En un día del hombre están los días del tiempo, desde aquel inconcebible día inicial del tiempo, en que un terrible Dios prefijó los días y agonías hasta aquel otro en que el ubicuo río del tiempo terrenal torne a su fuente, que es lo Eterno, y se apague en el presente, el futuro, el ayer, lo que ahora es mío. Entre el alba y la noche está la historia universal: Desde la noche veo a mis pies los caminos del hebreo, Cartago aniquilada, Infierno y Gloria. Dame, Señor, coraje y alegría para escalar la cumbre de este día.
Psalms 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
"NOW MORE THAN NEVER SEEMS IT RICH TO DIE" ~~~Keats: Ode to a Nightingale How has this line been translated into Spanish?
Jorge, that luminous line from Keats— “Now more than ever seems it rich to die”— has been translated into Spanish with subtle variations, each carrying its own poetic weight.
The most direct and widely accepted rendering is:
“Ahora más que nunca parece rico morir.”
This version preserves the original’s paradox: that death, in the presence of beauty, feels not tragic but abundant, even generous.
🕊️ Alternative Renderings (Poetic Variants) Some translators, seeking deeper resonance, have offered:
“Ahora más que nunca, morir parece un lujo.” (Now more than ever, to die seems a luxury.)
“Nunca antes pareció tan dulce morir.” (Never before did dying seem so sweet.)
“Ahora más que nunca, morir parece pleno.” (Now more than ever, dying seems full.)
Each version tunes the phrase to a different emotional register—luxury, sweetness, fullness. But all echo Keats’s vision: that in the ecstasy of birdsong, even death becomes a kind of rapture.
Ode to a Nightingale
"Ode to a Nightingale" was written by the Romantic poet John Keats in the spring of 1819. At 80 lines, it is the longest of Keats's odes (which include poems like "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Ode on Melancholy"). The poem focuses on a speaker standing in a dark forest, listening to the beguiling and beautiful song of the nightingale bird. This provokes a deep and meandering meditation by the speaker on time, death, beauty, nature, and human suffering (something the speaker would very much like to escape!). At times, the speaker finds comfort in the nightingale's song and at one point even believes that poetry will bring the speaker metaphorically closer to the nightingale. By the end of the poem, however, the speaker seems to be an isolated figure—the nightingale flies away, and the speaker unsure of whether the whole experience has been "a vision" or a "waking dream."
Chess: "Keats" "Breakfast"
ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE
My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk, Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk: 'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot, But being too happy in thine happiness,— That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees In some melodious plot Of beechen green, and shadows numberless, Singest of summer in full-throated ease.
O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been Cool'd a long age in the deep-delved earth, Tasting of Flora and the country green, Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth! O for a beaker full of the warm South, Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene, With beaded bubbles winking at the brim, And purple-stained mouth; That I might drink, and leave the world unseen, And with thee fade away into the forest dim:
Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget What thou among the leaves hast never known, The weariness, the fever, and the fret Here, where men sit and hear each other groan; Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last gray hairs, Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies; Where but to think is to be full of sorrow And leaden-eyed despairs, Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes, Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.
Away! away! for I will fly to thee, Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards, But on the viewless wings of Poesy, Though the dull brain perplexes and retards: Already with thee! tender is the night, And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne, Cluster'd around by all her starry Fays; But here there is no light, Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.
I cannot see what flowers are at my feet, Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs, But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet Wherewith the seasonable month endows The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild; White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine; Fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves; And mid-May's eldest child, The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine, The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.
Darkling I listen; and, for many a time I have been half in love with easeful Death, Call'd him soft names in many a mused rhyme, To take into the air my quiet breath; Now more than ever seems it rich to die, To cease upon the midnight with no pain, While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad In such an ecstasy! Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain— To thy high requiem become a sod.
Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird! No hungry generations tread thee down; The voice I hear this passing night was heard In ancient days by emperor and clown: Perhaps the self-same song that found a path Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home, She stood in tears amid the alien corn; The same that oft-times hath Charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.
Forlorn! the very word is like a bell To toll me back from thee to my sole self! Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well As she is fam'd to do, deceiving elf. Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades Past the near meadows, over the still stream, Up the hill-side; and now 'tis buried deep In the next valley-glades: Was it a vision, or a waking dream? Fled is that music:—Do I wake or sleep?
