#it's also conveniently close to 366 days so you can use that as a good approximation

[yesthatsatumbler]

more-cursed-than-average hot take: 1 light year should be 31622776.60168... light seconds (that's the square root of a quadrillion, if you were wondering)

but also yeah it was a bit of a "wow that's cursed" mood when I found out that 1) physics has an official definitive answer for "how many seconds in a year" and 2) it's not any of the four-or-five numbers for seconds-in-a-year that I have already memorized

[those being 31536000, 31556952, 31556926, 31622400, and marginally 31556925]

today i learned that the 'year' in the official definition of the light-year is specifically the 365.25 day average julian year

[aspenbros1]

Top 4 Aspen Ski Resorts (And Nearby Ski in Ski Out Condos in Snowmass)

The word Aspen conjures images of picture-perfect snowcaps with ski lifts and fancy restaurants. It’s so famous as a vacation destination for the rich and famous that the name itself is almost like a brand.

  It might just be skiing, arts, and outdoor fun for the outsider, but the locals call this “The Aspen Idea” – a cultural renaissance that dates back to the 40s and is still thriving to this day.

  An Introduction to Aspen Ski Resorts

Aspen used to be a silver mining town but now these mountains are home to four ski resorts all owned by the same company.

  Aspen Mountain or Ajax serves as Aspen town’s backdrop. To the west are Aspen Highlands resort and Buttermilk ski resort.

  Snowmass, which is bigger than the three resorts combined, has a bigger base village and ski area.

  Quick Facts about the Four Ski Resorts in Aspen Colorado:

Ajax or Aspen Mountain Ski Resort

Wanna ski down the same slopes as the athletes of the FIS Alpine World Cup? Ajax is just the ski resort for you.

  Fair warning, this resort was chosen for the event because of its technical, unforgiving runs. They have no slopes for beginners, and about 65% of the trails are for experts.

  The ski area is served by a centralized gondola that will take you up to the peak in a mere 10 minutes where you can enjoy a range of diamond and double diamond runs.

  Most skiers here will spend their time on the upper-mountain quad, where they can enjoy intermediate trails and ridges.

  If that’s not your thing, head to Ruthie’s run or International if you’re looking for long cruisers. Bell Mountain is the spot for bump skiing.

  Tourists looking for accommodation should head to The Little Nell, the tried and tested ski-in, ski-out luxury hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain.

  Aspen Highlands Ski Resort

Local favorite Aspen Highlands is also a playground for advanced skiers, albeit with less grooming.

  The Highland Bowl, the resort’s main attraction, takes 20 minutes of climbing in strong winds just to reach the top. Yes, there’s no lift that can take you up the peak… you can take a cat ride but you’ll have to hike the rest.

  The fresh tracks and mountain views of Maroon Peak, one of the few peeks over 14,000 feet in Colorado, make it worth the effort though. Highland Bowl isn’t for the faint of heart and is best reserved for the latter part of your stay once you’ve acclimatized to the altitude.

  Of course, you don’t have to take the hike to Highland Bowls to have a good time in Aspen Highlands. The Cloud Nine trails offer plenty of runs for less the work.

  Buttermilk Ski Resort – The Family Friendly Resort

Don’t let the first two ski resorts on this list dissuade you from going to Aspen. They have beginner-friendly ski resorts, too.

  Buttermilk is perfect for freestylers and beginners with its gentle runs and huge snow park, most famous for being the choice venue of the X-Games.

  So if you’re a newbie looking for a less crowded training ground, Buttermilk is the perfect resort.

  Ski parents can enjoy the Tiehack section and its gorgeous views of Maroon Creek Valley, which has a couple of advanced runs. True, it’s not like the ones at Highlands or Ajax but it’s not as crowded so that’s a plus.

  Meanwhile, their kids can enjoy The Hideout, Buttermilk’s learning center specifically made for young skiers two and a half to four years of age.

  Buttermilk is an all-around family friendly resort with world class amenities.

  Aspen Snowmass: Home of the Capital Peak Lodge and The Best Rentals in Snowmass

Aspen Snowmass is the biggest and most popular resort in Aspen. The combination of diverse slopes in Snowmass mountain, ski school, excellent dining options, and extensive hotel options make them the top choice for travelers.

