The Anathemata

Rite and Fore-time (continued)

As, down among the palaeo-zoe

he brights his ichthyica sign

so brights he the middle-zone

where the uterine forms

are some beginnings of his creature.

Brighter yet over the mammal’d Pliocene

for these continuings

certainly must praise him:

How else, in his good time

should the amorous Silvy

David Jones notes

additional notes

comments

Here is the first introduction of the ‘How else’ theme which is going to be such an important part of the poem.

see also

semantic structures

glossary

a ichthyic: fish-like; here referring also to the Christian symbol of the fish (ichthus, the initial letters of which in the Greek alphabet give Iesous Christos Theou Uios Soter = Jesus Christ Son of God Saviour).