Arden by: dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)
53: The New And The Old
1319, 10th month, day 15:
Mommahad visited me this afternoon. He is now well established in the university's philosophy department. He is studying the application of mathematics to the value of goods and services or Economics. He is looking at the work of Aristotle and other Greek and Roman writers on the subject. (TN: Economics as a discipline is relatively late, probably 18th Century. In Arden's time it would be philosophers that mostly dealt with these questions. Some religious scholars or philosophers, like Thomas Acquires also addressed the question. Later the Scholastics developed schools of thought. Parga's, Arden's and Mohammed's work would be ground braking; by combining philosophical thought and mathematics, to develop measurement techniques and theories. It would take many years before the inward looking Scholastics and theological obsessed, would pay any attention to advances like this. The classic, "not thought of here" and the reluctance of these scholars to consider disciplines like mathematics as real and relevant, were the cause.) He was interested in my ideas about measuring production, productivity, value and so on. I explained how I wanted to apply some rational measurements to and analysis of making investment direction decisions, for the state. It is important to understand how these differ or if they differ from those of citizens or guilds. We examined my efforts on tax reform as an incentive for export. We also talked about the influence of price and availability on consumption.
I thought it important to compare Aristotele's ideas of intrinsic value and the Roman ideas of what ever the buyer is prepared to pay. Mohammed thought that by careful measurement these two ideas and others, could be compared and understood. I thought the measurements would also help in striking the right balance between monopoly regulation and free market.
We also talked about the need for the state to make investments of resources, where the only direct return is the good of the people. (TN: The Public Good) Roads, education and water systems are examples of this. That is where the idea of intrinsic value becomes most important.
Mommahad thought that such investments not only had an intrinsic value but that those investments allowed for or assisted other economic value and that benefit and or cost could be measured. He used the improvement of the Koalhurst to Castle road, as an example. Since it was improved the cost to delivering koal per unit of weight, has gone down and the volume of Koal increased, all using the same number of workers and animals. That investment of tax has given benefit to the koal producers, the koal users and therefore the state. That benefit, he argues, is a return on the investment. (TN: Arden and Mohammed are developing a refined idea of capital here, all be it primitive by today's standards. We must remember that the concepts of public works for the public and or state good, are very ancient, as is the idea of investment and profit or return. They were well understood by themselves and the ancients. What was not well understood, was how to measure these in terms of what we would call GDP, a concept they have not yet mentioned. Something they had no definition of or way to measure. In effect they had good ideas of micro economics. They seem to be developing some concepts or trying to at least, of macro economics.
Earlier Arden told us that no citizen wanted for food or shelter. He did not tell us how this was accomplished or how it was financed.)
I was hoping his work would help me in establishing the appropriate price of secure valuable storage. After our discussion I am convinced of it. My officials have already estimated the investment cost. We have a good idea of the operating cost. Mohammed will try and calculate the intrinsic value and estimate the price users are prepared to pay. If profitable we will proceed, if not we will not. Obviously Parga's investment in its' strong military adds something to the value of the service. It gives the client confidence in our claim of security. That is the heart of its intrinsic value. Ultimately that is what they will be paying for.
When my boys realized that my visitor was Mohammed they were all around us. The concentration of naked boy was beginning to stimulate feeling in my groin and Mohammed's too. He may be stimulated by them, as any man would be but he is truly not interested in sex with males. I know they are still trying to find William a mentor. He will be 12 in a few months and Kastor feels he should become a page. The palace music director feels William should continue to study music, specifically voice. If he moves to the page position, along with his foster brother and studies voice with the singing master, Alexandros would make a good mentor for him.
That leaves me with finding a suitable mentor for Edward. He will be returned next week. I have asked Kastor to also place him in the pages program during the winter which will leave him free for the gardens in the summer. Kastor has agreed. This will allow him to live close to us and his brothers. Perhaps Damao would like to mentor him, if that be the case, then he would have two mentors for Heron can not be expected to simply disappear. It would also mean he would always have a friendly bed to sleep in as one of them is almost always available.
