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Thread: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

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    Default Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late


    Contents
    Democracy Humbled-The Great Athenian Siege of Syracuse 415BC-413BC Part 2 by grouchy13
    A Guide to Rock Operas: Part 2 by Hobbes.
    What's In A Poem? by Boustrophedon
    Scientific News by Boustrophedon
    Telling A Story And Presenting A Story by rez
    Star Wars vs Star Trek or: How Much I Love Star Trek Part IV by Lord Rahl
    Antiochus III the Great - The 'Anabasis' in the Upper Satrapies by Manuel I Komnenos
    Mythology: Article III by Saga


    From the Editor:

    Like the sun rises every morning, another issue of The Helios is published. Alright, well this specific issue, Helios 61, wasn't published when it was intended to but I'm sure you will all give us, those who contribute to The Helios, some slack for not being as punctual as the sun! Indeed, this issue is very much delayed from its intended publication date. It can be a bit difficult to get many people organized enough to get an issue of The Helios together. We all have our personal lives away from TWC (wait, what?!?!) that can hinder us from contributing as much as we want. But fear not, readers. The Helios is back on its feet again, has done a bit of stretching, and is ready to get running smoothly again. Our dear ex-Editor for The Helios, Jom has gone onto oranger (and yes, that's the correct word in this situation) pastures to be a member of the Hex. He is a busy man and has now given the torch of editorship to me. I think we should all give a standing ovation for Jom and his lengthy dedication to The Helios. It's a tough one man job but he did it and did it well, with issue after issue being of excellent quality. We should also thank our Helios writers. There are several of them, most of them contributing in this issue. Expect more quality writing in the future.

    I've always liked the idea of The Helios. We have such a diverse and intelligent community here and The Helios represents that through its multitude of articles about varying subjects written by capable and knowledgeable writers. History, the arts, politics, science, you name it, it’s in The Helios. I’m honored that Jom chose me to become Editor after him. So far it’s shown to be a bit of a cumbersome task but that will get easier after I’ve published a few issues.

    So, what is next for The Helios? Well, I have some ideas of my own. I plan on bringing more content, both in regular articles and exclusive content. Years ago The Helios had writers that reported on the happenings around TWC and that is something I wish to bring back. This does not mean The Helios will be reporting on mods, TWC art, or any other areas that other TWC publications already cover. I am thinking of reporting on the D&D, the TD, the CVRIA, and the Q&S. If anyone believes they can commit to reporting on any of these areas then feel free to send me a PM. Another addition I feel would be beneficiary is that of a feedback thread. The Helios can only get better if we know what our readers think of the publication and so getting feedback for our work will help us do that. I hope everyone had a pleasant holiday and are refreshed with the new year.

    The new year brings new step for The Helios, a step that I hope will help it continue to be a pride for TWC. Now, let's get to the articles!

    _________________________________________________


    grouchy13

    First up is a fellow ancient history nut, grouchy13, who continues to educate us on the Athenian campaign against Syracuse. The Peloponessian War is a very interesting war, having studied it a bit in college myself and writing a paper on it, that even today can help us understand international politics.


    Democracy Humbled-The Great Athenian Siege of Syracuse 415BC-413BC Part 2

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Democracy humbled-The Great Athenian Siege of Syracuse 415BC to 413BC


    Part 2-Invasion and initial actions

    Syracuse Reaction

    After the pomp and ceremony of the departure from the Piraeus the Athenian fleet settled in to the lengthy transit to Sicily, at the Island of Corcyra the great armada split into 3 smaller fleets divided between the 3 Commanders of the expedition, this was to ease the problems of supply and replenishment of such a large force. At this juncture rumours began to circulate around Syracuse about the approaching Athenian host the Syracusans were concerned enough to call an emergency assembly for like Athens the Polis of Syracuse also had a democratic form of government. The Syracusan Assembly met and began to discuss the Athenian threat, at this time Syracusan politics was dominated by two individuals Hermocrates a prominent aristocrat and author of the Pan Sicilian message to exclude outside interference in their localised conflicts that had dominated the Peace congress of Gela in 424BC, while the other figure was Athenogoras a purported Demagogue and leader of the Popular faction with it’s support based within the cities poorer citizens. Hermocrates addressed the Assembly first, he spoke of the Athenians desire to conquer not only their city but also the whole of Sicily. He recommended gathering their Sicilian allies both Greek and native Sicel to oppose the Athenian expedition, He also proposed sending embassies to gather allies amongst the collection of Greek cities along the southern Italian Coast known as Magna Graecia who were situated along the Athenians route and who would be able to provide the Athenians accommodation and supplies. He even proposed securing Syracuse most ancient enemy Carthage as an ally to support them, He also outlined the divisions in the command of the expedition, no doubt with information supplied from his Aristocratic friends in Athens and suggested that they move against the divided Athenians before they arrive, he insisted upon taking full advantage of these divisions by meeting the Athenian fleet in battle while it lingered off Magna Graecia and before the generals could outline a concise strategy. In response the Demagogue Athenogoras rose to address the Assembly, Many within the Assembly were very suspicious of Hermocrates suspecting him of wanting to replace the Syracusan Democracy with a Tyranny with himself at it’s head. It was these sentiments that Athengoras echoed in his own address he claimed that the reports were just rumours, rumours that those who opposed the Democracy and wished to see it’s demise were using to curtail the Democracy with emergency measures. The consensus of the Assembly was that even if they the Athenians were coming to start hostilities with them they would easily be able to withstand an assault. An unnamed general whose name is lost to History suggested they prepare their defences in any case. The Assembly moved to gather up the Allies to meet the threat but rejected the plan of Hermocrates to Attack the Athenians on their route to Sicily.

    The Cities of Magna Graecia



    The cities of Magna Graecia along the south coast of Italy had never seen such a large military expedition such as that of the Athenians, this would lead them to fear the Athenians as would be conquerors, not liberators.

    As the Athenians approached the southern Italian coast they readily expected the cities of Magna Graecia to support them and furnish them with supplies while acting as base to operate from. Many had supported them in the Leontine War and Athens believed they would do so again. The reality however was very different first the cities of Taras and Locris, allied to Syracuse would not even allow the Athenians access to fresh water or their markets. The city of Rhegium a long standing ally of Athens who had supported them in the Leontine War barred them access from their city but allowed them to beach their ships alongside the city and gave them the opportunity to buy supplies. This was of particular concern to the Athenians, they had fully expected to use Rhegiums strategic location near the straights of Messene to launch raids and harass the Syracusans as they had done previously in the Leontine War. The difference now though was undoubtedly the size of the Athenian Armada, The cities of Magna Graecia seeing such a huge military force were in awe of such a large commitment fearing the Athenians had come to subjugate the West as they had done to the other Ionians in the East and not to simply support their allies in Sicily. The Athenian generals despatched a small force ahead to Segesta while they would outline a new strategy following the unexpected and troubling hostility of the Magna Graecian cities. The news the envoys bought on their arrival from Segesta further added to the dismay of the expedition, far from being immensely wealthy the Segestans were broke, their ruse uncovered and the funds they had promised to support the expedition simply did not exist, what the wily Nicias had suspected all along left the other commanders appalled. The Generals were faced with an uncomfortable reality major parts of the expeditions original plan lay in tatters coupled with the impossible arrangement of 3 generals overseeing the Campaign, two of these being major political rivals and enemies further complicated the reforming of the overall strategy in the subsequent meeting of the 3 Athenian generals.

    The Generals indecision

    Nicias outlined his proposal first he suggested that they should sail to Selinus immediately, demand the money promised to the Athenians by the Segestans and enforce a truce between the warring parties using force in necessary. Finally he suggested sailing along the Coast as a display of Athenian power and if the opportunity presented itself support the Ionian Leontines or any other cities that should seek their assistance after seeing their great combined strength. He again warned against risking Athens resources while the war in Greece still hung in the balance, in reality he proposed they carry out the bare minimum of what the Athenian Assembly had envisaged and return to Athens as soon as possible. Alcibiades knew that Nicias proposal would have dire consequences for his own political standing back in Athens as he was the expeditions chief architect but also would severly damage Athens prestige amongst the other Polis. He said it would be disgraceful for the Athenians to abandon their Sicilian allies and return empty handed to Athens without achieving any of the expeditions goals. He proposed a renewed diplomatic approach in where the Athenians would seek new allies amongst the other Sicilian Polis and more importantly the city of Messana, with it’s natural harbour and strategic position it could serve as the base the Athenians lacked following their failure to secure Rhegium as base. At the same time they could also encourage the native Sicels many of whom had supported them in the Leontine War to rebel against their Syracusan overlords. With new allies and the procurement of supplies from new friends in the region they could renew the original aims of subduing Selinus and restoring the exiled Leontines. The third general Lamaches spoke last, he suggested sailing directly to Syracuse and immediately bringing the Syracusans to battle, a battle he argued that the Athenians would hold the advantage in by catching the Syracusans before they had time to prepare. He argued that should they appear off Syracuse in strength before they had made their preparations it may bring the Syracusans to terms, failing that a Hoplite battle may take place in which the battle hardened Athenians would have the upper hand. The worse case scenario would mean the Syracusans would retreat behind their city walls, this he said would allow the Athenians to capture a considerable amount of booty and leave the Syracusans farms undefended and allow the Athenians to supply themselves at the Syracusans expense. All 3 proposed strategies had their merits but they also had there own individual flaws, Nicias proposal while posing the least risk to the overall war effort would have left the last few remaining cities in Sicily opposing Syracuse completely at it’s mercy and would have lead to the Syracusans dominating the Island while also harming the prestige of Athens itself. Alcibiades proposal while sound in advising the Athenians find new allies and establish a new base of operations before they pursue the original expeditions aims greatest flaw was that it rested on something that the Athenians experience in their encounters with the cities of Magna Graecia had already proved, many cities in the West suspected the Athenians intentions and were less inclined to support them less they merely replace the Syracusans with themselves as overlords of Sicily. Finally Lamaches proposal of an immediate attack had no provisions on where the Athenians would house their armies while they attacked, or had a effective response to the numerous Syracusan Cavalry who could prevent the effective investment of a City as defensively sound as Syracuse. Lamaches strategy was doomed on it’s conception for Nicias could not support an escalation of hostilities while Alcibiades would only talk of the strengths of his own proposal. Faced with such an impossible situation Lamches withdrew his own proposal and unwilling to accept Nicias course of inaction Lamches threw in his lot with Alcbiades.