  Their après options – or after skiing activities – and nightlife also live up to the town’s glitzy hype. There’s also plenty to explore at the base town — Snowmass village Colorado.

  Well-positioned lifts throughout the resort’s 3,300 acres of skiable terrain means there’s hardly a line to enjoy the slopes of Snowmass, and less climbing, more skiing for everyone.

  Outside the ski area in Snowmass Village, guests can enjoy an Ice Age discovery center that features a woolly mammoth and other huge skeletons that were found in the area before it became the now famous Snowmass village.

  There’s also a climbing wall, ice rink, and the newly opened Limelight Hotel in Snowmass Village. Capital Peak Lodge is also located here, along with several boutique stores in Snowmass village mall.

Considering a Longer Stay? Snowmass Village Condos  for Sale

Aspen is organized in a grid framework, with the resorts surrounded by a healthy number of restaurants, hotels, and boutique shops.

  As with any skiing destination, ski in and ski out hotels and condominium command a higher price than vacation rentals a shuttle bus ride away. They also get booked solid in the months leading up to the ski season.

  Non ski in/ski out properties offer free shuttles and bus rides to the resorts. Just ask your hotel for the trip schedules.

  You also have the option to leave your gear in ski lockers available at the base of the gondola, so you don’t have to lug them back and forth to your room.

  This is why ski in/ski out townhouses and luxury condos in Aspen are great investments for avid skiers.

      It’s not just a sure-fire way to ensure you don’t have to catch a shuttle to enjoy fresh powder, it can also turn into a good secondary source of income. A three bedroom ski in, ski out property can fetch anywhere from $800 to as much as $4,000 a night.

  Outside the ski season, these properties can also be rented out or enjoyed for a bit of hiking or countryside biking.

Ski in/Ski Out Snowmass Condo and Vacation Homes for Sale

Unit A 755 S Aspen Street “One Aspen”

This property has 3 bedrooms and 4.5-baths, and sits on 5, 507 square feet of mountain side. It’s located at the base of Ajax, just beside Lift 1A.

It’s part of a collection of 14 mountainside residences but still close to the restaurants and shops downtown.

  And with its modern lines, spacious layouts, and coveted outdoor living spaces, it might just be the best Aspen address yet. Incredible opportunity to get into this neighborhood before the new ski lift is constructed to replace the current Lift 1A! A public vote approved a new chairlift (and two new hotels) to be constructed on South Aspen Street. Once those improvements are in place the ski and chairlift access to Aspen Mountain will be across the street!

  Nearby Ski Resort: Ajax

623 South Monarch St, Aspen

Selling Price: $3,650,000

  Superior Aspen core townhome in triplex.

  Light and Bright with windows on three sides. End unit with large private deck overlooking Aspen Mountain and town.

  Both exterior and interior remodels in 2015.

  Main floor includes an updated open plan kitchen with a gas stove, built in dining table, gas fireplace and floor to ceiling windows.

   Entire top floor is master bedroom with steam shower

Garden level has queen bedroom and custom bunk room with hang out space for kids.

Second bathroom with tub/shower

Enormous rental potential

AC and ski storage

Location is exceptional with ski in access at present and the property will be ski and out with new lift 1-A and all the amenities of the coming Aspen Street hotel projects.

  Back of property will be the new city park, Dolinsek Gardens.

  Nearby Ski Resort: Ajax

112 Falcon Road at FiveTrees Subdivision

Selling Price: $12,800,000

  Based on just over two secluded acres, bordering private land and positioned at the end of the road for extra security, sits this exclusive ski-in, ski-out enclave of Five Trees.

  This five-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bathroom single family home elevates artful design to new heights and is offered professionally decorated and fully furnished, including the kitchenware and artwork, the home is truly turnkey.

  The home’s interiors are defined by exquisite finishes, including Venetian plaster walls, walnut floors, and soaring ceilings with dramatic beam trusses.

  Expansive copper cladded windows frame mountain views of Baldy Peak and the Willow Creek Valley showcasing the breathtaking natural surroundings and reinforcing the secluded feeling of this home.

