The Last of the Wine

[kasche]

"[...] I did not fight, Anytos, to be crowned where I have not run; but for a City where I can know who my equals are, and my betters, to do them honor; where no one will force a lie on me because it is expedient, or some other man's will."

The word seemed, as I spoke, to be my own thoughts that I owned to no one, only to some memory in my soul; but when I looked beyond the Stadium, to where they were kindling the lights on the High City in the falling dark, I saw the lamps of Samos shine through a doorway, and the wine-cup standing on the table of scoured wood. Then the pain of loss leaped out on me, like a knife in the night when one has been on one's guard all day. The world grew hollow, a place of shadows, yet none would hold out the cup of Lethe to let me drink.

This time the quote is quite lengthy... and maybe too close to the end, I'm sorry for that. At first I was thinking of writing all the piece down to "Sleep quietly, Lysis, all is well.", then I thought that this could be enough. And really... like probably many others, I recognized Lysis' words (his speech did stand out, after all), but seeing Alexias realize it... gah.
And this is the fourth (or fifth) book that made me cry.

Comments

[kasche.livejournal.com]

Oh god, yes. Yes, yes, yes. I cried like a baby. Even if reading Alexias talk about Xenophon, but not Lysis, in present tense makes you think bad. But really, everyone hopes for the best until the last minute possible, right? But- it was so unfair.

[jadis31.livejournal.com]

I know. from page 2 I KNEW he was going to die... I was waiting for it and waiting for it and when it happened I was shocked. horrified. in tears like a 6 month old baby girl.

Oh, it was so beautiful though. so, so wonderful.

Love and Ink,
Jo

[kasche.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry, Alexias". Oh god, that cue makes you feel so, so bad.

Ok, this is a trivial question, I know, there's way more than that in the book, but.. you know when Alexias and Lysis talk, after the boar hunt? What do you think happened at the end of the chapter? I mean, after Alexias says "I am here"?

...and the boar hunt makes me think of the whole section before, and now I have in mind the scene where Alexias is in the palaestra talking with Charmides, and sees Lysis but doesn't greet him.

I'm sorry, but for a couple of days I'm always like this, I keep thinking of the book and the scenes and rereading passages and- ok, I think that's clear enough.

[miraminx.livejournal.com]

Wow, "The Last of the Wine" was one of my favorite books when I was a teenager. I should re-read it; it must be almost 20 years (!) since I've read it.

you know when Alexias and Lysis talk, after the boar hunt? What do you think happened at the end of the chapter? I mean, after Alexias says "I am here"?

They make love. Up until then they've had a (excuse the phrase) platonic relationship, since Socrates has spoken so much about the love of the mind vs. bodily love. But Alexias's brush with death, and Lysis realizing (paraphrasing here since I don't recall exactly what he said), "I saw you dead and I had nothing--" cause them to re-think that decision, and they become lovers in the physical sense as well.

[kasche.livejournal.com]

Wow, did you read that too?

it must be almost 20 years (!) since I've read it.

Wah, you make me feel little, now. And reading a book older (printed in 70s, I think) than me felt strange, too.