Bob, The account of the Salassi (note spelling -- "a" rather than "e") is found in The Geography of Strabo, book IV chapter 6. From Strabo's account, their conflict with Rome stemmed primarily from economic causes -- disputes over gold mining and water rights -- so this could be another reason that they might have attracted Pound's interest. I trust you'll keep the Listserv updated on your findings; I'll look forward to seeing where your researches lead. Regards, David On Jun 21, 2009, at 7:10 AM, [log in to unmask] wrote: > Dear David Griffith, > > Thanks for your response to my query on the Pound Listserv. Please > forgive this tardy reply, but I've been away. > > Your suggestion is worth some thought. Pound knew the Italian Alpine > region fairly well due to the proximity of his long residence in > Rapallo and his daughter Mary being brought up in Gais. I have not > had time yet to track down info on the Selassi people. Could you > possibly inform me of a source to facilitate this? > > But beyond this specific, your suggestion opens up another view I > hadn't thought of. Pound wrote that the source of /La canzone de li > ucelli /[sic] was out of "...god knows what 'hidden antiquity' ". > I'll mull over, once I search out a little more info on the region > (and the ancient people you mention), a possible connection between > the "Selassi" and the birdsong might emerge. > > Thanks for the help, and any further you might offer . . . > > Cordially - Bob Hughes > > David Griffith wrote: >> I have suspected that the reference was to the Salassi -- a people >> of the Italian Alpine region who were subjugated by Augustus. >> Perhaps, given the association of the music with bird songs, the >> reference is to the geographic region rather than the historic >> Salassi themselves? >> >> This is just a thought; I don't know of any documentation or >> references to support it. >> >> Hope this helps! >> David Griffith >> >> On Jun 13, 2009, at 4:26 AM, [log in to unmask] wrote: >> >>> Greetings to members of the Listserv, >>> >>> Starting at the small handwritten notations just above the music in >>> Canto LXXV one reads the phrase "(Sidelights from Selassi;".While >>> it is >>> tempting to associate a meaning with Haile Selassi(e), Emperor of >>> Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974, an interpretation in that direction >>> seems >>> awfully broad for a Canto that is so full of particulars. Also, >>> the name >>> is followed by a semicolon which leads into details concerning the >>> music. The invasion of Ethiopia was late 1935 and the music had >>> already >>> been performed on Pound's concert series in Rapallo. Ellen Keck >>> Stauder >>> gives a well reasoned analysis of the hand on p.272 of her excellent >>> article on Canto 75 in the Bacigalupo/Pratt _Ezra Pound, Language >>> and >>> Persona_. Can anyone account for the spelling of 'ucelli' with >>> only one >>> 'c' or whose hand this is? If Munch, he would have known the Canto's >>> /manuscript/ information from Pound's pre-concert presentations, >>> both >>> vocal and in print. >>> >>> Any interpretations concerning this Canto, and particularly the >>> "Sidelights from Selassi;" would be very much appreciated. >>> >>> Robert Hughes >>