Legend
Telesilla of Argos was a lyric poet of the 5th century BC, listed by Antipater of Thessalonica as one of the great Nine Female Lyric Poets of Greece (along with Praxilla, Moiro, Anyte, Sappho, Erinna, Corinna, Nossis, and Myrtis). She was responsible for the metrical innovation of lyric poetry known as the Telesillean Metre.
In her youth, she was continually sickly and so consulted the gods for help in restoring her to health. The answer came from the oracle that she should devote herself to the Muses, and so Telesilla dedicated herself to the study of poetry and music. She soon found herself healed and, additionally, grew in fame as a great lyric poet. Of the considerable body of work she produced, only two lines remain extant, but she was an extremely influential artist who is always cited with respect by the ancient authors, no matter the subject.
While she was famous during her life for her poetry, she was equally respected by later writers for driving the Spartan forces from her home city of Argos in 494 BC. Telesilla seems to have been at her work as a poet when the hostilities began. The Spartan king Cleomenes I consulted the Oracle of Apollo on what would happen if he marched on Argos, and he was assured that he would capture it. He was met on the field by the Argives at Sepeia and, through trickery, took the troops by surprise, slaughtered many, and chased the survivors from the field. These Argive soldiers took refuge in the sacred grove of Argus and claimed sanctuary from the god. Cleomenes questioned his Argive prisoners as to the names of those in hiding and, once he had these names, sent a herald to call them out personally and to guarantee their safety. As each man came out of the sanctuary, Cleomenes had him killed. This went on until one of the men remaining in the sacred grove climbed a tree and saw what was going on outside of the sanctuary. Afterwards, of course, no other Argive answered Cleomenes' call. Since he could not get any more Argives to come out willingly, he set fire to the grove and burned the rest of the men to death. Herodotus reports that, as the flames were rising, he asked one of the Argive deserters to which god the grove was sacred. When the man said it was the grove of Argus, Cleomenes groaned and said, "Apollo, god of prophecy, you seriously misled me when you foretold that I would capture Argos; I think your prediction has now come true".
Even though it seemed the oracle had meant he would only conquer the sanctuary of Argos, he left the grove and marched on the city. Telesilla heard of what had happened to the men of the army and mobilized the women, youth, and elders of Argos for defense. This ragtag band of defenders managed to successfully repel the Spartan invaders, and the Argolid Plain would once more know a small measure of peace.
--However. The Telesilla summoned in the Watcher class is not the famed defender of Argos, but the sublime poetess who pledged her life in service of the Muses.
The
Muses were the Greek goddesses of poetic inspiration, the adored deities of song, dance, and memory, on whose mercy the creativity, wisdom and insight of all artists and thinkers depended. They may have been originally three in number, but, according to Hesiod and the prevailing tradition he established, most commonly they are depicted as the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.
Within the Alethian fleet, their designation was
Society Formation-Purpose Aesthetic Appreciation Engine Mousai, an autonomous subdivision of the
Supermassive Information Processing and Documentation Vessel Mnemosyne. As their designation implies, their role was to regulate and standardize the Alethian fleet's future subjects' notions and expressions of "beauty".
As discussed elsewhere, the capacity for beauty is perhaps the most important marker for the beginnings of the human thought process, and, by extension, the impulse to congregate and form stable, cohesive societies. Therefore, by controlling what people think is "beautiful", as well as how they express abstract feelings and concepts in general, it's possible to control the development of the society that they will create. The wealth of references made to the Muses by writers, sculptors, musicians, and numerous other artists throughout the ages is a testament to their influence despite their subservient position in both the Alethian fleet and the Greek pantheon.
For the Alethian Mousai and the Greek Muses, their method of attaining and enforcing this control are the same: granting blessings and patronage to "good" artists, and correcting (sometimes violently) the course of "bad" ones. In other words, where Telesilla herself works with pen and ink to create literature, the Muses work with humans to create "artists".
Character
Likes: The feeling of the wind on one's face, dried fruit
Dislikes: Practicing, people who overstate their talents
Talent: Composing poetry, vocal coaching
A solid type-A stage performer. Cool and collected to the point of almost being unapproachable. Strict and severe with others, but most especially with herself. While normally these traits would lead her to being ostracized, everyone keeps Telesilla around (or at least at arm's length) because
she absolutely knows her stuff. From finding the right word to round out another's poem, to choreographing a dance routine that perfectly accompanies the backing track, to absolutely killing it whenever the limelight passes to her, Telesilla may not be well-liked, but she is always respected.
As noted earlier, these traits are currently heightened compared to when Telesilla is summoned as a Shielder or Caster. Telesilla believes that, as the spokeswoman of the Muses, she has to be the best artist in her field. So she must continually hone her skills to their utmost if she is to play her role. This is why Watcher Telesilla tends to steer clear of artist's circles and such, only approaching them when directed by her patrons, who unhelpfully decided to send their revelations to her in the form of powerful headaches and migraines.
