Prince Cerdic's spaceship cabin:
tusks, shields and swords on a bulkhead;
animal skins on the deck;
a grotesque idol (we would like a description);
both infotrieve and computer terminal;
"bookrolls" with a reader;
holoscreen;
books with Anglic titles;
an Imperial-manufactured lounger.
Regarding that idol, Cerdic refers to:
"'The gods who forged our destiny...'" (p. 245)
Flandry is required to learn the principal Scothan language, Frithian, which is exactly what he wants to do, just as, later in his career, when captured by the Ardazhiro, he learns Urdahu.
Cerdic's contemptuous dismissal of the Terran Empire:
self-seeking politicians;
self-indulgent masses;
corruption;
intrigue;
morality and duty gone rotten;
art declined into craft;
science declined into dogma;
strength sapped by pervasive despair.
Both Brechdan and Cerdic acknowledge that humanity was great once. However, Brechdan adds that human beings might be great again whereas Cerdic, far less perceptively, consigns human greatness to "...long ago." (p. 251)
I am surprised at Cerdic's complaint that science has become dogma. Can an interstellar civilization be maintained without genuine science? Do the Scothans practice scientific method? Does Cerdic himself know the difference between theory and dogma? Or is he just mouthing someone else's critique?
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I think what Cerdic meant by science becoming dogma sprang from his belief that Imperial scientists had become mentally ossified, and convinced that every thing that had been discovered would not be surpassed by later revelations gained thru research.
Again, I am reminded of Avi Loeb's book EXTRATERRESTRIAL, and his contention that too many of his fellow astronomers and astrophysicists were mistaken in denying he 'Oumuamua "object" was an alien artifact, but merely a: natural comet or asteroid. Loeb's argument was that the simplest explanation (Occam's Razor) for the anomalies observed with 'Oumuamua was it bean an alien object.
I agree that Cerdic was far too contemptuous of the Empire. And Brechdan warned his son that Merseia would have to proceed with caution in the struggle with the Empire, lest a too candid revealing of its wish to EXTERMINATE, if necessary, the entire human race rouse mankind to such fierce fury that they would fight like demons.
Ad astra! Sean
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