Line #6 Heartwarming/ClassicalMythology


1	* The story of Baucis and Philemon: after being the only people in their village to grant [[AngelUnaware a disguised Zeus and Hermes]] SacredHospitality despite their poverty, they are granted a wish for doing so. They wish to die at the same moment so that they would never be widowed. As if that wasn't enough, Zeus throws them something extra: when they ''do'' die, they are turned into trees with branches entwined forever to symbolize their love.
2	** At least some versions say that the reason Zeus and Hermes were in that village was specifically because Zeus was pondering obliterating mankind and wanted to see firsthand if he should. After the first few houses rejected them, Zeus was somewhat understandably seething, but Hermes managed to convince him to give it another try in the hopes of finding a decent family. Repeat: Zeus, nigh-almighty king of the gods with the HairTriggerTemper and BoltOfDivineRetribution, ''listened to his son instead of getting even angrier''.
3	* Some [[http://grbs.library.duke.edu/article/viewFile/15325/6623 Late Antiquity texts]] claim [[ThePowerOfTheSun Helios]] made life with his laughter.
4	* Apollo gave his lover Cyparissus a tame deer as a pet, and when Cyparissus accidentally killed it, he asked Apollo to let his tears fall forever out of sorrow. Apollo granted the request by turning him into the first Cypress tree.
5	* Psyche, after enduring all manner of trials ([[PregnantBadass while pregnant, no less]]) to gain back her husband, Eros, not only wins over Aphrodite's tasks, but is taken to Olympus to live with Eros forever, and their daughter is named Hedone. Even more so, Zeus... y'know, ''frickin' Zeus'', actually gets involved by approving of the immortality of Psyche and then personally telling Aphrodite to cut this whole crap at once on the request of Eros.
6	** And in some versions, he actually helped Psyche with her third task which involved a help from a certain bird; it's speculated that the bird is Zeus' guise, and he's genuinely helping instead of letting his dick do the talking.
7	** Hera and Demeter both support Psyche in her attempts to reunite with her husband Eros after she took the time to clean their respective temples. Though they were unable to aid her directly, they did give her much-needed counsel.
8	** Pan [[ReallyGetsAround of all gods]] is the one who soothes Psyche after she betrays and lost Eros, helping rekindle her hope when she is on the brink of [[DespairEventHorizon despair]].
9	** It completely helps that the Eros and Psyche is one of the rarest myth that involves a happy ending with no [[ValuesDissonance usual contents]] one would expect from a Greek myth. [[ValuesResonance It's the biggest reason why this myth was extremely popular with artists and writers over the centuries and it still is today]].
10	* A rather odd one, thus fitting for Hermes: When Pan was born, his own mother ran away in fright due to Pan's lower half being that of a goat's. Hermes' reaction? He thought Pan looked awesome and took him to Olympus to show him off. All the gods loved him and called the boy Pan because he delighted all their hearts.
11	* When Penelope and Odysseus embrace after ten years of his absence, it's described in terms of an exhausted swimmer who comes crawling back onto the warm shore, "in joy, in joy, leaving the abyss behind."
12	** The fact that Odysseus loved Penelope (who is already getting old) so much that he chose her over immortality and a goddess for a wife.
13	* Galinthias was the faithful friend of Alcmene, Heracles' mother. When Hera got Eilithyia (goddess of childbirth) to delay Heracles' birth, Galinthias tricked her into stopping before Alcmene was driven mad by the pain. [[JerkassGods Gods being gods]], she was turned into a polecat, and then Hecate came along and adopted her as one of her animals. Sometimes even the Greek gods do random acts of kindness...
14	** In other versions, Alcmene simply decides to keep Galinthias around, which is also kind of sweet.
15	* One version of Dionysus and Ariadne's story says that after Theseus abandoned Ariadne, Aphrodite came to her and comforted her by telling her that she'll find a much greater love one day. Dionysus found her afterward and [[LoveAtFirstSight instantly fell in love]]. Of course [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation some versions depicted him as]] [[JerkassGods a jerk who wanted her all to himself and threatened Theseus to abandon her]] but consistency [[NegativeContinuity was never Greek mythology's strong suit]].
