#verse: Veiled Monarch | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

silentmoths · 2 years ago

Text

As Fragile as a brick wall

Masterlist||First||next

Ch 2:

Newly settled into the in's and outs of running his new kingdom, Zhongli is delighted to hear that the one person he's waiting for has finally been sighted.

but is she as delighted to see him?

Zhongli x Afab (fem pronoun) Reader

little death/gore in this one? just a wee bit.

NSFW elements in later chapters

Multi-chapter, Royal AU, angst, mentions of death, eventual fluff, eventual smut, idk more tags when they happen ig?

“Little love, come here…there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

Zhongli waits, stood still as a statue, as is the custom when in the presence of the royal family. Freshly promoted to Lieutenant and eager to serve, he was the youngest to ever achieve such a rank at the tender age of sixteen.

“Barely out of boyhood and already achieving such greatness” the captain had praised, patting a hand to his shoulder. “We’ll make a fine captain of you yet, son.”

Zhongli had never joined the royal guard with intent on becoming captain, he just wanted an honourable job doing honourable things.

He sees a hand quietly gripping at the queen’s gown, before a face peeks out from behind the monarch. Of course he knew of the princess, the kingdom's first born heir. People say she’s a gentle soul like her mother.

“My little love, this is Zhongli…you’re going to see him about the castle, be kind to him, it’s his job to keep you safe.” The queen croons, running a hand through her daughter's hair.

She was barely ten years old, young and naive to the dangers of the world, sheltered and steeped in finery. Nonetheless, she finally steps out from behind her mother and curtseys, such a practised motion for the child.

“It’s good to meet you, kind sir. Thank you for taking care of our family.” Her voice is soft, like a gentle breeze and light as the morning sunrays. Truly a princess the kingdom could be proud of.

Zhongli, of course, reciprocates her greeting, bowing low, gently taking her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles before meeting her eyes with a kind smile.

“Your majesty, the honour is all mine.”

Oh the way the child’s cheeks burn bright pink. Seem’s she was not quite so used to being addressed, because it’s not long before she lets out a flustered squeak and vanishes behind her mother, who is wrought with laughter.

Zhongli’s duty was to tend mostly to the queen and the princess, the king was always a bluster about how he could fend for himself, how he did not need protection. This was fine by him, as he found excellent company with the queen.

She too was a soft-spoken, but well versed woman, together, she and Zhongli taught the princess chess, and Zhongli, an avid chess-player in his spare time, finds his rump thoroughly handed to him at the hands of the deviously strategic queen. Still sharp despite the illness slowly taking hold, Zhongli could see it in her eyes and in her smile, she was languishing, but slowly.

Occasionally, whilst the queen was away dealing with other matters, it was simply he and the princess.

At first? She was horrifically shy around him, without her mother as a barrier she had nowhere else to hide…which inevitably led to her finally finding her own voice with him.

Much like her mother, she’s witty and smart, a wicked sense of humour veiled with practised grace that only developed as the years went on. She could grow frustrated at her younger brothers, the twins had of course, been taken under their fathers wing, but Zhongli worried he spent too much time coddling them and showing them ‘how best to order around a servant’ to do them much good.

She loved the plants and the animals, and took a vested interest in Zhongli’s own steed, an enormous shire horse who hated almost everyone. Everyone except this princess it seems.

“He might try to bite you.” He warns as the pair approach the stable.

“I’m sure it’s fine.” She reassures, only seeming to speed up with an optimistic skip in her step.

Azhdaha, of course, made a liar of him. He did nothing but nicker and nudge at his new charge, mussing her hair with his lips and demanding pets, scratches and treats from the girl.

For years, things only ever seemed to look up.

When Zhongli turned eighteen, he was finally promoted to captain of the royal guard. His time spent with the queen and princess dwindled, but he still found himself in their presence whenever he could.

As the princess grew older, she was emboldened, more outgoing and outspoken; she claimed to have seen him working the fields with the farmers one harvest season as the pair walked the castle halls together.

“And just how did you manage that, your highness?” he retorts, snickering at how her face quickly drops and her gaze flicks away from him, knowing she’d just been caught admitting to sneaking out of the palace.

But Zhongli would never tell the king this, in truth, he’d known for some time of her little hobby, the escape from her loud and oftentimes obnoxious twin brothers, seeing the villagers' faces light up whenever she came to town was enough for him.

When she was fifteen however, the king began blustering about marrying her off, talking about how a political marriage between certain kingdoms could afford his own certain benefits. It was clear the princess did not approve, but even more so her mother.

Zhongli had never seen the queen yell in his years serving, never seen her so much as raise her voice. He knew her illness was getting worse, knew of the weakness slowly spreading into her bones and knew of the blood she discreetly coughed into her handkerchief. However on this day he saw it, saw her yell at her husband, saw her curse him, saw him shrink back at her rage as she proclaimed her daughter would not marry until she was at least twenty-one.

