00:00 - 00:31
Hades: Greetings, listeners. As I was working on the latest fairy tale, The Golden Pale, I realized that we didn't have nearly enough cast members to play the roles needed for this episode. And so, rather than turning my attention once more on your mortal affairs, It wears on my divine spirit and even I must take a break to recharge. I decided to do something that I've been meaning to for a long time. Find a way for every single 1 of our divine family to appear on a show at the same time. If you've been paying attention, you'll know
00:31 - 00:57
Hades: that on this podcast we have yet to hear from Hera, and we also have yet to have Ares and or Aphrodite appear in the same tale as Hephaestus. Sure there was an instance where Ares helped me introduce an episode while Hephaestus played a sultan in the tale, and a few parties when the 3 were able to gather. But for the most part, these deities have had difficulty being in the same place at the same time. So if my wish for all of us to be at peace is to be realized, then it's time to arrange a
00:57 - 01:07
Hades: ceasefire, in the divine sense of the word. Ares.
01:07 - 01:14
Ares: Uncle Hades, what brings you to my battle encampment? Are you looking to recruit a few of my fine soldiers into your undead army?
01:15 - 01:25
Hades: Please. This is far more important than that, and anyway, my undead army, as you call it, has been growing out of control to the point I've had to send many off to Elysium to keep them at bay.
01:25 - 01:30
Ares: Oh? Then what, pray tell, has brought you away from the underworld and into my realm?
01:30 - 01:31
Hades: Our next episode.
01:32 - 01:39
Ares: Uncle Hades, you know I'll help you in whatever way I can. If you need me to play Ivan the Fool, you can count on me.
01:39 - 01:54
Hades: Unfortunately, it's not that simple. You see, Ares, my intrepid nephew, this fairy tale contains far more characters than any of the ones we featured so far. And that means we need a few more deities on the show, 1 of whom is a deity you've wrangled with in the past.
01:55 - 01:57
Ares: You're talking about Hephaestus, aren't you?
01:57 - 02:01
Hades: Yes, precisely. Hephaestus is your crucible and Hera is mine.
02:01 - 02:04
Ares: Hera? What happened between you and my mother?
02:04 - 02:16
Hades: This was many millennia ago. She urged King Eurystheus to have Heracles bring Cerberus to the Upper World as 1 of the heroes' 12 labors. We've been at odds ever since I visited her and told her never to do something like that again.
02:16 - 02:34
Ares: It sounds like you gave her quite the scare. Uncle Hades, if you can scare my mother in a way Zeus never could, then you're clearly a formidable enemy I don't want. Alright, I'll visit Hephaestus at his forge and see if We can't share the same space for more than a moment without him trying to strike me down.
02:35 - 02:38
Hades: So what happened after you and Aphrodite became an item?
02:38 - 02:45
Ares: After he caught us in his cleverly crafted net, he received compensation for Aphrodite's infidelity and my part in it.
02:46 - 02:49
Hades: 40 wagonloads of your spoils of war, wasn't it?
02:49 - 02:51
Ares: Yes, and he got to choose the spoils.
02:51 - 02:54
Hades: So as far as you're concerned, the debt has been paid, the score settled?
02:55 - 03:07
Ares: According to our divine code, perhaps. But in our hearts, Hephaestus and I have yet to find common ground. Ours is a cold war, where neither of us speaks to the other unless we cannot find an emissary.
03:08 - 03:19
Hades: Then it is time to forge a new bond by healing old wounds with empathy and forgiveness. You are both warriors in your own right, And it is the mark of a true hero to lay down arms in the pursuit of greater harmony.
03:19 - 03:27
Ares: I see the wisdom in your words, Uncle. But how does 1 approach a god who has been wronged? To seek not just a mere truce, but brotherhood.
03:28 - 03:40
Hades: With humility and an open heart. Ares, you are a god of many talents, not just of war. Use your other gifts to build a bridge. Hephaestus is a craftsman. Might there be something you can create to extend an olive branch?
03:41 - 03:47
Ares: Uncle, I'm a warrior, not a painter or a potter. What do you expect me to do? Bring out some finger paints and paint a sunrise?
03:48 - 04:17
Hades: That's for you to decide, but I'll give you a clue. About a month ago you moved many of us with a hidden talent none of us would have expected from the God of War. And this same gift moved my heart so much that I let Orpheus take Eurydice with him from the underworld. The fact that he failed as a result of his lack of faith is neither here nor there. The point is that this gift, it's the language of the soul. And it may be able to help bring about a lasting peace where traditional diplomacy in
04:17 - 04:18
Hades: your sword cannot.
04:18 - 04:22
Ares: I see. I'll think about it, but don't expect a miracle.
04:22 - 04:29
Hades: Ah, Ares, don't worry. I'm not asking for a miracle. I only ask for your courage and perseverance, and I know you have both in spades.
04:30 - 04:31
Ares: Orpheus!
04:32 - 04:36
Orpheus: Ares, son of Zeus, what brings you to my humble abode?
04:36 - 05:02
Ares: I seek your wisdom, Orpheus. I wish to mend the rift between Hephaestus and I, to turn the page on our strife and sing a new song together. Though Courage and martial prowess I have aplenty, my skills in composing music are non-existent. To show Hephaestus I truly wish to build a new relationship. It's important that I sing a song that comes from my own heart. Not some schmaltzy ballad written by a corporate yahoo who only seeks to make a quick buck.
05:03 - 05:14
Orpheus: Music has the power to heal and to unite. It is the universal language of the soul. If you are willing to sing from the heart, then you have already taken the first step towards reconciliation.