16	** After Ariadne was killed by Perseus, Dionysus descended to the Underworld to bring her and his mother, Semele, back from the dead and made them both immortal.
17	** For his part, Hades actually allowing him to take them from the Underworld, one of the biggest taboos he knows. In a mixture with funny, when Hades asks for Dionysus to leave his "best beloved" behind as price, Dionysus leaves his thyrsus or makes a grapevine grow, and ''Hades deems it adequate payment''.
18	** In Ovid's version, Ariadne is heartbroken by Dionysus/Liber/Bacchus' unfaithfulness and go to a beach to reflect why she ever fell in love. His response?
19	---> Liber [Dionysos] had long been listening to her words of complaint, as he followed behind her. He embraces her and mops her tears with kisses, and says: ‘Let us seek heaven's heights together. You have shared my bed and you will share my name. You will be named Libera, when transformed. I will create a monument of you and your crown, which Volcanus [Hephaistos (Hephaestus)] gave Venus [Aphrodite] and she gave you.' He does what he said, and turns its nine gems to fires, and the golden crown glitters with nine stars.
20	* In the entire Greek canon, Hades was probably the only Olympian who has never, ''ever'' cheated on his wife; the one time he came close to it in the Roman canon, it was because Minthe was trying to seduce ''him!'' [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend And then Persephone came...]]
21	** Most versions of the myth show that Hades went to Zeus and asked him for permission to marry Persephone, and Zeus agreed and gave her hand in marriage. So Hades actually went through genuine legal means to marry her, as oppose to the standard [[DoubleStandardRapeDivineOnMortal "I am a god so I can just rape you"]] that most Jerkass gods do.
22	** Hades hopes that Persephone can forgive him for for the abduction and promises to be a good husband, telling her that she will have authority equal to his and anyone who doesn't respect that will be punished.
23	** Abduction aside, the two of them have one of the most stable marriages in all of mythology. Persephone is given equal standing in the realm and attends to day-to-day business as much, if not more, than her husband does, and was respected and feared just as much among the populace.
24	** Demeter's side of things in the myth is nothing but pure maternal dedication. Not only does she set everything aside to focus on finding her daughter, but she also treads the entire world to search for her and never gives up, even in mourning.
25	** Pausanias reports that during Demeter's search for her daughter, she wore mourning clothes, shut herself in a cave and refused to come out, with the earth dying around her. Pan saw her, noticed how angry she was and reported it to Zeus, who sent the Fates to comfort her and help moderate her anger and grief.
26	* Poseidon and Nerites mutually falling in love and [[HomosexualReproduction conceiving the God of Reciprocated Love, Anteros]], with their union. Too bad Helios had to [[ForcedTransformation get in the way]].
27	* While far from perfect, Perseus was among the closest to a NiceGuy among the usually {{pride}}ful heroes and demi-gods. He went "Medusa hunting" not for glory or wealth, but to save [[MommasBoy his beloved mother Danae]] from her StalkerWithACrush, who ''happened'' to be the king of the island they lived on. After Perseus punished said stalker via petrifying him as well as his court, instead of taking the throne for himself, he gave it to the fisherman who helped him and his mom -- who happened to be the rightful king, dethroned by his brother aka the evil king.
28	** Also, along the way home from Medusa-hunting, he saw Andromeda being bound to a rock to be killed by Poseidon's sea monster. He saves her not because he wants to bang that hottie, but because it's the right thing to do, even if he has to delay the Medusa head delivery. It's no wonder they become one of the rarest examples of HappilyMarried within the mythology. Although, also potentially negated depending on the version, since in some it is said that he only saved her after getting her parents to promise her hand in marriage once he did so.
29	** On the flipside, when Medusa was slain, her sister Euryale let out a mournful scream and her other sister Stheno [[BigSisterInstinct furiously tried to attack Perseus as he fled]]. The Gorgons may have been monsters, [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes but they were still sisters]].
30	** As for the prophecy claiming that Perseus will kill his grandfather (which got his mother Danae locked in a tower then Danae and baby Perseus chucked into the sea in pretty much a coffin)... It does come true, but not because Perseus goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge. It's completely accidental (a discus thrown at a sport competition hitting the old man), and most aren't even sure Perseus was aware his grandfather was present.
