Medieval methods of entertainment included sad dances and alienation parties.
Tights are not pants, circa 1400something.
(via bloomsburyist)
The library at Sissinghurst castle, the delightful and exquisite home of Vita Sackville-West and her husband, Harold Nicolson.
(via bloomsburyist)
"Myths are stories about people who become too big for their lives temporarily, so that they crash into other lives or brush against gods. In crisis their souls are visible."
Anne Carson, Introduction to Grief Lessons: Four Plays by Euripides (via filthiestlaugh)
I love love love this introduction. I give it to my classical civ students every quarter.
(via pentekontaetia)
"Les miroirs feraient bien de réfléchir un peu plus avant de renvoyer les images."
Jean Cocteau — Le sang d’un poète (1930)
(Source: tumblingupwards)
"Once I went to interview Jean Cocteau. His house was piled high with bibelots, paintings, drawings by famous artists, books - Cocteau kept everything and felt a deep love for all those things.
During the interview I decided to ask him: ‘if the house caught fire right now, and you could only take one thing with you, what would you choose?’
Cocteau said: ‘I’d take the fire.’"
a journalist in Brissac, France (via woodysblues)
Le poète, en composant des poèmes, use d’une langue ni vivante, ni morte, que peu de personnes parlent, que peu de personnes entendent.
"It is, it seems, a social crime to desire solitude. After a piece of work, I flee. I seek new territory. I fear the slackness of habit. I want to be free of techniques, of experience — clumsy. That is to be a trifler, a traitor, an acrobat, a fantaisiste. To be complimentary: a magician. A wave of the wand and the books are written, the film is shot, the pen draws, the play is staged.
It is very simple. Magician. That word makes everything easy. No need to labour at our work. It all happens of its own accord."
Jean Cocteau, The Difficulty of Being (via woodysblues)
The Blood of a Poet (French: Le Sang d’un Poete) (1930) is an avant-garde film directed by Jean Cocteau and financed by Charles, Vicomte de Noailles.
It is the first part of the Orphic Trilogy, which is continued in Orphée (1950) and was concluded with Testament of Orpheus (1960).
"A true poet does not bother to be poetical. Nor does a nusery gardener scent his roses."
Jean Cocteau
(via thenonpoetsclub)
