Ovid (Publius Ovidus Naso) was a Roman born on March 20, 43 b.c. and lived until 18 a.d. His father was of the Eqestrian order in Rome and provided Ovid with a first class education and opportunities to serve in public office. His passion for poetry led him to write the Metamorphoisis, fascinating stories of transformation enabled by the power of gods. Ovid completed the Metamorphosis some where near the time that Christ was born. Chaucer himself favoured the Metamorphosis along with most all of Western Culture. The Metamorphosis and other works of Ovid are said to have furnished great painters and sculptors with the material for their works of timeless art. Ovid also published some of his poetic work under the name of Naso.
Ovid's station is society placed him in a familiar position with the family of Augustus, the emperor of Rome. It is believed that it was some offense to a memeber of this family that led to Ovid's exile from Rome. At the age of 50 Ovid was sent to live the remainder of his ten years in Tomis, a barbarous country that borders the Black Sea known for a severe climate. Seperated from his wife, his work and the prosporous life he had led in Rome Ovid began a metamorphosis of his own.
The tale An Imaginary Life written by David Malouf is the story of Ovid's life in exile at Tomis. In this story Ovid is reaquainted with the Child, a wild boy raised in the forest most likely by wolves or deer. It is Ovids obsession with this creature of nature that drives him to request that the boy be captured and brought to the village. This of course is the beginning of a metamorphosis for the Child. During this period Ovid continues to morph from the political figure of Rome to a man comfortable living among those with a crude language and supersticious practices.
The Metamorphosis written by Ovid and An Imaginary Life written about Ovid are fascinating stories of transformation either from the gods or as a result of man's will. It is the Metamorphosis however that has made Ovid the father of transformation.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Phaethon
3/22/09: The passage from Tales from Ovid titled "Phaethon" was fantastic reading. There was the struggle between Age and Youth ( #2 of the 5 conflicts)at the beginning. The obvious wisdom of age allowing the pride of youth to persuade a tragic oath. Then the mention of four horses which immediately makes you think of the four horses of the apocalypse, and sure enough, there it all is. Conquest, War, Famine and Death (the four horses of the apocalypse) are represented in this tale. First; Phaethon wins the the ride in the chariot. Second; the battle with the zodiac, Third; the destruction to the earth and fourth; the death of Phaeton.
It is interesting to consider that this story may be based on a comet colling with the earth and creating such landmarks as rivers, deserts and mountains as well as skin tone in certain regions. I prefer to accept the tale as the fall of Phaeton, the spoiled son of the sun.
It is interesting to consider that this story may be based on a comet colling with the earth and creating such landmarks as rivers, deserts and mountains as well as skin tone in certain regions. I prefer to accept the tale as the fall of Phaeton, the spoiled son of the sun.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Flyting
3/4/09: one of my most fondest flyting memories happened when I was about 17 years old and my little brother was 14. I had walked home from the bus stop after school only to find my brother, Bill standing at the gate with a lighter in one hand and a can of raid spray in the other. Naturally, I asked "what are you doing dumb ass?" To which he replied;" bite me!" Then he said that was going to kill the wasp nest in the railings of the wooden gate and why don't I mind my own fu.....g business. I said; "listen you punk ass litttle pyro freak, you're gonna burn the gate down or scorcth all the fur off of your inbred face!" Bill swung the gate open and raced out into the street calling me bi..h and waving the lighter and aerosol can at me.
Just then a nieghbor came by walking her dog. She really tried to ignore the two of us standing in the street hurling insults back and forth at eachother while my brother was brandishing a home made flame thrower.
We settled down some as she went directly passed, then Bill raced back for the gate yelling back over his shouler that he wasn't going to let me in. As he reached the gate that he had so violently swung open moments before one of the angry inhabitants of the nest he was intent on destroying came out and stung him on the arm. Now, I know it was wrong butIi just howled! With that my brother turned loose a blue streak of insults at me then took the aerosol can, started to spray the gate, held up the lighter in the stream and flicked his bick. Yep, he burned a good portion of the hair off of his hand and the gate went up like a tinder box.
Perfect timing, as the gate was fully engulfed in flames and I was reminding my brother of all his short comings with every insult I could think of my mother's car pulled around the corner heading for home. She seemed surprised to find the front gate in flames. The moment that she had a grasp of the situation she began to hurl insults at my bother which was naturally a bonus for my day.