I am soon to be a father again. All three of the ladies Euthalia arranged for me are now with child. This has made mother very happy along with other like events. It appears that all of the available young palace ladies between 15 and 17 are now with child or are nursing babies. She is also most pleased, that except for Iason, all of the fathers have recognized their children and are involved in their care.
Eudoxia will return to work as will Alexandros next week. Kastor wants her to train a replacement page for her role as chief female page. This assistant chief will take over when her expected pregnancy moves into the 7th month. Since we have not seen Iason as yet, we do not know his plan or Sophia's. It is not like we have a shortage of princes here. He is missed greatly, however he is not greatly needed, except by me in our bed. Father seems to realize this. He has said nothing but both he and Uncle seem to be much more attentive to me then is normally the situation. Nikias and the other are ever at the ready, so I am not left wanting, except for that which no other can provide, the kisses originating from the lips of my beloved.
Tertius has whispered in my ear that it was him who slept with Karyakos during those times, when the then Crown Prince was otherwise occupied. "They took me to their bed when I was a new page. I never felt anything but love from them both. That was a place I kept until I married and move to my estate. We three were inseparable for eight years as I was 20 before I married."
1319, 10th month, day 18:
On the 16th day I sat in my court to hear civil proceedings. These are not criminal cases but mostly disputes between citizens. As I listened the the arguments, it became clear that in few of these case were any laws broken. What the litigants need was not a judicial ruling but mediation. Even in those situations where terms of a contract were breached, the remedy was little more than the state requiring the terms be honored.
I do not mind being an arbitrator. If all that is required is arbitration, would it not be more useful and less costly, to do just that and not involve the court, unless some impasse or legal question need be ruled on. I asked Poly and Kas for their advice. It did not take us long to realize what we should do. It was the how that required some discussion.
We presented our ideas to Father and Uncle. They liked the concept but cautioned us, organizing such things would take much political discussion. They told us that during and before the time of Hector the 9th, Iason the 1st. father; Parga had quasi judicial courts run by the heads of the large families. Iason 1 disbanded them as they had become fractious and more self serving than fair. Kastor suggested we create a mediation or arbitration service that had no judicial power. I thought this would help to solve a good portion of the disputes and those that could not be resolved could then move on to my court. Uncle suggested a two step process with mediation and if that failed arbitration and if that failed court. The court would have benefit of the arbitrators recommendations but that would not be binding.
Polydeukus suggested, if the mediator identified a point of law that need rule and was unable to resolve difference, the arbitration should be skipped and the dispute sent by him to the court. Kastor thought if we involved the heads of the families the process would gain political support. Father added that to avoid the earlier problems the mediator and arbitrator should not be from either family in the dispute and it should be a panel with both men and women on it. The men and women should be older, experienced people, who are well thought of in the community.
When we proposed this to the council they were in support but thought the parties should not be forced to this. One Knight thought it should only be suggested, another thought encouraged. Another wondered if we are not taking away the ancient right of families to resolve their own differences.
I told them that method must have failed, otherwise I would not be seeing such things so often in my court. Often I simply ask both parties what they thought a fair solution would be. Often they both say the same thing, I order it so.
The council agreed with our approach and asked us to present a detailed plan that covers the recruitment, selection and operational details.
Yesterday we met with the General and Raffaele, to up date them on our situation with Bejaia. Both were more than pleased that the stealth prank was successful. He told us that the plan we had outlined, from a military view was sound and incorporated all of the advice he and others had given us. "it is never wrong to have made a well thought through plan or to be prepared. You young men did well and should be proud of the fact.
