The reference to The White Devil speaks of infidelity, and the carnal crimes that arise from ego and earthly passion. Hindu philosophy implies that these deeds arise from a misunderstanding of the partition between the physical and spiritual - those who commit such crimes and are swayed by physical passion do so because they are spiritually incomplete. The passage in general (white devil) reminds me of The Cenci, a play on a similar theme by Percy Shelley. The play also speaks of the corruptibility of spirit, and that carnal strife can only lead to more physical impurity and spite. The main character, Beatrice, claims that she "has eyes full of blood" after having been corrupted by the evil of her father, the Count Cenci - this corruption eventually leads her to kill him in his sleep. A similar web of desire and vice decimates the Cenci family as is present in The white devil.

There seems to be a distinction between a person's physical and spiritual being. This distinction is a core part of most Hindu philosophy: the spiritual being is the highest level of importance, over the banality of the physical being. This may be an extension of Eliot's critique of the human condition, wherein he once again emphazises the importance of the spiritual over the temporary physical.

In Greek tradition, thunder holds many significances. Some cults worshiped as a divine entity itself - it was more commonly regarded as the symbol of Zeus's divine might. In greek tradition, lightning and thunder are treated as omens, interpreted by heroes and prophets as indications of divine pleasure or displeasure. In the Titanomachy, the grateful cyclopses forged the first lightning bolt as the unique symbol of Zeus - and this exclusiveness is almost universal. Other gods may make their will known through various mediums: waves, birds, flame, or other methods. Even though the art of prophecy in itself was dedicated to Apollo, lightning and thunder are treated as the highest omen, reserved purely to reveal the will of Zeus. Thunder is the highest, most direct will of god in greek mythology - it is synonymous with divine power and godly will.

This section in particular has strong ties to the myth of Ulysses/Odysseus, especially in the more critical portrayal in the Aenied. In this tradition, Odysseus is a cautionary tale against arrogance, brought low by his own self-assuredness and rampant curiosity. This is strongly at odds with his Greek representation (Homer), wherein his confidence is well founded and leads to his eventual survival. The story of Phlebas also has striking similarities to a different character in the Aeneid: Palinurus, the helsman of Aeneas's ship. He is referred to multiple times as the greatest helsman, and yet he is killed while at the helm of Aeneas's ship by Hypnos, the god of sleep. He falls into the sea and drowns, despite his abilities and pride, symbolizing the ultimate end reserved despite of personal ability or effort.

Relating to Isabel's previous annotation, Tiresias's position as a prophet is of major importance in this case, as well as his previous transformations. Tiresias is a gemini figure in greek mythology: he embodies both male and female characteristics in union, and as such provides a connection between the very different male and female perspectives in this section. I also want to draw a connection to a different myth of Tiresias: his role in the story of Oedipus, especially through the Theban plays by Sophocles. Tiresias is consulted by Oedipus in the search for Laius's killer (ironically, Oedipus himself is guilty of patricide). Tiresias tries to advert fate by refusing to incriminate the otherwise wise ruler Oedipus, but is eventually forced to disclose his knowledge. His prophecy eventually leads to Oedipus's own blindness and exile from Thebes, which Tiresias himself laments. In this case, Tiresias is once again a tool of the gods - he is inevitably caught between Zeus and Hera and punished, and his gifts only lead to more sorrow for his city. Zeus "blesses" him with long life and prophecy, allowing him to serve as a seer for Cadmus and the subsequent generations of Thebes, but this extended life is marred by blindness and sorrow, echoing that of the Cumaen Sybil. Now in Eliot, he once again faces a foregone conclusion, and is forced only to bear witness and elaborate on mistakes and fate that is fixed in stone. In ways, Tiresias's blindness isn't his true curse, but rather his ironic "blessing" of prophecy, with which he has never been able to actually change fate for the better. This curse follows him even after he is killed, and he exists forever (Odysseus/Odyssey - He warns Od. of the cattle of Helios, but Od. men still kill the cows and suffer regardless) as the helpless watcher of evil and despair.

Eliot's connection here to Prothalamion creates an interesting characterization of nature and human interaction. In the original scene, the Thames provides a natural backdrop to a scene of natural splendor, with allusion to Greek mythological concepts as well. Nymphs are spirits that embody natural constructs such as streams and trees, and are emanations of the divinity of nature. However, in Eliot's interpretation, the nymphs are departed, as the wind crosses the brown land - both signs of natural devastation and a loss of natural divinity.

The motif of chess in this section plays well with the recurring instances of manipulation and lack of agency, especially in relation to women earlier in the section. Dido is used as a tool by Venus, who sends her son to seduce and control the queen in an effort to help and support Aeneas. When Dido outlives her usefulness, Jupiter and Venus waste no time in cutting her from Aeneas's path, making a sacrifice of Dido to propel Aeneas towards his promised kingship in Italy. This bears a striking resemblance to chess, which places extreme emphasis on the strategy of sacrificing and abandoning pieces to reach an end goal. The pieces are fully manipulated through the game, and no piece is guaranteed life or safety in the pursuit of victory. This fact gains significance when concerning the origins of chess: the game originally developed to train tactics and leadership skills, and was at certain points in history played with live "pieces" who fought and died to further the game. In connection to the wasteland, Eliot may be implying the natural state of human interaction and life as a form of manipulated struggle, wherein the pieces lack the agency and awareness to protect themselves from ill usage.

The story of Philomela is one of the more graphic and distressing in Ovid's Metamorphoses, but it carries a very common theme. Tereus's crime is repaid in kind by Procne and Philomela - the depravity and corruption of mankind is repaid with even more depravity. Cannabilsm and infanticide are two of the highest taboos of Greek Mythology - other crimes have methods to cleanse the sinner of their guilt, but those who kill their family or consume human flesh are never forgiven. The act of self cannibalism of Itys by Tereus mirrors the story of Lycaon, whose story is also told in Metamorphoses. Lycaon attempts to feed human meat to Zeus to test his divinity, and is punished through transformation into a wolf - depravity is answered in kind. Eliot may be invoking a similar law of human behavior here through the mention of Tereus' crime.

Eliot's reversal of the common relationship between Spring and fertility/growth (as outlined in The Canterbury Tales and other sources) is worthy of note here. These lines are part of a larger connection between death, decay, and human solace. Rather than suffering through the arduous process of "mixing memory and desire" and raising life from death, Eliot instead likens death and obscurity to peace and warmth. This may relate further to Eliot's switch of the epigraph from Kurtz's "meaningful death" to the much more senseless and hopeless plight of the Sibyl; death is not some meaningful turning point or journey, but a rather sudden and blissful cessation of suffering.

The epigraph references the Sybil of Cumae, a popular figure in Greek and especially Roman mythology. She is generally accepted as the author of the Sybilline books, the greatest prophetic texts in Roman mythology. The sibyl features prominently in the Aeneid, where she guides Aeneas on his journey to the Underworld to consult the spirit of his late father Anchises. This journey closely mirrors that of Dante's in Inferno: the Sibyl as a guide advises Aeneas on his future and, and he in turn meets several other mythological figures in his journey. The Sibyl is often associated with great power: in the Aeneid, "neither her face nor hue went untransformed... taller to their eyes and sounding now no longer like a mortal since she had felt the god's power.... she cried" (Virgil, VI:75-85). And yet despite her power, the Sibyl herself is unable to escape the fate that awaits most mortals in Greek mythology: she is controlled and demeaned as an object of divine rage and desire. In revenge for her rejection of him, the god Apollo condemns her to live and grow without eternal youth, until she is reduced to dust and ridiculed, as in the Satyricon. Similar figures are rife in Greek mythology: Cassandra, the prophetess of Troy, is granted the power of prophecy, but cursed by Apollo so that no one will believe her. Arachne is stripped of her skill in arts and weaving, and reduced to a spider by the jealous Athena. In all cases, it is ultimately the impotence of humans, despite what abilities and hopes they possess, that leads them to obscurity and ruin at the hands of the Gods. The sibyl's journey with Aeneas may represent a renewal of life or journey, but the numerous shades they encounter, as well as the Sibyl herself and similar figures, serve as a constant reminder of the impermanence and mortality of man: before the divine and eternal, all human power eventually reduces to dust.

The Golden Bough deals with the development of religion in a manner to supplement human beliefs in nature and magic. I could see two main connections I thought worth mentioning: in many Greek traditions, Kings are appointed by Zeus to govern and serve as mediums for the whims of Gods and Nature. Furthermore, the section on Adonis references the Greek mythological figure Adonis. Adonis is the son of Myrrha, concieved through Myrrha's incestuous relation with her father. Myrrha is punished by being transformed into a Myrrh tree (Ovid) - and Aphrodite loves Adonis for his beauty and features. Adonis is eventually killed by a boar, and Aphrodite begs Hades to raise him from the Underworld for half of the year. In this way, Adonis along with Persephone provides a mechanism for the change of seasons: he represents the sunlight and renewed nature + fertility of the spring and summer time, and the decay of nature in the winter. In terms of iconography, he is a "vegetation spirit" or idol, and veneration of Adonis was seen as a method of influencing changes in the weather.

Brittanica on Adonis

Metamorphoses Bk. X