Dahilis protests when she sees Gratillonius initiating Cynan in a stream sacred to the Goddess. She says:
"'Belisama, Mother, forgive them. They knew not what they did.'" (p. 316)
There is that quotation again. (In Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld series, Yeshua, while being burned to death by medieval inquisitors, says, "'Father, they do know what they are doing.'")
Gratillonius has to assure his men that Dahilis has not profaned their ceremony and assures her:
"'My dear, in the end all Gods go back to the One; and as for me, I am the high priest and avatar of Taranis, Her lover.'" (p. 317)
All go back to the One. There I agree. Theology becomes complicated when the incarnation of Taranis conduct a Mithraist initiation in water sacred to the Goddess.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I disagree. Because I do not believe in syncretism, morphing together opposing and contradictory ideas.
Candidly, I don't think Gratillonius truly BELIEVED in what he said to Dahilis, He was just trying to reassure her.
I've wondered why Gratillonius didn't use some stream outside Ysan territory. That would have avoided offending Ysan religious sensibilities.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
As Dahilis said, he did not know of the significance of this stream.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Drat, I missed that.
Ad astra! Sean
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