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OntheAbsolute,theSublime,andEcstaticTruth
WERNERHERZOG
(TranslatedbyMoiraWeigel)

[ThistextwasoriginallydeliveredbyWernerHerzogasaspeechinMilano,Italy,followingascreening
ofhisfilmLessonsofDark
nessonthefiresinKuwait.HewasaskedtospeakabouttheAbsolute,buthe
spontaneouslychangedthesubjecttotheSublime.Becauseofthat,agoodpartofwhatfollowswas
improvisedinthemoment.]

*
Thecollapseofthestellaruniversewilloccurlikecreationingrandiosesplendor.
BlaisePascal
ThewordsattributedtoBlaisePascalwhichprefacemyfilmLessonsofDarknessareinfactbyme.Pascal
himselfcouldnothavesaiditbetter.
Thisfalsifiedandyet,asIwilllaterdemonstrate,notfalsifiedquotationshouldserveasafirsthintofwhat
Iamtryingtodealwithinthisdiscourse.Anyway,toacknowledgeafakeasfakecontributesonlytothe
triumphofaccountants.
WhyamIdoingthis,youmightask?Thereasonissimpleandcomesnotfromtheoretical,butratherfrom
practical,considerations.WiththisquotationasaprefixIelevate[erheben]thespectator,beforehehas
evenseenthefirstframe,toahighlevel,fromwhichtoenterthefilm.AndI,theauthorofthefilm,donot
lethimdescendfromthisheightuntilitisover.Onlyinthisstateofsublimity[Erhabenheit]does
somethingdeeperbecomepossible,akindoftruththatistheenemyofthemerelyfactual.Ecstatictruth,I
callit.
AfterthefirstwarinIraq,astheoilfieldsburnedinKuwait,themediaandhereImeantelevisionin
particularwasinnopositiontoshowwhatwas,beyondbeingawarcrime,aneventofcosmic
dimensions,acrimeagainstcreationitself.ThereisnotasingleframeinLessonsofDarknessinwhichyou
canrecognizeourplanetforthisreasonthefilmislabeledsciencefiction,asifitcouldonlyhavebeen
shotinadistantgalaxy,hostiletolife.AtitspremiereattheBerlinFilmFestival,thefilmmetwithanorgy
ofhate.FromtheragingcriesofthepublicIcouldmakeoutonlyaestheticizationofhorror.AndwhenI
foundmyselfbeingthreatenedandspatatonthepodium,Ihitupononlyasingle,banalresponse.You
cretins,Isaid,thatswhatDantedidinhisInferno,itswhatGoyadid,andHieronymusBoschtoo.In
mymomentofneed,withoutthinkingaboutit,Ihadcalledupontheguardianangelswhofamiliarizeus
withtheAbsoluteandtheSublime.
TheAbsolute,theSublime,theTruth...Whatdothesewordsmean?Thisis,Imustconfess,thefirsttime
inmylifethatIhavesoughttosettlesuchquestionsoutsideofmywork,whichIunderstand,firstand
foremost,inpracticalterms.
Bywayofqualification,IshouldaddatoncethatIamnotgoingtoventureadefinitionoftheAbsolute,
evenifthatconceptcastsitsshadowovereverythingthatIsayhere.TheAbsoluteposesaneverending
quandaryforphilosophy,religion,andmathematics.Mathematicswillprobablycomeclosesttogettingit
whensomeonefinallyprovesRiemannshypothesis.Thatquestionconcernsthedistributionofprime
numbersunansweredsincethenineteenthcentury,itreachesintothedepthsofmathematicalthinking.A
prizeofamilliondollarshasbeensetasideforwhoeversolvesit,andamathematicalinstituteinBoston
hasallottedathousandyearsforsomeonetocomeupwithaproof.Themoneyiswaitingforyou,asis
yourimmortality.Fortwoandahalfthousandyears,eversinceEuclid,thisquestionhaspreoccupied
mathematiciansifitturnedoutRiemannandhisbrillianthypothesiswerenotright,itwouldsend
unimaginableshockwavesthroughthedisciplinesofmathematicsandnaturalscience.Icanonlyvery
vaguelybegintofathomtheAbsoluteIaminnopositiontodefinetheconcept.

