Zeus mulled over the communion the mortal offered.
Zeus could not help but notice a certain edge of sarcasm but given mortals in this time he was willing to forgive this; after all, they were no longer used to dealing with Gods.
Zeus answered the communion as the burned bull flesh and other offerings did please him.
“Mortal” Zeus spoke as if distant thunder, “I banished Circe and Illusia from the world of men and unto my brother’s realm because they had been guilty of the most heinous of sins… repetition. Illusia always turned her unwilling victims into some barnyard animal and Circe also turned unwilling MALE victims into some barnyard animal.”
Zeus gave the mortal a moment for the awe of his voice to subside and his words to clarify in the mortal’s mind.
“Mortal, if thou wouldst fill the void left by Circe and Illusia, I would suggest motives that are more than those of these simple-minded females. Circe mostly changed men because she hated them. She is paying for her hatred and as I am Zeus, King and Mighty Ruler of the Gods, Hera is paying for allowing her disciple to do as she would unchecked. Circe bored me with her selection of animals as they were always some petty barnyard beast and offended me with her hatred of men. As the Patron of Men in general, she dared to transform the sex under my protection almost exclusively. A God may overlook much, but certainly I had my fill of seeing Circe mindlessly change her victims and all against their will.
Have a care, mortal, some do deserve to be changed against their will; most do not and I am watching.
Illusia, on the other hand, had an even more shallow motivation than Circe’s hate and chose to make her victims unhappy when she promised happiness. This offended me. I was, as with Circe, greatly offended at her choice of animals. Pigs, Horses, Donkeys abounded and all that she wove was out of her foolish pride. She too is enjoying the pleasure of my Brother Hades’ dominion.
None of the tales of these changed mortals that have reached my ears have ever had the depth of motivation that pleases the King of Gods. The reasons for their changes were shallow and the choice of beasts was narrow. Nothing of their own reasons for wishing to be changed, save for ubiquitous sex, was revealed in the stories that were brought to me by my messenger Hermes.”
With that the flickering lightning-like light began to fade as Zeus ended His communication with the mortal.
“Remember, mortal, variety is the spice of life and I am most pleased when someone is changed because they are deserving of change, either as a reward or punishment.”
With that, the King of the Gods returned to his contemplations.