Ursula - I don’t know. Quick look shows that it is a crater on one of Uranus' moons. Of course the little mermaid. Was The Little Mermaid based on an older story?
weird sisters in the year of the big wind.
Folk and Fishgods of Dundrum - Maybe something about the Salmon of Knowledge, it's a story about a Fish that ate 9 hazelnuts and fell into the Well of Knowledge, I'm not sure if this has anything to do with Dundrum or not.
The Weird sisters in the year of the Big Wind - W.B Yeats' sisters, Lily and Lolly Yeats. They lived a life of early 1900s working women and got together and opened printing place called Dun Emer where they printed greeting cards and their brothers poems.
I'm not sure what makes them weird though.
The Big Wind - Now the Big Wind. This took place 1/6/1839 - 1/7/1839 or 1839/1/06 - 1839/1/07 for our metric friends. It was a huge windstorm that beat the crap out of Ireland and the UK. Tore up buildings, killed hundreds of people and wrecked 42 ships!!
Mabinogion - The Mabinogion is a book of the earliest stories of Celtic British literature.
It has eleven different kinds of stories like drama, comedy, fantasy etc. There are also stories of a very different kind of King Arthur and another called the Four Branches of Mabinogi that apparently defies categorization, seems pretty intense.
The secretary of state for war - Don't yet know when this story takes place. This book, however, was written in 1920 which would give the honor to a fellow name Winston Churchill, he would later become a big deal in World War 2
Billy Pitt - William Pitt the Younger, son of William Pitt the Elder, the youngest prime minister Great Britain has ever had. Born 5/28/1759. Died 1/23/1806. A British Tory politician, I think the Torys Tories? They were the conservatives of the UK. Are they still a thing?
Elsinore - This is where Hamlet takes place
The Ballad of Joking Jesus - It was first called "The song or the Cheerful (but slightly Sarcastic) Jesus". Written by J.J.'s friend Oliver St. John Gogarty. in 1904
Thomas Aquinas - A Vatican hot shot, lived in the 1200's, He told everyone that reason was found in God, which ended up being the basis of philosophy called Thomism
Nicene Creed - You want to know a sure way to finding catholic school kid in a crowd? Just say the words "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. This will trigger an involuntary reaction, Catholic alums just cant resist finishing that prayer. Most of them don't even know the words, they only know the sounds, or maybe that was just me.
Pope Marcellus Mass is a "masse sine nomine" or a "mass without a name" As far as I understand it. It is just a song that is sung during a part of the catholic mass. This particular one was one of the first ones ever made. It was composed in honor of Pope Macellus II some where in the 1500s. It sounds nice.
Photius - Photios I of Constantinople, born sometime between 810 and 820 and died February 6, 893. The Eastern Orthodox church calls him Saint Photios the Great. He was viewed as the most important intellectual of his time, "The leading light of the ninth-century renaissance. He caused a little tussle named the Photian Schism, claiming that the Byzantine Emperor, had the right to hire and fire whichever patriarch they wanted without the permission of the Vatican.
Arius was born somewhere between 250 and 256-336. He was a leader of his local christian congregation in Alexandria, Egypt. His opinions were directly opposed to the Nicene Creed which said that the god was 3 equal parts: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Arius said that there were indeed three parts, but they were not equal. His contribution the holy confusion of Christianity was the claim that the father was more important than the other two.
Saint Valentine - Born in Terni, Italy. The Patron Saint of Epilepsy and the namesake of couples buying junk for each other, and singles drinking in defiance. he was beheaded for not denying Christ.
Sabellius existed around 215. He was a faith leader and a theologian who did most of his work in Rome. It is fuzzy where his is from, probably from Libya in North Africa. His big offense was throwing away the whole, holy trinity, saying that God was a single and indivisible personal deity. He claimed that the three parts were just three manifestations of one divine person. This got him excommunicated as a heretic, and his preaching permissions revoked.
King Pyrrhus of Epihrus - Born in 318ish and died at the ripe old age of 47 in 272 BC. He was a Greek king during the Hellenistic period (323 - 31 BC). We was in charge of a Greek tribe called the Molossians and would later become king of the Greek state Epirus. He was a quite a troublesome pebble in Romes shoe. He is probably most know for not knowing when to call it quits in battle. Pyrrhus would often win fights that would cost him too much in the long run. That is where the term Pyrrhic Victory comes from, although I've never heard it before now.
William Blake - Born 11/28/1757 - 8/12/1827. English poet, painter, printmaker, and all around, a very important man in history. He has potential to be my most favorite person ever.
Mnemosyne - Titaness goddess of memory. Her parents were Uranus and Gaia. Zeus was her cousin and consort. The Muses were her kids. The Romans called her Moneta.
John Milton - This man was born 12/9/1609 and dies 11/8/1674. He was an English poet, ilntellectual and a civil servant who later worked with Oliver Cromwell. His biggest deal was writing Paradise lost. That is a pretty big deal actually, most of the things that your thought were in the bible later found out weren't they were probably from that poem, the seven sins and such.
Wrote a bunch of other stuff though. Like Areopagitica, which spoke against Pre-publication censorship, which allowed the government to censor works, before they are released to the public.
and William Blake was a big fan of him also!
Columbanus - St. Columbanus. Irish man born way back in 540 and died November 615. He founded a bunch of monasteries post 590, notably the Luxeuil Abby in France and the Bobbio Abbey in Italy. Do you want to know why old boy is a saint? Several reasons, but I'll tell you my favorites.
1. He escaped from a bunch of wolfs.
2. He tamed a bear and tied it to a plow
3. Destroyed a heathens glass of beer by blowing on it.
They say he also cured some folks, but who cares when you have a plow bear?
Averroes - This is the Latinized name of Ibn Rushd ابن رشد; or أبو الوليد محمد ابن
احمد ابن رشد, or The Commentator, or The Father of rationalism. He was born April 1126, in the city Cordova in Andalusia, in southern Spain (it was called the Almoravid Empire back then) and died December 1198 in Almohad Calophate (It's called Morocco now). He is the first Muslim that I have across in this book of Christians, a polymath and legal expert who wrote about just about every subject you can think of. He is especially known for being a huge fan of our new friend Aristotle and wrote a bunch of Commentaries on his work, hence the name The Commentator.
He wrote a thesis called the Unity of the Intellect, suggesting that everybody shares the same intellect; which I'm not sure what is meant by that. Does he mean that everybody has the same level of intelligence or do we all share some kind of Jungian consciousness kind of thing? Either way this burnt the Catholics butter, and then condemned his works. Jerks.
Moses Maimonides - or (רבי משה בן מימון)This dude was born ten years prior in the same town as ابن رشد but stayed alive a little bit longer before dying in Ayyubid Sultante, (It's called Egypt now). This fella was Jewish big shot who was into Greek philosophers including guess who? Yup ol' Ari.
He wasn't in to Kabbalah and hated poetry, saying the best of it was false because it was found on pure invention.
In 1148 his city was taken over, and was forced to choose between taking up Islam, death or exile. He took exile, jumped around a bit before settling in Morocco.
