I NEED HELP FROM MY HOMEWORK
| Author | Topic: I NEED HELP FROM MY HOMEWORK |
|---|---|
|
Warrior
Member # 1177
|
written Saturday, February 7 2004 20:45
Profile
I have a very hard homework and that is to give meaning of the following poem from Sappho: "O Hesperus thou bringest all good things-- Home to the weary, to the hungry cheer, To the young bird the parent's brooding wings, The welcome stall to the o'erlaboured steer; Whate'er of peace about our hearthstone clings, Whate'er our household gods protect of dear, Are gathered round us by thy look of rest; Thou bring'st the child too to its mother's breast. *Hesperus means planet Venus I really have a hard time understanding the above poem because the poem is only a part of hundreds of fragmented poem, that is if you know the history about Sappho. I actually need help for anyone of you who wanted to help me explaining this poem line by line. Please I need help for this. Thank you for your cooperation. Posts: 87 | Registered: Saturday, May 18 2002 07:00 |
|
Agent
Member # 1104
|
written Saturday, February 7 2004 21:03
Profile
Homepage
The answer is 42. Sorry, I can't help much. I would but it could be considered doing the work for you, right? And that would be cheating. Ehh, I'll go google it... -------------------- 73|-| 1|\|\/1|\|<1|3|_3 |30063y|\/|4|\| AHEM: Chance Forums! -Reality Corp. Posts: 1307 | Registered: Tuesday, May 7 2002 07:00 |
|
Bob's Big Date
Member # 3151
|
written Saturday, February 7 2004 21:08
Profile
Homepage
"O Hesperus thou bringest all good things-- If Hesperus really = Venus, she likely means the goddess, not the planet; the greek Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty. By myth, one of the most sinister deities. Home to the weary, to the hungry cheer, Aphrodite also covered love, which explains this... To the young bird the parent's brooding wings, And this... The welcome stall to the o'erlaboured steer; And this, although 'steer' implies a neutered bull, which is odd. Whate'er of peace about our hearthstone clings, The hearthstone was the center of a Roman-era household, which means this refers to domestic (in)tranquility. Whate'er our household gods protect of dear, The household gods, again, protected the health, well-being, and so on of a family. Are gathered round us by thy look of rest; Hm... If this is a paean to Venus, it is either saying that love tranquilizes a household, or passive love does -- as opposed to active love, which will set it on fire. Thou bring'st the child too to its mother's breast. Again, she's using Venus in a somewhat metaphoric sense, representing love. -------------------- In a word, gay. --Bob the Impaler Posts: 2367 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00 |
|
BANNED
Member # 4
|
written Saturday, February 7 2004 21:33
Profile
Homepage
Just ask the teacher what he/she thinks the meaning is, and then state that it becomes that meaning to the teacher based on the subjectivity of reality. If your teacher refuses to accept this, call him/her an objectivist, anti-modern philistine. EDIT: And Alec, if the poem means that passive love is the key to protecting a household, then that would explain the use of "steer" in lieu of "bull" or likewise, what with Eunuchs being incapable of... ...yeah. >_< [ Saturday, February 07, 2004 21:54: Message edited by: Bladesman Wasazore ] -------------------- We're all amazed but not amused By all the things that you said you'd do. You're much concerned but not involved by Decisions that are made by you But we are sick and tired of hearing your song, Telling us how you are going to change right from wrong, 'Cause if you really want to hear our views, You haven't done nothin'. Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
|
Warrior
Member # 1177
|
written Saturday, February 7 2004 23:05
Profile
This is not actually a homework given to the class, no. This poem is my report. That means I was assigned as a reporter for the whole class next week. So I really need your cooperation for this. I appreciate Full Frontal Nudity Caster help but I still need more ideas about the poem. I need it to be explained fluently. Thanks. Posts: 87 | Registered: Saturday, May 18 2002 07:00 |
|
Shock Trooper
Member # 3377
|
written Sunday, February 8 2004 00:59
Profile
Hesperus also happens to be the God of the Evening Star, or just the God of Evening. From a quick googling: quote:In this context, the poem may in fact be referring to the onset of evening and rest, rather than to Venus (Aphrodite). I would be more inclined to interpret it this way, since Aphrodite was the goddess of sexual love and beauty. [ Sunday, February 08, 2004 01:01: Message edited by: premonition ] -------------------- From many a wondrous grot and secret cell Unnumbered and enormous polypi Winnow with giant fins the slumbering green. Posts: 356 | Registered: Saturday, August 23 2003 07:00 |
|
Warrior
Member # 1177
|
written Sunday, February 8 2004 01:13
Profile
"To the young bird the parent's brooding wings, The welcome stall to the o'erlaboured steer; Whate'er of peace about our hearthstone clings, Whate'er our household gods protect of dear, Are gathered round us by thy look of rest; Thou bring'st the child too to its mother's breast." I understand the first two lines but the above I actually can't understand the above lines. I am a Filipino and not good in English that's why my vocabulary in English is so little that even I look at the dictionary on that difficult words, I still don't get any idea what the poem means. Posts: 87 | Registered: Saturday, May 18 2002 07:00 |