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Spells and the Thoughts of Tiresias

Spells and the Thoughts of Tiresias “Halliwell’s basic argument is that Socrates admits the Book X arguments to be insecure and open to defeat. He calls them ‘spells’ rather than philosophical knowledge, and he asserts that he must use them [those arguments]...

Sing in Me, Rational Muse!

Sing in Me, Rational Muse! Plato’s “descriptions of poetic inspiration occur over a long period of time, ranging from his earliest works to his latest, and there is considerable uniformity in what he says.  Throughout P.’s work the mental state of the inspired poet is...

Piéria

                 Piéria Modern poetry  modern verse  contemporary poetry  contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem “the Muses’ ancient home between the roots of Olympus and the sea; to where ‘Pēneus rolls his fountains Against the morning star’.” ~ F. L....

Daedalus and Icarus

     Daedalus and Icarus Modern poetry  modern verse  contemporary poetry  contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem “The natural rhythms of Greek [poetry] tend ‘downward,’ falling” ~ Michael Schmidt, The First Poets, 14 How strange it is to think that ancient...

Brain Matter, Bone Marrow

Brain Matter or Bone Marrow Modern poetry  modern verse  contemporary poetry  contemporary verse “Stefan Büttner (‘Inspiration and Inspired Poets in Plato’s Dialogues’) acknowledges the frequency with which Plato accepts the possibility of inspiration and admires its...

Psalm 130

               Psalm 130 From out of depths of sorrow came the sounds Of  Parry’s anthem (first of all) “In my Distress.”  The music came from deep chest wounds Und Bach and Luther.  Anguish reaches sky And heaven only when the music climbs From sources such as...