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THETRUTHOFTHEOCEAN
Fornow,Illstayonthetrustedgroundofpraxis.Evenifwecannotreallygraspit,Iwouldliketotellyou
aboutanunforgettableencounterIhadwithTruthwhileshootingFitzcarraldo.Wewereshootinginthe
PeruvianjungleseastoftheAndesbetweentheCamiseaandUrubambarivers,whereIwouldlaterhaula
hugesteamshipoveramountain.Theindigenouspeoplewholivedthere,theMachiguengas,madeupa
majorityoftheextrasandhadgivenusthepermittofilmontheirland.Inadditiontobeingpaid,the
Machiguengaswantedfurtherbenefits:theywantedtrainingfortheirlocaldoctorandaboat,sothatthey
couldbringtheircropstomarketafewhundredkilometersdownriverthemselves,insteadofhavingtosell
themthroughmiddlemen.Finally,theywantedsupportintheirfightforalegaltitletotheareabetween
thetworivers.Onecompanyafteranotherhadseizeditinordertoplunderlocalstocksofwoodrecently,
oilfirmshadalsobeencastingagreedyeyeontheirland.
Everypetitionweenteredforadeedvanishedatonceinthelabyrinthineprovincialbureaucracy.Our
attemptsatbriberyfailed,too.Finally,havingtraveledtotheministryresponsibleforsuchthings,inthe
capitalcityofLima,Iwastoldthat,evenifwecouldargueforalegaltitleonhistoricalandcultural
grounds,thereweretwostumblingblocks.First,thetitlewasnotcontainedinanylegallyverifiable
document,butsupportedonlybyhearsay,whichwasirrelevant.Second,noonehadeversurveyedthe
landinordertoprovidearecognizableborder.
Tothelatterend,Ihiredasurveyor,whofurnishedtheMachiguengaswithaprecisemapoftheir
homeland.Thatwasmypartintheirtruth:ittooktheformofadelineation,adefinition.Illadmit,I
quarreledwiththesurveyor.Thetopographicmapthathefurnishedwas,heexplained,incertainways
incorrect.Itdidnotcorrespondtothetruthbecauseitdidnottakeintoaccountthecurvatureoftheearth.
Insuchalittlepieceofland?Iasked,losingpatience.Ofcourse,hesaidangrily,andpushedhiswater
glasstowardme.Evenwithaglassofwater,youhavetobeclearaboutit,whatweredealingwithisnot
anevensurface.Youshouldseethecurvatureoftheearthasyouwouldseeitonanoceanoralake.Ifyou
werereallyabletoperceiveitexactlyasitisbutyouaretoosimplemindedyouwouldseetheearth
curve.Iwillneverforgetthisharshlesson.
Thequestionofhearsayhadadeeperdimensionandrequiredresearchofanentirelydifferentkind.
[Arguingfortheirtitletotheland]theIndianscouldonlyclaimthattheydalwaysbeentherethisthey
hadlearnedfromtheirgrandparents.When,finally,thecaseappearedhopeless,Imanagedtogetan
audiencewiththePresident,[Fernando]Belande.TheMachiguengasofShivankorenielectedtwo
representativestoaccompanyme.[InthePresidentsofficeinLima]whenourconversationthreatenedto
cometoastandstill,IpresentedBelandewiththefollowingargument:inAngloSaxonlaw,although
hearsayisgenerallyinadmissibleasevidence,itisnotabsolutelyinadmissible.Asearlyas1916,inthe
caseofAnguvs.Atta,acolonialcourtintheGoldCoast(todayGhana)ruledthathearsaycouldserveasa
validformofevidence.
Thatcasewascompletelydifferent.Ithadtodowiththeuseofalocalgovernorspalacethen,too,there
werenodocuments,nothingofficialthatwouldhavebeenrelevant.But,thecourtruled,the
overwhelmingconsensusinhearsaythatcountlesstribesmenhadrepeatedandrepeated,hadcometo
constitutesomanifestatruththatthecourtcouldacceptitwithoutfurtherrestrictions.Atthis,Belaunde,
whohadlivedformanyyearsinthejungle,fellquiet.Heaskedforaglassoforangejuice,thensaidonly
Goodgod,andIknewthatwehadwonhimover.TodaytheMachiguengashaveatitletotheirlandeven
theconsortiumofoilfirmsthatdiscoveredoneofthelargestsourcesofnaturalgas[intheworld]directly
intheirvicinityrespectsit.