It is always best if your political goals can be met through political means. "Military affairs, wars and battles are not unlike the gambling games, you boys play with those things called cards." (TN: Cards and their games did not appear in Italy and France until about 1370. They were in the Eastern Roman Empire before that, having come from China, probably along the Silk Road and were in use by the Ottomans and other by the late 1200's.) "Unlike chess, in your card games one can bluff, since the card you hold are not seen by your opposition. Gambling, until the introduction of your cards, was mostly some form of dice. It is more ancient than our history.
In some ways war is a gamble. For chance plays a large part in it. That is probably why military men are so fond of gambling. I think too fond at times. The political is also a gamble. The stakes can be as high, although usually much less dangerous and chance often plays a smaller part. Your little prank was a gamble of sorts. You gambled that you could accomplish your objectives with few losses. You were successful. Greatly so, since you never needed reveal the remainder of your clutch." (TN: Arden used the word clutch, as to grasp and hold. A group of cards held in one's hand is called a hand in English. Arden's clutch is a good descriptive term in either language, just less meaningful to modern English speakers than hand.)
Today, after our sports we were relaxing in our quarters. Odo came and read us some of his new poems. This is always a delight for us and Odo is highly prolific. He wrote one about receiving a hug from your lover while sleeping. Part of it is here. I don't think he intended to stir my deepest privet feelings but I miss my Iason so. This poem was like Iason's hand moving over my arm or back.
I dozed, I slept. My sleep broke on a hug, Suddenly, from behind, In which the full lengths of our bodies pressed: Your instep to my heel, My shoulder-blades against your chest.
It was not sex, but I could feel The whole strength of your body set, Or braced, to mine, And locking me to you As if we were still twelve When our grand passion had not yet Become comfortable. [Thom Gunn (1929 -- 2004), a part of his poem The Hug, with a few words modified. Your Author could do no better himself. He believes the feelings and emotions expressed are consistent with Arden and the story plot. He feels lovers in 1319 would have thought, felt and even expressed these same emotions, in about the same terms.]
Odo told us that he was working on four new ship's anthems, for the Princess Class. He was hoping to have one or two of the female musicians assist him with the music. Me thinks my boy is interested in more than musical collaboration. He is growing to be a very handsome young man. He may be slightly built and girlish in appearance but like Ikaros, he is all male under the mask.
1319, 10th month, day 19:
The tempered glass experiments have been highly successful. We were all given new sun spectacles and those that need them, reading or seeing spectacles. New and larger kilns are being designed. The small kiln now being used can only make 24 lenses at a time and 4 batches a day. The additional cost of tempering is small on a per lens basis; if kilns, large enough to handle 48 or 64 lenses at a time can be built, almost none. I will get Mohammed to look at this and try out his calculations. Perhaps he can predict the optimum kiln size taking account of fuel, investment and other costs. Since most of the sun spectacles are flat and little grinding is required the price of these tempered lenses may be less then untempered.
The Timers are now being produced and by year end, every coach in Parga that needs one should have it. It will take two more years to produce all that have been requested. As I predicted, many will be in the university and other schools. The military wants a goodly number. Once they are in use many changes and improvements will result. The ingegneres assure me that many existing clocks can be refitted to become timers.
This was not possible on the ship's clocks. Since they are fewer in numbers it is less a cost. The ship's clocks that are being replaced, have found homes in other parts of the military. I know Iason is interested in having military units practice coordinated efforts, war games, based on appointed times, agreed well in advance. Accurate to the minute may be all the better they require. Many want smaller, highly portable, if less accurate clocks for this and other purposes.
Edward arrived last week and is now making himself at home here. He and Philon have begun to form a friendship and I am sure they will grow to like each other. I have looked over Edward's journals and find them most fascinating. He not only began working with the breading of plants but with the effects, application of different substances to the soil, have.
Every farmer knows that rotted animal dung and stable waste, when mixed with the soil, helps grow better crops. We also know that moving a crop and replacing it with a different one annually, also keep fertility higher. Edward carefully measured the rotted dung and found how much is best for several different plants.
