“The worm stood straight on God's blood-splattered threshold then
and beat his drum”
Odysseus' song, Book III, line 424
The Odyssey : A Modern Sequel (1938)
Context: The worm stood straight on God's blood-splattered threshold then
and beat his drum, beat it again, and raised his throat:
'You've matched all well on earth, wine, women, bread, and song,
but why, you Murderer, must you slay our children? Why?'
God foamed with rage and raised his sword to pierce that throat,
but his old copper sword, my lads, stuck at the bone.
Then from his belt the worm drew his black-hilted sword,
rushed up and slew that old decrepit god in heaven!
And now, my gallant lads — I don't know when or how —
that worm's god-slaying sword has fallen into my hands;
I swear that from its topmost iron tip the blood still drips!
Help us to complete the source, original and additional information
Nikos Kazantzakis 222
Greek writer 1883–1957Related quotes

“Nothing beats 2 guitars, drum and bass.”
In the liner notes of New York

“In a world become blind,
I beat the drum of the Deathless.”
Ariyapariyesana Sutta http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.html
Unclassified

“There stood a man with his sword drawn, and his face all over with blood.”
Part II, Ch. XI : Mr. Valiant-For-Truth <!-- Sect. 4 -->
The Pilgrim's Progress (1678), Part II
Context: There stood a man with his sword drawn, and his face all over with blood. Then said Mr. Great-Heart, Who art thou? The man made answer, saying, I am one whose name is Valiant-for-truth. I am a pilgrim, and am going to the Celestial City.

Richard Alexander Streatfeild Handel (2005) p. 195, citing Anton Schmid Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck (1854) p. 29
In conversation with Gluck.

“Sound the trumpets; beat the drums…
Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes.”
Source: Alexander’s Feast http://www.bartleby.com/40/265.html (1697), l. 50–51.

“I can hear another drum beating for the dead that rise, whom Nature's beast fears as they come.”
Song lyrics, Empire Burlesque (1985), Dark Eyes

Quoted in * Perry says he believes non-Christians will go to hell; rivals pounce
Dallas Morning News
2006-11-06
Christy
Hoppe