Dogs
the Delphiad, book II
(KOURAI and HOMER on the beach at sunrise, slack-tide.)
KOURAI: push pause
HOMER: (loosed)
λῦτο
K: and let the world rest
H: but the contest(assembly - games - arena - struggle)disper s e d
(unyoked - undid - unfastened - unbound - dissolved - set f r e e
released - came undone - relaxed - unfol d e d )
(λῦτο)δ᾽ ἀγών,
K: while we arrange our thoughts
H: but each people scattered to go
(and come)upon the swift ships.
λαοὶ δὲ θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας ἕκαστοι
ἐσκίδναντ᾽ ἰέναι.
K: into neat piles
H: those(by you)(indeed)were thinking of dinner;
τοὶ μὲν δόρποιο μέδοντο
K: each carefully labeled
H: and of sweet sleep(of lichen)(he was putting
to sleep)(sleep, you)
to be satisfied;
ὕπνου τε γλυκεροῦ ταρπήμεναι:
K: lock ugly ones in a box
H: nevertheless, Achilles(remembering)
was weeping(weep, you)(remembering his)beloved companion, re-
membering, and not even sleep, all-tamer, was taking hold,
αὐτὰρ Ἀχιλλεὺς
κλαῖε φίλου ἑτάρου μεμνημένος, οὐδέ μιν ὕπνος
ᾕρει πανδαμάτωρ,
K: give the key to you
H: but he was turning(youre turning)here and there, yearning
(missing)(regretting)(longing)for Patroklos, his manhood
and his goodly menos(courage-passion-spirit-fury-strength) —
ἀλλ᾽ ἐστρέφετ᾽ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα
Πατρόκλου ποθέων ἀνδροτῆτά τε καὶ μένος ἠΰ,
and however many(he had)wound-off(achieved)together-with-him
and(the pains)suffered(endured), the pains(piercing-
through)of men(growing into manhood)the grievous wars
and(piercing-through)the(pregnant)waves(floods)(swellings)piercing-
through —
ἠδ᾽ ὁπόσα τολύπευσε σὺν αὐτῷ καὶ πάθεν ἄλγεα
ἀνδρῶν τε πτολέμους ἀλεγεινά τε κύματα πείρων:
remembering those, he(weeping)let fall the blooming(flowing-
full-fresh, stout-thick-lusty)(we-weeping)tear,
at one time, on(his)(ribs)side lying down, at another again
lying(backwards)(supine)on his back, at another,
lying(prone)on his front;
τῶν μιμνησκόμενος θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυον εἶβεν,
(10) ἄλλοτ᾽ ἐπὶ πλευρὰς κατακείμενος, ἄλλοτε δ᾽ αὖτε
ὕπτιος, ἄλλοτε δὲ πρηνής:
K: knowing
H: but at times standing straight
he was turning(whirling)restless(distraught)(at a loss)(wandering
along)the beach, beside the salty sea; nor did dawn
appearing escape his awareness,
τοτὲ δ᾽ ὀρθὸς ἀναστὰς
δινεύεσκ᾽ ἀλύων παρὰ θῖν᾽ ἁλός: οὐδέ μιν ἠὼς
φαινομένη λήθεσκεν
K: you won’t give it back
H: from beyond the salt-
sea and this beach.
ὑπεὶρ ἅλα τ᾽ ἠϊόνας τε.
(enter AUTOS)
AUTOS: but in again(bow wow)to this, Ares and well-
sighted Argeiphontes(giant-slayer-Hermes)(they)play
(she-playing by he- or they-playing);
ἐν δ᾽ αὖ τῇσιν Ἄρης καὶ ἐύσκοπος Ἀργειφόντης
παίζουσ᾽:
H: but(he)at least then(youre following the dyad-word-song)
(he)would yoke the swift horses under(dyad-spider-
webs)the chariot;
ἀλλ᾽ ὅ γ᾽ ἐπεὶ ζεύξειεν ὑφ᾽ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους,
A: nevertheless(he)Phoibos(pure, bright, radiant)Apollo
plays the kithara,
αὐτὰρ ὁ Φοῖβος Α᾽πόλλων ἐγκιθαρίζει
H: but to drag(him)he would tie(bind)Hektor behind the seat,
Ἕκτορα δ᾽ ἕλκεσθαι δησάσκετο δίφρου ὄπισθεν,
A: (as you are played)dyad-beautiful and(indeed)striding-high;
(ἐγκιθαρίζει) καλὰ καὶ ὕψι βιβάς:
H. but three-times dragging(you)around the sign(the burial-
mound)of the dead son of Menoitios(Patroklos),
and again(on the fourth)pausing to lie down,
τρὶς δ᾽ ἐρύσας περὶ σῆμα Μενοιτιάδαο θανόντος
αὖτις ἐνὶ κλισίῃ παυέσκετο,
A: but radiance shines(you are shone)around him,
αἴγλη δέ μιν ἀμφιφαείνει
H. but leaving him in ashes(and then)lying stretched-out
(prone)on his face;
τὸν δέ τ᾽ ἔασκεν
ἐν κόνι ἐκτανύσας προπρηνέα:
A: and the twinkling(and flickering)of(his)feet;
μαρμαρυγαί τε ποδῶν
H: but of him, Apollo was holding-off(hold-off, you)the whole
outrage to the flesh(body)(skin), feeling
pity for the person,
(indeed)though(he)had died;
τοῖο δ᾽ Ἀπόλλων
πᾶσαν ἀεικείην ἄπεχε χροῒ φῶτ᾽ ἐλεαίρων
(20) καὶ τεθνηότα περ:
A: (indeed)of(his)well-spun tunic;
καὶ ἐυκλώστοιο χιτῶνος.
H: but all-around by-aegis(he)covered(cover, you)by(-all-)gold,
so that(the)dragging-about wouldnt tear-off(the)skin.
περὶ δ᾽ αἰγίδι πάντα κάλυπτε
χρυσείῃ, ἵνα μή μιν ἀποδρύφοι ἑλκυστάζων.
K: (o radiant lord — )my body is refusing
to(cross-eyes)cooperate
(powers-out)again
it(you)(you)must know
(dark moon)of the storm in my heart.
H: nevertheless Odysseus
was observing the twinkling(flickering)of feet,
αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς
μαρμαρυγὰς θηεῖτο ποδῶν,
A: but they rejoice-at(great thumos)looking-into(the)great thumos;
οἳ δ᾽ ἐπιτέρπονται θυμὸν μέγαν εἰσορόωντες
H: but(he)wondered(wonder, you)(at it)
in his thumos(flickering-
twinkling-heart).
θαύμαζε δὲ θυμῷ.
A: and Leto(seize-behold)of goldy-locks and(indeed)deliberate Zeus
(wondered at their)beloved child, playing amongst the immortal
gods(they shine - by shining)(they run - by runing)
(by gazing)and goddesses.
Λητώ τε χρυσοπλόκαμος καὶ μητίετα Ζεὺς
υἷα φίλον παίζοντα μετ᾽ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι.
H: nevertheless he, playing the lyre, was throwing-and-striking-up
beautifully, to sing!
αὐτὰρ ὁ φορμίζων ἀνεβάλλετο καλὸν ἀείδειν
A: and how, then-and-there, would(will)we sing(of)you(re being
sung), being(s)wholly well(and-many-well)sung?
πῶς τ᾽ ἄρ σ᾽ ὑμνήσω πάντως εὔυμνον ἐόντα;
H: about(around)Ares lovemaking and fragrant-crowned Aphrodite,
as they(dyad)first mingled, in(the)house(of)Hephaistos,
secretly,
ἀμφ᾽ Ἄρεος φιλότητος εὐστεφάνου τ᾽ Ἀφροδίτης,
ὡς τὰ πρῶτα μίγησαν ἐν Ἡφαίστοιο δόμοισι
λάθρῃ,
A: or(ah!)in going-courting we(would)sing of you,
and(indeed)in-lovemaking,
ἠέ σ᾽ ἐνὶ μνηστῆρσιν ἀείδω καὶ φιλότητι,
H: but(it)gave many(dyads),
πολλὰ δ᾽ ἔδωκε,
A: so that(mindful-of was)wooing Azantida(parched-sacred, dread-
girdled, anti-blossom)girl-daughter,
ὅππως μνωόμενος ἔκιες Ἀζαντίδα κούρην
H: but(the marriage)bed shamed, indeed(the grave)bedding
of lord Hephaistos.
λέχος δ᾽ ᾔσχυνε καὶ εὐνὴν
Ἡφαίστοιο ἄνακτος.
A: were(you)going with god-like Ischos(hip-loin-leash-strength)
at-once with well-horsed Elationides(fir-pine-tree-wood-driver-
charioteer-beating-forcing-outward-
smaller-deer)?
Ἴσχυ᾽ ἅμ᾽ ἀντιθέῳ Ἐλατιονίδη εὐίππῳ;
H: but at-once to-him(a)messenger came(and went), Helios(its-just-
the-sun), who perceived them mingling-in-lovemaking.
ἄφαρ δέ οἱ ἄγγελος ἦλθεν
Ἥλιος, ὅ σφ᾽ ἐνόησε μιγαζομένους φιλότητι.
A: or at-once(with)Thorbas(tumultuous-t-rex-against)the off-
spring by Triops(triad-eye-giant)?
ἢ ἅμα Θόρβαντι Τριοπέῳ γένος,
H: but Hephaistos, soon-as(he)heard(the)thumos-grieving(muthos)story,
there and then he stepped to go(come)to(his)forge(dyad-ugly),
(and)by the phrenes(heart-mind-built-deep)(he was)building-in-
the-deep(brooding)(pondering-secretly)dyad-uglies,
Ἥφαιστος δ᾽ ὡς οὖν θυμαλγέα μῦθον ἄκουσε,
βῆ ῥ᾽ ἴμεν ἐς χαλκεῶνα κακὰ φρεσὶ βυσσοδομεύων,
A: or at-once(with)Ereutheos(vomit-staining-fire-rageous-red)?
ἢ ἅμ᾽ Ἐρευθεῖ;
H: but(he)put the great anvil on the anvil-block, (o yes)
ἐν δ᾽ ἔθετ᾽ ἀκμοθέτῳ μέγαν ἄκμονα,
A: or at-once(with)Leukippos(white-bright-horse)and
(indeed)the wife(dame-tamer)of Leukippos(white-brightening-horse) . . .
