Dinesh's photos with the keyword: Nicholas Ostler

Shall I just go like the flowers which were fading? Will my glory be nothing one day? Will my fame be nothing in the earth? At least flowers, at least songs! Alas, what will my heart do? In vain do we pass this way across the earth! ~Nahuatl lyric (Cantares Mexicanos, folio 10 recto, II. 23ff.) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahuatl

Who can know the will of the gods in heaven? Who can understand the plans of the underworld gods? Where have humans learned the way of god? He who was alive yesterday is dead today. One moment he is worried, the next he is boisterous. One moment he is singing a joyful song. A moment later he wails like a funeral mourner. Their condition changes like opening and closing the legs. When starving they become like corpses. When full they oppose their god. In good times they speak of scaling heavens. When they are troubles they talk of descent to hell. I am perplexed at these things: I cannot tell what they mean.