So I’ve noticed that at least half the traffic brought to my site from searches are people trying to look up information on Callisto from Living Dead in Dallas by Charlene Harris.   I actually know a lot about Callisto in Greek mythology (I have a cat named Callisto and tattoo based on the myth even) so here is some information I know and comparing it to the book.

          The book describes Callisto as a maenad. Maenad translates in English to the raving ones.   The name refers to females that follow the god Dionysus.  He is basically the god of partying, drinking, and some madness.   There was different types of maenads ranging from women who follow him, women who do not and therefore go crazy since he demands worship to devine beingings.

          In Living Dead In Dallas, I would say Callisto would definately fall under the category of devine being.   Her being in the wilderness, changing into an animal, and demanding worship are all evidence of this.  I think nymph might be fitting as well since they are known for all the things that I just mentioned and usually are associated with a certain god or godesss.

          In actually Greek Mythology, Callisto is a nymph that is loyal to Artemis or Diana, the goddess of hunting.  Callisto took a vow of chastity like all of Artemis’ nymphs.  There are tons of different versions of the story. The first that I heard was the Callisto was the most beautiful of all the nymphs. Naturally Zeus decided that he wanted her.  She and Zeus fell in love but kept it secret . Months later it was discovered by Artemis that Callisto was with child and thus she was banned from serving the goddess.  After giving birth, Hera was still hellbent on killing Callisto and her son Arcas.  She turns Callisto into a bear and demands that Artemis shoot her.  Zeus decides to hid Callisto in the stars so she cannot be harmed.   She ask Zeus to save her son as well.  Not being able to turn Callisto back into a nymph, he turns Arcas into a bear as well.  These constellations are today known as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.   More commonly, the big and little dipper.  This is my favorite version of the story.

          The most famous version of the story is told by Ovid.  His telling is with the Roman versions of the gods so Jupiter, Juno, and Diana were the main characters besides Callisto.  In his version, Jupiter turns into Diana and rapes Callisto.  Diana finds out Callisto is pregnant and when asked about it, Callisto not knowing better tells Diana it is her fault.  Callisto is banned and gives birth.  Juno is mad and decides to change Callisto into a bear. Jupiter hides Arcas.  Sixteen years later Arcas has turned into a great hunter and comes across a bear that he shoots.  Zeus saves her by putting her in the stars and does the same to Arcas, making him a bear as well.  Juno is insanely  jealous so convinces the titan Oceanus to make it so that the two never touch his water.  This makes them appear that they never set in the sky.  They are always visable from certain places on earth.  Since the world has moved around since ancient times, in Greece, Ursa Major actually does dip a little under the horizon now. 

         One of the moons of Jupiter is named Callisto.  Galileo is known as finding the existance of this moon but another astronomer named Simon Marius claimed that he found them first.  He was the one that named the moon Callisto after the story of Jupiter and Callisto.

          Callisto was also a character in the television series Xena the Warrior Princess.  In the series, she was not related into the greek myth.  She was a human that Xena attacked her village when she was little.  She because tramatized by this event and thus goes completely crazy.  If I remember right at some point on the show she did become a goddess. She was always by favorite character. 

          There is also an X-man character named Callisto.   She appeared in the comics in the 80′s.  Her drawings always remind me of Joan Jett with an eye patch for some  reason.  There isn’t anything related her to greek myth what so ever.  She also appeared in the second X-Man movie.  She was the girl with tons of tattoos that can sense what others powers are.  The actress that played her is one of the twins on Heroes.

             Hope this helps people that were looking for information on Callisto in the Sookie Stackhouse novels.  I love greek mythology in general.  Oh and here is my tattoo that is the constellation Ursa Major.  The words are lyrics from the band The Higher.  The song is called “Movement.”  Eventually I might add the lyric “Give your immortality to me, I’ll set you up against the stars” which cames from the song “Red Wine” by The Hush Sound.  The tattoo was done by the Traci Manley at Infinity Tattoo in Portland, OR.  She is awesome.  I have another one from her too.

http://www.infinitytattoo.com/portfolios.cfm?artistID=24

Sorry this picture is a little blurry.