The Lament of Heleigiri| Athenyme

Title: The Lament of Heleigiri

Sing, O Muse, of fair Heleigiri, radiant among immortals,

whose beauty outshone dawn's first blush upon Olympus,

she whose voice was sweeter than Apollo's silver lyre,

whose gaze softened the hearts of gods and mortal kings alike.

Across the broad earth and the sacred halls of heaven,

all who beheld Heleigiri were struck with wonder.

Poseidon from the depths admired her grace,

Ares forgot the fury of war in her presence,

and even wise Hermes lingered to hear her gentle words.

But Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, lord of thunder,

looked upon the devotion she inspired with growing envy.

For though she was beloved by him above all others,

he could not endure the eyes of gods and men upon her.

Dark thoughts coiled within the ruler of Olympus.

Thus Zeus descended to the forge of Hephaestus,

the lame god whose mighty hands shaped divine wonders.

"Craft for me a vessel," Zeus commanded,

"a jar of unbreakable bronze and celestial iron.

It shall serve as punishment for mankind,

for Prometheus has stolen sacred fire from heaven."

Hephaestus, deceived by the words of the Thunderer,

labored beneath blazing furnaces,

his hammer ringing like distant storms,

until the dreadful jar was complete.

Then Zeus wandered across the lands of men,

commanding cunning beasts to aid his design.

Cats with gleaming eyes and creatures of the wild

led innocent Heleigiri from sacred groves and riversides.

Trusting and unaware, she followed.

Then the Son of Cronus sprang his cruel snare.

Into the darkened jar he cast Heleigiri,

sealing it with divine power.

Within its prison she struggled fiercely,

striking against its walls with desperate strength.

The jar trembled without cease.

Upon Olympus, Hera of the white arms

and gray-eyed Athena observed with unease.

Great Zeus," spoke Athena,

"there stirs within this vessel a shadow most terrible.

Should its seal be broken,

calamity may descend upon gods and mortals alike."

Yet Zeus, concealing truth within his heart,

set forth another scheme.

He presented the jar to Pandora,

gifted with insatiable curiosity.

"This vessel," said Zeus with solemn voice,

"is punishment for mankind's transgressions.

Prometheus stole the sacred fire of heaven.

Therefore, whatever you do,

never lift its lid."

But curiosity, woven into Pandora's very soul,

gnawed upon her thoughts day and night.

At last, unable to resist,

she reached trembling hands toward the forbidden seal.

The lid was lifted.

At once, darkness erupted from within.

Black smoke twisted toward the heavens,

a swirling void of anguish and despair.

Across the earth spread suffering untold:

disasters that shattered cities,

crimes born of wicked hearts,

sin and temptation whispering in mortal ears,

greed that consumed compassion,

pride that blinded wisdom,

and countless hardships upon humanity.

Pandora cried aloud in horror,

for she beheld what had escaped.

Yet amidst the storm of shadow,

another form emerged.

A maiden clothed in sorrow and wrath,

her beauty untouched yet her spirit wounded,

rose from the swirling abyss.

It was Heleigiri.

Her eyes, once bright as morning stars,

now burned with grief and betrayal.

For Zeus, whom she had trusted,

had imprisoned her in darkness.

The pain of her captivity

became a curse upon Zeus's beloved mortals.

Her sorrow spread like wildfire across the world,

entwined with the evils already unleashed.

Pandora fell to her knees in despair.

"O gods above," she wept,

"this ruin is born from my own hands.

Through my curiosity, mankind suffers.

The fault is mine alone."

But Heleigiri gazed upon her with sadness.

"No, child of the gods," she said softly.

"The roots of this tragedy lie not in curiosity,

but in jealousy hidden beneath the crown of kings.

For even the mightiest among immortals

may be undone by fear and possessiveness."

Thus humanity came to know hardship and suffering,

born from divine envy and mortal frailty.

And Zeus upon his golden throne

heard the lamentations rising from the earth below,

yet remained silent.

So sing, O Muse, of Heleigiri,

the beloved whose imprisonment changed the fate of mortals,

and remember that even among the deathless gods,

jealousy may sow the seeds of ruin.

Athenyme | 1590

Posted by: John Ishmael Cortez