Morrice Dance - Spelled Morris now, is a pretty fantastic English folk dance. They dance in beat with sticks or handkerchiefs. It first started around the middle of the 1400's
Over the years, this dance had developed different styles across the U.K.. I strongly suggest you look it up.
Mummering - Now I would enjoy the holidays so much more if we had this. In Ireland, Newfoundland/Labrado and parts of the U.K., friends and family dress up in costumes and visit their neighbors during Christmas. If these "Mummers" are welcomed in, they will do little performances like singing, or juggling, or whatever, and the host has to guess who they are before giving them giving them food or beverages. If they get it right, then they just hang out for while. How awesome is that?
Stuart Coins - Named after King James the Second, who was part of the Stuart Dynasty. He had moved to Ireland in an attempt to regain his lost power. While there, he began print to make coins which were made out of cheap metal, and in turn ruining the value of Ireland's previous currency.
St. James and his scallop shells - James and his brother John were fierce blooded and hot headed fishermen who used to pal around with crazy guy named John the Baptist. One day while the two Johns and James were playing around in a creek, cousin Jesus shows up and tells the splashing boys that he had it on good authority, that he was particularly special and the fishermen should join his crew. That was all of the convincing they needed. They said "ok" and packed up. Before they headed out, Jesus thought, "You know, while I'm here..." runs to ask crazy John. "Hey, wanna throw in that water?" John quickly getting over abandonment, says "Hell yeah! throwin' folks in water is my jam! Get over here!" Jesus, found out that the hype was definitely real. He told crazy dunking John, that he would see him later, and three quarter J crew rolled out.
James turned out to be a difficult travel buddy, Always grouchy, picking fights and carrying on, but he eventually cooled down and turned in to a calmer guy.
While this is obviously a very embellished story, the spirit of it has convinced a lot of folks to make a big trip like he did.
There is a whole network of roads, paths and such called The Camino de Santigo (English speakers call it The Way of St James). People looking for spiritual and self discovery will follow these roads until they get to the cathedral of Santiago de Galicia in the northwestern part of Spain. Which brings us to the seashell.
The scallop shell as symbol has several meanings in regards to this journey. The most straight forward is the fact the Galicia's shores are littered with these little guys, and are used as kind of merit badge for surviving the trip. Second, the design of the shell. Think of the Shell Gas station logo, it is a round thing with a bunch of lines pointing to a flat square base. This represents John's physical journey with Jesus and all of the various roads you can take. John's mental journey to cool that wild stallion temper with Jesus, and the actual pilgrimage to Galicia for the typical tío. Stories have it that John is buried Galicia. He died in Jerusalem and took his last boat trip to Spain. On the way there, the boat seemed to have a hard time and got lost. But Ol' James' cadaver managed to find its way to the banks of Galicia, covered in these seashells.
Apostle spoons - These are a sets of silver spoons that have little apostle images at the end of the handles. A lot of times their would be a thirteenth spoon with a little Jesus or Mary on it. They were usually given as baptism gifts by Godparents.
Albert Edward, prince of Wales - Edward the seventh, born on November 9th 1841, and died May 6th 1910. He was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the current president during the story of this book.
Daniel O'Connell - Born on Sunday, August 6, 1775, died seventy one years later on May 15. He was a Leo. Known as The Liberator, he was leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic Majority in the front chunk of the 1800s. He help create The Catholic Emancipation, which meant that Roman Catholic officials were allowed, to toss the English Book of Prayer to do their Catholicing, and to have a seat in the UK Parlement.
He worked liberal causes and was an Abolitionist (Anti-Slavery).
As it goes though, he caught some guff for how he was running the show. Politics. This lead to a fracture in in his movement.
The Irish Potato Famine or The Great Hunger - 1845 to 1852, This was a huge, event on the history of both Ireland and America. A fungus called Phytophthora Infestans went through and and completey disemated Ireland's potato crop, which starved around 1,000,000 people, when I say "starved", I mean these folks died. That is roughly the size of Delaware.
Another 1,000,000 people, again, Delaware, emigrated abroad. A big chunk, ended up coming to the states.
Society of United Irishmen - (1791-1804) Also known as the United Irishmen, were a group of Irish folks that got together after the French Revolution to have equal representation for everyone in Ireland.
Fenians - Named after the Fianna of Irish Mythos. Originally, It referred to the Fenian Brotherhood, a secret organization committed to establishing an independent Irish Republic.
Now-a-days, it is a Northern Irish derogatory term for Irish Nationalists and Catholics.
The Battle of the Diamond - September 21, 1795 This was a battle between Catholics and Protestants, in which the Protestants had won. After the fight a bunch of the Protestants would create the Orange Order.
Planters' Covenant - England and the royal family were losing control of Ireland. To remedy this, they came up the plantation system. What they would do, they would send their Protestant English down there set roots on their Catholic property, if they would agree or 'covenant' their loyalty to the English royalty, and acknowledge that they are the best ever, speaking politically and theologically.
This worked really well, and reduced the Catholics to almost nothing.
Croppies Lie Down - Probably writing by George Watson-Taylor. A British folk song from the 1798 rebellion celebrating the defeat of Irish rebels.
"Croppies lie down"
"We soldiers of Erin, so proud of the name,
We'll raise on the rebels and Frenchmen our fame;
We'll fight to the last in the honest old cause,
And guard our religion, our freedom and laws;
We'll fight for our country, our King and his crown,
And make all the traitors and croppies lie down.
Down, down, croppies lie down.
The rebels so bold, when they've none to oppose,
To houses and haystacks are terrible foes;
They murder poor parsons and likewise their wives,
At the sight of a soldier they run for their lives;
Whenever we march over country and town
In ditches and cellars the croppies lie down.
Down, down, croppies lie down.
In Dublin the traitors were ready to rise
And murder was seen in their lowering eyes
With poison, the cowards, they aimed to succeed
And thousands were doomed by the assassins to bleed
But the yeoman advanced, of rebels the dread
And each croppy soon hid his dastardly head
Down, down, croppies lie down.
Should France e'er attempt, by fraud or by guile,
Her forces to land on Erin's green isle,
We'll show that they n'er can make free soldiers, slaves,
They shall only possess our green fields for their graves;
Our country's applauses our triumphs will crown,
Whilst with their French brothers the croppies lie down.
Down, down, croppies lie down.
Oh, croppies ye'd better be quiet and still
Ye shan't have your liberty, do what ye will
As long as salt water is formed in the deep
A foot on the necks of the croppy we'll keep
And drink, as in bumpers past troubles we drown,
A health to the lads that made croppies lie down
Down, down, croppies lie down."
Sir John Blackwood - Born sometime in 1721. Died February 27. 1799. He was an Irish Politician and Baronet
The Rocky Road to Dublin - A song written by and Irish poet name D. K. Gaven.
