In "Ivory, and Apes, and Peacocks," Poul Anderson describes the Egyptian Harbour in Tyre. In Roma Mater, Poul and Karen Anderson describe the harbour in Ys. Ys was a colony of Carthage which was a colony of Tyre.
Both Tyre and Ys have temples but the Ysan gods are actively present. A premise of some works of fantasy is that fabulous events occurred long ago but no longer. In Ys:
"'Once any high priestess could heal any sickness by laying on of hands; today, seldom. Once her soul could range afar through space and time; today, few of us can have a vision, and for those who do, it may as well be false as true, with Forsquilis alone granted some measure of assurance. Once - ah, but you too have seen your God in retreat, have you not?'" (p. 142)
A god is in retreat if he has fewer followers - also if there are fewer visions and fewer events perceived as divine interventions.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Also, I don't believe anything HAPPENED because of acts by these pagan gods. No real signs, visions, miracles, etc., attributed to these gods, which were literal nonentities. Nothing like the miracles recorded at Lourdes and other Catholic shrines.
Ad astra! Sean
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