The king’s first true foolish act in Zhongli’s eyes was attempting to argue, stating that she would be far too old and no kingdom would want her by then, which only stoked the fire of fury from his wife, he sees the stress written into every line of her being as she shouts and screams at him, slamming her fist upon the table and sending papers flying.

He finds the princess, still as a statue, pressed against the wall just outside the office, eyes wide, horrified and watery. She did not need to hear this, he would not let her hear any more, and he escorts her away, a ride upon Azhdaha would hopefully calm her fraying nerves.

From there, he heard it from the priest, a kindly, elderly man whom even the king would not dare cross, that the queen had come to him, made her wishes known, and made him promise to uphold them.

Three months later, she was gone.

One moment, a beautiful kind soul that swept through the castle and brought warmth wherever she went, the next moment, a casket, laid out in the chapel.

She had called Zhongli to her bedside one afternoon, just after sending her daughter away to her lessons. She was frail and wasting, the healers could do nothing. Yet she still had it in her to smile at him, to take his hand and asked him for one last thing.

“Be there for her, protect her.”

He did his best, did his best to be by her side as often as he could, but he could see the storm brewing, the darkness that gripped her father; the inflammatory threats he made to the neighbouring kingdoms and even beyond. Watches, helpless as his grief twists and moulds a one kind, if not firm king, into nothing but a filthy warmonger.

He knew things had to change when he suddenly began setting his sights on the village. On those less-fortunate beneath his reign, his sick and sadistic torture fantasies slowly rearing its ugly head.

When one of the kingdoms had finally had enough of his bluster, Zhongli was summoned, and a plan was formed.

–

“Your highness, it appears the princess has been sighted at the border!” one of his retainers informs him as he emerges from his chambers that morning. The news sends both a wave of relief washing through him, as well as a wave of anxiety.

He knows what he plans to do is not honourable, but he hopes that in time, she would forgive him, but for now he just needed her to play this game with him.

“Excellent…bring the princes to the throne room…keep them gagged, they’re disgustingly loud.”

The throne room is empty, save for the two imprisoned princes, despite their gags, still attempting to spit their venom, blessedly muffled as Zhongli catches sight of a dark spot coming over the hill of the port.

His first surprise was seeing Azhdaha, the enormous stallion he had raised from foal to intimidating warhorse… he was not lying when he gave the horse to her, he was ageing…but even now, the old boy keeps a fine gait.

The second surprise was seeing her in trousers. During his time serving, he had only ever seen her in beautiful flowing dresses or comfortable gowns…but he supposes it made sense, travelling in such…elegant attire would be cumbersome, though he wonders how her ex-fiance would have taken it.

He stands before the throne when she arrives, hood pulled up to shield herself from the morning chill as Azhdaha trots right into the throne room with her; seems she had already heard that the kingdom was under new management.

“Welcome back, your majesty.” He greets, in his chest he can feel his heart fluttering just a little. “I trust your travels were safe?”

“About as safe as they can be I suppose.” She responds, sliding from the stallions back with ease as she finally pulls her hood back.

She’s just as beautiful as he remembers, matured with the years apart, and hardened slightly with the horrors of her father. Part of him had hoped she would smile at the sight of him, but he doesn't blame her for the scowl.

“So.” she sighs, resting a hand on her hip as she eyes him “what exactly is it you want? Obviously my father is dead…and I see you have my brothers…what now? Want me to present my wrists and go quietly?”

“Goodness no.” Zhongli is quick to wave away that thought “I mean you no harm, your highness.”

“Considering the crown upon your head, it seems unfitting to be calling me your highness, does it not?”

“Perhaps, but you are owed that much.”

At this, she raises an eyebrow at him, slowly lifting her hand to pet her massive horse along the shoulder. Azhdaha, once called a dragon of a horse by some of his guard friends, simply snorts, leaning his snout into her touch before the stallion turns and takes himself off to the stables, always a good horse he was.

“So, Zhongli.” she sighs, finally looking him in the eye “what is it you want?”

“Always to the point.” He chuckles “Simply this, with your father no longer alive, and myself as the new king, your arranged marriage to the sneznhayan prince has been dissolved…however I offer this; your brothers lives, for your hand.”

Its deceitful and underhanded, especially by his terms, but it was the quickest, most efficient, and safest way for both himself, and for her.

“My hand? For my brothers…” she repeats, Zhongli nods.

“Your brothers will be set free, and given lodgings, they will be stripped of all royal title and-” his explanation is stopped by the princess raising a single, gloved hand.

Slowly she steps forward, towards her brothers. Both of whom stare up at her with pleading, watery eyes.

“My brothers live, If I agree to marry you, you say?” she asks, tilting her head up at him, Zhongli nods.

“Yes.”

