Literary notes about scythe (AI summary)
The word "scythe" in literature serves a dual purpose, functioning both as a tangible agricultural tool and as a potent symbol of fate and mortality. On one hand, many authors depict the scythe as an essential instrument for daily work and harvest, underscoring human industriousness and connection to the land—as seen in descriptions of haymakers and reapers diligently maneuvering it ([1], [2], [3], [4]). On the other hand, the scythe is imbued with ominous symbolism, frequently associated with Death and the relentless passage of time, such as the iconic image of a winged figure wielding it ([5]) or its metaphorical use as the “scythe of Time” ([6]). Additionally, its historical and mythological resonance is highlighted in works that link it to ancient chariots or divine reapers ([7], [8], [9]), illustrating its multifaceted presence within literary traditions.
- Keep the rake, says the haymaker, as nigh the scythe as you can, and the cart as nigh the rake.
— from Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson by Ralph Waldo Emerson - I've swung the scythe ever since an hour before sunrise.
— from Complete Prose Works by Walt Whitman - Every step and every swing of the scythe showed skill and the possession of immense physical strength.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - And I used to get up early in the morning and take my scythe, or go to the school and work there all day.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - "And there he will have to go at last," said a strong old man, with large black wings, and a scythe in his hand, whose name was Death.
— from Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen by H. C. Andersen - Fling down that instrument of crime, And leave them to the scythe of Time.
— from Fables of La Fontaine — a New Edition, with Notes by Jean de La Fontaine - [ The Latin word used here, covinarius , signifies the driver of a covinus , or chariot, the axle of which was bent into the form of a scythe.
— from The Germany and the Agricola of Tacitus by Cornelius Tacitus - His plough is unchanged; he carries the seed in his apron; mows with the historical [88] scythe, and threshes with the time-honored flail.
— from The Jewish State by Theodor Herzl - They were the first workers in iron and brass, and were the makers of Saturn’s scythe.
— from The Geography of Strabo, Volume 3 (of 3) by Strabo
