And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
"...and sitting well in order, smite the sounding furrows"
I always wondered about what that line anon quoted meant, until I realized that at night, standing watch on a trireme, sailing that same wine dark sea, the stars would appear, over the course of the night, to slowly dip into the western sea as the earth itself turned. The baths of the stars! Epiphany! What a wonderful line, so magnificently said.
Getting from here to there was a lot more work in a trireme.
ReplyDeleteFor my purpose holds, to sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that the gulfs shall wash us down, it may be that we shall touch the happy isles, and see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
DeleteYou sir, are a scholar and a gentleman, or gentlewoman. Respect.
Dito.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt they are "sailing over the wine-dark sea." I hope they don't hear the Sirens' song!
ReplyDeleteI always wondered about what that line anon quoted meant, until I realized that at night, standing watch on a trireme, sailing that same wine dark sea, the stars would appear, over the course of the night, to slowly dip into the western sea as the earth itself turned. The baths of the stars! Epiphany! What a wonderful line, so magnificently said.
Delete