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Please note that this chapter is intended for adult viewers (over 18 years), and may contain images and text featuring nudity and strong language. Please do not view this chapter if you find such features objectionable....
Back in Los Angeles, California, Novius and Josh are living quietly, and in some style, at the magnificent Neo-Mayan 'Villa de los Jaguares, where Novius is coming to terms with his new life in the 'alternative America'. As an inveterate scholar, Novius busies himself on his 'new fangled' laptop, researching the history of the Americas, while Josh is visited by Faunus, with instructions to gently guide Novius' studies.
'The teacher gives not of his wisdom, but rather of his faith and his love.
If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you enter the 'house of his wisdom',
but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.....'
If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you enter the 'house of his wisdom',
but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.....'
"And why did we 'come back' ?", Josh asked."Because, according to Faunus, there is much more for you all to do.", Novius replied."So where do we go from here ?", Josh asked."Well, hopefully living our new lives...", Novius said,"And many more perhaps..."."And will you stay with us now ?", Josh asked." Of course.....always - but I'm getting on - and it will depend on if Faunus can keep me reasonably youthful.but you will always have Faunus, and of course Glaux......."
And Glaux - who had just arrived from 'Vegas - blinked and fluffed his feathers....
This Chapter provides a remarkable insight into how an ancient Roman scholar, and a Greek slave-boy, from the time of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, perceive the origins and development of the 'new world' - 'the Americas'.
see also the Article -
Josh and Novius had been staying in the palatial, Neo-Mayan villa belonging to the 'Boss' situated outside Las Vegas, in California - a villa that lay in huge, verdant park-lands.
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| Fire-Arms Practice for Josh |
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| 'Villa de los Jaguares' |
Josh and Novius, of course, in that 'other time' and 'other place', had always been on good terms, and after Zac had familiarized Josh with firearms, and also matters of security, and taught him to drive, he felt confident the Novius would be in capable hands with young Josh, and the dedicated staff at the villa.
As it happened, rather than Josh teaching Novius about his new environment, it was very much the other way round - as you shall learn.......
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| Villa Pastoralis |
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| Villa Athena |
Initially, Novius had found the 'Villa Jaguar' very strange, and very different to the Villas that the 'Boss' had built in that 'other time' and 'other place' - but very soon he came to appreciate all the modern conveniences that this new 'civilization' offered - although he did consider the style of architecture of the villa to be 'barbaric'.
The Ancient Greek name βάρβαρος (barbaros), "barbarian", was an antonym for πολίτης (politēs), "citizen" (from πόλις – polis, "city-state"). The Greeks and Romans used the term barbarian for all non-Greek-speaking peoples, including the Egyptians, Persians, Medes and Phoenicians, emphasizing their otherness. According to Greek writers, this was because the language they spoke sounded to Greeks like gibberish represented by the sounds "bar..bar..;" the alleged root of the word βάρβαρος, which is an echomimetic or onomatopoeic word. Of course, the term also carried a cultural dimension to its dual meaning. The verb βαρβαρίζω (barbarízō) in ancient Greek meant to behave or talk like a barbarian, or to hold with the barbarians.
It was regarding this matter that Josh explained to Novius about the Maya.
Josh, of course, knew very little about the Maya, but Jim, (with inevitable interruptions from Ethan), had explained a little to Josh about this enigmatic civilization when Josh had first arrived.
Jim and Ethan, however, had only obtained their information from the 'Boss' - who, as a 'student archaeologist' from Yale many years before, had assisted in excavations at Palenque, in Mexico, (which was where the 'Boss' met up with Faunus - who was masquerading as a Mayan Indian, going under the name of 'don Picaro', and had also met up with 'Glaux').
Josh, of course, knew very little about the Maya, but Jim, (with inevitable interruptions from Ethan), had explained a little to Josh about this enigmatic civilization when Josh had first arrived.
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| Palenque |
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| 'don Picaro' |
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| Maya Sacrifice |
As soon as Josh had taught Novius the rudiments of using a computer, Novius spent many hours every day delving into the history and customs of the Maya via various Internet sites.
Now you may remember that, before Novius was 'taken', he had been writing a voluminous and detailed account of the ancient Etruscan religion - (see 'The Story of Gracchus')
Novius had been one of the last surviving priests, in the 1st century in that 'other world', who still had the ancient Etruscan blood running in his veins - and had actually been taught by the Roman Emperor Claudius - (an expert in Etruscan religious history and practices).
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| Cumaean Sibyl based on an 1891 oil painting by John Maler Collier OBE RP ROI |
As a result of all his study on the Internet, Novius soon came to know far more about the Maya than Josh, (or for that matter Jim, Zac or Ethan), - but nowhere near as much as was known by the 'Boss', Faunus or Glaux.At the time of its extinction, only a few educated Romans with antiquarian interests, such as Terentius Varro, Claudius and Novius could read Etruscan. The last person 'known' to have been able to read Etruscan was the Roman Emperor Claudius (10 BC – AD 54), an ancient Roman 'geek', who authored a treatise in 20 !.... volumes on the Etruscans, called 'Tyrrenikà' (now lost), and compiled a dictionary (also lost) by interviewing the last few elderly 'rustics' who still spoke the language. Plautia Urgulanilla, the emperor's first wife, was Etruscan. Etruscan had some influence on Latin, as a few dozen Etruscan words and names were borrowed by the Romans, some of which remain in modern languages, among which are possibly columna 'column', voltur 'vulture', tuba 'trumpet', and populous 'people'.
Emperor Claudius
for more information about the 'concept of time' follow the link below
-LINK-
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'Villa de los Jaguares' - Los Angeles |
How can he keep you youthful ?" Josh asked, looking puzzled, as they sat in the quiet study of the Villa Jaguar drinking their 'café de olla'.
"I really don't know, Josh.", Novius replied, looking equally puzzled.Café de olla (lit. pot coffee) is a traditional Mexican coffee beverage. To prepare 'café de olla', it is essential to use a traditional earthen clay pot, as this gives a special flavor to the coffee. In Mexico, 'café de olla' is made with ground coffee, cinnamon, and piloncillo (known as panela in other countries).
Café de olla
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| Villa Auream' - Baia. |
"But think back, if you are able...I don't know how much of your original memory you still have....but try to remember when you first arrived at the 'Villa Auream', in Baia as a slave - and where you met a fellow slave called Marcus.... (who you now know as Jim).
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| Adonios - (Josh) |
How old was he ?", Novius asked.
Josh nodded.
"And then a few years passed, and he was regretfully murdered.
Then, we are told, he appears in this 'other time' and 'other place', but not in this present time, in the manner of this place - but many years ago - and long before any of us came here - that is apart from Faunus and Glaux.
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| Gnaeus Octavian Gracchus |
And does my old friend, who I knew as a boy - Gnaeus, (the 'Bos'), - look any older than when you last saw him at the 'Villa Auream', in Baia, on that dreadful stormy night ?.....
No !
He is not a day older....apparently - and yet we are to believe that more than two thousand years have passed !", Novius said forcefully.......as Josh nodded in agreement, feeling foolish that he had never thought about the matter before.
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| 'That Dreadful Stormy Night' |
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| Glaux - Late Night Hunting |
And Jim even seems to have become a little younger !".
"Yes.", Josh agreed.
"But in Jim's case, it seemed to have happened because Faunus got something wrong.", Josh added.
"True, but you get my point......Faunus seems to have a way of stopping people 'aging'.
It seems that while time passes for everyone and everything around them.....they stay the same...and that's why I said 'as long as Faunus can keep me reasonably youthful.", Faunus concluded.
Now for me it might be quite fortunate....with a few extra years perhaps.....but for you, and the others, you should consider if you want to stay so young for so long ?", Novius questioned.
"Well it's all very odd, I must admit....and it doesn't seem natural.......not getting any older.
But then I presume Faunus must have his reasons.", Josh said.
"Yes...Faunus always has his reasons...", Novius replied.
"Yes....but from what I can remember he doesn't give them...his reasons.....well at least not often....", Josh said, sighing.
There was a pause as Novius looked intently at Josh.
There was a pause as Novius looked intently at Josh.
"The only thing that occurs to me is the 'gods'.", Novius suggested.
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| Ἀπόλλων - Apollo |
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| Ἑρμῆς - Hermes - Mercury |
"Yes...
Many of them are young, like Apollo and Mercury, Dionysus, Venus, Athena...and those who are not young, like Neptune, or Jupiter or Juno... well, they just stay the same age.
You just have to look at the statues and frescoes.", Novius explained, but not fully.
