the historical past;
an alternative present;
an alternative recent past "emulated" by a far future post-human AI!
Yet again, Anderson seems to cover every possibility, in this case:
past, present and future;
medieval and modern pasts;
three timelines, one "emulated," i. e., consciously simulated.
Also, York is one of many great cities, from Ys and Roma Mater to Archopolis and the Merseian capital, Ardaig.
In present day York, we ate in a pub and walked on the wall. My daughter and granddaughter saw Mithras and other gods in the Museum. I meditated in the Minster, saw the statue of Constantine - proclaimed Emperor in York in 306 - then drank coffee and read Poul Anderson in Ye (pronounced "The") Old Starre Inne, where coaches changed horses from as early as 1644.
Regular readers will know the importance not only of York but also of the Roman Empire and of Mithras in Anderson's works.
7 comments:
Hi, Paul!
I well remember the pleasure I took visiting York in July 1996. Like you, I walked the walls and visited York Minster. And visited a museum, possibly the very same one your family toured. I also visited the memorial to St. Margaret Clitherow in the Shambles.
Truth to say, York Minster pleased me far more than the former Abbey of Westminster. The former was not cluttered up with all the secular bric a brac we see in the latter. But I was only able to stay a few days in York.
Btw, have you ever visited the Catholic Westminster Cathedral, near Victoria Underground? That became a favorite place for me to visit and pray in whenever I was in London. And you might also like the Catholic bookstores outside the cathedral (unless they have since moved).
Yes, I remember how Eboracum/York features in THE KING OF YS, THE LAST VIKING, MOTHER OF KINGS, and GENESIS. You do recall how Anderson mentioned liking the Mass in Latin both in that book and in "Kyrie"?
Sean
Sean,
I have been to Westminster Cathedral and up its tower which was the scene of a (fictitious) murder in a British film.
I said York is in 3 novels but you have named 4!
Yes, having just read "Kyrie", I remember PA's liking for the Latin liturgy. I am learning Latin but to read Virgil.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
Well, York features only briefly in THE LAST VIKING, near the end of the third volume, during Harald Hardrede's invasion of England. So, perhaps that shouldn't count.
Glad you have visited Westminister's Cathedral. I thought it very beautiful.
And I admire your persistence in learning another language, Latin, at an age when most of us would just "coast." (Smiles)
Sean
Sean,
It is not so much "learning Latin" as "having fun trying!"
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
Good! And I'm glad you are having fun "trying" to learn Latin. Besides the Roman classics, a knowledge of Latin would als enable you to read the Vulgate Bible.
Considering the fairish number of times Poul Anderson used Latin in his books, I have wondered how well he knew the language.
Sean
Sean,
We have 2 passages from the Vulgate in our reader. But, for me, the way to read the Bible, apart from learning Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, is in English translation with a good commentary.
Paul.
Hi,Paul!
Oh, I agree, for most of us, the best way to read the Bible is by using an English translation. Commentary? For that, most of us would use the annotations in the translation we use. I have a copy of the NEW JERUSALEM BIBLE, and while I think the TRANSLATION could have been done better, the annotations are good. For more detailed stuff, I have come of the commentaries written by Fr. Raymond Brown and Fr. Joseph Fitzmyer.
From the Bible texts he quoted, I think Poul Anderson preferred the King James version.
Sean
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