Hadding and Tosti could lead their fleets in a sea battle but instead they agree that they will row separately to shore for single combat. Tosti's boat capsizes and Hadding helps him ashore as if they were two sportsmen!
Hadding cuts Tosti down and watches him bleed to death but must at the same time struggle for breath. He is old and wants to know what will happen next. As he questions the gods, he speaks:
"...into the loudening wind." (pp. 258-259)
I always look out for the wind and am rarely disappointed. Why does the wind louden after the fight has ended? Are the gods asserting their presence while affirming a greater destiny for Hadding? His mood remains dark as he rejoins his men at the beginning of Chapter XXX. Read on. Not now though.
This evening: meditation group.
Tomorrow: walk to Morecambe to visit Andrea.
7 comments:
it's not sportsmanship, it's showmanship.
For the result of the one-on-one duel to be accepted by both sides, everything has to be aboveboard.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I did not think of that, but it makes sense and I agree.
I'm reminded of how the Emperor Charles V, in many ways a very modern minded monarch, was still "antiquated" enough to repeatedly challenge his enemy Francis I of France to a similar one on one fight to settle up close and personally their quarrels!
Ad astra! Sean
Sorry to have been away all day, folks. There has been a lot of well-informed discussion in my absence.
Kaor, Paul!
No need to apologize. I know there are more important things in life than blogging. I hope Andrea is feeling better.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
This time it was not Andrea who got tired and curtailed the visit but me who had to leave to drive my daughter and granddaughter to a beauty spot where they like to take photographs so I arranged to revisit Andrea for a second time this month. He was telling me about holographic and simulation theories of the universe. We watch superhero TV series.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
It's also good to please your daughter and grand daughter! I hope they got good photographs.
I THINK I'we vaguely heard of the ideas Andrea talked about. It reminds me of the "emulations" seen in Anderson's GENESIS.
Ad astra! Sean
Paul: no problem, family duties take precedence.
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