He also made a potash solution from wood or koal ash and water. This is needed for soap production but when diluted and the water used, he found some plants respond better than others. Hemp was one that responds well to several waterings a season with this potash water. Several common vegetables and melons also responded well. Peas responded well to this but that was also dependent on the soil.
Philon told me his father always made sure the same vegetable was not planted in the same place two season following each other. I remember Abrith telling me to mix the fire place and other ashes with the stable waste, which he allowed to rot for two seasons before using it. Edward agreed that was good but some plants appear to like the ash better then the rot, others the reverse and some both equally.
Edward brought many seeds with him. These were seeds from his breading. Each group of seeds were described, so the resulting plants will have a known history. With our new irrigation system, now in place, the amount of water will be the same for all the plants. The castle garden soils are relatively uniform, at least to my eye. That will give the boys control over several potential variables for next year's experiments.
Father and Uncle are hiding something from us. We think it has to do with mother's health. So far we have not be able to confirm this. Uncle and mother have forbid anyone from talking about it. Those who know, out of respect for them, are saying nothing.
Edward quickly reestablished himself as one of the most desirable of young men in our company. He will begin his page duties next week. Both he and Philon will attend classes with professors who study living things. I noticed on his last visit, that my brother and brother in law had done well by him. He left here skilled and came back much more practiced and with an even greater desire. I think Philon needs spend some time in Koalhurst as do I. I think I shall have a modest home built near my parents, where my young children can learn of the rural life and get to know their cousins Philon will need take the triplets and his mother to his home village as well. Perhaps they need a third member of their team.
Damao thought mentoring him would be a good thing for both of them. Their interests are so different that they have a great amount to learn from each other. I think Poly wanted Captain Darkon or Silas to mentor Edward but they both have eromenoses interested in the military arts.
1319, 10th month, day 21:
Yesterday Justus and Joulous came to my office with several of the senior Argoanuts. They brought me a material budget and work plan, to install the lamps in the plaza by the soloists. These lamps would be different from the ones now illuminating the statue. They would be large glass globes on tall poles, with copper hats. The water and Koallime would be placed in a box that was lit and slid up the pole. The flame burning inside the glass globe caused it to glow and the hat reflected the light down. The hats are parabolas like the signaling devices only larger. They told me each charge would produce light for 4 hours. (TN: Koallime is a term Arden or someone else must have invented. He is talking about carbide as pointed out before. This is the first time he has used the term. It is descriptive.)
The Argoanuts would be responsible for all construction and for charging the lamps each day and lighting them. They were requesting money for 10. At a cost of 50 drachmae each. I cut them to six for now. The estimated cost of the fuel would be 65 drachmae a year but I knew other costs, replacement ropes, glass globes and so on would amount to something. I also thought they should visit the mayor and seek his agreement before proceeding. He has always been supportive of the Argoanuts and their efforts at making the plaza a place that citizens were proud of and wanted to spend time in. He is most cooperative when his budget is not effected.
I sent them off to Kastor as dealing with the mayor and municipal affairs in general are part of his duties.
During our evening meal the conversation came around to the subject of lamps in the plaza. Uncle though it a good idea. He suggested we try and find a way to distribute these gases as we do water. That would mean the number gas production boxes could be minimized and the lamps in an area increased.
I thought this a good task for the ingegneres at the Prince Helladios Academia. Polydeukus suggested we look at replacing our candles and oil lamps with these lights in the castle. He reasoned, if one or two of these new lamps could replace ten or twenty candles or oil lamps, that should save money and free those materials for other uses. Not only that but he pointed out, it now takes a staff of 20, a full day to service all the candles and lamps in the public and working areas of the castle. That did not include the torches we used outside or all the candle and lamp maintenance required in privet areas, like our apartments.
We summoned Darkon who listened to our discussion. He quickly brought over two of his young apprentices. I suggested we meet again in the afternoon with Mohammed. I also needed to find out who designed the system the Argoanuts were proposing as well as the manufacturer. I also needed to know if the Lime Producers Guild could produce enough of this Koallime.
