by phillipw | Apr 15, 2020 | AN, LO
The Sacred Fire The Thespians of Greece in ancient times Upheld the god of love devout as saints Have ever been. Deep lovers’ paradigms Are never quite as true as perfect paints: Vermeer’s silk velvet spaces spring to mind. The purity those Thespians conceived...
by phillipw | Apr 15, 2020 | LO, MA
The Night before Thermopylae — “The Hot Gates” “Phaedrus's praise for erôs (love) as a precondition for courage employs poetic quotations from poems that in fact state that wisdom is the true precondition, and that erotic passion without thoughtfulness leads...
by phillipw | Apr 14, 2020 | LO
Open The ancient Greeks believed that light beams flowed Both into eyes and out of them. If stars Poured in their lights, then stars in light streams flowed Back out. If Venus, Jupiter, or Mars Fell down through irises, then planets’ lights Shone...
by phillipw | Apr 14, 2020 | FR, LO, MA, WI
An Ancient Greek Trinity In Athens Love was placed in honor by Athena. There beside chaste wisdom, love Was set up on a plinth. The Greeks placed high In their gymnasia that god above Their bodies practicing for ideal power. Accompanying love there in that place Were...
by phillipw | Apr 14, 2020 | LO, VI
Gay Love as Paradox Love, who is wisdom’s pupil gay ~ Euripides Euripides goes on to say that love Leads on to virtue, often. Note that one Word, though: “often,” for love is not above Dementing men with a rot-like passion. Stun Them, that is what love does, like a...
by phillipw | Apr 8, 2020 | LO, LU, RO
Atheism “The lyric had functions in religious and other terms.” ~ Michael Schmidt, The First Poets, 10 So what has changed? Nothing really, except We now make lust itself a god, divine Without the need of Venus. We have swept The gods...
