February 14th Blog
DEMIGOD
DISPATCH
2/14
Hello Heroes, Demigods, Mortals, and Monsters,
It’s Valentine’s Day, which means Aphrodite and her son Eros are having their busiest time of the year.
Unlike most commonly celebrated holidays in our modern era, Valentine’s Day as we know it has no apparent connection to any ancient mythology or cultural celebration from before Christendom. The first record of Valentine’s Day being celebrated as we would recognize it now, with the sending of letters and gifts to a loved one, comes from a 14th century English poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales.
Over the centuries, the day of celebrating romance and love has evolved and spread to become an internationally celebrated holiday. To honor this uniting theme of love, we are sharing three fantastic myths and legends about couples from around the world.
We hope you enjoy and, as always, thank you for reading this edition of the demigod dispatch.
Myths of Love
Yennenga and Riale (West Africa, Burkina Faso)
Yennenga was a legendary princess from Northern Ghana, who was such a skilled warrior and huntress that her father refused to let her marry. Yennenga ran away from her father’s kingdom to find love and make her own choice of who she could marry. She lived in the wilderness, where she met and fell in love with a solitary elephant hunter, Riale. The two of them gained great fame for their hunting and fighting and were asked to join an army who was marching against — who else? — Yennenga’s father. Seeing her father was in danger, Yennenga and Riale went to his side and together fought off the oncoming army. Her father blessed their marriage himself.
Yennenga is considered the mother of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso, and many statues of her atop a stallion can be found around the capital city, Ouagadougou.
Medb and Ailill (For the Want of a Bull)
Queen Medb (pronounced Maeve) of Connacht was a fiercely independent woman who through cunning and ruthlessness had become ruler. Ailill was her bodyguard and sparring partner. Before Medb married Ailill, she made him vow their marriage would be without fear, meanness, or jealousy and that everything would be equal between them. Ailill agreed and became King of Connacht.
The two reigned for many years, keeping equal in all things and living without fear, meanness, or jealousy between them, until one of Ailill’s cows gave birth to a magnificent bull. They tallied all their lands, servants, and treasures, and found they were equal on all counts…except for that bull. Ailill could not give it to her and neither could bear to part with such a fine animal, so the only solution was to find another equally powerful bull. She found it in the herds of a rival king’s vassal, Dáire, and sent messengers to offer land, wealth, anything he wanted in return for the bull. When the drunken messenger admitted Medb and Ailill would come to take it by force, Dáire decided to keep his bull.
Medb and Ailill talked it over and decided the peace between them was more important than their peace with their neighbors. Together, they declared war and went after the bull. That is the start of Táin Bó Cúailnge, Ireland’s great saga of war, wit, and demigods.
Achilles and Patroclus
Achilles may be THE most famous demigod in mythology. The famed son of the nereid Thetis and the mortal king Pelias, Achilles was the most fearsome and skilled of all the Greeks, fighting in the Trojan War. His closest friend, Patroclus, was always by his side and comforted him when Agamemnon insulted his honor, prompting Achilles to refuse to keep fighting. When the Trojan army, led by Hector, pushed all the way to the Greek camp and began setting fires to their boats, Achilles still refused to fight. In secret, Patroclus put on Achilles’s armor and led the Greeks to victory, but not before being slain by Hector himself.
It was Patroclus’s death that moved Achilles to rejoin the Greeks and turn the tide of the war. Knowing that he was fated to eventually fall in battle, Achilles demanded that when he, too, passes, his ashes should be mixed with Patroclus’s.
Staff Spotlight
Zak Shaffer
Zak, son of Poseidon, was the Camp Director for Camp Half-Blood Los Angeles’ Westside location in 2021. Before stepping into his heroic demigod role as the leader for CHB LA, Zak has spent his years dedicated to teaching elementary school students in Santa Monica. He currently splits his time between raising his son, Bodhi (featured left in the photo above), and working as a voice actor.
Zak certainly has a deep passion for working with children, both demigods and mortals, but anyone who’s met him can attest that his true love is all things ‘80s. From film to music, and especially He-Man, Zak has a knowledge and appreciation for the ‘80s that can only be described as love.
Zak currently hosts a podcast all about ‘80s cinema and culture called Two Dollar Late Fee. Check it out at https://www.twodollarlatefee.com/
Plato’s Recs
Book recommendation for 8+: The Two Princesses of Bamarre
When the Gray Death strikes Bamarre and its fearless Princess Meryl, it’s up to timid and fearful Princess Addie to fulfill the kingdom’s prophecy and save her people and her sister. With the help of an apprentice sorcerer, a few enchanted items, and her sister’s sword, Addie sets out on a quest filled with dragons, ogres, specters, and gryphons. This hero’s journey full of courage sparked by unconditional love is a great read for ages 8 and up.
Movie for the whole family: Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl’s Moving Castle is a fantastic adventure about Sophie, a modest young hat-maker who is cursed by a spiteful witch and turned into an old woman. Her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-absorbed young wizard, his apprentice, and the talking fire demon that powers his walking castle. Based on the book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones, this award-winning movie by Hayao Miyazaki has gorgeous visuals and is a refreshing love story the whole family can enjoy.