Cretan bull
You will note that one of the “labors” is Hades fighting Heracles—while not a nod to the labors themselves (there is one where Heracles retrieves Cerberus from the Underworld), it is a reference to an account by Pausanias, who details a story of Hades being shot with an arrow by Heracles in Pylos. He was later healed by the god Paean, who we also see in the book. I wanted to reference this because I felt it was an opportunity to also reference Hera’s angry pursuit of Heracles. Because he was a son of Zeus, she struck him with madness, and he later killed his entire family. In the aftermath, the labors were born.
Last, we’ll talk about the first labor, and perhaps the hardest—the death of Briareus. This reference, as I have explained in the book, was a nod to Hera’s previous attempt to overthrow Zeus. I felt that she would begin her next attempt with the execution of those who had thwarted her in the past. It made for a devastating scene and still makes me sad.
The Graeae & Medusa
I must admit, I did not expect the Graeae—or, the Grey Sisters—to appear in this book, but as I began writing the opening scene, I realized Hades was attending the races for a reason and the more I wrote, the more I realized the Graeae were involved. Now, you may recognize the Graeae from an iconic Disney movie, Hercules, which has a ton of issues, among them, that they lead everyone to believe the Graeae are actually the Fates.
It was the Graeae who shared an eye and tooth between them, and they really only did one thing in mythology, and that was tell Perseus the location of the Medusa (only after he threatened to throw their eye in the sea).
Dionysus & Ariadne
Oh, Dionysus and Ariadne. I’ve known these two would make an appearance in this series eventually and did they ever. I love them so much.
Let me begin by explaining Ariadne.
What a boss babe—even in mythology. She is literally responsible for Theseus’s success. Without her, he would have never made it out of the labyrinth once he killed the Minotaur. Do you know how he repays her? He leaves her on an island while she sleeps. Somehow, on that island, she meets Dionysus and they wed.
I have always seen Ariadne as a detective. I worried it was a little cheesy, but I just felt like she had such a dedication to justice. I like to imagine that she was tired of her father sacrificing seven men and women to the Minotaur every year (rather than the original myth which says Ari fell in love with Theseus. Gross.) and that is what motivated her to help Theseus.
Later, she flees with him to avoid facing punishment.
Theseus does later marry Ariadne’s sister, Phaedra, and what unfolds during their marriage is such a clusterfuck. I’ll let you do your own research. In the end, I feel like Theseus is a user in mythology, so that’s exactly what I make him in my retellings.
Dionysus, God of the Vine, is the son of Zeus. He actually has a very robust set of myths, unlike some gods, and his cult is probably one of the most interesting in myth. Like Heracles, he was also relentlessly pursued by Hera and struck with madness that led to him wandering the ends of the earth. Dionysus also has the ability to strike people with madness and he does so often—not only his followers who are called Maenads, but also anyone who spurns him.
An example was with King Pentheus, who refused to accepted Dionysus as a god and prevented the women of his kingdom from participating in worship. Dionysus was so angry, he struck Pentheus’s daughters with madness (essentially, they became Maenads) and they tore their father to pieces…literally. It was because of this myth that I decided modern Maenads should be assassins. I liked the idea that they were women who were fleeing abusive situations and could find comfort with other women who had gone through the same thing while learning to protect themselves.
In modern times, Dionysus is known as a bit of a party god, and while I felt he had some of those traits, I also felt that he had likely become more disciplined over the many millennia he had been alive. To me, he is a god of sin, and I can’t wait to see how this comes out in his own book.
I do reference a few other stories in regard to Dionysus—the death of his mother, Semele; the Theater of Dionysus (which is real); and, of course, Bakkheia, which is a festival that celebrated Dionysus.
Theseus and Pirithous
The final scene where Pirithous says that it was Theseus’s idea to abduct goddesses was pulled from the myth of Theseus and Pirithous who were literal bros. They decided to steal daughters of Zeus. Theseus took Helen and Pirithous was the idiot who thought he could steal Persephone from Hades.
Spoiler alert: It doesn’t end well.
I am sure I did not include every nod to mythology in this author’s note, but I always hope these additions give you an idea of how critically I think about these retellings.
Thank you so much for giving me the chance to share my stories with you. Thank you for helping me live my dream. I am forever grateful.
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Thank you all again for reading A Game of Retribution! Please consider leaving a review on your favorite platform and send me a message to let me know how much you enjoyed it.
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Much love,
Scarlett
PS: Have you discovered my Adrian x Isolde books yet? Get a sneak peek
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Their union is his revenge.
Isolde de Lara considers her wedding day to be her death day. To end a years-long war, she is to marry vampire king Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev, and kill him.
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Isolde, newly coronated queen, has finally found a king worthy of her in the vampire Adrian. But their love for each other has cost Isolde her father and her homeland. With two opposing goddesses playing mortals and vampires like chess pieces against one another, Isolde is uncertain who her allies are in the vampire stronghold of Revekka.
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Also by Scarlett St. Clair When Stars Come Out
Hades X Persephone
A Touch of Darkness
A Touch of Ruin
A Touch of Malice
Hades Saga
A Game of Fate
Adrian X Isolde
King of Battle and Blood
Queen of Myth and Monsters
Visit Bloom Books for more Scarlett St. Clair!
About the Author
SCARLETT ST. CLAIR is the bestselling author of the Hades X
Persephone Saga, the Hades Saga, King of Battle and Blood, and When Stars Come Out. She has a master’s degree in library science and information studies and a bachelor’s in English writing. She is also a proud citizen of the Muscogee Nation. She is obsessed with Greek mythology, murder mysteries, and the afterlife. Scarlett is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. You can find pictures of her adorable dog, Adelaide, on her Instagram at @authorscarlettstclair and updates on her books at scarlettstclair.com.
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