Halcyon days

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The phrase Halcyon days is a linguistic usage or literary commonplace in English language and culture, signifying an ideal of tranquillity. The usage derives ultimately from the Ancient Greek legend of Alcyone. In the context of the myth, the halcyon is a type of kingfisher that builds its nest on the surface of the ocean; the bird charms the winds and waves so that seas remain unusually calm during its nesting season, the fourteen days preceding the winter solstice.

The usage descended through Old English influenced by the Greek language (ancient Greek Ἁλκυονίδες ἡμέρες [with spoken 'h'es], modern Greek Αλκυονίδες ημέρες [with mute 'h'es]), literally meaning calm days.

The phrase "halcyon days" became a stock phrase in English, perhaps a cliché, with a multitude of both traditional and modern applications. Among the latter:

• Pretty Halcyon Days is a poem by Ogden Nash
• Halcyon Days is a song by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell, written for the semi-opera The Tempest (produced around 1695).
• Halcyon Days is a song by the British singer Siobhan Donaghy
• Halcyon Days is a song by the Canadian band The Tea Party
• Halcyon Days is a song by the band 1000 Violins
• Halcyon Days is a song by the band The Tages
• Halcyon Days is a song by the band Model Engine
• Halcyon Days is a play by Steven Dietz
• Halcyon Days is the title of a CD by the Swedish musical group BWO
• Halcyon Days is the name of a band
• "Halcyon Days" is a song by the band A Wilhelm Scream
• Halcyon Days is an album by pianist Bruce Hornsby
• Halcyon Days is a double-disc greatest hits compilation by the progressive rock band Strawbs
• Halcyon Days is a brand name for decorative enamel boxes sold by Halcyon Days Co., based in the UK
• Halcyon Daze is a song by the band Hidden in Plain View
• Halcyon Days (Where Were You Then?) is a song by the band Local H
• Goodbye Halcyon Days is the title of chapter 237 of the manga Bleach.