characters of the dialogue

GAIA, she - dyad earth.
KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ), a swan.
BETA MAN( Ἀνὴρ Β ), a man, of he-dyad ( ? ).
ALPHA MAN( Ἀνὴρ Α ), another man, of he-dyad ( ? ).
SOKRATES, as himself.

//

GAIA:
{ two iridescent ducks swim towards me }
as if to prove to me my own self.

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
( but no wonder they cant mate,
wrong species ! )

BETA MAN:
but still( o other it - things )( o other he )
( others, others, others )( otherwise )
( we )( not you! )will carry( it )( off - away -
and - back - again )in,

ἀλλ᾽ ἀποίσω.

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
maybe its wishing to help,
but helping whom, we, her, him, or what?

SOKRATES:
the( she - dyad )( which )( the its )
( down - from )( down - into )( against )
all( hes and its )the wisdom-loving( hes and its )

( we say and let it be )-( they love wisdom )

at hand( towards - upon - against - so-as-to-face-)(-hand )
( its )( common )( accessible )( obvious )( ordinary )( easy )
( and crutches )( for flattening wool )
these( its )( nom or accused )

( to - by - for )( hes and its )( speaking )
( they )( speak and )say,

τὰ κατὰ πάντων τῶν φιλοσοφούν πρόχειρα ταῦτα λέγουσιν,

GAIA:
as they love wisdom, so they love me.
yet speaking and listening by its and hims,
as ducks { expecting breadcrumbs we dont have }
demand a flattened answer to the round
and round and round about activity,

ALPHA MAN: at what precise point of time ?
( at what hour ? )
( at what o-clock ? )

πηνίκα;

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
whenever as now,

SOKRATES:
that( whatever )

“the( she-dyad )( its )raised from off the ground
( its )( hanging )( unsupported )
( raised higher than )( above )

( on the surface )( prominent )( the roots
running along the ground )( superficial )( shallow )
( more rapid )( open )( near )( the surface )

( in mid-air )( high in air )( poised on high )( of air )( into mid-air )
( things in the heaven above )( astronomical phenomena )
( on the high-sea, of ships )

( unsettled, fermenting, undigested )
( inflated )( buoyed-up )( in suspense )( eager )
( haughty )( of a horse )( high-stepping )

( puffed-up )( inflated )( elevation of style )
( uncertain )( unsettled )( in suspense )( pending )
( unfinished business )( unsecured )

( thoughtless )( fickle )
( of debts, unsecured )( absent-
minded )”

ὅτι ‘τὰ μετέωρα

GAIA:
glimpsed parts of something unpossessed by them.
yet { theyre unbothered by my lack of offerings }
because theyre ducks, and tears roll off their backs.

BETA MAN:
not mine( the he - accused )( of my its )
O( we would be a )bro( of hers )
in the way( in the feet )( a hindrance )
( manifest )( he )will( we )be,

οὐ τοὐμὸν ὦ τᾶν ἐμποδὼν ἔσται.

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
its only making ripples in my wake,
as she would hold feet in a balanced way,

SOKRATES:
“and( indeed )( the she - dyad )
they( which - they - neuter )
( by - )from( - under )( she - dyad )earth
( land )( country )( ground )( ges )”

καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ γῆς’

GAIA:
and indeed we would act like it { like were
unbothered for a short moment }
when he takes a break to set it down,

ALPHA MAN: which( what )( it )

this( - o dyad - god )( she was binding )( bind, you )
( god - needed - bound - accused )( she was in - need )
( need, you )( the dyad - god )( indeed )must( be - )then ?

τί δή;

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
if you ask me, this animal would be
unbothered by peculiarities
of humans in their custom and belief
in using gods and goddesses ( accused ).

SOKRATES: and( indeed )
“( the )gods( and goddesses )( accused )
( lest )not to use customarily( to practice )
( to have in common use )( to have adopted
the customs )( to have it regular )( to be customary )
( to be the fashion )( as is the custom )
( of customs and usages )( to enact )( to own )
( to acknowledge )( to consider as )( to believe in )
( to esteem )( to hold in honor )”

καὶ ‘θεοὺς μὴ νομίζειν’

GAIA:
as found no substance on my surfaces,
so theres no judgment in my parts, their base
and case made stronger { by the lack of answers },

BETA MAN:
( an )other( different )( kind of )( men - accused )
( will )carry off( exhale - away - bring back - return )
( hand in an accusation )( render an account )

( we )say( assert - affirm )( o she - gossip )( she - talk )
( o it - said - word )( nom and accused )
( o she - voices from heaven )( she - omen - nom )

( to - by - for )( she - utterance prompted by the gods )
( significant or prophetic saying )( message of a dream )
( report )( rumor )( common report )( good report )
( fame )( tradition )( legend )

yet( o clansman - nom )( o clansmen - nom - plural )
( to - by - for )( the clansman )( tribal )( citizen )( man )
( it was accustomed )( be accustomed, you ! )
( o he )( o she )( accustomed )( familiar )( tame )
later( men - accused )of me( be vomited, you )
( you are vomited )( of my him )( my it ),

ἑτέρους ἀποίσειν φήμ᾽ ἔθ᾽ ὑστέρους ἐμοῦ.