    Hostilities begin

    With the acceptance of Alcibiades proposal as the overall Athenian strategy the Athenians approached the Messenians to secure their city as their base in the region, The Messinians in turn barred the Athenians access from their city but allowed them access to a market to purchase supplies. This snub further added to the urgency of finding a sufficient base. The Athenians who were still uncomfortably crowded into a camp outside the walls of Rhegium detached sixty ships from the armada and sailed for the City of Naxos south of Messana, Naxos as a traditional enemy of Syracuse accepted the Athenians while an attempt to bring the city of Catana into an alliance failed, meeting in much the same response as the other cities in the region. With a base secured the Athenians sent a force to determine the readiness of the Syracusan defences, ten ships sailed into the great harbour of Syracuse completely unopposed. The ten ships proceeded to make a reconnaissance of the harbour surveying the best landing places, finally an Athenian herald addressed the Syracusans behinds their walls proclaiming the Athenians had come to restore the Leontines to their city and that any Leontines within the city should abandon the Syracusans and join with them to rightfully reclaim their city. Undeterred by the original rebuff of the city of Catana the Athenians attempted to take the city by deception, The Catanians invited the Athenians generals to an Assembly within the city in where they could outline their plans to the leading Citizens. The Athenians had already identified a poorly guarded and weak section of the cities walls and formulated a plan to attack with the support of pro-Athenian elements within the city while the majority of the population would be distracted with the Assembly. As Alcibiades addressed the Assembly the Athenians stormed the city and easily overcame the poorly guarded area, from there they took control of the walls. The pro Syracusan faction immediately fled while those who remained presented with a large amount of armed Athenians now in control of the city voted to join the Athenian alliance. Now with two cities firmly under their control and their problems of supply abated at least in the short term the Athenians built a fortified camp outside Catana. From this camp the Athenians attempted to bring yet more cities into their anti Syracuse alliance sailing with great armada in force but the Athenians had little results to show for this smaller Campaign, on the return journey from these various diplomatic endeavours the Athenians took the opportunity to carry out a series of raids on Syracusan territory. One such raid ended with a group of Athenian light infantry becoming isolated from the main body of the Athenian raiders, The Syracusan Cavalry in a portent sign of things to come easily overwhelmed the small Isolated group and massacred the lightly armed troops.

    Alcibiades Defection

    On the expeditions return from these diversionary raids the Athenians found the Warship “Salaminia” moored in Catana. The “Salaminia” was unique amongst the Athenian Navy as it was reserved for the official business of the Athenian Assembly such as carrying important messages and decrees. It’s appearance now carried dire news for the Sicilian expedition, the furore surrounding the great sacrilege had finally reached a head, Alcibiades and his companions were summoned to face charges of impiety in Athens. Alcibiades in all likely hood with his popularity amongst the rank and file could have initiated a mutiny however he choose to go quietly saying he would follow the “Salaminia” on it’s return to Athens in his own personal Trireme. However as the convoy approached Magna Graecia Alciabiades slipped away disembarking at Thurii and escaping overland before finding sanctuary with Athens enemies in the Peloponnese. The response of the Athenian Assembly was swift and his enemies quickly took retribution, he and his companions were condemned to death in Absentia, their names inscribed on bronze stele of disgrace displayed within the Acropolis and a reward offered of one talent of silver for capture of Alcibiades dead or alive, finally Alcibiades and his companions were cursed and had all property they possessed within the city confiscated. Alcibiades now holed up in the Peloponnesus enjoying Spartan hospitality commented that he would take every opportunity to prove to the Athenians he was still very much alive. He began by revealing the democratic factions he had been intriguing secretly with within the Polis of Messana allowing the anti democratic elements to strike at their rivals and thus ending any possibility of Athens bringing the strategic located Polis into their alliance.

    Nicias assumes leadership

    Following Alcibiades flight the expedition found itself with two commanders in Sicily. However Lamaches lack of wealth and influence within the Athenian Assembly in reality meant that the conservative and cautious Nicias assumed sole command due his great stature and prestige amongst his fellow Athenians. Nicias immediately abandoned Alcibiades overall strategy, disregarded Lamches sound strategy of immediately attacking Syracuse before they had chance to prepare and instead choose to follow the stratagem he had proposed on the expeditions arrival, namely that of sailing to towards Segesta collecting the funds that had been pledged by the Segestans and forcing both Segesta and Selinus to accept terms. The matter of retuning directly to Athens was out of the question especially as such great cost had already been incurred and some return would be required if Nicias was to maintain his prominent political position back in Athens. As ever the cautious Nicias decided to use the longer less dangerous route to Segesta sailing through the Straights of Messene and around the northern edge of Sicily. This avoided Syracuse completely, an act that emboldened the Syracusans by presenting an image that the Athenians were not wishing to directly face them. The Athenians were now approaching the primarily Carthaginian territory of Western Sicily, upon their arrival the only Greek Polis in the area Himera barred entry to the Athenians. The nearby native Sicanian city of Hyccara allied to Selinus posed an attractive target for a raid, the Athenians took the city by storm and handed it over to their Segestan allies after selling the population of Hyccara into slavery for the sum of 120 talents of silver. In return the Segestans handed the Athenians a further 30 talents of silver along with a detachment of much needed Cavalry. Nicias now abandoned the attempts to resolve the conflict between Segesta and Selinus, deciding to march overland through the centre of Siciliy, lands inhabited by Native Sicels who had during the Leontine War been allied with Athens. As the summer Campaigning season drew to a close the Athenians failed to subdue a Sicel city which barred their entry and somewhat ingloriously returned to Catana for the Winter. The first phase of the expedition can be seen as a failure for the Athenians, many of their former allies rejected them and with Nicias assuming sole command they now had leader who neither believed in the expeditions goals nor had any strategy to overcome the realities of the situation in Sicily had presented. Furthermore by his continual delays and habit of sidestepping the Syracusans Nicias had given them time to further prepare their defences and bred a feeling of contempt for the Athenian martial prowess amongst them, something that would lead to the first open field battle between the two powers.

    Battle of Anapus



    While the tempo of ancient Warfare decreased during the winter months the mild winters of Siciliy afforded no such situation. Syracusan Cavalry rode out to ravage Catanian land and to attack any Athenians who ventured outside their fortified camp. Such was the bold nature of the Syracusans at this time towards the Athenians the Syracusan Cavalry began to taunt the Athenians behind their fortifications claiming they had not come to restore the Leontines but merely to occupy Catana. The Athenians grew angry at the insolence of the Syracusans, Nicias could hesitate no longer and began to formulate a ruse to draw the Syracusans from their city, while the Syracusan army was absent he would finally launch an attack on the city. Nicias plot involved employing a double agent to approach the Syracusans with an offer to betray the Athenian camp by a group of disgruntled troops, while the Syracusans main force marched to take the fortified camp the Athenians would launch an assault on the great harbour of Syracuse and seize a temple located to the south of the city. The temple of Olympian Zeus had a great strategical position on top of the Syracusan plain and the steep approaches and buildings around the temple meant it would negate the Syracusan numerical superiority in Cavalry. The Syracusans for their part took the bait and marched out in force to take the Athenian Camp, as the Syracusan scouts approached the camp they reported the absence of the Athenians fleet, realising they had been duped the Syracusan army about turned and began the return journey of the some 40 Miles to Syracuse. Meanwhile the Athenians had departed at dawn, successfully took up position within the temple and further fortified the strong position by erecting a wooden palisade to protect their ships while also dismantling a bridge over the nearby River Anapus. The Syracusan return march become disorganised with many troops straggling behind the vanguard. As they approached their home city they found the Athenians encamped within a strong, fortified position and arrayed in battle order in front of Syracuse. The disorganised Syracusans however marched in front of the Athenians and being un-fazed by what they had seen immediately offered battle. Nicias rejected these calls and returned the Athenians to the camp, the Syracusans likewise built a camp between the city and the Athenian position, while some of the Syracusan army returned to the City for the night. The following morning the Athenians marched out the camp and arrayed themselves in battle formation with the Argive and Mantineans on the right, The Athenians took the centre while the other allies took the left. With their battle line made up the Athenians began to advance towards the river Anapus. The Syracusans caught off guard by the Athenians boldness responded by forming up their own battle line with some disorder as the troops from within their camp and those who had returned to city for the night struggled to find their positions, not to mention the stragglers still returning from the march on Catana. The Syracusan Cavalry took position on the wings, all in all the Syracusans were believed to have fielded around 6000 Hoplites arranged sixteen deep. Opposite to them the Athenians had around 3000 Hoplites in a Phalanx 8 deep while also employing their light missile troops on the flanks to stave off the Syracusan Cavalry. To further safeguard themselves against the Syracusan Cavalry the Athenians placed themselves at an angle against the Escarpment on the left while placing the edge of their right flank against a nearby marsh. The battle began with a contest between skirmishers between the main battle lines, the order rang out for the Hoplites to advance,as the two opposing phalanxes met the Syracusan troops made up for their experience by displaying much valour, they fought well and made a good account of themselves however it began to rain heavily followed by flashes of lightening overhead and the roar of close thunder as a storm closed in. To the battle hardened Athenians this was of no concern, such was the effect of nearly 20 years of constant Warfare. To the Syracusans however it was a terrifying phenomenon and began to wear down their morale. The Athenian right made up of the Argive contingent taking advantage of this poor morale routed the Syracusan opposite them and punched a hole through the Syracusan line the Athenians sensing a weakening in the line pressed the centre and at this crucial juncture the Syracusan line collapsed, The Syracusan despite their numerical superiority broke and fled but the Athenians lack of Cavalry prevented the destruction of the fleeing forces, for the Syracusan Cavalry was able to prevent the Athenians carrying out an effective pursuit and the Syracusan army while broken would live to fight another day. The Syracusans regrouped and despatched a garrison to the nearby temple of Zeus to gather it’s valuable treasure before retreating behind their city walls. Despite the large numbers involved the body count was surprisingly low, Athens and her allies had lost just 50 men to the Syracusans 250 under truce both parties buried their dead while the Athenians established a trophy to their victory.


