The Anathemata

Middle-sea and Lear-sea (continued)

From the tomb of the strife-years the new-born shapes begin already to look uncommonly like the brats of mother Europa.

We begin already to discern our own.

Are the proto-forms already ours?

Is that the West-wind on our cheek-bones?

David Jones notes

additional notes

The strife-years refers to the Greek dark ages (1100 BCE to 800 BCE, roughly). The next period of ancient Greek history is the Archaic period (800 BCE to 500 BCE, roughly), during which time there were many social, political and artistic developments which we can still recognise as such. See Wikipedia.

The West wind (in Greece) brings spring and light early summer breezes and the natural world is coming back to life after the darkness of winter. An echo, perhaps, of the Great Cycle of Section 1.

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semantic structures

glossary