Friday, June 8, 2007

Primeval Man and Love


This is a drawing that I keep close to my heart. It is by Eugene Karlin and is found in the 1968 limited edition of Lysis, or, Friendship. The Symposium. Phaedrus., by Plato. It is a depiction of the Greek first humans as described by the playright Aristophanes in the book: "The primeval man was round, his back and sides forming a circle; and he had four hands and four feet, one head with two faces... He could walk upright as men now do." These humans were punished by Zeus after they rebelled against the gods. Zeus sliced them all in two, and ever since man and woman have been trying to find their other half.

6 comments:

Jim said...

Indeed a pleasure to read that Sophia, thanks, many thanks.

Love and Peace to you, young Lady.

Sophia said...

Hiya Jim! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I remember stumbling across this myth in 2005 and being deeply touched by it.

Hope you're having a great day!

Anonymous said...

Sophia,
Very interesting. Have to love the thought!

Sophia said...

Mark, the philosophers really came-up with some interesting thoughts! Well, I guess technically Aristophanes was a playwright, but it was certainly a philosophical idea!

Anonymous said...

I have a different idea:
We should relate with one another from "completeness" instead of trying to complement each other. That makes me unromantic.
Or I guess I just value my independance. And freedom.

ghetufool said...

it's a wonderful find, i must say. thanks for this.