ἢ ἅμα Λευκίππῳ καὶ Λευκίπποιο δάμαρτι
H: but he was hammering-out fastenings(fetterings-bonds-
halters(ships-mooring-cable)(knots)spells-latches-charms
(desmos)not-to-be-broken(not-to-be-loosed),
so that in-the-ground(steadfast)(safe)(un-decaying)(vigor-retaining)(never-
failing)on-the-spot they would stay(stand fast, stay at home, stay
where one is)(remain as one)(abide).
κόπτε δὲ δεσμοὺς
ἀρρήκτους ἀλύτους, ὄφρ᾽ ἔμπεδον αὖθι μένοιεν.
A: . . . on foot, but he by horses;
… πεζός, ὃ δ᾽ ἵπποισιν:
(universal-laughter)
H: nevertheless since(following the dyad-word-song)he made(built-
worked)the bait(trick-stratagem-of guile-craft-cunning-
treachery)provoked-to-anger by Ares,
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῦξε δόλον κεχολωμένος Ἄρει,
A: and not(one month)even
was Triops(triad-
eye)left behind;
οὐ μὴν Τρίοπός γ᾽ ἐνέλειπεν.
H: then and there(he)stepped, to go(or come)(we come)(and go)to
(his)bedchamber, where lay(his)beloved(made-by-)himself bed;
βῆ ῥ᾽ ἴμεν ἐς θάλαμον, ὅθι οἱ φίλα δέμνι᾽ ἔκειτο,
A: or as the first oracle(o oracle!)by human beings, seeking-
through the land(you)stepped, o throws-from-afar Apollo?
ἢ ὡς τὸ πρῶτον χρηστήριον ἀνθρώποισι
ζητεύων κατὰ γαῖαν ἔβης, ἑκατηβόλ᾽ Ἄπολλον;
H: but then, around(the)bedposts(he)was pouring(pour, you)the bonds
(fetters-head-bands)by an all-encompassing circle;
ἀμφὶ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἑρμῖσιν χέε δέσματα κύκλῳ ἁπάντῃ:
A: to Pieria(oopsy, her Piraeus)(fertile-muses-trial)indeed the first
from Olympos(on whom)you went-down;
Πιερίην μὲν πρῶτον ἀπ᾽ Οὐλύμποιο κατῆλθες:
H: but many(of them)and(indeed)down from roof-beams(houses)(lairs)
(cages)they were poured out, like(fine-thin-delicate-subtle)spider-
webs(small intestines, a very small coin, a jar, minutes-
seconds, moonlit-outages),
πολλὰ δὲ καὶ καθύπερθε μελαθρόφιν ἐξεκέχυντο,
ἠύτ᾽ ἀράχνια λεπτά,
A: and sandy Lektos(bed-ology)you passed by
and the(being-thrown-innies)Enienes
and(indeed)through the(sprinkling-crooked-
around-the-edges)Perraibos;
Λέκτον τ᾽ ἠμαθοέντα παρέστιχες ἠδ᾽ Ἐνιῆνας
καὶ διὰ Περραιβούς:
H: and none would ever see them, not even one of the blessed gods,
for(he)had built(it)around(wily - crafty - artful)subtleties(doloeis).
τά γ᾽ οὔ κέ τις οὐδὲ ἴδοιτο,
οὐδὲ θεῶν μακάρων: πέρι γὰρ δολόεντα τέτυκτο.
A: but swiftly(perhaps)into Iaolkos(o purple-poison-arrow-dragging-battle-
cry-cure)you were arriving, and you went upon Kenaios(that-there-
here-this-that-would-empty-center)of Euboia(lovely-
cows-eyes-say-moo), ship-famous —
O Nausikleia!
τάχα δ᾽ εἰς Ἰαωλκὸν ἵκανες,
Κηναίου τ᾽ ἐπέβης ναυσικλειτῆς Εὐβοίης.
from hymn to Apollo 200-219
Il. 24.1-24
Od. 8.264-281
the Delphiad, book I
AUTOS: O(we would be)lord, indeed you have(and hold)lovely Lukia
and Meionia and Miletus, delightful(himeroeis)city on the sea,
KOURAI: indeed-undead, you winesack with dogs eyes and a deers heart.
A: but himself again(bow wow)of Delos sea-washed-round
greatly(you)lord(himself).
ὦ ἄνα, καὶ Λυκίην καὶ Μῃονίην ἐρατεινὴν
καὶ Μίλητον ἔχεις, ἔναλον πόλιν ἱμερόεσσαν,
αὐτὸς δ᾽ αὖ Δήλοιο περικλύστοιο μέγ᾽ ἀνάσσεις.
K: in the rear-ends of dusty libraries.
A: but(he)goes(and comes)playing the lyre, the glorious child of Leto(behold-
seize), by the hollow(smooth)(subtle)(elegant)lyre to rocky Pytho,
K: good riddance, see if that bitch will take you.
A: having(holding)divine(dyad)garments(they-we heap up earth
to bury)(having been)filled with sweet smells;
K: just doing to his stinky rags as hes done to us.
A: but his lyre of gold, under the plectrum(spear-point-sting)(cocks-
spur)(ankle), the sharp ring(gnashing of teeth)(mule-
wagon-rattling), has(and holds)lovely.
K: lovely under dirt.
εἶσι δὲ φορμίζων Λητοῦς ἐρικυδέος υἱὸς
φόρμιγγι γλαφυρῇ πρὸς Πυθὼ πετρήεσσαν,
ἄμβροτα εἵματ᾽ ἔχων τεθυωμένα: τοῖο δὲ φόρμιγξ
(185) χρυσέου ὑπὸ πλήκτρου καναχὴν ἔχει ἱμερόεσσαν.
A: but(whence)thence(comes and goes)to Olympos from earth, as thought,
K: a lord of non-entities —
A: (he)goes(and comes, of Zeus)toward the house of Zeus and(goes and)comes
(among)(after)the meeting of other gods and goddesses(of other seeings).
K: eats his own people, in the words of Achilles.
enjoy unfamy-infamy, you.
ἔνθεν δὲ πρὸς Ὄλυμπον ἀπὸ χθονός, ὥστε νόημα,
εἶσι Διὸς πρὸς δῶμα θεῶν μεθ᾽ ὁμήγυριν ἄλλων.
A: but immediately by immortals
K: uh-oh
A: (the dyad-strain-phrase)(by strain-phrase)
K: we think
A: (she cares)(you are cared for)the kithara and the song
(are)cared for(by immortals);
αὐτίκα δ᾽ ἀθανάτοισι μέλει κίθαρις καὶ ἀοιδή:
K: he knows our favorite
Homer: but there and then —
K: be gentle (what)
H: it caused unquenchable laughter by blessed gods
and goddesses, as they(we)saw(humble)Hephaistos hustle-
bustling(by divine limp)through the house.
K: but you know my body is sore
(hey — )
after adventure
(its a euphemismos)
ἄσβεστος δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐνῶρτο γέλως μακάρεσσι θεοῖσιν
(600) ὡς ἴδον Ἥφαιστον διὰ δώματα ποιπνύοντα.
H: as then the whole day long into the setting sun
K: your hands map every(oh)knot
H: they gave a feast(were feasted), and neither was anyones thumos
K: tension(ahh)releasing
H: (heart-spirit-hunger)(wetly)lacking(nor wanting)
an equal feast,
K: (ok yes, that feels good)
H: nor indeed(did they lack)the all-around-
beautiful lyre, which Apollo was(having
and)holding
K: (heartbeat slowing)whys that
H: (hold, you)(o viper)
ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα
δαίνυντ᾽, οὐδέ τι θυμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης,
οὐ μὲν φόρμιγγος περικαλλέος ἣν ἔχ᾽ Ἀπόλλων,
Μουσάων θ᾽ αἳ ἄειδον ἀμειβόμεναι ὀπὶ καλῇ.
Iliad 1.604
K: until your mouth(uh oh)
A: and all the Muses(o Muses)together(get it, you)taking turns
and exchanging by beautiful voice(word)(eye)(face)
(it would call)(you are beauty-called),
Μοῦσαι μέν θ᾽ ἅμα πᾶσαι ἀμειβόμεναι ὀπὶ καλῇ
K: finds the side of our neck —
they praise(by singing)there and then the divine gifts of gods and goddesses
(gifts of seeings)and miseries of human beings,
which(both)having(and holding)under immortal gods and goddesses(by
gazings and contemplations)they live(living)(by livings)senseless
and(indeed)helpless(amechanos), and not even are they able
to find(discover, devise, get, gain)a cure for death
nor indeed a defense against old age;
(190) ὑμνεῦσίν ῥα θεῶν δῶρ᾽ ἄμβροτα ἠδ᾽ ἀνθρώπων
τλημοσύνας, ὅσ᾽ ἔχοντες ὑπ᾽ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι
ζώουσ᾽ ἀφραδέες καὶ ἀμήχανοι, οὐδὲ δύνανται
εὑρέμεναι θανάτοιό τ᾽ ἄκος καὶ γήραος ἄλκαρ:
K: ok but its a headache-causing headache-cure
A: nevertheless the fair-haired Graces
and well-hearted(cheerful, merry, kindly,
gracious)Hours
K: those hores
A: and Harmonia(fastening-union-order-
agreement-stringing)and Hebe(youthfulness)
and daughter-of-Zeus Aphrodite,
K: even Aphrodite?
A: (they)dance(and leap and bound)holding one anothers hands
at the(fruit, grain)wrist;
αὐτὰρ ἐυπλόκαμοι Χάριτες καὶ ἐύφρονες Ὧραι
(195) Ἁρμονίη θ᾽ Ἥβη τε Διὸς θυγάτηρ τ᾽ Ἀφροδίτη
ὀρχεῦντ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἐπὶ καρπῷ χεῖρας ἔχουσαι:
K: we didnt know we had a(fruit, grain)wrist
H: but of them, the girls had fine(delicate-subtle)linen clothes(sail-cloth),
K: its us!
H: while the boys(sitting idly)wore well-spun tunics,
K: omg, its them
H: glistening softly
with olive oil;
K: yum.
H: and the girls had beautiful circlets,
K: we love circlets
H: while the boys
K: give us fantasy!
H: had golden daggers hanging from silver belt-straps.
