MYTHS ARE DECADENT. Musical-poetical research by Asya Lazar ARDOVA.
Listen to the soundtrack “MYTHS ARE DECADENT” (J. Martin, Le Six) performed by Asya Lazar ARDOVA (piano) on the page ardSOUND of ardisonata.net
The title of my research was inspired by the thoughts of the great scientist Sergei Averintsev, who analyzes psychological origin of any narration and the word itself.
Averintsev describes the evolution of myths and marks the following:
1. Ancient archaic Greece. Myth was just a simple report on the surface without symbols and moral conclusions.
2. Neoplatonic philosophers Plotinus and his disciple Porfirius compare myth with a sleeping man’s imagination. Olympiadorus considers, that both Nature and mind are hidden behind the myth. Simple stories without moral and conclusion make us search for concealed passions of our soul and phenomena of the whole Cosmos.
Here comes the idea, that everything, concealed behind the myth’s stage, is getting interpreted most individually.
Hologram from the exhibition “Magic of Light” in the Saint Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics
MYTH IS IDENTICAL WITH ITSELF!
WHERE THE SUBJECTS LIVE
If we were talking about philosophers, it would be most expedient to address to their wisdom, imprinted in their utterances, or ancient books. Meanwhile, my aim was to show heroes, whose life was described by the others, thus forming the first life stories of their contemporaries.
FROM TOTEM TO CARNIVAL
Following this direction, we start from most primitive human imagination that was ready to accept legends, but not wisdom. Once people acquired the skill of depicting their life on cliffs. Those were primordial times and special aims. The very first reason was exceptionally practical. Drawing the process a man tuned his organism to the same successful actions – rather primitive ones, either hunting, or escaping. Watching his life from aside, he could analyze his behavior — for the first time from the points of security and success. Later there appeared merely decorative aspect, when drawn personages from cliffs became enjoyable and recognizable to primitive human hearts – thus true heroes appeared… Depicted twins evoked compassion and interest. Animals were not already respected preys instilling sacred awe to the minds of their hunters, but already something animated, needed to be respected by a man. Being closely linked with animals, a man could choose animal-totem, protecting his clan. Pagan kings were also consecrated priests, able to communicate with the world of animals. Remember the Greek myth of the Phrygian king Midas, who got donkey ears as the punishment from Apollo having given preference to Pan’s flute over Apollo’s lyre. Midas acts as the minister of Dionysus’ cult, apologist of unrestricted untamed nature that is contrary to Apollo’s harmony. Midas tried to hide his ears, but once his haircutter, unable to keep secret anymore, confessed to the reed, and the pipe played it to the whole world. Such was the punishment of Apollo, such sequence of events in Ancient Greece. However, moving further to Minor Asia and Near East, we find quite the other interpretation of this subject. King Midas was a priest and his totem animal was the donkey (symbol of voluptuousness), that was so close to Dionysus’ band and orgies.
Primitive society was mostly sung by Rousseau (18th century), by the post-romantic figures and decadents (the 20th century’s end). Positivism of the 19th century and Biedermeier transformed to most savage passions of the European intelligentsia. Hence, they organized expeditions, being drawn by exotic places and primitive societies. However, inside themselves there sounded absolutely polytonal music with romantic outbursts and touching lyrical confessions. Primordial hunters were depicted in the third ballet positions, like in the La rouse dictionary. Even Fauvism did not stop Apollo’s essence from classic Greek art, having penetrated inside the European minds. Dionysus’ passions were expressed with Apollo’s balanced skill.
Even Alexander the Great (of Macedon) was depicted as horned Iskander, the Eastern king connected with the bull as his totem, not to say of the manipulation with hair, considered to have been sacred. According to the Persian version Alexander’s face expressed his mind and he resembled the young lion with his black curly shaggy hair, like on this Pompea frsco.