    The success of the Argives on the right of the Athenian Phalanx allowed for the Athenian centre to buckle up the Syracusan line, despite their superiority in numbers a Syracusan route followed.

    Outcome of the Athenian Victory at Anapus

    Despite defeating the Syracusans and having possession of the field the victory gave the Athenians very little strategical advantage. The Syracusan armies while humbled were intact, The Athenians however were without supplies as the lateness of the season meant foraging in the immediate area around Syracuse would be fruitless while any foragers would be exposed to the irrepressible Syracusan Cavalry who the Athenians still had no answer for. Therefore the Athenians embarked upon their fleet and returned to Catana to restock and supply, while Nicias sent a request to Athens for further funds and a Cavalry to deal the ever present Syracusan threat. His decision to abandon the field to the Syracusans was as it is now highly controversial however Nicias surmised that to invest the city effectively his forces would be need to be engaged in digging of trenches or building of siege walls would need protection against the Syracusan Cavalry, until he could counter this threat he would be further compounded by original strategical error in not including a Cavalry contingent in his assessment before the Assembly in 416BC. As the Athenians waited for the funds and further reinforcements they once again approached Messana seeking to exploit the democratic factions desire to replace the present system of government, however Alcibiades revelations of the identity of those with Messana who opposed the Oligarchy allowed the Peloponnesians to report to the Messenian Oligarchy of the Athenians plots in plenty of time and take preventative measures so that upon the Athenians arrival they found the city firmly within the Oligarchies grip where upon they approached the remaining independent Sicels to join them following limited success they were forced to return to Naxos for the remaining winter months.

    Hermocrates response to defeat at Anapus

    While the Athenians wintered at Naxos and awaited reinforcements the Syracusans called an Assembly where Hermocrates called on them to continue their resistance, blaming their recent defeat not on a lack of courage but of a lack of experience. He suggested increasing the number of troops armed in the Hoplite fashion by providing the poorer citizens with arms and using the rest of the winter to carry out training focusing on drill and discipline, what they had been lacking at Anapus. He also controversially suggested curtailing the Democracy during this period of danger by suggesting they decrease the number of generals and allowing them full powers to make Military decisions without consulting the Assembly. Surprisingly to Hermocrates suggestion to curtail the Democracy the Assembly agreed no doubt in part to the reverses they had suffered to have only 3 generals for the upcoming season, with all the powers Hermocrates had suggested. While Hermocrates proposal was accepted and he was chosen as one of these generals many Syracusans within the Assembly suspected his intentions towards the democracy and voted two staunch democrats to the remaining 2 general positions. Following the Assembly the Syracusans continued to fortify the positions around Syracuse and on learning of the Athenians efforts in Messana launched a daring raid on Catana, ravaging the territory and overrunning the poorly defended fortified camp burning it to the ground. This act forced the Athenians to spend the rest of winter further to the north in Naxos.

    In part 3 we shall cover the new Campaigning season in where the Syracusans despatched an embassy to the Peloponnesians where Alcibaides will once again prove he is very much alive to the Athenians, The Athenians reinforced and resupplied resume hostilities and began the siege Syracuse scoring a series of glorious victories while help for the Syracusans arrives in the unassuming and no nonsense form of Gylippus, who shall greatly change the fate of the Athenian expedition.


    Hobbes.

    Do you like opera? Do you like rock? Well, maybe you like rock operas. Hobbes. has provided us with an information-filled article about rock operas, this being his second article devoted to the subject. Personally, I remember seeing Tommy when I was about 16 years old. I thought it was too weird! But now I like "weird" stuff like that. I'm thankful that Hobbes. added in Frank Zappa into his article because I think Zappa is an extremely underrated musician. Some of his music is very "out there" and I might not like it too much but the man knew music and knew it well. Then there's The Wall and what a great album and movie that is! I certainly hope the rock opera medium is continued in the future.


    A Guide to Rock Operas: Part 2

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    The Craze Begins!

    Tommy sparked a chain reaction that lead to the creation of many more operas, some of them successful, others not. It should be noted here that the Kinks, a band that was an influence and inspiration for the (early) Who, became inspired by the latter's work (and success) and created their own rock operas with the most notable one being "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" an album released only months after "Tommy". The album is an example of great "oldies" craftsmanship, with Ray Davies' (lead singer) influence being very evident as the album is centered around the British themes that he loved so much. Folkish tunes and mind crushing rock n roll intertwined to produce an amazing result (just listen to Shangri-La). The story is good too, detailing the struggle of a man after he decides to leave home and emigrate to Australia in pursuit of a better life. The effects of war on mortals is also mentioned here. The music can appeal to anyone: Romantic, powerful and laid back songs are there for the pleasure of even the most demanding audience. The album is also anthemic at times with "Some Mother's Son" being a real protest against war. This is an album of its era, just like Tommy, dealing with problems faced by the people and expressing them beautifully. But it's more mature and realistic as Davies is summarizing the lives and times of every man on earth in just twelve songs, a very ambitious undertaking that every self respecting music fan is glad that was attempted. It is far above the nostalgic "The Village Green Preservation Society" of 1968 (more of a concept album than an opera).

    Tommy's impact still echoed and Andrew Lloyd Webber was able to hear it very clearly. The result was the equally well known opera and musical, "Jesus Christ Superstar". But that didn't matter as much for the rock world. What really mattered was the release of " The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars", by the rock prodigy David Bowie. The earth is about to end, and rock n roll star Ziggy must save the day. What follows is a true glam rock festival, with Ziggy starting to give hope to the people (an obvious reference to the hippy era), and then "making love with his ego", echoing the darker side of stardom. This futuristic and heavily instrumented extravaganza is a good one, perhaps the best album Bowie has ever made. It is quite experimental as well with hard rock being mixed with some of the most pretensions pop ever recorded and psychedelic elements meeting classical music. Bowie's singing is a very good vocal experience, and the songs are loaded with memorable riffs and hooks ("Starman" and "Ziggy Stardust" are good examples). Rock n roll purists would say something about pretentiousness, but despite this element being obvious (perhaps too obvious) in Bowies works, this is something very different that succeeds in being an album larger than life.

    Thick as a Brick

    Jethro Tull attempted to create something of a rock opera in 1972. After the very successful "Aqualung", the weird band with its weirder flute loving singer, was ready for something new. Now, I really hate when I disagree with some of the best rock critics (who hate prog rock), but I have no choice. This album is a progressive rock heaven. It's very artsy, with classical music and folk being there not just for the sake of it (as in "Ziggy") but actually transforming Tull's hard rock into something that can make anyone think about the themes and images it presents (and there are tons of them). There is only one song in that album (actually two, but blame the old records for not being able to store more info on one side only), drawing elements from all genres of music in existence, with instruments such as brass ones and even a harpsichord that is actually put into good use. But it gets even better. The reason why this complexity is so prominent, is not because the band wanted to satisfy its own needs, but it was an attempt to mock the whole progressive movement, by using the movements own elements in order to humiliate it. So it's a satire, a think piece about adolescence and god-knows-what-else, but also a pleasant listen, despite its length.

    The Who strike Back

    Townshend's obsession with rock operas is a fact. His failed "Lifehouse" project, a complex futuristic drama (which was then molded into "Who's Next") showed what his vision was. But he would get his revenge in 1973 with "Quadrophenia", a different and more complex opera, that could be considered even better than "Tommy" by hardcore fans and critics alike. Its sad story is not trying to convey some message, in fact it is just trying to describe the story of a boy who is "quadrophenic", which means that his personality is split in four parts, each part representing a member of the band. This is a bit too much for the average listener, especially if we consider that the story is not as simple as Tommy's . There are many depressing moments in the album with the central character experiencing mood swings and drug abuse, happiness but also failure, love and rejection. The instrumental "Quadrophenia", with its shifting dynamics, is the best that Townshend has ever composed, just slightly above "The Rock" which is in the same album. One of the most emotional songs of the Who is also there, called "I've had enough" signaling the albums dramatic peak, the protagonist's emotional outbreak. There is spirituality there as well, with "Love, Reign O'er Me" reflecting the ideas of Meher Baba (Townshend's religious mentor) about God's blessings. Bassist John Entwistle also shines here, especially in "The Real Me". Daltrey delivers a great vocal performance that fits well with the album's alternating themes and story. The album is not as anthemic as "Tommy", but it manages to deliver a great story. Memorable line: "If you let 'em do it to you, you've got yourself to blame". The message of this creation is that even after all the bad luck and depression a man can go through, he can always find peace in spirituality. A bit too subjective, but at least it's emotionally charged enough to make one think (a lot).

