η απορια του μη ησυχαζειν — Posts Tagged ‘muse’

Insomniac passing anhypnic nights in writing, translation, music, mathematics, programming and whatever else captures my attention or alleviates agrypnia.

This consists mostly of quotations of things that stand out to me or reflect what's on my mind; occasionally I also post original, often more personal, content as well, which may be found under the "personal" tag. Anything posted under "translations" is also original work and may broadly be taken as personal as well as I seldom tackle a work that does not speak to or for me in some way.

A lovely sentiment

February 6th, 2012 1:45pm

When he was nominated for an MTV Award for his 1996 album Murder Ballads, Nick Cave sent this letter to them:

21 Oct 96

To all those at MTV,

I would like to start by thanking you all for the support you have given me over recent years and I am both grateful and flattered by the nominations that I have received for Best Male Artist. The air play given to both the Kylie Minogue and P. J. Harvey duets from my latest album Murder Ballads has not gone unnoticed and has been greatly appreciated. So again my sincere thanks.

Having said that, I feel that it’s necessary for me to request that my nomination for best male artist be withdrawn and furthermore any awards or nominations for such awards that may arise in later years be presented to those who feel more comfortable with the competitive nature of these award ceremonies. I myself, do not. I have always been of the opinion that my music is unique and individual and exists beyond the realms inhabited by those who would reduce things to mere measuring. I am in competition with no-one.

My relationship with my Muse is a delicate one at the best of times and I feel that it is my duty to protect her from influences that may offend her fragile nature.

She comes to me with the gift of song and in return I treat her with the respect I feel she deserves — in this case this means not subjecting her to the indignities of judgement and competition. My muse is not a horse and I am in no horse race and if indeed she was, still I would not harness her to this tumbrel — this bloody cart of severed heads and glittering prizes. My muse may spook! May bolt! May abandon me completely!

So once again, to the people at MTV, I appreciate the zeal and energy that was put behind my last record, I truly do and say thank you and again I say thank you but no… no thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Nick Cave

August 2nd, 2011 12:22am

Os antigos invocavam as Musas.
Nós invocamo-nos a nós mesmos.
Não sei se as Musas apareciam—
seria sem dúvida conforme o invocado e a invocação.—
Mas sei que nós não aparecemos.

Quantas vezes me tenho debruçado
sobre o poço que me suponho
e balido “Ah!” para ouvir um eco,
e não tenho ouvido mais que o visto—
o vago alvor escuro com que a água resplandece
lá na inutilidade do fundo…
Nenhum eco para mim…
Só vagamente uma cara,
que deve ser a minha, por não poder ser de outro.
E uma coisa quase invisível,
exceto como luminosamente vejo
lá no fundo…
No silêncio e na luz falsa do fundo…

Que Musa! …

The ancients invoked the Muses.
We invoke ourselves.
I don’t know if the Muses appeared—
no doubt it depended on what was invoked and how—
but I know that we don’t.

How many times I’ve leaned over
the well of myself
and bleated “Aaah!” to hear an echo,
and I’ve heard no more than I’ve seen—
the vague, dim light which glimmers on the water
there in the useless depths…
No echo for me…
just the hint of a face,
which must be mine as it can’t be another’s,
and something almost invisible,
except that I see it glimmer
there in the depths…
in the silence and deceptive light of the depths…

What a Muse!

Fernando Pessoa, writing as Álvaro de Campos, 3 January 1935

η απορια του μη ησυχαζειν

Insomniac passing anhypnic nights in writing, translation, music, mathematics, programming and whatever else captures my attention or alleviates agrypnia.

This consists mostly of quotations of things that stand out to me or reflect what's on my mind; occasionally I also post original, often more personal, content as well, which may be found under the "personal" tag. Anything posted under "translations" is also original work and may broadly be taken as personal as well as I seldom tackle a work that does not speak to or for me in some way.