Left the girls of Tuam nearly broken hearted
Saluted Father dear, kissed me darling mother
Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother
Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born
Cut a stout blackthorn to banish ghosts and goblins
A brand new pair of brogues, rattlin' o'er the bogs
Frightenin' all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
Started by daylight me spirits bright and airy
Took a drop of the pure
Keep me heart from sinking
That's the Paddy's cure whenever he's on drinking
To see the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At me curious style, 'twould set your heart a bubblin'
An' asked if I was hired, wages I required
'Till I was nearly tired of the rocky road to Dublin
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity
To be soon deprived a view of that fine city
Well then I took a stroll, all among the quality
Bundle it was stole, all in a neat locality
Something crossed me mind, when I looked behind
No bundle could I find upon me stick a wobblin'
Enquiring for the rogue, said me Connaught brogue
Wasn't much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
From there I got away, me spirits never falling
Landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing
The Captain at me roared, said that no room had he
When I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy
Down among the pigs, played some funny rigs
Danced some hearty jigs, the water round me bubbling
When off Holyhead wished meself was dead
Or better far instead
On the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
The boys of Liverpool, when we safely landed
Called meself a fool, I could no longer stand it
Blood began to boil, temper I was losing
Poor old Erin's isle they began abusing
"Hurrah me soul!" says I, me shillelagh I let fly
Some Galway boys were nigh and saw I was a hobble in
With a loud "Hurray!" joined in the affray
We quickly cleared the way for the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
Whack fol lol le rah!
Whack fol lol le rah!
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour
A Robin Red breast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage
A Dove house filld with Doves & Pigeons
Shudders Hell thr' all its regions
A dog starvd at his Masters Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State
A Horse misusd upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood
Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fibre from the Brain does tear
A Skylark wounded in the wing
A Cherubim does cease to sing
The Game Cock clipd & armd for fight
Does the Rising Sun affright
Every Wolfs & Lions howl
Raises from Hell a Human Soul
The wild deer, wandring here & there
Keeps the Human Soul from Care
The Lamb misusd breeds Public Strife
And yet forgives the Butchers knife
The Bat that flits at close of Eve
Has left the Brain that wont Believe
The Owl that calls upon the Night
Speaks the Unbelievers fright
He who shall hurt the little Wren
Shall never be belovd by Men
He who the Ox to wrath has movd
Shall never be by Woman lovd
The wanton Boy that kills the Fly
Shall feel the Spiders enmity
He who torments the Chafers Sprite
Weaves a Bower in endless Night
The Catterpiller on the Leaf
Repeats to thee thy Mothers grief
Kill not the Moth nor Butterfly
For the Last Judgment draweth nigh
He who shall train the Horse to War
Shall never pass the Polar Bar
The Beggars Dog & Widows Cat
Feed them & thou wilt grow fat
Poison gets from Slanders tongue
The poison of the Snake & Newt
Is the sweat of Envys Foot
The poison of the Honey Bee
Is the Artists Jealousy
The Princes Robes & Beggars Rags
Are Toadstools on the Misers Bags
A Truth thats told with bad intent
Beats all the Lies you can invent
It is right it should be so
Man was made for Joy & Woe
And when this we rightly know
Thro the World we safely go
Joy & Woe are woven fine
A Clothing for the soul divine
Under every grief & pine
Runs a joy with silken twine
The Babe is more than swadling Bands
Throughout all these Human Lands
Tools were made & Born were hands
Every Farmer Understands
Every Tear from Every Eye
Becomes a Babe in Eternity
This is caught by Females bright
And returnd to its own delight
The Bleat the Bark Bellow & Roar
Are Waves that Beat on Heavens Shore
The Babe that weeps the Rod beneath
Writes Revenge in realms of Death
The Beggars Rags fluttering in Air
Does to Rags the Heavens tear
The Soldier armd with Sword & Gun
Palsied strikes the Summers Sun
The poor Mans Farthing is worth more
Than all the Gold on Africs Shore
One Mite wrung from the Labrers hands
Shall buy & sell the Misers Lands
Or if protected from on high
Does that whole Nation sell & buy
He who mocks the Infants Faith
Shall be mockd in Age & Death
He who shall teach the Child to Doubt
The rotting Grave shall neer get out
He who respects the Infants faith
Triumphs over Hell & Death
The Childs Toys & the Old Mans Reasons
Are the Fruits of the Two seasons
The Questioner who sits so sly
Shall never know how to Reply
He who replies to words of Doubt
Doth put the Light of Knowledge out
The Strongest Poison ever known
Came from Caesars Laurel Crown
Nought can Deform the Human Race
Like to the Armours iron brace
When Gold & Gems adorn the Plow
To peaceful Arts shall Envy Bow
A Riddle or the Crickets Cry
Is to Doubt a fit Reply
The Emmets Inch & Eagles Mile
Make Lame Philosophy to smile
He who Doubts from what he sees
Will neer Believe do what you Please
If the Sun & Moon should Doubt
Theyd immediately Go out
To be in a Passion you Good may Do
But no Good if a Passion is in you
The Whore & Gambler by the State
Licencd build that Nations Fate
The Harlots cry from Street to Street
Shall weave Old Englands winding Sheet
The Winners Shout the Losers Curse
Dance before dead Englands Hearse
Every Night & every Morn
Some to Misery are Born
Every Morn and every Night
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to Endless Night
We are led to Believe a Lie
When we see not Thro the Eye
Which was Born in a Night to perish in a Night
When the Soul Slept in Beams of Light
God Appears & God is Light
To those poor Souls who dwell in Night
But does a Human Form Display
To those who Dwell in Realms of day
Helen - The prettiest lady in the world. Zeus's and Leda's daughter. She met and married a beau named Menelaus, King of Sparta. Together they had two adorable children Hermione and Nicostratus.
As it goes, There is Menelaus, the king of Sparta; Helen, Menelaus' wife; Paris, a Trojan prince; Zeus, top dog of Greek mythology; Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty; Hera the goddess of marriage and Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
One day Zeus appoints Paris to decided who was prettier; Aphrodite, Hera or Athena.
What could go wrong?
On the side, Aphrodite makes a deal with Paris promising to hook him up with the prettiest lady in the world if he chose her. As one would expect, Paris took the deal and gave Aphrodite the rose. Really pissing off Hera and Athena, which will probably be relevant in a different story.
Aphrodite, not being content as an actual god, sews on her "Paris' Prettiest Goddess" merit badge, and instructs him go to Sparta under the guise of a social call. And when he gets there, you know, just kidnap Helen. Boom. Problem solved.
Paris does exactly that. He shows up, telling everyone one he's just hanging out. Paris, finding Helen alone, tells her "Hey, we're an item know, come back to Troy with me or I will kidnap you."
One of two things happen: Helen says, "No, I will not go of my own accord, you will have to kidnap me."
or
"Kidnapping will not necessary. My king husband and two adorable children are total losers. Let's roll."
The end result is the same. Helen goes to Troy, upsetting her husband, and started the Trojan War.
Dermot MacMurrough (and How England Became in Charge) - Anglicized from Diarmait Mac Muchada. He was the king of Leinster, Ireland. He had two wives. The high king of Ireland, Rory O'Connor, removed Dermont from his position when he had heard that Dermot had kidnapped a lady named Derbforgaill, the wife of Tiernan O'Rourke, the kind of Breifne.
Some say that Derborgaill was kidnapped with all of her stuff, and others say she wasn't an unwilling prisoner and she stayed and maintained a pampered life with Dermot for years.