    But the Kinks also strike back (but they fail)

    The Kinks made many attempts to achieve the status of their other British peers (namely the Stones and the Who), and they really succeeded with "Lola" a majestic concept album that gave them a place in the rock pantheon. There were many other concept albums, but "Percy" was the real opera (but also the soundtrack a silly movie). There are many good, mellow songs in that album, with "Completely" being the best among them. The movie was a bad one though, so what we have here, is a compilation of songs about a penis transplant, reducing the album's quality to almost zero. At least Davies is a good musician.

    But unfortunately their failures don't stop there. Davies became quite obsessed with making a complex album detailing how life itself works (didn't he do that with "Arthur"?). Yes, I'm talking about "Preservation". The first part to this attempt is "Preservation: Act 1". Unstable is word that fits here as the album is a roller coaster ride, going from good to bad, and back again. There are the classic, laid back Kinks tunes (always present throughout their career), such as the memorable "Sitting in the Midday Sun". But the rest of the album is just weaker, and to make matters worse, it doesn't make any sense: some obscure characters and hints about the story, without actually saying anything.
    "Act 2" looks more promising at first. You'd expect that after the characters were introduced, the story would unfold more naturally. It doesn't. Conflicting themes and quasi-theatrical production values, that are miserably hidden in a murk of bad songs. Blame Davies' psychological situation at the time (1974), or say something about how it was not his fault. Too sad that it was...

    At this point the Kinks seem to have hated their fans. "Soap Opera" (1975) is even worse. There are a few good songs, a larger amount of crappier ones, molded into some boring tale about how modern society isolates man, as experienced by a deity that takes the place of a human.
    "Schoolboys in Disgrace" was released that year as well, with Davies attacking education with really bad songs. No point to discuss this any further.

    What is really interesting about these operas is the fact that they were also performed as theatrical plays and musicals by the band itself. They Kinks may have failed to make good albums but they really deserve some credit for being able to transform them into enjoyable theatrical performances.

    Other Operas

    I can't ignore the social/political message of Zappa's "Joe's Garage" in which he expresses his opposition to the Iranian "revolution" (revolutions are supposed to be about the betterment of society, right?), in his well known satirical way. Nothing escapes Zappa's radar, as hippies, politicians, western culture and oppression are made fun of, while being exposed of their basic (and according to Zappa, negative) elements. Experimental solos and great production value are always present just like we'd expect from the musical genius. Thinking man's rock at its best. I should also mention Lou Reed's "Berlin", but I shouldn't since the angsty, drug-dense atmosphere, and book derived themes, all set in a rotting, soul torturing Berlin, are reduced to dust by Reed's over-ambition.

    The Wall

    What a great album! It really expanded the Pink Floyd's fanbase, and for a good reason. It's a great opera, perhaps the best the world has seen since "Quadrophenia" (as a concept), with story actually being better and full of symbolism. The wall itself is the reflection of the protagonists mental condition. Abused by his mother, growing up without a father figure and suffering in an oppressing school environment, the central character (Pink) eventually hides behind his metaphorical wall, enters an endless cycle of self hate and is eventually freed from his troubles (much like the boy in "Quadrophenia"). What makes the story better is that this is not something focused in spiritual trips and dying subcultures, but is instead a statement about the power that lies in each one of us. It is also a musical statement, with echoey effects, strange vocals and choirs, giving the album unique characteristics that will make it stand out forever. "Comfortably Numb" attacks the isolation that society brings and deifies pure emotion and innocence. Be sure to admire the elegant "Nobody Home" and the chilling "Outside the Wall" (just be sure to listen to the whole album before listening to the last one). Now as for the drawbacks: There are bricks in this wall, but nothing to hold them together. What I mean is that it can feel awfully segmented at times, and even weak as some song feel unnecessary and boring. Thank god, that the longer tracks, with their careful instrumentation and artistic glory, manage to hide most of those weak moments. Add the fact that its also inspired by the band itself, especially Roger Waters, and you're dealing with Pink Floyd's best work, and perhaps the best rock album of the late 70s.

    Metallic Experiments

    Some metal artists always like to do weird and artsy stuff without caring whether they are out of fashion or not. That's why we must thank them for not letting the operas die. A special thanks to Queensryche and their amazing "Operation: Mindcrime". The story is a bit too 80s, extravagant and pretentious, but it is so in a similar way as "Ziggy" was, so it's interesting. It's a fairytale about drugs, manipulation and love, much like modern movie plots. What is really interesting is the band's fascination with revolution in a time that most of them were over. "Revolution Calling" and what follows next is the "Won't Get Fooled Again" of its time, saying that while ispirational leaders can change the world, there is always the chance of complete disaster. This disaster is what the opera deals with while unleashing some great heavy metal music, progressive enough to convince everyone about its seriousness.
    Many more metal artists, especially the prog virtuosoes, followed this path, with Dream Theater ("Scenes from a Memory") and "My Arms, Your Hearse" by Opeth being examples of good metal operas. The problem with these operas is that metal is not as popular and respected so most critics usually ignore these great albums.

    Epilogue

    What lies in the future, though? That is an interesting question. I think that we are going to witness a gradual rise in their popularity especially since hip hop artists seem to have an interest in the genre. Furthermore many popular bands, such as the Dropkick Murphys are constantly flirting with concept albums (see "Going Out in Style"). In fact punk operas would be a great development, but I don't want to get my (or anyone else's) hopes up... I don't think that the formula is going to die, simply because it had been so successful in the past and because it allows people to think and express their thoughts in different ways than conventional albums do.


    Boustrophedon

    Do you remember in junior high and high school, maybe you're still in secondary education, where you had to read, interpret, and sometimes even write poems? What a drag that was, right? Well, our friend Boustrophedon has provided us with an easy-to-understand guide to poems. What's in a poem behind all of that pretentious, uncomprehendable, metaphor-laden stuff you can't understand? Read on to find out!

    In addition, Boustrophedon has also given us a few scientific articles to tingle our brains.


    What's In A Poem?

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Main sources:
    English Literature I, Prof. Kate McDonald, Academia Press
    Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English language, Second Edition, David Chrystal, Cambridge University Press
    Wikipedia
    Poetry Archive.com

    Whenas in silks my Julia goes
    Then, then, methinks, how sweetly flows
    That liquefaction of her clothes
    - Robert Herrick

    Once upon a time poetry was the ultimate test for the author's skill, a test of his fluency and knowledge as well as the extent of his imagination. From the wonderful Latin poems by Catulus to the current masters of language, there have been constants in the art of poetry such as rhyme and rhythm as well as form and word choice. Although the art of poetry has been in decline, one must hope that the highs of old can be reached again. In this article I will attempt to illustrate the main characteristics in a poem and how they can give it meaning and sound.

    1. Foot

    The foot is the smallest unit in a poem and consists of the variations in tone of at least two syllables of a small section in a line of verse. How do we determine this rhythm in a poem, so necessary when one has to perform a poem out loud? There are several indicators that help us find the correct rhythm. The metrical structure (structure based on the metres in a stanza or poem) is determined by the foot. There are several types of feet:
    • iamb `/ (unstressed stressed)
    That tìme of yeàr thou màyst in mè behòld

    - taTA taTA taTA taTA taTA
    • trochee /`(stressed unstressed)
    Doùble, doùble, toìl and troùble

    - TAta TAta TAta TAta
    • dactyl /`` (stressed unstressed unstressed)
    Tàke her up tènderly

    - TAtata TAtata
    • anapaest ``/ (unstressed unstressed stressed)
    The Ass'yrian came dòwn like the wòlf on the fòld

    - tataTA tataTA tataTA tataTA

    2. Metre and rhythm

    The number of feet per line of verse determine what metre (Am. English meter) we are dealing with. They commonly range from a monometer (one foot) to a heptameter (seven feet) but technically there is no limit.
    Keep in mind that one foot can still comprise several syllables! Some examples:
    • Monometer
    Thus I
    Passe by,
    And die
    -Robert Herrick
    • Dimeter
    Take her up / tenderly,
    ...
    Fashion’d so / slenderly
    - Thomas Hood

    • ...
    The number of feet is sometimes difficult to ascertain and finding the correct foot is also not quite a walk in the park. Here's a piece from John Keats that I hope will shed some light. It's in unrhymed iambic pentameters. what does this mean?

    Unrhymed: no form of rhyme has been used

    Iambic: the feet are all iambic (though it's allowed to slip a few other feet in) so an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable or in short `/

    Pentameter: The verse line consists of five feet (Greek penta = 5)

    This living hand, now warm and capable
    Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold

    Five times unstressed stressed. You might wonder why one should occupy oneself with such matters. For that I have the perfect poem for you. It will illustrate the power of such a simple thing like alternating stressed and unstressed syllables. It's also one of my favourite poems ever written.

    This piece above is written in the anapaestic tetrameter: four feet of (unstressed unstressed stressed) syllables. Why did I choose this piece? It is based on an event described in the Bible (2 Kings 18-19) during the campaign by Assyrian king Sennacherib to capture Jerusalem. The Assyrians were a horse people and Byron wanted to portray this in his poem. His true mastery of language lies in the fact that he managed to evoke the sound of horsemen galloping by using the appropriate meter and type of foot. If you have trouble imagining the sound without analyzing the poem to death then I refer you to a reading that sort of gets the correct intonation:


    Truly beautiful, is it not? Moving on to a different aspect now...

    3. Rhyme

    The use of rhyme cannot be underestimated when talking about poetry. Indeed poetry and rhyme has been linked for a very long time now and they have become nearly inseparable, though unrhymed poetry does exist. I will briefly explain the most common forms of rhyme. Rhymes are distinguised according to their position in the verse line.