31	** The fact that the fisherman who found Danae, on the run and near death with her newborn son, immediately took her to patch her up, and he and his wife opened their home and hearts to her and Perseus, treating the two like family and helping raise Perseus to adulthood. By Greek mythology standards, Perseus made out like a bandit where parents were concerned!
32	* Heracles freeing Prometheus from the rock and killing the bird that was eating his liver.
33	* One day, Heracles was guest to a friend of his and was acting happy and rambunctious. Only a while later did he realize that said friend recently lost his beloved wife and was doing his best to hold together. When it dawned on him how InnocentlyInsensitive he was being, he went straight to the Underworld, wrestled ''Death himself'', and brought back the wife from the dead.
34	* One for Hephaestus--one of the goddesses who rescued Hephaestus was Eurynome, who mothered the three Graces (Charites). One of the Graces, Aglaia, would become his future wife, and unlike Aphrodite, actually loved and appreciated him.
35	* In some versions of the "Heracles kills his family" myth, Megara survives the slaughter and the distraught Heracles divorces her and has her marry Iolaus instead. The context is that Iolaus is Heracles' best friend (and also sometimes his lover) and it's clear that he did this because [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy he wanted Megara to be happy]].
36	* Some versions of the Arachne myth have her lose to Athena and [[DrivenToSuicide hang herself in shame.]] Athena, in contrast to her usual pettiness in other versions, takes pity on Arachne and turns her into a spider so [[PetTheDog she can continue weaving as she always enjoyed]].
37	** In some versions of Medusa's myth as well, Medusa turns out to be too MarriedToTheJob for being a priestess of Athena, continuing to do rituals for her in private despite knowing that no one is going to listen to her. This actually [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone shocked Athena]] and [[HeelRealization made her realize that she was the bad guy]], but since she had no means to undo the curse, she then used Perseus as a method to MercyKill her devoted priestess and engraved her head to her favorite shield to give a new good meaning for her: Instead of a monstrous visage, it's now a symbol of protection (like how many Greeks believed) and at least it'll give Medusa a chance to be with the deity she's devoted to.
38	* Phaeton's epitaph after he was killed attempting to drive the Sun God's chariot:
39	-->''Here Phaethon lies who in the sun-god's chariot fared. And though greatly he failed, more greatly he dared.''
40	* Orpheus going to the Underworld to bring Eurydice back from the dead out of his love for her. Hades and Persephone were so moved by his song they gave him a chance to try, and after his failure he refused to date any women, thinking only of her.
41	** In Ovid's version of Orpheus and Eurydice's myth, the ''entire'' Underworld stops and listens as Orpheus plays his song. The Furies stop torturing souls and are moved to tears, claimed to be for the first time ever; Ixion's wheel stops in its tracks; Sisyphus rests upon his rock; Tantalus stops grasping for food and drink; the Danaides set their bowls down; even the vultures pecking at Tityos' liver stop and listen reverently as Orpheus plays his song. For one small and beautiful moment, the entire Underworld, heroes, villains and miscellaneous others alike, is at peace.
42	* The Dionysus backstory where Zeus sends him to be [[RaisedByGrandparents raised by Rhea]]. Not only is it a neat little parallel to Zeus' own backstory (Dionysus being sent to live with his grandmother to protect him from the rage of his parent's spouse just as Zeus was), but it gives Rhea the chance to be a mother again, a chance that was robbed from her by [[{{Jerkass}} her husband]] all those years ago. Additionally, it shows [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas how much Zeus respects his mother]], as he evidently considered her a good caretaker for his son.
43	* Once Hypnos tried to make Zeus fall asleep. It actually worked but when Zeus awoke and realized what had happened he became so enraged he tried [[DisproportionateRetribution to kill]] Hypnos. Suddenly Hypnos's mother Nyx, the [[DarkIsNotEvil Goddess of Night]] [[BigDamnHeroes appeared]] and told Zeus to leave her son alone. Zeus was so [[AlwaysABiggerFish scared of angering]] [[MamaBear Nyx]] he ''immediately'' backed down.
