#p. 54

[everyillumi]

[returntomytilene]

‘During this visit a young man with literary tastes, whom Natalie refers to as Alcée in her memoirs, introduced her to a book that changed her life. Published in 1885, it pulled together fragments of works by an ancient Greek poet named Sappho, whose sensuous and often erotic verse is addressed to women. In words two-and-a-half millennia old, Natalie was stunned to learn “that the greatest poetess of ancient Greece shared my attraction” for women. For the first time she saw portrayed the same emotions of love and jealousy that she herself had felt. Perhaps she wasn’t a pervert after all, she thought.’

— Suzanne Rodriguez, Wild Heart: A Life (2002)

[returntomytilene]

‘Her [Natalie’s] lovesick mooning attracted notice, particularly from the Belgian diplomat. Jealous, he accused Natalie of loving women, calling her a “vicieuse” (pervert) and another name so foul that she refused to spell it out. His words took Natalie aback. Until then she’d never questioned her desires, considering them perfectly natural. To learn that they were a vice and, in the bargain, to be called a horrible name were devastating. For a while she would have nothing to do with the man.’

— Suzanne Rodriguez, Wild Heart: A Life (2002)

[mntor]

Tengo el sentimiento, sobre todo, de haberme escapado de un mundo de abstracciones y de encontrarme entre hombres reales, buenos o malos, pero de una bondad o maldad verdaderas. La bondad, sobre todo en una fábrica, es algo real cuando existe; pues el menor acto de benevolencia, desde una simple sonrisa hasta un favor que se haga, exige vencer el cansancio, la obsesión por el salario, todo lo que agobia e incita a replegarse sobre uno mismo. De la misma manera el pensamiento exige un esfuerzo casi milagroso para elevarse sobre las condiciones en las que se vive. Porque aquí no ocurre como en la universidad, donde a uno se le paga por pensar o al menos por aparentarlo; aquí la tendencia sería más bien a pagar por no pensar; entonces, cuando se percibe un destello de inteligencia, se está seguro de que no engaña.

[trechos-e-textos]

Mas não pude deixar de me perguntar por que, quando você perde uma pessoa importante na sua vida, ou está a ponto de perdê-la, ela se torna mais preciosa do que nunca.

Eu, Alex Cross