When I told the three terrors about the meeting and discussion, they volunteered to give up their sports to be included.
I was most surprised at the attendance of the meeting this afternoon. I too had given up my sports for it and with such a large group assembled, quickly realized it was not a great sacrifice. Even Helo was present and that surprised me.
The ingegneres quickly explained why we could not make these gas generators to large and why we could not have many lamps from one source, unless they were only a very short distance apart. They pointed out a large generator would make pressures that would be to difficult to properly and safely contain and that we had no way of making tubes to cary the gas further than a couple of feet. It was decided to put effort into addressing these questions. For now it was best to keep this small.
I was impressed that everyone shared their information and ideas. Helo was the only one who said nothing. He seemed to be drawing with a stick of charcoal on some paper.
The palace lamp maker, who was to build the lamps for the plaza, explained his design and the limitations on size. He had even brought a couple of smaller lamps for us to inspect. Mohammed quickly calculated the amounts of koallime that would be needed for different numbers of flames of different sizes. We estimated the number of lamps the palace would need. The lime guild told us they could only supple half of what would be needed with present production facilities. He told us it would take six months to build the needed kilns to meet what we were suggesting. One Ingegnere from the Academia suggested that if the generator's internal design were altered, that the same time of gas generation could be had from less fuel, as a more complete reaction with the water would be possible. He did not know yet how much koallime would be save by this.
Just as we were about to finish and send everyone off to do their calculations and experiments, Helo spoke. He show us his drawing. What he had done was taken the example of the lamps and developed ideas for design changes and created a picture of a lamp that could be placed on any wall.
It had a large reflector, the flame that came from the center. The generator and fuel chamber hung below and was behind the reflector. It was about a foot tall. The bottom half of the generator cylinder came off for easy recharge and the top half was the water chamber. A small tube ran from the generator up the side to the reflector and came out of its center. The water control valve was actuated by a lever on the side. It could sit on a table or hung from a wall or existing chandler. He showed the reflector and its' flame could be made to point in any direction while the generator always remained upright. That was one of the requirements everyone recognized.
As the drawing was passed around everyone praised his cleverness. I asked the lamp maker if he could build such a thing. He quickly agreed it could and should be so. The Ingegnere suggested his chamber modifications would easily fit inside of the lower half. Darkon suggested it could be built in different sizes, depending on the amount of light needed. Helo thought the size of the reflector should be related to the size of the flame or opening and that size to the length ratio was related to diameter of the cylinder.
The Ingegnere agreed as did the lamp maker. The amount of fuel needed depends on the number of hours it was to be used and the size of the flame. Darkon's apprentices would work out the number of lamps of different sizes that would be required and the amount of fuel needed. The lime guild thought this a good idea. The castle metal workers would collaborate with the lamp maker and the Ingegnere to develop the best and most efficent production techniques. If the parts are essentially all identical, like the gears and other parts of clocks, then production could be done in many shops at once.
Joulous thought this lamp should be called a Helo Lamp in honor of its designer. Much to my boy's delight everyone agreed. We also agreed to meet again in one week. I know Helo has artistic abilities but I had no idea he was as accomplished as he is. He took a prototype idea and some suggestions about function and created a new thing. He visualized it from top, front and side, made drawings that were clear and almost to scale. His design is graceful, functional and simple. I was so proud of him.
He will work with Darkon's apprentices and make both size and shape variations based on requirements for the next meeting.
The lamp maker was even more impressed than I. He joined Helo, the twins and myself for tea and some discussion. He was most interested in learning how Helo had created such a thing with no training in the lamp makers arts. Helo lacking the training but knowing what lamps are supposed to do and having seen from his sample, how they would work; he thought in the reverse. "I thought to light a dark area that these elements would be needed and I just put them together with no thought of exactly how it would be done, just what the thing might look like to do it," Helo commented.
