A (Condensed) Dictionary of Mythological Characters

by Rachel Rodman

Adonis-Argus

He was a beautiful youth, possessed of 100 eyes. But he scorned women, preferring cows.

Oedipus-Orpheus

He consigned his mother to Hell. But then he looked back, as he exited the pit, and perceived that he desired her.

Pandora-Phaeton

From the box, while her father slept, she released the sun, which burned all the world.

Priapus-Procrustes

To humanity, he gave the gift of penis standardization. He cut penises that were too long and stretched penises that were too short. After that, all men were the same.

Saturn-The Sirens

To his sons, he sang haunting lullabies. Then he devoured them.

Rachel Rodman’s fiction has appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Grievous Angel, On the Premises, and other places. You can link to more of her published fiction (and equally weird non-fiction) here: rachelrodman.com.

Congrats to the Best Small Fictions nominations from Matter Press for Compressed Creative Arts: Sara Backer’s “Oh, What a Night”; Dan Crawley’s “Powers”; Jill Talbot’s “Malahat Highway on Boxing Day”; Christopher Allen’s “Falling Man;” and Kathy Fish’s “Five Micros.”

Submissions

Poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction/prose poetry submissions is now open. Check out our new category triptychs! The submission period closes June 15, 2019; submit here.

Upcoming

04/15 • Mason Binkley
04/17 • Michelle Ross
04/18 • C.R. Resetarits (1 of 4)
04/22 • Stuart Gunter
04/24 • Soren James
04/25 • C.R. Resetarits (2 of 4)
04/29 • M. McCune
05/01 • Julie Benesh
05/02 • C.R. Resetarits (3 of 4)
05/06 • Hannah Austin
05/08 • J. Bradley
05/09 • C.R. Resetarits (4 of 4)
05/13 • Kathy Kehrili
05/15 • Jennifer Moore
05/20 • Clint Margrave
05/22 • Leah Griesmann
05/27 • Natasha Sajé
05/29 • Carolyn Oliver