Lamia part 1

Question 1

What’s the quote about “Ever smitten Hermes”?

Answer 1

“The ever smitten Hermes empty left, His golden throne, bent warm on amorous theft”
“Amorous theft”- oxymoron, one sided love
“Ever-smitten”- superficial and shallow, Hermes always doing this

Question 2

What’s the quote about Lamia’s voice?

Answer 2

“There as he stood, he heard a mournful voice, such as once heard, in gently heart, destroys all pain but pity”
Hearing her voice makes you forget all pain and pity Lamia

Question 3

What are Lamia’s first lines?

Answer 3

“When from this wreathed tomb shall i awake!…Ah, miserable me”
Lamia feels trapped, almost to the point of death, she needs to be revived.

Question 4

What is Lamia described as at the start?

Answer 4

“A palpitating snake, Bright and cirque-couchant in a dusky brake”
- don’t trust Lamia, palpitating contrasted to “Tomb”, now pulsating with life.

Question 5

How else is Lamia described at the start?

Answer 5

“Gordian shape of dazzling hue… so rainbow-sided, touched with miseries”
Lamia is a multitude of possibilities, conundrum of esoterica.
“Touched with miseries”- Lamia synonymous to temptation, we touch things we shouldn’t like to.

Question 6

How is Lamia’s language described?

Answer 6

“Her throat was serpent, but the words she spake came, as through bubbling honey, for loves sake”
Even though she’s other-worldly she can be seen as maternal/soothing through language, a dual character.