Ἑρμῆς (Hermes) is the patron of trade, heralds, merchants, commerce, roads, sports, travelers, and athletes. The son of Zeus and the Pleiad Maia, he was the second youngest of the Olympian gods (Dionysus being the youngest). Hermes was the emissary and messenger of the gods. He is described as moving freely between the worlds of the mortal and divine, and was the conductor of souls into the afterlife (psychopomp). He was also viewed as the protector and patron of roads and travelers. He was known to the Romans as Mercury,
Ἀπόλλων - Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities. Apollo has been recognized as a god of music, truth and prophecy, healing, the sun and light, poetry, and more. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and has a twin sister, the chaste huntress Artemis. He is portrayed as the ideal of the kouros (a beautiful, athletic youth). Apollo is known in Greek-influenced Etruscan mythology as Apulu. As the patron of Delphi (Pythian Apollo), and Cumaea, Apollo was an oracular god—the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle. As the patron of Delphi for the Greeks, and Cumae for the Romans, Apollo was an oracular god and features strongly in 'The Story of Gracchus, where he gives two prophecies, on separate occasions, with regard to Marcus.
"No...not at all...but I think ...and I may well be very wrong...it is related to the idea that ......
'Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
You know on earth, and all you need to know !'.",
Novius replied.
"And where did you come across that ?", Josh asked, intrigued, despite himself.
"In my studies - since I've been here.
(from 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' by the English poet, John Keats (1795 - 1821)
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| Menander |
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| Plato |
"It's very interesting - but in that 'other time and place' I was only a slave and, unlike Marcus, I had no personal tutor to teach me about philosophy....",
Josh paused.
"Plato is, I believe, a philosopher ?", Josh retorted.
Josh paused.
"Plato is, I believe, a philosopher ?", Josh retorted.
"You sound a little jealous, my boy....but don't worry...
The idea stands by itself, and needs no great learning to be grasped.", Novius countered.
"It is part of Plato's 'Theory of the Forms'...that 'beauty' and 'truth' - 'beauty' and 'the good' - are directly related.
The passing of time, sadly, robs all material things of their beauty.....so for this reason, the good should not become old - hence 'truth' - which concomitant with 'goodness', is reflected and expressed in beauty......and this may be expressed in the maxim by Menander 'ὃν οἱ θεοὶ φιλοῦσιν ἀποθνῄσκει νέος' - 'only the good die young' - the 'good' being those whom the 'gods' love."
Not surprisingly Josh looked puzzled, but Novius, always wise, allowed Josh to take his time and work his way through the 'poetic' logic - after all, as Novius had said...'it needs no great learning to be grasped' - and in the case of Josh, it needed only his patience and his native intelligence.
"But now, Josh, I have more research to get on with, so perhaps, if you don't mind, we could resume this conversation later this afternoon ?", Novius suggested tactfully.
"Yes, of course, Novius....and I can get on with some training." Josh replied, rising from his seat and quietly leaving the study.
This, of course, on Novius' part was just an excuse, as he wanted to give Josh time to fully digest the implications of what they had been discussing.
Some time later Josh wandered out into the gardens at the rear of the Villa Jaguar.
The training was just an excuse, and he wanted time to think about what Novius had been telling him.
As Josh walked in the well tended grounds a strange feeling came over him.
It was all very odd.
There was not a sound in the huge villa - no idle chatter of servants, no noise from the kitchens, and not even the far distant sounds from the city.
Then he noticed that the sun seemed to be setting... bathing everything in a violet glow - but it seemed only moments before it had been the early afternoon.
As Josh made his way through the gardens, he wondered what could be causing the sudden transformation, and the unnatural stillness.
And of course Faunus finally made himself visible, slowly appearing among the rhododendrons.
"Your job is to get Novius to research this 'world', and in particular this part of this 'world' in which you and the 'Boss' and the boys find themselves.
"It is part of Plato's 'Theory of the Forms'...that 'beauty' and 'truth' - 'beauty' and 'the good' - are directly related.
The passing of time, sadly, robs all material things of their beauty.....so for this reason, the good should not become old - hence 'truth' - which concomitant with 'goodness', is reflected and expressed in beauty......and this may be expressed in the maxim by Menander 'ὃν οἱ θεοὶ φιλοῦσιν ἀποθνῄσκει νέος' - 'only the good die young' - the 'good' being those whom the 'gods' love."
Not surprisingly Josh looked puzzled, but Novius, always wise, allowed Josh to take his time and work his way through the 'poetic' logic - after all, as Novius had said...'it needs no great learning to be grasped' - and in the case of Josh, it needed only his patience and his native intelligence.
"But now, Josh, I have more research to get on with, so perhaps, if you don't mind, we could resume this conversation later this afternoon ?", Novius suggested tactfully.
"Yes, of course, Novius....and I can get on with some training." Josh replied, rising from his seat and quietly leaving the study.
This, of course, on Novius' part was just an excuse, as he wanted to give Josh time to fully digest the implications of what they had been discussing.
Some time later Josh wandered out into the gardens at the rear of the Villa Jaguar.
The training was just an excuse, and he wanted time to think about what Novius had been telling him.
It was all very odd.
There was not a sound in the huge villa - no idle chatter of servants, no noise from the kitchens, and not even the far distant sounds from the city.
Then he noticed that the sun seemed to be setting... bathing everything in a violet glow - but it seemed only moments before it had been the early afternoon.
As Josh made his way through the gardens, he wondered what could be causing the sudden transformation, and the unnatural stillness.
At the same time Glaux fluttered past him, and flew on to where a narrow path led into a deeply wooded area of the gardens - and Josh was sure that he heard a 'voice', seemingly echoing in his puzzled mind, saying softly.... 'Follow me'.
At the end of the path was a huge rhododendron bush, to which Josh felt strangely drawn.
Everything around him seemed so beautiful, bathed as it was in the violet fading light of the strangely premature sunset, while Glaux fluttered excitedly over the rhododendrons.
The leaves of the rhododendron bush then softly rustled, and Josh was suddenly filled with an unaccountable fear, and he reached instinctively for his 'Colt', that now he always carried.
"Don't be frightened, Josh.....nothing can hurt you here....", the 'voice' said.
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| Faunus in the Garden |
"Oh.....so there you are...", Josh said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"And what's all this business with the really weird sunset, and no afternoon ?
And why do you have this creepy habit of sometimes turning up stark naked - and more to the point, that fig-leaf....how does it stay in place ? .....or perhaps it's better if you don't tell me.", Josh continued, somewhat foolishly.
"Don't blame me, Josh...
You see me as you imagine me to be - and after Novius spent all that time talking about 'beautiful young gods'....well...me... like this is what's on your mind.....see ?", Faunus replied, in his typically straightforward, yet at the same time oddly convoluted, manner.
"OK...and so what's this surprise visit for ?", Josh asked, deciding to be equally straightforward.
"Just wanting to see how you were getting on ?", Faunus replied.
"Yes....but you know that.
You even know what Novius and I have been talking about.", Josh said.
Josh was somewhat 'rattled' by Faunus abrupt and unexpected appearance, and was not being his usual, polite and 'charming' self.
"True, but I'm very fond of you, and simply like to chat to you.", Faunus replied, trying to calm his young friend.
"Yes...of course.
I'm sorry..... but you scared me.", Josh explained, starting to feel very foolish.
"So I see....so you can put that little gun away....not that it would have any effect on me anyway." Faunus said.
"Sorry !", Josh said, returning the Colt to its holster.
"So perhaps I should explain....
I've come to speak to you about you and Novius.", Faunus began.
"It was my idea for you and Novius to spend some time together here at the Villa Jaguar.
I wanted you to help Novius 'settle in', as this 'world' is very different from the one that he so recently left - recently that is as far as he experiences it.
Now, however, I find the pair of you speculating on what I am doing - and why.
Now don't take this the wrong way, but you can speculate for as long as you like, and you will not come to any conclusion, and it's no good asking me, as you should know.", Faunus continued, firmly.
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| Glaux in the Garden |
In this way, Novius may well be very useful to you all."
"So you mean America ?", Josh asked, intent on fully understanding what Faunus wanted him to do.
"Generally....yes.
This America - both North and South.....and as Novius shall be doing the research, concentrate on the history.
Guide him along, and just 'nudge' him gently in the right direction.", Faunus explained.
I know that he's already got interested in the Maya, but see if you can get him interested in some more recent history.
Meanwhile, I need to get back to that rather foolish 'road-trip' that the 'Boss' is making across the South West, as I think he might be heading into trouble....and don't tell Novius about my visit.", Faunus said in conclusion, as his image, and his voice began to fade
"If you need me....just tell Glaux."
And with that Faunus was gone...and Glaux, sitting on the rhododendron bush, fluffed up his feathers, and blinked enigmatically - as usual.....
When Josh arrived back at the Villa, with Glaux 'hitching a lift' on his shoulder, it was late.
One of the ever attentive Mexican servants, however, brought him a light supper, and Josh went to his large, elegant bedroom room, puzzled by Faunus' visit, and yet content, and slept a dreamless sleep.
