The Footsteps
Eagles of coral
adorn the ebony bed
where Nero lies fast asleep—
callous, peaceful, happy,
in the prime of his body’s strength,
in the fine vigor of youth.
But in the alabaster hall that holds
the ancient shrine of the Aenobarbi
how restless the household gods—
they tremble, the little Lares,
and try to hide their insignificant bodies.
They’ve heard a terrible sound,
a deadly sound coming up the stairs,
iron footsteps that shake the staircase;
and now faint with fear, the miserable Lares
scramble to the back of the shrine,
shoving each other and stumbling,
one little god falling over another,
because they know what kind of sound that is,
know by now the footsteps of the Furies.
Iannis Xenakis & DJ SpookySection 2
Debussy ClaudeCarnaval for piano, Op. 9 Excerpt(s)
arr for orchestra by Ravel
Photo 1Bust of Nero
Photo 2Small family shrine, dedicated to the Gods "Larites"
from a house of Pompeii (1st cent. AD)
Recitation - Editing - Directed by
Kyriakos Chatzimichailidis