by Sabledrake
Yet another example of why you are undoubtedly one of my favorite authors on here.
Dear Sabledrake:
To say the least I am greatly impressed by your story. I have loved Greek Mythology ever since I was a child. Myth it has been said, "Creates a reason for a fact and does not take fantasy and attempt to substantiate it as a fact. You have taken an ancient myth and breathed new life into it and given it substance. Thank you for your imagination and your passion. It has conferred the status of a true literary creator upon you.
Sincerely,
Gerald Ray
Excellent retelling of one of the best-known Greek myths. You've done a great job.
Excellent retelling of a well-known and well-loved Greek myth. (Sorry for double comment, my review field has gone all wonky since the great change and I had to submit it again).
Absolutely wonderful writing. This is rich, inventive, and delcious, with a gift for earthy metaphor and powerful evocation of the place, period, and characters. A sensual and sexual telling of the myth that brings the characters to life - and not just the leads, but wonderful "supporting cast" including a delightful evocation of Daedalus.
Excellant. You are one of the great erotic storytellers. Enjoy all of your work and can not wait for new ones. Please keep writing.
WOW! Pasiphae's desperation is palpable, and the bull rutting her...it is at once terrible and erotic. I am torn between feeling sympathy for this poor cursed woman who must do so horrible a thing, hoping that she will find a means of escaping the bull, and wishing her to mate the creature as quickly as possible so as to cool her fire.
Well...if I am to be perfectly honest, a part of me also wishes to see her mated to the bull because she is so arrogant and I feel as though it is her just desserts and dressing up as a cow is just the sort of punishment that so haughty a woman deserves. This is especially true considering that Pasiphae is a Queen, but in her cow she must go onto all fours...in essence she must bow to the bull even though all of Crete must bow to her. But still...as arrogant as she is, I still feel sorry for her. If only she weren't so arrogant I would want a knight to come save her from her evil fate. But as she is arrogant...well, she made her cow so now she must lay in it.
Very hot stuff. My only wish is that we could have seen the gods involvement, because I would have loved to have known what Poseidon or Aphrodite made of Pasiphae's plight. MORE!
I found this story while going through some of Sabledrake's older stuff and all I can say is - wow! I think this just might be the best of her stories. As I kid I read the Greek myths and always wondered about who Pasiphae was BEFORE she was cursed. I always imagined her as a bit of a twit who got played by her husband and a god, and came out of it extremely pregnant.
Sabledrake does a great job making Pasiphae seem real, and her plight to be pitied (and enjoyed!). I would like to have seen the mating go on a little longer though - for poor Pasiphae's sake as she waited so long she should get her money's worth - and I would have liked to seen the bull take her more lovingly. I know this might sound strange, as Pasiphae certainly wanted it to come hard and fast, but I think it would have been a neat twist if in the end the bull really did love Pasiphae and the two of them made love. In a sense that would be even more disturbing - you expect the bull to fuck and fuck her hard, but how would Pasiphae feel the morning after if the creature actually made love to her gently? Would she be tempted to go back? Or would this creep her out all the more and avoid him from that day on?
Oh and I like the part where Daedelas used his thumb to show Pasiphae where the "aperature" was in the cow. Very funny. I think he should have done more of that!
I am completely jealous. An intelligent take on Greek myth, well-written (as always), and brilliantly executed. Teach me your ways, Sabledrake!!
The language is finely crafted, really impersonating the queen of Crete in thoughts and action. You captured Minos in a splendid way, quite surprising, too, in contrasting his political superiority with his human inferiority. Besides the setting of ancient Crete seems likewise authentic and vivid, due to all the different allusions and your fitting words. Above all your vision of the undertones of eros inherent in the greek myth is original and realized in a richly imaginated fashion.
The only point of criticism might be that your story actually lacks a bit of erotic appeal, for your sex scenes, though beautifully descriptive, somehow miss a bit of impact, especially the story's climax, the mating with the bull, doesn't coalesce with the intensity of the act itself. But that's just a minor point, given everything else of substance within you story.
To be read with relish!
–AJ
This was excellent! There are so many great erotic stories to be mined from the Greek myths and this was one of the best retellings I've read. I bet you could do a fantastic telling of Leda and the Swan!
Excellent re-telling of the mythical story. You really made it seem possible.