helen did not intend to start a war.
she never meant for her face to launch a thousand ships, for her love to bring troy to its knees.
she never asked to be pretty.

athena did not curse medusa.
she did not blame poseidon’s unfortunate lover.
she only ever meant to protect her from the evils of men
who would only disappoint her.

artemis did not punish callisto for her father’s sins.
she did not kill the nymph - her sister - in cold blood because of a broken oath.
she loved her; she killed her; she saved her.

ariadne did not hate theseus for abandoning her on that island.
she did not spit on his grave with a mouth full of scorn.
she forgave him; for, if he hadn’t let her go, she never would have become a goddess - more than the hero ever was.

calypso did not mean to keep odysseus for so long.
she did not hate penelope.
she simply loved too deeply, with too open of a heart.

persephone did not eat the pomegranate by mistake.
she was not a helpless young girl who had no choice of her own.
she had a choice, and she chose a kingdom over a patch of grass
and a queen’s crown for a princess’s tiara.

stop blaming the woman for the man’s mistake,
or they will watch you burn.