Jovians pun. They chant:
"'SO, dear,
"'Why not
"'WRITE? One! Left, one!'"
-Poul Anderson, Three Worlds To Conquer (London, 1966), Chapter 5, p. 41.
Maybe they do personify natural forces (see here):
"'What Powers have we crossed?'" (ibid.)
But is a Power a person? Is this primitive polytheism or even pre-polytheism? Theor greets his demi-father:
"'May the Powers be serene within you...'" (op. cit., Chapter 3, p. 23)
Within, not just external. "Within" is capable of subtler interpretations. I believe that all the gods are within us.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteI really need to reread THREE WORLDS TO CONQUER, but my "natural" reaction to such statements by the Jovians is that they did seem to have a polytheistic view of the "Powers."
Sean