Kυννάνη Φιλίππου θυγάτηρ τὰ πολεμικὰ ἤσκησε καὶ στρατοπέδων ἡγεῖτο καὶ πολεμίοις παρετάσσετο

[sovay]

My short story "ζῆ καὶ βασιλεύει" is now online at Ideomancer. It has a lengthy author's note (it's an alternate history), so I will add only that the title means s/he lives and reigns; it is the answer traditionally given to the siren Thessalonike when she rises from the sea and asks ποῦ εἴναι ὁ Μεγαλέξανδρος—Where is Alexander the Great?

I didn't think of it at the time, but I wonder now if the story is an argument with Mary Renault's Funeral Games (1981). I have several arguments with that book. Anyway, it's queer alternate classical history. Blame yhlee for talking about the Siege of Tyre last September. The rest of the issue is pretty fantastic, too.

Comments

[kore]

Ohhh man, Funeral Games, and that one scene in particular where Renault's misogyny was so bad I just about tossed the book at the wall. I finished it, but I don't think I've ever reread it, and I've read all her other historical novels to pieces.

[sovay]

that one scene in particular where Renault's misogyny was so bad I just about tossed the book at the wall.

Her handling of Kynnane and Adeia Eurydike is terrible! It wasn't in my head while I was writing, not consciously, anyway, but this last time when I was reading over the story for proofing, I just wondered. I don't re-read that novel, either.