44	* Zeus actually feeling genuinely guilty for his actions and the suffering he has caused Io. Before he turns her back to her true form, he embraces her and says:
45	-->...Hereafter, Io, I swear, I will never cause you anguish.
46	* Hestia is the one goddess who ''everyone'', mortal or divine, loves due to her domains (the hearth and family) being so important and the fact that she's nice to everyone, even disliked deities like Ares and Eris. When she fell asleep at a party and Priapus tried to attack her in her sleep, every Olympian in the room rushed to her aid and chased Priapus away, banishing him from future gatherings. As thanks for a donkey waking her up before Priapus could do anything, all donkeys were given her feast day off work.
47	* A famous [[https://www.wikiart.org/en/john-william-waterhouse/sleep-and-his-half-brother-death-1874 classical painting]], ''Sleep and His Half-Brother Death'', depicts Hypnos and Thanatos [[SleepCute asleep side by side]].
48	* After being left by Jason for another woman, a heartbroken Medea is met by Aegeus, king of Athens, who offers her his friendship and promises that she will always have sanctuary in Athens.
49	* When punished to serve a mortal king for a year for killing Python (or, in some versions, several Cyclops), Apollo became Admetus' herdsman and made all his cows (or ewes) birth twins, which was quite a boon for a king at the time. Apollo also helped Admetus win the hand of his wife, Alcestis, by completing the near-impossible task put forth by her father. When the Fates foretold Admetus was to die, Apollo got the Fates drunk and made them promise that should another die willingly in his place, Admetus would avoid the day of his death. Unfortunately, Alcestis died for Admetus. Fortunately, Heracles was in the area and wrestled Thanatos for Alcestis's soul.
50	* In the Roman canon, a nymph named Leuce was Hades' consort either before or after his marriage to Persephone, with Persephone being good friends with Leuce regardless of marital status. When she died, Hades and Persephone turned her into a poplar tree in memoriam, and it became associated with the Underworld as a whole.
51	* For as much as Zeus and Hera fight, the myth of Ixion has Zeus being extremely protective of his wife when she tells him of Ixion's lust for her, with Zeus using a cloud decoy to test Ixion while keeping Hera safe.
52	* Despite his bloodthirsty nature, Ares is very loving towards Hera even though she can't stand him, and is equally protective of his children, especially his daughters. When his daughter Alcippe was assaulted by one of Poseidon's sons, Ares killed him and was put on trial for it. Every Olympian in attendance acquitted him.
53	* Damon and Pythias were such good friends that their names became a euphemism for true friendship. When Pythias was accused of treason and sentenced to death, Damon took his place as a hostage while he went to settle his affairs; if he didn't return, Damon would be executed in his stead. Pythias did return as promised, and the king was so moved by their friendship that he let them both go.
54	* In a book detailing the aftermath of the Trojan War, Poseidon comes to Achilles' funeral to [[PetTheDog comfort Thetis and assure her that her son will dwell with the gods.]] He even claims to gift Achilles with his own island and worshipers to honor him!
55	--> "Refrain from endless mourning for thy son. Not with the dead shall he abide, but dwell with Gods, as doth the might of Herakles, and Dionysos ever fair. Not him dread doom shall prison in darkness evermore, nor Haides keep him. To the light of Zeus soon shall he rise; and I will give to him a holy island for my gift: it lies within the Euxine Sea: there evermore a God thy son shall be. The tribes that dwell around shall as mine own self honour him with incense and with steam of sacrifice. Hush thy laments, vex not thine heart with grief." Then like a wind-breath had he passed away over the sea, when that consoling word was spoken; and a little in her breast revived the spirit of Thetis: and the God brought this to pass thereafter.
56	* Apollodorus reports that one day when Athena and her friend Pallas were sparring, Zeus got worried his daughter would lose and used his aegis to distract Pallas, leading Athena to accidentally stab and kill her. Athena made a wooden statue of Pallas in memory and gave her the aegis, honoring her friend alongside her father.
57	* [[https://www.theoi.com/Gallery/K14.5.html Vase art]] depicts Hades and Persephone working together to tend fields, with Hades adding fertilizer and Persephone plowing the land.

Context Heartwarming / ClassicalMythology