#classical allusions

[the-suns-also-rise]

Allusions (2/?): The Heroides

Ovid, whose Metamorphoses is mentioned numerous times in Season 5, also wrote The Heroides. This is a collection of letters written by abandoned epic heroines to their absent lovers. A few worth highlighting:

Penelope, who waited twenty years for Odysseus - ten years after he should have returned from the Trojan War

Phyliss, who began her letter with hope even though the promised date of Demophoon’s return was long past, pleading for him to come back to her

Ariadne, who helped Theseus escape the Minotaur, then watched from the cliffs as his ship sailed away from her

Laodameia, who was terrified because she doesn’t know whether Protesilaus, off fighting the Trojan War, was alive or dead

Sappho, Canace, Dejanira, and Dido, who contemplated suicide

None of their letters were answered.

[poemadaydoctoraway]

day 345 | woman wearing a blanket as a dress

[mfstrong]

You’ll never catch me being one of those “it was better when” dudes. Fuck that. I’m the guy who didn’t keep up, so it’s on me. But it’s true. You only have so much you can keep up with once life gets busy.

William Caxton Fan Club

Somewhat out of context quote from John Darnielle (please do click through the the original).

I think it's an important perspective to have. The world goes on whether we want it to or not. Much of what I liked has held up, and means different things now than it did when I first discovered it, but it wasn't some golden age that we lost and no we live in an age of iron and it will never be restored. I found my place where no one knows what an oar is, taste-wise, and settled there. Everyone once in a while someone will turn me on to something new, and I appreciate it, but I no longer seek out new music the way I once did.