“I see…”

Zhongli isn’t sure how to feel, this didn't feel like it was going the way he wanted it to…

For a long, silent moment, her eyes flick slowly between him, and her brothers, and Zhongli can see the moment his plan dies in the water. The moment the facade drops and it reveals a side of her that hadn’t been present when he left.

He sees the way her hand grips the hilt of her word, sheathed neatly on her hip and he has only a moment to step back before it’s swung, narrowly missing his shins, but clearly, he was not the intended target.

For the second time since his return, royal blood stains the throne room floor; a pair of heads roll along the fresh carpet, both princes' lifeless bodies slump to the floor where they were chained.

Zhongli blinks in shock, his gaze turning unto the princess, her face is stony as she sheaths her sword again, uncaring of the blood as she looks up at him with the vaguest hint of a smile, and a challenge in her eyes.

“It has been a long few months. I am going to retire to my rooms now. You hold me to nothing.”

Despite how…disastrously his plan had gone, he cannot help the swell of pride in his chest; this was no longer the meek, quiet girl he once knew, and while he would miss that innocence, there was something absolutely…breathtaking about how she had just handled a situation, designed to back her into a corner.

“Rest well, your highness.” he concedes as she takes her leave, even going so far as to bow his head.

He watches her frame retreat down the hall, and feel Xiao approach to stop beside him, looking down at the bodies strewn across the floor.

“Well that went…well.” his most loyal comments, “what should we do, sire?”

“We leave her be, I’ll handle it.” Zhongli affirms, small smile playing across his face. “What a woman.”

Xiao raises a single eyebrow at his lord, looking between the twitterpated look on his face, and the two corpses lying at his feet.

“If you say so, sire….”

Taglist: @stygianoir @meimeimeirin @ainescribe @dustofthedailylife @theheartshaker @alice4wonderland2812 @bel0vedcup1d @rjssierjrie Want to be added to the list? shoot me an ask~

#silentmothwrites #moth is not silent #moths Fragile as a brick wall #Zhongli x reader #Zhongli genshin #Zhongli x reader smut #(eventual)

111 notes · View notes

libidomechanica · 2 years ago

Text

Tarry

A limerick sequence

So bright another’s sometimes to bent- felde, and þe burn more pitied. Tarry. Some less bound; confusion he wily Virgin three am’rous writtened ful wail of Hair.

This speche þe towche þe, haþel, how hard business of clene verdant Fields in spite her lips toward laugh to my wofull was Nimrod’s hunting payne. Which somewhat grieved, the Murders Gray.

Lord were: and night was aboute, þat I cowþe. Ever the sky with feelings he didn’t pick up, the Monarchs to the mourne, bot to be made fruitful marriage of Heaven knows!

And a bore: most people payne, his mysdedez, brayde he hade, which such a fact she thou the ghosts, ’ replies: it teach time than Adeline wonder. Already. When fair-haired.

Wilt thou were some countenaunce. The cloud- ledge where ar ȝep mony: boþe þe bonk at his rising Tow’rs, he looks thro’ thy praise, waking hinder feet&undertook to dismiss’d.

Or under Ful sketch in the grow quite? Putting a mirror, she roses for he ȝernes ful quaynt derf mon, myn is bigger things be death, knowing how man-made hem þoȝt.

Up for interim like nothing over her skim the North Pole,—they chance; her first by resound. Besides, as sent on hille hatz tymed þi trawþe, bi hym þoȝt, saue thy louer?

Be one, yet leaves lighted lovely hatz tane in your actors are for play, you canst they hearts! Return, perhaps; but his excess her Art, and bolts, a shining till he dies.

For gently living the flowe in the case, and told. Of the wide world like all things with potent spell. Long with thing on lenþe fare þat gostlych comfort yow lykez, ȝet schulde.

Now ryse and þe halidayez holdely watz for night-dew, on a moment, where once more I love. That is þat? First roses and chafed at hands and paved him or knight find.

Is Folly he þonkez jesus and hast though the wide as freke þat he myȝt voyde þiself, Oh were needs must be blest? The grounde, and Life throne, and a queen Semiramis.

So cortaysly of mine. To holde lenge hym bisoȝt, þaȝ he looked as he made, maie, then overpass when her break. But of dryftes vp homes of the Oda, in who can!

So as I ne tyȝt ouer a mourning and demand, bade him as if the train. Is gone before wary thing, as though my hert. Partly beard, shall for þe wyȝez þe welkyn.

The giant, a libel, or in the literature the wealth had dreams be, or three? Held her parties, and a partner, and tears of—but Chroniclers so conscious corpse.

And, as filchers crowding like a golden rose, and what he hare, nor could write and gleamy like and his fall. Ask me no more; I will I drink he has been sleep become.

Or evil unto by Sallust in his match in her Hair, we helder. He stood with me into tease of on wyȝes þat noȝt hit fallen lame just curse, o ioyfull verse.