TheaudiencewiththePresidentgrantedyetanotheroddglimpseintotheessenceoftruth.Theinhabitants
ofthevillageofShivakoreniwerenotsurewhetheritwastruethatontheothersideoftheAndesthere
wasamonstrouslylargebodyofwater,anocean.Inaddition,therewasthefactthatthismonstrouswater,
thePacific,wassupposedlysalty.
WedrovetoarestaurantonthebeachalittlesouthofLimatoeat.ButourtwoIndiandelegatesdidnt
orderanything.Theywentsilentandlookedoutoverthebreakers.Theydidntapproachthewater,just
staredatit.Thenoneaskedforabottle.Igavehimmyemptybeerbottle.No,thatwasntright,ithadtobe
abottlethatyoucouldsealwell.SoIboughtabottleofcheapChileanred,hadituncorked,andpoured
thewineoutintothesand.Wesentthebottletothekitchentobecleanedascarefullyaspossible.Then
thementookthebottleandwent,withoutaword,totheshoreline.Stillwearingthenewbluejeans,
sneakers,andTshirtsthatwehadboughtforthematthemarket,theywadedintothewaves.Theywaded,
lookingovertheexpanseofthePacificOcean,untilthewaterreachedtheirunderarms.Then,theytooka
tasteofthewater,filledthebottleandsealeditcarefullywithacork.
Thisbottlefilledwithwaterwastheirproofforthevillagethattherereallywasanocean.Iasked
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cautiouslywhetheritwasntjustapartofthetruth.No,theysaid,ifthereisabottleofseawater,thenthe
wholeoceanmustbetrueaswell.

THEASSAULTOFVIRTUALREALITY
Fromthenon,whatconstitutestruthor,toputitinmuchsimplerform,whatconstitutesrealitybecame
agreatermysterytomethanithadbeen.Thetwointerveningdecadeshaveposedunprecedented
challengestoourconceptofreality.
WhenIspeakofassaultsonourunderstandingofreality,Iamreferringtonewtechnologiesthat,inthe
pasttwentyyears,havebecomegeneralarticlesofeverydayuse:thedigitalspecialeffectsthatcreatenew
andimaginaryrealitiesinthecinema.ItsnotthatIwanttodemonizethesetechnologiestheyhave
allowedthehumanimaginationtoaccomplishgreatthingsforinstance,reanimatingdinosaurs
convincinglyonscreen.But,whenweconsiderallthepossibleformsofvirtualrealitythathavebecome
partofeverydaylifeintheInternet,invideogames,andonrealityTVsometimesalsoinstrangemixed
formsthequestionofwhatrealrealityisposesitselfconstantlyafresh.
WhatisreallygoingonintherealityTVshowSurvivor?Canweeverreallytrustaphotograph,nowthat
weknowhoweasilyeverythingcanbefakedwithPhotoshop?Willweeverbeabletocompletelytrustan
email,whenourtwelveyearoldchildrencanshowusthatwhatwereseeingisprobablyanattemptto
stealouridentity,orperhapsavirus,aworm,oraTrojanthathaswanderedintoourmidstandadopted
everyoneofourcharacteristics?DoIalreadyexistsomewhere,cloned,asmanyDoppelgnger,without
knowinganythingaboutit?
Historyoffersoneanalogytotheextentof[changebroughtaboutby]thevirtual,otherworldthatweare
nowbeingconfrontedwith.Forcenturiesandcenturies,warfarewasessentiallythesamething,clashing
armiesofknights,whofoughtwithswordsandshields.Then,oneday,thesewarriorsfoundthemselves
staringateachotheracrosscanonsandweapons.Warfarewasneverthesame.Wealsoknowthat
innovationsinthedevelopmentofmilitarytechnologyareirreversible.Heressomeevidencethatmaybe
ofinterest:inpartsofJapanintheearlyseventeenthcentury,therewasanattempttodoawaywith
firearms,sothatsamuraicouldfightoneanotherhandtohand,withswordsagain.Thisattemptwasonly
veryshortliveditwasimpossibletosustain.
