Italia Irredenta

Poul Anderson, Time Patrol (New York, 2006).

When, in Poul Anderson's Time Patrol story, "Delenda Est," Boierik Wulfilasson of Cimberland whines that war is necessary because:

"'Carthaglann stole Egypt, our rightful possession.'" (p. 210)

- Everard murmurs, "'Italia irredenta...'" (ibid.)

- which, of course, Boierik does not understand, although it is exactly what he has just expressed.

Boierik speaks Cimbri, not Italian. When I first read "Delenda Est," I picked up some vague idea of what Everard's Italian phrase might mean from the context but now I have a policy of checking every word or phrase used by Anderson that I do not understand.

"Italia irredenta" means "Italy unredeemed." Italian irredentists aimed at the unification of all Italian speaking people and of all territories deemed to be Italian territory. Thus, Corsica, Nice and Savoy have been claimed: a perfect recipe for endless war in the Mediterranean. Anderson shows nationalism and the state perpetuating themselves through alternate histories:

"...man was man, in any history." (p. 203)

Everard reflects that his captors were probably married with children, probably enjoyed beer and dice, and maybe bred horses or roses:

"But none of this would do their captives a bit of good, when the almighty Nation locked horns with its kin." (p. 209)

Slogans

"The Plague of Masters."

The following phrases are not identical but similar in meaning: 

 "Erin go bragh!"

"Morte Alla Francia Italia Anela!"

"Italia irredenta!"

"Up the Republic!" 

"Down with Big Brother!"

"Orion shall rise!"

"'Confusion to moneylenders!'" (IX, p. 80)

"'Damnation to Biocontrol...'" (ibid.)

 

Much thought and emotion are concentrated in slogans. When Flandry wishes confusion on moneylenders, Djuanda responds by wishing damnation on Biocontrol although he immediately backtracks. Nevertheless, this is the first time that Flandry has heard anything said against Biocontrol and he judges that Djuanda is too young to have thought of it for himself. Therefore, in Ranau, one or more older persons have thought about revolution even though this word does not exist in the local language. Is this too much to deduce from just three words? As previously on Scotha, Flandry has to be alert to any possibility of an alliance or an escape route. He resists subversion within the Empire but gleefully encourages it among his enemies.

Inrai Demands

Poul Anderson, The Fleet Of Stars, 9.

Threedom sovereignty throughout Tharsis;

alliance with Prosrepina;

a sovereign (Lunarian) Mars;

return of Luna to the Lunarians;

full disclosure of astronomical discoveries by the solar lens and of the destinations of the new light-speed ships.

When Kinna hears the fourth demand, she thinks:

"...irrendentism..." (p. 124)

See Italia Irredenta.

Contrast The Johnnies' Demands.

At Tharsis

The Fleet Of Stars, 9.

Kinna and Elverir, flying into the Martian wilderness towards Tharsis, pass above Guthrie Head and the Sisters. 

Outside their flitter:

"The landmarks dropped behind like time itself..." (p. 115)

Inside Kinna's mind:

"Fragments of the history blew past her like dust on the wind." (ibid.)

Two good comparisons: landmarks like time; history like dust on the wind. (That ubiquitous Andersonian wind.)

The Lunarians are not only physically but also psychologically different from Terrans and, in a previous volume, devised their own language. Elverir will introduce Kinna to those Martian Lunarians who call themselves neither brigands nor guerillas but Inrai. Why, in such a high tech society, would anyone:

rob caravans;

wreck machines;

kill sophotects and men?

Some explanation will be given but we must read on.

Elverir might just have told Kinna that the Inrai cause was just but Poul Anderson wants to convey some linguistic nuances. Thus, Elverir uses the adjective, "douris," (p. 113) which we are told means "natural" or "unwarped" rather than "just" or "righteous." Elverir's "'...zailin...'" (p. 119) with the Inrai was maybe his initiation rather than his indoctrination or training. 

Will the Inrai, who want their freedom from the Synesis, receive help from Proserpina? In Anderson's Technic History, will Aeneas receive help from Ythri or Merseia or will Diomedes receive help from Ythri? (We are not about to answer those questions here.)

The Inrai want a sovereign Lunarian Mars and Luna back. Kinna recognizes irredentism. 

"'Carthagalann stole Egypt, our rightful possession.'

"'Italia irredenta,' murmured Everard.

"'Hunh?'

"'Never mind.'"

-Poul Anderson, "Delenda Est" IN Anderson, Time Patrol (Riverdale, NY, December 2010), pp. 173-228 AT 6, p. 210.

Elverir acknowledges that one of his comrades is "'...not wholly sane...'" (p. 119) about their cause. Shivering but not from cold, Kinna reflects:

"History said that causes brought forth such people. But the murderous great causes belonged only to history, didn't they? They were centuries extinct, weren't they?" (ibid.)

Here again, this late future history reminds us of Anderson's earlier Psychotechnic History:

"There was something of the fanatic about Etienne Fourre.'"

-Poul Anderson, "Un-Man" IN Anderson, The Psychotechnic League (New York, September 1981), 31-129 AT V, p. 54.

In the wake of World War III, Fourre fights nationalism and builds the UN world government although the title character, Naysmith, thinks that in earlier days that same Fourre would have been with the Inquisition or Cromwell.

The spirit of the Psychotechnic History creeps closer when:

"The room was growing dark. [Kinna] imagined the specter of the nation-state walking in through the wall, from the cold and unbreathable wind outside, followed by war and war and war." (p. 125)

The Inrai began when, during a dispute about access rights, one Lunarian killed three sophotects and one man, then fled into the wilderness with fellow rebels. They are supported by independent Lunarian cities, rob caravans for supplies and fire at constables to keep them off. The cybercosm works towards a destiny whereas the Inrai want freedom from destiny.

The universe is big enough for both.

Revanchism And Irredentism

Governor Saracoglu hopes that Avalon will not make the Domain of Ythri revanchist.

Revanchism is linked to irredentism, to which Manse Everard refers. See Italia Irredenta.

Thus, historical political movements might recur both in future history and in alternative history.

It pays to google every word rather than just to infer their meanings from context, which is what I used to do.