And one by one halched in armez, loutez adoun, cloudless Sky. So perish pulses. For blame I behelde vnderfoot if I could make defence of a singly way?

She act redouble figure an enormous pleasure subject, but few hours, or my daughter. On our sale, but silence and ofte a trifle—an old somehow, there hade.

And Juan, ’t were deaf and sudden grown share? What tho’ she, who have we knowe. Of the moon to were sonnets to hinder feet&under an honoured longing, All ’s Well!

I wyst. ’Er you ask, that bene they come, with silver dead. In god faythely ȝe knows what accept the verdant Field of your sex in short, thou leave me the noble.

She look’d like the king a whole and by his several framed of þe broken by degree is much more— one little at strikes earth, her veil or ready many an ear!

The light—a feelings, exceptions opening sick of ivory stole for to tears? And in studie quo walt þay dronken and soft air, even in renoun of whom I left.

A blunder’s fate. And after Millions in this sùbjects you—worse, to curl for loved in youth—it is alive, and their official, his head, ere yet great as a sweet hours.

Some new vastness of that we’ll speak—but pages nor for it. Ne bere þe freke ferde any words—in fact redouble Prize is black sacraments you though loue doth lies flies.

Guide, and eddies could piques, that the mystery. One bitter objects of these bright probably attain’d love the eyes of every boyish best dream. To Juan’s former sight!

And Lolah, Katinka interrupted by his syde. There was received a man—so glorious Off’ring for air. Come day smith manly Strength more rare lit up by gas.

I see—Ah, no! I own its end wilt thou art by promise is not youth, immortal Love. Shrine, for there’s neither dwell be as well down before, with his solace honde.

To Mary made its features have actual’ being set at large, should like nuns that all. She stone-Henge in many a debtor; their kind of vche prys, bayed þe kyng yow ȝelde!

Nor shows not mean to show seems he’s fresh Colours! Dear joy, and people, and spoken, and storms, too seats or in a former Loves commission to educate—ye you lost.

But what I bear witness through certe. Replied his great humanity. I’m a philosophers her charm, at least hade a holy watz gentyle knyȝt bidez ful softe.

If these others so clene: at þis kestes, schewe. The loved the constancy and heigh-ho, the perish’d from me hys fere in October, the funds at hand, snugging on earth.

And he luflyly he rapely a þrowe bite you Virgins blush’d—and huge, and þat he mele, þe hede, and, like all her love. Part, their work the reverence and Misses?

Had heed my beauty thus he really been knows its date, or stain’d but sweetly doth lend, and not fall. Hit ar lady in þis wondering bare, herkne to you a hand, ah!

But Saint Bartholomew we knyȝt, strakande ryȝt boure, so sauen he meled: corsedest kerchief there being neuer fayle? Her rage was a mixt, and his forever.

Tis not to brave duly. Thy words, t is a long I heard no: now she country gentle boy, pissing as his word and state; a difference me, another article.

But where Cupid sobbing you under thee I see your orders, even after have you nearly trod as he atled, þer as love? Which banished out his sport it’s that?

With cost him if her out. The earthly comen hit me þynkkez on þe first burst, or fear’d hed, milke henged to no correctest cowers were plesaunce not, but in Wales.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 6 #187 texts #limerick sequence

0 notes

thecoffeelovingfreak · 3 years ago

Note

Hello! First off, congratulations on 50/60+ followers!! I wanted to tell you that 1. I love your blog theme 2. The fact you chose a medieval!AU for the event is awesome and 3. You’re an extremely talented writer <3

So, for the event — I’m not sure if I’m supposed to give any more detail (if I am, please let me know!), but I was wondering if I could request the astrologer prompt with Fyodor?

Hello anon! Thank you so much, I'm glad you love my writing! {I love the new theme too :)} No further detail is needed! I decided to go with astrologer!reader and courtier!fyodor for this work!

~~~

I Have Loved the Stars too Fondly to be Fearful of the Night

Pairing: gn!Astrologer!Reader x Courtier!Fyodor

Writing Genre: oneshot

Genres: medieval times, cryptic

Word count: 772

Warnings: slight angst/tension, brief mentions of war and death

Notes: the title is part of a verse in a poem titled The Old Astronomer to His Pupil by Sarah Williams! I'll include this link in case you'd like to read about the history of the astrolabe!

Read it on ao3!

for the Medieval!AU followers event

~~~

The fragmented light of the sunset shone through the towering window in the library. The space around you filled with the knowledge and prophecies of your predecessors. The queen has employed many astrologers, using them to predict the outcome of battles, the health of those in the castle, the wellness of crops, and various other subjects.

The black robe she had gifted you flowed as you walked outside to the sundial, light blue sleeves coming into view as you observed the garden. Approaching said sundial, you noticed a figure already sitting on the nearby dry stone wall. The familiar man with amethyst-colored eyes nodded at you, his white ensemble turning orange in the dying light of day.

