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Saturday, May 5, 2012

LEONARDO da VINCI's fable, THE SWAN

As if being a genius in painting and sculpture was not enough,

Leonardo da Vinci was an author!  And a good one, too.  For our mutual jealousy and envy of genius,

here is THE SWAN:

The swan arched his supple neck towards the water and gazed at his reflection for a long time.


He understood the reason for his weariness and for the cold that gripped his body, making him tremble as though it were winter.

 With absolute certainty, he knew that his hour had come and that he must prepare for death.


His feathers were still as white as they had been on the first day of his life. Seasons and years had passed without a blemish appearing on his snowy plumage. He could go now, and his life would end in beauty.


Straightening his beautiful neck, he swam slowly and majestically beneath a willow, where he had been accustomed to rest in the hot weather.

It was already evening, and the sunset was touching the water of the lake with crimson and violet.


And in the great silence that was falling all around, the swan began to sing.


Never before had he found notes so full of love for all of nature, for the beauty of the heavens, the water and the earth.

His sweet song rang through the air, scarcely tinged with melancholy , until, softly, softly, it faded with the last traces of light on the horizon.


"It is the swan," said the fishes, the birds, and all of the beasts of the woodland and meadow.

Touched to the heart, they said:

"The swan is dying."


10 comments:

  1. Thanks, Elise:
    Your comment made a weary blood courier still at work very happy, Roland

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  2. Leonardo was definitely a renaissance man. Thanks for sharing that story and the video.

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  3. It's kind of a shame that da Vinci is most remembered for his painting, because in my humble opinion that was his weakest skill. He was a fantastic sketcher, and it appears a brilliant writer too. Thanks for sharing, I had not read this.

    Tegan Wilson

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  4. the guy was totally an all-rounder!

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  5. Over twenty years ago, Leonardo DaVinci was featured in the National Geographic as the smartest man that had ever lived. Also as a side note, IBM has built models of every drawing left in his workshop.

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  6. Leonardo was certainly a brilliant all rounder. I have this poem, along with thousands more...but not by him.
    Interestingly enough, I was just watching what The Mona Lisa was smiling at while he was painting her, and it turned out to be a sketch of an atomical hand showing all the veins and sinews in it.
    Odd thing to smile that egmatic smile at, but probably interesting at the time! ;)

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  7. D.G. :
    Leonardo certainly keeps me humble!

    Tegan:
    There always seems to be something new to learn about him, and that's for sure!

    Trisha:
    And he did complex, mechanical party favors for princes, popes, and kings that did not last a month but were works of genius. Wow.

    Michael:
    I would really like to see those models. And I can believe he was the smartest man who ever lived.

    Megan:
    Perhaps Mona Lisa was a Jill the Ripper of her time? Brrr. Cue the spooky music! Genesis of a great story!

    Alex:
    There is so much sadness in this world. So much more reason we should treasure the moments of loveliness and warmth, right?

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  8. Hi Roland .. Leonardo was certainly a genius in so many disciplines - I guess his paintings and sculptures remain at the forefront - because that's what people could recognise .. they wouldn't understand mechanical drawings, or models - and couldn't read .. and most of his work was in mirror writing ...

    He was as you say fantastic .. they've a museum dedicated to him in Milan should you ever get there ... one day perhaps ..

    Cheers Hilary

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