READ THE FOLLOWING QUOTATION SLOWLY.
OUTLOUD IF YOU CAN, BUT EITHER WAY,
R E A D S L OWL Y
“Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy. Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds, many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea, fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home. But he could not save them from disaster, hard as he strove–the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all, the blind fools, they devoured the cattle of the Sun and the Sungod wiped from sight the day of their return. Launch out on his story, Muse, daughter of Zeus, start from where you will–sing for our time too.”
This famous and gorgeous prayer or invocation to the muse at the beginning of Homer’s Odyssey is worth memorizing.
It’s one I often repeat to myself sometimes before I sit down to work, but often at random times because it’s so full and true and always makes me feel, well… inspired.
What we know about our journey through life, and what Odysseus knew also, is that life is truly of test of individual moral endurance.
We each experience and face all sorts of challenges and joys and heartbreaks in specific and intimate ways.
That’s the thing about life–it’s so intimate.
We are each on a series of adventurous journeys that are marked by many changes of fortune.
The muse is that feminine creative force and spark and guidance within each of us, whom without, life’s journey would be a dry and brittle affair that could leave a person mean and bitter.
Invoking the muse not only keeps us inspired, but gives our life a creative context when hardships and heartbreaks happen as they most definitely will.
We are in good company when we feel betrayed, paranoid, grief-stricken, afraid, or lost.
The nine muses, as well as Odysseus, are with us and have gone before us, and they can show us the way through.
As we invoke the muse, we summon all our creative powers to not just face what’s ahead, but to make something out of our lives that is beautiful, moving, artful.
“Start from where you will…sing for our time too.”
{ 3 comments }
What I like best about this is the assertion that we are in good company when we feel heartbreak, sorrow, challenge. Those moments are when I feel most alone, so even reading that that is not so is hugely reassuring.
xo
“Launch out…start from where you will…sing.” So beautiful, Bindu. And words I so need(ed) to hear, believe, follow!
.-= Ronna´s last blog ..Telling the Truth – Tearing Yarn =-.
Beautiful, moving and artful~~~that is how you write, and inspire. Thank you.