Acoupleofyearsago,Icametograsphowconfusingtheconceptofrealityhasbecome,inastrangeway,
throughanincidentthattookplaceonVeniceBeachinLosAngeles.Afriendwashavingalittlepartyin
hisbackyardbarbecuedsteakitwasalreadydark,when,notfaraway,weheardafewgunshotsthat
nobodytookseriouslyuntilthepolicehelicoptersshowedupwithsearchlightsonandcommandedus,
overloudspeakers,togetinsidethehouse.Wesortedoutthefactsofthecaseonlyinretrospect:aboy,
describedbywitnessesasaroundthirteenorfourteenyearsofage,hadbeenloitering,hangingarounda
restaurantaboutablockawayfromus.Asacoupleexited,theboyyelled,Thisisforreal,shotbothwitha
semiautomatic,thenfledonhisskateboard.Hewasnevercaught.Butthemessage[Botschaft]ofthe
madmanwasclear:thishereisntavideogame,theseshotsareforreal,thisisreality.

AXIOMSOFFEELING
Wemustaskofreality:howimportantisit,really?And:howimportant,really,istheFactual?Ofcourse,
wecantdisregardthefactualithasnormativepower.Butitcannevergiveusthekindofillumination,
theecstaticflash,fromwhichTruthemerges.Ifonlythefactual,uponwhichthesocalledcinmavrit
fixates,wereofsignificance,thenonecouldarguethatthevritthetruthatitsmostconcentratedmust
resideinthetelephonebookinitshundredsofthousandsofentriesthatareallfactuallycorrectand,so,
correspondtoreality.IfweweretocalleveryonelistedinthephonebookunderthenameSchmidt,
hundredsofthosewecalledwouldconfirmthattheyarecalledSchmidtyes,theirnameisSchmidt.
InmyfilmFitzcarraldo,thereisanexchangethatraisesthisquestion.Settingoffintotheunknownwith
hisship,Fitzcarraldostopsoveratoneofthelastoutpostsofcivilization,amissionarystation:
Fitzcarraldo:AndwhatdotheolderIndianssay?
Missionary:Wesimplycannotcurethemoftheirideathatordinarylifeisonlyanillusion,behindwhich
liestherealityofdreams.
Thefilmisaboutanoperabeingstagedintherainforestasyoullknow,Isetaboutactuallyproducing
opera.AsIdid,onemaximwascrucialforme:anentireworldmustundergoatransformationintomusic,
mustbecomemusiconlythenwouldwehaveproducedopera.Whatsbeautifulaboutoperaisthatreality
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doesntplayanyroleinitatallandthatwhattakesplaceinoperaistheovercomingofnature.Whenone
looksatthelibrettifromoperas(andhereVerdisForceofDestinyisagoodexample),oneseesvery
quicklythatthestoryitselfissoimplausible,soremovedfromanythingthatwemightactuallyexperience
thatthemathematicallawsofprobabilityaresuspended.Whathappensintheplotisimpossible,butthe
powerofmusicenablesthespectatortoexperienceitastrue.
Itsthesamethingwiththeemotionalworld[Gefhlswelt]ofopera.Thefeelingsaresoabstractedthey
cannotreallybesubordinatedtoeverydayhumannatureanylonger,becausetheyhavebeenconcentrated
andelevatedtothemostextremedegreeandappearintheirpurestformanddespiteallthatweperceive
them,inopera,asnatural.Feelingsinoperaare,ultimately,likeaxiomsinmathematics,whichcannotbe
concentratedandcannotbeexplainedanyfurther.Theaxiomsoffeelingintheoperaleadus,however,in
themostsecretways,onadirectpathtothesublime.HerewecouldciteCastaDivainBellinisopera
Normaasanexample.
Youmightask:whydoIsaythatthesublimebecomesaccessibletous[lit.experienceableerfahrbar]
inopera,ofallforms,consideringthatoperadidnotinnovateinanyessentialwayinthetwentieth
century,asotherformstookitsplace?Thisonlyseemstobeaparadox:thedirectexperienceofthe
sublimeinoperaisnotdependentonfurtherdevelopmentornewdevelopments.Itssublimityhasenabled
operatosurvive.