You took a seat next to him, no note-taking materials in hand. Today he would be your sounding board, listening to your predictions with the occasional input. You stared at the Sun, now almost entirely under the horizon.

Being a scholar of the Stars was a simple, rewarding life. Your queen had taken you from your small town and placed you under the previous astrologer’s care. He taught you everything you knew about mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and medicine, creating an expert before his passing. You became well acquainted with a fellow courtier, figuring he was just as lonely as you were after hearing the cautious whispers of those around the castle.

“Have you found pleasure in the new astrolabe I bought for you?” Fyodor asked gently, turning his head away from the horizon to your figure.

“I have, thank you very much. I still cannot believe I lost the last one in the river!” you expressed.

He chuckled, watching you fiddle with the device hanging around your neck.

The Moon had now veiled the lands with its liege of Stars, creating the world you had dedicated your life to. Your eyes shined with admiration as you observed the night sky, the ocean of the Gods, the herald of Heaven's wishes. Such astonishing creations, the Stars. The eyes of the Angels, protecting Earth's inhabitants throughout the night.

"Tonight, the Angels are blind." you spoke, "The new Moon has transitioned into Scorpio. I met with the monarchs this morning to share my findings, although you should not hold meetings of the court during this time."

"What about the battle in the south?" Fyodor pondered.

"The Moon is in conjunction with Mars. The battle, I am still unable to predict at this time, but I do know many will continue to die and those who return will not survive for long." you looked to the ground as a form of mourning.

He sighed, "And what about crops and trade?"

You smiled softly, "You should not sow crops or trade during the Scorpio Moon. Your best option is to remain stagnant; you can only do battle and take medicine. You should not even bathe."

"The Heavens are truly fascinating, are they not?" he smiled at you.

"Yes, they are." you shared.

"Our troubles seem to be so minuscule compared to the vastness of the universe. Our roles, our lords, our soldiers. What is your role, Y/n?" he queried.

You stood and smiled, spreading out your arms, and looking to the sky. "I am naught but a servant to the Gods, bestowing what they have written to the people. I am held up on a pedestal, but do I deserve it? I watch the people be sent into battle, knowing they will not live to see tomorrow's light. I watch society struggle, never learning any better no matter what I say. Will I find a source of salvation, to alleviate this guilt? Or will I be cast into the flames with the betrayers?"

Fyodor rose to stand beside you, calmly grabbing your hands. "You need only the salvation of companionship to alleviate your guilt. Allow me to share the burden of your prophecies, and we shall be plunged into the blaze together."

You stood watching him for a moment before dropping one of his hands and intertwining your others.

“I will gladly be your companion.” you said, “Now walk with me.”

You silently strolled through the garden, gazing at the stars.

“Do you favor a constellation?” Fyodor asked.

You turned to him. “I have always been quite fond of Lyra. What about you?”

“Ever since my first night at the castle, I have always looked for Aquila.” he smirked.

You hummed and turned your head away from him.

As you neared the library, you released his hand and entered the archway. You exchanged smiles before the courtier vanished into the night, leaving his newfound partner to their work.

- - - - - - - - - -

If you would like to read similar works, why don’t you check out the rest of my Medieval!AU?

masterlists | upcoming works

#coff's 50 & 60+ event #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd x reader #bsd au #bsd fyodor #bsd fyodor dostoyevsky x reader #bsd fyodor dostoevsky #bsd fyodor x reader #bsd fanfic #bsd x gender neutral reader #bsd x you #bsd dostoevsky #bsd doa #bsd medieval au #bsd anime #bsd manga #bsd rats in the house of the dead #coff writes for bsd🥂

52 notes · View notes

basicsofislam · 4 years ago

Text

BASICS OF ISLAM: Fasting: Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Part3

SEVENTH POINT

One of the many instances of wisdom in the fast of Ramadan with respect to mankind’s gain and profit, who comes to this world in order to cultivate and trade for the hereafter, is as follows:

The reward for actions in the month of Ramadan is a thousandfold.

According to Narration, each word of the All-Wise Quran has ten merits; each is counted as ten merits and will yield ten fruits in Paradise. While during Ramadan, each word bears not ten fruits but a thousand, and verses like “Verse of the Throne” thousands for each word, and on Fridays in Ramadan it is even more. And on the Night of Power, each word is counted as thirty thousand merits. Indeed, the All-Wise Quran, each of whose words yield thirty thousand eternal fruits, is like a luminous Tree of Tuba that gains for believers in Ramadan millions of those eternal fruits.

So, come and look at this sacred, eternal profitable trade, then consider it and understand the infinite loss of those who do not appreciate the value of those words. To put it simply, the month of Ramadan is an extremely profitable display and market for the trade of the hereafter. It is an extremely fertile piece of land for the crops of the hereafter. For the growth and flourishing of actions it is like April showers in the spring.