The following morning Josh rose early, and found Novius taking his breakfast in the 'small dining room'.
Novius appeared not to have noticed the strange 'early sunset', or the absence of Josh during the previous evening, and so Josh followed Faunus' instruction, and said nothing to Novius about Faunus' visit.
While still at the breakfast table, Novius opened and switched on his laptop, which had now become his constant 'companion'.
"What are you going to study today ?", Josh asked, seemingly casually.
"I'm not sure, Josh.", Novius replied - looking to Josh questioningly.
"Well was wondering if it might be a good idea to research where we are living now....maybe the history and culture of America, rather than that of the Maya, or the Etruscans or the Greeks.
More practical, perhaps ?", Josh suggested, nudging Novius gently in a new direction, just as Faunus had suggested the previous day.
"Well that seems like and interesting idea, so give me a few hours and I'll get started, and then I'll let you know how far I've got when we have our morning coffee, and then you can tell me what you think.", Novius said.
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| Josh in the Indoor Pool of the 'Villa de los Jaguares' |
The pool was huge and, like the rest of the villa, was built in an odd mixture of Mayan and Art Deco styles.
Later in the morning Josh returned from his swimming and exercising.
"So how was your swim ?", Novius inquired, looking up from his laptop as Josh entered the study.
"Great....and how are you getting on with your research ?", Josh asked as he flopped down onto one of the large leather armchairs.
"Not too well.....", Novius replied.
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| The World According to Eratosthenes (to view this map full size open in a new tab) |
Let me show you...", and Novius beckoned Josh over to look at his laptop.
"You see here.....I have a map of the world - the 'world' that we have now left !...
But as time has passed.... and Faunus assures me that it has been about two thousand years .....mans' understanding of the world on which he lives has increased enormously.
This map I have on the screen now is the world according to Eratosthenes - the world as we understood it - but try as you might and you will not be able to find Los Angeles, or California, or even America on this map !".
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| Azimuthal Equidistant Projection of the World Map |
"Oh yes...some coffee and some snacks please...", Novius said to the servant. distractedly.
Novius then immediately returned to concentrating on his laptop.
A new image appeared on the screen.
"Now this is how people show a map of the world in this time and place.......
Very different, as you can see.....
Like some of our Greek philosophers, they believe that the world is round....like a ball - but look at all that sea....and also a complete new continent.
And that's us....", Novius said, pointing to the screen...."America !".
"OK...so America is to the West of Europa, as shown on the map by Eratosthenes, and was apparently not known to us in Greece or in the Empire ?". Josh asked.
"Exactly.", Novius replied
"But the Mare (sea) that separates Europa from America is - on Erastothenes' map - called the 'Atlantic' ?", Josh asked, scrutinizing the ancient map.
"That's right...", Novius responded.
"And that takes us to Plato.
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| Atlantis Rising |
In our time some Greek and Roman commentators considered that Atlantis really existed, while others thought is was simply a 'story' invented by Plato.
Recently, some scholars here have suggested that the civilization of Atlantis was the cultural precursor of the Mayan civilization.", Novius continued.
"Yes....that's strange....", Josh interrupted.
"I keep seeming to find that things lead back to theses Mayans - after all, we are even staying in a villa built in the Mayan style."
Novius nodded,
"And according to my researches, even quite recently, in this world, people have been fascinated by the idea of Atlantis, and particularly in Europa and Germania (Europe and Germany)", Novius added.
"OK, so now we know where America is...but how come we in Rome, or the Greeks knew nothing about America...apart from Plato's story about Atlantis?", Josh asked, as he gazed at the laptop screen.
"A good question, Josh....but some scholars here today think that the Greeks and Romans may have visited America.
There have been some objects discovered by archaeologists which some think are of Greek or Roman origin - but it's best to ask Gnaeus (the 'Boss') about that, as he's the expert on archaeology.", Novius said.
"Well we can...when he comes back from his 'trip', but where are you going with your research from this point ?", Josh asked.
"The evidence for Greeks and Romans is not very strong - although there is also a lot of speculation about Atlantis, and the civilizations of South America, but I think it would be most profitable for me to look into the origins of the original inhabitants of both North and South America.", Novius explained.
To Josh that seemed very much in line with what Faunus wanted, so he left the matter there, and decided that he would leave Novius to get on with his work for a few days before questioning him further.
Some days later Josh decided to check up on Novius.
What was odd about Novius was the fact that he hadn't seemed to have missed Josh and Glaux at all - being completely absorbed in his researches.
Now while the scholars of the Ancient world had not indulged in archaeological 'digs' and such like, their knowledge of the past was enhanced by their undoubted respect for the traditions, myths and legends of their forebears.
The problem, however, with the Americas was the fact that most of the original inhabitants had no written records (apart from the Maya), and the later history of America was littered with incidents when the later inhabitants, mostly for religious reasons, had almost totally destroyed all the records, buildings and artifacts of the previous inhabitants.
Of course subsequently they had endeavored to deny such religious, cultural and racial 'cleansing', but the various European 'occupiers' of the Americas had actually made every effort, initially, to wipe out all evidence of those who had previously occupied the continent - claiming it to be a land 'empty of people'.
This, of course had made Novius' task very difficult.
"So where have you been ?", Novius asked as Josh entered the study.
"Oh... just around.
I thought I would give you a bit of peace while you got on with your research.", Josh said, as Glaux fluttered down onto his shoulder.
"And so... what about America ?", Josh asked pointedly.
"It's a strange story, Josh....and no one seems to be very sure as to how it all began.", Novius said, scrolling through his notes and images on his laptop.
"It seems that it all began in what these people call the Palaeolithic - which as you will know from the actual word - it's Greek you see - means the 'stone age'.
You still remember your Greek ?", Novius asked.
"Oh yes...", Josh replied - although in reality his Greek was not so good as he never used it since his arrival.
Novius continued...
"At that time it was believed that Asia and America were joined, and groups of people, who were Siberians possibly, travelled from Asia, and into what we now know as America.
This, of course, was all very long ago, and details are unclear, and the scholars continue to argue about the details."
To show these events, Novius brought up a map of the early migrations into North America.
"The best person to ask, of course, would be Faunus, but he is probably not telling.
"So... these people came from Asia, and moved into North America.
Then what happened ?", Josh asked, as Glaux pecked at the screen of the laptop.
"Well, where-ever the original inhabitants of the Americas came from, they spread out over both North and South America.
In South America, for reasons that are not clear, a higher level of culture was achieved than in the North.
Now while the scholars of the Ancient world had not indulged in archaeological 'digs' and such like, their knowledge of the past was enhanced by their undoubted respect for the traditions, myths and legends of their forebears.
The problem, however, with the Americas was the fact that most of the original inhabitants had no written records (apart from the Maya), and the later history of America was littered with incidents when the later inhabitants, mostly for religious reasons, had almost totally destroyed all the records, buildings and artifacts of the previous inhabitants.
Of course subsequently they had endeavored to deny such religious, cultural and racial 'cleansing', but the various European 'occupiers' of the Americas had actually made every effort, initially, to wipe out all evidence of those who had previously occupied the continent - claiming it to be a land 'empty of people'.
This, of course had made Novius' task very difficult.
"So where have you been ?", Novius asked as Josh entered the study.
"Oh... just around.
I thought I would give you a bit of peace while you got on with your research.", Josh said, as Glaux fluttered down onto his shoulder.
"And so... what about America ?", Josh asked pointedly.
"It's a strange story, Josh....and no one seems to be very sure as to how it all began.", Novius said, scrolling through his notes and images on his laptop.
"It seems that it all began in what these people call the Palaeolithic - which as you will know from the actual word - it's Greek you see - means the 'stone age'.
You still remember your Greek ?", Novius asked.
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| Migration into North America |
Novius continued...
"At that time it was believed that Asia and America were joined, and groups of people, who were Siberians possibly, travelled from Asia, and into what we now know as America.
This, of course, was all very long ago, and details are unclear, and the scholars continue to argue about the details."
To show these events, Novius brought up a map of the early migrations into North America.
"The best person to ask, of course, would be Faunus, but he is probably not telling.
"So... these people came from Asia, and moved into North America.
Then what happened ?", Josh asked, as Glaux pecked at the screen of the laptop.
"Well, where-ever the original inhabitants of the Americas came from, they spread out over both North and South America.
In South America, for reasons that are not clear, a higher level of culture was achieved than in the North.
Atlán (from Nahuatl language) is the ancestral home of the Aztec peoples - according to their mythology.
Aztecah is the Nahuatl word for 'the people from Atlan'.
Atlán is mentioned in several 'ethno-historical' sources - each of them give different lists of the different tribal groups who participated in the migration from Atlán to central Mexico, but the Mexica who went on to found Mexico-Tenochtitlan are mentioned in all of the accounts.