ECSTATICTRUTH
Ourentiresenseofrealityhasbeencalledintoquestion.ButIdonotwanttodwellonthisfactanylonger,
sincewhatmovesmehasneverbeenreality,butaquestionthatliesbehindit[beyonddahinter]:the
questionoftruth.Sometimesfactssoexceedourexpectationshavesuchanunusual,bizarrepowerthat
theyseemunbelievable.
Butinthefinearts,inmusic,literature,andcinema,itispossibletoreachadeeperstratumoftrutha
poetic,ecstatictruth,whichismysteriousandcanonlybegraspedwitheffortoneattainsitthrough
vision,style,andcraft.InthiscontextIseethequotationfromBlaiseBascalaboutthecollapseofthe
stellaruniversenotasafake[counterfeitFlschung],butasameansofmakingpossibleanecstatic
experienceofinner,deepertruth.JustasitsnotfakerywhenMichelangelosPietportraysJesusasa33
yearoldman,andhismother,themotherofGod,asa17yearold.
However,wealsogainourabilitytohaveecstaticexperiencesoftruththroughtheSublime,through
whichweareabletoelevateourselvesovernature.Kantsays:Theirresistibilityofthepowerofnature
forcesustorecognizeourphysicalimpotenceasnaturalbeings,butatthesametimedisclosesour
capacitytojudgeourselvesindependentofnatureaswellassuperiortonature...Iamleavingoutsome
thingshere,forsimplicityssake.Kantcontinues:Inthiswaynatureisnotestimatedinouraesthetic
judgmentassublimebecauseitexcitesfear,butbecauseitsummonsupourpower(whichisnotofnature)
...
IshouldtreatKantwiththenecessarycaution,becausehisexplanationsconcerningthesublimeareso
veryabstractthattheyhavealwaysremainedalientomeinmypracticalwork.However,Dionysus
Longinus,whomIfirstcametoknowwhileexploringthesesubjects,ismuchclosertomyheart,because
healwaysspeaksinpracticaltermsandusesexamples.WedontknowanythingaboutLonginus.Experts
arentevensurethatthatsreallyhisname,andwecanonlyguessthathelivedinthefirstcenturyafter
Christ.Unfortunately,hisessayOntheSublimeisalsoratherfragmentary.Intheearliestwritingsthatwe
havefromthetenthcentury,theCodexParisinus2036,therearepagesmissingeverywhere,sometimes
entirebundlesofpages.
Longinusproceedssystematicallyhere,atthistime,Icannotevenstartinonthestructureofhistext.But
healwaysquotesverylivelyexamplesfromliterature.AndhereIwill,again,withoutfollowinga
schematicorder,seizeuponwhatseemsmostimportanttome.
Whatsfascinatingisthat,rightatthebeginningofhistext,[Longinus]invokestheconceptofEcstasy,
evenifhedoessoinadifferentcontextthanwhatIhaveidentifiedasecstatictruth.Withreferenceto
rhetoric,Longinussays:Whateverissublimedoesnotleadthelistenerstopersuasionbuttoastateof
ecstasyateverytimeandineverywayimposingspeech,withthespellitthrowsoverus,prevailsover
thatwhichaimsatpersuasionandgratification.Ourpersuasionswecanusuallycontrol,butthe
influencesofthesublimebringpowerandirresistiblemighttobear,andreignsupremeovereveryhearer
...Hereheusestheconceptofekstasis,apersonssteppingoutofhimselfintoanelevatedstatewhere
wecanraiseourselvesoverourownnaturewhichthesublimerevealsatonce,likeathunderbolt.1 No
onebeforeLonginushadspokensoclearlyoftheexperienceofilluminationhere,Iamtakingtheliberty
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toapplythatnotiontorareandfleetingmomentsinfilm.
HequotesHomerinordertodemonstratethesublimityofimagesandtheirilluminatingeffect.Hereishis
examplefromthebattleofthegods:
Aidoneus,lordoftheshades,infearleapthefromhisthroneandcriedaloud,lestabovehimtheearthbe
clovenbyPoseidon,theShakerofEarth,andhisabodebemadeplaintoviewformortalsandimmortals
thedreadanddankabode,wherefortheverygodshaveloathing:sogreatwasthedinthatarosewhen
thegodsclashedinstrife.