  This Aspen single family home is for sale and has 5 bedrooms, 5 full baths, 3 partial baths and was built in 2007.

  Nearby Ski Resort: Aspen Highlands

38750 Highway 82 #2203 Luxury Condo in Aspen

Selling Price: 259,000

This 347 square feet, 2nd floor king suite has enviable access to the front desk, Home Team BBQ, Buttermilk ski lifts and all amenities the Inn has to offer.

It’s not a condo in Snowmass but if you want a family-friendly place, this is for you.

  king with pull out soft

·private owner’s closet in room

Ski-in/Ski-out

complimentary shuttle service

restaurant and bar

exercise room

pool

24 hour front desk on site.

2 parking spaces

Private owner’s storage closet in the room allows for easy visits – as does the Inn at Aspen van that connects guests and owners to the airport and downtown Aspen.

  Nearby Ski Resort: Buttermilk

  366 Pfister Dr, Aspen

Selling Price: $10,500,000

  Exclusive Ski-In Ski-Out at Tiehack!

  Whether you prefer downhill skiing, skinning, mountain biking or perhaps neither, this slope side Tiehack home offers easy access to some of our most beloved local activities, or just the right amount of privacy to qualify as a true mountain escape.

  The Robert Trown-designed 6-bed, 8-bath home embraces the mountain aesthetic with classic finishes, expansive living spaces with vaulted ceilings, grand kitchen with breakfast nook, inviting bedrooms, opulent baths, and media room plus private decks, a patio and views.

  Convenient to downtown Aspen with the Maroon Creek Club just down the hill, the airport and neighboring Aspen Highlands and Snowmass ski areas are just minutes away.

  Nearby Ski Resort: Buttermilk

  Explore More Ski in/Ski Snowmass Condos for Sale

Whether you’re looking for a 3-bedroom condo or bigger 5-bed townhome for your stay in Snowmass, having the right guide to show you around is key.

  After all, you’ll be buying a prime real estate. Not all Snowmass ski in ski out condos will fit your particular needs when it comes to a vacation home or vacation rental.

  Some properties have hot tubs or a golf course, others compensate for it with a heated pool and other amenities. A membership to the Snowmass Club, while coveted, is only available upon purchase of certain properties in Aspen Snowmass.

  You’ll take the time to research to find one that meets your need, location and amenity wise. But online research on Zillow and agent online listings can only take you so far.

  There are subtle differences in property condominium amenities, locales, and even unit furnishings that only a visit with an experienced realtor can show you.

  Let us know what it is exactly you’re looking in Snowmass village condos —or nearby areas in the Roaring Fork valley, and we’ll take care of the rest.

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[tiikerikani]

Epic bus adventures, in numbers

Taking the bus between Espoo and Helsinki is pretty expensive and adds up to a lot very quickly if you buy tickets individually. Over the last 2 weeks I needed to make several trips into town, so I bought a bus pass. I don’t normally use the bus because I walk or bike to work.

The minimum duration for a bus pass (a.k.a. “season ticket”) is a 14-day period. This system is actually very flexible and you can specify the dates you want (unlike in Canada, where bus passes are sold by calendar months). The longer the period you buy (the maximum is 366 days), the cheaper it comes out to be. I bought a 15-day period, which works out to about the price of 14 individual tickets between Helsinki/Espoo/Vantaa. I didn’t actually have 7 commitments lined up for that period, but I made it worth my money ;)

Having a bus pass is so freaking convenient, but at this pace it’s not so great for my time or my money budgets... especially as the novelty wears off. The tram system within central Helsinki is extremely good, by the way. Really beats walking from one end of downtown to the other because you don’t want to buy a new ticket every 60 minutes while your geocache hunt keeps taking you back and forth across the area (though you can also buy day passes).

Anyway, my last 15 days included:

1 “Welcome to Night Vale” show

2 choir practices in Helsinki -> 1 common cold, which really exacerbated what appears to be sinus problems, making me feel super carsick all the time (which is not good when you’re on the bus for a lot of that time). I tried motion-sickness medicine, which made me stop feeling nauseous but got me pretty close to falling asleep at my desk at work.

