Our attitude towards it reveals human frailty in all its forms
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskBut not so fast. First I need a hat to keep the radiant intrusion off my face and my neck. Then my sunglasses, which cast a sober pall over all the sun is doing. And last, the sunscreen, heavy as greasepaint and slathered on liberally., wrote the Roman poet Catullus: I hate and love. I long for the sun, yet I rebuff it; I revel in it, but I go prepared for war.
Innumerable civilisations have made the sun a god, giving light and life to the world, marking out time, all-seeing. The Greeks had Apollo, god of order and poetic metre as well as light, with his hair curling down in golden rays, never to be cut. The Gayatri Mantra from the, holiest of all the Hindu mantras, addresses the sun unreservedly. Christians in church still face the rising sun, the natural direction for morning prayer.
Even as scientists made the cosmos less mystical and more mechanical, the sun kept its contradictory character. It was still glorious and joyful, but man also had the measure of it now, and could order it about. Handel’s aria, “Eternal source of light divine”, nonetheless commands the sun, like a servant, to shine with double warmth on Queen Anne’s birthday.
My grandmothers feared that the sun’s touch would make them look like labourers in the fields. Our fear is now more existential: cancer. The sun is undeniably hotter than it was. Thermometers tell us so, as do horrific wildfires. I can feel the change myself. No other summers burned me as those of 2018 and 2019 did, when the Sussex hills stood like beaten copper and each skeletal gorse-patch was filled with panting sheep. The sun was cruel in a way that was new to me.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Check out this sick Half-Life x Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance crossover animationGotta follow the laws of the Wild / (Alive) / With their lives on the line / (No choice) / Out here only the strong survive.
Read more »
Paper Girls creators explain heartbreaking change to the story'There's some of the scenes that just break my heart.'
Read more »
Exclusive: Modern Family star's High School Musical TV cameo explainedModern Family star's High School Musical TV cameo explained by show creator
Read more »
Firaxis reveals more about Marvel's Midnight Suns' Doctor StrangeFiraxis has released a deep dive into Doctor Strange's abilities, playstyle, and tactics from its upcoming strategy gam…
Read more »
Disco Elysium dev seeks artists with 'a love of sci-fi and video games'Disco Elysium creator ZA/UM is looking for artists with 'a love of sci-fi and video games' and the ability to create 'n…
Read more »
A Guide To Sun-Kissed Hair For Every Shade, According To The Duchess Of Sussex’s ColouristThe Duchess of Sussex has perennially coveted hair for good reason. Here are the secrets behind her sun-kissed hair color.
Read more »