As it goes, Dermot asks King Henry II of England for help, and was allowed to rummage through the empire and recruit mercenaries. He did pretty good for himself. In particular he found a Norman/Englishman named Richard de Clare Earl of Pembroke, "Stongbow" to his buds. These two shook on a deal agreeing that Strongbow would marry Dermot's Daughter, and would be next in line to be king.
The Dermot and Strongbow Brigade reclaimed Leinster, but Dermot died shortly after. leaving Strongbow, an Norman/Englishman, running the shots in Ireland. He was not popular.
Back to Henry II, He took this opportunity to crash into the banks of Ireland and start taking charge. Seeing which way the wind was blowing, Strongbow submitted to the English king in exchange for keeping all of his new stuff.
Thus how England begin its rule of Ireland, and why a lot of people probably dislike Dermot MacMurrough.
Tiernan O'Rourke - Aka Tighearnán Mór Ua Rauirc, He was the of king of Breifne. Father of three children: Maelseachlainn Ua Ruairc, Aodh Ua Ruairc, and Dubhchoblaigh.
Charles Stewart Parnell - An Irish nationalist politician. A member of Parliament. Acting leader of the Home Rule League. Leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, a child of rich Anglo-Irish Protestant landowners in Avondale. Spent some time in Kilmainham Gaol. Died of pneumonia in Hove, East Sussex, England.
Here's where it gets good.
The Players:
Parnell
Captain William O'Shea - Parnell's coworker
Katharine O'Shea - Captain William O'Shea's wife.
Mr. & Mrs. O'Shea separated, but not yet divorced, because Mrs. O'Shea was expecting a big inheritance. Later on Parnell moved in with her at her house in Kent. Eventually the Captain did divorce Katharine. Later at the the trial it had been discovered that Parnell and Kate had been together for a long time and three of her kids were actually Parnell's!
It gets really complicated. For the most part, this scandal caused all kinds of issues.
Loyalist Anti-Repeal Union - The LA-RU was an organisation of Irish unionists. It was formed by influential Protestants to oppose the Home Rule movement. Lord Randolph Churchill, a UK Conservative Party top dog, became a fan and famously said "Ulster will fight, Ulster will be Right"
Home Rule Party - Aka The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed by the leader of the Nationalist party, a fellow named Isaac Butt*. The IPP evolved from an earlier organisation, The Home Rule League, and was the official parliamentary party of the Irish nationalists in the UK Parliament.
Lord Randolph Churchill - A radical Tory, a leader of the House of Commons, father of Winston Churchill.
The Evening Telegraph - It was Ireland's leading evening newspaper at the time. It was Launched by Lord Mayor of Dublin Edmund Dwyer Grey, A former Irish nationalist. It was very nationalist leaning, and was known for using drawings as illustrations. It distinguished itself by using pink paper instead of the brownish-yellow that everyone else was using.
The Irish Homestead - A weekly publication from the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, founded by Horace Plunkett, and the first publication to put out Jame Joyce's short story, "The Sisters"
Maestro di color che sanno - 'Master of the men who know'. Refering to Aristotle. It comes from Inferno, Part one of Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Here's the quote with a little extra for context, Canto 4, Lines 130 -135:
Poi ch'innalzai un poco più le ciglia
vidi 'l maestro di color che sanno
Seder tra filosofica famiglia
Tutti lo miran, tutti onor li fanno:
quiviv vid' ïo Socrate e Platone,
che 'nnanzi a li altri più presso li stanno;
or
When I had raised my eyes a little higher,
I saw the master of the men who know
seated in philosophic family.
There all look up to him, all do him honor:
there I behold both Socrates and Plato,
closest to him, in front of all the rest;
Divine Comedy - Part 1, Inferno - A very long poem written by Dante Alighieri. It is the story of Dante and his tour guide, Virgil, as they roam the nine circles of Hell. Along the way they meet all kinds of colorful characters who have rejected the God's spiritual values by yielding to their bestial appetites and perverting their human intellect.
Dante Alighieri - He was probably called Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri at his baptism. He was an Italian, a catholic, a poet, a writer, a philosopher, a husband and a father. When he wrote, he used the speech of the local people, instead of the persnickety Latin that only the college kids could read. Which in turn, allowed modern day Italian to be standardized.
Aristotle - He was a Greek philosopher and a polymath the Ancient Greek Classical period. He was taught by Plato and founded the Lyceum, a school of philosophy. He pretty much influenced everything that Western Philosophy was about after his time.
Space-time (Minkowski Space) - An idea that Albert Einstein's teacher, Hermann Minkowski come up with. He said that space and time is balled up one big thing called a Continuum. This continuum has four dimensions: Length, breadth, height, and time.
Later on, Albert Einstein would tweak this idea. Saying that space-time is actually curved, and suggest that they call this general relativity.
Albert Einstein - Born in the Kingdome of Wüttemberg, German Empire, died in Princeton New Jersey.
Hermann Minkowski - Albert Einstein's teacher, born in Aleksotas, Suwalki Governorate, Kingdom of Poland, died in Göttingen, German Empire. Had one wife, Auguste Adler, and two daughters, Lily and Ruth.
Hamlet or The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark - William Shakespeare's twenty fourth play, and his longest play with 29,551 words about a nephew's avengement for his father.
William Shakespeare - Probably the most famous person you have ever heard of. Born and died in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire England, A playwright, A poet. People called him The Bard of Avon. Married a woman named Anne Hathaway**
Los - A character developed by William Blake, First appeared in The Book of Urizen and concluded in the final version of Jerusalem. Los is the godlike part of the imagination, referred to as The Eternal Prophet. He is described at a blacksmith, he beats hot metal with his hammer, that represents the human heart, and the bellows on his forge represent the lungs.
Demiurge (Plato's version) - Plato wrote a thing, a dialog, kind of like a play, called Timaeus , in which he said that there is a deity that rearranges real life objects. It moves physical things around to make it fit with a rational and eternal ideal. Plato used this word because in ancient Greece, it originally meant a "craftsman" or an umbrella term for anyone who works with their hands
Sea Monkeys (Artemia NYOS) - A hybrid breed of brine shrimp created by Harold von Braunhut. When things are bad, they can enter a state of suspended animation, and stay that way until their living situation gets better. Like when you dunk them in a bowl of purified water.
They are born with one eye, but grow two more when they get older; they breath through their feet, and they can reproduce sexually or asexually.
Madeleine Lemaire - A French painter who specialized in painting flowers. She was called The Empress of the Roses. She introduced the French master of ridiculously long sentences, Marcel Proust, to the Parisian salons of high society.
Omphaloskepsis - Otherwise known as Navel Gazing, It is the practice of starring at your belly button, while contemplating life and the universe. Made “famous” by the monks of Mount Athos, but is practiced by all sorts of people, including yogis who say the navel to be the location of the Manipura, and important chakra of the body. Although it's taken serious ly by hte practitioners, it also brings about cheeky phrases such as “Contemplating one’s navel”, referring to self absorbed pursuits.
