Αναφορά στον Γκρέκο

[altan]

Hi to all,
I have two questions:
1- Are these expressions which I underlined, merely a fiction of Kazantzakis, or does he bring somethings to mind from Homeros' Odysseia (just like "η Ελένη ρίχνει βοτάνι μαγικό στο ποτήρι που πίνουμε...", or any other work?
2- Does "θυμελη" mean in this case as (στο αρχαίο ελληνικό θέατρο) α) ο βωμός τού Διονύσου που ήταν τοποθετημένος στο κέντρο τής ορχήστρας τού θεάτρου και στις βαθμίδες τού οποίου στεκόταν ο κορυφαίος τού χορού) http://greek_greek.enacademic.com/64364/θυμέλη

Η επιθυμία παίρνει, ας είναι καλά η βασίλισσα ετούτη της Σπάρτης, υψηλούς τίτλους ευγενείας, και η μυστική νοσταλγία κάποιου χαμένου εναγκαλισμού γλυκαίνει μέσα μας το κτήνος. Κλαίμε, φωνάζουμε, κι η Ελένη ρίχνει βοτάνι μαγικό στο ποτήρι που πίνουμε, κι αποξεχνούμε τον πόνο, κρατεί στο χέρι ένα λουλούδι, κι η μυρωδιά του αλαργαίνει τα φίδια, αγγίζει τ΄ άσχημα παιδιά κι ομορφαίνουν, καβαλάει τον τράγο της θυμελης, σαλεύει το πόδι της με το λυτό σανδάλι, κι ολάκερος ο κόσμος γίνεται άμπελος... Το χώμα μύριζε, κι από τους λεμονανθούς κρεμούσαν στάλες δροσούλα και παιχνίδιζαν στον ήλιο. Άξαφνα ανάλαφρο αγεράκι φύσηξε, κι ένας ανθός χτύπησε το μέτωπό μου και με ράντισε- ανατρίχιασα σαν να με άγγιξε αόρατο χέρι, κι όλη η γης μου φάνταξε σαν την Ελένη, γελοκλαμένη, νιόλουστη. Ανασήκωνε τα κεντημένα με λενοναθούς πέπλα και με την απαλάμη στο στόμα, ολοένα ανανεούμενη παρθένα, ακολουθούσε έναν άντρα, τον πιο δυνατό, έλαμπε η στρογγυλή πατούσα της αιματωμένη.

 

[nickel]

Tough questions, Altan. There must be some basis to these references but one must research the various stories inspired by Helen — not just Homer but other poets as well, e.g. Ovid.

Θυμέλη is, indeed, “the altar of Dionysus which stood in the orchestra of the theatre”, but I suppose Kazantzakis uses that in metonymy: “the goat of the ancient Bacchic rites”, in Bien's translation.

 

[altan]

Ευχαριστώ Νικελ.

 

[altan]

Tough questions, Altan. There must be some basis to these references but one must research the various stories inspired by Helen — not just Homer but other poets as well, e.g. Ovid.

Θυμέλη is, indeed, “the altar of Dionysus which stood in the orchestra of the theatre”, but I suppose Kazantzakis uses that in metonymy: “the goat of the ancient Bacchic rites”, in Bien's translation.

From Herodotus "The Histories" Book VI, 61: "
There was a certain Spartan who was Ariston’s nearest and dearest friend. This man had a wife who was by far the fairest of Spartan women, yet albeit she was now the fairest she had been most ill-favoured. For, she being of mean aspect, her nurse having in mind that the daughter of a wealthy house was so uncomely, and that her parents took her appearance much to heart, bethought her for these reasons of a plan, and carried the child every day to the shrine of Helen, which is in the place called Therapne,! above the temple of Phoebus. Thither the nurse would bear the child, and set her by the image, and pray the goddess to deliver her from her ill looks. Now on a day, as the nurse was departing out of the temple, a woman (it is said) appeared to her, and asked her what she bore in her arms. “It is'a child,” said the nurse. ‘Show it to me,” said the woman. .“ That,’ quoth the nurse, “I cannot do ; for I am forbidden by the parents to show it to any,’

** Nay,” said the woman, ‘‘ but you must by all means show me the child.” So when the nurse saw that the woman was very desirous to see the child, she did then show it; whereupon the woman stroked the child’s head, and said that this should be the fairest of all Spartan ladies. From that day, it is said, the child's appearance changed ; and when she came to marriageable age she was wedded to that friend of Ariston, Agetus son of Alcidas."