    End-rhyme is the most common type. Alternating or sequential verse lines share a homophonic (identical sound) syllable or word at the end. For example:

    Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
    In the forests of the night
    - William Blake

    Internal rhyme is a rhyming of two words with at least one not situated at the end of the verse line. For example:

    And a clatter and a chatter from within.
    - T.S. Eliot

    Some less common rhyming:
    1. Identical rhyme is the exact repetition of a word.
    2. Eye rhyme is when words look like they rhyme but when spoken do not rhyme at all. (dies/species)
    3. Triple rhyme is when two words share three rhyming syllables (declivity/festivity)
    The most common (end-rhyme) rhyme schemes are as follows:
    1. Couplets: aabb ccdd
    2. Alternate rhyme: abab cdcd
    3. Embracing rhyme: abba cddc
    4. Chain rhyme: aba bcb cdc
    5. Tail rhyme: aab ccb
    [LEFT]4. Figures of speech

    Another element and the final one in this article is the extensive use of figures of speech in poetry. I do not think there is a civilization on earth that has written poetry and not used figures of speech. They allow a freedom of thought and evoke images like no other literary tool can. I will not give you a long and boring list of definitions but Wikipedia has all the answers you need.


    This concludes the article and I hope you found it interesting and entertaining.

    THE END


    Scientific News

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Neutrinos faster than light?

    299,792,458

    This is the distance (in meter) that light travels in a vacuum environment in one second. It was defined as such in 1983 to have a better representation of the European meter, previously defined by a platinum bar in Paris. To get rid of the inaccuracy a physical object naturally presents, scientists defined the metric meter as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299792458 second. The problem scientists are faced with now is that recent research reveils that the speed of neutrinos. What is a neutrino?



    In what is now commonly called the OPERA neutrino anomaly a neutrino with a speed in excess of the speed of light was observed. Although this might seem trivial, it could have immense rammifications in nearly all fields of science. Einstein stated that there is a maximum possible speed (speed of light in vacuum) in the universe which we now all know from the equation E=mc² but if this is not the actual highest possible speed then it could mean the end of this theory.

    According to the results, the neutrino measured had a speed of c+ 7500 m/s or 299,799,958 m/s which would make the neutrino 27,000 km/h or 16,777 miles/h faster than light. The scientific world, especially in the area of physics and astronomy, has reacted both with enthusiasm and scepticism. Further testing and research will have to be conducted obviously.

    Source: Wikipedia
    Source: 299.792.458, nwtmagazine, Issue 11, Nov 2011, p. 39


    How animals shake off water

    We've all seen dogs, cats and other animals with fur perform an almost automatic rapid shaking of their entire body after swimming or being exposed to water in any other way. This wavelike motion could be the result of natural selection according to new research.



    Researcher Andrew Dickerson, who has researched this practice among other furred animals as well, utilized slow-motion camera images to explore this behaviour in several animal species. His findings lead him to conclude that the smaller an animal is, the faster it has to shake its body to lose water.



    Shakes/second to fully dry fur and rounded at integers:

    Washing machine: 17
    Mouse: 29
    Rat: 18
    Guinea pig: 14
    Domesticated cat: 9
    Poodle dog: 6
    Labrador: 5
    Sumatra tiger: 4
    Giant panda: 4
    Brown bear: 4

    Source: Spetters, National Geographic: Netherlands-Belgium, September 2011 issue, p.20


    Olympians of the sky

    For years scientists wondered how it is that the Indian goose can fly at extremely high altitudes, but recent research by Bangor University in northern Wales has clarified many things that were previously a mystery. There had been many unverified reports by mountaineers that they witnessed geese crossing the huge 8000m mountains in the Himalaya, which led to the research conducted by Charles Bishop and his team who recently discovered some interesting facts.

    It was believed that the Indian goose used the early afternoon upward wind, reaching 20 km/h, from the lowlying lands in India to gain a boost along the way to cross mountains like the Everest. The team attached sensors to 15 geese, which monitor altitude, speed, time of day and location among other things, in hopes of solving the mystery. They did some remarkable discoveries:
    • The Indian goose doesn't fly in the afternoon when it has a supporting wind but during the night and early morning when the winds drop.
    • The cold and heavy air of the night contains more oxygen and helps regulate the goose's body temperature, allowing them to fly at very high altitudes (in excess of 8000m).
    • They cross the Himalaya from sea-level altitude in less than 8 hours
    • The Indian goose needs 10 to 20 times as much oxygen at this altitude during its flight, but at this same altitude the regular lowflying geese will experience metabolism problems even when in a state of rest.
    • Larger wings with a dense network of blood vessels, larger lungs and hemoglobine that binds oxygen better and easier to the lungs.
    Obviously much can be learned from this behaviour, the result from natural selection where weak Indian geese died during the crossing and only the strong birds survived. Perhaps scientists could learn more about the human body as well, when studying the lung evolution of these birds?

    Secondary source: Scientific American, Dutch edition, Olympiërs van de lucht, Issue 6, 2011
    Primary source: M., Bishop, C.M. The Trans-Himlayan flights of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus), Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 2011


    rez

    Ah rez, not only is he one of the best historians on the forum, he's also someone who obviously has an interest in how stories work. He's written articles about movies and video games before that have helped educate us on those mediums. Here's another article that will further educate us of what we experience so often in our daily lives of gaming, watching TV, and going to the theater.


    Telling A Story And Presenting A Story

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Greetings all, I am going to let you in on a terribly dark secret and reveal to you how I have entered the realms of utter condemnation. Recently, I have rediscovered the true joys and horrific embarrassments of Warhammer 40,000. I know, I know... but don't worry this article isn't about that. Whilst re-immersing myself in the background fluff of the 40k universe I got to thinking about the vast differences between presenting a universe ala Games Workshop and telling a story within a universe/world in the style of something like Game of Thrones or Star Wars. Then I realised that the videogame industry often treads a line between these two mediums so fine it may as well not exist. Obviously there plenty of games that fall down hard in the storyline department, I'm looking at you Gears, or games that simply don't need them, FIFA etc... But when we start looking at the Mass Effects and the Deus Exs then we can start to see a legitimate brand of storytelling that mixes the presentation of a universe with an over arching sequence of events to nudge and structure the protagonists actions.

    First, lets discuss what it means to present a universe or world and who can get away with it. Obviously this is one realm of fictional media where cinema and literature cannot tread. Books and Films are utterly reliant on stapling your attention to their narrative and no deviation or embellishment can occur once its underway. On the plus side this leaves us with a, hopefully, rich and compelling narrative related to us through the eyes of deeply characterised and sympathetic protagonists. On the, possible, downside we don't have a choice in anything but a lot of people don't mind that and lets face it Cinema and Literature are awesome just the way they are... Pretty much... Well after seeing the trailer for the re-make of 'Footloose' Cinema is beginning to lose its appeal. Oh and there's 'Twilight' which makes a mockery of both... Lets just sweep the bad stuff under the rug this month and focus on the positives!

    Right so traditional media relies heavily on rigid narratives but coming back to 40K we have the opposite end of the spectrum where every piece of description, artwork, and even collections of traditional narratives simply contribute to the overarching idea of this universe captured in a snapshot. In this light the narrative doesn't do anything to further the concept of a storyline but instead fleshes out and bulks up on the image we already had presented to us. To a certain extent this relies on the participation of the target audience as the whole plan is to create and market a universe in which the readers can participate in via wargaming. But while many readers clamour for change and development in the storyline it is still possible to appreciate the universe based only on its sets of narratives that don't actually go anywhere.

    In the world of videogames the traditional method of storytelling can be found in games such as Halo or Half-Life where, as I've discussed in previous issues, the player character is on a pre-determined path. But at the opposite end of the spectrum stand games like Minecraft and Mount And Blade. The Last Days was a modification for M&B that particularly stood out for me as it presented a far richer world than the vanilla game could ever hope to. It modified the world to instead represent Middle Earth in the last days of the Third Age (Thats when the movies were happening for all you non-virgins out there). hose of you who have played M&B will know that there is no overarching story to speak of and as such you are entirely left up to your own devices. A player could make a plethora of stories with even a rudimentary imagination but the best part for me was that when events came to a head and a titanic clash loomed; it was all the more exciting precisely because it hadn't been structured to appear at a given point. Even mild events or chases are given far more gravitas in this sort of open world because without a narrative leading you on and possibly hinting at whats coming next you are completely in the dark and as such completely captivated by the world's events.

    Now it could be said that RTS's offer a very similar kind of unstructured fun but the thing about RTS's is that they usually have a very clear objective that you are leaned on fairly heavily to achieve. it doesn't take away too much from the experience but I can be fairly sure that every time we've tried to go and hold a single city-state in a Total War game we've either given in and conquered or given up and played something else. On the other hand I could quite happily carve out hours and hours of fun as a simple mercenary or bandit huntsman in Mount and Blade rather than feel compelled to conquer the world every time.

    Now to the joy of mixing and matching with these two great story providing techniques. I recently finished Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mass Effect 3 is on its way so I feel its fairly well timed to discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of this form of storytelling. I've mentioned before how leaving your character up to the player to decide can often make him seem bland but in the case of the universe involved what you're leaving up to the player is essentially what he chooses to engages with. I remember with great admiration the vast codex of information that Mass Effect offered on the planets, alien races, technology and history of its galaxy but I also remember that I skipped over almost all of that repository of knowledge because it had no bearing on the far more pressing main narrative. Since Mass Effect had an incredibly engaging narrative that formed the backbone of the games story you very rarely feel the urge to deviate from the given course. Mass Effect did give you a lot of fun side missions to enjoy and worlds to explore but decisions did not have a massive impact on the overall course of the narrative. Human Revolution tried to go one up on this formula and keep the engaging, overarching story but allow much more of an influence on the outcome. Unfortunately, whilst influence on the outcome was raised, influence on the world itself was drastically lowered. Compared to Mass Effect, Human Revolution had barely any side missions and even the ones that you did complete did not seem like they were going to shape the world you lived in very much.