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
as Cygnus floats on glass indifference
to he - gossip, man - talk from millennia
of famously reported play - things,

we are unbothered by this ones vomit,

( o children, dont ever just do or believe
what it says ) ( its way too tricky for that )
( lets be protected by white light instead )

SOKRATES: and( indeed )

“the( he - accused )( who )

( him or her - accused )( its nom and accused )weaker
( worse )( inferior to )( less than )( fewer )
( we would be less than )( weaker than )( inferior to )
( you would be defeated )( discomfited )( spirit - broken )
( you would be cast in a suit )( you would give way )( yield )
( you would be a slave to )( in love with )( overcome )

word( speech - argument - reckoning -
account )( him - accused )

( him or her - accused )( its nom and accused )stronger
( mightier )( superior )( better )( greater )
( we would be a vine diseased )( it has excrescences )
( be diseased, you ! )( have excrescences ! )

( to )make( to do )( to create )”

καὶ ‘τὸν ἥττω λόγον κρείττω ποιεῖν.’

GAIA:
we are unbothered by excrescences.

eschewing mens idolatries, to work
{ we wear the power suit and a red lip }.
we have a manicure like tigers claws.

unbothered by what men call mans decay,
unbothered by that mans hunger versus this one,

ALPHA MAN: but( you )will walk( go by land )( by sea )
( it will walk )( it will go by land )( it will sail )
( o he - nom )will( be )making a meal( dining )
all the same( samely ) ?

(860) βαδιεῖ δὲ δειπνήσων ὅμως;

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
for all it - things would in time become her meal.
yet it would be important to maintain poise
as this dyad of ducks may metamorph
into the younger voices of our Politeia,

SOKRATES:
for( the she - dyad )( unconcealed )
( and the )true( unconcealed )( its - they )

( we )suppose( expect, suspect, believe )
( forebode, presage )( think, mean, intend )
( we ween )

not( as they )would will( it )( or wish )( it )

( would )speak( to gather )( pick up )( count,
tell )( recount )( say )( command )( mean )
( to call )( the she-dyad )( by name ),

τὰ γὰρ ἀληθῆ οἴομαι οὐκ ἂν ἐθέλοιεν λέγειν,

GAIA:
and were unbothered by ducks wagging bills.
yet were glad to hear you calling me by name
{ and feel for once in my life totally in control }
as this duck feels for once hes at my mercy,
as he also catches glimpses of my power,

BETA MAN:
for some( what )( it )would( we )suffer ?
( have done to us ) ( be affected )
( be used or treated by ? )

for( the she - dyad )( nom and accused )possible
( for its - they )( nom and accused )( they - possible )
( strong )( mighty )( able - bodied )( sound - in - limb )
( powerful )( influential )( practicable )( able to produce )

it( needs )( youre needed )( need, you )( you need )
( its needing )( its binding )( bind, you )( it binds )
( youre bound )must( we )be

( to - by - for )the( she )( dyad - )city
( it goes about )( it ranges over )
( go about her ! )( range over her, you ! )

to collect( to gather together )( to rally )
( to comprehend )( to take together )( to enclose )
( to lay hands on )( to seize )( to grasp )
( to receive at the same time )( to enjoy together )
( to conceive )( to take with )( beside each other )
( to take part with )( to assist )( to contribute )

the( hes - accused )well - understanding
( thought - thinking )( minded - minding )
( feeling by experience )( being - sensibly -
alive )( phronesis ),

τί γὰρ πάθω;
τὰ δυνατὰ γὰρ δεῖ τῇ πόλει ξυλλαμβάνειν
τοὺς εὖ φρονοῦντας.