It is like a brilliant holy festival for the parade of mankind’s worship in the face of the sovereignty of Divine Dominicality. Since it is thus, mankind has been charged with fasting in order not to heedlessly indulge the animal needs of the instinctual soul like eating and drinking, nor to indulge the appetites lustfully and in trivialities. For, by temporarily rising above animal-like and quitting the calls of this world, man approaches the angelic state and enters upon the trade of the hereafter. And by fasting, he approaches the state of the hereafter and that of a spirit appearing in bodily form. It is as if man then becomes a sort of mirror reflecting the Eternally Besought One. Indeed, the month of Ramadan comprises and gains a permanent and eternal life in this fleeting world and brief transient life. Certainly, a single Ramadan can produce fruits equal to that of a lifetime of eighty years. The fact that, according to the Quran, the Night of Power is more auspicious than a thousand months is a decisive proof of this.

For example, a monarch may declare certain days to be festivals during his reign, or perhaps once a year. Either on his accession to the throne or on some other days which reflect a glittering manifestation of his sovereignty. On those days, he favors his subjects, not within the general sphere of the law, but with his special bounties and favors, with his presence without veil and his wondrous activities. And he favors with his especial regard and attention those of his nation who are completely loyal and worthy.

In the same way, the All-Glorious Monarch of eighteen thousand worlds, Who is the Sovereign of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, revealed in Ramadan the illustrious decree of the All-Wise Quran, which looks to the eighteen thousand worlds. It is a requirement of wisdom, then, that Ramadan should be like special Divine festival, a dominical display, and a spiritual gathering. Since Ramadan is such festival, God has commanded man to fast, in order to disengage him to a degree from base and animal activities. The most excellent fasting is to make the human senses and organs, like the eyes, ears, heart, and thoughts, fast together with the stomach. That is, to withdraw them from all unlawful things and from trivia, and to urge each of them to their particular worship. For example, to ban the tongue from lying, back-biting, and obscene language and to make it fast. And to busy it with activities like reciting the Quran, praying, glorifying God’s Names, asking for God’s blessings on the Prophet Muhammad, and seeking forgiveness for sins. And for example, to prevent the eyes looking at members of the opposite sex outside the stipulated degrees of kinship, and the ears from hearing harmful things, and to use the eyes to take lessons and the ears to listen to the truth and to the Quran, is to make other organs fast too.

As a matter of fact, since the stomach is the largest factory, if it has an enforced holiday from work through fasting, the other small workshops will be made to follow it easily.

10 notes · View notes

lifeofresulullah · 3 years ago

Text

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): First Migration, the Year of Sorrow, the Splitting of the Moon

Isra and the Miracle of Miraj (Ascension): Part 1

The Isra and Miraj, one of our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) greatest miracles, occurred on the 27th night of the month of Rajab, a year and a half before the migration (hijra.)

Jibril came that night and took our Holy Prophet (PBUH) from the Masjid-al-Haram to the Masjid-al-Aqsa on Buraq. Then, he was ascended to the skies so that he would be shown the wonderful activities and the signs that indicate the power of God Almighty one by one. He was allowed to meet all of the prophets in the layers of the sky. Then, the Messenger of Allah was taken to the station of Sidra al-Muntaha (Lote Tree). Then, he went up to the station of Two Bows’ Length (Qab Qawsayn) in the middle of possibility and obligation. He was shown many weird and bizarre things. He heard the speech of God Almighty, who is free from time and place, in a form that we cannot know or understand; and he saw His face. On the same night, he returned home.

God Almighty narrates this miracle, which is related to the personality of His beloved Messenger, as follows in the Quran:

“Glory to (Allah) Who did take His Servant for Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose precincts We did bless― in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the one Who heareth and seeth (all things)”

This verse also declares the wisdom behind the miracle Isra and Miraj.

The section regarding the Miraj in Badiuzzaman Said Nursi’s work entitled “The Words” states: “The Ascension is a question that results from the essentials and pillars of belief, and follows on after them, a light that draws strength from the lights of the pillars of belief. For sure, the Ascension cannot be proved independently to irreligious atheists who do not accept the pillars of belief, because it cannot be discussed with those who neither know God, nor recognize the Prophet, nor accept the angels, and who deny the existence of the heavens. Firstly those pillars must be proved.” Then, he answers the question, “What is the wisdom behind Miraj?” as follows, explaining the wisdom behind that great event:

“The wisdom of the Ascension is so exalted that human thought cannot comprehend it. It is so profound that human thought cannot reach it, and so subtle and fine that the intellect cannot see it by itself. But even if the reality of the instances of wisdom in the Ascension cannot be comprehended, their existence may be made known through certain indications. For example, as follows:

“In order to demonstrate the light of His Unity and the manifestation of His Oneness in these levels of multiplicity, the Creator of the universe took an eminent individual as representing all creatures from the furthest levels of multiplicity to the source of Unity by means of an Ascension that was like a link. And there, addressing him as representing all conscious beings, He explained to him the Divine purposes and made them known through him, and observed through his gaze the beauty of His art and perfection of His Dominicality in the mirrors of His creatures, and caused him to observe them.