    The fact is that both Deus Ex and Mass Effect are still constrained by their, admittedly excellent, narratives. You simply can't go to all the trouble of creating complicated characters, events and motivations and then not indulge the intended climactic dénouement. Even more frustrating for the developers is the task of creating such a viable universe and then being forced to nudge the player into exploring it in one of perhaps two or three ways. There is, however, a game that for me truly captured the middle ground between presenting a world and telling a story. Fallout: New Vegas was painstakingly constructed to present a massive, fully fleshed out and surprisingly believable section of post nuclear America and the player was given free reign to explore and thrive in the wasteland. Obsidian were very clever to simply suggest a main storyline to follow up until a certain point at which the player would then be forced to choose how to prosecute his intentions through a variety of different story resolution paths. Even without following the main quest the character could carve a compelling character based story out of the wasteland for himself because it was so amazingly influenceable. This is something that Bethesda and a few other developers have done well in the past with such titles that the Elder Scrolls gave us and even the old school Diablo and original Fallout games. I'm simply personally influenced by my love of post apocalyptica to champion New Vegas but even if there are better attempts out there New Vegas will always be a triumph of narrative structure.

    Thats all from me but if you were a fan of Mount and Blade you'll probably be very excited to hear that The Last Days team has announced an imminent release of their much anticipated sequel!


    Lord Rahl

    Don't worry, this is the last article of mine on Star Wars vs Star Trek. The articles I've written on Star Trek have spanned several issues now. This one finally concludes it all.


    Star Wars vs Star Trek or: How Much I Love Star Trek Part IV

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    The Verdict

    There is a Vulcan ritual called the "Kolinahr" where a Vulcan's emotions are entirely purged from the mind and only logic is left. Well, I'll admit that I will not be relying on only logic in my final decision even though I tried to use as much as possible when comparing the two franchises. But as I've said, I am a Trekkie. I can't help it. I love the franchise, and while I like Star Wars a lot, Star Trek will always have a special place in my heart. Needless to say, my verdict will not be purged of all emotion.

    For story's sake, let us imagine Q again interfering in mortal beings' affairs. He believes the races in the ST universe have progressed too far and decides to launch the SW and ST universes in one great clash. Let us also say Q wishes to let the two universes decide the victor themselves. SW and ST are left to their own devices. But who wins?


    Lucas vs. Abrams!

    If you've read the lengthy explanations and comparisons I've written in the previous Helios publications, and good for you if you've done that (or maybe you need help? ), then you should have a better understanding of the differences between the two universes. SW can be considered more science fiction fantasy than true(r) science fiction like ST. It's scale is truly epic in every way. The ships, armies, populations, and stories are all incredibly gigantic. In ST everything can be considered more realistic because, rather than basing everything on a fantastic concept like SW does, much of it is based on true science or pseudo-science. Because of these differences ST can be a much more reliable source for technical information about itself since it tries to maintain some sort of scientific believability whereas the vast majority of SW information is based on logical conjecture. SW does try to be relatable but not necessarily scientifically believable.

    If you wish to then base arguments on a franchise then ST is a better choice since it has some sort of a technical continuity. With SW the continuity is in its story and art. Do you wish to base your arguments on a franchise very fantastical and with technical information taken from books about the movies...or would you rather base your arguments on a franchise known for its (somewhat) scientific credibility and with technical information taken directly from the shows and/or movies? I think any reasonable person would choose the latter.

    Since much of SW and ST is set in space and in starships it is only natural that comparing the starships would be a huge part, and probably the most important part, of the SW vs. ST debate.

    Before I write out my final thoughts on this subject, I wish for one thing to be understood: Much of what we see in SW and ST can't be said to be entirely the truth of what the creators/directors/writers/visual effects people wanted to be shown. For example, do we honestly believe George Lucas wanted to have the number of capital ships or fighters shown in Return of the Jedi? No. He wanted a lot more and he wanted to show a lot more but the technology and budget he had back then did not allow him to show everything he wanted. The same goes for ST. Many of the space battles in the ST shows and movies seem very slow and two-dimensional, not because that is how everyone wanted them to look like, but because that is what they were able to show with the effects and budget they had. So let's understand many assertions, comparisons, and arguments made by myself and many others who have tackled the SW vs. ST debate should be considered with what I've just explained in mind. This is why I said I would take on this debate and use common sense and logic as my guide rather than sticking too much to specifics and details. For example, in one of the best TNG episodes "Best of Both Worlds" (it's a two-parter) it doesn't make sense for the Enterprise-D to be so damn close to the Borg Cube but because of the SFX technology, budget, and other factors it was shown so close to it.


    Best presentation (back then in those circumstances) ≠ Best representation of what was envisioned. GOT IT?!

    And now back to the verdict...

    SW ships are overly numerous and massive. The capital ships are designed to simply slug it out with other capital ships, while their fighters have their dogfights (why there are fighters...I'm not really sure), and have an incredible number of guns on them. They certainly aren't built for maneuverability either. They're basically massive jackhammers flying through space. They also seem to have particular design flaws or are poorly designed, at least for the Star Destroyers, with shield domes exposed outside of the ship and the engines creating what should be a giant blind spot for weapons behind the ship. My guess is that the purpose of the SW capital ship is to be much more of a planetary or star system power rather than a ship designed for wide open space combat. Limited maneuverability makes little sense in a battle"field" that is nearly infinite in its dimensions.

    ST ships are less numerous and massive. This does not mean they have an inherent disadvantage, in my opinion. ST capital ships are all significantly large, though not nearly as large as SW capital ships, and are designed more for maneuverability and tactical usage than simply trying to outgun the enemy. Although the number of weapons may be significantly less than that of SW ships, ST ships are capable of precision strikes and can fire (for most ships) at any angle. Also take into account the tactics used by various ST commanders. I provided numerous examples, and there are many more not mentioned, that highlight the intelligence and cunning of ST commanders. This is something not represented in any significance in the SW movies, not to say SW commanders are completely lacking in that area.

    Overall I'd give the edge slightly to ST here in the long run. SW fleets, ships, and weapon numbers are overwhelming but strategically and tactically speaking they appear to me to be far inferior to ST. Firepower isn't everything and that seems to be the only thing SW ship designers care about. Has anyone seen a hawk being attacked by a group of smaller birds? This is how I imagine ST ships fighting a SW ship.


    O RLY?

    The easy win for SW goes to ground combat. We don't see or hear of ground combat hardly at all in ST while in the SW prequels it is a highlight. Because I don't have enough information about ST ground combat, because ST itself does not present enough, I will forfeit this specific part of the argument and give SW the advantage.

    Let's be honest about the fantastic aspects of SW and ST. Do we honestly think that Jedi or Sith would give SW a significant advantage over ST, or that the many alien races with superhuman abilities would give ST a significant advantage? No. I will say that in SW the Force has much more of an impact on the story, destiny and all that, but what really wins the battles and the wars (despite both the Death Stars having insanely flawed designs that were easy to exploit)? Their massive fleets and armies. In ST, aliens with superhuman abilities are a common occurrence but rarely do their abilities have an impact that decides the fate of everyone. At the end of the episode or movie, I'm talking about ST, it is the intelligence, ingenuity, and cunning of the characters that has them able to live for another day.

    And the winner of Star Wars versus Star Trek is...


    Oh Kirk, what a scoundrel!

    I love Star Trek!!!



    Seriously, I know I most likely won't be swaying anyone's opinions on this debate. Star Wars fans will stick with Star Wars and Trekkies will stick to Star Trek. It's obvious I come out being pro-Trek and I admit that with no shame. I do, however, hope I enlightened a few with this long essay and made them think more about how their science fiction universe works.

    May the Force be with you and Live long and prosper!

    By the way, here are some interesting links:

    Star Trek info: http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Portal:Main
    Star Wars info: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
    Pro-Trek SW vs. ST site: http://www.st-v-sw.net/STSWhi2.html
    Pro-Wars SW vs. ST site: http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/
    Great SW vs. ST video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgHhUZt8j98


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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    Manuel I Komnenos

    Alexander the Great is one of my favorite historical individuals but I don't know much about what happened after his empire fell to his Successors. Luckily, Manuel I Komnenos has taken the time to write an excellent piece on the subject. And who doesn't want another history article?


    The 'Anabasis' in the Upper Satrapies

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Antiochus III the Great


    The Parthians and the Bactrians declare their independence

    Following Alexander’s death, the Parthian satrapy was given to Stasanor, a Greek, as no Macedonian desired to rule over these distant areas. During the Wars of the Diadochi that ensued, the Parthians were in Eumenes’ side and after his death in the hands of Antigonus, they sided with the latter. After his death, the Upper Satrapies, including Parthia, were seized by Seleukos Nikator, the founder of the Seleucid Empire. During the reign of Seleucus II, the Parthians exploited the civil war between Seleucus and his brother, Antiochus Hierax and revolted. One Arsaces, “a man of uncertain origin but of undisputed bravery” [41.4, Justin] led a band of marauders against Parthia, overthrew Andragoras who was the governor of Parthia –and had also declared his independence from the Seleucid Empire- and put him to death. After these actions he took control of most of the satrapy and proclaimed himself a King. As Seleucus was busy in the West, Arsaces went a step further and expanded his Kingdom, by subduing Hyrcania. Following these events, Arsaces consolidated his gains and strengthened his army, expecting Seleucus’ answer.1

    At the same period, Theodotus, satrap of Bactria revolted as well and assumed the title of King. The other Upper Satrapies followed his example shortly afterwards and revolted one after another. At first, the relations between Parthia and Bactria were cold but after Theodotus I died, his son who bore the same name, agreed to a peace treaty and an alliance with the Parthian Kingdom. Seleucus begun his ‘Anabasis’ to the Upper Satrapies but he was defeated by Arsaces and as pressing matters required his presence in the West, he abandoned the expedition.2

    Seleucus II died in 225 BC and was succeeded by his son, Seleucus III Ceraunos who reigned only for three years before being murdered (225 BC-223 BC). Antiochus III who was the youngest -18 years old- son of Seleucus II succeeded his brother. Antiochus’ reign was full of conflicts from the start. The 4th Syrian War (219-217 BC) ended with his defeat in the Battle of Raphia (217 BC). A few years later, he managed to defeat his cousin, Achaeus who had gained control of Asia Minor and proclaimed himself King. By 212 BC, Antiochus had settled his obligations and was ready to proceed with his plan, the reassessment of Seleucid rule in the Upper Satrapies.