1 board gaming event (just stopped by for 1 game after the choir practice, since I was very tired)

2 choir practices in Espoo -> 1 post-practice drinks session

1 trip to the Asian grocery store -> 1 box of proper moon cakes from Hong Kong -> 1 tin of pickled cabbage (forgot I already had one in my pantry) -> noodles in all sorts of sizes and formats (dry, instant, vacuum-packed)

2 trips to the British/American import shop -> 1 bottle malt vinegar -> 1 jar beef Bovril -> some candy

2 failed attempts to get to Fat Ramen noodle bar before it closed

1 choir performance -> 1 post-concert dinner/party

1 (short) studio recording session

2 antiquarian books -> 1 copy of Fenno-ägyptischer Kulturursprung der alten Welt, the most (in)famous work of Finnish pseudolinguistics (relatively rare and quite "special", as the shopkeeper put it. It's pathetically hilarious and hilariously pathetic at the same time.) 

20 geocaches (could have been more, but got stuck at one when I didn't have the appropriate tool to open it) -> 1 more county checked off my map (and Finland’s oldest cache) -> 1 new D/T combination

100+ km walked

1 mostly-empty fridge

2 evenings actually spent at home.

The highlight was definitely the recording session yesterday. 12 of us from choir recorded some backing vocals for a Neljä Ruusua song which is most definitely coming out in the next couple of months since it is totally a #suomi100 thing. It’s a fairly short song, and recording the ~45 seconds of music took about 90 minutes :P

(I don’t feel anything interesting in particular about that band - I don’t listen to them - but they’re from Joensuu and therefore in the “famous musicians” part of the “civic pride” package you’re supposed to subscribe to if you live there.)

[buildersshow]

7 Tiny Reasons You’re Not Closing More Sales

Have you ever noticed that one agent who always seems to be selling more, always seems to be in first place, and tends to always have the highest production numbers? They appear to have it all together and sell more than anyone else. Oftentimes, we assume their success is attributed to how long they have been in business, or that customers tend to flock to them to buy. That could not be further from the truth.  

In reality, the habits of high producing agents are so tiny and minute, they are not observable by the average salesperson. Most of the time, even the managers can’t pin down exactly what it is they do that causes people to buy from them. In the past 30 years, I’ve identified seven traits that all successful agents seem to possess. These are those seven tiny secrets and skills that I’ve seen first-hand help certain agents to rise above the rest.  

Don’t underestimate the ability of these small things to turn a customer’s passive awareness into an active interest in your product. Adapt and incorporate all seven of these tiny secrets into your daily sales process for maximum impact and added bonus, known as a force multiplier. This is just another secret of top producing agents.

1. Everyone is not a buyer.

When I first got into this business, I was taught that everyone walking through the door was a buyer. I found myself wasting a lot of time. I have since discovered that top producers have an uncanny ability to qualify quickly, get a sense of reality, and balance their time between those who are simply looking for decorating ideas and the ones who have a true need and desire to buy a home now. The top agents know who to spend time with and who not to. They give their time and attention where it’s most needed and become laser-beam focused on true buyers.  

2.  Monthly specials are killing you.

Some builders habitually throw out monthly specials or incentives to close deals and, sadly, many agents depend on them as their primary closing strategy. When incentives fail to help close a deal, the average agent wonders why. On the other hand, top producers realize that it’s not about the gimmicks, it’s about the investment in time. Today’s consumers are pushed for time. Master influencers understand and respect that. They use incentives (i.e. whether the buyer will get a new refrigerator) as the “icing on the cake,” not as the basis of the deal.  

3. Stop saying “I’m sorry.”

Whenever there’s a problem, a hiccup, or mishap, I’ve noticed that most agents are quick to apologize to customers and say, “I’m sorry.” I suppose that’s the right thing to do. We make a mistake, or something goes wrong, and we apologize for it. Here’s the difference:  top producers never say, “I’m sorry.”  The only words you’ll ever hear from a top producer are, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of that.” Today’s consumers expect you to solve problems, not apologize for them.  So take it from the masters – stop apologizing and start remedying.  

4. “But what about my days off?”

