Birds, and specifically swallows, often appear in opposition to rats—thus, while the rats symbolize corruption and doom, the birds represent hope for a better future. Some cities, such as Marozia, use the dichotomy of the rats and the swallows to speak to the cyclical nature of revolt and rebellion, suggesting that corruption and hope are locked in an endless battle in which one may win temporarily, but the other will eventually also see its day on top. In other cities, such as in Raissa and Esmeralda, Marco Polo links the birds directly to hope and makes the point that it’s important to focus on the beautiful, hopeful moments in life, as they make the ugly easier to bear.
Birds (Swallows) Quotes in Invisible Cities
Was the oracle mistaken? Not necessarily. I interpret it in this way: Marozia consists of two cities, the rat’s and the swallow’s; both change with time, but their relationship does not change; the second is the one about to free itself from the first.
Birds (Swallows) Symbol Timeline in Invisible Cities