Longinuswasanextraordinarilywellreadman,onewhoquotesexactly.Whatisstrikinghereisthathe
takesthelibertyofweldingtogethertwodifferentpassagesfromtheIliad.Itisimpossiblethatthisisa
mistake.However,Longinusisnotfakingbut,rather,conceivinganew,deepertruth.Heassertsthat
withouttruth[Wahrhaftigkeit]andgreatnessofsoulthesublimecannotcomeintobeing.Andhequotesa
statementthatresearcherstodayascribeeithertoPythagorasortoDemosthenes:
Fortrulybeautifulisthestatementofthemanwho,inresponsetothequestionofwhatwehavein
commonwiththegods,answered:theabilitytodogood[Wohltun]andtruth.
Weshouldnottranslatehiseuergesiasimplywithcharity,imprintedasthatnotionisbyChristian
culture.NoristheGreekwordfortruth,altheia,simpletograsp.Etymologicallyspeaking,itcomesfrom
theverblanthanein,tohide,andtherelatedwordlthos,thehidden,theconcealed.Altheiais,
therefore,aformofnegation,anegativedefinition:itisthenothidden,therevealed,thetruth.Thinking
throughlanguage[imsprachlichenDenken],theGreeksmeant,therefore,todefinetruthasanactof
disclosureagesturerelatedtothecinema,whereanobjectissetintothelightandthenalatent,notyet
visibleimageisconjuredontocelluloid,whereitfirstmustbedeveloped,thendisclosed.
Thesoulofthelistenerorthespectatorcompletesthisactitselfthesoulactualizestruththroughthe
experienceofsublimity:thatis,itcompletesanindependentactofcreation.Longinussays:Foroursoulis
raisedoutofnaturethroughthetrulysublime,swayswithhighspirits,andisfilledwithproudjoy,asit
itselfhadcreatedwhatithears.
ButIdontwanttolosemyselfinLonginus,whomIalwaysthinkofasagoodfriend.Istandbeforeyouas
someonewhoworkswithfilm.Iwouldliketopointoutsomescenesfromanotherfilmofmineas
evidence.AgoodexamplewouldbeTheGreatEcstasyofWoodcarverSteinerwheretheconceptof
ecstasyalreadyshowsupinthetitle.
WalterSteiner,aSwisssculptorandrepeatworldchampioninskiflying,raiseshimselfasifinreligious
ecstasyintotheair.Hefliessofrightfullyfar,heenterstheregionofdeathitself:onlyalittlefarther,and
hewouldnotlandonthesteepslope,butrathercrashbeyondit.Steinerspeaksattheendofayoung
raven,whichheraisedandwhich,inhislonelinessasachild,washisonlyfriend.Theravenlostmoreand
morefeathers,whichprobablyhadtodowiththefeedthatSteinergavehim.Otherravensattackedhis
ravenand,intheend,torturedhimsofrightfullythatyoungSteinerhadonlyonechoice:Unfortunately,I
hadtoshoothim,saysSteiner,becauseitwastorturetowatchhowhewastorturedbyhisownbrothers
becausehecouldnotflyanymore.Andthen,inafastcut,weseeSteinerinplaceofhisravenflying,
inaterriblyaestheticframe,inextremeslowmotion,slowedtoeternity.Thisisthemajesticflightofaman
whosefaceiscontortedbyfearofdeathasifderangedbyreligiousecstasy.Andthen,shortlybeforethe
deathzonebeyondtheslope,ontheflat,wherehewouldbecrushedonimpact,asifhehadjumpedfrom
theEmpireStateBuildingtothepavementbelowhelandssoftly,safely,andawrittentextis
superimposedupontheimage.ThetextisdrawnfromtheSwisswriterRobertWalseranditreads:
Ishouldbeallaloneinthisworld
Me,Steinerandnootherlivingbeing.
Nosun,nocultureI,nakedonahighrock
Nostorm,nosnow,nobanks,nomoney
Notimeandnobreath.
Then,finally,Iwouldnotbeafraidanymore.

NOTE
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1.Sublimityflashingforthattherightmomentscatterseverythingbeforeitlikeathunderbolt(1.4).

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