Well, they’re over.
Halcyon days, that is.
The phrase, I discover, refers to a period of calm, peacefulness and prosperity.
The term shows up in poetry, once or twice in Shakespeare, and even in modern articles and essays.
I used to be a bit startled when I encountered it.
Having once dutifully memorized the scientific names of bird subfamilies, I connected the name Halcyon with kingfishers. And what do kingfishers have to do with tranquility?
According to mythology, quite a bit.