Week One - Task #04. “Ghosts of Athens”

[Prof. Sindor Aloyarc]

You drift into a courtyard of marble and olive trees, lit by torches that don’t flicker, even in the wind. The sky above is starless. The world below thrums with waiting.

In Greece, the soul is a shadow. A breath. Something easily lost if not remembered.

At the edge of the courtyard, a man pours water and then wine into the earth. “For my brother,” he says. “So he will not wander thirsty in the land of the dead.”

Others follow, offering bread, coins, bits of poetry. You watch in silence. You begin to understand that here, remembrance isn’t just about protection or holding on. It’s nourishment. It’s a bridge.

Someone places a coin in your hand. You instinctively tuck it beneath your tongue. Just in case.

A pumpkin above you glows white-blue in the tree. Cold and quiet. You look up and for a moment you think you see Pipkin’s shadow on the steps of the temple. He turns… then fades.

Not yet.

Task:
Five of the people you witnessed come to give their offerings also left with coins. Can you solve the following Logic puzzle to determine how many coins (from 1-5) were taken away by which person, what they left behind (including Incense), and who each offering was left for?

1. Dionikes wound up with 1 coin more than the person who left the Poetry offering. Helena didn’t leave with 3 coins.
2. The person who took away 3 coins left their offering for a Parent. Petros departed with 3 more coins than the person who left their offering for a Grandparent.
3. Whoever took 4 coins didn’t leave their offering for a Lover. The person with 2 coins was either Myrtis, or left their offering for a Grandparent.
4. The five offering are one for a Sibling, the Flowers, one left by Helena, one left by Myrtis, and the offering left by Calliope. The one whose offering was for a Parent left with 2 more coins than whoever brought the Poetry.
5. Of the Tea and the offering for a Friend, one was given by Calliope and the other person left with 3 coins. Neither Calliope's offering nor the Bread was left for a Parent.

Alternatively you may share below an HOL appropriate Dream you’ve had that includes themes such as loss, sacrifice, letting go, transitioning or transforming in some capacity, writing 150 words for full credit. What happened, and what do you believe is the significance or symbolism of any aspects of the dream?

This task is worth 10 beans, with an additional 14 bonus beans for completing all Week One tasks by end of activity. Deadline is 11:59pm (HOL time) on Friday November 21st.

[Prof. Sindor Aloyarc]

Solved by:
Janne Halla
Prof. Scarlet Leslie-Lewis
River Fenwick

[Emily Spencer]

This dream has to do with the theme of transformation. I only had it once, a few months ago, and it has stayed with me. It wasn't exactly frightening, but somewhat unsettling. Here it is:

In the dream, I was in the desert, dressed in a long, hooded green dress. There was nothing else there save for a blanket and a woven basket with the lid closed. I could hear music playing very softly, very "Arabian Nights" type music. I wasn't afraid, even when the wind started to pick up and dust blew all around me. I could almost hear a whisper in the wind telling me to open the basket, so I did.

The basket contained a snake, a deep bronze in color with emerald eyes. Slowly, it uncoiled from the basket, staring at me all the while. I reached out my hand and took it, letting it wind itself around me. I felt a tightening of my chest, and the music grew louder, and gradually the snake and I became one. Gone was my human body, and I was now the snake. As I slithered into the basket, I could see a woman with deep emerald eyes walking away. I can only assume it was the human-snake me.

Anyway, if I were to take a stab at interpreting it, I would say it was symbolizing the need to let go of old habits. Since my grandmother's passing, I have been blaming myself for not handling things differently, and this was my way of releasing that negativity and self-doubt. Why a snake? I am a Slytherin! Oddly enough, my grandmother also had green eyes. Maybe she was letting me know it was going to be okay.