Dogs are souls sent to us who know only unconditional love, and we do not deserve them.
We often dog sit our “granddog” Lottie for our daughter. She’s a 65lb Aussie and loves staying at our house and playing with her dog “cousins”. Even if our daughter is only gone for a few days, Lottie’s greeting at the return of our daughter is a sight to behold. Howling, with pure joy as she jumps up with paws on the shoulders and demands hugs and can physically overwhelm our 100lb, 5’0″ daughter. On the day of our daughter’s return we do tell Lottie she is coming, and she knows what we are saying and camps herself out near the door.
We’ve had 13 dogs over the course of our marriage, and have 3 at the moment. The loss of any one of those is a painful thing to go through, though all lived long and happy lives. I can’t imagine life without a dog.
Homer knew:
Od. 17 (290 — 328):
As they were thus talking, a dog that had been lying asleep raised his head and pricked up his ears. This was Argos, whom Odysseus had bred before setting out for Troy, but he had never had any work out of him. In the old days he used to be taken out by the young men when they went hunting wild goats, or deer, or hares, but now that his master was gone he was lying neglected on the heaps of mule and cow dung that lay in front of the stable doors till the men should come and draw it away to manure the great field; and he was full of fleas. As soon as he saw Odysseus standing there, he dropped his ears and wagged his tail, but he could not get close up to his master. When Odysseus saw the dog on the other side of the yard, dashed a tear from his eyes without Eumaios seeing it, and said:
“Eumaios, what a noble hound that is over yonder on the manure heap: his build is splendid; is he as fine a fellow as he looks, or is he only one of those dogs that come begging about a table, and are kept merely for show?”
“This hound,” answered Eumaios, “belonged to him who has died in a far country. If he were what he was when Odysseus left for Troy, he would soon show you what he could do. There was not a wild beast in the forest that could get away from him when he was once on its tracks. But now he has fallen on evil times, for his master is dead and gone, and the women take no care of him. Servants never do their work when their master’s hand is no longer over them, for Zeus takes half the goodness [aretê] out of a man when he makes a slave of him.”
As he spoke he went inside the buildings to the room where the suitors were, but Argos died as soon as he had recognized his master.
sdferr:
Beautiful, one of my favorite passages from the writings of Homer. I was going to post it myself, but you beat me to it. Many thanks.
Wonderful how this one profound passage gives, like no other, shape and form and substance to the humanity of Bronze Age Greeks. They loved their dogs. What could be more relatable than a love for dogs?
Copilot
Roman dog tombstones often bore touching inscriptions in Latin, expressing grief, loyalty, and affection. Examples include:
“Myia never barked without reason. But now she is silent.”
“My eyes were wet with tears, our little dog, when I bore you to the grave… So Patricus, never again shall you give me a thousand kisses.”
“Surely even as thou liest dead in this tomb, I deem the wild beasts yet fear thy white bones.”
“I am in tears while carrying you to your last resting place… as much as I rejoiced when bringing you home in my own hands fifteen years ago.”
These inscriptions reveal that dogs were seen as family members, with qualities like loyalty, gentleness, and intelligence praised
Chases Eagles:
Sources for those quotes? I’d like to read more.
Animal videos are now part of my daily online viewing. They make me happy, healthy and maybe even wise.
There are medical studies on this:
_________________________________
The sessions, conducted in December 2019, involved 19 subjects – 15 students and four staff – and was intentionally timed during winter exams, a time when stress is at a significantly high level, particularly for medical students, according to Utley.
In all cases, the study saw blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety go down in participants, 30 minutes after watching the video.
Chases Eagles is a nick name I gave to my late Weimaraner. He was fascinated with eagles and would run after them when they flew over. I still can’t think of him without tears. I have his dust in wooden box that will be interred with me.
He was a lovely gentle animal. He loved going to street fairs. He was a handsome fellow and always attracted a lot of attention which he ate up. He was not afraid of noise and always went to sound of guns. We had a neighbor that used to shoot skeet and I would have to go fetch him.
A couple of more Roman Epitaphs for their dogs:
“Issa is more playful than the sparrow of Catullus. Issa is more pure than the kiss of a dove. Issa is more loving than any maiden. Issa is dearer than Indian gems. The little dog Issa is the pet of Publius. If she complains, you will think she speaks. She feels both the sorrow and the gladness of her master. She lies reclined upon his neck, and sleeps, so that not a respiration is heard from her. And, however pressed, she has never sullied the coverlet with a single spot; but rouses her master with a gentle touch of her foot, and begs to be set down from the bed and relieved. Such modesty resides in this chaste little animal; she knows not the pleasures of love; nor do we find a mate worthy of so tender a damsel. That her last hour may not carry her off wholly, Publius has her limned in a picture, in which you will see an Issa so like, that not even herself is so like herself. In a word, place Issa and the picture side by side, and you will imagine either both real, or both painted.”