Just then a nieghbor came by walking her dog. She really tried to ignore the two of us standing in the street hurling insults back and forth at eachother while my brother was brandishing a home made flame thrower.
We settled down some as she went directly passed, then Bill raced back for the gate yelling back over his shouler that he wasn't going to let me in. As he reached the gate that he had so violently swung open moments before one of the angry inhabitants of the nest he was intent on destroying came out and stung him on the arm. Now, I know it was wrong butIi just howled! With that my brother turned loose a blue streak of insults at me then took the aerosol can, started to spray the gate, held up the lighter in the stream and flicked his bick. Yep, he burned a good portion of the hair off of his hand and the gate went up like a tinder box.
Perfect timing, as the gate was fully engulfed in flames and I was reminding my brother of all his short comings with every insult I could think of my mother's car pulled around the corner heading for home. She seemed surprised to find the front gate in flames. The moment that she had a grasp of the situation she began to hurl insults at my bother which was naturally a bonus for my day.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
2/25/09:I found all of the discussion of love in the "Symposium" awakened a new awareness of the emotion. What is love? I believe that it is different for each of us on some level and yet universally the same ideology.
We love our pets but that doesn't extend their life expectancy to rival our own. Some of us even believe that we have found best friends or soul mates in our pets and yet we lose them so early and so often if you dare to love another pet after your initial heartbreak. This loss of love must be more common than some think if Dr. Sexson would ask a class to write about it and there are so many toughing responses and then there are the those of us who can't bare to write about it.
We love our family. But again, all the love in the world can't stop the reaper. Our hearts break again!
We find love in lovers and spouses and one more time...it could all be in vain.
What is this love thing? Why do so many write about it, talk about it, sing about it and dream about it ?
Why is such a painful thing be the center of philosophy, literature, history and art?
Because it's everything. Without it we have nothing.
Much Love,
Stacy
We love our pets but that doesn't extend their life expectancy to rival our own. Some of us even believe that we have found best friends or soul mates in our pets and yet we lose them so early and so often if you dare to love another pet after your initial heartbreak. This loss of love must be more common than some think if Dr. Sexson would ask a class to write about it and there are so many toughing responses and then there are the those of us who can't bare to write about it.
We love our family. But again, all the love in the world can't stop the reaper. Our hearts break again!
We find love in lovers and spouses and one more time...it could all be in vain.
What is this love thing? Why do so many write about it, talk about it, sing about it and dream about it ?
Why is such a painful thing be the center of philosophy, literature, history and art?
Because it's everything. Without it we have nothing.
Much Love,
Stacy
Monday, February 16, 2009
A beautiful decomposition.
2/16/09: I just wanted to share a really beautiful decomposition story. I am a veterinary technician. One year ago this past Oct. I was working in the Tom Minor basin south of Livingston on a huge ranch that borders Yellostone. Unfortunately two days before myself and the veterinarian that was working for arrived to castrate some yearling horses, the manager of the ranch had had to shoot a horse with a broken leg. The body of the horse was on a bluff about 300 yards away from the pens tha we were working in.
When we first arrived there were several coyotes feasting on the carcass. Shortly after we heard the coyote let out a cry and run off. A huge grey wolf came out of the timberline and began to get his share. We watched him through the binoculars for a while and then got back to work, he was breathtakingly beautiful. Then suddenly he trotted off into the trees. Next, a big black bear came out of the woods. He sat down to dinner. Now I wasn't doing any work at all, just watching this gorgeous bear when he let out a yelp and took off for a big boulder up the hill. Now what would make him run? A mama grizzly with two yearly cubs would do it. I couldn't believe it. There she was dining with her big babies. The cubs got a little excited so she had to remind them who eats first with a huge roar that I'll never forget. They settled down and were allowed back at the table as long as they watched their manners.
It was facinating to watch nature do it's thing in one afternoon. From that one unfurtunate creature so many others benefited.
That's the beautiful side of decomposition.