(595) τῶν δ᾽ αἳ μὲν λεπτὰς ὀθόνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ χιτῶνας
εἵατ᾽ ἐϋννήτους, ἦκα στίλβοντας ἐλαίῳ:
καί ῥ᾽ αἳ μὲν καλὰς στεφάνας ἔχον, οἳ δὲ μαχαίρας
εἶχον χρυσείας ἐξ ἀργυρέων τελαμώνων.
K: yesss
H: but when the boys ran(we ran)by knowing(standing-on)feet, very
(secretly)easily;
K: hows that
H: as when some potter, seating(-himself)will trial
and test a close-fitted wheel in the palms(of his hands),
K: uh-huh
H: the girls, by seeing, would set and run and shine;
K: oh,
H: but at another(time)again(bow wow)the girls would run
across(you march)the rows, to-for-by one-another.
οἳ δ᾽ ὁτὲ μὲν θρέξασκον ἐπισταμένοισι πόδεσσι
(600) ῥεῖα μάλ᾽, ὡς ὅτε τις τροχὸν ἄρμενον ἐν παλάμῃσιν
ἑζόμενος κεραμεὺς πειρήσεται, αἴ κε θέῃσιν:
ἄλλοτε δ᾽ αὖ θρέξασκον ἐπὶ στίχας ἀλλήλοισι.
K: oh heavens,
H: but a crowd of many was standing
K: stand, yall!
H: around the lovely(himeroeis)dance-
chorus, being filled with solace
and cheer;
K: well, we hope so,
H: but two(a dyad of)tumbling acrobats among them,
K: us??
H: initiating-ruling the song and dance, were whirling
K: we whirl! we whirl!
H: (yes, but)through the middle.
πολλὸς δ᾽ ἱμερόεντα χορὸν περιίσταθ᾽ ὅμιλος
τερπόμενοι:
(605) δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατ᾽ αὐτοὺς
μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντες ἐδίνευον κατὰ μέσσους.
K: (whirling into the poet)sorry —
H: but —
K: (in disbelief) what powers this?
H: into(it)he put the great and mighty river Ocean
around the outermost rim of the solidly-made shield.
ἐν δ᾽ ἐτίθει ποταμοῖο μέγα σθένος Ὠκεανοῖο
ἄντυγα πὰρ πυμάτην σάκεος πύκα ποιητοῖο.
Iliad 18.594-608
K: you guys know we love the beach!
A: by which indeed(it)celebrates(after)with(meta)song
neither shameful
nor mean;
K: (dreamily)he had us at hephaestos
A: but(its)very(dyad-secret)(stage whispers)and large
to see and(indeed)form(o
form)admirable,
K: OMG! omg omg its — (covers own mouth)
A: Artemis arrow-pouring(being)nursed the same with(by)Apollo.
K: . . . o monumental!
τῇσι μὲν οὔτ᾽ αἰσχρὴ μεταμέλπεται οὔτ᾽ ἐλάχεια,
ἀλλὰ μάλα μεγάλη τε ἰδεῖν καὶ εἶδος ἀγητή,
Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα ὁμότροφος Ἀπόλλωνι.
from hymn 3 to Apollo
(I of XVIII books, in 21 parts, over one moon)
heirloom(ashes?) of nine parts over twelve days (9/9 and 1)
but of all human beings, they know
by having seen(a few)( glimpses of what could be )
to(m)imitate(mimeisthai)mimitate(sthai)
(a wall of birdsong from the east)
the babbling, chit-chattering, stammering of tongues
of all human beings(a few)( glimpses of what could be )and indeed
imiter - 真似する - imitar
ꦤꦶꦫꦸ - nabootsen - 모방하다
efterligne - efterlikna - etterligne
jäljitellä - подражать - naśladować
the voices(sounds)(tones)(cries)(utterances)(speeches)(languages)
napodobovat - imitārī - يُحاكي
öykünmek - לחקות - meniru
imitare - 模仿 - nachahmen
imitate - अनुकरण - تقلید کردن
of all human beings(a few)( glimpses of what could be )and indeed
the babbling, chit-chattering, stammering of tongues
(a wall of birdsong from the east)
to(m)imitate(mimeisthai)mimitate(sthai)
they know(a few)( glimpses of what could be )
by having seen, all human beings
but each(himself)itself would say,
yous utter, lift up the voice, speak, call out,
are uttering, lifting the voice, speaking, calling out,
to utter lift up the voice, speak, call out
so utter! voice! speak! call out!
thus(to)(for)by(its)thems
the(she)beautiful(o beautiful)song(o song)
they join-fasten-construct-gratify-please-fix-together
the(she)beautiful(o beautiful)song(o song).
πάντων δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων φωνὰς καὶ βαμβαλιαστὺν
μιμεῖσθ᾽ ἴσασιν: φαίη δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕκαστος
φθέγγεσθ᾽: οὕτω σφιν καλὴσυνάρηρεν ἀοιδή.
but come on,
hes being driven and led, brought and taken, steered and carried-off as by its cause,
yous are keeping and taking and bringing him, like an animal, steering the ship
and leading him on, like fate, you carry him off, as by his cause —
celebrate him, bring him back, keep him in memory, be his cause, you both!
he would be gracious indeed, would lend a gracious ear, Apollo(o Apollo),
Artemis-shows-from-afar, Artemis-dia-xun, Artemis-all-through-together —
but in book 21, Penelope fetches and brings the bow of Odysseus, from its peg,
where it hangs in the shining case that covers it; she promises marriage to the one
who can string the bow and send an arrow — cleanly — through all twelve axes;
Antinoös pretends to be humble, but hes not, and hell be the first to taste the arrow
from the one whom he gives no attention, from the beggars blameless hands; and
Telemachos tries three times to draw the bow; and on his fourth try, he couldve —
but Od gives a sign, so Tel lays low, drawing instead shame on himself, declining
to try again; as Ant leads-on the others to try, in turn; Leodes, son of Oinops,
a diviner, who pronounces the doom of the bow, which will rend many princes
from life and soul; but Ant castigates him, pronouncing his word-song terrible
and shameful; he directs them to heat and wax to bend the bow, and leads-on
the others to try; as the others are trying, and failing, Odysseus conspires
with the oxherd and swineherd; first, he tests and recognizes their infallible
tempers; then he reveals himself, by the scar he took from the boars white tooth;
they weep, and kiss, and embrace, and kiss, their heads and shoulders and hands;
then he makes, with them, his plans; finally, to be given his bow, as the women
lock and bar the suitors in, and themselves, women, outside, that they mustnt
peep, if any of them hears; they must simply sit still
at their work, in silence.
(Odyssey 21.1-239)
but the girls ignore “nobodys” orders not to watch(even if Telemachos
hadnt said not to follow orders, we still wouldnt follow orders);
and the suitors try; and they fail; and Eurymachos speaks the shame of falling so far
short of Ods strength; Ant proposes, saying, “but come, come on,” lets go drink
his wine, and instruct his goatherd to slaughter his goats, and offer them to Apollo —
would a far-working-lord-master be gracious? Od slaughters all of them, even if
they ask for mercy, except for the singer, who was forced, and the herald, who was
loyal. Odysseus asks the old nurse maid to snitch on the women-servants, and she
hands over those who were extra naughty. there happened to be twelve.
Odysseus makes them clean the mess, then orders his son, Telemachos,
to slaughter them:
so there and then he spoke, and(taking)the ships cable(persuasion)of a lapis-
lazuli-prowed(ship), fastening it to a big pillar, he threw it around the rotunda,
aloft making(it)fast, so that none would reach the ground by their feet.
but as when if or thrushes(by thrushes)with long-spread-wings — ah! rock-
pigeons, strike against a fence(o dyad-wall), and theyd stand into the bush,
sending into a roost, but hated showed(indicated)(marked out)(received in-
to ones house, welcome)(entertained, gave ear to, admitted, allowed, took
on-board, to bear patiently, undertook, promised, accepted as responsibility,
received in succession)the(sleep)resting-place(a bed),
as they(shes)at least one-after-another, having and holding(we have and hold,
they have and hold)(their)heads, but on both sides(around)by all(their)throats
nooses(snares for birds)(they)were, so that most pitiable they would die.
but they(we)were panting, gasping, struggling with(their)feet a small little bit
not for any such long(o secretly-dyad-arm-pits)while.
ὣς ἄρ᾽ ἔφη, καὶ πεῖσμα νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο
κίονος ἐξάψας μεγάλης περίβαλλε θόλοιο,
ὑψόσ᾽ ἐπεντανύσας, μή τις ποσὶν οὖδας ἵκοιτο.
ὡς δ᾽ ὅτ᾽ ἂν ἢ κίχλαι τανυσίπτεροι ἠὲ πέλειαι
ἕρκει ἐνιπλήξωσι, τό θ᾽ ἑστήκῃ ἐνὶ θάμνῳ,
αὖλιν ἐσιέμεναι, στυγερὸς δ᾽ ὑπεδέξατο κοῖτος,
ὣς αἵ γ᾽ ἑξείης κεφαλὰς ἔχον, ἀμφὶ δὲ πάσαις
δειρῇσι βρόχοι ἦσαν, ὅπως οἴκτιστα θάνοιεν.
ἤσπαιρον δὲ πόδεσσι μίνυνθά περ οὔ τι μάλα δήν.
(Odyssey 22.465-473)
(then they treat Melanthios to something ugly, which we skip - then)
they(indeed, it was imminent)thereupon washed off(their)hands and feet
into(you are)Odysseus house they went(we are)(going), but he had finished
(accomplished)(executed)(performed)the work;
nevertheless he(Od)at least spoke-through to the beloved nurse(who nourishes)
Eurykleia;
“bring brimstone(the divine)(o divine brimstone), old woman, remedy of evils,
but bring(to)(for)by me fire, so that (we)would(we will)purify(hallow)(con-
secrate)(you are purified)the large room(great hall, womens apartment, bed-
chamber, sanctuary, shrine, tomb); but you order Penelope to come(go)hither
(thither)with(her)busied-about(handmaids)(attendants)(waiting-)women;
οἱ μὲν ἔπειτ᾽ ἀπονιψάμενοι χεῖράς τε πόδας τε
εἰς Ὀδυσῆα δόμονδε κίον, τετέλεστο δὲ ἔργον:
480αὐτὰρ ὅ γε προσέειπε φίλην τροφὸν Εὐρύκλειαν:
‘οἶσε θέειον, γρηΰ, κακῶν ἄκος, οἶσε δέ μοι πῦρ,
ὄφρα θεειώσω μέγαρον: σὺ δὲ Πηνελόπειαν
ἐλθεῖν ἐνθάδ᾽ ἄνωχθι σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξί:
but all(you sprinkle)(sprinkling)(you stir up, encourage)(they were stirring)we
were stirring-up(and encouraging)fem-slaves to go(to heap and pile-up)against
through(to)the house.
but the beloved nurse(she who nourishes)Eurykleia again to him spoke-through;
“yes(it was binding)(it was needful)(need and bind)(need, you)(dyad-of-the-god)(bind,
you)at least these, o my child, all you said was against(through)according
to portion(destiny)(part)(share)(lot)(that which is meet and right)(order)(due-
measure)(fate).
but come(she leads, carries, brings)(lead, carry, fetch, bring, you)we would carry
(you carry)(you send in)(to)(for)by you a cloak(blanket)and tunic clothes,
and not this way by rags(having-being-)covered broad(far-reaching)shoulders
(she had been set)(yous had made a stand)(yous have made, make a stand!)(she
has been set)(you)make a stand in the big rooms(womens apartments)(shrines);
but(it would be)(she lets, she suffers)(let, you)(suffer, you)reprehensible.