It was his lack of training and experience that allowed him to see what was possible. He knew the function and from his view the form should follow it. No one had yet told him Plato thought all things had an ideal form. He did not have any notion of how these lamps worked, only that they did. He knew from experience how limited a candle or lamp flame was. He knew that putting a reflector on one side could help illuminate his room better. From the discussion he realized the flame of his new lamp would be hotter than oil or candle and from our signaling system the purpose of the parabola to focus light. Being hotter it must be kept away from flesh and flammable things or shielded by glass.
For him combining these things was just normal and natural. Helo while pleased that this new design would be call a Helo Lamp was puzzled that no one else had thought of it before. To me, creativity is, in essence taking that which we have and combining it in some way differently than what existed before.
I could see the lamp maker was himself creative and as we talked he and Helo seemed to inspire more new ideas between them. Justus suggested that the diameter and curvature of the reflecting parabola could be calculated in advance. Joulous added the idea that light should be thought of as parallel lines and that the curvature of the parabola should be related to the area to be illuminated and the distance of source to object. Joulous also pointed out that Aristotle showed light traveled as waves but for our purposes parallel lines would offer simpler geometry and had not Alhazen not shown light travels in straight lines be it a wave or not. He thought to spread the light to a wider area an arched surface would be best. I see he has been paying attention in geometry class.
The lamp maker suggested the amount of light falling on the object was also related to the brightness and size of the flame. I gave them some suggestions on how to organize themselves. Joulous thought the lamp maker should be the primary coordinator. His name is Androkles. Justus thought Androkles should be given an appointment to the Academia for this purpose. He wanted to think about it, which only makes sense.
I could see the twins and Helo were all very satisfied with themselves. They should be, they all did very well. On reflection I should not have been so surprised at Helladios' creativity as I was. He has always displayed that. He is also more interested in math than art, although he does have some talent their. I suspect he will excel in some form of ingenereing. He is also much advanced, as Iason and I were, for his age. He will be twelve soon and I think seeking much more than the three terrors did at that age.
It is now only two months to the soloists. I do hope Iason is returned to us soon. I can not think of organizing the Prince's Ballizien without him. Not that we are not capable, we are that but Iason is just so theatrical, a talent we seem to lack.
1319, 10th month, day 23:
Yesterday, Kleitos, Polydeukus and I sat to plan for our equine needs. With the coming new year new plans and new budgets are required. Kleitos' health has been much improved since he moved back to our apartments. The priests at Apollo's Temple have given him some herbs to take on a daily basis and they too seem to ease his suffering. He told me that spending time in the mountains during the hottest and driest part of the summer has also helped his breathing.
Having so many live with us, it is often difficult to keep our business to our offices and not allow it into our privet time. Kleitos is one of the most disciplined of us and he almost never talks of business in the apartment. We often talk of horses and training but not of operating business. For that I am most grateful. His self discipline is most inspiring to all, mostly myself.
Today almost everyone in our apartments were sick, including me. It was the most terrible thing. Not only did we feel weak but we were all suffering from fevers and all voided from every portal. At one point my eyes tired as if to cry. Ikaros and Solon were the only ones not effected. He told me even the King and Father, as well Dysme and their two Ganymedes were huddled in the King's bed, not able to move.
The physicians brought us a bitter drink made from the still waters of Apollo's Tempe and the extract of Willow bark. (TN: the Egyptians used Myrtle and the Durids Meadowsweet. The Greeks, English and others Willow, including the North American Aboriginal. Salicyic acid was not know to any of them but the effects were. Just when us moderns figure we are so smart and advanced I learn about something like this from Arden. I looked it up and find our ancient ancestors knew a lot more than we give them credit for.) I did not like the taste, so Ikaros mixed in the juice of oranges which helped to mask it. I must admit that this drink did help greatly in cooling myself and the others. Some how it moderated the fever, making us more comfortable and reduced the feeling of having just been in a battle with some Titan or another.
