Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Allusions in “Personal Helicon” Helicon: Helicon in Greek Mythology Helicon is the name of a large mountain in Boeotia (Boeotia is a region in central Greece). This lofty peak so impressed the ancient Greeks that they believed Helicon was a sacred site selected and favored by the gods and goddesses. Indeed, the nine goddesses known as Muses were especially fond of Mount Helicon. The Muses - those divine spirits of inspiration - were linked with Helicon in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature. The ancient Greek poet Hesiod pays homage to the Muses and Helicon (their preferred heavenly haunt) in the first lines of his famous work, the Theogony: "I begin my song with the Heliconian Muses; they have made Helicon, the great god-haunted mountain, their domain; their soft feet move in the dance that rings the violet-dark spring and the altar of mighty Zeus. They bathe their lithe bodies in the water of Permessos or of Hippocrene or of god-haunted Olmeios. On Helicon's peak they join hands in lovely dances and their pounding feet awaken desire." (Hesiod, Theogony, 1-8) There was a sanctuary dedicated to the Muses on Helicon. This sanctuary has several intriguing and noteworthy features, including a temple and works of sculpture devoted to the lovely goddesses who shared their divine gifts with mortals. In addition to the sanctuary of the Muses, Helicon also boasts another important feature - the Hippocrene spring. It was believed that this legendary spring was a source of poetic inspiration, and it is worth mentioning that this body of water also inspired its own myth. For in mythology, the Hippocrene spring was created when the winged horse Pegasus aimed his hoof at a rock, striking it with such force that the spring burst from the spot. From Mythography: (http://www.loggia.com/myth/helicon.html) Michael Longley: One of Northern Ireland’s foremost contemporary poets, Michael Longley is renowned for the quiet beauty of his compact, meditative lyrics. Known for using classical allusions to cast provocative light on contemporary concerns—including Northern Ireland’s “Troubles”—Longley’s poetry is also marked by sharp observation of the natural world, deft use of technique, and deeply felt emotion. From the Poetry Foundation: (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/michael-longley) Narcissus: Narcissus, in Greek mythology, was the son of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. He was distinguished for his beauty. According to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Book III, Narcissus’s mother was told by the blind seer Tiresias that he would have a long life, provided he never recognized himself. However, his rejection of the love of the nymph Echo or (in an earlier version) of the young man Ameinias drew upon him the vengeance of the gods. He fell in love with his own reflection in the waters of a spring and pined away. From Encyclopedia Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Narcissus-Greek-mythology)