πάσας δ᾽ ὄτρυνον δμῳὰς κατὰ δῶμα νέεσθαι.
’ 485τὸν δ᾽ αὖτε προσέειπε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια:
‘ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε, τέκνον ἐμόν, κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.
ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε τοι χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε εἵματ᾽ ἐνείκω,
μηδ᾽ οὕτω ῥάκεσιν πεπυκασμένος εὐρέας ὤμους
ἕσταθ᾽ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι: νεμεσσητὸν δέ κεν εἴη.
but exchanging-replies-from her, polymetis(many-measured, many-skilled,
many-counseled, many-plans)Odysseus was speaking-through;
“fire now(to)(for)by me firstest(o firstest)in the big rooms, become-it."
τὴν δ᾽ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς:
‘πῦρ νῦν μοι πρώτιστον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γενέσθω.'
so he said(yous say), and not even did beloved nurse(she who nourishes)Eurykleia
disobey, but(she)brought(bore)(carried)(they had sent up and forth)(sprung up)(let-
go)(set free)(loosened)(unfastened)(stirred-up)(urged-on)(caused a wind to blow)
then and there fire and(the divine)brimstone; nevertheless Odysseus well fumigated
(purified)(hallowed)the big room and the house and courtyard.
ὣς ἔφατ᾽, οὐδ᾽ ἀπίθησε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια,
ἤνεικεν δ᾽ ἄρα πῦρ καὶ θήϊον: αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς
εὖ διεθείωσεν μέγαρον καὶ δῶμα καὶ αὐλήν.
but the old woman again went off through the beautiful house of beautiful Odysseus
will-announcing(bearing, carrying, delivering, passing-on, relaying)(a message,
news, information, a command, instructions)and by women will-stirring-up(rousing,
egging-on, spurring-on, encouraging)to go(to heap and pile-up); but(shes)they knew
(they were going and coming)(equal)out of the big room(shrine), having and holding
(o havings and holdings)torches(between)(among)(belonging to)
the(ir) — igniting the fire — hands.
γρηῢς δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ ἀπέβη διὰ δώματα κάλ᾽ Ὀδυσῆος
ἀγγελέουσα γυναιξὶ καὶ ὀτρυνέουσα νέεσθαι:
αἱ δ᾽ ἴσαν ἐκ μεγάροιο δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαι.
(shes)they indeed, there and then, were being-poured(shed)around(embracing)
and welcoming kindly(saluting)(greeting)(receiving with joy)(cleaving to)Odysseus,
and(shameless)(they-shes)were kissing(we were kissing)will-showing-affection(o
will-be-loving)the head and shoulders(and upper arms)and taking-hold(o taking-
hold of)hands;
but(him)the sweet longing was capturing(grasping)(seizing)(winning)(gaining)
overcoming)(proving)him of weeping(lamentation)and of wailing(groaning)(sighs),
but there and then, he recognized(perceived)(came to know)(recognize, you!)
by phren(hearts-middles-minds)(the women)(you are sprinkling)(o
sprinkling)(o weaving-in)(with pharmakon)all(the women).
(we)look how brightly we burn —
αἱ μὲν ἄρ᾽ ἀμφεχέοντο καὶ ἠσπάζοντ᾽ Ὀδυσῆα,
καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαξόμεναι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὤμους
χεῖράς τ᾽ αἰνύμεναι: τὸν δὲ γλυκὺς ἵμερος ᾕρει
κλαυθμοῦ καὶ στοναχῆς, γίγνωσκε δ᾽ ἄρα φρεσὶ πάσας.
Odyssey, the rest of book xxii)
ἀλλ᾽ ἄγεθ᾽ ἱλήκοι μὲν Ἀπόλλων Ἀρτέμιδιξύν,
but all yous rejoice, all yous are rejoicing, rejoice all yous(get it, you!),
and we just burned out your eyes?
but(behind)me(you would be thrown up)and(indeed)from behind(in the rear)
you(all)remember, to remember, remember(all)you,
whenever someone amongst earth-dwelling(across-the-earth)(chthonos)human
beings, by accustomed-familiar,
would fasten-on(would be fastened-to)(he would string-through)(would
be strung-through)(and he would inquire-of and question)
the stranger(guest-friend)(wanderer)(host)(foreigner)(refugee)(mercenary
soldier)much-suffering(talapeirios)(man),
coming and going(o comes-and-goes)(o whereto and wherefrom);
χαίρετε δ᾽ ὑμεῖς πᾶσαι: ἐμεῖο δὲ καὶ μετόπισθεν (Od?)
μνήσασθ᾽, ὁππότε κέν τις ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων (Od?)
ἐθάδ᾽ ἁνείρηται ξεῖνος ταλαπείριος ἐλθών: (Od?)
O girls, but who(which)(what)by yous the man the most pleasant and merry,
sweetly and welcome, balmy, refreshing, gladly and heartily content,
amongst the singers(minstrels)(bards)of songs,
(here)there(goes)(he)goes-up-and-down(and to-and-fro)(and
hes offered for sale),
and(indeed)by which-who are yous most being(be satisfied! delighted!
and gladdened! and cheered!)satisfied, delighted, gladdened, and cheered?
ὦ κοῦραι, τίς δ᾽ ὔμμιν ἀνὴρ ἥδιστος ἀοιδῶν
ἐνθάδε πωλεῖται, καὶ τέῳ τέρπεσθε μάλιστα;
but all-yous(o dyad-arm-pits, dyad-underhanded, dyad-secrets)very-
well-all(get it, yous!)to reply(interpret)(as dreams)(explain)(speak
in dialogue)(deliver)(play, pretend, deceive)(answer)as
the(a-phemos)(un-famous)un-known —
ὑμεῖς δ᾽ εὖ μάλα πᾶσαι ὑποκρίνασθαι ἀφήμως: (Od?)
“(a)blind(dark, dim, obscure)(closed, with no outlet)(tight)(dark, trackless)(un-
escapable)man,
but he is living(in-habits)in(you are being-lived-in)(by a roommate, a house-
servant, a serf)(to)(for)by-rugged-Chios-in(hes being-
present-and-possible-in)(her rugged)
whose(songs)(o songs)(o spells, o incantations)(our-bitches-chew)from
behind(in the rear!)would be best(by beings best)(they will be best)(songs
whos).
τυφλὸς ἀνήρ, οἰκεῖ δὲ Χίῳ ἔνι παιπαλοέσσῃ
τοῦ μᾶσαι μετόπισθεν ἀριστεύσουσιν ἀοιδαί.
we(but we)will bring(bear, carry, draw along, fetch, carry off)your(o
your)news(rumor, report, repute, fame, renown, glory),
howsoever far as across the land(earth)(of human beings)we are twisted
and turned(rotated, upset, deflected, guided, veered, tortured, braided, re-
plied, returned, given back, converted, revolving in circles, turned
and changed, engaged, wheeling about)
the(well-dwelling)cities(o cities)of human beings(you go about, range-
over, haunt)(of human beings)well-dwelling;
ἡμεῖς δ᾽ ὑμέτερον κλέος οἴσομεν, ὅσσον ἐπ᾽ αἶαν
ἀνθρώπων στρεφόμεσθα πόλεις εὖ ναιεταώσας:
they(but they)(upon)across(in fact)(it was needful)(it was binding)
(need, you)(dyad-of-the-god)(bind, you)
they will suffer(undergo, endure, have laid-upon-them, being called-upon to bear,
have-happen to them, being treated, affected, feeling, with passion, being acted-
upon, receive benefits, hard experience, punishment, and enjoy)
and they will be persuaded(won over, prevailed upon, urged successfully, brought
over, induced to believe)(they will yield, believe-in, be convinced)(they
will trust, rely upon, have confidence-in, be emboldened),
and indeed, since you already are following-upon the dyad-word-song,
its(we-being)true.
οἳ δ᾽ ἐπὶ δὴ πείσονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐτήτυμόν ἐστιν.
nevertheless i(we!)will not cease(you wouldnt be ceased)(singing! celebrating! over
and over again)Apollo who throws-
from-afar, singing(o singing)with(our)silver bow,
whom lovely-haired(she, Leto)(behold!)(seize!)produced(you produce,
too!)into the world, Leto.
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν οὐ λήξω ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα
ὑμνέων ἀργυρότοξον, ὃν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ.
from hymn 3 to Apollo
(dog-we, of burning-nose, may need
another 4-day cycle
or we-dog lifetime
to go back and fill
more in)
.~.
heirloom of nine parts over twelve days (5/6 and 8/9)
but(him)self, o bearer of the silver-bow, lord who throws-from-afar(hekatebolos)Apollo,
at one time(and indeed)across rugged Kynthos you go(you take your way)
(pass)(set out)(run)(get onto, out of, into something)(you go on-board
or disembark)(a ship)(to bestride and protect a fallen friend)(or
to drag the body off)(of an enemy)(you mount a chariot
and stand beside another),
but at another(time, you go)wandering aimlessly around
to shun and flee-from islands and men.
