[chuckle] So you come back, mortal. Eager, plaintive. What is it you seek? Do you wish more insight into the dreams of your fellow dwellers on this plane?

Ah, there it is. You wish to know of the gods. Where they are, what they may be doing. Some do not exist any more, you know. Some, like Zeus, died a small death when the plaintiffs to their power disappeared. Zeus, for all of his vaunted power, could not defeat the shepherd’s crook.

Why do you seek this knowledge, mortal? Before you, there were none that cared to find out, none that wanted to know where my peers disappeared to. None that knew that even I existed. Or that cared.

Then here you come, seeking, believing, knowing that we are there, just out of sight of the "modern man" and his ways of science. From whence do you come, mortal? What makes you so different? I could find out by plumbing your dreams for the answers, but I have chosen not to do so. Perhaps that must need change.

There are more of the gods of the Greeks left than I let on in our earlier discussions. It is saddening, you know, being one of the few left that remember our days of glory and power. [deep laugh] Although they would not let me share in that power, it was there for all. Even I had my shrines.

But I digress. You wished to know of the Olympians’ present whereabouts? I can tell you, but there are few left out of the numbers we had when the days were young.

The most visible of those that are left is Aphrodite. She has changed, however. She used to be one of the more accessible goddess of Olympus. No more. I cannot say exactly when it did change, but she holes herself away with her worshippers, immune to all common man can say or do to win her favor. She is more akin to Narcissus now than ever she was before. Always proud of her beauty, she has taken it to extremes, with her self-worship. [chuckle] Of course, that has its perils as well. She is emaciated, far beyond her endurance. You can catch glimpses of her at fashion shows—she is vain, and loves to show herself to men that can never have her.

Goddesses have weathered the change better than the gods. This is fact. Hera still exists, outlasting her amorous husband—much to her delight. In fact, it is quite a busy time for the Queen of the gods. Your society breeds amorality, mortal. Hera is there for all females who have been pushed aside for another. There is no shortage of those, is there? The last time I saw Hera, I moved quickly in the other direction. She may have a problem with some of my own pursuits, and it was wise to avoid her. Sometimes attorneys call out her name during divorce cases—in prayer. An odd change for her, but one that she finds much satisfaction in.

Hermes still exists, much to the chagrin of myself. I never liked his smugness or his so-called creativity. The "messenger of the gods" has not filled that description for ages. Not that I mind, of course. I have other, more useful ways of conveying messages to others. The only messages he delivers now, are ones that are bought and paid for. Your species has come up with many admirable things, mortal, but advertising is not one of them. Hermes’ ascension is proof of that.

Out of all the gods that still exist, Eros rivals Aphrodite for the amount of change that has been undergone. Once a champion of love, he has changed for the worse. Three decades ago, he underwent a most painful metamorphosis. It was when he lost his beloved Psyche, I believe. The soul was gone from the union of love and soul, and he never recovered. The coupling of your species has never been the same, in my eyes. Even your dreams are tainted. Remember this mortal, if you forget all else that I have told you. Free love does not exist. It destroyed one of the few true unions among the gods.

We take on the aspects of those that worship us, did you know that? That is the one thing that makes us vulnerable to your kind. As Eros was changed thirty years ago, as Aphrodite changed radically during the last twenty years, so can all of us change. As Aphrodite and Eros are proof, not all of the changes are for the better. Most are for the worse.

Ares is flourishing. He has changed, but not much more than, say, I have. Who do you think shapes your weapons of war, mortal? Ares was never one for the face-to-face confrontations, preferring instead the long-range attacks. "Smart bombs" are a favorite of his, as well as the Tomahawk missiles that so worry your country’s enemies. Oh, it was a near thing for him when the Germanic tribes overran Europe—the first time. The close quarters of that war were too much for him, I fear. That is why much of the personal attention in war is gone. Do not laugh, mortal. It is one thing to kill another by pressing a button, quite another to have to look him in the eye as your sword slides through his gut. Very big difference between those two, and the god of war prefers the first. More’s the pity.

Athena remains, alone unchanged of all of us. Wisdom is eternal, it is said—and truer words were never spoken. She has Olympus to herself, as she wishes it, better to study her books, and grant wisdom to those she deems worthy of it. It is almost saddening for myself to see her there alone, but she always preferred the solitude.

Artemis, she would be shocked to see Athena alone, if she would pay attention to the rest of the world. But she is too concerned with her ‘fight for equality’. Do you remember Susan Anthony, mortal? Ah, before your time. Anthony was a priestess of Artemis. Most of the feminists are. It is much better than running through the hills, devouring all flesh that they find, no? [laugh]

Most of those that knew him would be puzzled at the behavior of Poseidon in these strange times. Oh, yes. He still is here, mortal. When next you sail across water, it would be meet to pay tribute to him and his escorts. He is angered, is Poseidon. Angered at the treatment of his beloved oceans. The anger he feels has been building for years now, and do not be surprised if he takes what he believes to be a just payment for the abuse. The territory of California and all that live there, to begin with. That is not beyond him, believe me.

Of course, losing California would mean losing Aphrodite and Narcissus. I weep. Neither of those two have done anything worthwhile since your timeframe began. Narcissus sits in his manse—located in the most fashionable place he could find, of course—and separates himself from the cares of anyone but his worshippers. This does not violate any of the covenants—however, it is offensive. His subjects shower him with currency to feed his appetites, in return for their own fortunes. He is more than happy to give them their wealth, as long as it means keeping his own. Fool.

Weep, weep for the loss of Hades and Persephone, mortal. Weep for them, as they cannot return. The concept of ‘Hell’ has destroyed their natures. The two of them were matched perfectly—if you ignore Persephone’s dalliances. Opposites attract, it is said. Those two were day and night, summer and winter—yet it worked. Weep for the loss of the Lord and Lady of the Underworld.

You see, mortal? You see that we are still here, we still exist, we still project our power, beauty, wisdom and grace upon those of you that have a time limit to your lives? Yes, we are still here. Sometimes one must wonder if there’s a reason for it.

©1998, Cameron Wm. Akers