The physicians also ordered us to eat as much food: fruit, vegetables and soup, as we were able. At first I could not keep the food in but vomited almost as soon as eaten. By this evening I am feeling somewhat better and can keep simple fruits down. I am still very hot and sweating profusely. (TN: After all this time Arden's sweet can still be seen on the pages, as brown stains where they dropped from his brow and smudges from his fingers. He did not finish this entry, the period is mine. Willow bark is rich in salicylic acid, the core compound in aspirin, as we would call it. Willow bark is also rich in certain plant hormones that promote root growth. These compounds are benign to humans. You had no idea your translator was so well rounded in his knowledge did you? Anyway it is obvious the ancients knew about the powers of salicylic acid. This knowledge came to them from people they would call ancients. They had no name for ASA and it had not been isolated from the thousands of other chemicals that make up tree bark. Although Arden does not say it, your translator suspects, the drink he was given had some honey added to moderate the bitterness as well as oranges and lemons.)
1319, 10th month, day 25:
I could not continue and Ikaros assisted me to lay down. I did sleep, as did we all, for much time. Solon would often wake us and give us more to drink and eat. Some of the young pages were so weak they need assistance to use the toilet. I awoke close to noon today and all was normal with me. My fever was gone, I did not feel overly weak or become dizzy when I stood. I do still feel weak in comparison to my usual self and have no desire to run or even walk very far.
By our evening meal, most but not all were feeling better. So much so that we joined in the baths. I think I smelled, I know my brothers did. That is when I learned that over half of the palace had or has this same fever. Others seem not to have been touched by it. Umar and Euthalia were, the babies not. The babies are often mildly sick and mother and older brother not. I find this all very strange.
What ever is the cause of this sickness, must some how move from one to the next. If the Atomists are to be believed, all things are made up of small particles. Perhaps it is some of these particles that have escaped from its larger body, that are the cause. If we take the Atomists' ideas further; smells and some vapors must be made of particles to small for us to see. We know the pollen of some plants is so small, that unless in large mass, is very difficult to see without a double convex lens. Then if some particles can cause the smell why not make us sick? It is obvious that the bark extract, a liquid I am told, when mixed with water, helped us with the fever. I believe it did for me. Did those small particles of the Willow bark get into the water we drank? (TN: Arden must be feeling much better, as he said, for he wrote several more pages of atomistic speculation which I have edited out.) I am more comfortable with this idea then spells, talismans or magic powers.
1319, 10th month, day 27:
Many of the knights were also ill, as are a goodly number in the city. I was surprised to learn that a number of deaths over the last several days is increased and the speed with which it spread. I guess if a person is close, something like this is all that is necessary to push them over. The number of small children was almost as great as the very old. The castle children so far have been spared but several of the very old scrummed.
Thoren has been telling the children and anyone else who wished to listen, the tails of Odysseus. As he spoke I could but imagine this blind poet was the original. I was reminded how powerful a story this, made more so by its poetic or narrative nature. It also struck me how powerful a tool for teaching as well. I like the Iliad better. I think it a better poem. The Odyssey perhaps a better adventure. Perhaps I am drawn to its' story as I too, am a handsome prince with heroic characteristics, lost, trying to navigate a "wine dark sea". (TN: The quotation marks are mine.) Like Odysseus I do not seek adventure, something that seems to find me as it did him. Now that printed copies of both are widely available and inexpensive, every boy in Parga can read them for himself.
The poet's most important task is reflecting ourselves, our struggles and our values, back upon us. Their words are the mirror that reflect us to ourselves. Plato I think, was not quite correct, as he treated the poets harshly. He believed we should use reason and reason alone to examine ourselves and our relationships with our gods and between us. I understand his point and do not disagree with it. What he forgot or chose to ignore, was the power of the story. If other men are like me and I would imagine most are, they are like Iarus, not looking in two directions at once but they have to sides or faces, the rational and the emotional. We men need both in our lives, with a balance between.
