Text by Marie
This story may have begun like every others, but the following was clearly something to be told.
So here it starts, in the Olympus Mount. The mighty goddess Athena was sitting on her throne thoughtfully looking at the throne of Zeus, the god among the gods, when she heard light footsteps on the marble floor. At first, she didn’t move, she just kept listening patiently waiting for the intruder to show himself. It was obviously an intruder since no god would hide himself in the throne room, even Hermes, to trick another god. Few minutes later, a young girl appeared from behind the throne of Artemis, the hunt goddess. Athena kept a poker face, but she was puzzled, how a girl about 8 or 9 year old has landed on the throne room of the Olympian gods? She couldn’t be a human. No human can enter the gods’ home. Not even heroes or half gods if they aren’t allowed.
“Who are you? What is your name?” The goddess asked neutrally. The child blinked once and again, probably intimidated by the woman, but she finally answered.
“I don’t know, I can’t remember… And you? Who are you?” The girl asked genuinely back. This time Athena couldn’t contain her surprise. Was she daydreaming?
“I am Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus, goddess of knowledge and strategy.”
“I suppose it’s an impressive title, since you said it so proudly...” Stated the girl not impressed at all.
“Do you remember how you landed here, child?” Athena changed the topic immediately — pride was her sin as the goddess of knowledge. She didn’t like how the girl just come with it nonchalantly.
“Not at all... Is it a forbidden place? Do you know the exit? Or maybe...”
Athena just stop listening the babbling of the child. How in the universe this was happening to her? It was absolutely beyond her habits! She observed the kid still speaking. She was dressed in a simple white tunic as pure as she seemed to be. Her brown hair were laying on her shoulders and some fell down on the beginning of her back. She was thin and in good fit, her face was a bit round as every child of the same age. But the thing who struck the goddess was her eyes. She had odd eyes, one blue like the sky of summer and the other yellow like honey or an intense flame. Her gaze was so pure of everything; there was no pain, no hate, nor joy or amusement. Looking at her was looking to a mirror... No, an empty cup who needed to be filled. But with what?
“I’d like to have a name... Can I have the same as you?” The voice of the girl took back Athena from her thoughts.
“No.” She responded suddenly. She paused and then added. “But you can pick one if you want to...”
“Is knowledge a name? I like how it sound.” The girl asked neutrally.
“I see... But no, it is not a name, it is a word to speak about all the things we know.”
“Does this mean, as the goddess of knowledge, you know everything?”
“Maybe...” Athena smiled a little for the first time since they start to speak to one another. And, like the child was connected to her, the little girl began to smile too. Then, beaming, she said: “I like that! I want to know everything just like you, Athena!”
“Then maybe... Why not Phronesis? It means reasonable intelligence and... I think this will fit you...”
“Phronesis...? Phro.ne.sis.” the child decomposed the word as if she was tasting it. “It’s not as beautiful as yours, but you choose it so I love it, thank you!” The little brunette gave a toothy smile to the goddess, who felt overwhelmed, innocence and purity were clearly something beautiful.
“Come Phronesis, if you want to know everything you cannot stay in this room for ever.” Athena said while standing up and going away. The child catch her up by running at her side, genuinely smiling.
This how the knowledge chronicles began for the young Phronesis.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário