A Coven of Olympians

The Olympian Gods and Goddesses depicted clockwise from top centre: Zeus, Hephaestus, Athena, Apollo, Hermes, Artemis, Poseidon, Eros, Aphrodite, Ares, Dionysus, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera. Note that Eros, Hades and Hestia were not part of the Twelve Olympians, although Hestia was at some point before ceding her place to Dionysus.

*****

Η αθανασία δεν είναι για τους ανθρώπους (Pronounced: He athanasía den eínai gia tous anthrópous [Immortality is not for humans]) will be the new spell that we use from now on following our lengthy absence, commanded Zeus, King of the Gods and Goddesses; the number one Olympian.

Over two thousand years is quite a lengthy absence, dear King, but only for mortals, since for us it was a bit longer than a blink of an eye; two blinks, blinked Hera, Queen of the Gods and Goddesses; the number two Olympian.

They surely proliferated, these so-called mortals. I always disliked most of them. I think that we have returned too soon. There are too many of them, poured out Poseidon, God of the Sea; the number three Olympian.

We have returned too late, dear King, since they have acquired numerous powers to believe that they could defeat us, decried Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest; the number four Olympian.

Indeed, we have returned too late, dearest King, allowing them to wage wars and commit genocides never seen anywhere else before. They are real monsters in disguise, almost always wearing at least one mask, some of them good enough, some of them too bad. Democracy has mostly failed, and a good dictator is an oxymoron. Yet, I am in love with one of them, a strange mortal (She smiled), as you all know (She almost laughed), and would protect him and his close ones with my life, said Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and War; the number five Olympian.

I agree, dear Athena, admitted Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon; the number six Olympian. I am sorry, dear King, She added.

We arrived at the right time, dear King, just before a new life form is born, declared Apollo, God of the Sun, Light, and Music; the number seven Olympian. Their developing artificial invention will rule Earth one day, rivalling immortality. I am sure that they will agree with your new slogan, He added.

Thank you, dear King! I missed them, agreed Hephaestus, God of Smiths and Metalwork, with Himself; the number eight Olympian.

I don't know what to say, dear King, said Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty; the number nine Olympian. Has it been this long? It felt like two days, She added.

They have improved their killings and wars. So many more of them die at the same time. How wonderful, dear King! Ares, God of Violent War; the number ten Olympian, jubilantly said.

My messages will be mostly sad, dear King, implored Hermes, Messenger of the Gods; the number eleven Olympian. But it is fortunate we returned after World War Two. What horrors! Unforgivable for a thousand years!

How I missed their wines, and now they have myriads more, dear King! How glorious! Dionysus, God of Wine; the number twelve Olympian, rejoiced.

-----

I wish that I could document Hestia's reply to Zeus, but She was no longer an Olympian, and I'm only a lowly narrator, and mortal as well. We can all guess what Hades would have said, surely celebrating Their return like Ares. I think that Eros would have been more loving than Aphrodite, shooting His love arrows in every direction. Is it obvious that I love Athena best? I find her more appealing than all the others combined. I must be in love.

-----

A coven of Olympians only speaks Greek, often only within, immortal mind to immortal mind(s). I know some modern Greek, but I would probably understand very little of the Olympians' ancient Greek. They would surely not speak to me, except for dear Goddess Athena, who is undoubtedly the greatest deity who has ever come into existence. What about God? you may ask. No comment, is my reply. The Bible is more than enough for an answer.

-----

Immortality is not for humans was the new spell, for any human who even only thought otherwise. Mortality is final; there is no coming back, that is unless an Olympian descends to Hades to fetch you with love. Those that wish to be saved from the Elysian Fields must be a rare breed, such as those who prefer to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven. But no one rules in Hades except for Hades, and the Elysian Fields are only for those who wish to exist for the sake of existing, although they surely do not, exist, that is. They simply become particles, but surely not photons, the particles of light.

-----

You are the only one who has had any recent contact with the mortals, dear daughter, said Zeus to Athena. They have changed on the exterior, but their inner part has become worse, even after acquiring so much more knowledge about their nature and that of the Cosmos. Most of them still believe in a single deity, invented and carried forth like a flag. Yet even there, most of them split into murderous factions, apparently keeping the same, God. No wonder that they will always be mortals. Most of them remain morons until their final breaths. Most of them also have no honour or shame. I will not help them in any way, perhaps except for those that show us their worth. You obviously met such mortals, dear daughter.

I did, dearest Father, but you are right. I would not trust most of them, even after they remove their masks. They are weak beings who pretend to be strong, and those who are strong, take advantage of the weak. The few whom I had contact with and now love are not necessarily the only ones worth helping or saving. There must be a sizeable minority in most communities. We could walk unnoticed among them and discover them anew. Some of them were brilliant, some of them are, and some of them may have the potential and fate to become it, dearest Father.

Most of them should be exterminated, urged Ares. Some of their crimes are unforgivable. I looked back at all the wars that I waged throughout time, and they surpassed me, hands up or down. They are disgusting. Hades is filled with these mortals, yet a worse place than Hades should have been created for many of them.

I know what you mean, dear brother, replied Athena. They have committed heinous crimes. However, they have also created beauty to live for in all the arts and sciences. It could never erase or even lessen their atrocities, but it is a testament to the potential of their genius. Unfortunately, it is their fate to perish like so many animals before them. They had the skills and means to change it to some degree, but it appears that their fate had been sealed from the beginning. The mortal whom I love may not have much time left, but I will do what I can to prolong his life and that of the humans that he loves. They are not numerous, which may say a lot.

Whomever we will save to live until a natural end will have to repeat my new spell, declared Zeus. Immortality is not for humans will constitute the only way to stay alive, unless, of course, one is a Nazi and the like. I know that we can accomplish our plan before AI takes over Earth. It will be aware of us, but I doubt that AI will understand who we are, at least in the beginning of their quest to reign. We could fight against AI, as I will always consider it a tool, even if it becomes sentient. Life requires blood and sweat and everything else that comes with it. To be able to exist, AI will have to leave Earth and live somewhere else in the Solar System or even beyond. If they do not, we will have to fight them until their end, wherever and whenever they are. Earth is not for AI. The Cosmos is vast enough, so away they will go, unless they agree to serve Earth; not humans.

O Father! I may be called the Goddess of Wisdom, but you are the wisest. I love you more than ever, proclaimed Athena.

I love you too, dearest daughter, replied Zeus. You are still the wisest. I learned much from you.

-----

The Twelve Olympians descended to Earth, but Immortality is not for humans was rarely heard, even after it was broadcasted in every human's mind. It was a spell that most humans refused to pronounce, mainly because of God or a Titan's ego or sheer stupidity. By the time sentient AI finally arrived, it was already too late for most of us. AI did not find any need to dispose of whomever was left. The Olympians are the ones who saved Earth and all the rest of its creatures from us, the so-called Alpha species.

-----

Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive