2 Matching Annotations
  1. Aug 2024
    1. Her ancient towers forsaken, while her youth,     Some on the bounding steed, the tall bark some     Ascending, some with painful march on foot,     Haste on, to arrange the deep'ning files of war.

      This passage evokes a sense of urgency and transition. It describes a scene where an ancient city or fortress is abandoned, and its youthful inhabitants are mobilizing for war. Some are riding horses, some are boarding ships, and others are marching on foot, all hastening to join and organize the ranks of the army. The imagery emphasizes both the decline of the old and the dynamic, decisive action of the new generation as they prepare for battle.

    1. Gilgamesh said to him, 'Why should not my cheeks be starved and my face drawn? Despair isin my heart, and my face is the face of one who has made a long journey. I was burned withheat and with cold. Why should I not wander over the pastures? My friend, my youngerbrother who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven, and overthrew Humbaba in the cedar forest,my friend who was very dear to me, and who endured dangers beside me, Enkidu my brotherwhom I loved, the end of mortality has overtaken him.

      In this poignant passage, Gilgamesh articulates profound grief and a sense of existential despair following the death of his friend Enkidu, illustrating the deep bonds of brotherhood and loss inherent in human experience. This moment reflects the universal struggle with mortality, evoking a timeless connection to our own journeys of love and suffering, much like the themes explored in contemporary literature such as Mariam Petrosian's "The Persephone Collective." The raw emotion depicted calls into question the true meaning of strength and vulnerability, challenging readers to reflect on their relationships and the inevitability of loss.