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
yet roundly wed beware the flashy feathers
of ducks or others which may be subtle quacks.
we dont pretend to know the full - fledged score,
as prima ballerina. and though its pretty clear

that ducks have barely changed in all these years,
yet were unbothered by the goat voicing
the goat, who still has everybodys number,
or at least hes seen . . . lotsa their bodies,

SOKRATES:
that( whatever )

( o hes and shes )( downwards - against - through )clear
( manifest )( plain )( visible )( hes and shes - nom noms )

( you would be downwards - against - revealed )
( it would downwards - against - reveal you )
( it would injure and violate )

( they )are becoming( happening )( being produced )
( they - nom )making( - poetry - )towards( - beside - )through

( adding and attaching to )( procuring for themselves )
( attaching to themselves to win )( or gain over )
( to take to oneself what doesnt belong )

( to pretend to )( lay claim to )( to profess )
( affecting )( alleging )( using as a pretense )
even( indeed )( to have seen )to know,

ὅτι κατάδηλοι γίγνονται προσποιούμενοι μὲν εἰδέναι,

GAIA:
we view them nakedly through what they make
for me { snack on free candy at the office }
and watch them struggle through their pretenses,
and even smiling despite ourselves,

ALPHA MAN:
but if( see ! )( they )hinder( prevent )( it ),
what( it - thing ) ?

ἢν δὲ κωλύσωσι, τί;

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
but see, it tends to hinder its own thing,

SOKRATES:
but( men - nom )( having seen and )knowing
no( it )( nom and accused )thing,

εἰδότες δὲ οὐδέν.

GAIA:
it rivers down my hills into my vale
until we hold the tears in serenity
and stars may { gaze at the lake we call mine },

BETA MAN:
samely( we )are( o man - nom )bending forward
( stooping )( head - down )( hanging the head
from shame )( bending down under a burden )
( bending and bowing forward )( bending over )
( you bend over )( you stoop )( you bow ),

ὁμόσ᾽ εἶμι κύψας.

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
my bending is the body of a swan,
my neck is supple, my head turns down to face the sky,
not from shame but because of my nature.
it feels impossible to feel ashamed with you.
my one ambition is to make you proud,
my body made of arrows through the heart.
never has an animal been safer than me,
especially from ducks.

SOKRATES:
( who )( she - nom )( which )( its - they )
just as if( inasmuch as )( seeing that )
certainly( in fact )( really )( so then )( therefore )

( o she - song - way )( nom )
( to - by - for )( she )( way - of - song )

( we )suppose( expect, suspect, believe )
( forebode, presage )( think, mean, intend )

( he - she - it )( would swoop and pounce upon )
( you would be swooped after )

( o hes and shes )( nom )( honor - lovers )
( it would )seek after honor( jealous )( ambitious )
( covetous of honor )( vying emulously with )
( for fame )( for glory )( for distinction )

being( we )( he - nom )

and( indeed )violent( hes and shes )( nom )
( vehement ( excessive )( impetuous )( active )
( zealous )( strong )( robust )( sphodroi )

( he - she - it )( would do violence )
( you would be done violence ) 

and( indeed )many( men - noms ),

ἅτε οὖν οἶμαι φιλότιμοι (23ε) ὄντες καὶ σφοδροὶ καὶ πολλοί,

GAIA:
by violent duck attacks unbothered here.
as were unbothered by the deaths of man.
( by deaths of she - dyads, unsure )
but we are least bothered of all to { feel
the strap of my bag digging into flesh },

ALPHA MAN:
but if( see ! )( they )whip( flog )( it ),
what( it - thing ) ?

ἢν δὲ μαστιγῶσι, τί;

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
and its not nothing singing around a swan
in the palaestra,

SOKRATES:
and( indeed )( hims - accused )having - straining - together
( drawing to the uttermost )( urging on )( exerting )
( straining all their powers )( earnest, serious )
( directing )( under tension )( under anxiety )
( being bent upon )( contributing towards )

and( indeed )( men - nom )persuasively( plausibly )
speaking around( about )me,

καὶ συντεταμένως καὶ πιθανῶς λέγοντες περὶ ἐμοῦ,

GAIA:
the goat-swan may be my favorite ( mixed ) beast,
seeing as how its made me testify in court.
we didnt ask for that, it hasnt happened
before, and that may bias me today.

yet men directing all their powers to speak
around the she and it, and not round any he
at all, we { walk home smiling anyway }.

//

from hymn to Apollo
Apologia
Odyssey XIV
Ekklesiazusai

unbothered

( . . . )

( . . . )

( . . . )

KUKNEION( OF A SWAN ):
( still circling ) o ! . . . mate. mate was my reached -
for verb, and not do you not fuck.
( apologies to children having ears )
wed ask, do you not mate? ( go fix it, duck )