"The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones" Ezekiel 37:1-14

Gustave Dore
"Vision of the Valley with the Dry Bones"
(Bible Illustrations, published in 1865)

One of the most strong and creepy prophecies in Old Testament, that of Ezekiel’s vision of the valley with the dry bones has been depicted with the most dramatic way by the famous illustrationist Gustave Dore in his Bible illustrations. Let’s read the prophecy in English and in Ancient Greek:

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.

He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”

I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’

Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people.

I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” says the Lord.

Valley of the dry bones
by Unknown artist

Το όραμα της κοιλάδας με τα ξερά οστά, Ιεζεκιήλ (λζ' 1-14).

Εγένετο έπ' εμέ χειρ Κυρίου και εξήγαγε με εν πνεύματι Κύριος και εθηκέ με εν μέσω του πεδίου και τούτο ην μεστόν όστέων ανθρωπίνων και περιήγαγε με έπ' αυτά κυκλόθεν κύκλω και ιδού πολλά σφόδρα επί προσώπου του πεδίου ξηρά σφόδρα.

Και είπε προς με υιέ άνθρωπου, ει ζήσεται τα οστέα ταύτα; Και είπα: Κύριε, Κύριε, συ επίστη ταύτα. Και είπε προς με: προφήτευσον επί τα οστά ταύτα και έρεις αυτοίς τα οστά τα ξηρά, ακούσατε λόγον Κυρίου.

Τάδε λέγει Κύριος τοις οστέοις τούτοις: ιδού εγώ φέρω εφ' υμάς πνεύμα ζωής και δώσω εφ' υμάς νεύρα και ανάξω εφ' υμάς σάρκας και εκτενώ εφ' υμάς δέρμα και δώσω πνεύμα μου εις υμάς και ζήσεσθε και γνώσεσθε ότι εγώ ειμί Κύριος.

Και προεφήτευσα, καθώς ενετείλατό μοι. Και εγένετο εν τω εμέ προφητεύσαι και ιδού σεισμός και προσήγαγε τα οστά εκάτερον προς την αρμονίαν αυτού.

Και είδον και ιδού έπ' αυτά νεύρα και σάρκες εφύοντο και ανέβαινε έπ' αυτά δέρμα επάνω και πνεύμα ουκ ην εν αυτοίς.

Και είπε προς με: προφήτευσον επί το πνεύμα, προφήτευσον υιέ ανθρώπου και είπον τω πνεύματι: τάδε λέγει Κύριος εκ των τεσσάρων πνευμάτων έλθέ και εμφύσησησον εις τους νεκρούς τούτους και ζησάτωσαν.

Και προεφήτευσα, καθότι ενετείλατό μοι και εισήλθεν εις αυτούς το πνεύμα και έζησαν και έστησαν έτη το ποδών αυτών, συναγωγή πολλή σφόδρα.

Και ελάλησε Κύριος προς με λέγων υιέ ανθρώπου, τα οστά ταύτα πάς οίκος Ισραήλ εστί.

Και αυτοί λέγουσι- ξηρά γέγονε τα οστά ημών, απόλωλεν ή ελπίς ημών, διαπεφωνήκαμεν.

Δια τούτο προφήτευσον και είπον προς αυτούς: τάδε λέγει Κύριος: ιδού εγώ ανοίγω τα μνήματα υμών και ανάξω υμάς εκ των μνημάτων υμών και εισάξω υμάς εις την γήν του Ισραήλ και γνώσεσθε ότι εγώ ειμί Κύριος εν τω ανοίξαί με τους τάφους υμών του αναγαγείν με εκ των τάφων τον λαόν μου.

Και δώσω πνεύμα μου εις υμάς και ζήσεσθε και θήσομαι υμάς επί την γήν υμών και γνώσεσθε ότι εγώ Κύριος λελάληκα και ποιήσω, λέγει Κύριος.

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven", The Poem and illustrations by Gustave Dore

One of the dark goth masterpieces of the world heritage, that has inspired numerous rock and metal songs. The view of a crow sitting on the bust of Athena Pallas is one of the most recognisable pictures, so is the word “nevermore” that is constantly repeated by the bird. Let’s see the poem today, with Gustave Dore's illustration. Then I'll post some comments and some related rock and metal songs.


Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'


Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.


And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'


Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.


Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.


Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'


Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.


Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'


Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'


But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'


Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'


But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'


This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!


Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'


`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'


`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'


`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'


And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Gustave Dore's Divine Comedy illustration

H Θεία Κωμωδία είναι ένα επικό ποίημα του Dante Alighieri που γράφτηκε μεταξύ 1308 και 1321 και θεωρείται ως ένας από τους προδρόμους της Ιταλικής λογοτεχνίας, αλλά και ένα από τα σπουδαιότερα έργα της παγκόσμιας λογοτεχνίας.


Είναι ένα φανταστικό και αλληγορικό όραμα της χριστιανικής μετά θάνατον ζωής, όπως αυτό προσλαμβάνονταν εκείνη την εποχή και είχε αναπτυχθεί από την εκκλησία. Χωρίζεται σε τρία μέρη, την Κόλαση, το Καθαρτήριο και τον Παράδεισο.


Επιφανειακά, το ποίημα περιγράφει την περιήγηση του Δάντη στην Κόλαση, το Καθαρτήριο και τον Παράδεισο. Όμως σε ένα βαθύτερο επίπεδο, είναι μια αλληγορική περιγραφή του ταξιδιού των ψυχών προς τον Θεό., αντλώντας έμπνευση από την Χριστιανική θεολογία και τις διδασκαλίες του Θωμά του Ακινάτη.


Είναι γραμμένο σε πρώτο πρόσωπο, και περιγράφει το ταξίδι του Δάντη και στα τρία βασίλεια των νεκρών, το οποίο διαρκεί από τη Μεγάλη Παρασκευή μέχρι την Τετάρτη μετά το Πάσχα την Ανοιξη του 1300. Τον Δάντη συνοδεύει ο ποιητής Βιργίλιος στην Κόλαση και το Καθαρτήριο, στον δε Παράδεισο η Βεατρίκη, ο πλατωνικός του έρωτας από τα παιδικά του χρόνια και το πρότυπο της εξειδανικευμένης γυναίκας για αυτόν.


Η εικονογραφήσεις του έργου από τον Gustave Dore είναι πιο ζοφερές και μακάβριες στην Κόλαση και το Καθαρτήριο, αλλά αυτές του Παραδείσου εκπέμπουν φως και έχουν μια εντυπωσιακή λεπτομέρεια και γεωμετρία σαν των φράκταλ σχεδίων. Μπορείτε να δείτε όλη την εικονογράφηση του έργου ανά κεφάλαιο στα Wikimedia Commons: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso


The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature. The poem's imaginative and allegorical vision of the Christian afterlife is a culmination of the medieval world-view as it had developed in the Western Church It is divided into three parts, the Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.


On the surface the poem describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven; but at a deeper level it represents allegorically the soul's journey towards God. At this deeper level, Dante draws on medieval Christian theology and philosophy, especially the teachings of Thomas Aquinas. At the surface level, the poem is understood to be fictional.


The poem is written in the first person, and tells of Dante's journey through the three realms of the dead, lasting from the night before Good Friday to the Wednesday after Easter in the spring of 1300. The Roman poet Virgil guides him through Hell and Purgatory; Beatrice, Dante's ideal woman, guides him through Heaven. Beatrice was a Florentine woman whom he had met in childhood and admired from afar in the mode of the then-fashionable courtly love tradition. (Wikipedia)


Gustave Dore’s illustration is quite goth and murky for Inferno and Purgatorio but for Paradiso are luminous and detailed, reminding geometrical and fractal structures. You can see all the illustrations in wikimedia commons, per chapter: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso

Paul Gustave Doré, Orlando furioso illustrations

Paul Gustave Doré (1832 – 1883) was a French artist, engraver, illustrator and sculptor. Doré worked primarily with wood engraving and steel engraving.

Orlando Furioso is an Italian romantic epic by Ludovico Ariosto which has exerted a wide influence on later culture. The earliest version appeared in 1516, although the poem was not published in its complete form until 1532. Orlando Furioso is a continuation of Matteo Maria Boiardo's unfinished romance Orlando Innamorato ("Orlando in Love", published posthumously in 1495).

The action takes place against the background of the war between Charlemagne and his Christian paladins, and the Saracen army which is attempting to invade Europe. However, Ariosto has little concern for historical or geographical accuracy, and the poem wanders at will from Japan to the Hebrides, as well as including many fantastical and magical elements, such as a trip to the moon and an array of fantastical creatures including a gigantic sea monster called the orc and the hippogriff.