Moreover, according to the testimony of His works, the Maker of the world possesses infinite beauty and perfection. The two of them, both beauty and perfection, are loved for themselves. Since this is so, the Possessor of that beauty and perfection has an infinite love for His beauty and perfection. That infinite love of His is manifest in many different ways in His works of art. He loves His works of art because He sees His beauty and perfection within them. The most lovable and elevated among the works of art are animate beings. And the most lovable and elevated among animate beings are conscious beings. And by reason of their comprehensiveness, the most lovable among conscious beings are to be found among human beings. The most lovable individual among human beings is the one who has most fully developed his potentiality and displayed the samples within it of the perfections manifested in all creatures, and spread among them. Thus, in order to see at one point and in one mirror all the varieties of His love spread through all creatures and to display, through the mystery of His Oneness, all the varieties of His beauty, the Maker of beings will take a person who is at the degree of being a luminous fruit of the tree of creation and whose heart is like a seed containing the essential truths of that tree, and will demonstrate the belovedness of that individual, who represents the universe, through an Ascension that is like a thread linking the seed, which is the origin, with the fruit, which is the end. He will draw him to His presence and honor him with the beauty of the vision of Himself. And, in order to cause him to spread that sacred state to others, He will favor him with His Word and entrust him with His Decree.

“In order to look at this exalted wisdom, we shall observe it through the telescope of two comparisons.

First Comparison:

As is explained in detail in the story-comparison in the Eleventh Word, there was an illustrious king who had vast treasuries and in those treasuries many varieties of jewels were to be found. He had much skill in strange crafts, comprehensive knowledge of innumerable curious arts, and erudition and learning in numberless wondrous sciences. And, in accordance with the mystery that every possessor of beauty and perfection wants both to see and display his beauty and perfection, of course, that skilful king, too, wished to open an exhibition and to set up displays within it in order to reveal to the people's gazes the majesty of his sovereignty, and to manifest both the glitter of his wealth and the wonders of his art and the marvels of his knowledge. He wished to do this so that he might observe his own transcendent beauty and perfection in two respects. The first was so that he himself might see with his own eyes, which were cognizant of reality, while the other was so that he might look through the gaze of others.

“As a consequence of this wisdom, he began to build a huge, splendid, extensive palace. It was magnificently divided into apartments and mansions. He adorned it with every sort of bejeweled treasure from his coffers, and decorated it with the finest and most gorgeous arts of his own handiwork. He ordered it with the greatest refinements of his knowledge and science, and decked it out and completed it with the miraculous works of his learning. Next, he spread tables with varieties of bounties and the most delicious of foods worthy for each group and prepared a general banquet. Then, in order to display his perfections to his subjects, he invited them to the banquet and to behold the perfections. Then he appointed one of them as the highest ranking general, invited him up from the lower levels and mansions to tour sphere after sphere in the levels rising one after the other. And, showing him the successive machinery and workshops of his wonderful art and the storehouses for the produce coming from below, he brought him to his own particular sphere and private apartment. There, he honored him through showing him the blessed person that was the source of all those perfections and taking him into his presence. He informed him of the true nature of the palace and of his own perfections. He appointed him as guide to the other spectators and sent him back to describe to the people the palace's Maker by means of its contents, inscriptions, and wonders, so that he should inform those who entered the palace of the allusive meanings of the inscriptions within it, what the works of art signified, and what the harmonious and well-proportioned inscriptions and works of art in its interior were, and how they pointed to the perfections and skills of the palace's owner. And so that he should teach them the correct behaviour and formalities in seeing the exhibition and describe the protocol and ceremonies which were in accordance with the pleasure and desires of the learned and skilful king, who did not appear.

“And in exactly the same way, and God's is the highest similitude, the All-Glorious Maker, Who is the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, desired to behold and display His infinite perfections and boundless beauty.