Today I was summoned to convene my court. When I arrived in the room I was quite surprised to find the room quite full. The sheriff and 5 Argoanuts were standing behind 14 boys. The boys all looked like they had been in some kind of fight, bruises and cuts were common and most had tunics in desperate need of repair. Many citizens were in attendance. I took many of them to be the parents. They appeared to be in two groups, so I took this to be some kind of dispute.
The Sheriff told me these boys were here for having breached the public peace. "These boys were fighting with fists, sticks and stones. It was only with the help of these Argoanuts that I was able to put a stop to it." The Argoanuts did not look any worst for their part, so I assumed the boys had not resisted, either ending the battle or coming to my court. The sheriff told me what he had seen and done. The Argoanuts told what they had seen and done. It was not clear to me why the boys were fighting or why they were attempting to hurt each other, instead of holding some kind of nonviolent contest.
I began questioning the boys one at a time but they all seemed reluctant to give me satisfactory answers as to reasons. It was clear they all told the same general story about what had happened. It was clear they formed to different groups. The school master was called and he told me these boys all attended his school and had been in class this mroning. He could or would offer little else.
I was not satisfied and on surveying the spectators again realized none wished to speak freely before their parents and the others.
I went down the line again asking each if they had been fighting and braking the public peace as the sheriff and Argoanuts suggested. Each answered they had been. I did not let them go on, just yes or no. Then you are all guilty of this infraction. I do not think that you boys have been completely forthright as to the cause of this. Without knowing the cause I do not believe a reoccurrence can or will be avoided. I looked up at the audience. Now I felt like Iason on my stage. I was suddenly very uncomfortable.
I take it most of you are parents or guardians of these boys. Many nodded. I am sure some of you would condemn and others agree with the reasons for this but we know them not. I am also sure no responsible loving parent wish harm to his or anyone else's child. I am also sure, some are not loving and probably do wish harm to those who are different or do not share their philosophy. I did not say this, I just thought it.
We have established that the peace has been broken and that the braking was result of actions by these 14 boys. Your guilt in this is accepted by you? Each one answered it was. Punishment or atonement? Now the answers were different, half for punishment and half for atonement. The division was clear and grouped to show me who was attacked and who was defending. Attackers for atonement and defenders punishment.
I asked the parents for their opinions, it was clear those who had been attacked were for punishment of the attackers. Atonement was not an option. One parent even said so, his son was defending himself. Another said he backed his son's actions. That is when I realized this was not a dispute between the boys but between the parents.
You all realize that what ever is metered out will be the same for all. The murmuring started. None thought that fair. I said, it is clear that none of the reasons for this have been completely given. None of the reasons present here are sufficient to justify doing harm to another on any rational standard. No reason short of defending ones life would be acceptable to Prince Arden. Since I am here in the role of judge, my personal philosophy must be set aside. When asked, none volunteered they had been attacked or that attack was provoked. I can only assume this breach of the peace was planed. Is that the case? None answered. I did notice several men in the back becoming quite animated and thought this must have something to do with the situation.
I asked Volos and Heron to bring those men forward. They did so. I know that this court is often short of formality and long on fairness. I do not appreciate spectators that wish to hold parallel proceedings in the same room. Were your discussions germane to this affair or some non related side issue? "Not germane Sir", one replied. I could see these men were related to three of the boys. Then please join your fellow citizens and give indulgence to them and this court.
I am still not satisfied that I have all the facts before me and the day is growing to a close. The court will adjourn until the 11th hour tomorrow. Since the defendants have been found guilty of breaching the peace, they can not be released. Since they are children and not adults, they can not stay in the dungeon. They will stay in the Argonaut Dormitory, these Argoanuts will escort you there. I pointed and out they went. No one was happy with this. I thought that good.
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http://www.sciencetimeline.net/prehistory.htm
I know that many readers will, as you should, question much of the science and technology Arden seams to know about. This time line will assist should you wish to check some of my facts for yourself. It is a good but incomplete listing.