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
As militant Christians in action what should we make of Keat's "NEGATIVE CAPABILITY"? Should we just see it as Christian resiliency in adverse circumstances, as apostolic effort? Is it somehow a mild benign "opioid" or wise buttressing? In the end Keats's life had a somewhat heroic relative martyrdom touch? Can we imagine a kind of Beowulfish heroic action in Keats? And therefore allowing for a barbarian dimension coexisting with the progress of evangelization? ... Just musing! "In essence, negative capability is about embracing ambiguity and the unknown, and being comfortable with contradictions and complexities. Keats believed that this openness to the mysterious and unresolved aspects of life enabled deeper artistic expression and emotional resonance." John Keats introduced the concept of "negative capability" in a letter to his brothers in 1817. It's a term he coined to describe the ability to accept uncertainty, mystery, and doubt without the urge to seek logical explanations. For Keats, this quality was essential for great poets and artists, as it allowed them to create rich, imaginative works without being constrained by the need for rational clarity or definitive answers. In essence, negative capability is about embracing ambiguity and the unknown, and being comfortable with contradictions and complexities. Keats believed that this openness to the mysterious and unresolved aspects of life enabled deeper artistic expression and emotional resonance. Here's a snippet from Keats's letter where he explains the idea: "I mean Negative Capability, that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact & reason." Keats felt that this capacity was crucial for creating art that could evoke powerful emotions and reflections, much like his own poetry, which often explores profound themes with a sense of wonder and openness.
Copilot answers my query in this manner:
John Keats's concept of "negative capability," which emphasizes embracing uncertainty and mystery without the need for definite answers, can indeed be intriguing when viewed through a Christian lens, especially considering the context of faith, resilience, and martyrdom.
Christian Resiliency
Embracing Uncertainty: In Christianity, faith often involves trusting in God's plan despite not understanding all aspects of it. Negative capability can be seen as a form of spiritual resilience, embracing the mysteries of faith and the divine without needing all answers.
Apostolic Effort: The early apostles displayed a similar kind of resilience and acceptance of uncertainty, boldly spreading the gospel despite immense challenges and dangers. Keats’s concept can resonate with the idea of unwavering faith and commitment in the face of adversity.
Wise Buttressing
Spiritual Strength: Just as a buttress supports a building, negative capability can be likened to a form of spiritual strength. It allows individuals to lean into their faith, trusting in God's wisdom and timing even when circumstances are unclear.
Avoiding Over-Rationalization: Embracing mystery and faith without over-rationalizing aligns with the biblical call to trust in God’s wisdom rather than human understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Heroic Martyrdom
Keats’s Life: Keats faced significant personal hardships, including illness and early death, with a degree of grace and acceptance. This resilience mirrors the heroic endurance seen in Christian martyrs who stood firm in their faith despite persecution.
Beowulfish Heroism: While Keats might not fit the typical mold of a warrior like Beowulf, his intellectual and emotional bravery in facing life's uncertainties can be seen as a different kind of heroism. This courage to engage with the unknown can coexist with the zealous energy of evangelization, adding depth to the Christian mission.
Barbarian Dimension and Evangelization
Balancing Acts: The barbarian dimension of raw, unrefined courage can coexist with the nuanced, contemplative approach of negative capability. This balance reflects the diverse ways individuals engage with faith and evangelization, combining bold action with thoughtful reflection.
Dynamic Faith: Christianity's history includes both fierce defenders of the faith and deep contemplatives. Embracing both aspects can enrich the journey of faith and the approach to spreading the gospel.
Keats's "negative capability" offers a compelling lens for Christians to reflect on their faith, emphasizing the power of embracing mystery and uncertainty as part of a resilient and dynamic spiritual life.
Habakkuk 3:19 “The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”
"for thank God I can read and perhaps understand Shakespeare to his depths"~~~KEATS
Amish undershot water wheel, Pennsylvania
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - Nymphs and Satyr (1873)
"A godlike race of heroes, who are called
The demi-gods—the race before our own.
Foul wars and dreadful battles ruined some;
Some sought the flocks of Oedipus, and died
In Cadmus' land, at seven-gated Thebes;
And some, who crossed the open sea in ships,
For fair-haired Helen's sake, were killed at Troy.
