9 Matching Annotations
  1. Mar 2024
    1. “By my faith,” said Ponocrates, “I cannot tell, my pillicock, but thou art more worth than gold.”

      In "Gargantua and Pantagruel" by François Rabelais, this phrase is a conversation between two characters, Ponocrates and Pantagruel. Ponocrates is expressing admiration for Pantagruel, stating that he is more valuable than gold. The phrase reflects the deep appreciation Ponocrates has for Pantagruel's character or qualities, implying that Pantagruel possesses virtues or attributes that are priceless or invaluable. It's a moment of affection and esteem between the characters, showcasing their bond and mutual respect. Source: http://www.tiemposmodernos.org/tm3/index.php/tm/article/view/4

    2. If you wonder at this, wonder rather at the tails of the Scythian rams, which weighed above thirty pounds each; and of the Surian sheep, who need, if Tenaud say true, a little cart at their heels to bear up their tail, it is so long and heavy.

      The quote refers to the tails of certain animals, specifically the Scythian rams and the Surian sheep. It describes the remarkable weight and length of their tails, with the Scythian rams' tails weighing over thirty pounds each and the Surian sheep's tails being so long and heavy that, according to the character Tenaud, they need a little cart to support them. This statement is part of Rabelais' exaggerated and fantastical descriptions, which are characteristic of the extravagant and humorous style of his work. Source: https://books.google.com/books?hl=es&lr=&id=OSGTTb8gh-UC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=gargant%C3%BAa+and+pantagruel+rabelais+essay&ots=28QvLE7hDG&sig=Jrobqfk_sk9qBXYP0VSMkrhpI5g#v=onepage&q=gargant%C3%BAa%20and%20pantagruel%20rabelais%20essay&f=false

    1. Then spake gaily the man in green, “So now thou hast thine heart whole it behoves me to smite. Hold aside thy hood that Arthur gave thee, and keep thy neck thus bent lest it cover it again.”

      Throughout his reign and in the context of the war, Edward III sought to emulate the figure of King Arthur as the embodiment of nobility, courage and divine justice. The symbolic value of the green knight in the narrative, for its part, has been the subject of diverse analyses. It has been interpreted in relation to the seasons and cycles, fertility and the uncontrollable force of nature, but it has also been seen as a figure linked to the evil and diabolical. In the Christian tradition, green is often associated with the devil. Other interpretations are based on seeing in the green knight the incarnation of the union of opposites: ferocity and piety, human laws and the laws of nature, the domesticated and the wild. Source: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43343092?casa_token=CqRoLyMUZk4AAAAA%3AB4iyiSqps6l5COWVPQRgFO3yryo6SoNz484Psf_Rg7loUj2i2bFHZ0Lv8zuZxbdZ4gs8Nw8mVAZccuRa2MHkyBdrAhvoHRq1PTKpta9iFtoVLj--eEyi<br /> Derek Brewer Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Vol. 77, No. 4 (1976), pp. 569-581 (13 pages)

    2. The knight on his steed deemed it fair enough, if he might come to be sheltered within it to lodge there while that the Holy-day lasted. He called aloud, and soon there came a porter of kindly countenance, who stood on the wall and greeted this knight and asked his errand.

      Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a story of adventure and romance that exalts the chivalric values of honor, mercy and mercy. In this hero's journey, Gawain aspires to earn the honors of knighthood, but encounters difficulties and challenges along the way that test his mettle. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight becomes a story about the respect due to the chivalric code of honor and about the necessary submission to superiors (in this case, Gawain must passively lend himself to be beheaded by the green knight). It reflects the chivalric values espoused by King Edward III, which matured during the Hundred Years' War, in which the British aspired to occupy the throne of France. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: An Appraisal Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/pmla/article/abs/sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight-an-appraisal/4D4501B59BE83BA09C48E7DD7FDE3545

  2. Feb 2024
    1. Yet farther will I open unto thee This wisdom of all wisdoms, uttermost, The which possessing, all My saints have passed To perfectness. On such high verities Reliant, rising into fellowship With Me, they are not born again at birth Of Kalpas, nor at Pralyas suffer change! This Universe the womb is where I plant Seed of all lives! Thence, Prince of India, comes Birth to all beings! Whoso, Kunti’s Son!

      In this passage from the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna is promising to reveal an even more profound and ultimate wisdom to Arjuna. He asserts that those who possess this highest wisdom have attained perfection and have transcended the cycle of birth and rebirth.

    2. Thou grievest where no grief should be! thou speak’st Words lacking wisdom! for the wise in heart Mourn not for those that live, nor those that die. Nor I, nor thou, nor any one of these, Ever was not, nor ever will not be, For ever and for ever afterwards. All, that doth live, lives always! To man’s frame As there come infancy and youth and age, So come there raisings-up and layings-down Of other and of other life-abodes, Which the wise know, and fear not.

      This passage from the Bhagavad Gita addresses the nature of life, death, and the eternal essence of existence. Lord Krishna, is advising against grieving where there is no real cause for sorrow. This suggests that the true nature of existence transcends the limited perspective of birth and death.

    3. Robert Oppenheimer, a lead scientist on the creation of the first Atom Bomb, spoke lines from the Bhagavad Gita before the first test of the bomb: “Now I am become Death, Destroyer of Worlds.”

      This quote is attributed to Robert Oppenheimer because of the creation of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer reportedly uttered these words upon witnessing the successful test of the bomb on July 16, 1945, in New Mexico. The line is a paraphrased version of a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture. The original verse in the Gita is spoken by Lord Krishna, who, in his cosmic form, describes himself as "Time, the great destroyer of the world." Source: https://www.wired.com/story/manhattan-project-robert-oppenheimer/

    4. The Bhagavad Gita is part of the larger Mahabharata, but is often read as a standalone text because it affords a concise summary of the core beliefs of Hinduism. In this text, Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, speaks to the soldier Arjuna just before an epic battle between good and evil. Time is effectively frozen so that the two could speak at length. Arjuna is concerned about fighting the opposing army since it contains friends and family. Krishna reassures Arjuna that he is performing his dharma, or holy duty.

      As it is pointed out in this introduction The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu scripture that forms part of the larger epic, the Mahabharata. And while I was doing research I found that it is a component of the epic and is often studied independently as it succinctly encapsulates the fundamental tenets of Hinduism. In this text, Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu, imparts spiritual wisdom to the warrior Arjuna on the battlefield just before a major conflict between forces representing good and evil. Time stands still for their conversation. Arjuna, troubled by the prospect of fighting against his relatives and friends in the opposing army, seeks guidance. Krishna advises him on the principles of dharma, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling one's sacred duty, thereby providing a philosophical foundation for ethical living and righteous action. Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bhagavadgita