αὐτὸς δ᾽, ἀργυρότοξε, ἄναξ ἑκατηβόλ᾽ Ἄπολλον,
ἄλλοτε μέν τ᾽ ἐπὶ Κύνθου ἐβήσαο παιπαλόεντος,
ἄλλοτε δ᾽ ἂν νήσους τε καὶ ἀνέρας ἠλάσκαζες.
many(o many)to(for)(by)you(are)the temple-dwellings and the woody(with tree-
like markings)groves;
but all(o all)(whole)(get, you)(acquire, you)(possess, you)the lookout-places(hill-
tops)(peaks)and(watch-towers)and(the friends, o friend, by the friend)he
would love the highest(topmost)(outmost)(inmost)headlands(cliffs
and bluffs)of lofty mountains(and lofty asses, well, and lofty mules),
and the(nine)rivers flowing-through(o flowing)into the sea;
πολλοί τοι νηοί τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρήεντα:
πᾶσαι δὲ σκοπιαί τε φίλαι καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι
ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων ποταμοί θ᾽ ἅλαδε προρέοντες:
but you(to)(for)by Delos, o Phoibos(bright, radiant, pure), you most delight
and gladden, cheer, make content the(etor)heart(life-passion),
ἀλλὰ σὺ Δήλῳ, Φοῖβε, μάλιστ᾽ ἐπιτέρπεαι ἦτορ,
(as Odysseus, even in the midst of his tall-tale, admits of ships
driven by oars, and wars, and throwing spears and arrows, o dyad-
mournful(sorry)(good-for-nothing)(wretched)(painful)things,
which by others at least become horrible, nevertheless,
those things(to)(for)by him, is(the)beloved, which somehow the god
had put there, in his phrenes(heart-breast-perception-memory-
desire-anger-inward-thought); for different men(he men-
splains, as he lies)take joy in different works.
ἀλλά μοι αἰεὶ νῆες ἐπήρετμοι φίλαι ἦσαν
καὶ πόλεμοι καὶ ἄκοντες ἐΰξεστοι καὶ ὀϊστοί,
λυγρά, τά τ᾽ ἄλλοισίν γε καταριγηλὰ πέλονται.
αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τὰ φίλ᾽ ἔσκε τά που θεὸς ἐν φρεσὶ θῆκεν:
ἄλλος γάρ τ᾽ ἄλλοισιν ἀνὴρ ἐπιτέρπεται ἔργοις.
Odyssey 14.224)
there(to)(for)by you the Ionians with their trailing tunics gather together
their(him)selves with children and with worthy
and venerable bed-partners and wives.
ἔνθα τοι ἑλκεχίτωνες Ἰάονες ἠγερέθονται
αὐτοῖς σὺν παίδεσσι καὶ αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισιν.
(as black Ajax and red Ajax would never take their stand apart, on
the battlefield at Troy, not even a little; but as, into the fallow land,
wine-dyad-dark-oxen(fixed-together-plough in equal-thumos-spirit-
power-drive)both-bearing(carrying)(bringing)they stretch(stretch,
you!)and bend(bend it!)and draw-it-out(you, do that too!)
the fixed-together-plough;
but, there and then, on both sides, from their under-end-most-horns
much sweat gushes(so you two, spout)forth;
and they-two(indeed)the polished-yoke-alone-apart-it-works(it bars
the way)(youre worked)(youre barred)dyad-releasing(letting go,
hurling, throwing, sending, letting flow and spouting forth)through-
and-against the furrow;
but(it)overtakes(reaches)(finds)(will-be-accomplishing)(arise,
you!)the limit of the earths arable land;
so they-two, beside-both-standing, beside-both-passing-beyond,
beside-both-transgressing, exceedingly they make their stand,
(to)(for)(by)(belonging)an-other-to-the-one.
Αἴας δ᾽ οὐκέτι πάμπαν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς υἱὸς
ἵστατ᾽ ἀπ᾽ Αἴαντος Τελαμωνίου οὐδ᾽ ἠβαιόν,
ἀλλ᾽ ὥς τ᾽ ἐν νειῷ βόε οἴνοπε πηκτὸν ἄροτρον
ἶσον θυμὸν ἔχοντε τιταίνετον: ἀμφὶ δ᾽ ἄρά σφι
πρυμνοῖσιν κεράεσσι πολὺς ἀνακηκίει ἱδρώς:
τὼ μέν τε ζυγὸν οἶον ἐΰξοον ἀμφὶς ἐέργει
ἱεμένω κατὰ ὦλκα: τέμει δέ τε τέλσον ἀρούρης:
ὣς τὼ παρβεβαῶτε μάλ᾽ ἕστασαν ἀλλήλοιιν.
Iliad 13.701)
but those by boxing(you) and dancing(you) and singing(you),
(they)remembering you(they delight, gladden, and satisfy)with joy,
delight, gladness, and cheer, that they would make their stand(-up-
right, stand-up, rise-up, begin, stand-still, anew)their struggle,
battle, action, assembly, contest, argument, issue — their AGON.
οἱ δέ σε πυγμαχίῃ τε καὶ ὀρχηθμῷ καὶ ἀοιδῇ
μνησάμενοι τέρπουσιν, ὅτ᾽ ἄν στήσωνται ἀγῶνα.
and he(indeed)would say, to be undying and ageless always,
which thereby would come-and-go to meet,
that Ionians altogether-as-a-body
(o all-together, all-at-once)
would very-well-be;
φαίη κ᾽ ἀθανάτους καὶ ἀγήρως ἔμμεναι αἰεί,
ὃς τόθ᾽ ὑπαντιάσει᾽, ὅτ᾽ Ἰάονες ἀθρόοι εἶεν:
for of all would he see grace, favor, beauty, glory, kindness, good-
will, gratitude, gratification, delight, satisfaction; but he would
take pleasure in, enjoy, rejoice, have full enjoyment in, the thumos
and men — (he)(o he)looking into(upon)beholding — and women
with beautiful girdles(and leashes)and swift ships(with ship-like temple-
dwellings)and of swift-selves, their possessions(property, heirlooms,
“the fur coat grandma wore”, you add, and we say sure, and wealth,
estates, farms, fields, vineyards, materials)both-many-and-both.
πάντων γάρ κεν ἴδοιτο χάριν, τέρψαιτο δὲ θυμὸν
ἄνδρας τ᾽ εἰσορόων καλλιζώνους τε γυναῖκας
νῆάς τ᾽ ὠκείας ἠδ᾽ αὐτῶν κτήματα πολλά.
(just as the beautiful girdles, maybe fur coats too, in the fake-wedding, when
Odysseus has newly-burst-forth from his disguise and slaughtered the suitors,
and the old maid wakes-up Penelope, from a very good sleep, to tell her; and it
must be the happiest of all moments in the whole history of human poetry, after
one of terrifying brutality; but Pen doesnt go to him right away; she holds back
her trust, telling their son that they have signs known only by themselves, to prove
they are(to)(for)(by)each other; and Odysseus pretends to hold a wedding,
to distract the Ithakans from the fact he has just butchered their best youth;
or, as he voices-meta-through:
“but we have killed the prop(support)(stay of the city)(the sunken rock,
reef)(bank)(barrow)(that which keeps a ship steady, ballast,
and also earrings, maybe Heras mulberry ones
from yesterday — ),
those great-most-excellent-ones among(young men)the shoots-
and-consequences of satiety, surfeit, and insolence)in Ithaka;
but those, we have ordered you
to consider(purpose, plan, contrive)(perceive,
observe — watch — guard — beware)."
ἡμεῖς δ᾽ ἕρμα πόληος ἀπέκταμεν, οἳ μέγ᾽ ἄριστοι
κούρων εἰν Ἰθάκῃ: τὰ δέ σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα.
but Eurynome cleans all the gore from Odysseus so that hes suffused again
with beauty, as when a craftsman gold-overlays-on-silver; so we again can see
his locks of hair-hung-down like purple hyacinth; so-looking-immortal goes he
to meet Penelope; he calls her strange, she calls him strange; then she tests him,
by telling the maid to bring his bed; and Odysseus proves himself, by saying, you
cant do that, as we made our own bed, so we know it very well; especially by one
particular feature, which only he could accomplish; which was, he built it from
a living tree, roots in the ground; Pen melts into tears and asks him forgive-
ness; Pen-splaining, the jealous gods gave them misery based on how happy
they would have been together, throughout their youth; but there are many men
who would have tried to deceive her, and thats why she has to test him; Pen-
splaining-further, that neither would Helen have gone with Paris, and become
the center of the Trojan war, had she not been so deceived; from which we may
conclude, that she tests him, as taking such precautions now, against
ever being the woman
at the center
of a war;
and then he appears, to her, as welcome as the land to men who are drowning,
and she couldnt let him go from her white-armed, like Heras, earths, embrace;
and Athena holds back time, so that they have enough of it, for tears, for hugs,
for conversation, and Od tells Pen about his sign; until the old-maid Eurynome
dresses their bed for them(probably we should check her out);
but they, as one might put it, “gladly went
together to bed, and their old ritual."
but his voices-meta-through,
“and they(by himself)(by herself)(indeed)thereupon-gladly-welcomed(o gladly-
welcomed ones)of the ancient(couch)bed(lektron)(yous make ancient)(make
it ancient, yous, that which is laid down)(the site, the place)(the rite, the law,
the order)(rule, precept, right)(tribunal,
they)come to walk-about(approach)(reach)(take their way)(visit)(present-
their-self-to)(to come or fall into their hands, approach
as one(we)suppliant, having-reached-home, after
swimming, spinning, and piling-in-
heaps,
their deepmost law
(our zebra-dove)
of peace."
οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα
ἀσπάσιοι λέκτροιο παλαιοῦ θεσμὸν ἵκοντο:
Od. 23.147-296)
but toward this great wonder, of which the rumour(report, fame, glory)never
will it perish(come to an end)(die)(be lost)(undone)(in a state of)(ruin),
those girls(maidens)(nymphs)(daughters)(puppets)(dolls)(pupils of
the eye)(in the hieron)(o girls), who as women we call the Deliades,
of the far-shooting-one, are the handmaids(o handmaids)(dwellings);
cf Phaedrus
πρὸς δὲ τόδε μέγα θαῦμα, ὅου κλέος οὔποτ᾽ ὀλεῖται,
κοῦραι Δηλιάδες, ἑκατηβελέταο θεράπναι:
and those(shes)since(you are already following the dyad-word-song)there
and then, the first(o first)indeed(on the one hand)Apollo(they)would sing
(celebrate, commemorate, make famous, tell over and over again, recite,
repeat, harp upon(him),
)but(on the other hand)back again, anew, in turn,
hereafter, again further(bow wow)(aouuu)
Leto and(indeed)Artemis, pourer-forth-of-arrows,
αἵ τ᾽ ἐπεὶ ἂρ πρῶτον μὲν Ἀπόλλων᾽ ὑμνήσωσιν,
αὖτις δ᾽ αὖ Λητώ τε καὶ Ἄρτεμιν ἰοχέαιραν,
(o shes)remembering(him)and of men(o rearing-up)(rearing)(the rearing-
up into manhood)and of old age(o ageing)(ageing)(the ageing)and
of women(they)sing the hymn,
but(they)work upon by spells and enchantment(bewitch)(charm)(spell-bind)(work
upon by wiles)(cajole)(beguile, deceive, cheat)(charm, delight, ravish)
(by hims-and-theys-enchanting)
the tribes(races, classes, swarms, nations)(of tribes races, classes,
swarms, nations)(by tribes, races, classes, swarms,
nations)of human beings.
