Sallyportal: Madly Blogging Reed

A Reed Valentine

By Chris Lydgate '90 on February 23, 2011 03:58 PM

Our sister blog Voices from Reed reported on this delightful chalk graffito, which materialized on the Blue Bridge on Valentine's Day:

ovidlettersmall.JPGDear Ovid,
Apollo loves a certain Daphnia pulex,
but alas she reproduces
parthenogenetically
and is uninterested in
even the love of
some god.

Sincerely,
Aphrodite

For those of us (ahem!) whose Latin is a little rusty or whose grasp of biology a bit shaky, I should point out that daphnia pulex is the scientific name of the water flea, and that parthenogenesis (literally "virgin origin") is a form of asexual reproduction where females produce gametes without fertilization. I imagine this must be disappointing to Apollo but I have heard of no complaints from Daphia. This love triangle has been playing out in the Canyon for many years, and no one seems the worse for wear.

Tags: canyon, poetry, student life

Home Page

Archive of Posts