Can anybody help with this?

[Xeraph]

Hi there

having read a short horror story, I came upon a several strange things included in the first part of it. It runs:

"The legend of Mmatmuor and Sodosma shall arise only in the latter cycles of Earth, when the glad legends of the prime have been forgotten. Before the time of its telling, many epochs shall have passed away, and the seas shall have fallen in their beds, and new continents shall have come to birth. Perhaps, in that day, it will serve to beguile for a little the black weariness of a dying race, grown hopeless of all but oblivion. I tell the tale as men shall tell it in Zothique, the last continent, beneath a dim sun and sad heavens where the stars come out in terrible brightness before eventide."

The first problem are "THE LATTER CYCLES". Am I to understand these words concern some far future era in which our age (the prime) is forgotten? For example, after our civilisation had been totally exterminated for some reasons, a millions of years passed away, then a new race was developed without knowing about the previous people who used to lived on our planet?

The second problem is the phrase "...GROWN HOPELESS OF ALL BUT OBLIVION." This one is a pretty teaser to me and I am completely stuck.

Please, can anybody help me with this obvious archaic English?

Thanks for any suggestion.

Miki

[riverkid]

Hi there

having read a short horror story, I came upon a several strange things included in the first part of it. It runs:

"The legend of Mmatmuor and Sodosma shall arise only in the latter cycles of Earth, when the glad legends of the prime have been forgotten. Before the time of its telling, many epochs shall have passed away, and the seas shall have fallen in their beds, and new continents shall have come to birth. Perhaps, in that day, it will serve to beguile for a little the black weariness of a dying race, grown hopeless of all but oblivion. I tell the tale as men shall tell it in Zothique, the last continent, beneath a dim sun and sad heavens where the stars come out in terrible brightness before eventide."

The first problem are "THE LATTER CYCLES". Am I to understand these words concern some far future era in which our age (the prime) is forgotten? For example, after our civilisation had been totally exterminated for some reasons, a millions of years passed away, then a new race was developed without knowing about the previous people who used to lived on our planet?

Hi Miki,

To me, it sounds like the latter cycles of the Earth are the centuries/ the thousands of years/the times before the planet dies, the reason for which, I don't know, not having read the book.

The second problem is the phrase "...GROWN HOPELESS OF ALL BUT OBLIVION." This one is a pretty teaser to me and I am completely stuck.

This dying race, [probably still humans], having heard legends about the Earth when she was in her prime, maybe at a time when resources were plentiful, when disease and pestilence was under pretty decent control, is now struggling for survival.

With the new continents rising comes a tiny measure of hope for the dying race, who have only seen that they are doomed, destined for oblivion.

Does that help you any?

Please, can anybody help me with this obvious archaic English?

Thanks for any suggestion.

Miki

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[Xeraph]

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Thank You very much, Riverkind. Now I clearly understand what the writer wanted to say; Your explanation is absolutely sufficient. Once more thanks a lot!

Miki