Anna Akhmatova, 1998 by Joel-Peter Witkin
Category: art
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Desdemona
DESDEMONA
O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!
OTHELLO
Down, strumpet!
DESDEMONA
Kill me to-morrow: let me live to-night!
OTHELLO
Nay, if you strive–
DESDEMONA
But half an hour!
OTHELLO
Being done, there is no pause.
DESDEMONA
But while I say one prayer!
OTHELLO
It is too late.
Desdemona by Rodolfo Amoedo, 1892 Shakespeare, Othello, Act V, Scene ii, 1622.
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Surrounded By Beasts
In Greek legend, sorceress Circe (pronounced Kirke) is the daughter of Helios, the sun god, and Perse, an ocean nymph. She is said to have been surrounded by beasts that could not be seen elsewhere. When others came to her palace, they saw the beasts, but only what they recognized, like lions, bears and wolves. The beasts acted as domesticated animals, showing their kindness by wagging their tails. Some say they were actually drugged victims of Circe.
The Sorceress by John William Waterhouse, c. 1911 Sources:
* Circe — Greek Mythology Link
* Britannica — Circe: Greek Mythology -
XIII Death
All that live must die, passing through nature to eternity.
– Shakespeare, from Hamlet
Medieval Scapini Tarot -
The Powers of Medusa’s Head
When the blood dripped from Medusa’s head onto the plains of Libya, each drop of blood transformed into venomous serpents. The power of Medusa’s head is seen again when Perseus encountered the Titan Atlas. When Perseus asked Atlas for a place to rest for a short while, his request was refused. Knowing that he would not be able to defeat the Titan with brute force alone, he took out Medusa’s head, and Atlas was turned into a mountain.
Head of Medusa by Peter Paul Rubens From The Real Story of Medusa: The Protective Powers From a Snake-Haired Gorgon
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The Fairies’ Changeling
Cigarette card from the Churchman Legends of Britain series,
early 20th centuryFrom LookAndLearn.com
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Dracula = bad blood
“Dracula” is literally translated in Gaelic as Drac Ullah, meaning bad blood. Despite the narrative being inspired by Romania, the author, Bram Stoker, was Irish.
Learn more about the Dracula legend on the Romania Tourism website.