Aleph - א, The First letter of the of several alphabets, Hebrew in this case. Probably originated in Egypt, representing the head of an ox. Eventually the Greeks show up and start using it, calling it Alpha.
In Jewish mysticism, it represents the oneness of God.
Alpha - A, The first letter in the Greek ALPHAbet. In Greek numerals, it has the value of 1 which carried on through the years to also indicate the “first” or the “Beginning” of things.
In Christianity, God declared He was the Alpha and Omega, meaning he was the beginning and the end
Adam Kadmon - Ok, it gets a bit complicated here. I read a book explaining the basics of Kabbalah, and it rocked my world. So, with some experience with that, and help of Wikipedia, we can bang this out. Try to be somewhat flexible in your thinking here. It will get wacky.
In Kabbalah, before anything was created. There was God’s infinite light. Take that as literally as you can. A light that is infinite, that belongs to God. This light that belongs to God is not like a flashlight. This kind of light doesn't have a starting point or any kind of boundary Just light. Remember nothing else has been created yet.
Real quick, I’m going to use words that refer to points in time, “when”, “before”, “after “ and so on. This won't be accurate because time wasn’t created yet. But I have to do something. Anyway…
It was time for things to start getting created. So, he gave his light a boundary and compressed it. Creating his first things:
A big ball of FINITE light, It has a middle and outside edges,
The void that exists outside the big ball of FINITE light. We can call it room, space, a vacuum, whatever
When that part was done. A ray of divine light, shot from the big ball of finite light and entered the outside space, and projected the Persona or “face” of Adam Kadmon. It wasn’t a human face though. Instead it was a series of 10 circles that grew from it. Think of the rings of a dart board, and the laser beam of divine light was the bullseye. This was the first stage of Adam Kadmon.
What is divine light? Good question! Divine light is something that is unknown and mysterious in nature, therefore, I don't know how to define it.
The next thing that happened was that the ray of light was “enclothed” by the anthropomorphic or human form of Adam kadmon.
Ok. Stretch that brain out. This human form of Adam Kadmon, being projected into void by a ball of FINITE light, is, in fact, a realm of INFINITE divine light. Without anything to contain it. This Skin of Adam Kadmon is actually the potential to create future existence
Which leads us to the Four Worlds or otherwise known as Spiritual Worlds.
What are Spiritual Worlds? These are also called The Four Worlds; they are the spiritual realms in Kabbalah, in the descending chain of existence. I will list them in their proper names once, but will continue to refer to them in a more reasonable language.
The Four Worlds
Atziluth (Archetypes)
Briah (Creation)
Yetzirah (Formation)
Assiah (Physical)
Other Terms
Emanation
Ein Sof.
Tzimtzum
Or,
The Four Worlds
W.1.Arch
W.2.Creat
W.3.Form
W.4.Phys
Other Terms
Evolution
PreGod
Compression
These Worlds represent the evolution of PreGod’s creativity through the process of his compression.
Adam Kadmon, in Hebrew, translates to “Primordial Man”. It can also be called Adam Elyon or Adam Ila’ah - ”Supreme Man” (cf. Übermensch (****13))
John William Waterhouse - A painter from England who started off painting women in the style that the French Académe des Beaux-arts thought was the best, until he decided to paint women in the style that the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood thought was best.
He was born in Rome, both of his parents were also painters, and he based most of his work off of ancient Greek and Arthorian Mythology
Arius (Cont.) - Just about everything that was written about him was written by people who did not like him. He was the founder of Arianism, Not Aryanism. His teachings, which was called Subordinationism, Made him a very controversial player in the Catholic game. Eventually, he was exiled by the Bishop of Alexandria, which burned his supporters’ butter, so they rioted . It got to the point that Constitine had to step in and TCB. He decried that all of Arius’ work to be burned and that would be the end of it. Well…time goes by and the Bishop that sent Arius away dies, and The Arius Army started their rukkus again. Constatine placlated the people by allowing him to come back.
So, Ol’boy Arius is back at home. Doing his thing when he just up and dies out of nowhere. Some said it was done by the Holy Spirit. Like the all time Arius abhorator, Socrates Scholasticus, who said:
“It was then Saturday, and Arius was expecting to assemble with the church on the day following: but divine retribution overtook his daring criminalities. For going out of the imperial palace, attended by a crowd of Eusebian partisans like guards, he paraded proudly through the midst of the city, attracting the notice of all the people. As he approached the place called Constantine's Forum, where the column of porphyry is erected, a terror arising from the remorse of conscience seized Arius, and with the terror a violent relaxation of the bowels: he therefore enquired whether there was a convenient place near, and being directed to the back of Constantine's Forum, he hastened thither. Soon after a faintness came over him, and together with the evacuations his bowels protruded, followed by a copious hemorrhage, and the descent of the smaller intestines: moreover portions of his spleen and liver were brought off in the effusion of blood, so that he almost immediately died. The scene of this catastrophe still is shown at Constantinople, as I have said, behind the shambles in the colonnade: and by persons going by pointing the finger at the place, there is a perpetual remembrance preserved of this extraordinary kind of death.”
I say he was poisoned.
Arianism - The Christian interpretation claiming that God is unique. He did not need the help of another agent to exist. Jesus, however, did need God to exist. This means that Jesus had limited and indirect knowledge of God and his business, because Jesus was finite and lived in a different world of existence.
Mananaan - Like every Irish legend, He has several names: Manannán, Manann, Manannán mac Lir (Son of the sea). He is a warrior and the king of the Irish Otherworld and generally regarded as a sea god with horses that could run on both land and water.
The Gondoliers or, The King of Barataria - This was the twelfth opera written by Arthur Sullivan and Sir WIlliam Schwenck Gilbert; at the time the fifth longest-running piece of musical theatre in history.
The Rundown
The Players
Drunk Gondolier
Gondolier 1
Gondolier 2
Farm Girl 1
Farm Girl 2
Duke
Duchess
Daughter
Drummer
Grand Inquisitor
Baby Price, New King of Barataria (same person)
Nurse
Old King of Barataria
Act 1
Gondolier 1 marries Farm Girl 1
Gondolier 2 married Farm Girl 2
Somewhere else
Duke, Duchess, Daughter and Drummer arrive to meet Grand Inquisitor
Duke: Daughter, when you were a baby your mother and I decided to marry you with the Baby Prince of Barataria. Turns out though, that Baby Prince’s dad turned protestant a while back, so the Grand Inquisitor stole the Baby Prince. Anyway, The King is dead, and the Baby prince has grown to be the New King. We are here now to meet the Grand Inquisitor to finally hook you guys up.
Daughter: I am confused and upset
Grand Inquisitor: I gave the Baby Prince to a drunk Gondolier to raise with his own son. They both grew up to be Gondoliers, but like I said, their dad is a drunk and forgot which kid is which. It's cool though, I have sent for his childhood nurse. She will figure it all out, and if not we will torture her, That is our thing.
Nurse is Drummer’s mom
Daughter and Drummer were in love, but now have to live apart.
Gondoliers and Farmgirls 1 & 2 find out there's a 50/50 chance they could be royalty.
Everyone is excited, they agree to go to to work it all out.
