s own dogs eat him alive…”
And don’t get me wrong — I don’t know or even think that Actaeon was a pervert or rapist. I myself would be startled and enthralled if I happened upon a naked deity whilst bumbling around the woods. But in Ancient Greece, women were essentially ovens for growing sons until they were all used up. Patriarchy made women suffer at the whims of arrogant sleezeballs who got a pass because they were philosophers or warriors or just normal losers. So even if Actaeon wasn’t a garbage human being, his actions were symbolic of the violation of Greek women that happened day in and day out.
And then I thought, “Oh. Now I get it. An angry feminist goddess, with power-saturated men running rampant, doing as they please? Oh, the petty level would be motherfucking high.” I imagined the rage — the deity-sized rage, and the simplistic flick of the wrist that would settle it.
Oh, yes, that is delicious.
And that’s how I came to appreciate goddess-level revenge. ❤
thanks for reading ~ more at www.thewildfrancesca.com & on Instagram
for the new publication I’m working on, check out Witches Rise here on Medium
