Rinndalir:
"'We also, we of Luna, see before us the end of the life that was ours...'"
-Harvest Of Stars, 43, p. 402.
An Ythrian addressing a Master Merchant of the Polesotechnic League:
"'In the end, God the Hunter strikes every being and everything which beings have made. Upon your way of life I see His shadow. Let the new come to birth in peace.'"
-Poul Anderson, "Lodestar" IN Anderson, David Falkayn: Star Trader (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 631-680 AT p. 680.
In this case, the new, the Terran Empire, does not come to birth in peace but an Ythrian of the New Faith does not entreat God. He merely advises the being whose way of life is ending.
Back to Rinndalir: his life has become:
"'Pleasures, illusions, intrigues, games -'" (ibid.)
He wants to "'...escape into reality.'" (ibid.)
Amen, brother.
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I can't help but wonder if that Ythrian was being either naive or droll! If hr had any serious knowledge of human history, he would have seen how chaotic and zig zazzy it is.
As the Polesotechnic League and the Solar Commonwealth decayed during the 26th century, the times would become more and more anarchical. The League probably came to an end by AD 2600, with the decadent and oppressive Commonwealth staggering along till Manuel Argos got rid of its remnants in the 2690's, proclaiming the Empire around 2700.
Ad astra! Sean
What though the day be lost?
All is not lost:
Deathless hate, and study of revenge;
Courage never to submit or yield…
Paradise Lost.
Yup. That speech is the one that made the critic say that Milton "was of the Devil's party, though he did not know it".
Kaor, Paul and Mr. Stirling!
Both: And shouldn't we be wary of anything said by Satan, of all beings???
I've tried to read Milton's PARADISE LOST. It was a hard, tough, tedious slog for me the first time. The second time I gave up after four our five books.
By contrast, I loved Dante's DIVINE COMEDY! And read the translations by Ciardi, Sayes, and Mandelbaum. IMO, Dante was a far better story teller and poet, and was more realistic about both humans and angels, good and bad.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
It is acknowledged that PL is good only in the first few books.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And to be fair to Milton, I should say I do recall reading lines in PL which I thought very well done. But, alas, I found most of his poem a ponderous, boring slog to read.
I still remember how, in 1972, I zipped thru Ciardi's translation of Dante's INFERNO in only two days, and very soon looked for his translations of the PURGATORIO and PARADISO. And read those almost as quickly. Next, I read Sayers' translation in 1973.
Ad astra! Sean
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