“Here the stone says it holds the white dog from Melita, the most faithful guardian of Eumelus. Bull, they called him when he was yet alive. But now his voice is imprisoned in the silent pathways of the night.”
“Gaul gave me my birth and the pearl-oyster from the seas full of treasure my name, an honour fitting to my beauty. I was trained to run boldly through strange forests and to hunt out furry wild beasts in the hills never accustomed to be held by heavy chains nor endure cruel beatings on my snow-white body. I used to lie on the soft lap of my master and mistress and knew to go to bed when tired on my spread mattress and I did not speak more than allowed as a dog, given a silent mouth No-one was scared by my barking but now I have been overcome by death from an ill-fated birth and earth has covered me beneath this small piece of marble. Margarita (‘Pearl’).”
They still put a lump in my throat.
I had a BFF, a chocolate lab. She was goofy and full of love. I had a beautiful mutt — she looked like a model, with her sleek coat and long legs. Both are gone now.
Decades ago, when arranging for burial plots in a major cemetery in the D.C. area, I noticed that they had a section reserved for pets, and the staff there mentioned that more flowers were delivered to be put on the graves of dogs than were delivered to be put on human graves.
Perhaps this confirms the saying that, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”
RE: UFO/NHI Disclosures
The person who–these days–has been and is making the most detailed, expansive, and apparently permitted disclosures about these things is very well connected Physicist, Dr. Eric W. Davis.*
Stop!
I can’t take it anymore!
Oh, all right. I saw a photo once of a dog’s tombstone at the Presidio;
‘Best damn dog I ever had.’
I’ve had 4 of them.
Now being reported that Iran, in the midst of their “grieving” have attacked two ships in the Strait, yesterday and today. To quote Biden, “C’mon Man!” Trump needs to blast these people into the stone age and quit messing around.
Read on X that the targets were:
Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missile sites, drone launch sites and port facilities
Why they had those things 24 hours ago is not explained.
Possibly more consequential, (see this first line):
US revokes Iran’s right to sell oil. US has previously given Iran a general waiver to sell oil so long as Iran behaved and abided by the terms of the MoU.
and then, yes:
In addition to revoking Iran’s oil sanction waiver, CENTCOM confirms US has started strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran in retaliation for IRGC’s targeting of civilian ships.
You’re breakin’ my heart.
In a good way.
Dogs are souls sent to us who know only unconditional love, and we do not deserve them.
We often dog sit our “granddog” Lottie for our daughter. She’s a 65lb Aussie and loves staying at our house and playing with her dog “cousins”. Even if our daughter is only gone for a few days, Lottie’s greeting at the return of our daughter is a sight to behold. Howling, with pure joy as she jumps up with paws on the shoulders and demands hugs and can physically overwhelm our 100lb, 5’0″ daughter. On the day of our daughter’s return we do tell Lottie she is coming, and she knows what we are saying and camps herself out near the door.
We’ve had 13 dogs over the course of our marriage, and have 3 at the moment. The loss of any one of those is a painful thing to go through, though all lived long and happy lives. I can’t imagine life without a dog.
Homer knew:
Od. 17 (290 — 328):
sdferr:
Beautiful, one of my favorite passages from the writings of Homer. I was going to post it myself, but you beat me to it. Many thanks.
Wonderful how this one profound passage gives, like no other, shape and form and substance to the humanity of Bronze Age Greeks. They loved their dogs. What could be more relatable than a love for dogs?
Copilot
Roman dog tombstones often bore touching inscriptions in Latin, expressing grief, loyalty, and affection. Examples include:
“Myia never barked without reason. But now she is silent.”
“My eyes were wet with tears, our little dog, when I bore you to the grave… So Patricus, never again shall you give me a thousand kisses.”
“Surely even as thou liest dead in this tomb, I deem the wild beasts yet fear thy white bones.”
“I am in tears while carrying you to your last resting place… as much as I rejoiced when bringing you home in my own hands fifteen years ago.”
These inscriptions reveal that dogs were seen as family members, with qualities like loyalty, gentleness, and intelligence praised
Chases Eagles:
Sources for those quotes? I’d like to read more.