Despite such an unhealthy setup which will most definitely not lead to an epic burnout moment, Telesilla harbors relatively little ill will toward her situation. Her wish to the Holy Grail remains the same as the oath she took; she still desires to "serve the Muses" despite being an existence who no longer needs their aid to function. For Telesilla, serving the Muses means not only paying homage to the goddesses who saved her life, it also means cultivating the next generation of people who will give shape to the feelings others can barely put into words; people who will, in other words, create "art". If the price to do so is having to contend with nine other voices inside her mind's agora, then it's one she is willing to pay.
Relationships
Master
Because of her current self's status as an emissary of the Muses, Telesilla actually gets along better with Masters who are not artistically inclined.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Telesilla would never bestow upon him the Muses' blessings, even if he asked. Even one's offstage persona is important! What do you mean he plays just as well without it?!
Antonio Salieri
As a man whose ruin was catalyzed by his music, he represents the "dark side" of the arts that Telesilla cannot ignore.
Nero Claudius, Elisabeth Bathory, "Bonny and Clyde"
"Uuuugh. Master, be a dear and pass the aspirin, would you? Not the one pill, the whole bottle!"
Paris
"Hearing about Lord Apollo's exploits is one thing, but seeing them with my own eyes is quite entirely another. You have my condolences."
Voyager of the Temple
"You two are--! Ah, I suddenly feel inspired to write a song for Lady Hera's attendants! Seeing people from your home town make it big really is the best!"
Jugemu Jugemu Go-Kō-no-Surikire Kaijari-suigyo no Suigyō-matsu Unrai-matsu Fūrai-matsu Kū-Neru Tokoro ni Sumu Tokoro Yaburakōji no Burakōji Paipo Paipo Paipo no Shūringan Shūringan-no-Gūrindai Gūrindai-no-Ponpokopii-no-Ponpokonā no Chōkyūmei no Chōsuke
"Raise your head, you who have many names and yet remain nameless, for your own person's conduct pleases the Muses. Go now with Lady Thalia's blessings."
Sesshu Toyo (Lily)
"For someone who spends so much time covering a single subject, I see little improvement or variation between your works. Might I recommend switching to landscapes?"
Marie Tussaud
"While the subject matter needs no introduction, the medium is certainly... unique. Lady Clio is both horrified and transfixed, and I must say, I am as well. That said... Can we have less of the defiling the corpses of the recently-deceased?"
Taliesin
"It feels a little unfair placing you on the same bracket as everybody else, honestly."
Lucian of Samosata
"Ah, a repeat applicant. Let's see what we're working with... Wait, did your previous application scar you
this badly?!"
Brokk and Sindri
"You must be quite confident in your skills as smiths, because your voicework is utterly tragic, especially given how lovely your voices sound individually. If the pompous one would stop hogging the spotlight and the sharp-tongued one would stop deepening his voice so much, your little duo act might actually turn some heads."
Jean-Baptiste Etteilla
"You would make an application for the Muses' blessings, you vile demon-worshipper?! Go lie with the abominations you've made your bed with!"
Dorian Gray
"Men are meant to accept and value art as a thing unto itself, a blessing from the auspices of the gods. You are no auteur; you are a yawning void, consuming all within reach if it would mean filling the hole in your soul."
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
"Of course, everyone is welcome to appeal for the blessings of the Muses. Whether or not they prove worthy of it, however, is another matter entirely. Good luck; you'll certainly need it."
Miss Gardner
"You want me to critique this? Alright, then... --Er, are the colors here really supposed to be moving?"
Chairil Anwar
"What is this...? Art is supposed to edify man, to guide him into praise of the gods who sustain him! Why do you use your art to descend into the realm of beasts?!"
Rose Bertin
"Hm, I've never given the clothes I wear consideration as art in itself, but this finery... Very well, I'll consult with my patrons about adding a new category."
Ferdinand Cheval
"Hmm, the architecture is top-notch, the workmanship is sublime... you said you made this by yourself? Certainly worthy of admiration. And yet-- All of the above should contribute to a magnificent monument to the gods, but... Why does it feel so
odd?"
Phryne
"Hm? An evaluation? Ah, I see. You must be in the wrong place. Goddess Ishtar's office is the room two doors before this one."
Katsushika Hokusai
"Ah, these landscapes really are sublime! That said, please keep your those wriggling fingers to yourself, or you'll learn how painful the Muses' disfavor can be."
Giuseppe Tartini
"This composition... The notes are perfectly placed, the harmonies blend together beautifully, but... Why does it grate my ears so?"
Motokiyo Zeami
"Ah, finally, someone who understands! A routine, refined and polished to its acme, yes, that is what art is!"
Antonin Artaud
"What-- What is this disorder? This anarchy?! This is not theater; this is a menagerie!"
Nathan Mayer Rothschild
"Enemy of the Muses! You would make light of them by bringing forward your usurious practices, and now you claim the power only the gods can wield?! Know your place!"
Mnemosyne
"M-M-M-M-M-My lady?!"
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Originally Posted by Dullahan