Historians have speculated about the possible location of Atlán.
Legends clearly point to an island to the northwest of Tenochtitlan which was known as 'Atlán'.
The close resemblance between the names Azlán, Atlán, and Atlantis make an obvious association between them.
Back to Plato...you see...
Back to Plato...you see...
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| Quetzalcoatl |
Equally, the legend of Quetzalcoatl, the Mayan/Aztec god, describes him as having pale or white skin, a wide forehead, and greying beard and blue eyes, and where did he come from ? - and why is it that he is persistently associated, in the Mexica and Mayan mythology with the planet Venus ?
Although many see him as just another Native American God, the truth behind Quetzalcoatl’s is extensive, complex and fascinating.
Written down in ancient texts, and passed down from generation to generation is the description of this man-myth.
In addition to all of the above, it is said that Quetzalcoatl was unusually tall.
Among the different descriptions we have learned that he was covered by a wide white robe adorned on the chest with a cross of intense red colour.
These and other equally unusual findings, collected over the years have led researchers to believe in the possibility that Quetzalcoatl was perhaps a man of European origin, who came forward several centuries before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers to the New World.
Around 1517 Francisco Fernandez de Cordoba set foot on the Peninsula of Yucatan and it was then that the Spanish heard for the first time the legends about Quetzalcoatl in the Maya version of Kukulcan.
The stories left them perplexed...not surprisingly.
What seems beyond doubt is that during the time that Quetzalcoatl remained among the Aztecs, before going into exile apparently, among the Maya, the 'white god' apparently changed the culture of the ancient Aztecs drastically.
Quetzalcoatl suppressed human sacrifice, which was very common among the Aztecs, and directed the Aztecs towards ‘spirituality’ and constant exercise of religious duties.
History, myth, and tradition did the rest, establishing Quetzalcoatl as one of the main deities of the New World.
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| Reconstruction of a Pyramid Temple to Quetzalcoatl |
The great Quetzalcoatl would subsequently be remembered as the ruler and exemplary politician, civilizing hero, inventor of the calendar, discoverer of corn, master farmer, inventor of the art of casting metals, carver of precious stones, judge, lawyer, king of the Toltecs and a God who managed to unify the new world.
But how did Quetzalcoatl get to the Americas – since obviously, given the above descriptions he was not native to the American Continent ?
The puzzling question, however, is how did the ‘feathered serpent’ reach the distant empire of the Aztecs ?
Where did he come from ?
If you keep an open mind, you will see that there are possibilities, equally provocative, that could explain the curious descriptions behind Quetzalcoatl.
Interestingly, throughout the years, researchers have uncovered numerous artefacts which offer further details about this mysterious God.
When Kate-Zahl (Toltec name of Quetzalcoatl) left the Toltecs, and sailed away, he made a prophecy about the destiny of the sacred city of Tula (now known as Teotihuacan) through 2 millennia:
'The Toltecs would be conquered first by the Sacrifices of Men (the Aztecs), then by white-skinned, bearded men of the East carrying fatal “thunder-rods” – the Spaniards and their guns. Further off there is another invasion. In ships many bearded men are coming from across the Sunrise Ocean… '
"Unfortunately, Josh, the origins of the early inhabitants of both North and South America are too far in the distant past, and lacking in written record for any definite conclusions to be reached.
I do know definitely, however, about the so-called 'discovery' of the Americas by the Europeans, shortly after the end of the European Middle Ages.", Novius continued.
"And why 'Middle'?", Josh asked.
"Good question - and the answer is probably because the 'Middle Ages' is a period after what the later Europeans called 'Ancient History' - which includes us Romans and Greeks - and before what is now known as 'Modern History' - which it seems is the period of time in which we are now living.", Novius very succinctly explained.
Novius paused, and ordered some more coffee for himself and Josh.
(By this time - in this new world, Novius had definitely become addicted to coffee - which was, of course, not known in Europe in the 'Classical World' ! - Novius valued the effects of coffee, as it allowed him to study more efficiently and for longer periods without tiring.)
"You may remember, Josh, that when we were in Rome there was talk of 'christians' - not that I ever came across any.", Novius continued.
"No - neither did I, although I did hear people - other slaves - talk of them.", Josh added.
"Well, nobody could really work out what they really believed.
Some said they were some sort of Jew - although it seems they were not circumcised, and did not follow strange rules about what food they could eat.
Others said that they were Gnostics - but I think that many of their crazy ideas precluded that."
"Tell me Novius - what are Gnostics ?", Josh asked.
"Well that a whole other matter - and I will tell you some other time - but at the moment it is enough to say that they were an influential religious group - taking much of their teaching from Neo-Platonism and Classical 'Mystery Religions'.
Ancient Gnostic Ankh Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek: γνωστικός gnostikos, 'having knowledge', from γνῶσις gnōsis, 'knowledge') is a name for a variety of ancient religious ideas and systems, originating in Jewish-Christian milieu in the first and second century AD. The Gnostic ideas and systems flourished in the Mediterranean world in the second century AD, in conjunction with and influenced by the early Christian movements and Middle Platonism. After the second century, a decline set in. In the Persian Empire, Gnosticism in the form of Manicheism spread as far as China, while Mandaeism, according to the articles that I have been researching, is still alive in and area known as Iraq.
But it seems that the christians began in the area of Judea, and caused no end of trouble - that is until Marcus' friend, Titus, turned them, and all the 'regular' Jews, out of Jerusalem and the surrounding area.
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| 'Catapulta' - Detail - Edward Poynter |
Well, the sad truth of the matter is that the Empire became weak, and 'barbarians' from the North and the East swarmed over the Imperial defenses
In the end, the only group that could take over the task of ruling the Empire were the christians, who had been infiltrating and weakening the Empire for very many years - and in the end the Roman Empire became a christian Empire - of course a contradiction in terms !".
"So what's all this got to do with America ?", Josh asked, obviously puzzled.
"Good !... Well what had been parts of the Roman Empire in Europe all became small, backward kingdoms - seemingly losing touch with our great Classical civilization..."
"And that why it's called 'Dark'...", Josh said, interrupting.
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| Destruction of the Jewish Temple - Jerusalem - 70 AD |
"But most of these people - the left-overs from the Roman Empire - became christian, which was reasonable, until they started arguing among themselves about what - exactly - they should believe.
Now, of course, we were never very much bothered about what a man believed, as long as he made the usual sacrifices for the good of the 'polis', (city or town), and the good of the Empire and the Emperor.
 |
| 'Ad Novi Orbis Terrarum' |
What a man actually believed was his own affair, but for these christians, - it seems - belief became a matter of endless, pointless details - but although they were pointless, and only obscure details, they spent a great deal of time killing one another over these questions of religion.", Novius continued.
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| Arms of the Roman Catholic Church |
"Precisely - but some of them got so annoyed by all of this that they set off to sort of' 'start again' - in the newly discovered land - America !
These people were mainly from Northern Europe.
Others, mainly from the South of Europe, who were quite happy with an older form of christianity (Roman Catholics), headed for South America - looking for gold and silver - and intending to turn the natives into 'good christians'.
Conquistador - from Spanish or Portuguese Conquistador 'conqueror' refers to the Catholic knights, soldiers and explorers in the 'New World'.
During the 'so called' 'Age of Discovery', 'Conquistadors' sailed to the Americas, Oceania, Africa, and Asia, conquering territory and opening trade routes.
 |
| Conquistadors |
After 1492, the Spanish 'Conquistadors', who were primarily nobles from the impoverished west and south of Spain, began building up a Spanish empire, using islands such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola as bases.
Florida fell to Juan Ponce de León after 1513.
From 1519 to 1521, Hernán Cortés waged war against the Aztec Empire, ruled by Montezuma II. From the territories of the Aztec Empire conquistadors spread Spanish rule to northern Central America and parts of what is now southern and western United States.
Other conquistadors attacked the Inca Empire after crossing the Isthmus of Panama and sailing the Pacific to northern Peru.
 |
| 'La Vierge Aux Anges' |
As Francisco Pizarro subdued the empire in a manner similar to Cortés, other 'Conquistadores' used Peru as base for conquering much of Ecuador and Chile.
In Colombia, Bolivia, and Argentina 'Conquistadors' from Peru linked up with other 'Conquistadors' arriving more directly from the Caribbean and Río de la Plata-Paraguay respectively.
"Now this, Josh, is where our research effects us, here - today.", Novius said enthusiastically.
At this Josh brightened up, and even Glaux started to look interested, instead of just dozing on a pile of books.
"You see first of all, we are sitting here in an imitation Mayan villa - and we know a little more of why that should be so - and who the Maya were, but also we have all these Spanish speaking servants, serving us Spanish 'Café de olla', and we live close to a city called 'Los Angeles' - a Spanish name meaning 'city of the angels'.