Animal videos are now part of my daily online viewing. They make me happy, healthy and maybe even wise.
There are medical studies on this:
_________________________________
The sessions, conducted in December 2019, involved 19 subjects – 15 students and four staff – and was intentionally timed during winter exams, a time when stress is at a significantly high level, particularly for medical students, according to Utley.
In all cases, the study saw blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety go down in participants, 30 minutes after watching the video.
–“Science shows watching cute animals is good for your health”
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/27/us/watching-cute-animals-study-scn-trnd
____________________________________
Personally I find most mammals cute when they are happy.
Here are some from the dodo
https://www.thedodo.com/9-touching-epitaphs-ancient-gr-589550486.html
Chases Eagles is a nick name I gave to my late Weimaraner. He was fascinated with eagles and would run after them when they flew over. I still can’t think of him without tears. I have his dust in wooden box that will be interred with me.
He was a lovely gentle animal. He loved going to street fairs. He was a handsome fellow and always attracted a lot of attention which he ate up. He was not afraid of noise and always went to sound of guns. We had a neighbor that used to shoot skeet and I would have to go fetch him.
A couple of more Roman Epitaphs for their dogs:
“Issa is more playful than the sparrow of Catullus. Issa is more pure than the kiss of a dove. Issa is more loving than any maiden. Issa is dearer than Indian gems. The little dog Issa is the pet of Publius. If she complains, you will think she speaks. She feels both the sorrow and the gladness of her master. She lies reclined upon his neck, and sleeps, so that not a respiration is heard from her. And, however pressed, she has never sullied the coverlet with a single spot; but rouses her master with a gentle touch of her foot, and begs to be set down from the bed and relieved. Such modesty resides in this chaste little animal; she knows not the pleasures of love; nor do we find a mate worthy of so tender a damsel. That her last hour may not carry her off wholly, Publius has her limned in a picture, in which you will see an Issa so like, that not even herself is so like herself. In a word, place Issa and the picture side by side, and you will imagine either both real, or both painted.”
“Here the stone says it holds the white dog from Melita, the most faithful guardian of Eumelus. Bull, they called him when he was yet alive. But now his voice is imprisoned in the silent pathways of the night.”
“Gaul gave me my birth and the pearl-oyster from the seas full of treasure my name, an honour fitting to my beauty. I was trained to run boldly through strange forests and to hunt out furry wild beasts in the hills never accustomed to be held by heavy chains nor endure cruel beatings on my snow-white body. I used to lie on the soft lap of my master and mistress and knew to go to bed when tired on my spread mattress and I did not speak more than allowed as a dog, given a silent mouth No-one was scared by my barking but now I have been overcome by death from an ill-fated birth and earth has covered me beneath this small piece of marble. Margarita (‘Pearl’).”
They still put a lump in my throat.
I had a BFF, a chocolate lab. She was goofy and full of love. I had a beautiful mutt — she looked like a model, with her sleek coat and long legs. Both are gone now.
Metaphor alert (on several levels):
“Midtown NYC building ‘shifting’ and in danger of ‘localized collapse’: officials”—
https://nypost.com/2026/07/07/us-news/midtown-nyc-building-shifting-and-in-danger-of-localized-collapse-officials/
Decades ago, when arranging for burial plots in a major cemetery in the D.C. area, I noticed that they had a section reserved for pets, and the staff there mentioned that more flowers were delivered to be put on the graves of dogs than were delivered to be put on human graves.
Perhaps this confirms the saying that, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”
RE: UFO/NHI Disclosures
The person who–these days–has been and is making the most detailed, expansive, and apparently permitted disclosures about these things is very well connected Physicist, Dr. Eric W. Davis.*
• See, for instance, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0rLaKsPE7Q
• And https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtE4kJ79yjc
• And this https://x.com/JasonWilde108/status/1958504666481799370?s=20
Stop!
I can’t take it anymore!
Oh, all right. I saw a photo once of a dog’s tombstone at the Presidio;
‘Best damn dog I ever had.’
I’ve had 4 of them.
Now being reported that Iran, in the midst of their “grieving” have attacked two ships in the Strait, yesterday and today. To quote Biden, “C’mon Man!” Trump needs to blast these people into the stone age and quit messing around.
Read on X that the targets were:
Why they had those things 24 hours ago is not explained.
Possibly more consequential, (see this first line):
and then, yes:
https://x.com/i/status/2074572690707673453