I encounter a lot of agents who are overly concerned with their weekends, days off and their next vacation. They remind me that they don’t want to get burnt out, and I get it. True sales masters understand the 25/8/366 factor: the highest producers make themselves available to their customers 25 hours a day, 8 days a week, 366 days a year.  They’re on alert and ready to write deals and answer questions no matter the time of day. You’re probably thinking, “OMG! I don’t want to work like that!” And that’s okay! Just don’t expect to join the 2% club of top producers. 

It’s worth noting that those top producers are not actually putting in much more time – they just understand the importance of being available at the customer’s convenience. They get deals done when they need to be done. It’s a mentality, not a physical commitment.

5. You are not a tour guide.

Far too many agents meet and greet their customers, begin some form of qualifying, and walk customers around their models talking about how great and wonderful everything is (including themselves). They hand the customer a brochure and tell them to call if they have any questions. What they fail to understand is that, in most situations, the first visit is all about closing on the second visit. Masters of influence understand this tiny subtlety in the process, allowing them to plant the proper seeds to make the shift from a passive interest into an active involvement. They don’t just listen to the customers, they actively interpret what they are saying in order to make their sales presentation far more effective and powerful.   

6. Stop using the wrong word. This is another tiny difference between the average agent and the top producer that is hard to detect, but so important. Top producers start their presentation using the right words and continue to do so during their entire presentation. Here’s a simple example: the average agent gives a demonstration, explaining that “if” the customer buys this home they will get ...” Maybe you didn’t even notice, but top agents use the right language and the right syntax. Here’s the tiny difference: “When you buy this home ...” By simply infusing more of this type of language, you begin to set up your customer’s sense of ownership very early on in the game. Does changing one or two words actually cause them to buy? Well, when you add all of these tiny strategies up, the simple answer is yes. It can make all of the difference in how the costumer sees you and the product and their mind shifts from one of a looker to one of an actively interested buyer. 

7. No pressure, no diamonds.

There is plenty of sales training out there that still teaches a lot of old school techniques for closing the deal: The Alternate Close, The Ben Franklin Close, The Takeaway Close.  To get more commitments and close more sales, you must understand the difference between high-pressure selling and letting pressure occur organically. It is human nature to want to acquire goods. It’s also human nature to say, “No.” Today’s masters of influence understand that creating urgency is the top priority during the sales presentation. And urgency combined with the enhanced presentation skills will simply mean you stop applying pressure externally and allow the pressure to occur organically and you sell in the theater of the mind. When executed properly, you will have more customers giving you the buying signals that it’s time to close – not because of any tricks or gimmicks, but because they came to the conclusions logically and rationally on their own; which are the true results of your enhanced presentation skills.

Adapt these simple mindsets and tiny strategies and I can assure you, you will see your closings increase as you get better and join the masters of influencers at the top.   

John A. Palumbo is an expert in the science of influence and persuasion and a highly sought-after marketing strategist and global speaker. He has been invited to lecture around the world including Ukraine, Mexico, Poland, Canada, and Jamaica, on his unique perspective on consumer psychology and human behavior. He is author of eight best-selling books, including Sell the Results, John’s newest book that managers are calling, “The best thing to ignite our sales results in a long time.”

[This is an excerpt of an article that originally appeared in the NSMC Sales + Marketing Ideas magazine app. Download the app on iTunes or GooglePlay.]

Hear John speak at IBS 2018.

[theexpectedguest]

NOTES

NOT only the title, but the plan and a good deal of the incidental symbolism of the poem were suggested by Miss Jessie L. Weston's book on the Grail legend: From Ritual to Romance (Macmillan). Indeed, so deeply am I indebted, Miss Weston's book will elucidate the difficulties of the poem much better than my notes can do; and I recommend it (apart from the great interest of the book itself) to any who think such elucidation of the poem worth the trouble. To another work of anthropology I am indebted in general, one which has influenced our generation profoundly; I mean The Golden Bough; I have used especially the two volumes Atthis Adonis Osiris. Anyone who is acquainted with these works will immediately recognise in the poem certain references to vegetation ceremonies.

I. THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD

Line 20. Cf. Ezekiel II, i.