μνησάμεναι ἀνδρῶν τε παλαιῶν ἠδὲ γυναικῶν
ὕμνον ἀείδουσιν, θέλγουσι δὲ φῦλ᾽ ἀνθρώπων.
from hymn 3 to Apollo
fog of nine parts over twelve days (7/9 and 3/4)
there(o)you, eie!(coming and going)(hearing and seeing)Phoibos(pure, bright
radiant one),
the goddesses(seeings)(you run)(you shine)(you gaze)(she would gaze)(you
would be put in place)(by looking at)(by contemplation)(by
the sight)(o seeings)
were bathing(you)with beautiful(wood)(reefing rope)freshwater purely
and cleanly, were wrapping in white(light)(bright)(clear)swaddling
cloth(fine, thin, delicate)(weak)(slight)(subtle)(refined)
and fresh-woven;
but around(you)they(released)(let go)(let loose)(made flow)(uttered
and spoke)(threw)(hurled)(shot)(spouted forth)(sent)
the golden-twisting-cord.
ἔνθα σέ, ἤιε Φοῖβε, θεαὶ λόον ὕδατι καλῷ
ἁγνῶς καὶ καθαρῶς, σπάρξαν δ᾽ ἐν φάρεϊ λευκῷ,
λεπτῷ, νηγατέῳ: περὶ δὲ χρύσεον στρόφον ἧκαν.
not even, there and then, did the mother(o source)(o origin)suckle Apollo
of the golden weapon,
but Themis(whats right to do)(ruled over)(supplied)(offered)poured the first
drops of nectar and lovely ambrosia
with(her)immortal hands;
but Leto(behold)(seize)rejoiced, because she was giving birth
to a bow-bearing and steadfast child.
οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ Ἀπόλλωνα χρυσάορα θήσατο μήτηρ,
ἀλλὰ Θέμις νέκταρ τε καὶ ἀμβροσίην ἐρατεινὴν
ἀθανάτῃσιν χερσὶν ἐπήρξατο: χαῖρε δὲ Λητώ,
οὕνεκα τοξοφόρον καὶ καρτερὸν υἱὸν ἔτικτεν.
nevertheless(since)(you are)already(following)(the dyad-word-song)(it
was binding)(it was needful)(both)(need and bind, yous),
o Phoibos(pure, bright, radiant one),
(you)ate up(devoured)the ambrosial(we missed the mark)(they
missed the mark)(hamartia)food,
you wouldnt be(panting)(gasping)(struggling convulsively)at least(she
approaches)(has)(had been sat)thereupon(had sent)(has sent)(you all
would send)(she had been put-on)(she has been put-on)(i
was restraining)(by the word-songs)the golden-twisting-
cords(were restraining)(restraining)not
you(panting)(gasping)(struggling
convulsively)at least,
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δή, Φοῖβε, κατέβρως ἄμβροτον εἶδαρ,
οὔ σέ γ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ ἴσχον χρύσεοι στρόφοι ἀσπαίροντα,
nor still do the bonds hold(you)back,
(you hold you back, you),
but they(the bonds)were releasing all of the ends(tools)(tackle)(ropes)(cords)(limits)
(boundaries)(completions)(the comings-to-pass)(crises or supreme moments)
(decisions)(determinations)(modes)(means)(verdicts)(dooms)
(instruments)(the final or essential points)
(the sum and the substance);
(as Nestor delivered to his son, on driving the horse-drawn chariot around
the not-rotted-tree-post(grave-marker)(racing goal of ancient men)with two
white stones leaning on either side, the joining-place of ways, stating
there was no great need to instruct him, for he had been loved
and taught by Poseidon and Zeus;
but he said, your work will be heavy, because your horse may be
the slowest; so keep your eye always on the post, and hug(tree-
post)(grave-marker)it and yourself,
lean
a little to the left, urging-on the right horse, giving full-free-rein; and keep
the left horse hard-against and nearly-touching the tree, until the hub
of the strongly-built wheel will seem to touch it, but not enough
to really brush against it, which would break
the chariot, the horses, yourself.
Iliad 23.305-350)
οὐδ᾽ ἔτι δέσματ᾽ ἔρυκε, λύοντο δὲ πείρατα πάντα.
but at once by femmortals(feminine + immortals)Phoibos(pure, bright,
radiant)Apollo was voicing-meta:
(meta - concerning community or participation; action in common
with another; in the midst of; succession; pursuit; letting go; after,
behind; reversely; repeated action or a change in position
or condition; movement)
αὐτίκα δ᾽ ἀθανάτῃσι μετηύδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων: ‘
“dyad-bows(it lets)(let it)would be(to)for(by)me a kithara(o beloved)(dear-girl-
friend)(she loves)(love, you)and a curved-(rain)bows-dyad,
(we would)(we will)proclaim(furnish you with)an oracle(that you consult)(you are
needing and wanting)(you use)(make use of)(take part in)(dealings with)(experience,
suffer, be-yoked-to)(to feel)(to treat)(to)(for)with(by)human beings(of Zeus)
the un-erring and in-fallible(will)(determination)
(design and)council of Zeus."
εἴη μοι κίθαρίς τε φίλη καὶ καμπύλα τόξα,
χρήσω δ᾽ ἀνθρώποισι Διὸς νημερτέα βουλήν.’
(he said, “many, at least some, good-lucks we seem to be consulting, using, treating-
with, o Meno, of strength and fierceness, of spirit and passion, intent
and purpose, standing-fast, will be standing-fast;
if you go, you come and go, you are seeking-for; as they boil and seethe, boil
and seethe, yous! as they live, live, yous!
(let)one excellence, to thrive and prosper, they were thriving and prospering, we
were thriving and prospering, the dyad takes up, raises, lifts up, the beehive,
o beehive, any we have found and discovered, of excellences, thriving
and prospering, (then)we were thriving and prospering;
beside you, being and having-been, strewn, laid down to rest, repose, re-
maining, buried and un-buried, being situated in place, in store, in re-
serve, set-up and laid-down,
enduring."
πολλῇ γέ τινι εὐτυχίᾳ ἔοικα κεχρῆσθαι, ὦ Μένων,
εἰ μίαν ζητῶν ἀρετὴν σμῆνός τι ἀνηύρηκα ἀρετῶν
παρὰ σοὶ κείμενον. cf Meno 72a)
as saying(o saying)he was striding across(chthonos)earth of the wide-ways
Phoibos(pure, bright radiant)of unshorn hair(hekatebolos)darting-from-afar;
but there and then all of the femmortals(get)(acquire, you)(they were astounded
and started meta-voicing too, “we believe you when you say” we are,
we are amazing amazement
labyrinthine);
but by gold(by golden)there and then all(o all)Delos had been heavy and weighed
down(oppressed)(grievous and distressed)(by golden gold);
looking down at the offspring(family)(generation)of Zeus and Leto,
by joyful-gladness-together,
that the god had chosen(taken)(preferred)(seized)(appropriated)(carried-
off)(chosen)(selected)(it)her
(as the)(o)dyad(palace)house,
to put(set)(place)(set it aside)(set it down)(to give a name to a child)
(to apply the mind)(to set down, propose, as a prize)(as the material
of contest)(to put on or about a person, endue him with)(to set out,
a meal)(put it before someone)(to put into a persons heart or mind)
(to suggest, communicate)(to lay, impose, inflict, bring evil)(to bestow,
give, grant)(to bring about, make, cause to come into being or take
place)(to cause to be such)
among islands(will be spinning)(will be swimming)(“for a while”)(a year
or two, or ten)(o spinning and swimming one)(and piling-up
in heaps)and continents(she
was multiplying to infinity,
she was making into mainland —
make it, you — her mind, its history, things she cant
yet think outloud, things still
hidden in dreams,
by who?
“only slightly unsettling,” you say,
she says, o fucking hell)
but she loves(his lock of hair)more-heartedly.
ὣς εἰπὼν ἐβίβασκεν ἐπὶ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης
Φοῖβος ἀκερσεκόμης, ἑκατηβόλος: αἳ δ᾽ ἄρα πᾶσαι
135 θάμβεον ἀθάναται: χρυσῷ δ᾽ ἄρα Δῆλος ἅπασα
( βεβρίθει, καθορῶσα Διὸς Λητοὺς τε γενέθλην,
γηθοσύνῃ, ὅτι μιν θεὸς εἵλετο οἰκία θέσθαι
νήσων ἠπείρου τε, φίλησε δὲ κηρόθι μᾶλλον. )
we bloom, brilliant and shining, we flourish, at the height; they bloom
and flourish, at the height; youve bloomed, have blooming!
have flourishing — “a good day” — have being in(our)full!
and as when the highest peak, of the great mountain, of the ass,
and of the guardian(were tri-partite)by brilliance of blossoms
and flowers eruption as by birds(or a yellow wagtail)of woodland,
trees, forest, of timber, firewood, were burning, of stuff, material,
substance — o mud! — of matter, you are the barking,
baying, howling
of earths
unfathomed
potential
ἤνθησ᾽, ὡς ὅτε τε ῥίον οὔρεος ἄνθεσιν ὕλης.
from hymn 3 to Apollo
mogis pos
kago akousas (fourth days) in kudianerotesia
another day confined, the dog
paces the gate, listening for
her long-absent master. but who
should she come home to meet,
reunion of the heart. and how
should we survive the relation.
not because its in a book,
but because its in our blood,
we know the end of Argos.
and i, at least, am struck by wonder.
i break and shiver. in dreams woven
these underwater syllables.
i weigh, as it were a ratio: our three,
your four. i hold, on fourth days
the dog takes rest.
when hearing, o hearing, i hear
of being silent involuntary
from beings silent involuntary.