05:15 - 05:18
Ares: But what if my voice alone is not enough to soften Hephaestus's heart?
05:18 - 05:36
Orpheus: Then let your voices join as 1. Craft a song that speaks of shared struggles and shared triumphs. A song that honors both the warrior and the craftsman. For is it not true that you're both part of the Pantheon? He crafts your weapons and you protect the people.
05:36 - 05:41
Ares: You speak truth, Orpheus. I humbly ask you to help me compose this song.
05:41 - 05:46
Hephaestus: Ares, what brings you here? Did you break another sword after demolishing a training dummy?
05:47 - 05:51
Ares: Brother, I've come to reconcile with you over the matter with Aphrodite.
05:52 - 05:56
Hephaestus: You mean when you betrayed me and cuckolded me with my own wife? That matter?
05:57 - 06:04
Ares: I know I cannot take back the pain I caused you. What I did was an unforgivable violation of your trust and our code as brothers.
06:05 - 06:11
Hephaestus: Unforgivable is right. I crafted that net myself to entrap you in your deceit. The humiliation still burns.
06:11 - 06:17
Ares: You are well within your rights to feel that way, brother. I can only beg your forgiveness and offer recompense.
06:18 - 06:21
Hephaestus: Recompense? What could possibly make up for that?
06:21 - 06:30
Ares: Not riches or spoils of war, for no material thing can heal wounds of the heart. I offer you something more meaningful, the hope of restoring our bond as family.
06:31 - 06:34
Hephaestus: You expect me to simply forget your treachery just like that?
06:35 - 06:45
Ares: No, I do not. What I did was unforgivable in the moment. But we are immortals and have existed since time immemorial. Must this rift divide us for Eternity?
06:46 - 06:47
Hephaestus: Go on.
06:47 - 07:00
Ares: I have worked with Orpheus to compose a song that lays bare my regret and sorrow and offers hope for our future together. If you would allow me to sing for you, and if the words ring true, perhaps we could join our voices as a start to making amends.
07:01 - 07:08
Hephaestus: You would sing to me? To plead for my forgiveness? You actually made the effort to create something that wasn't chaos.?
07:09 - 07:14
Ares: I would humble myself before you brother, if it meant a chance to heal the damage I've done.
07:14 - 07:33
Hephaestus: Ah, very well. I will hear this song, but redemption will not come easily. Let me see the lyrics first. I can't believe that a god of war would be able to say anything heartfelt. [Paper rustle.] These words speak of profound regret and a desire to rebuild what was broken.
07:34 - 07:42
Ares: Will you allow me to sing them for you from the heart? And if they ring true, perhaps join your voice with mine as a first step towards healing?
07:43 - 07:47
Hephaestus: So be it Ares. Sing for me. Let me hear if your words have any shred of sincerity.
07:50 - 08:16
Ares: In the heart of battle, where I once found my call, I've known the roar of conflict, the rise and the fall. But time has come to silence The clashing of my blade To lay down arms and speak in more Than battle's parade.
08:25 - 08:51
Hephaestus: With hammers ringing and anvils beat, I've shaped my destiny. Forged in fires of solitude, a life of artistry. Yet strength lies not in crafting swords for battles to prolong, But in the art of building bridges, Making peace my immortal song.
08:56 - 10:18
Ares and Hephaestus: In the fires of our passion, We find our common ground Where the flames of anger fade and love is found. We'll lay down our arms and let our hearts entwine In this ceasefire our bond will forever shine. We've walked through shadows, where trust was just a dream. But now we stand as brothers Beneath the moon's soft beam. Our hearts once adamant, now open unafraid. In unity we find our shields together we're unswayed. In the echoes of our past Let the discord fade. We are more than our grudges in forgiveness-we’re remade. With every note we share we
10:18 - 11:30
Ares and Hephaestus: heal the wounds of yester-year Our voices join as one, the picture’s crystal clear So let us raise a harmony where once was only strife In the melody of truce we find a new path, a new life Forge a bond unbreakable in peace our strength we'll test Together side by side we'll face the world at its best From the ashes of our feuds, a phoenix takes its flight. In the sound of ceasefire, we find our warrior's delight. With love as our forgefire, we temper our will. In the anvil of peace, we stand united still.
11:36 - 12:11
Hades: Well listeners, if Ares and Hephaestus can put aside their differences, I suppose that Hera and I can too. but not being gifted with musical talents, I'll have to come up with something that won't send Hera running off to Olympus. Maybe I can bake her some ambrosia cookies or help her catch Zeus with his latest paramour. The options are endless. Now before I leave you in suspense for next week's conclusion to Divine Ceasefires, I wanted to thank a mortal by the name of Beau James Wilding for lending his voice to our hero Orpheus. You see we thought it would be apropos to honor the renowned musician with
12:11 - 12:45
Hades: the voice of a real-life musician Our divine technology didn't quite capture Beau's deep and rugged timbre, but the cowboy was a pleasant surprise. You may learn more about him at Beau, that's B-E-A-U James Wilding, W-I-L-D-I-N-G dot com. Next time it will be my turn to bridge a divide so that Hera can finally join our family to tell the stories of Palestine and every other country in the world. Until then I'll leave you with this quote from Frank Sinatra: “If you don't know the guy on the other side of the world, love him anyway because he's just
12:45 - 12:52
Hades: like you. He has the same dreams, the same hopes and fears. It's 1 world, pal. We're all neighbors.”