No Farmgirls are allowed in Barataria.
Grand Inquisitor does not say that one of the Gondoliers is already married
The Gondoliers go to Barataria
Act 2
The Gondoliers have been Barataria doing Janitor work for 3 months
They are underfed and miss their wives.
Farmgirls 1&2 show up with their friends because they miss their husbands.
The Gondoliers promote everyone to be royalty
There is a celebration.
Grand Inquisitor shows up, craps all over the party,
Grand Inquisitor: It sucks that you promoted everyone one, We have to distinguish commoners from royalty. If everyone is somebody, then no-one is anybody, But whatever. So here’s the deal, one of you gondoliers is already married. It was arranged when you and she were babies, therefore one of your weddings was illegit, and neither of these farmgirls will be queens.
Gondoliers and Farmgirls 1 & 2 are upset.
Gondoliers 1&2 meet Daughter.
Daughter: “This is messed up right? Anyway, I will be an obedient wife, these are the times we live in, but I’m gonna be real with you, Drummer and I are in love. Please don’t mess with that.
Gondoliers present their Farmgirl wives
It’s all cool
The nurse shows up.
Nurse: The New King’s dad was a good man, I knew that the Grand Inquisitor was going to kidnap the baby, so I hid him. When Grand Inquisitor showed up, I gave him my own baby. I am really good at hiding babies, but terrible at loving them. So in fact, gondoliers, neither of you are kings. But my illegitimate son The Drummer is. Sorry for the mix up.
The Gondoliers: Good Grief, what mess, won't lie, it kinda sucks that we won't be kings, but we'll get over it. Here is the crown, and if there is nothing else, we’re gunna head back home.
Everybody lives happily ever after.
Jesus Wept - Gospel of John, Chapter 11, Verse 35. 32 Then when Mary was come when Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if though hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. 34. and said, Where have ye laid him? The said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept 36 Then said the Jews Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if though wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God? * Blah blah blah* 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
The verse has played several roles over the year. Crying showed that Jesus was indeed a real man with real man emotions. Meaning he was not an illusion or a spirit. It is used as a Swear word in Britain when things go wrong.
“ Ah, Jesus wept, the refrigerator just fell over!
Coign of Vantage - A preferred position for peeping and prying or a superior spot for snooping and spying. Shakespear said it first.
Bog Wood - Otherwise known as Abonos, is wood that has been buried in peat bogs. Peat bogs are full of acid that prevents wood from decaying. This means that bog wood can stick around for potentially thousands of years. They are usually stained a really dark brown or gray by a science thing called tannins. All of this makes it a highly sought after material and pretty expensive.
Requiescat - by Oscar Wilde. Dedicated to his sister Isola, who died of meningitis.
Tread lightly, she is near
Under the snow
Speak gently, she can hear
The daisies grow.
All her bright golden hair
Tarnished with rust,
She that was young and fair
Fallen to dust.
Lily-like, white as snow.
She hardly knew
She was a woman, so
Sweetly she grew.
Coffin-board, heavy stone.
Lie on her breast,
I vex my heart alone
She is at rest.
Peace, Peace, she cannot hear
Lyre or sonnet,
All my life’s buried here,
Heap earth on it.
Oscar Wilde - Full name is Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde. He was one of Dublin’s native sons. Best known for writing clever epigrams, plays, and a novel called The Picture of Dorian Grey. Unfortunately, he is also known for being convicted of being a homosexual.
Thomas Chippendale - An only child cabinet maker from the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He produced a book called The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director. This book took the British furniture world by storm; praised for his designs representing the fashion of the times.
Il Trovatore - An Italian Opera written by Giuseppe Verdi and Salvadore Cammarano, based on a play with the same name (but in Spanish) that was written by Antonia Garcia. It premiered at the Teatro Apollo in Rome
The Rundown
The Players
Old Count di Luna
New Count di Luna
Capitan Ferrando
Leonora
A Gypsy
Azucena
The Unknown Winner
The Troubadour
Marico
Ines
Act One
Scene One
Captain Ferrando tells his boys to be on guard while Count di Luna roams around under Leonora’s windows.
Di Luna loves Leonora
Di Luna is jealous of a Troubadour
Captain Ferrando tells a story
Old di Luna was a happy man with two boys
A gypsy shows up
Di Luna’s youngest boy gets sick.
The gypsy is wrongfully accused of bewitching Di Luna’s youngest boy.
The gypsy is burned at the stake.
While dying, she tells Azucena to avenge her.
Azucena is the gypsy’s daughter.
Azucena avenges gypsy by kidnapping the sick baby.
Di Luna finds some burnt baby bones
Di Luna does not believe that his baby is dead
Di Luna’s other son is now the new Count of di Luna.
Di Luna tells his other son to go find Azucena
Scene Two
Leonora tells Ines that she loves the Troubadour
Leonora tells the story of how she came to love the Troubadour
Leonora fell in love with an unknown winner of a tournament.
An unrelated civil war began
The civil war caused Leonora to lose track of unknown winner
The unknown winner came back
The unknown winner was dressed up as a troubadour
The unknown winner is now the Troubadour
The Troubadour sang under Leonora’s window.
Leonora and Ines leave
Di Luna arrives
Di Luna intended to see Leonora
Di Luna hears the Troubadour singing
Leonora sees di Luna in the dark.
Leonora thinks that di Luna is the Troubadour
The Troubadour shows up.
Leonora runs to the Troubadours arms.
Di Luna is upset
Di Luna challenges the Troubadour to reveal his real identity
Di Luna reveals his real identity
Di Luna is now Marico
Marico is friends with a rival prince
Marico is an outlawed knight
Marico is sentenced to death
Marico challenges di Luna to call the guards
Di Luna counter challenges Marcio to a duel for the right to be Leonoras man.
Leonora tells them not to do that.
Di Luna and Marcio do not listen to Leonora.
Act Two
Scene One
Azucena is still committed to avenging dead mom.
Azucena talks to Manrico
Azucena: “Manrico, I actually intended to throw the baby I stole into the same fire that was burning my mom. But there was a lot going on, I got confused and threw my own baby into the fire.”
Manrico finds out that he is not Azucena’s son.
Manrico still loves Azucena as a mother
Manrico remembers a recent time when Azucena saved his life
Azucena found Manrico almost dead after an ambush.
Manrick talks to Azucena
Manrick: “I beat di Luna in a duel earlier, I couldn’t kill him though on account of a mysterious force”
Azucena: “I am upset with you. You should have killed him, especially because his people defeated you in an earlier battle”
A messenger arrives
Messenger: “I have a message: Manrico, your allies have taken Castle Castellor. The prince wants you to go and be in charge of it. Another thing: Leonora thinks you're dead and she is on her way to become a nun.
Manrico: “I will stop her.”
Azucena tells him not to do that.
Manrico does not listen.
Scene Two
Di Luna intends to abduct Leonora
Leonora and nuns walk by.
Manrico prevents di Luna from abducting Leonora
Manrico abducts Leonora.
Di Luna is upset
Act Three
Scene One
Manrico and Leonora are at Castle Castellor.
