Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

 

Even here she sheathed in her harmless breast

A harmful knife, that thence her soul unsheathed:

That blow did bail it from the deep unrest

Of that polluted prison where it breathed:

Her contrite sighs unto the clouds bequeathed

Her winged sprite, and through her wounds doth fly

Life’s lasting date from cancell’d destiny.

 

 

Narrator

The Rape of Lucrece                     Line 1729

This is a full stanza from the poem The Rape of Lucrece. It contains line 1,729 of this 1,855 line long poem, so we can see that we’re nearing the end. And in fact, this is the stanza in which Lucrece’s life does end. It’s pretty readable for the most part. Remember too, that this was written to be read, not to be performed. She puts the knife in her breast and sets her soul loose from her body. The only part that confuses me a bit is the last line of the stanza. Her spirit flies up to the clouds, and through that same wound flies out life’s lasting date from cancell’d destiny. Life’s lasting date from cancell’d destiny. I think I might have to think about that one and possibly get back to it. 

Okay, I’m back. Is life’s lasting date the leftover plans that aren’t needed now that her life is over, her destiny cancell’d? I think I’ll have to go with that. Lot’s of imagery here: her soul gets unsheathed from the polluted prison of her body. Wow. Then her spirit flies out of her body along with all her leftover plans for life. Again, wow.

I think I’ll leave it at that. All yours.

And this picture pretty much sums up my three-day weekend. It didn't matter what my plans were, this is where my destiny lay. I had to figure this problem out and fix it. The hard parts all done. I just have to finish up putting everything back together.