Classics Retold

An old British proverb advising that it is wiser to marry nearby or a neighbour than a stranger from far away. It promotes marrying someone local whose background is known rather than risking the unknown.  It encourages endogamy. Mixen or mixon refers to a hidden manure pile, symbolising one's own immediate farm yard or locality. A moor is a distant unfamiliar person or area.  The proverb is recorded since the 17th century and highlights the importance of familiarity in partners over strangers. 

Ancient Greek Goddess of love beauty, desire and protection. It was believed that she had immense power over other gods and human beings. She is associated with fertility, passion and prosperity. Her Roman counterpart is Venus. Her name is derived from aphros or sea foam based on the belief that she was born from the sea.  Derived from the Greek word aphros meaning sea-foam, she is a foam-born goddess.  It is believed that she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione, and was created out of the sea-foam ensued by the castration of Uranus. Here we see that sea-foam is an euphemism for another word, but derogatory to air in public. She was worshipped as a warrior goddess of Sparta. Associated with doves, swans, roses and myrtle, she was beautiful but vain, jealous, and vengeful.  A central character in many myths, including Trojan war. The entire theme is a part of homo sapiens' belief system.

The Upper Farm.  The house of Bathsheba.  Sunday afternoon. Joseph Poorgrass, Mathew Moon, Henery Fray and half a dozen others came running up.  Bathsheba was coming out on her way to church; and ceasing for a moment, she pulled on her gloves with her red lips.   "Sixty!" said Joseph Poorgrass.  "Seventy!" said Moon. "Fifty-nine!" said Susan Tall's husband. "Sheep have broke fence," said Fray.  "And got into a field of clover," said Tall.  "Young clover," said Moon.  "Clover," said Joseph Poorgrass. "And they be getting blasted," said Henery Fray. "That they be," said Joseph. "All will die as dead as door nits, if they baint got out and cured," said Tall. Joseph's countenance was drawn into lines and puckers by his concern. Fray'a forehead was wrinkled both perpendicularly and crosswise after the pattern of portcullis expressive of a big concern. Laban Tall's lips were th...

When Boldwood left, Bathsheba thought that Boldwood was very disinterested and kind to her. He offered her all that she can desire.  Yet farmer Boldwood was neither kind or unkind by nature. His offers to Bathsheba was only self-indulgence of a lonely man. Bathsheba considered his offers in detail. Any other woman of her station would have embraced them. Bathsheba esteemed him and liked him. But she did not want him. Men takes wives because possession is not possible without marriage. Women accept husbands because marriage is not possible without possession. Besides, Bathsheba was independent, in business and in home. The first, she enjoyed its thrill and adventure, mainly because she was new to it. As a woman, the second was inherent upon her.  Bathsheba's was an impulsive nature. She had the strategic and calculative mind of Queen Elizabeth I and the romantic spirit of Mary, the Queen of Scotts. She was wary of her men's opinion on her dealings with Boldwood. Again, she was ...

Ixion, a king of the Lapiths in Greek mythology was condemned by Zeus to eternity of torment in Tartarus for his extreme arrogance which included murdering his father-in-law and attempting to seduce Hera. Zeus created a cloud phantom of Hera, with whom Ixon fatherrd Centaurs.  For this arrogance Ixion was expelled from Olympus and blasted with a thunderbolt. Zeus ordered Hermes to bind Ixion to a winged fiery wheel, which spun perpetually  through the underworld.  This punishment served as a classic example for excessive hubris, highlights the severe consequences of defying gods. 

Boldwood did eventually call upon her. But she was not at home. He had made a mistake. Like him she was a farmer. She goes to market, show them the samples, bargain over the price and sell them corn. He did not like the idea of women doing business. So he forgot it, or has been trying to forget it. Here she has no bailiff she is managing the whole farm. Her probable whereabouts is out of doors at this time of the year. On inquiring for her at her house they had told him that she was at sheep washing, and he went off to seek her there.  He went on meditating along the path to the north of the meadow where the sheep washing pool lay. It was a circular basin of stone work in the meadow. Buttercup, daisy, reeds and sedge formed a palisade along its brink. To the north of the meadow were trees with thick foliage. Loud notes of cuckoos were resounding in the atmosphere.  Boldwood went meditating down the slopes with his eyes on his boots, which the yellow pollen from the buttercups ...