Sources of the image of the Turtle

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

Aglaia

New Member
Dec 14, 2016
2
5
46
Here's the question from a Russian reader. Does anybody know about the sources of the image of the Turtle (“On his back all vows are made; he sees the truth but mayn't aid”)? There is a verse of a Russian poet written in 1966. It is about a great ancient Crocodile who lives on the edge of the world; all the wisdom of death is in his belly, and all the secrets of heaven are on his paws; he wants to save and hopes to help, but his eyes are covered by eternal night and moreover, he is deaf. I wonder whether the two authors had a similar source for inspiration, or was it just a coincidence.
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
195,472
79
Just north of Duma Key
Here's the question from a Russian reader. Does anybody know about the sources of the image of the Turtle (“On his back all vows are made; he sees the truth but mayn't aid”)? There is a verse of a Russian poet written in 1966. It is about a great ancient Crocodile who lives on the edge of the world; all the wisdom of death is in his belly, and all the secrets of heaven are on his paws; he wants to save and hopes to help, but his eyes are covered by eternal night and moreover, he is deaf. I wonder whether the two authors had a similar source for inspiration, or was it just a coincidence.
Hi and welcome
 
  • Like
Reactions: GNTLGNT and Aglaia