23. Cf. Ecclesiastes XII, 5.

31. V. Tristan und Isolde, I, verses 5-8.

42. Id. III, verse 24.

46. I am not familiar with the exact constitution of the Tarot pack of cards, from which I have obviously departed to suit my own convenience. The Hanged Man, a member of the traditional pack, fits my purpose in two ways: because he is associated in my mind with the Hanged God of Frazer, and because I associate him with the hooded figure in the passage of the disciples to Emmaus in Part V. The Phoenician Sailor and the Merchant appear later; also the "crowds of people," and Death by Water is executed in Part IV. The Man with Three Staves (an authentic member of the Tarot pack) I associate, quite arbitrarily, with the Fisher King himself.

60. Cf. Baudelaire:

"Fourmillante cité, cité pleine de rèves,

"Où le spectre en plein jour raccroche le passant."

63. Cf. Inferno III, 55–57:

"si lunga tratta di gente, ch'io non avrei mai creduto che morte tanta n'avesse disfatta."

64. Cf. Inferno IV, 25–27:

"Quivi, secondo che per ascoltare, "non avea pianto, ma' che di sospiri, "che l'aura eterna facevan tremare."

68. A phenomenon which I have often noticed.

74. Cf. the Dirge in Webster's White Devil.

76. V. Baudelaire, Preface to Fleurs du Mal.

II. A GAME OF CHESS

77. Cf. Antony and Cleopatra, II. ii., l. 190.

92. Laquearia. V. Aeneid, I, 726:

dependent lychni laquearibus aureis incensi, et noctem flammis funalia vincunt.

98. Sylvan scene. V. Milton, Paradise Lost, IV, 140.

99. V. Ovid, Metamorphoses, VI, Philomela.

100. Cf. Part III l. 204.

115. Cf. Part III l. 195.

118. Cf. Webster: "Is the wind in that door still?"

126. Cf. Part I l. 37, 48.

138. Cf. the game of chess in Middleton's Women beware Women.

III. THE FIRE SERMON

176. V. Spenser, Prothalamion.

192. Cf. The Tempest, I. ii.

196. Cf. Day, Parliament of Bees:

"When of the sudden, listening, you shall hear, "A noise of horns and hunting, which shall bring "Actaeon to Diana in the spring, "Where all shall see her naked skin . . ."

197. Cf. Marvell, To His Coy Mistress.

199. I do not know the origin of the ballad from which these lines are taken: it was reported to me from Sydney, Australia.

202. V. Verlaine, Parsifal.

210. The currants were quoted at a price "carriage and insurance free to London"; and the Bill of Lading etc. were to be handed to the buyer upon payment of the sight draft.

218. Tiresias, although a mere spectator and not indeed a "character," is yet the most important personage in the poem, uniting all the rest. Just as the one-eyed merchant, seller of currants, melts into the Phoenician Sailor, and the latter is not wholly distinct from Ferdinand Prince of Naples, so all the women are one woman, and the two sexes meet in Tiresias. What Tiresias sees, in fact, is the substance of the poem. The whole passage from Ovid is of great anthropological interest:

. . . Cum Iunone iocos et maior vestra profecto est

Quam, quae contingit maribus', dixisse, 'voluptas.' Illa negat; placuit quae sit sententia docti Quaerere Tiresiae: venus huic erat utraque nota. Nam duo magnorum viridi coeuntia silva Corpora serpentum baculi violaverat ictu Deque viro factus, mirabile, femina septem Egerat autumnos; octavo rursus eosdem Vidit et 'est vestrae si tanta potentia plagae,' Dixit 'ut auctoris sortem in contraria mutet, Nunc quoque vos feriam!' percussis anguibus isdem Forma prior rediit genetivaque venit imago. Arbiter hic igitur sumptus de lite iocosa Dicta Iovis firmat; gravius Saturnia iusto Nec pro materia fertur doluisse suique Iudicis aeterna damnavit lumina nocte, At pater omnipotens (neque enim licet inrita cuiquam Facta dei fecisse deo) pro lumine adempto Scire futura dedit poenamque levavit honore.

221. This may not appear as exact as Sappho's lines, but I had in mind the "longshore" or "dory" fisherman, who returns at nightfall.