When we first arrived there were several coyotes feasting on the carcass. Shortly after we heard the coyote let out a cry and run off. A huge grey wolf came out of the timberline and began to get his share. We watched him through the binoculars for a while and then got back to work, he was breathtakingly beautiful. Then suddenly he trotted off into the trees. Next, a big black bear came out of the woods. He sat down to dinner. Now I wasn't doing any work at all, just watching this gorgeous bear when he let out a yelp and took off for a big boulder up the hill. Now what would make him run? A mama grizzly with two yearly cubs would do it. I couldn't believe it. There she was dining with her big babies. The cubs got a little excited so she had to remind them who eats first with a huge roar that I'll never forget. They settled down and were allowed back at the table as long as they watched their manners.
It was facinating to watch nature do it's thing in one afternoon. From that one unfurtunate creature so many others benefited.
That's the beautiful side of decomposition.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Bad Day
2/8/09: It was too beautiful of a weekend to have a bad day. I'll have to share from the archives...
I was at a veterinary technician conference in Fla. this past July. When the 8 hour session of pet nutrition came to a merciful end I headed for my truck and was on my way out of the parking lot of the hotel that hosted the conference. Oblivious to my surroundings and numb above the shoulders from 8 hours of "feeding the diabetic cat" in monotone, I didn't notice the police cars in the parking lot. I was the last in a line of cars trying to get through the traffic light and didn't make it. My windows were open to allow some of the Fla. heat to escape the cab of my truck therefore I immediately noticed the near collision that a huge black un-marked S.U.V. had with my truck as it zoomed past. The second vehicle of identical description came to a screeching halt next to my truck and deposited a flack jacket clad, buzz cut, gun drawn man. This gentleman proceeded to instruct me in a raised voice to "put it in park and get your head down, NOW! I obeyed these instructions. First, glancing around to realize that there were other gentlemen with bigger guns screaming at the occupants of a mini-van in the parking lot. Not good. An authoritative voice came over the radio on the shoulder of the "officer"? that had given me my instructions. This voice simply said "get rid of her now!" I became concerned about the use of the term "get rid of". However, the gentlman that was still standing at the side of my truck with one hand inside my truck and the other on a gun simply replied "traffic sir." Seconds later the officer instructed me to sit up and drive! "Do you understand me?!" he said. Oh I understood, I've never understood anything so clearly in my life. I drove.
When I got home I searched the news for some story in regards to this event...nothing. I spoke to a friend of mine on the local sherrifs dept. Nothing. I explained that these officers did not have any identifying initials on their clothing, no F.B.I, no A.T.F. no nothing. My friend suggested that I should stop looking for an explanation and be thankful that they hadn't had to get rid of me.
So maybe it wasn't such a bad day but at the time it sure felt like it qualified.
I was at a veterinary technician conference in Fla. this past July. When the 8 hour session of pet nutrition came to a merciful end I headed for my truck and was on my way out of the parking lot of the hotel that hosted the conference. Oblivious to my surroundings and numb above the shoulders from 8 hours of "feeding the diabetic cat" in monotone, I didn't notice the police cars in the parking lot. I was the last in a line of cars trying to get through the traffic light and didn't make it. My windows were open to allow some of the Fla. heat to escape the cab of my truck therefore I immediately noticed the near collision that a huge black un-marked S.U.V. had with my truck as it zoomed past. The second vehicle of identical description came to a screeching halt next to my truck and deposited a flack jacket clad, buzz cut, gun drawn man. This gentleman proceeded to instruct me in a raised voice to "put it in park and get your head down, NOW! I obeyed these instructions. First, glancing around to realize that there were other gentlemen with bigger guns screaming at the occupants of a mini-van in the parking lot. Not good. An authoritative voice came over the radio on the shoulder of the "officer"? that had given me my instructions. This voice simply said "get rid of her now!" I became concerned about the use of the term "get rid of". However, the gentlman that was still standing at the side of my truck with one hand inside my truck and the other on a gun simply replied "traffic sir." Seconds later the officer instructed me to sit up and drive! "Do you understand me?!" he said. Oh I understood, I've never understood anything so clearly in my life. I drove.
When I got home I searched the news for some story in regards to this event...nothing. I spoke to a friend of mine on the local sherrifs dept. Nothing. I explained that these officers did not have any identifying initials on their clothing, no F.B.I, no A.T.F. no nothing. My friend suggested that I should stop looking for an explanation and be thankful that they hadn't had to get rid of me.
So maybe it wasn't such a bad day but at the time it sure felt like it qualified.
Monday, February 2, 2009
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