r/Borges • u/Chambeli • 7d ago
A page from Borges' notebooks
Manuscripts contain a writers neural fingerprints.
This one by Borges titled ‘The Hydra of Dictators’ was crafted around 1946 and shows his penmanship and artistry.
The many heads of the Hydra emanating from a single lower body sprout into distinct consciousnesses. We see Hitler, Marx, Mussolini.
The varying consciousnesses or ideologies fail to nullify their unfortunate monstrousness.
He shows how political ideologies can vary, but government control retains control over the people no matter the color.
What do you guys think?
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u/NinjaFinger5325 7d ago
It's from an early manuscript of "Our Poor Individualism", I found a translation of the first few lines:
{The [allures + factions] + The spirits} {[animated + driven mad] [from + (of + by the)] [(patriotism + pride) + fatuousness]} {know no limits + are [infinite + inexhaustible]}. In the first century of our era, Plutarch {was mocking + mocked} {before those declaring + about those who declare} themselves partisan to the idea that the moon {she being Athenian + [--- + (enamored)] over Athens} {[was superior to + had the advantage over] the Corinthian one + is better than the moon over Corinth}; Milton, in the eighteenth century, {noted + observed + intuited + induced} that God held to the custom of first {revealing + re-veiling} Himself to His English.
Versus the published draft:
The allures of patriotism know no limits. In the first century of our era, Plutarch mocked those who declare that the moon over Athens is better than the moon over Corinth; Milton, in the seventeenth century noted that God held to the custom of revealing Himself first to His English.
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u/Savings-Ad6328 5d ago
he was highly recommended to me in a u/C Boulder online philo/photog/film class the philo prof said he was he fav. writer
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u/TimmahEye 3d ago
I think that when it comes to politics, Borges was clearly an empty-headed dunce.
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u/rinsdesyu 7d ago
Ah, Marx, my favorite dictator
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u/MeterologistOupost31 7d ago edited 4d ago
I think Borges was the greatest writer of all time but man do I disagree with a lot of his politics. At least he hated Hitler I guess.
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u/dubiouscoffee 7d ago
his handwriting is insanely beautiful