happy winter solstice!

[tebing]

In the vale of Enna there is a lake embowered in woods, which screen it from the fervid rays of the sun, while the moist ground is covered with flowers, and Spring reigns perpetual. Here Proserpine was playing with her companions, gathering lilies and violets, and filling her basket and her apron with them, when Pluto saw her, loved her, and

Comments

[alsoname]

Is this a refutation of claims of the inherent peacefulness of the matriarchy, often made by those who observe the solstice? I assume not, but am not sure what to make of it otherwise.

[tebing]

Ehh, no ulterior motive, I just wanted to post the myth of Persephone for the first day of winter. (Though maybe it would've made more sense to post it on the autumn eqiunox, since that's when the weather actually starts getting cold)

Well, also I've been reading Peter Kingsley's book Reality recently, which is about the ancient Greek philosopher Parmenides, who wrote a poem inspired by a shamanic journey to the underworld where he met a goddess who went unnamed but was most likely meant to be Persephone. This poem is considered to be the foundational text in Western logic and philosophy, which is kind of funny given the circumstances in which it was written.

[alsoname]

I just now read about record snowfall in your neck of the woods. When is the last time you made a snowman? (I am compelled to say "snowperson.")

Anyway, interesting. I have not really read much of any of that stuff. I'm a metrophobe, though, not to mention phobic of old dialects of English, which is sort of hilarious given my educational background.

[tebing]

The last time? There hasn't even been a first time. ;) Yeah, we did get a few feet of snow over a week and a half, but it wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't like it was a blizzard or something.

Metrophobe?? Umm....phobic of poetic meter? And I'm sorry if this post gave you goosebumps or whatever when you read it, what with all that old-fashioned English and whatnot. (You know, this myth is usually known as "The Rape of Persephone"...I guess "rape" could also mean "abduction" or "kidnapping" back in the day.)