Myths of Alexander the Great, collected all over the territory he ruled, are the true evidence of an attitude to narration itself. Scientists (see “Alexander the Great and Folkore Tradition”) revealed, why the classic ancient hero of Apollo nature becomes a turnskin of his totem animal the more we move to the Balkans and then to the Asian lands embraced with Dionysus’ unbridled cults. The explanation is hidden in his divine nature, for the Asian king was also a magician, being close to the primal forces of the Nature and resorting to his supernatural abilities for the benefit of his tribe. Hence the willing of hiding under the animal masks during the carnivals, hence the sacred and sometimes most sacramental function of carnivals.
Alexander the Great never looks old-fashioned. This dashing governor is always represented inseparable from his youth and Apollo’s clearness. And hardly would anyone think of his lion-like face and shaggy hair, so as about his passionate Phrygian soul.
GLADIATOR, or When there’s no way out
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, having struggled against the Roman oppressors, once said: “It’s better to jump into the flame, than to humiliate your friend in public.”
Ancient Rome was a rigid civilization. Intentionally do NOT I want to remember its emperors, craving for panem et circenses (“bread and circuses”), but I do deliberately mention gladiators, impelled to take part in deadly combats. See ancient frescos from Zippori (Israel). 
Once in Caesarea, I heard an interesting point of view – the gladiators were ordained, like monks, but already in the first century one of the Jewish gladiators, broke that tradition, having refuted his ordainment of a prey and ran away. Later he dedicated his life to his native religion. And the legend about him passes to a funny story. His name was Shimon bar Lakish, and that time he was serving as a gladiator at the Roman circus. Once he saw the long-haired charming creature, swimming in the Jordan River. Being attracted by this angelic face, the gladiator rushed into the river without any hesitation. Meanwhile, the angelic lady occurred to be a young man, that made Shimon exclaim desperately: «Oh, if such a magic face, but of a lady!». And a handsome man, who was indeed rabbi Johanan bar Nappaha, responded: «If such zeal of yours, but for Torah studying.”
Hebrew and later Jewish folklore is utterly symbolic. E. g., swimming in the Jordan River means special tradition of acquiring sacred might for understanding Torah. Former gladiator Shimon bar Lakish followed swimming rabbi Johanan and plunged into the Jordan River, thus performing the rite of consecration, accepting the religion of his forefathers. Remember John the Baptist.
As here we mentioned the unsubdued gladiator, I’d like to remember th Russian revolutionary songs of the 19th century, where Old Testament rhetorical turns were acting without a hitch. The Russian Marseillaise “Let’s give up and renounce of the old world, shaking off its old dust from our feet.” Golden idols and royal chamber are also taken from allegories of the Old Testament from the styles of passionate Judean prophets and later parables. Russian publicist and revolutionary Pyotr Lavrov (1823–1900), the author of these verses, knew the Biblical turns in Hebrew, able to raise depressed spirit.
ANDRÉ MAUROIS ABOUT THREE DUMAS,
or
PESSIMISM OF MIND AND OPTIMISM OF HEART
André Maurois, great master of biographical novels once marked, that the most interesting novel by Alexandre Dumas was his own life. Maurois was not acquainted with his hero, but he knew his creation in detail and felt its spirit. Maurois had a special system of writing. He first of all constructed his character and then collected letters and documents, having accompanied his character in reality.
ANDRE MAUROIS. Depicted by J.-E. Blanche
Remember, that Dumas himself was the connoisseur of biographical representation. Some absolutely forgottenhistorical personages were revitalized by Dumas.
Maurois marked, that Dumas enjoyed reciting his novels and plays at the parties, he was invited to. He used to bring the drafts of his novels and plays and to distribute pages between the guests of salons, for everybody could recite his new creation, taking part in this grand myth-making. 
Hot-tempered Dumas managed to involve even his rivals to the process of reading and performing. Counts, dukes and kings were embodied in one figure, but that figure was a true, modern and most recognizable one.
André Maurois’ novel is about the great mighty and mutinous spirit, incarnated in three generations of Dumas. PESSIMISM OF MIND AND OPTIMISM OF HEART – thus his style was described in the commentaries to the Russian edition of 1980ies.