Now, because of these 'Conquistadors', which I researched earlier, much of the American southwest - the area surrounding what is now known as Los Angeles - once belonged to Spain.
It was officially settled in 1781, and the original name of what is now 'Los Angeles' was 'El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles', or in English, 'The Town of the Queen of Angels'.
The 'pueblo' eventually became a 'ciudad', or city, which made Los Angeles the 'City of Angels'... the name it has had ever since.", Novius explained.
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| Temple of Isis - Pompeii |
"So who's this...? A christian goddess ?", Josh asked, as Novius brought up an image on his laptop.
Novius smiled.
"Well not exactly.
This is how a French artist - not that long ago - imagined the mother of the supposed 'founder' of the christian 'mystery religion' to look like - surrounded by supernatural beings - elementals ? - called 'angels'....like asexual versions of our cute little cupids.", Novius explained, realizing that Josh had never seen any christian images before.
"Well I remember in Pompeii there was a temple to the goddess Isis, and there were images of the goddess, with her son, Horus, and they looked a little like this picture."... and as Josh looked at the picture Glaux fluttered over, pecked at the laptop screen, and twittered.
He undoubtedly agreed.
"So Josh, after lunch we can perhaps look at a very important event that was crucial in forming the United States that we have come to know...", Novius said, closing his laptop, and leading Josh into the main dining room - and of course, at the mention of food Glaux cheered up considerably
.So they sat down and waited for their lunch to be served.
"Now this is something important that I researched last night...", Novius began.
"Just before those nasty Spanish 'discovered' America in 1492, something very important happened in the eastern Mediterranean - not far from where you were born."
"You mean Ελλάς (Greece) ?", Josh asked, looking even more interested - while Glaux twittered.
"Indeed - but at the time it was considered to be a disaster - but in reality it was a 'gift from the gods'.", Novius continued cryptically.
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| The Emperor Julian - Edward Armitage - 1817–1896 |
"Now you've confused me, Novius...", Josh said, looking puzzled.
Glaux, of course, had already guessed what Novius was talking about, but then Glaux could read people's minds.
The lunch had arrived, but Novius was so keen to talk about this new research that he carried on talking anyway.
"As I had been telling you, our Roman Empire became christian - mainly because of that fool Constantine.
The Emperor Julian tried to go back to the old classical gods - but he was unsuccessful.
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| Siege of Constantinople - 1453 |
Rome, by then was obviously finished, and there was an attempt to create a 'new Rome' - Constantinople.
So, the so called 'empire' in the East limped on for very many years until we come to the last emperor - Constantine XI Palaiologos - and then a new power, and a new religion from the East laid siege to Constantinople - and the city fell... disaster perhaps... but the good news was that this encouraged large numbers of Greek scholars, with their precious manuscripts to flee Westward to Italy and other European centres of culture and learning - and so there was a rebirth of the Classical world in Europe.", Novius concluded - sounding very pleased with himself.
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| Emblem of the Eastern Roman Empire |
"Yes... very interesting... but what as this got to do with the United States ?", Josh asked.
"Everything, my boy... everything !". Novius replied enthusiastically.
"Go on...", Josh said, looking dubious.
"Well these scholars had copies of the great works of Greek and Roman philosophy - Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, Plotinus and such like - and some of these philosophers referred back to even the Ancient Egyptians - and in the West much of this knowledge had been forgotten.
All this new learning began the what was later called the 'Renaissance - the rebirth of Classical learning..", Novius continued, still trying to convince Josh.
"Sorry Novius, but I still don't really get it.", Josh said.
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| The Rebirth of Classical Knowledge |
"Well, it's like this, as I think I explained before, with the Roman Empire gone, much of what us Greeks and Romans had discovered and written about was lost - although really much of it was hidden away in christian churches, but many very important texts were in what was known as the Eastern Empire, and particularly in Constantinople.
Now much of this knowledge did not agree with christianity - or what people at the time thought was the right way to live.
You see, just as christianity had taken over the original Roman Empire - it had also taken over the kingdoms in Europe - and in fact the whole way of life - and not for the better.
It was no accident that this period of history was known as the 'Dark Ages' - as the light of knowledge and philosophy had
dimmed - almost to complete darkness.
When, however, people in Europe began to rediscover the wisdom of the 'Classical World', then almost everything changed.
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| Tuscan Rotunda - Classical Architecture |
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| Dying Slave - Michaelangelo |
The change was most easily noticeable in architecture and art, (particularly sculpture), where artists took as their models recently discovered examples of ancient Greek and Roman art.
The nude, and particularly the male nude, became and important subject for artists, while Gothic arches and tracery were replaced by classical style columns, pediments and domes.
This was the period of truly great artist such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and the greatest of them all - Michelangelo.
Josh studied the images of 'classical' sculpture and architecture that Novius brought up on his laptop.
"Yes...I see what you mean...
They are certainly very similar to Greek and Roman sculpture and architecture...", Josh said, agreeing with Novius.
"Now the next part of my research deals in more detail with how all these events impact on the 'discovery' of what the people of the time called the 'new world' - that is America - and of course without all this new knowledge being brought to Western Europe as a result of the the fall of Constantinople they probably would never have even thought of sailing West.", Novius explained.
"But still I don't quite see the connection...", Josh said, once again finding it difficult to take in all the new information he was being given.
"Well one important thing that I didn't mention - apart from all the speculation about Atlantis - were the maps.", Novius added mysteriously.
"What maps ?", Josh asked.
"It seems, Josh, that many very ancient maps were held in the libraries in Constantinople.....
maps that soon found their way to Italy, Portugal and Spain...
Maps that encouraged adventures, traders and merchants - as well as (unfortunately) christian missionaries to embark on voyages across the great Western ocean... the ocean now called the Atlantic.", Novius said, his eyes twinkling.
But enough for today.
You just read up on my notes, and take thought....and we can talk some more tomorrow..."
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| 'Villa de los Jaguares' - Los Angeles - California |
Novius and Josh had taken breakfast together, and then Novius had relaxed on the flower laden patio, while Josh had taken his early morning swim.
Later they met up again in the study, where Novius was already immersed in hi s research.
He gave every impression of having been working most of the night, and Josh was aware that he was probably about to receive another session of 'American' history.
One thing that Josh had learned so far - and it had surprised him - was that for Americans history was relatively brief.
In the ancient world history seemed to stretch back into the 'mists of time', but here, in this America, and this world, because of the paucity of written records, and material artifacts, the history of North America - the America that he had come to know - consisted of only a few centuries.
Little in America - unless it was some native American ruin, was really old - and so Americans, in general, had a weak sense of the past - and seemed to live primarily in the present, and to some extent in some 'possible future' fantasy.
"Had a good swim, Josh ?", Novius asked, barely glancing up from the screen of his laptop.
"Great, thanks..", Josh replied, knowing that Novius was really just being polite.
It wasn't that Novius didn't care.
Josh was thoroughly aware that Novius was deeply fond of him, but he also realized that Novius obsessed with his research, whether it was Etruscan history - as it had been in Rome, or American history, as it was now.
"So now we come to the part of my research that relates to the America in which we now find ourselves.", Novius said with a certain amount of satisfaction.
"As I explained before, the discovery and exploration - and also, I'm afraid, - conquest of South America was in the hands of the Portuguese and the Spanish.
Now both Portugal and Spain, for complex reasons that we need not go into, were on the decline, and they took the 'empires' that they had created in South America with them into that decline, so those areas, even today are economically and socially behind North America.
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| American Dutch Colony - North America |
But North America, at the beginning of the 'age of discovery', was in the hands of Europeans from the North of Europe - English primarily, but also French and Dutch.
These nations were, in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds, often at war with one another, and theses wars spilled over into North America, to the extent of often involving the native Americans.
Incidentally, just to clear things up, the 'discoverers' of the Americas originally though they had reached India, rather than a 'new' continent - unknown to them - and so called the inhabitants 'Indians'.", Novius explained.
"Well yes... I had been wondering about that - but how did these groups of English, French and Dutch become the United States ?", Josh asked.
"Well that's complicated... but let me just tell you some surprising facts about the early settlers in North America.
For instance the now world famous city of New York was originally called 'New Amsterdam' (Amsterdam is and important city in Holland, in Europe - remember Josh knows very little about 'Europe' in this world).
The change came when the English took over, and then renamed the city after the brother (the Duke of York) of their King in 1664.
Undoubtedly the English were the most active 'new arrivals' in North America, and early colonies settled by the English included Newfoundland, Virginia, Plymouth, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland and numerous others.
These colonists had various reasons for leaving England, and beginning a 'new' life in a 'new' world.
One of the most common was the desire for 'religious freedom'.