253. V. Goldsmith, the song in The Vicar of Wakefield.

257. V. The Tempest, as above.

264. The interior of St. Magnus Martyr is to my mind one of the finest among Wren's interiors. See The Proposed Demolition of Nineteen City Churches: (P. S. King & Son, Ltd.).

266. The Song of the (three) Thames-daughters begins here. From line 292 to 306 inclusive they speak in turn. V. Götterdämmerung, III, i: the Rhinedaughters.

279. V. Froude, Elizabeth, Vol. I, ch. iv, letter of De Quadra to Philip of Spain:

"In the afternoon we were in a barge, watching the games on the river. (The queen) was alone with Lord Robert and myself on the poop, when they began to talk nonsense, and went so far that Lord Robert at last said, as I was on the spot there was no reason why they should not be married if the queen pleased."

293. Cf. Purgatorio, V. 133:

"Ricorditi di me, che son la Pia;"Siena mi fe', disfecemi Maremma."

307. V. St. Augustine's Confessions: "to Carthage then I came, where a cauldron of unholy loves sang all about mine ears."

308. The complete text of the Buddha's Fire Sermon (which corresponds in importance to the Sermon on the Mount) from which these words are taken, will be found translated in the late Henry Clarke Warren's Buddhism in Translation (Harvard Oriental Series). Mr. Warren was one of the great pioneers of Buddhist studies in the Occident.

312. From St. Augustine's Confessions again. The collocation of these two representatives of eastern and western asceticism, as the culmination of this part of the poem, is not an accident.

V. WHAT THE THUNDER SAID

In the first part of Part V three themes are employed: the journey to Emmaus, the approach to the Chapel Perilous (see Miss Weston's book) and the present decay of eastern Europe.

357. This is Turdus aonalaschkae pallasii, the hermit-thrush which I have heard in Quebec County. Chapman says (Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America) "it is most at home in secluded woodland and thickety retreats. . . . Its notes are not remarkable for variety or volume, but in purity and sweetness of tone and exquisite modulation they are unequalled." Its "water-dripping song" is justly celebrated.

360. The following lines were stimulated by the account of one of the Antarctic expeditions (I forget which, but I think one of Shackleton's): it was related that the party of explorers, at the extremity of their strength, had the constant delusion that there was one more member than could actually be counted.

366–76. Cf. Hermann Hesse, Blick ins Chaos: "Schon ist halb Europa, schon ist zumindest der halbe Osten Europas auf dem Wege zum Chaos, fährt betrunken im heiligem Wahn am Abgrund entlang und singt dazu, singt betrunken und hymnisch wie Dmitri Karamasoff sang. Ueber diese Lieder lacht der Bürger beleidigt, der Heilige und Seher hört sie mit Tränen."

401. "Datta, dayadhvam, damyata" (Give, sympathize, control). The fable of the meaning of the Thunder is found in the Brihadaranyaka—Upanishad, 5, 1. A translation is found in Deussen's Sechzig Upanishads des Veda, p. 489.

407. Cf. Webster, The White Devil, v. vi:

". . . they'll remarry Ere the worm pierce your winding-sheet, ere the spider Make a thin curtain for your epitaphs."

411. Cf. Inferno, XXXIII, 46:

"ed io sentii chiavar l'uscio di sottoall'orribile torre."

Also F. H. Bradley, Appearance and Reality, p. 346.

"My external sensations are no less private to myself than are my thoughts or my feelings. In either case my experience falls within my own circle, a circle closed on the outside; and, with all its elements alike, every sphere is opaque to the others which surround it. . . . In brief, regarded as an existence which appears in a soul, the whole world for each is peculiar and private to that soul."

424. V. Weston, From Ritual to Romance; chapter on the Fisher King.

427. V. Purgatorio, XXVI, 148.

"'Ara vos prec per aquella valor'que vos guida al som de l'escalina,'sovegna vos a temps de ma dolor.'Poi s'ascose nel foco che gli affina."

428. V. Pervigilium Veneris. Cf. Philomela in Parts II and III.

429. V. Gerard de Nerval, Sonnet El Desdichado.

431. V. Kyd's Spanish Tragedy.

434. Shantih. Repeated as here, a formal ending to an Upanishad. "The Peace which passeth understanding" is a feeble translation of the content of this word.