CHERUBINA DE GABRIAK, or MYTH-MAKING FORGERY
It happened in 1909, the hottest period of the Russian decadence, or Silver Age, when Sergei Makovsky, chief editor of the “Apollo” magazine got several letters with poems from an unknown young lady. Flowers and rhymed confessions in love did their part effectively, and soon the poems were published and were a great success, even more than wonderful clever verses by Gumilyov, Annensky, Voloshyn, Kuzmin, Vyacheslav Ivanov. She never appeared, but had already wrote in one of her letters to Makovsky, that her most strict catholic principles forbade her to get in touch with the men of art, and that her name was Cherubina de Gabriak. Later it occurred that two brilliant poets Gumilyov and Voloshyn invented this mask for their friend Elizaveta Dmitriyeva, having made translations for “Apollo”. When everything was disclosed, Makovsky, absolutely disappointed and deceived, stopped publishing Cherubina. Dmitriyeva nevermore appeared among the decadents, although was later witnessed as translator and children poet. This is an official version.
Meanwhile, it looks strange, that Makovsky refused of publishing Cherubina, when she was on the peak of glory and brought income to “Apollo”, for readers did not feel too offended by her. Besides, the style of Dmitriyeva-translator differs greatly from Cherubina’s one: she rhymes most clear as if for children. There are many other details in Cherubina’s prosody (verses making), that reveal male attitude to life and art. Not manly, but exactly male one. And one more circumstances, which I consider erroneous in the official version. Makovsky discovered, that real woman Elizaveta Dmitriyeva was ugly instead of imagined Cherubina. Dmitriyeva could not be called ugly, for she was only 22 years old, most passionately enjoying her skill and lecturing medieval French literature that was for certain reflected in her eyes. Did she play the role of an ugly bluestocking according to some invented scenario?
That’s why I decided to suggest my own myth about Cherubina, just as an experience of myth-making, the kind of a model. Every publishing house is not only the work place of editors and authors, it’s the kind of a circus, where shows take place, where editors, authors and readers are craving for panem et circenses (“bread and circuses”). Imagine the magazine and its editor-in-chief Sergei Makovsky, more acting as the manager, than as the literary figure. How should he earn money, even if “Apollo” enjoys great popularity? Scandals are necessary. Remember the tale about the swine-herd, when princess rejected noble prince, although his present was a nightingale with heavenly trills, but the young swine-herd (who was indeed the same prince, but already disguised) managed to charm her, although his present was just a rattle. The same situation was evolving amongst the Silver Age poets. Society was cloyed with pleasures, tired of true feelings, compassion to the poor, revolutionary ideas, but meanwhile more and more people (students, intelligentsia and even merchants) were given good education and were expressing themselves in poems, considering themselves not worse, than brilliant Gumilyov - master of literary style, exquisite concentrated Annensky, impetuous vulnerable Max Voloshyn, inclined to graphic curiosities (hence the letter B as the Russian V - Bолошин), Daniel Rathaus with his ever-youthful outlook, innovative Vyacheslav Ivanov, or Agnivtsev with his subtle ironical hints and Mikhail Kuzmin, searching for new theatrical forms in poetry. That’s why, a myth was more effective, than real art. So this group of poets decided to play a trick on the society and to throw this kitsch-like fishing-rod, called Cherubina de Gabriak and readers swallowed that bait not only with great pleasure, but eagerly and anxiously. The name itself discloses the idea – Cherubin (heavenly dweller) from an imp (demon) Gabriak, or the group of impish men. Further I adduce the poems by these great poets and Cherubina’s poem on the same topic – all of them are translated to English by Asya Ardova.
Picture by Mstislav Dobuzhinsky
Cherubina de GABRIAK
Translated by Asya Ardova
Dear knight! The flowers you smother
Is the gift of moonlit lady,
Do obey her, but don’t bother
Sleeping heart with hope, that’s fading.
Bravest knight! At last you dared!
And my face is half-unveiled.