This is something that for us is difficult to understand, as Roman citizens were free, by and large, to worship how they wished, as long as that worship didn't cause public disorder or scandal, or could be seen a being opposed to Imperial rule.
A might be expected, despite their initial desire for 'freedom', some of the colonies became equally as repressive as the authorities in Europe had been, but as time went by the new ideas - which I told you about yesterday, began to take hold.
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| Masonic America |
Just as in Athens there was a group of remarkable individuals who put their mark on a whole era, as also happened in Italy during the Renaissance, so something similar happened in the American colonies.
The 'remarkable individuals' in the American colonies are usually taken to be, among others, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington.
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| Masonic Emblem |
Now contrary to what some some 'fringe' historians and occultists may claim, there was no such thing as freemasonry in ancient Greece or the Roman Empire, so Josh's response was only to be expected.
"So what's freemasonry ?".
"Good question, Josh...
Well I was up most of last night researching that very question...
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| House of the Temple - Washington DC The House of the Temple has 33 Ionic Columns 10 of which are visible in this image |
"To begin with most Freemasons, at the time that we are talking about, were 'Deists', who believe in God, but reject a belief in the christian Scriptures (writings) as a revelation.
The individuals known as 'Deists' in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, included many great intellects, and were an important influence on Freemasons.
Freemasonry consists of groups that trace their origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons, which from the end of the fourteenth century regulated the qualifications of stonemasons.
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| Masonic Temple - Washington DC |
The candidates for these three degrees are progressively taught the meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry, and entrusted with grips, signs and words to signify to other members that he has been so initiated.
The initiations are part allegorical 'morality play', and part lecture.
There are also additional degrees - but more of that later...", Novius explained.
"So it's a bit like our 'Mystery Cults' ?", Josh suggested.
"Yes...that's very good, Josh.", Novius replied.
 |
| The 'Eleusinian Mysteries' |
Mystery religions were religious groups in the Greco-Roman world for which participation was reserved to initiates (mystai).
Roman Statue of Mithras The main characterization of this religion is the secrecy, associated with the particulars of the initiation and the ritual practice, which may not be revealed to outsiders. The most famous mysteries of Greco-Roman antiquity were the 'Eleusinian Mysteries'. In addition to the 'Eleusinian Mysteries', there were the 'Samothracian Mysteries', the 'Mysteries of Isis', the 'Dionysian Mysteries', the 'Orphic Mysteries', the 'Mithraic Mysteries' - plus a number of lesser Mysteries and Cults. Many, at the time, considered the 'Followers of the Way' - christians - to be a Mystery Cult. Josh, along with Jim and the boys were all initiated into the 'Eleusinian Mysteries' in Athens, Greece, shortly before the unfortunate events of 79 AD - which is why they are now in a 'different time' and a 'different place'.
Roman Statue of Isis
"Now while you are correct in making the connection, the Freemasons in this world are very similar, in some ways, to our Mystery Cults, but are not directly connected.
And I'm sure you are thinking - once again- what has all this to do with this America ?
The answer, of course, is simple...
Very many of the founders of the United States - the men who signed the 'Declaration of Independence' and the 'Constitution of the United States' were 'Deists' and Freemasons.
"So what do Freemasons actually believe ?", Josh asked.
"Good question...
The first thing to understand, Josh, is that Freemasonry is not really a religion.
Freemasonry, however, contains many of the elements of a religion.
Freemasons are expected to be moral, help others, and obey the laws of the country in which they live.
Also all Freemasons must believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, and in the immortality of the soul, but by and large Freemasonry is in many ways opposed to 'revealed religions' - such as christianity, the Jewish religion and such like - and this is why it very often appeals to 'Deists'.
But lets get back to the founding of the United States."
Josh nodded - wondering what would come next.....
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| The Constitution of the United States of America |
"Most of the leaders of the American revolution were very much against religion being part of government, and so, when they wrote the 'Constitution' - which was a set of laws describing how the government of the United States should be organized, they made it very clear that religion should be a completely private matter, and in no way controlled or supported by the government.
'The Constitution' - held as almost 'sacred' by most Americans - is a strange document...",
"Why ?", Josh asked, puzzled.
"Well it begins 'We the People'...
The question, of course is - which people ?",
Novius then brought up an image of the American Constitution on his laptop - which Josh studied.
"Certainly not the Native Americans (called at that time 'Indians'), and certainly not the Negro slaves (Jefferson alone owned over 600 black African slaves).
Probably not the simple farmers, or the ordinary, poor townspeople.
'We the people -' refers undoubtedly to the small group of wealthy intellectuals who shared similar 'Deistic' beliefs , and were, in many cases, Masons.
"Was Thomas Jefferson a Mason ?", Josh asked.
"Well, there has been some dispute...", Novius began, "But Dr. Joseph Guillotine reported that Jefferson attended meetings at the prestigious 'Lodge of Nine Muses', in Paris, France - the same lodge attended by Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, and John Paul Jones.
Jefferson also apparently marched in a Masonic procession with 'Widow’s Son Lodge No. 60', and 'Charlottesville Lodge No. 90' on October 6, 1817, and participated in laying the cornerstone for 'Central College' (now known as the 'University of Virginia'.)
In 1801, twenty-five years prior to his death, a lodge was chartered in Surrey Court House, Virginia - it was named 'Jefferson Lodge No. 65'.
And most notably, upon Jefferson's death, on July 4, 1826, both the 'Grand Lodge of South Carolina', and the 'Grand Lodge of Louisiana' held Masonic funeral rites and processions for him.
"The more I study the people who were really responsible for the American revolution the more puzzled I become...", Novius admitted as he brought up some images of various monuments in the capital of the United States - Washington DC.
Josh studied the images...
"Strange...", Josh said.....
"Well the Jefferson Memorial looks Roman - because of the Dome, but the Lincoln Memorial looks really Greek, and the statue of Lincoln looks like a Greek or Roman God - except for the clothes.
In fact the buildings remind me of the 'California Combat Club' in 'Vegas.", Josh commented.
Monticello - Charlottesville, Virginia
Monticello was the main plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, who began designing and building Monticello at age 26 after inheriting land from his father. Located just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, the plantation was originally 5,000 acres (20 km2), with Jefferson using slaves for extensive cultivation of tobacco and mixed crops, later shifting from tobacco cultivation to wheat in response to changing markets. Jefferson designed the main house using neoclassical design principles and reworking the design through much of his presidency to include design elements popular in late 18th-century Europe. The house, built by slaves, is similar in appearance to Chiswick House, a Neoclassical house inspired by the architect Andrea Palladio built in 1726-9 in London. Situated on the summit of an 850 foot (260 m) high peak in the Southwest Mountains, the name Monticello derives from the Italian for 'little mount'. Along a prominent lane, Mulberry Row, adjacent to the house, the plantation included numerous outbuildings for specialized functions, e.g., a nailery; quarters for domestic slaves; gardens for flowers, along with tobacco fields and mixed crops. Cabins for field slaves were farther from the mansion. By the time of Jefferson's death, some slave families had laboured and lived for four generations at Monticello
"The more I study the people who were really responsible for the American revolution the more puzzled I become...", Novius admitted as he brought up some images of various monuments in the capital of the United States - Washington DC.
Josh studied the images...
"Strange...", Josh said.....
"Well the Jefferson Memorial looks Roman - because of the Dome, but the Lincoln Memorial looks really Greek, and the statue of Lincoln looks like a Greek or Roman God - except for the clothes.
In fact the buildings remind me of the 'California Combat Club' in 'Vegas.", Josh commented.
The Jefferson Memorial - Washington DC - USA
The Jefferson Memorial is a presidential memorial in Washington, D.C., dedicated to Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), one of the most important of the American Founding Fathers as the main drafter and writer of the Declaration of Independence, member of the 'Continental Congress', governor of the newly independent 'Commonwealth of Virginia', American minister to King Louis XVI, and the Kingdom of France, first U.S. Secretary of State under the first President George Washington, the second Vice President of the United States under second President John Adams, and also the third President (1801–1809), as well as being the founder of the 'University of Virginia' at Charlottesville, Virginia. The neoclassical Memorial building is situated in 'West Potomac Park', on the shore of the 'Tidal Basin' off the Washington Channel of the 'Potomac River'. It was designed by the architect John Russell Pope. Construction of the building began in 1939 and was completed in 1943. A bronze statue of Jefferson was added in 1947. Pope made references to the Emperor Hadrian's 'Pantheon' in Rome and Jefferson's own design for the Rotunda at the 'University of Virginia'.
