Poul Anderson is at his best when describing busy streets or harbors.
See:
The Life Of Tyre
At The Egyptian Harbor
There are many other examples on the blog. Anderson's texts celebrate life, activity, dynamism, commerce and multiple sensations.
On the south coast of the Black Sea, there are:
red cliffs;
green valleys;
many streams;
"wine-dark waters" (p. 196);
high, blinding white, summer clouds.
The city of Sinope as seen when entering its harbor:
marble colonnades;
colorful gardens;
working bustle;
crowded galleys "...from half the East." (ibid.) - as in Tyre;
coracle paddlers selling fruit, wine, sausage, cheese, delicacies or guidance to brothels;
"...a mixed lot..." of a population;
Armenians;
a Byzantine merchant;
a Gallic warrior;
Macedonian mercenaries;
an Alanic tribesman;
a bearded Jew;
an Arab.
Not Rome but international enough. Perhaps four powerful states have been mentioned:
Rome;
Bithynia;
Pontus, governed from Sinope;
Egypt.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And mention of that Jew interested me! More than one writer, such as Daniel-Rops in his study of Christ and His times, have discussed how the Jewish diaspora did its bit in preparing the way for Christianity. Because of how these Jews beliefs in a sole God and advanced ethic came to interest many pagans as they became weary of, and dissatisfied with their increasingly meaningless gods. Some ex-pagans even converted to Judaism or became God Fearers.
So I can imagine the Kingdom of Pontus having some Jewish synagogues.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Paul's strategy in each new town was to attend the synagogue, proclaim Jesus as Messiah and get himself expelled, taking the God Fearers with him. He offered them Biblical monotheism and morality without circumcision, divisive dietary laws or repeated animal sacrifices while still retaining the idea of sacrifice important to both Jews and pagans. Paul's message was a winner at the time. Now hearing about sacrifice sounds very primitive.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, but it didn't start with St. Paul! We see St. Peter doing the same as well, as the vision he had about clean/"unclean" foods and the case of Cornelius shows (to say nothing of Peter's strong association with the arch pagan city of Rome!). And I think St. Paul made real attempts at persuading local Jews in the cities he visited about Christ being the Messiah and Savior. Then, as happened most times, Paul would turn to the Gentiles after being rejected by those Jews.
And sacrifice will always remain important to Christianity because the once and for all sacrifice of Christ on the Cross was the means God chose for bridging the gap between Him and mankind. And that once and for all sacrifice is RE-presented to God the Father in an un-bloody manner at every Mass.
Ad astra! Sean
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