Panta rhei
Thy Catafalque Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It is as if lines have to be drawn in a continually
Flowing stream, figures drawn which hold fast.
Between this reality of life and the scientific
Intellect there appears to be no possibility of
Comprehension, for the concept sunders what is
To be unified in the flow of life. The concept
Represents something which is universally and eternally valid, independent of the mind which
Propounds it. But the flow of life is at all points
Unique, every wave in it arises and passes

In the night I swim like in dead water
Petrified lure is the moon
And the silence drives nails into my throat

Immense wisdom in this mute ocean
Flowing through the ditches of time
A substance insubstantial

In the night I swim like in dead water
But aridity's building a mountain in my heart
Darkness is drifting
Sweeping me away with the mire

A brick I would be
In the wall of an old house
Only to see and not to feel




The times desiccated by winter
Only to see and not to feel

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Thy Catafalque's "Panta rhei" invoke the image of lines being drawn in a flowing stream - a metaphor for the tension between the constant flux of life and the attempt to capture or comprehend it through scientific understanding. The song's lyrics seem to suggest that these two ways of perceiving reality are irreconcilable - the scientific concept represents something universally valid and independent of the individual mind, while the flow of life is unique and ever-changing. The singer seems to be caught in the middle of this dichotomy, with the "petrified lure" of the moon and the "silent" night creating a sense of stasis, while the "substance insubstantial" of the ocean and the "aridity" building in their heart suggest a kind of internal restlessness.


As the song progresses, the singer's sense of unease grows more intense. The "darkness" is "sweeping" them away, and they long to be like a "brick in the wall of an old house," to "see and not feel" the desiccation of time. This image suggests a desire for escape from the burdens of individual experience, to become part of something larger and more enduring. However, the final line, "Only to see and not to feel," is ambivalent - it may represent a genuine wish for release, or a resignation to the impossibility of transcendence.


Overall, "Panta rhei" seems to grapple with the fundamental human struggle to navigate the tension between the ephemeral and the eternal, the individual and the universal.


Line by Line Meaning

It is as if lines have to be drawn in a continually Flowing stream, figures drawn which hold fast
Life seems to require steadfastness and a consistent plan amidst the constantly moving current, like drawing figures on a rapidly flowing stream


Between this reality of life and the scientific Intellect there appears to be no possibility of Comprehension, for the concept sunders what is To be unified in the flow of life
The unyielding scientific mindset does not allow for the fluid and ever-changing nature of life, leading to a lack of comprehension and unification


The concept Represents something which is universally and eternally valid, independent of the mind which Propounds it
Concepts are seen as being universally valid and not tied to individual perspectives or beliefs


But the flow of life is at all points Unique, every wave in it arises and passes
Contrasting the universal nature of concepts, life is seen as being unique and constantly changing


In the night I swim like in dead water Petrified lure is the moon And the silence drives nails into my throat
The night feels stagnant and lifeless, with the moon's hypnotic pull leaving one feeling trapped and suffocated in the oppressive silence


Immense wisdom in this mute ocean Flowing through the ditches of time A substance insubstantial
There is wisdom to be found in the ever-flowing current of time, despite its intangible and elusive nature


But aridity's building a mountain in my heart Darkness is drifting Sweeping me away with the mire
Despite the wisdom to be found, a sense of desolation and overwhelming darkness threatens to engulf the singer


A brick I would be In the wall of an old house Only to see and not to feel The times desiccated by winter Only to see and not to feel
The artist wishes to feel detached and uninvolved, like a brick in a wall, in order to escape the oppressive feeling of isolation and emotional pain that comes with engaging too deeply in life




Contributed by Joshua J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

raffanon

This is amazing

Gabriel Hideg

A 2001-es esemeny megrazo volt, de a Microcosmos album hatalmas inspiraciot adott mielott meg barmi hangszert is kezbe vettem volna.
"Everything flows..
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”

doubterist

Több, mint jó!