    Antiochus the Great at Armosata

    Antiochus first marched against the provinces of Sophene and Commagene which were ruled by Xerxes, the Armenian prince of Aramosata. It seems that these satrapies were semi-autonomous but had to pay tribute to the Seleucid Kingdom, something that Xerxes’s father had disregarded to take care of. Antiochus encamped under the walls of Aramosata and prepared to attack it. Xerxes was in no position to hold such an assault, therefore he chose to come in terms with Antiochus. When Xerxes came to the Seleucid camp, several officers advised him to arrest him and hand Aramosata to another Armenian, Mithridates. Antiochus ignored these suggestions; instead he erased the larger part of the tribute that Xerxes and his father owed to him and accepted a present payment of 300 talents, 1,000 horses and 1,000 mules. Antiochus also gave the prince his sister Antiochis as a wife. Antiochus had reassessed the Seleucid control in these provinces and made Xerxes a vassal, without the cost of a single man. As Polybius notes, “by these proceedings, in which he (Antiochus) was thought to have acted with true royal magnanimity, he won the affection and support of all the inhabitants of that part of the country”.3

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    The Macedonian Empire of Alexander. The Upper Satrapies are shown in great detail.

    Antiochus the Great in Media

    Antiochus then left Commagene and continued his journey to the East. According to Justin, he had 100,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry under his command. Considering the numerical strength of the Seleucid Army during the campaigns against Egypt and Rome and bearing in mind that strong garrisons surely stayed in the West, the real strength of Antiochus' army was most likely less than half the figure Justin mentions. With this army, Antiochus entered Media and shortly afterwards arrived at Ecbatana, the ancient royal city of the Medes which was situated in North Media.4 Arsaces II (211 BC and 191 BC) who in the meantime had succeeded his father Arsaces I, expected that Antiochus would come as far as Media, but not that he’d dare to move his large army through the desert as it would suffer due to the scarcity of water. The only source of water in this area was some wells but only the natives knew their exact location. When Antiochus continued his march to the East, Arsaces tried to choke up or poison the wells. Upon hearing this, Antiochus dispatched a force of 1,000 horse under Nikomedes –the number points out that this may have been the Agema - to reckon the area. The cavalry found out that the main body of the Parthian Army had retreated but met up with an enemy cavalry contingent which was trying to choke up a well. The Seleucid cavalry attacked instantly and having defeated and routed the enemy returned back to Antiochus. The ancient sources do not give further information as to how many days the march through the desert lasted or whether the Seleucid Army faced further difficulties but eventually, Antiochus and his army completed the journey and arrived before the city of Hecatompylos which was situated in the center of Parthia.5

    Antiochus Moves into Hyrcania

    Arsaces and his army had abandoned Hecatompylos and Antiochus was able to rest his army after the seemingly difficult journey through the desert. Seeing from the fact that Arsaces had abandoned his own base of operations and that he had avoided seeking battle, Antiochus’ self-confidence was boosted and he was determined to solve his disputes with Parthia. Therefore, he decided to advance into Hyrcania where Arsaces had sought refuge. Having arrived at Tagae, he was informed by the natives that reaching Hyrcania was a difficult deed to accomplish, as the path he had to follow was “exceedingly rough and difficult” and in addition to that, contingents of barbarians had fortified the narrowest points. As Antiochus’ large Army would be susceptible to ambush and unable to line up for battle in such terrain, he decided to divide the light-armed troops into companies and distribute their officers among them, giving them detailed directions as to the route they were to take. Each company would capture a certain strategic point while the engineers who accompanied the army and had been also divided in a similar way, were entrusted with making these positions possible to approach by the heavier phalanx and the supply wagons. Diogenes was placed in command of the first company which was strengthened with an unknown number of bowmen and slingers, as well as some irregular native mountaineers who were skilled in throwing javelins and stones and who, “without keeping any regular order, were always ready to skirmish at a moment's notice, and in any direction, and rendered the most effective assistance at the narrow passes”. A second company which numbered about 2,000 Cretans armed with shields was placed under the command of Polyxenidas the Rhodian. The rear was made up of two companies, armed with shields and breastplates and commanded by Nicomedes of Cos, and Nicolaus the Aetolian.6

    The Battle of Mount Labus

    The companies were ordered to begin the ascension on Mount Labus. The length of the ascension was 300 stadia (In Attic/Italic terms equal to 55.5 km) and a great part of the mountain was covered by thick snow. In addition to numerous rocks and trees which had fallen randomly and had blocked several paths, the barbarians had done their part by bringing down a great number of trees and rocks to impede the Seleucids and had fortified all the high points where the phalanx was expected to attack. The barbarians though were overconfident of the defense that nature provided. They neglected that even though the phalanx was not able to climb through the bare rocks, the light infantry was. And the Seleucids did exactly that. As soon as Diogenes and the first company reached the first enemy outpost, he chose to avoid and frontal engagement and instead opted to ascent the mountains that flanked the enemy’s position and so got above him. The arrow and javelin volleys started falling like rain on the barbarians; the slings especially proved extremely lethal and effective as their range was great. When the first enemy outpost was captured and the light infantry had consolidated its gains, the engineers arrived and while the lights provided cover, they started clearing and leveling the way for the phalanx to ascend. Meanwhile, the skirmishers with the support of the other companies which carried shields continued to ascend in higher ground and unleash deadly volleys against the enemy. Finally, the barbarians abandoned their positions and ascending the mountain, mustered in full force on the summit.7

    Antiochus Reaches Tambrax

    The barbarians continued to resist while retreating slowly to the summit and the Seleucid Army followed up closely, until it reached the summit in the eighth day. The most severe engagement took place in the summit where the phalanx attacked the barbarians frontally. The barbarians fought desperately but before daybreak the light infantry completed a wide maneuver that brought it in higher ground, near the enemy’s flank. Upon witnessing this turnout of events, the barbarians fled in panic. Antiochus ordered his army to stop the pursuit as he didn’t want his army to scatter, but instead wanted to descend to Hyrcania in orderly fashion as the enemy could be lurking anywhere in this rough terrain. He therefore reached Tambrax, a large but unwalled city and encamped there. The natives, who had previously retreated from Mount Labus, had found refuge in the city of Sirynx, which was close to Tambrax and was considered the capital of Hyrcania, due to its strategic location. After resting his army, Antiochus marched against Sirynx and encircled the city which was defended by a three trenches and a strong wall. The Seleucids dug tunnels in order to undermine the walls and the fight which took place both above and underground was so fierce, that neither side was able to remove their dead and wounded from the battlefield. In the end, the barbarians were overrun by the great Seleucid numbers…. The barbarians understood that the battle was lost therefore they tried to exit the city and find refuge in the mountains under the cover of night. Before leaving, they killed all the Greek citizens of the town and looted whatever they were able to carry. The Seleucids though noticed their movement and informed the King. Antiochus acted instantly. He ordered Hyperbasus with the mercenaries to stop them in their tracks and in their view, the barbarians abandoned their loot and returned back to the city. As the barbarians were now disorganized, Antiochus commenced the final assault. When they saw the peltasts coming through the breaches, they surrendered.8Polybius detailed narration on the Parthian campaign ends here and the conclusion of the campain is loosely mentioned by Justin who writes that Arsaces fought with great bravery and managed to come in terms with Antiochus. The peace treaty was followed by an alliance.9 Most likely, the Parthians were forced into a vassalage status, similar with that of Xerxes of Armenia.