κἀγὼ
ἀκούσας
(the first fourth happening
tomorrow)
mogis pos
zero-act play with a false sonnet
(by the window, plush elephant withheld)
leash-lady: play dead.
dog: what a world! what a world.
leash-lady: no, for real. play dead.
(dog reads Shakespeare)
leash-lady: so?
dog: i wrote a poem.
leash-lady: uh-oh. whats it called?
dog: “a sonnet grows askant the brook”
(leash-lady snorts, un-lady-like)
dog: (clears throat)
Our juggled heads as dog and bone,
Ophelias hair and Hamlets one;
Keep Sycorax far from Prospero,
For Mirandas mobile merciful;
My tears, lit years, rage Lears at me,
For Gloucester sees me feelingly;
His daughters blew askant the brook,
His book mere nook til soul partook;
But theres one king, be Yorrick, we,
Dissolves mine-own got-sovereignty.
We run as we run into poetry,
We run as we run through the willow.
(waits indefinitely for applause)
leash-lady: dont you dare make me say it.
dog: (proudly) doggerel!
leash-lady: (painting her nails) im going to need
more of a conceptual diagram.
dog: no.
leash-lady: (with stern look) but no
one else will. no one
else will.
dog: (puzzled) where have i heard that line before . . .
(begins speaking as an aside) and how
is she so good at this? how does she
know to do all of this? and why
is everybody looking at me,
when shes always been
far more interesting
and beautiful
than i?
leash-lady: (rolls her eyes) draw.
(she hands a piece of chalk to dog, who,
after much protestation, reluctantly in-
stantiates a blackboard.)
dog: okay. (takes a deep breath, narrows
eyes, retrieves scent-memory) as we
discover, we being irreducible —
(dog draws a big circle on the board.)
leash-lady: thats they, not we.
(leash-lady goes to the board and draws
two dots.)
dog: (wide-eyed and paws in the air) o indeed are we
suspended here, in a moment of separation.
and i imagine, i imagine, o in my imagination,
the purpose, our purpose, here might be,
to show the impossibility of egoistic
or abstracted or formulaic or activity-
independent explanation or even
any non-relational, un-
adaptive, a-
temporal
mode
or method
of expression.
leash-lady: explanation of what?
dog: us.
leash-lady: so anyway. here we are, two
dots, and the world, or chaos, on the out-
side, is here. right? “no exit”, like Sartre.
dog: i, at least, dont think thats the worst
analogy, but our performance feels text-
urally different from a play? like, more
chewy? more of a chew-toy?
leash-lady: hence the drool.
(dog looks sheepish)
leash-lady: nevermind. so about the pharmakon,
is this like, we party while the world
is burning? drugs and booze?
and opiates . . . wouldnt be
the worst thing.
dog: (whimpers, glances askant)
leash-lady: ah yes, the elephant in the room.
(dog howls)
leash-lady: come on, spit it out.
(dog paws face)
leash-lady: or youll never see your precious
little elephant again! at the blackboard! go!
dog: (sighs deeply, erases dots) okay. forget
the dots.
leash-lady: thats too bad. the dots seemed happy.
dog: well, appearances can be deceiving. no,
the dots were just high. on a different drug.
thats not the kind of drug we have.
i mean, that we are.
leash-lady: wait, how can we be the drug?
i never agreed to that!
dog: (depressed) i hate existentialism. really
i do.
leash-lady: draw, dog!
dog: (takes up chalk dutifully) so heres
a circle, imagine its a sphere. let this, we,
be we.
leash-lady: all smooth and even like that, huh?
dog: (looks at circle, which has been unevenly
drawn) well, what do you expect from a dog?
leash-lady: continue.
dog: (defensively) im just a dog, not
an elephant, or even
an elephant expert.
leash-lady: (aside) clearly. (out-
loud) draw!
dog: so at the moment, we are testing the limits
of the elephant. we are, as you indicate, pretty
bipolar.
leash-lady: okay. so the imaginary sphere
has poles. arent those
like dots?
dog: we being the poles, of a spherical field —
leash-lady: a field, like of grass?
dog: not like a meadow field. like a magnetic
field, like Faraday. we are meaning, like
a magnetic field.
leash-lady: so?
dog: its just, like, kaleidoscopic, like (sniffs
the air) correspondances,
leash-lady: not now, with the french. not
now, with the Baudelaire.
(dog in feelings)
leash-lady: sober up, dog. draw more.
dog: okay. right now, we are suspended from the act.
and time, without activity, loses its field of relation. so,
were a little stuck. you versus i, master versus slave,
but like, a friendlier version. i hope.
have you ever read Hegel?
leash-lady: (face in hands) why is this my life . . .
dog: yes, sorry, sorry, sorry. dont read Hegel.
please, go take a very long nap instead.
(aside) an ex used to say she had Platon-
gefühl. he was a Hegelian.
leash-lady: (sternly) i can hear you. and how
is that relevant?
dog: because it brings up, like vomit — have you
noticed that occasional feeling of nausea
we have?
leash-lady: yes, and? have you been eating beach-
poo again?
dog: (sighs) i miss the beach.
leash-lady: im about to close the ipad screen.
draw!
dog: yes, where was i . . . oh, the memory. and
the remembering. its relevant because all
of this evokes in me a very strange
mixture
of feelings.
leash-lady: feelings? (frowns) is this just
about feelings? is this —
a kissing book?
dog: yes, and —
leash-lady: is it just a distraction, just
a feel-good movie, just
to pass the time, soft
and comfy-like,
amidst
(gestures out the window)
this chaos?
dog: (tired) not quite, i imagine, judging by what
weve undergone, so far, at least. to me, it feels
kind of like . . . some kind of animal
exercise . . . (trails off, wags tail)
leash-lady: wait. you mean you don’t know?
dog: of course not!
leash-lady: (exasperated) then why on earth
would you be dragging us
through all of this?
(puppy-dog eyes)
leash-lady: what does it feel like then?
dog: oh, so so much. hope, then terror, then joy,
then grief, then wonder, then joy, then funny,
then grief, then terror, then pain,
then wonder, then sorrow,
then hope . . .
(dog chases own tail)
leash-lady: it seems awfully ego-gratifying
for supposedly being ego-death.
(dog barks)
leash-lady: bad dog.
dog: yes, well. funny you should say that. ive
not gotten here by being very clever, you see.
leash-lady: again, with the all-about-you. what
about we? spit it out!
dog: (adjusts glasses) okay. my current theory, if
you forced me, would be that we are some kind
of cosmic
heart
muscle.
(cringes all-around)
dog: youre the one who made me draw a diagram!
leash-lady: im not, actually.
dog: then who —
leash-lady: dont yell at me.
dog: okay. im sorry, ill try not to.
leash-lady: thank you. anyway, what does it,
what do they, as we, do?
dog: we do, like this —
(dog waves paws around the blackboard
in a very un-doglike manner, wags
tail and whines
like a dog)
leash-lady: clarifying absolutely nothing. ok,
quick, cause this is getting very long, and i can tell
you could go on forever. if were bi-
polar, what are our poles?
dog: well, heres the not-so-easy part. my sense is
we-will-worker-bees through many situationships.
and we have many things yet to learn about us.
leash-lady: there seems to be a great deal
of repetition. will there be more
of that? repetition?
dog: probably. but some of the grand
patterns seem to be something like,
death versus insanity?
despair versus mania?
tragedy versus comedy?
love versus grief?
leash-lady: that sounds very dark. are you
okay?
(dog labels the circle with polarities,
triangles, vectors, and other notation.)
leash-lady: wheres the chaos, didnt
you say you were
a chaotician?
dog: (looks up, tilts head) geometrician. im
a geometrician. (barks in Kuna Greek)
leash-lady: who deals with the chaos, then?
dog: (shrugs) dunno, maybe cats.
leash-lady: but those things you wrote,
about love and death, et cetera, they
seem mostly like antagonisms.
i thought dog was mans best friend.
dog: yes. and like everybody in Hamlet,
they, or we, remain terribly resolved, solips-
sismuses, abysmal ones, destined —
leash-lady: doomed?
dog: yes —
leash-lady: tragic?
dog: — at least, until we —
leash-lady: if we, you mean.
dog: yes! if and until we, as whoever we are,
enact and express them —
leash-lady: which are, psychic-cosmic abysms?
dog: — yes, through our own
relation. dialectical mediation,
if you will.
leash-lady: Hegel again?
dog: (frowns) more OG than that.
leash-lady: meaning?
(dog jumps through the circle on the black-
board, which has caught on fire, as if
it were a hoop)
(leash-lady waits)
(dog jumps back out)
leash-lady: and you wont find it in a text-
book — why?
dog: no. yes. because the plushie (points nose
at elephant) was made to be un-chewable, or
inedible, in any other way than by how we
are partaking of it, or really, partaking
through it, if we were being we,
not you and i, as we seem
to be being
now.
leash-lady: you mean to say . . . it can only
be read as a we?
dog: (dreamily) my plushie can only be chewed by love.
leash-lady: that strikes me as —
dog: fuck patriarchy!
leash-lady: — as astoundingly unlikely.
dog: (rolls over)
leash-lady: that seems almost . . . post-modern.
almost avant garde . . . or is it
a religious thing?
dog: (tongue out) were classics now, baby!
leash-lady: (winces) okay dog, continue.
dog: but im scared. (whines)
leash-lady: well, i believe in you.
and i believe you can do it.
because ive seen you do it.
and it doesnt have to be perfect,
but it does have to be you. so,
dog,
do.
dog: (after receiving much encouragement) okay.
only as we, can the plushie, and so it seems,
the entire elephant corpus, be sniffed-out
and un-dug —
leash-lady: and eaten?
dog: well i, at least, try
to eat everything i find.
leash-lady: aha. but tell me, why
would an elephant be made
in this way, as strange
to eat, as this one?
dog: survival.
leash-lady: but why is it a plush elephant, at all?
dog: i dunno, being neither elephant, nor plushie.
but being a dog, i suppose it wants to be a good
guardian. maybe, the plushie protects itself
from self-serve, self-serving eating.
leash-lady: intriguing. almost like how
an elephant wouldnt wish
to be eaten.
dog: well, its not potatoes!
leash-lady: (laughs) but i am questions
inside questions . . .
dog: also, maybe it protects the souls of dogs
by never letting we-dogs get stuck in soliloquy.
leash-lady: like Hamlet?
dog: (frowns) or graveyard clowns . . .
leash-lady: dont get discouraged. draw.