The Lincoln Memorial - Washington DC - USA
The 'Lincoln Memorial' is an American national memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the western end of the 'National Mall' in Washington, D.C., across from the Washington Monument. The architect was Henry Bacon. The designer of the statue of Abraham Lincoln, (1920) was Daniel Chester French, and the Lincoln statue was carved by the Piccirilli Brothers. The painter of the interior murals was Jules Guerin. The memorial was dedicated in May 1922. The building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple, and contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln - based on reconstructions of the 'Statue of Zeus', by Phidias, at Olympia in Greece. The memorial also features inscriptions of two well-known speeches by Lincoln - 'The Gettysburg Address', and Lincoln's 'Second Inaugural Address'. Bordering these inscriptions are pilasters ornamented with fasces, Roman Eagles, and classical wreaths. The inscriptions and adjoining ornamentation are by Evelyn Beatrice Longman.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln (1920) is a colossal seated figure of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) sculpted by Daniel Chester French (1850–1931) and carved by the Piccirilli Brothers. It is situated in the 'Lincoln Memorial' (constructed 1914–1922), on the 'National Mall', Washington, D.C., USA, and was unveiled in 1922. Stylistically, the work follows in the Beaux Arts and American Neo-Classical traditions, and was inspired in part by the statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece, by Phidias. The 170-ton statue is composed of 28 blocks of white Georgia marble, and rises 30 feet (9.1 m) from the floor, including the 19-foot (5.8 m) seated figure (with chair and footrest) upon an 11-foot (3.4 m) high pedestal. The figure of Lincoln gazes directly ahead and slightly down with an expression of gravity and solemnity. His frock coat is unbuttoned, and a large United States flag is draped over the chair back and sides. French paid special attention to Lincoln's expressive hands, which rest on the enormous arms of a circular, ceremonial chair, the fronts of which bear ancient Roman fasces, emblems of authority from Roman antiquity.
"Very true...", Novius agreed.
"You see the 'Founding Fathers', as they were called. wanted the government of the United States to be a mixture of the Democracy of Athens, and the Roman Republic, and one way of making this clear to the ordinary people was by copying the art styles - in architecture, urban design and sculpture, of the Greeks and Romans - and the 'Founding Fathers' did that a closely as possible.
It wasn't just the new government that did that however.
Anyone who wanted to look respectable designed things in what was known as the 'neo-classical style - later often called the 'Federal Style'.
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classical style of architecture built in the newly founded United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federalist Era. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design in the United States of the same time period. The style broadly corresponds to the classicism of Biedermeier style in the German-speaking lands, Regency architecture in Britain and to the French Empire style. In the early American republic, the founding generation consciously chose to associate the nation with the ancient Democracies of Greece and the Republican values of Rome. Grecian aspirations informed the Greek Revival lasting, in a developed form, even into the 1930s
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| 'California Combat Club' - Exterior |
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| 'California Combat Club' - Interior |
"So the building that you mentioned, Josh, was originally the administrative center of a large banking company, and when they got into financial difficulties, the 'Boss', made them and offer they 'couldn't refuse' (all except one director - who ended up in Lake Meade).
The 'Boss' then gutted the interior, and set it up as a leisure, sports and fitness centre, while leaving the exterior as a fine classical style building - or so I've been told - as I've only seen the photos of it on my laptop.
"So, Novius..what is it that puzzles you ?", Josh asked.
"Well, to begin with Jefferson...
He was largely responsible for the text of the Declaration of Independence - in which he wrote...
'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'...", Novius began.
"But, as I think I mentioned before, he had very large numbers of slaves, who lived in tiny huts, while he lived in a huge 'villa', which they had built - and these slaves made him very rich.
He freed a few - but not many - just single figures - and yet the new republic was built on the idea that 'all men have the right to liberty....", Novius explained, shaking his head in apparent disbelief.
"And in addition to the many honors that were given to him by the republic, he also became the third president of the USA !". Novius concluded.
"So, Novius..what is it that puzzles you ?", Josh asked.
"Well, to begin with Jefferson...
He was largely responsible for the text of the Declaration of Independence - in which he wrote...
'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'...", Novius began.
"But, as I think I mentioned before, he had very large numbers of slaves, who lived in tiny huts, while he lived in a huge 'villa', which they had built - and these slaves made him very rich.
He freed a few - but not many - just single figures - and yet the new republic was built on the idea that 'all men have the right to liberty....", Novius explained, shaking his head in apparent disbelief.
"And in addition to the many honors that were given to him by the republic, he also became the third president of the USA !". Novius concluded.
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| George Washington |
Now Washington was undoubtedly a great General..
George Washington was born February 22, 1732 at Popes Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and was the first of six children.His father was a justice of the peace and a prominent public figure who had three additional children from his first marriage. The family later moved to 'Ferry Farm' near Fredericksburg, Virginia. When his father died in 1743, Washington inherited 'Ferry Farm' and ten slaves; his older half-brother Lawrence inherited 'Little Hunting Creek' and renamed it Mount Vernon On the death of his half brother Washington inherited Mount Vernon. Washington did not have the formal education that his older brothers received at Appleby Grammar School in England, but he did learn mathematics, trigonometry, and surveying, and he was talented in draftsmanship and map-making. Washington often visited Mount Vernon and Belvoir, the plantation that belonged to Lawrence's father-in-law William Fairfax, which fueled ambition for the lifestyle of the planter aristocracy. Washington spent a month in 1748 surveying Fairfax's Shenandoah Valley property. He received a surveyor's license the following year and Fairfax appointed him surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia, and he thus familiarized himself with the frontier region. He resigned from the job in 1750 and had bought almost 1,500 acres (600 ha) in the Valley, and he owned 2,315 acres by 1752. Washington eventually was counted among the political and social elite in Virginia, and he became more politically active in 1769, presenting legislation in the
Virginia Assembly to establish an embargo on goods from Great Britain.
To cut a long story short, Josh, Washington became the first American President in 1789, and later served a second term.
Washington's religious and philosophical views was similar to may of the wealthy, educated elite of the time, (wealth, of course, mainly provided by the ownership of many slaves.)
In a predominately christian country, his christianity was a superficial cover, designed for the purpose of making him 'respectable', and his true religious beliefs were related to Freemasonry, deism, and Hermeticism.
Like many of his intellectual contemporaries, he believed in extraterrestrial life - and reported to close confidants that he had meetings with 'green being' who appeared from glowing globes, and that these 'beings' gave him 'advice'.
The Washington memorial, situated in the city of Washington, and located almost due east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial (see above), refers back to the obelisks - tekhenu- of Ancient Egypt, which symbolized the sun god.
The top of an obelisk is capped with a pyramidion - which is believed to represent the 'Benben'.
All this symbolism, Josh, is very strange in a country which claims to favour no particular religion, and yet has a population which are predominately - and often fanatically - christian.
The Washington memorial, situated in the city of Washington, and located almost due east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial (see above), refers back to the obelisks - tekhenu- of Ancient Egypt, which symbolized the sun god.
The top of an obelisk is capped with a pyramidion - which is believed to represent the 'Benben'.
Benben was the sacred mound that arose from the primordial waters of Nu upon which the creator deity Atum settled in the creation myth the ancient Egyptian religion. The Benben stone (also known as a pyramidion) is the top stone of the pyramid. The bird deity Bennu, which was probably the inspiration for the phoenix, was venerated at Heliopolis, where it was said to be living on the Benben stone. The pyramid featured on the Great seal of the United States - and on the One Dollar Bill has the pyramidion replaced by the 'all seeing eye'.
Pyramidion or Benben
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| Washington Memorial - Construction |
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| Washington Memorial - Dusk |
Strangely the Washington Memorial is not a true obelisk, being hollow, made of 36,491 stone blocks of marble (from two different quarries - hence the two different colours), and filled, in part, with rubble.
It is, however, over 555 American feet tall, and is the world's tallest 'obelisk'.
According to historian Jesse Holland, it is very likely that
African-American slaves were among the construction workers, given that
slavery prevailed in Washington and its surrounding states at that time,
and slaves were commonly used in public and private construction.
On July 4, 1848, Freemasons, laid the cornerstone (symbolically, not physically)
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865, between the North - (the Union) and the South (the Confederacy).
The most studied and written about episode in U.S. history, the Civil War began, superficially, as a result of the long-standing controversy over the enslavement of black people.
A key issue was states' rights.
The Southern states wanted to assert their authority over the federal government so they could abolish federal laws they didn't support, especially laws interfering with the South's right to keep slaves and take them wherever they wished.
Another factor was territorial expansion.
The South wished to take slavery into the western territories, while the North was committed to keeping them open to white labour alone.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Republican party, whose members were strongly opposed to the westward expansion of slavery into new states, was gaining prominence.
The election of a Republican, Abraham Lincoln, as President in 1860 sealed the deal.
His victory, without a single Southern electoral vote, was a clear signal to the Southern states that they had lost all influence.
