Halcyon Days

As halcyon days were referred in ancient Greece for a period of fourteen days in December around the winter solstice. The halcyon days were estimated because of the usually beautiful weather and the wind, the sea was calm and easy to drive at this time. The name halkyonisch goes back to the Kingfisher ( Halcyon Greek or alkyon ); it was assumed that the breeding season of Eisvogelweibchens falls in this period. In the upscale slang, the term " halcyon days " used metaphorically for a beautiful and serene short time.

In this context, the myth of Alcyone, daughter of Aeolus heard. Alcyone ( Attic Halkyone ) was married to Ceyx. After she lost her husband, she sought him long in vain. Finally, it was transformed by the gods out of compassion into a kingfisher. She was granted the privilege of the nice weather during their nesting and breeding season.

In the pseudo- Platonic (Plato wrongly attributed ) literary dialogue Halcyon ( " Kingfisher " ) tells the philosopher Socrates his friend Chaerephon the myth of Halkyones transformation ( metamorphosis ) into a kingfisher. The fictitious conversation takes place during the halcyon days and hear the two friends the reputation of the kingfisher.

Friedrich Nietzsche used word like " halkyonisch " means spiritually perfect. In his work Thus Spoke Zarathustra, the image of silence in reference is used to specify the style of that work. So the myth stands for peace and serenity as well as for a short break after past and before new storms.

In Albrecht Schaeffer's novel Helianth it is the same mind one chapter heading.

Otto Erich Hart sings about life in " The Halkyonier. A book end rhymes " (1904 ) " Halcyon days ". The poet founded the " Halcyon Academy of Sciences unangewandte to Salò ": A circle of friends, which was continued after his death under the chairmanship of Alfred Klement.

An exhibition of paintings in 2013 by the German painter Michael Kunze in the Kunsthalle Dusseldorf was entitled Halcyon Days.

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