#i felt a little silly transcribing about narcissus and poseidon but also i am a completionist so

[mysticalspiders]

Whale Weekly Annotations: November 21

But first some art!

This is the edition that my annotations are coming from if anyone is curious! (And if anyone has any details on this commentary/annotations I would love to know.)

(Call me Ishmael.)

1. The biblical Ishamael was the son of Abraham by the bondservant Hagar, an Egyptian. Ishamael was disinherited and cast out in favor of his younger half brother Issac, Abraham’s son by his wife Sarah. An angel prophesies ot Hagar: “And he will be a wild man; and every man’s hand against him.” See Genesis 16-25. The name was in common use to mean an exile or outcast.”

(especially whenever my hypos)

2.  Short for “hypochondria,” a state of depression somewhat more chronic and morbid than our “blues.” (sidenote: isn’t that just depression?”

(There now is your insular city of the Manhattoes)

3.  The people of Manhattan Island, so referred to by Irving in Knickerbocker History of New York who also refers to “the ancient city of Manhattoes” in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

(Circumambulate the city of a dreamy Sabbath afternoon. Go from Corlears Hook to Coenties Slip, and from thence, by Whitehall, northward.)

4. That is go from a point (or “hook”) on the East River near the present Williamsburg Bridge, round the Battery and walk northward to Whitehall along the Hudson River.” (sidenote: would love to see someone walk this today?)

(Why did the Greeks give it a separate deity)

5. Poseidon.

(And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus)

6. A Greek youth condemned to pine away for love of his own reflection in spring; at his death he became a narcissus. (sidenote: surprised to see this needs an annotation?)

(For as in this world, head winds are far more prevalent than winds from astern (that is, if you never violate the Pythagorean maxim))

9. The Pythagorean injunction is to avoid eating beans, which cause flatulence. (sidenote: this is incredibly funny and there is definitely a joke to make here but I can’t quite figure it out. Also I want to know more about how this relates to Pythagorus. Probably my favorite note for todays chapter)

(this the invisible police officer of the Fates)

1. Three goddesses who control human destiny and life. Clotho spins the thread of life; Lachesis determines its length; and Atropos cuts it off. 

Bonus Art from the title page!