Di Luna and his army are attacking the Castle
Ferrando finds Azucena snooping around the camp
Ferrando drags Azucena to di Luna.
Di Luna recognizes Azucena
Di Luna remembers Azucena supposedly killed his little brother.
Azucena yells for Manrico to save her.
Di Luna decides to use Azucena as bait
Di Luna tells his people to burn Azucena outside the walls of the castle.
Scene Two
Manrico and Leonora are about to get married
Leonora is scared
Di Luna’s people have outnumbered Manrico’s people
Marico tells Leonora that he loves her, even while facing death.
Manrico finds out that Azucena is about to be burned.
Manrico rallies his people for a desperate attack.
Leonora faints
Act Four
Scene One
Manrico fails to save Azucena
Azucena was not burned in the fire.
Manrico is imprisoned.
Leonora talks to di Luna
Leonora: “Please release Manrico, I will give myself up to you in exchange”
Di Luna: “Ok, let’s have sex now.”
Leonora drinks secret poison.
Scene Two
Manrico and Azucena are in prison
Manrico and Azucena are waiting to be executed
Azucena thinks about happier times
Azucena falls asleep.
Leonora arrives
Leonora talks to Manrico
Leonora: ”Manrico, you are saved, please run away!”
Manrico: “Awesome, let’s go!”
Leonora: “I can’t.”
Manrico: “ Why? Oh crap, you betrayed me!”
Leonora falls into Manricos arms.
Manrico: “ Crap, you drank poison didn't you?”
Leonora: “I would rather die with you than to marry him”
Di Luna hears Leonora say that.
Di Luna is upset
Di Luna orders Manrico’s execution, tout suite.
Azucena wakes up
Azucena: “He was your brother! You are avenged, Oh mother!
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi - An Italian opera composer born near Bussecto. He was very popular in the world of operas, best known for Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, and La Traviata.
Salvadore Cammarano - A March baby, Librettist, and a Playwright. He worked with Giuseppe Verdi to write the words for Il Trovatore.
Antonio García Guriérrez - He was a Spanish Romantic Playwright. The original writer Il Trovatore, but he called it El Trovador. He studied medicine first. Then he moved to Madrid, earning very little money. He almost enlisted in the army before El Tovador made it big.
Joachim of Fiore - (Gioacchino de Fiore, Italian) He was a Catholic abbot and the founder of San Giobanni in Fiore. He once had a spiritual episode on his way to Jerusalem which turned him off of the luxurities of the modern world. He became a hermit, spent all of his time preaching and studying the bible, with an emphasis on hidden meanings, especially in the part with John’s Revelation. Later on he inspired a group of followers who called themselves the Joachimites to continue his work.
Latherin - When a horse is working hard and getting all sweaty, they have to cool down. That's where Latherin kicks in. It’s a protein in horse sweat that causes it to lather up like soap. Horses hair is waterproof, and that is no good for a hot horse so latherin brings the sweat to the surface, allowing it to evaporate and keeping the horse happy.
2 Kings 23, 24 - 23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel. And as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city and mocked him and said unto him,”Go up, thou bald head! Go up, thou bald head!” 24 and he turn back and looked on them, and cursed the name of the Lord. And there came forth two shebears out of the wood and tore forty and two children of them.
Did you catch that? Let me break it down for you. A dude is walking to town. A bunch of bratty kids came out talking garbage. Now pay attention… This guy cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two female bears came from the woods and tore up forty two of them.
A grown ass man asked God to curse some bratty kids. And God sent BEARS to murder 42 children.
That is fucking metal!
Deuteronomy 32:13-14 - 13 he made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increas of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock; 14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats with the fat of kidnes of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.
Vaticinia de Summis Pontificbus - (Prophecies of the Popes) A book full of drawings and prophecies of popes starting with Pope Nicholas III and going forwards. Joachim of Flora was wrongfully credited for writing them.
Basilik - A European Mythcal reptile that can kill with a single glance. Pliney the Elder wrote about it in his book Naturalis Historia, saying its was a small snake that leaves a trail of deadly venom and its gaze is just as dangerous. It's only weakness is the stink of a weasel. It’s possible that this creature was inspired by real life snakes and their arch enemies, Mongoose
Altar Bell - A small set of bells used in church services of various denominations. I will be discussing the Catholic stuff. In short, these bells are rung to let the audience know that the priest is doing something special. Typically, the server will ring the bell while the priest shows everybody the Host (bread) and the wine while saying the epiclesis (the magic words) .
(Blah blah blah….)
Take this, all of you, and eat of it.
For this is my Body,
Which will be given up for you
*priest displays the bread*
*Server rings alter bell*
*Priest grabs goblet*
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
For this is the chalice of my blood,
The blood of the new and eternal covenant,
Which will be poured out for you and for many
For the forgiveness of sins,
*Priest displays the goblet*
*Server rings alter bell a second time*
Trial of the Pyx
William of Occam - Also known as Doctor Invincible. He was an English son, Francisican philosopher, theologian, and political writer. He came up with the idea behind Occam’s Razor, and a an advocate for a school of thought known as Nominalism.
Hypostasis - The underlying state or underlying substance and is the fundamental reality that supports all else. What does that mean? Let’s change to word to basic, The basic state or basic substance and is the fundamental reality that supports all else.
What does that mean? I don’t know.
Let’s try this, Hypostasis meant a particular thing to Plotinus and later on the Christians will take the Hypostasis ball and Christ it up. I’am thinking the Christian version might be the more relevant one here, but why not look at them both?
Plotinus says Hypostasis is made up of three parts.
One
There is a thing that exists. And this thing is extremely boring. It doesn’t follow our rules like time, space or gravity, It does it’s own thing. This thing can not be divided. It can not be multiplied. It can not be categorized, or compared to anything that does or does not exist. It is not the sum of all things. It existed before Existence even existed. Now take this thing and call it ONE (caps for emphasis)
One is kind of a crappy name for it, seeing that it is the thirty fifth most popular word in the English language. But I am only trying to figure this out, like you, so I won't reinvent the wheel by calling it something else, But I will Ctrl+b it though.
Now, One is the source of our world, but not through any actions. Because since One is beyond all attributes, it painted itself into a very boring corner. How can action be caused by something that is unchangeable? If One grew an arm and made a tree, that would mean that that particular arm was making a tree, and not doing something else.
Just to really drive this idea home, One, according to Plotius, is utterly simple. One is beyond description. One is so simple, you can't even say that it exists.
You can’t even say that it exists.
Cf.^ “There is a thing that exists.
Now the world is gone, I’m just one
Cf. Metallica, … And Justice for All.
Now through means of which i do not understand, One, this thing that is so beyond anything, was able to cause changes known as Emanations.
We should explore this first.
Emanations - This is an idea that is thrown around a lot in certain religious and philosophical camps. It comes from the Latin word Emanare which sort of conveys the idea of “Flowing or pouring out from”. It is basically the process of which everything flows from the original thing. In this case, the “original thing” is One.
Like I said, One is the source of everything and everything flows out or Emanate from the orgical perfect source.