(dog motions at the flaming circle on the board)
dog: so, if it-we pulls us-two out of madnesses
that wait at either of our two poles, then
even as were bipolar, we even us out.
leash-lady: in our relational field.
dog: and because it binds us with each-
other, it also becomes, so-
to-speak, a poetry-self-
guardian — or even,
a guard dog. like
dog-school, but
like poetry,
for we.
leash-lady: ironic.
dog: whats irony?
leash-lady: that im here guarding
the guardian plushie
from the guard dog.
(puppy-dog eyes)
leash-lady: now let me guess. none of this drawn-out
explanation, which wasnt altogether un-
enlightening, could really be any kind
of replacement, neither for the parts,
nor for the whole, of the previous
or any of the subsequent
wordless moments
upon which we
have built
ourself . . .
dog: my queen! (walking on hind-legs)
leash-lady: laying it on thick, are we?
(dog plays dead)
leash-lady: uh-huh. methinks the puppy doth pro-
test too much. already. again.
dog: (risen) theres one more thing id like to say
leash-lady: of course.
dog: one little word can carry a lot of baggage.
leash-lady: indeed. so can one dogs nose.
dog: so i was trying to write a soliloquy
about that, to go here.
leash-lady: uh-huh.
dog: (with fanfare) but then,
i cut it —
snip!
(applause)
leash-lady: this changes everything, and yet,
this changes nothing at all.
(oohs and aahs)
dog: and then the formatting really boggled
my indie-web blog, and my dog-brain too.
(laughter)
leash-lady: you know, dog, you dont have to write it
down all at once. sometimes, you can just
put the work down gently, at the end
of a long day. self-care,
other-care,
we-care,
it-care.
(silence)
dog: it cares! it cares!
leash-lady: i didnt say that —
dog: so, can we please have
our elephant back now?
leash-lady: beg
(dog begs)
κἀγὼ
grabbed by the dog
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
ye syes yes yes yes yes yes yesss
o my godddddgodgodgod theres an elephant
guess what color!
my plushie is a psychedelic substance
it hascome to take over the universe, yall —
κἀγὼ
wherein fearlessness be found our freedom
and once more, again, anew, how — possibly back-
wards, by the beach dog — bow wow — aouuu . . .
the aim — waiting and looking — for the she-head —
if someday, dri nkinsymposian-drunk, would be —
to take care — you take care — it would take care —
of herself by herself —
but without — us finishing it — we being — her soul —
we sending her up — in fearlessness — letting her howl —
O whole of a body, make me whole, to be whole —
our lunations, as do we, as we do — toward home —
remain many un-thinking-fool-ish-nesses . . .
καὶ αὖ
τὸ τὴν κεφαλὴν οἴεσθαι
ἄν ποτε θεραπεῦσαι
αὐτὴν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῆς
ἄνευ
ὅλου τοῦ σώματος
πολλὴν ἄνοιαν εἶναι
//
mogis pos
psuche
wild
🌒
his own death
πρὸς οὖν ἐμὲ ὁ Κριτίας
Ἔναγχός τοι
ἔφη
βαρύνεσθαί
τι τὴν κεφαλὴν
ἕωθεν
ἀνιστάμενος
ἀλλὰ τί σε κωλύει
προσποιήσασθαι
πρὸς αὐτὸν
ἐπίστασθαί
τι κεφαλῆς φάρμακον
nothing
(they are)(it was)i was(saying)
Critias calls
to the follower
and at once to the follower — Child
he was saying
(beauty)call(and
always be calling)
Charmides
καὶ ἅμα πρὸς τὸν ἀκόλουθον Παῖ
ἔφη
κάλει
Χαρμίδην
to the graveyard woman (who keeps his kid) (goat)
saying that i wish
(with)by the doctor
(you)to put it(self) together
(around)about the (she)weakness
of which before
(it)was telling(laying) me
that (it)(you)(are)weak
εἰπὼν ὅτι βούλομαι αὐτὸν
ἰατρῷ
συστῆσαι
περὶ τῆς ἀσθενείας
ἧς πρῴην
πρός με ἔλεγεν
ὅτι ἀσθενοῖ
and the blanket on his bed (small print re: freckles)
guess im on vacation yall
being told nothing
the valley out
dont forget to use sun protection
get your skin check
at the dermatolologist
sh(weakness)
🌕 x 3
alone on earth
on a plastic-woven recliner
on the garbage-strewn beach
as dawn reaches across the sea
her icy fingers peach and violet
that my iphone cant capture
not only because its broken
after seven years of coercion
i am surrounded by beach dogs
wagging tails and paws searching
me for snacks and company which
i surrender as i pat and scratch many
ears and necks and sleek black faces
and nuzzles of muzzles into my arms
they bury me in studious welcome
the poet was blind so hes
brushed by the rosy fingers
hes drinking the wine-dark sea
the sunrise of such sweet dreams
as momentary pouring out on me
me and all of these excitable dogs
its shocking hot-pink allusion
//
altogether(yes) at least
(he) Critias was saying
(since)(you are) (by you)(look you) and (he) is
both a lover of wisdom and
as it seems both to others and to (it)(him)self
altogether poetical
καὶ πάνυ γε
ἔφη ὁ Κριτίας
ἐπεί τοι καὶ ἔστιν
φιλόσοφός τε καί
ὡς δοκεῖ ἄλλοις τε καὶ ἑαυτῷ
πάνυ ποιητικός
154ε
american shade
well that was a beautiful city
i think he had a beautiful tan
i heard he tried to make peace
in the tropical asian southeast
left footprints on bigfoot and a beach
made marilyn milkmaid the moon
runaway chevy fifty-seven bridegroom
the flag that got left on her face
and then he lost interest
when he lost faith in my body
i assumed it was me, in washington d.c.
my mother my father implicitly
somersaulting the scene
there were sprinklers and sparklers
and lipgloss from a rich invitee
at my eleventh birthday party
so it must have been me
was i jackie or sara
should i have offered my face
like courtney then lana and everyone else
become a magazine fiction
lolita fillers, no filters, no friction
trade a dick in for my diction
go down for an icy-hot la embrace
but i assumed it was me
i bought in, i got out, i was clean
now im your summer ambition
if you cut me down to your size
you can grab me by the waist
be the one to take me back
if you put me in my place
will you teach me willing words
will you rearrange my face
i strip naked for a tune
if you touch me like i touch me
reach for my dangerously thin body
when i put makeup on my eyes
i can still look twenty-one
its when i start to cry for him
its clear im done and dying again
but now that ai fills the sky
we could really write a hit
throw pinecones from behind a tree
and when you dont show up for it
ill cry for a squirrel
he got famous with a book
from a girl it took the look
but it will never be okay
for me to hook an iamb
i tried to be a flesh machine
i fucked the literary scene
all the women there were mean
and the fathers gave me hpv
i thought it was a dog disease
that was the shape of me then
when he lost faith in my body
and i assumed it was my face
i took ballet classes in houston
practiced lightning earns his grace
i was too stubborn, it was me
everyday a tempest fought a system
i parted so many ways i parted
the ocean
even so, most days i dont know
if i can make promises again
even for roses, violets for you
eve or the planet or my ghost best friend
for who made me, who left me, i left him
cherry-black abortion vasectomy
and he was a baby then too
and i know what it looks like now
babies having babies
he was the last american man
it was a dream and he was dead
before my life even began
face of an unsolved mystery
slid right through when previously
sleeping through history
i assumed that bob did it
but it was just he, most easily
who delivered the unfortunate news
//
nevertheless, this
he was saying
if he would be willing to strip
he would seem to you to be faceless
so all-beautiful is the form
οὗτος μέντοι
ἔφη
εἰ ἐθέλοι ἀποδῦναι
δόξει σοι ἀπρόσωπος εἶναι
οὕτως τὸ εἶδος πάγκαλός ἐστιν
154δ
burlesque empire
to cross the Rubicon, where left meets right,
we found a body. being unrecognized,
we hold it side-by-side her photograph.
the printed animal in black and white
was captive to the scene: how Bettie used
the furniture, her pose and what it meant
to her, her legs and what they wore for us.
stilettos pointed out the stars. surely
they were not hours in bondage to a fault.
the leather business never skins enough,
as keys to pleasure play the vault betrayed,
and suits around her salivate like wolves.
the burlesque empire folds itself around the twain:
a missing woman tangled in the pin-up queen.
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
but if
(on the other hand)
you still long for (potheein)
anything
leading (the way) and holding (it) (hegoumenos)
to have been left aside (para-lepein)
// 234ξ
εἰ δ᾽ ἔτι τι σὺ ποθεῖς
ἡγούμενος παραλελεῖφθαι
desert likeness //
animal ownership
i am in love
with a real animal
she feels strangely familiar
she feels strangely kind
i am drawn
by her steady warmth
by her interior calm
she seems to understand
i am tempted
to bring her home
i want her to be safe
i am afraid she is not safe
i am bound
by animal ownership
my dog is not my dog
she is her own beach dog
//
disproportionate luxury
my three cats are
as kept-healthy housecats
i daily reckon a deep
irresponsibility
//
date night and an opened fast
the bistro grows further away with every date
the one at the end of the island where we go
to visit our phantom habit for public hunger
your eyes say its not fair to look with my pit
but the opened fast maneuvers greed into survival
so we chew but cannot swallow what we see
is this then what judgment is my lips will ask
this polyester napkin and those contactless faces
our eyes held hands fed body before what future
you drive us home in the twisting dark as i nod off
the headlights reflected in dogs eyes like coins
as the unfed guard the way by broken asphalt
we arrive and flavor seems to have returned
we bite a grey macaron speckled with black sesame
seeds soft as the crack at the back of a cradled head
//
takjil classic
my mind is frantic
in the hour before sunset
when the annunciation pangs
i hunted double by the fangs of love
am drawn cold into the pit of hunger
so i pace your perimeter like a wolf
i trace the confines of my sensate cell
then burning captive as the passing sun
and growing tidal as the shadows long
now soon again is never times enough
i dont know what takes hold of me
when i press your body to the earth
when i am the salivating predator
as fingers ten my teeth and tongue
as sticky sweet your parted pliable
to taste the heart deferred
three medjool dates
//
🌓