Many themes are interwoven in its complicated, episodic structure, but the most important plot is the paladin Orlando's unrequited love for the pagan princess Angelica, which develops into the madness of the title. After this comes the love between the female Christian warrior Bradamante and the pagan Ruggiero, who are supposed to be the ancestors of Ariosto's patrons, the d'Este family of Ferrara. (wikipedia)

O Gustave Doré ήταν Γάλλος χαράκτης, εικονογράφος και γλύπτης. Εχει εικονογραφήσει εκδοσεις πολλών κλασσικά έργων, όπως το Paradise Lost του Μιλτον, τη Θεία Κωμωδία του Δάντη, το Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner Του Κολεριτζ, Orlando fusioso του Ariosto, τη Βίβλο και διάφορα άλλα. To στυλ του είναι αρκετά σκοτεινό με γκοθ ατμόσφαιρα.

To Orlando Furioso του Ludovico Ariosto είναι ένα επικό ρομαντικό ποίημα που εκδόθηκε το 1532 και διαδραματίζεται στον πόλεμο του Καρλομάγνου με τους Σαρακηνούς, αλλά χωρίς ο δημιουργός να ενδιαφέρεται για την ιστορική ακρίβεια, παρά μόνο για την ανάπτυξη των χαρακτήρων και των σχέσεών τους. Κεντρικές φιγούρες οι ιππότες Orlando και Ruggiero, η πριγκίπισα Angelica που σώζεται από τον Ruggiero όταν είχε καταδικαστεί να την φάει ένα θαλάσσιο τέρας και ο παράφορος χωρίς ανταπόδοση έρωτας του Orlando για αυτήν και η τρομερή γυναίκα πολεμίστρια Bradamante ο έρωτας του Ruggiero.

Personification of Death (Grim Reaper) part 2, in classic art

Albertus Pictor "Death playing chess" (1480)
wallpainting in Täby kyrka, Sweden

Ο Θάνατος ως μια προσωποποιημένη φανταστική οντότητα υπάρχει σε όλους τους λαούς από την αρχή της ιστορίας. Το αγγλικό όνομα Grim Reaper προέρχεται από το παλιό όνομα Grimmir του Odin που στην Γερμανική μυθολογία εκπροσωπεί τον Θάνατο. Στις περισσότερες παραδόσεις είναι αυτός που παίρνει την ψυχή από τον αποθανόντα, αλλά σε πολλές παραδόσεις θεωρείται ότι είναι απλώς ψυχοπομπός.

Unknown artist (1460)

Από τον 15ο αι. και μετά παριστάνεται ως σκελετική φιγούρα με ή χωρίς μανδύα με κουκούλα, που κρατάει ένα μεγάλο δρεπάνι. Συνήθως είναι αρσενική μορφή αλλά μερικές φορές και γυναίκα, όπως στις παλιές σλαβικές φυλές θεωρούνταν ως μια γυναίκα ντυμένη στα άσπρα που κρατούσε ένα πράσινο βλαστό που όποιος τον άγγιζε έπεφτε σε αιώνιο ύπνο.

Unknown artist

Death as a sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, death is often given the name the "Grim Reaper" and from the 15th century onwards came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood.

"Death on the Rail" from Harper's Weekly magazine (1873)

Gustave Dore "The Vision of Death"
from his "Bible Illustrations"

In some cases, the Grim Reaper is able to actually cause the victim's death, leading to tales that he can be bribed, tricked, or outwitted in order to retain one's life. Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a psychopomp, serving to sever the last ties between the soul and the body, and to guide the deceased to the next world without having any control over the fact of the victim's death.

"The Death of the gravedigger" by Carlos Schwabe (1895)

In many languages Death is personified in male form), while in others it is perceived as a female character, as in old Slavic tribes who viewed Death as a woman in white clothes, with a never-fading green sprout in her hand. The touch of the sprout would put a human to an everlasting sleep. In Germanic folklore Death was a guise of Odin. The 'Grim' of Grim Reaper being derived from Grimnir, a name for Odin. (wikipedia)

Death bringing Cholera in "Le Petit Journal" (1912)


Gabriel Peignot (1826)

Milton's "Paradise Lost" illustrations by Gustave Dore

Paradise Lost is an epic poem by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. The poem concerns the Christian story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Milton's purpose is to "justify the ways of God to men" and elucidate the conflict between God's eternal foresight and free will.

Paul Gustave Doré (1832 – 1883) was a French artist, engraver, illustrator and sculptor. Doré worked primarily with wood engraving and steel engraving.