Wednesday 17 June 2020

A Parting Shot And Enter Ariel

A Midsummer Tempest.

Rupert says something to Will as "...a Parthian shot..." (xvi, p. 145) As ever, it is instructive to google the meaning of this remark. It is a parting shot which may be derived from it.

Ariel tells Jennifer:

"'Outside my eyot, I'm a spy, no more.'" (xix, p. 173)

He also refers to the island as his "'...holm...'" (p. 172)

Readers of Poul Anderson's works have had more than their fair share of "Holmgangs."

Ariel parodies his own words from The Tempest:

"'Where the eaves drop, there drop I...'" (p. 173)


Ariel sings

Where the bee sucks, there suck I:
In a cowslip's bell I lie;
There I couch when owls do cry.
On the bat's back I do fly
After summer merrily.   
Merrily, merrily shall I live now
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.
-copied from here.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I remember that, away from his island, Ariel's powers and abilities were very limited, he was not really able to do more than a little spying or scouting for Prince Rupert.

Ad astra! Sean