Feeling excluded from the political system, they turned to the only alternative they believed was left to them: secession, a political decision that led directly to war.
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| The Arms of the Confederate States of America |
It should be noted that numerous presidents and prominent individuals during the early years when the united States was first established not only accepted the institution of slavery, but also themselves owned large numbers of slaves - including Washington and Jefferson - and it is an established fact that Jefferson's Monticello, the Capitol the White House and the Washington Memorial (Obelisk) in Washington were all built by slaves - facts that undermine the claim that the Civil War was fought to defend the human rights of certain Americans.In fact, it was the economics of slavery and political control of that system that was central to the conflict.
A key issue was states' rights.
The Southern states wanted to assert their authority over the federal government so they could abolish federal laws they didn't support, especially laws interfering with the South's right to keep slaves and take them wherever they wished.
Another factor was territorial expansion.
The South wished to take slavery into the western territories, while the North was committed to keeping them open to white labour alone.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Republican party, whose members were strongly opposed to the westward expansion of slavery into new states, was gaining prominence.
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| Abraham Lincoln |
His victory, without a single Southern electoral vote, was a clear signal to the Southern states that they had lost all influence.
Feeling excluded from the political system, they turned to the only alternative they believed was left to them: secession, a political decision that led directly to war.
Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War, its bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. He preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the U.S. economy.Born in Kentucky, Lincoln grew up on the frontier in a poor family.
Self-educated, he became a lawyer, an Illinois state legislator and Congressman.
He left government to resume his law practice, but angered by the success of Democrats in opening the prairie lands to slavery, re-entered politics in 1854.
He ran for President in 1860, sweeping the North and winning.
Southern pro-slavery elements took his win as proof that the North was rejecting the constitutional rights of Southern states to practice slavery, and they began the process of seceding from the union.
The loyalists to the Union in the North proclaimed support for the Constitution.
They faced secessionists of the Confederate States of America in the South, who advocated for states' rights to uphold slavery.
By the end of 1861 nearly a million armed men confronted each other along a line stretching 1200 miles from Virginia to Missouri.
Several battles had already taken place - near Manassas Junction in Virginia, in the mountains of western Virginia, where Union victories paved the way for creation of the new state of West Virginia, at Wilson's Creek in Missouri, at Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, and at Port Royal in South Carolina where the Union navy established a base for a blockade to shut off the Confederacy's access to the outside world.
The real fighting, however, began in 1862.
Huge battles like Shiloh in Tennessee, Gaines' Mill, Second Manassas, and Fredericksburg in Virginia, and Antietam in Maryland foreshadowed even bigger campaigns and battles in subsequent years, from Gettysburg in Pennsylvania to Vicksburg on the Mississippi to Chickamauga and Atlanta in Georgia.
By 1864 the original Northern goal of a limited war to restore the Union had given way to a new strategy of 'total war' to destroy the 'Old South', and its basic institution of slavery, and to give the restored Union a 'new birth', as President Lincoln put it in his address at Gettysburg to dedicate a cemetery for Union soldiers killed in the battle there.
For three long years, from 1862 to 1865, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia staved off invasions and attacks by the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by a series of ineffective generals until Ulysses S. Grant came to Virginia from the Western theatre to become general in chief of all Union armies in 1864.
After bloody battles at places with names like The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg, Grant finally brought Lee to bay at Appomattox in April 1865.
In the meantime Union armies and river fleets in the theatre of war, comprising the Confederate states west of the Appalachian Mountain chain, won a long series of victories over Confederate armies commanded by hapless or unlucky Confederate generals.
In 1864-1865 General William Tecumseh Sherman led his army deep into the Confederate heartland of Georgia and South Carolina, destroying their economic infrastructure, while General George Thomas virtually destroyed the Confederacy's Army of Tennessee at the battle of Nashville.
By the spring of 1865 all the principal Confederate armies surrendered, and when Union cavalry captured the fleeing Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Georgia on May 10, 1865, resistance collapsed and the war ended.
The long, painful, and in some respects unsuccessful process of rebuilding a 'united nation' then began.
(The American Civil was is now seen by many military historians to be the first truly 'industrially driven' war - and a precursor of the World Wars, and accompanying slaughter, that epitomized the conflicts that later originated in Europe.)
In retrospect, 'Union nationalism', as envisioned by Lincoln, helped lead America to the 'nationalism' (and, it has been suggested by some, the 'US imperialism') of Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt', and later presidents.
The culture of the antebellum South never recovered from the ravages of the Union armies, and in 'modern' times some secessionist states had still not recovered economically or socially from the effects of the Unions' attempt to destroy the 'Old South'.
He left government to resume his law practice, but angered by the success of Democrats in opening the prairie lands to slavery, re-entered politics in 1854.
He ran for President in 1860, sweeping the North and winning.
Southern pro-slavery elements took his win as proof that the North was rejecting the constitutional rights of Southern states to practice slavery, and they began the process of seceding from the union.
Strangely, Lincoln, despite his idealism with regard to the black slaves, is reported by reliable contemporary sources to have used 'ethnic' slurs, and told jokes that ridiculed blacks. It has also been suggested that Lincoln opposed social equality, and proposed sending freed slaves to another country.War broke out in April 1861 when Confederate secessionist forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina shortly after Abraham Lincoln had been inaugurated as the President of the United States.
The loyalists to the Union in the North proclaimed support for the Constitution.
They faced secessionists of the Confederate States of America in the South, who advocated for states' rights to uphold slavery.
By the end of 1861 nearly a million armed men confronted each other along a line stretching 1200 miles from Virginia to Missouri.
Several battles had already taken place - near Manassas Junction in Virginia, in the mountains of western Virginia, where Union victories paved the way for creation of the new state of West Virginia, at Wilson's Creek in Missouri, at Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, and at Port Royal in South Carolina where the Union navy established a base for a blockade to shut off the Confederacy's access to the outside world.
The real fighting, however, began in 1862.
 |
| Civil War Battle |
By 1864 the original Northern goal of a limited war to restore the Union had given way to a new strategy of 'total war' to destroy the 'Old South', and its basic institution of slavery, and to give the restored Union a 'new birth', as President Lincoln put it in his address at Gettysburg to dedicate a cemetery for Union soldiers killed in the battle there.
For three long years, from 1862 to 1865, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia staved off invasions and attacks by the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by a series of ineffective generals until Ulysses S. Grant came to Virginia from the Western theatre to become general in chief of all Union armies in 1864.
After bloody battles at places with names like The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg, Grant finally brought Lee to bay at Appomattox in April 1865.
In the meantime Union armies and river fleets in the theatre of war, comprising the Confederate states west of the Appalachian Mountain chain, won a long series of victories over Confederate armies commanded by hapless or unlucky Confederate generals.
In 1864-1865 General William Tecumseh Sherman led his army deep into the Confederate heartland of Georgia and South Carolina, destroying their economic infrastructure, while General George Thomas virtually destroyed the Confederacy's Army of Tennessee at the battle of Nashville.
By the spring of 1865 all the principal Confederate armies surrendered, and when Union cavalry captured the fleeing Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Georgia on May 10, 1865, resistance collapsed and the war ended.
 |
| Culture of the Antebellum South |
(The American Civil was is now seen by many military historians to be the first truly 'industrially driven' war - and a precursor of the World Wars, and accompanying slaughter, that epitomized the conflicts that later originated in Europe.)
In retrospect, 'Union nationalism', as envisioned by Lincoln, helped lead America to the 'nationalism' (and, it has been suggested by some, the 'US imperialism') of Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt', and later presidents.
The culture of the antebellum South never recovered from the ravages of the Union armies, and in 'modern' times some secessionist states had still not recovered economically or socially from the effects of the Unions' attempt to destroy the 'Old South'.
This, of course, was the part that Josh couldn't understand.
How could a people who had kept slaves, and had used them to provide themselves with great wealth, and also use these slaves to build the homes of the their leaders, and monuments to their great generals, then turn on people of their own flesh and blood and wage a horrific war against them for doing the same thing as they had done - dividing brother against brother, father against son, and subjecting the nation to a wound that had never seemed to have completely healed. Coming as he did from a slave owning society, and having been a slave at one time himself, this part of the story of America made no sense to him - and even Novius, wise as he was, could offer no explanation. As Novius said - 'maybe Faunus had an answer'......
For some reason the 'Boss' is determined to visit Roswell, although the sudden appearance of the 'men in black' at Alamogordo has made this somewhat risky, if Faunus' theory about them is correct. Also Roswell is not really blessed with fine restaurants and hotels - so the stay may be a little uncomfortable...
Please note that this chapter is intended for adults (over 18 years), and contains text adult text and images. Please do not view this chapter if you find such features objectionable....
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All text - © Copyright Peter Crawford 2021
All Images - © Copyright Vittorio Carvelli 2021
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