Friends and Enemies
Is there any truth to the saying: keep your friends close, and your enemies closer? Do you have enemies? Do you have more friends than enemies?
Hera appeared in the foyer of her temple, gracefully adjusting an arrangement of lilies in a shapely vase.
"Well, darling," she began, not looking up from her work, "what you're asking is a question of strategy. Keeping enemies close is implicit that you should have to tolerate attacks upon your person, or dangers to yourself for any extended period of time."
She paused for a moment, walking gracefully to another vase, working on another arrangement, changing the colors of the petals with a touch of her fingertips.
"The fact is, in certain situations, one is forced to... endure the company of those they might not prefer. But enmity," she said slyly, "is such a strong word for those you might hold so close to you, don't you think?"
"After all," she said, admiring her work and conjuring a martini, "It's important to keep things civilized whenever possible. However," she took a sip of her drink,
"Should someone close to you act against you, you are in the enviable position, if prepared, to have the best knowledge possible how to... subdue them, don't you think?"
Her smile was positively shark-like.
"As for whether I have enemies... well," she sighed, "the passions of the Old Days have mostly faded away - those who I once hated now seem but fuzzy annoyances on the edges of my consciousness. Friends, on the other hand, are a luxury that few women in my position enjoy. There is, of course, Dionysus, who I've come to know well over the years," her lips quirked into a smile. "But truly, my 'friends' are few and far between."
"However," she smirked, "I sometimes get the feeling that I am, perhaps, not quite so well-liked as certain people pretend. But that's nonsense, don't you think? After all, who wouldn't love their Queen?"
With an ironic chuckle, Hera finished her cocktail and sashayed out of sight.
Hera, Goddess of Marriage and Women
Greek Mythology
315 words
Hera appeared in the foyer of her temple, gracefully adjusting an arrangement of lilies in a shapely vase.
"Well, darling," she began, not looking up from her work, "what you're asking is a question of strategy. Keeping enemies close is implicit that you should have to tolerate attacks upon your person, or dangers to yourself for any extended period of time."
She paused for a moment, walking gracefully to another vase, working on another arrangement, changing the colors of the petals with a touch of her fingertips.
"The fact is, in certain situations, one is forced to... endure the company of those they might not prefer. But enmity," she said slyly, "is such a strong word for those you might hold so close to you, don't you think?"
"After all," she said, admiring her work and conjuring a martini, "It's important to keep things civilized whenever possible. However," she took a sip of her drink,
"Should someone close to you act against you, you are in the enviable position, if prepared, to have the best knowledge possible how to... subdue them, don't you think?"
Her smile was positively shark-like.
"As for whether I have enemies... well," she sighed, "the passions of the Old Days have mostly faded away - those who I once hated now seem but fuzzy annoyances on the edges of my consciousness. Friends, on the other hand, are a luxury that few women in my position enjoy. There is, of course, Dionysus, who I've come to know well over the years," her lips quirked into a smile. "But truly, my 'friends' are few and far between."
"However," she smirked, "I sometimes get the feeling that I am, perhaps, not quite so well-liked as certain people pretend. But that's nonsense, don't you think? After all, who wouldn't love their Queen?"
With an ironic chuckle, Hera finished her cocktail and sashayed out of sight.
Hera, Goddess of Marriage and Women
Greek Mythology
315 words