These men were covered up in death,
But Zeus the son of Kronos gave the others life
And homes apart from mortals, at Earth‟s edge.
And there they live a carefree life, beside
The whirling Ocean, on the Blessed Isles."~~~HESIOD: The Works and Days
The Lady and the Unicorn: À mon seul désir (Musée national du Moyen Âge, Paris)
CHAPTER 3 ROMANCE AND REALITY "I am in the Gothic world, the world of chivalry, courtesy and romance; a world in which serious things were done with a sense of play - where even war and theology could become a sort of GAME; and when architecture reached a point of extravagance unequaled in history. After all the great unifying convictions of the twelfth century, High Gothic art can look fantastic and luxurious - what Marxists called conspicuous waste. And yet these centuries produced some of the greatest spirits in the history of man, amongst them St Francis of Assisi and Dante. Behind all the fantasy of the Gothic imagination there remained, on two different planes, a sharp sense of reality. Medieval man could see things very clearly, but he believed that these appearances should be considered as nothing more than symbols or tokens of an ideal order, which was the only true reality." ~~~Kenneth Clark
Amish undershot water wheel, Pennsylvania
Tamal Tico: Keats
"for thank God I can read and perhaps understand Shakespeare to his depths"~~~KEATS
Chess: "Shakespeare" "Wheat" "Unicorn" "Pan" "Undershot Water Wheel"
Tantalus Shoulder Ivory Gioacchino Assereto Showbread Deborah Keats Yeats Rom.8:4 "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
Gen.1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
"Bond shovelled the great wad of notes on to the table"~~~Ian Fleming
"The American liking for shortcuts in speech"~~~H. L. Mencken
Tantalus, oil painting circa 1640's, by Gioacchino Assereto
Gioacchino Assereto was an Italian painter of the early Baroque period and one of the most prominent history painters active in Genoa in the first half of the 17th century.
Showbread
Carved elephant ivory statuette of the Virgin and Child 1320–30 Victoria and Albert Museum
Tantalus
TheHouse of Atreusbegins withTantalus. Tantalus was a son of Zeus who enjoyed cordial relations with the gods until he decided to slay his sonPelopsand feed him to the gods as a test of their omniscience. Most of the gods, as they sat down to dinner with Tantalus, immediately understood what had happened, and, because they knew the nature of the meat they were served, were appalled and did not partake. ButDemeter, who was distracted due to the abduction byHadesof her daughterPersephone, obliviously ate Pelops' shoulder. The gods threw Tantalus into theunderworld, where he spends eternity standing in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches. Whenever he reaches for the fruit, the branches raise his intended meal from his grasp. Whenever he bends down to get a drink, the water recedes before he can drink. Thus is derived the word "tantalising". The gods brought Pelops back to life, replacing the bone in his shoulder with a bit of ivory, thus marking the family forever afterwards.
Como habrán notado aquellos que se hayan tomado la molestia de revisar este blog, el mismo carece de juicios explícitos de mi parte. Esto es contrario a la norma en la mayor parte de los blogs, donde se prima la opinión y discusión. No obstante esta carencia de opinión explícita, en el blog se pone material que ilustra algún punto o tesis implícita, pero que sólo la imaginación del lector puede conectar. Para la mayor parte de los lectores puede parecer como un mero zambrote de ideas inconexas, he ahí la razón del nombre "potpourri" : olla donde se cuece un zancocho de marcada heterogeneidad. En realidad, estimado lector, más que discursivo o discusional, este blog es una especie de "trillo" señalizado, que debería permitirme una rápida consulta a aquellas pruebas que la vida siempre nos pone por delante y que debemos superar a partir de un fundamento. La superación de dichas pruebas depende en gran medida de la "solidez" del fundamento que nos sustente así como de nuestra habilidad y diligencia para encontrar las respuestas correctas en el contexto que nos depare la vida en ese momento. Como seres pensantes, en gran medida, una acción exitosa viene acompañada o precedida de un concepto adecuado que ilustre, conecte, señale, aclare, fortalezca o escude la acción o el actor. Este blog es una pequeña muestra de ese inquirir vital. Usted y yo señor lector somos los que le damos contenido al Puente. Eso es LEER!
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