Here is how i think of it:
The Source - I am in a dreamless sleep, unconscious, I can not be aware of the ideas going on in my head. Roughly speaking I call this My One stage. The source of the great idea I am about to have.
Aristotle might call it Potentiality (Cf.****15 Potentiality and Actuality)
Emanation 1. I wake up and have this totally perfect idea, about a totally perfect musical about cats. This is the most perfect thing that I can comprehend. This would be my Nous Stage. (we’ll jump in to that in a minute)
Émanation 2. I take all these crazy wonderful ideas about singing and dancing anatomically accurate alley tabbies and start committing to paper. This very roughly represents the Soul stage
Emanation 3. I create a totally perfect musical, and it turns out exactly like the perfect
idea I had in my head.
Emanation 4. My perfect musical was made into a movie that won every possible award Imaginable. It was a wonderful movie with suspense, intrigue, love and drama, there was even a bootleg version that even included all the cat anuses that were edited out. It was perfect in every way, almost as good as seeing it live for the first time. From here the emanations will slowly deteriorate in quality.
Emanation 5 My perfect movie that was almost as good as the live performance is now released on 4K Bluray with all the bells and whistles. Crystal clear vision Dolby 12.76 or something audio. A wonderful experience to watch in the comfort of your own home. Almost as good as watching it on the big screen.
Emanation 6 A few years go by since this musical took pop culture by storm and now it is found in the $5 dvd bin at Walmart. It is packaged in one of those 2 for 1 dvd sets. It was paired up by accident with a bootleg Bollywood remake of The Lion King.
… Years and emanations go by...
Emanation 42 Hidden in his dusty collection of pornos. A weird uncle with peculiar interests has a vhs copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of the Unauthorised XXX Bollywood Cat Anus Cut, dubbed in German, subbed Dutch, but he swears that it is in French. His sad wife only wishes that he would put it away when they had company over.
Nous
- Commonly thought of as “Intelligence”, “Mind”, “Reason” and so on. Nous is
described as God. Well actually, the image of God, and referred to as the Demiurge.
Cf. (****21) Demiurge
In other words:
Nous = Intelligence.
Intelligence = The image of God
The image of God = The Demiurge
Nous = The Demiurge
I think?
When I refer to Nous, I will mean all of this.
Actually the Image of God
Cf. ^ The Soul.
Nous is the concept and thought behind everything.
Plato might call this his Theory of Forms
Cf. Plato (****15)
Nous is where this starts to get fun. Referencing my fresh and flawless feline
affair emanation enumeration, we see that The Source is my One stage.
Flowing from this would be my first emanation. My perfect idea- My Nous stage!
Be Careful not to fall into thinking that One is somehow superior to Nous
though. One is only the possibility of the foundation of everything.
So, Nous is Intelligence. What would we expect pure intelligence to do
Well, think of course!
And what would it think about it?
Itself!
Actually, this has me confused,
It created itself, by thinking, or conceptualizing itself, and in turn created the concept of everything else. At this level, nothing physical exists, just free flowing thoughts flopping around in its own self formed space.
Soul
This is phase 3. With all of these vagrant ideas running around, we get another Emanaton. The Soul takes all of these ideas and creates a separate and material space. This space is the image, picture or reflection of Nous. It is the soul that understands everything from a physical point of view. Which in turn interprets it into reality.
Yeah, It’s confusing
Now the Christians play a different game of Hypostasis
The Hypostatic Union
Disclaimer: It is my opinion that the following are the anxious thoughts of ancient rich men purposefully trying to be as confusing as possible. Either because they kept writing themselves into corners. Or they had to sufficiently confuse the poor and uneducated to keep them scared and stupid. Either way, it was an excellent way to maintain that Catholic bread and butter.
Christians have some wacky things to say on this subject. This is as basic as I can get it:
Jesus Christ is completely God
Jesus Christ is completely Human
Jesus Christ is God because he is the most fundamental nature of the Father, who was born before time.
Cf.(****22) The Holy Trinity and Consubstantiation
Jesus Christ is Human because he is the most fundamental nature of his human mother and she and Jesus were born within time.
I would call shenanigans on that. Mary was a virgin. In order for a human to give birth. They have to retire their virginity jersey. She did not. Therefore, she was not human.
But she was touched by the Holy Spirit! Cf.(****22) The Holy and Consubstantiation
Don’t care, that would turn Mary from 100% human to 90% human and 10% divine.
Also, as I understand it, I might be wrong, Mary was born without original sin, So, I call her 75% human, 25% divine.
What was my point?
Jesus Christ is not two parts
Jesus Christ does not switch between roles of God and Human
Jesus Christ is not a blended mixture of two God and Human
Jesus Christ is one ‘thing’.
Not One, though
Jesus Christ is one ‘thing’ but not because he transformed from a God to a Human
Jesus Christ is one ‘thing’ because “God took humanity to himself”
The Athanasian Creed
What the hell is that supposed to mean? God took humanity to himself?
God physically picked up the collected human population and gave us a hug?
Are we saying that God learned how to become a physical person?
God brought humaneness and benevolence to himself?
God learned how to be humane and benevolent?
How does a perfect deity learn anything?
A Human is both soul and flesh just like Jesus Christ is both God and Human.
Soul = God
Flesh = Human
Are we saying that a Soul is God?
How do Catholics describe a Soul?
They say that a photon is both a particle and a wave
Soul (Catholic) - According to Origen of Alexandria, as opposed to the Body, the soul is the Image of God. What does that mean?
A soul is the representation of the external form of God.
Like a mirror’s reflection.
The soul can actually see God.
Kind of like a mirror’s reflection.
Only the soul can see God.
Not at all like a mirror’s reflection.
It is darn near impossible, or just plain impossible for the Soul to actually see God, because it is wedged between our crappy bodies and our Spirits.
Ok, now what the hell is a Spirit?
Woof… ok...
The Spirit - The old Romans called it Spiritus or Spirare, meaning to “to breathe”. Breathing is the most basic thing that pretty much every living thing does.
Do plants breathe?
Yes,
Hey, I breathe, quite a bit actually, does that mean that Spirit is another name for oxygen?
No.
Breathing is more like a metaphor for the Spirit. Like our breath, the Spirit is the unseen force that powers our bodies. I think that is the most fundamental way I can understand or explain it.
Of course, with such a vague explanation, it invites all kinds of fun interpretations:
Sometimes Spirit is the same thing as Soul
Which is not helpful right now.
Sometimes Spirit is actually referring to the Holy Spirit
Cf.(****22) The Holy Trinity and Consubstantiation, again.
Sometimes Spirit means the supernatural action of an outside force.
Cf. Any movie about a possession
The Body - Again, according to Origen of Alexandria, The Body is the creation of God, a piece of art, like a macaroni portrait. It is similar to God but not perfect. It is the responsibility of every Christian to pick up the slack and complete the perfection of the body to match God.
So, as I understand it, God decided to half-ass a messy human art project; (something that nobody asked for, by the way). He clocked out two hours early on a Friday, left us a note:
”I’ll be out of town for the weeknd, phone will be turned off, don’t forget to clean the bathroom. It’s gross, See you, Monday.”
God
