Ancient Poetry

We often only measure history by industrial and material evolution- yet what seems most interesting, at least to me, is how our consciousness has evolved over time- or has it? It's interesting to think about the worlds consciousness as a whole, and look at it's growth, or lack thereof.

Here are some examples of ancient poetry, to give a peak inside the mind of the peoples of the past.


Help! He is gone. That wild boy, Love, has escaped!

Just now, as day was breaking, he flew from his bed and was gone.

Description? Sweetly tearful, talks forever, swift, irreverent,

Slyly laughing, wings on his back, and carries a quiver.

His last name? I don’t know, for his father and mother,

Whoever they are, in earth or heaven, won’t admit it.

Everyone hates him, you see. Take care, take care,

Or even now he’ll be weaving new snares for your heart.

But hush—look there, turn slowly. You don’t deceive me, boy,

Drawing your bow so softly where you hide in Zenophile’s eyes.

(AP V.177)


Didn’t I tell you, oh soul, “Look out, you’ll be caught,

You silly thing, if you flutter so near her net?”

Didn’t I warn you?

And now the trap is sprung.

Why struggle in vain?

Love has tied your little wings,

Sprinkled you with cheap perfume, set you fainting in the fire

And given you, in your thirst, hot tears to drink.

(AP XII.132)


Oh Night, and you, kind lamp beside his bed,

No one else was near so you

Were witness to our vows,

He that he’d love me,

I, that I’d never leave him,

Oh, you remember.

But now he says that vows flow away on the river,

Stay no longer than stay the breaking waves.

And you, oh lamp,

Now you see him lying

In someone else’s embrace.

(AP V.8)

It sparks a question in my mind: In what ways, other than materialistically and industrially, are we moving through time?