Re: Hesper
in reply to a message by katie
This is the first stanza of a hymn to the goddess Cynthia (or Diana - the moon) by Shakespeare's contemporary, Ben Jonson:
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep,
Seated in thy silver chair,
State in wonted manner keep:
Hesperus entreats thy light,
Goddess excellently bright.
With the -us ending it was of course masculine ... and I've never seen it used for anyone, male or female ... but I do enjoy the idea of it as a synonym for Eve!
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep,
Seated in thy silver chair,
State in wonted manner keep:
Hesperus entreats thy light,
Goddess excellently bright.
With the -us ending it was of course masculine ... and I've never seen it used for anyone, male or female ... but I do enjoy the idea of it as a synonym for Eve!