W10 Lecture Notes - SIMONE WEIL AND TRAGEDY
The scene of Venice in 1618 is the scene of Europe in 1940. … The motivations of
the mercenaries are the motivations of the Nazis. … Venice, ‘the city’ which
represents the roots, ‘the contact with nature, the past, and tradition’, is Europe.
Over both there looms the menace of moral decomposition.
(Gabriella Fiori 1989: 187-9)
Daylight comes across the sea slowly.
Soon the feast will fulfil every desire.
The calm sea waits. How lovely on this sea
are the rays of day! (VS 113)
I had promised nothing to Venice, and yet I saved it,
renouncing out of pity so much power and glory. (VS 99)
No man could ever make something as beautiful as Venice. Only God. The
greatest thing a man can do, the thing that brings him closest to God, is to preserve
the marvels that exist, given that he cannot create them. (VS 82)
Empty eyes will look around in vain
for palaces, houses or churches.
Their songs will never again be heard.
They will have no voice for their lament.
This sea for them will be always mute. (VS 87)
Afflicted man! For I could have seen all of this tonight,
could have feasted my eyes by now on such a spectacle.
What made me lose my way? What made me spare these assassins? (VS 96)
The scene of Venice in 1618 is the scene of Europe in 1940. … The motivations of
the mercenaries are the motivations of the Nazis. … Venice, ‘the city’ which
represents the roots, ‘the contact with nature, the past, and tradition’, is Europe.
Over both there looms the menace of moral decomposition.
(Gabriella Fiori 1989: 187-9)
Daylight comes across the sea slowly.
Soon the feast will fulfil every desire.
The calm sea waits. How lovely on this sea
are the rays of day! (VS 113)
I had promised nothing to Venice, and yet I saved it,
renouncing out of pity so much power and glory. (VS 99)
No man could ever make something as beautiful as Venice. Only God. The
greatest thing a man can do, the thing that brings him closest to God, is to preserve
the marvels that exist, given that he cannot create them. (VS 82)
Empty eyes will look around in vain
for palaces, houses or churches.
Their songs will never again be heard.
They will have no voice for their lament.
This sea for them will be always mute. (VS 87)
Afflicted man! For I could have seen all of this tonight,
could have feasted my eyes by now on such a spectacle.
What made me lose my way? What made me spare these assassins? (VS 96)