Thus the soul of mine is scared
With your sword’s courageous trail.
Poor knight! There’s no wayout!
Being invisible, I’m leaving,
And your fingers are about
Just to clasp my veil’s weaving.
-
GUMILYOV. Depicted by N. Levidova-Voytinskaya
Nikolai GUMILYOV
Translated by Asya Ardova
Dear boy! You look so happy, so lucid is your smile,
Do not ask me for this fortune, filling hearts with poisoned flame.
You don’t know, you don’t know, what’s indeed the old violin –
It is, but the silky horror of the leader in a game.
--
ANNENSKY. Depicted by A. Benois
Innokentiy ANNENSKY
Translated by Asya Ardova
Oh, this night of the Moon, of incredible dream…
Pallid features are stopped with the gleam:
Are you masked?! Or that’s shape of a beam…
But you wink – I awake in the morn,
What goes then?.. Then the pages are torn.
VOLOSHYN. Self-portrait
Max VOLOSHYN
Translated by Asya Ardova
Do deceive me, my friend, but forever, for good…
I will not think of “when”, I’ll forget of the “would”.
I will headlong believe in deceitful, and then,
I will follow someone to the night, to the glen.
RATGAUS. Depicted by L. Golubev-Bagryanorodny
Daniel RATHAUS
Translated by Asya Ardova
All these lyrical songs were accepted by me,
I have heard them, but nearly forgot…
That was dawn, but the Sun was exhausted in glee,
And the stars were forecasting my lot.
Vyacheslav IVANOV. Depicted by P. Yuon
Vyacheslav IVANOV
Translated by Asya Ardova
Poet’s science is existing
Though not for mere wisdom,
Sins are rising for to cease them,
Otherwise the art is misty.
-
Agnivtsev. Photo
Nikolai AGNIVTSEV
Translated by Asya Ardova
It’s altogether strange and queer
To live in this most ugly age,
When even restaurants nearby here
Are closed for my cheerful pledge.
KUZMIN. Depicted by N. Kulibin
Mikhail KUZMIN
Translated by Asya Ardova
Whitish shade has rushed beside me,
Reaching ancient palace fountain,
Magic glows in the fern!
Craving hearts, and voices sounding –
Far away, but all these turns
Are for night, like dews of mountain.
MYTH OF CORRIDA
Spanish bullfighting is discussed by animal defenders nowadays, by humanists of the past and is very often compared with gladiators’ combats. Cruel circus and the crowd, eager to watch bloody action.
Meanwhile there are found those contemporaries, whose expedient professional choice is to become toreadors and to stand face to face with the unpredictable unbridled force, called a bull.
However, there is nothing sacred, or sweet in fighting with this beast, for behind the myth you see other peril impending over Spaniards – bloody inquisition, ever-bent existence of a prosecuted man. Flamenco reflects all these feelings most exactly giving evidence to the most ancient strata of Spanish sub-culture. 
Crete-Mycenaean civilization (2 thousand years B. C. ) was known as something joyful in comparison for example with Egyptian one. There were no perils and no danger is reflected in their art. Circus was human, just acrobats, no humiliation and taming beasts, but only some games with a bull, only without cruelty.
Playing with a bull. Ancient fresco from Crete
Cretan acrobats are very often called toreadors and women are called Parisians by archeologists. Why also with the bull? Not because of Minotaur – this monster living in the labyrinth? What’s labyrinth? Does it not remind waving sea, meandering like a playing bull and threatening the whole island with storms provoked by faraway volcano’s eruption?..
Federico Garcia Lorca ones said: “Some powerful force has brought torero to a bull, some force he couldn’t ever experience, or explain. Torero comes out to the stadium for to face the bull, which he loves passionately and fears of all at the same time, being anxious even to speak heart to heart, Torero hears applauds, but they seem to be heard from the other parallel world. In a word, torero is a form, embracing and satisfying multi-facial crowd, and the bull is the only true actor, real star of the whole drama, its leading actor and hero”.