    Antiochus Engages the Bactrians

    In the meantime, the King of Bactria Euthydemus who had rebelled against and succeeded Diodotus II had amassed his forces and had encamped in a city near river Arius. Euthydemus expected that Antiochus would not stop at Parthia, but he’d continue until he subdued the Upper Satrapies and hoped that he’d block his way in front of river Arius, before he managed to reach inner Bactria. When news of Euthydemus’ preparations was brought to him, Antiochus decided to march against Euthydemus army (208 BC). The river was 3 days march away; on the third day, right after dinner, Antiochus ordered the main body of the army to continue the march at daybreak while he himself gathered a highly mobile force, namely the cavalry, the light armed troops and 10,000 ‘peltasts’ (Polyb., 10.49) and pushed at great rate. His scouts had informed him that the Bactrian cavalry kept guard by day on the river’s bank but at night it retired to the city where Euthydemus had encamped, which was situated more than 20 stadia (1 stadia=185 meters) away. Having completed the distance the separated him from river Arius, he managed to move the great part of his force across the river before daybreak. The Bactrians who were still on their way to the passage received news of Antiochus’ surprising move and hastened to secure the passage once again, before Antiochus managed to move his whole army across Arius. When the Bactrian vanguard arrived, it charged immediately against the passage. After issuing orders to the rest of the army to secure and hold its positions on the bank, Antiochus rallied the 2,000 cavalry which was “accustomed to fight round his own person” and charged against the advancing Bactrians. The battle was fierce. The “King’s men” defeated the first Bactrian squadron but as the rest of the Bactrian cavalry entered the battle, the Seleucid cavalry was pushed hard by the overwhelming numbers. Antiochus was said to have “shown the greatest gallantry of any of his men”. Seeing that the King was in grave danger, Panaetolus ordered a general assault and relieved the King and his squadrons. The Bactrians were scattered and fled in confusion. According to Polybius, the Bactrians lost more than half their number and a great number of them were captured by Antiochus. In this engagement, Antiochus’ horse was killed and Antiochus himself received a blow that cost him some of his teeth. Euthydemus gathered the remains of the Bactrian cavalry and retreated in the safety of the walls of the city of Zariaspa, in Bactria.10

    After this heavy defeat, Euthydemus who was a Magnesian, was besieged in Bactra for three years (208-206 BC) and finally, he tried to come in terms with Antiochus. He argued that he was not a revolted subject, for he had removed from power the descendant of someone who had been such (he means Diodotus I who revolted against Seleucus) and he had rightfully claimed Bactria for himself. It seems though that the argument that convinced Antiochus to accept his status was more practical. Euthydemus added that Antiochus should recognize him as King of Bactria for “if he did not yield to this demand, neither of them would be safe: seeing that great hords of Nomads were close at hand, who were a danger to both; and that if they admitted them into the country, it would certainly be utterly barbarized”. The terms were finalized and confirmed by oath between Antiochus and Demetrius, son of Euthydemus. Demetrius was to marry a daughter of Antiochus and Euthydemus was to receive the royal title. It’s certain that Antiochus also received the elephants that belonged to the Bactrian army but it's not absurd to presume that he also received some kind of tribute.11

    To India

    Having provisioned his troops, Antiochus crossed the Caucasus Indicus (today’s Hindú Kúsh) and descended into India more as means to demonstrate his power, rather than attack the Indians. There, he renewed his friendship with Sophagasenus, who was probably the Indian King of Paropamisadae and received an undisclosed number of elephants, until he had 150 altogether. Some of them probably accompanied him from the start of his campaigns and others were as previously mentioned given to him by Euthydemus. Antiochus then left Androsthenes of Cyzicus to gather and bring back home the treasure that was promised by Sophagasenus and begun the journey back to Syria. Antiochus and his army marched through Arachosia, crossed the river Enymanthus, and through Drangene, he reached Carmania where his army wintered (206/5 BC). Polybius concludes the narration of the ‘Anabasis’ with these words: “This was the extreme limit of the march of Antiochus into the interior: in which he not only reduced the up-country Satraps to obedience to his authority, but also the coast cities, and the princes on this side Taurus; and, in a word, consolidated his kingdom by overawing all his subjects with the exhibition of his boldness and energy. For this campaign convinced the Europeans as well as the Asians that he was worthy of royal power”.12


    The Seleucid Empire after the successful campaign.

    Conclusion

    When Antiochus returned back to his Western possessions, he was undoubtedly the most prestigious and powerful Hellenistic ruler. He attacked Egypt and then landed in Greece where he was defeated in the Battle of Thermopylae and then returned to Asia Minor where he was once again defeated by the Pergamenes and Romans in the Battle of Magnesia. Although the status quo in Eastern Asia remained and Arsaces and Euthydemus continued to control their dominions, they suffered heavy defeats in the hands of Antiochus and were forced to come in terms with him. Additionally, he reassessed Seleucid control over the Southeastern Seleucid satrapies and renewed his friendship with the Indian ruler of Paropamisadae who also gave him a large sum of money and a number of elephants. The Parthians and Bactrians remained occupied with their own problems and did not bother Antiochus again during his reign. Freed of the threat that these rulers posed, Antiochus was free to proceed with his Imperialistic plans in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

    1.Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus, 41.4
    2.Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus, 41.4
    3.Polybius, Histories, 8.25
    4.Polybius, Histories, 10.27
    5.Polybius, Histories, 10.28
    6.Polybius, Histories, 10.29
    7.Polybius, Histories, 10.30
    8.Polybius, Histories, 10.31
    9.Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus, 41.5
    10.Polybius, Histories, 10.49
    11.Polybius, Histories, 11.34
    12.Polybius, Histories, 11.34

    Sources:

    Polybius - Histories
    Justin, Epitoe of Pompeius Trogus
    Appian - Syrrian Wars




    Saga

    Perhaps you recently saw the movie Thor or have played dozens of hours of Skyrim. If so then you're probably a bit interested in Norse mythology at least a tad. And let's be honest, who doesn't like Norse mythology? Saga continues with Norse mythology in this article, this time focusing on Loki.


    Mythology: Article III

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Loki - The Gods friend and foe


    One of the strangest figures in Nordic mythology, Loki. He lived with the Aesir, though he really was not a god (he was descended from the giants), participated in their escapades, and often shaved chestnuts out of the fire for them. But although he was gods friend and companion and foster-brother of Odin, he was also their opponent, and at Ragnarok - the world's downfall - he will fight against the gods on the Jotuns side. Loki was beautiful and witty, but wicked and cunning. He was also very clever and always full of tricks and sinister plans. He could change the shape of any animal, when he made his songs. Snorri calls Loki the origin of all lies and falsehood. There is no evidence that Loki was worshiped, but he was indispensable in the mythology. He was the cause of many mythical events. Loki's self-contradictory nature was manifested by the fact that although he was the one who constantly brought the gods into trouble, it was often his clever and cunning brain that brought them off the hook. He was thus both a scourge and a blessing for them.


    Myths


    Loki and Idun

    The goddess Idun guarded the golden apples of eternal youth, which the gods had to eat in order not to get old. The mischievous Loki arranged that both Idun and the apples were stolen by a giant, but it was also his slyness, who turned the situation and brought Idun back. Loki was captured by a giant named Thiazi who refused to release him until he agreed to kidnap Idun and her apples from Asgard. This promised Loki and the giant let him go. Loki went to Idun and told her that he had seen some apples in the woods, which she probably would think highly carefully. He suggested. her to go out to them. and his own apples comparison. Once the two had arrived outside the walls of Asgard came Thiazi in the guise of an eagle and struck his claws into Idun with the apples and abducted her to his home. The gods soon noticed that Idun and the apples were gone. They began to grow old and gray.
    They met to discuss when they last had seen Idun and found out that it was when she went out of Asgard with Loki. Loki was arrested and threatened with torture and death. Terrified, he promised to go forth to find Idun if Freyja would lend him her falcon skin. In the guise of a falcon flew Loki to Jotunheim, and came to Thiazis castle. Thiazi was gone at the time he arrived, and Loki found Idun alone. He immediately turned Idun to a nut and flew back to Asgard with her in his claws. Thiazi came back and discovered that Idun was gone, he transformed himself immediately to an eagle and took chase. The Aesir saw the falcon flying chased by the eagle after it and they lit a large bonfire in Asgard. The Falcon, Loki flew over the wall and let himself fall straight down, but the eagle could not stop, it continued over the fire and was ignited. Thus slew Asir Thiazi, and Loki, who had been guilty of that Idun and the apples disappeared, was also the one who brought them back.


    The myth of Idun and the golden apples transforms both Loki and Thiazi into birds.


    Lokis' Children

    Loki fathered three monsters with a giantess named Angrboda: The Midgard Serpent, The Daughter Hel, who was half alive, half a corpse, and the enormous Fenris. These creatures were all important in the mythology. By Ragnarok the The Midgard Serpent and Fenris would do away with respectively Thor and Odin. Odin captured Loki's brood, but the gods could not tackle them. They had to find other ways. The gods were highly worried when they discovered that Loki had fathered these three children. They had heard predictions that these off-springs would cause them great harm. Odin sent the gods set out to trace them and bring them to Asgard. When they came back with them, Odin threw; first The Midgard Serpent in the ocean that encircled the earth. It grew so big that it reached around the globe and could bite its own tail. Then Odin sent Loki's ugly daughter Hel into Niflheim, the dead land, where she had to provide food and shelter to the dead who came down. The terrible Fenris kept the gods with them and nurtured it, though only Tyr was brave enough to take care of it.




    Patron of: Ó Cathasaigh, Major. Stupidity, Kscott, Major König, Nationalist_Cause, Kleos, Rush Limbaugh, General_Curtis_LeMay, and NIKO_TWOW.RU | Patronized by: MadBurgerMaker
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    Boustrophedon's Avatar Grote Smurf
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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    AWWW YEAHH! it's finally here! Great edition it has turned out to be. I didn't even know what a rock opera is until I read this article haha.
    I hope people will enjoy my two articles and let's all give some love to the writers and our new editor Lord Rahl! Hopefully 2012 will be a glorious year for the Helios!

    A suggestion for the first issue of 2013: "Why the 2012 end of the earth theory was moronic..."

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    Hobbes's Avatar Vicarius Provinciae
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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    Excellent! Took us some time, but I love the result!

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  5. #5
    Jom's Avatar A Place of Greater Safety
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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    A top-notch edition from a top-notch editor.

    "For what it’s worth: it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

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    Legio's Avatar EMPRESS OF ALL THINGS
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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    Nice work!

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    Narf's Avatar Reach for the Stars.
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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    Good job. All of you.

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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    Jolly good show from all
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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    <Reserved>

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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    fantastic edition!
    Well, if I, Belisarius, the Black Prince, and you all agree on something, I really don't think there can be any further discussion.
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  11. #11
    Freddie's Avatar The Voice of Reason
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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    It's good to see that the Helios is still going. I have to say though I nearly fell of my chair when I saw that Kirk/Lelia photo.

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    Default Re: Helios 61 - The Helios Is Never Late

    Now you know how I felt when I found the picture!

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