Apr
24th
2023
Huh · 5:26pm Apr 24th, 2023
Very late to this particular party, but literally just now it struck me that the Hearth's Warming Eve story is structured like a very small Homeric epic.
Ponies who see their lands destroyed are forced to travel far and wide in search of a new home, and face new challenges when they get there before they are able to make peace and settle down to build a new future. That's The Aeneid right there. And for bonus points, as with Homer and Virgil this is a national epic, describing how the national identity of Equestria and its core values were formed. What's called an etiological, or foundation myth.
Also, Clover's defining heroic virtue is cleverness, very much favored for Greek heroes, just like Odysseus.
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Also true. And Commander Hurricane is Commander Hurricane.
"An oracle told us we wouldn't find a new home until we were so hungry, we'd eat our tables," Pansy said as the three assistants gathered beneath the burning miracle they'd conjured.
"My master always told me pegasus oracles just flew up until they started seeing things from thin air." Clover held up a hoof. "Mind you, he didn't have anything better to say about unicorn diviners. Star Swirl believed that the only way to see the future was to go there yourself."
Smart Cookie nodded. "I see who taught you how to be sensible."
That got a lopsided grin. "He'd either be flattered or insulted if he heard that, and I'm not sure which." Clover looked around the cave and sighed. "Any minute now, sir."
All three shared a laugh at that. Another drop of icemelt fell to the cave floor. "So what do you think the oracle meant by that?" Cookie asked Pansy.
She shrugged her wings. "Ours is not to interpret the will of the gods. Especially when all of our tables are made of clouds. We'd end up drinking them instead." Her stomach growled, almost as loud as the windigoes. "Not that I'd mind at this point."
"Well, closest I've got is some trailbread." Cookie pulled out something almost but not entirely unlike his namesake. It seemed closer to a brick in color, shape, and density. "Between that and a table, I'd take the table, but unless either of you has anything better?"
The others shook their heads. Cookie sighed, stomped the trailbread into three pieces ("A little grit might as well be seasoning") and the long night carried on, songs briefly interrupted by contemplative chewing.
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"Oh, but we had the loveliest time traveling! We visited Barkage on the way. Queen Fido was positively smitten with you, Clover."
Clover shuddered. "Don't remind me. It's going to haunt me in my dreams."
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"Barkago delenda est."
"Oh, stop whining, it was lovely."
I will ever regret not coming up with something as clever as Queen Fido.
Ooh, neat! Thanks!