The Parthenon by Ictinus, Callicrates and Phidias

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“With the soul’s awakening, direction, too, first reaches living expression,–Classical expression in steady adherence to the near-present and exclusion of the distant and future . . .” ~ Oswald Spengler, “Symbolism and Space,” IV

The Faustus will to greed and pride is hued

Like envy’s emeralds on the lovely breast

Of Troy’s Helen.  Faustus’ magic spewed

Its vomit on the universe and messed

Up everything.  He missed the point.  He missed

The aim of soul.  Awakening is the point

Of souls, but Faustus’s pettiness hissed

Its way to Hell where he’s a roasted joint

Immortally.  He misdirected all

His gifts. He read and mastered all he could

But then rejected greatness, choosing small,

Small, small . . . repudiating all the golden good.

  Awake. Go straight like pillared rows at dawn

    In Athens, strong as Phidias has drawn.

~ Phillip Whidden