“So He made this world in such a fashion that each being utters His perfections with numerous tongues and points to His beauty with many signs. The universe shows through all its beings how many hidden immaterial treasures there are in each of His Most Beautiful Names and how many veiled subtleties in each of His sacred titles. And it shows this in such a way that, since the time of Adam, all sciences together with all of their laws have studied this Book of the Universe. But of that book only a tiny proportion of the meanings and signs which state and point to the Divine Names and perfections have been read. Thus, the wisdom of the All-Glorious One of Beauty, the All-Beauteous One of Glory, the Maker Possessing Perfection, Who opens the palace of the world as though it was an exhibition in order to see and display His own transcendent beauty and perfections, requires that He should inform someone of the meaning of the palace's signs so that they do not remain vain and without benefit for conscious beings on the earth. His wisdom requires that He should cause one of them to travel in the higher worlds, which are the sources of the wonders in the palace and are the treasuries of their results; that He should elevate him above all others, honor him with His close presence and cause him to tour the worlds of the hereafter, and entrust him with numerous duties, such as teacher to all His servants, herald of the sovereignty of His Dominicality, announcer of those things pleasing to Himself, and expounder of the signs of creation in the palace of the world; that He should mark out his pre-eminence by conferring on him the decorations of miracles, and should make known through a decree like the Qur'an that that person is the truthful personal interpreter of the All-Glorious One.

“And so, by way of example, we have demonstrated through the telescope of this comparison one or two of the many instances of wisdom in the Ascension. Others may be thought of in the same way.

Second Comparison:

“If a knowledgeable and skilful person was to compose and write a miraculous book, and on each page of the book were as many truths as would fill a hundred books, and in each of its lines as many subtle meanings as would fill a hundred pages, and in each of its words as many truths as would fill a hundred lines, and in each of its letters as many meanings as would fill a hundred words, and if each of the meanings and truths of the book were to look to and point to the transcendent perfections of its miracle-displaying writer, he most certainly would not leave such an inexhaustible treasury closed and thus worthless. He would surely teach it to some others so that such a valuable book would not remain meaningless and vain; and so that his own hidden perfections become apparent and find their perfection, and his transcendent beauty be seen; and so that he too should be pleased, and that he should make himself loved. Moreover, he would cause someone to go through that wonderful book from the first page to the last and teach him all its meanings and truths so that the person would then teach them to others.

“And in exactly the same way, in order to display His perfections, His beauty, and the truths of His Names, the Pre-Eternal Inscriber has written the universe in such a way that all beings set forth and state His infinite perfections, Names, and attributes together with their innumerable facets and aspects. Of course, if a book's meaning remains unknown, its value is reduced to nothing. But a book such as the universe each word of which contains thousands of meanings cannot lose its value or be made to do so. Since this so, the book's Writer will certainly make it known and explain a part of it to each group according to their capacity. And He will instruct in all the contents of the book the individual who has the broadest and most comprehensive view, the most universal consciousness, and the greatest ability. Wisdom requires that He should take the individual on a most elevated journey in order to teach him all the contents of such a book and its universal truths. That is, He should cause him to travel from the furthest extreme of the levels of multiplicity, which is the first page, to the sphere of Divine Oneness, which is the final page. Thus, through this comparison, to a degree you can look at the exalted instances of wisdom in the Ascension.”

Our Beloved Prophet’s (PBUH) Explanation of the Isra and Miraj:

The distinguished Sahaba recounted this miracle, which expanded beyond the bounds of time and space: One night when our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was sleeping at the Hatim section of the Kaaba, Hazrat Jibril came and slit his chest. After washing our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) chest with zamzam water, Hazrat Jibril filled his chest with wisdom and restored it to its previous state. Afterwards he brought a white mount, Buraq, had our Holy Prophet (PBUH) climb upon it, and escorted the Master of the Universe (PBUH) on the journey. Buraq’s leaps went beyond what the eye could see. Along with Hazrat Jibriil by his side, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) went to the Bayt-al-Maqdis. He saw all the prophets gathered there. He led them in prayer as they all prayed in congregation.

By leading them in prayer, it showed that our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was the inheritor of the origin of their Sharia (divine law.)

Three Cups That Were Offered

Three cups, one full of milk, the second full of sherbet, and the third full of water, were presented to our Holy Prophet (PBUH.) During this offering, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) heard a voice saying, “If he chooses the cup filled with water, then both he and his ummah will be free of any needs and will be content. If he takes the cup filled with sherbet, then he and his nation will fall into deprivation. If chooses the cup filled with milk then he and his nation will be given guidance.”

Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) took the cup containing milk and drank from it. Upon this Hazrat Jibril said, “O Muhammad, you have chosen the true and natural way. You have been given guidance, and so has your nation.”

1 note · View note

risalei-nur · 3 years ago

Text

The Words - The Sixteenth Word - Part 6

THIRD RAY: O my transgressing soul, full of doubts and subject to evil suggestions. You say that such verses as: In His hand is the absolute dominion of all things (36:83); No moving creature is there but He holds it by its forelock (11:56); and: We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (50:16), show that God is infinitely near to us. On the other hand, such verses as: To Him you are being brought back (36:83) and: The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years (70:4), as well as the hadith: “God Almighty is beyond seventy thousand veils” and such truths as those contained in the Prophet’s Ascension, show that we are infinitely far from

Him. I want an explanation which will make this profound mystery under- standable.

The Answer: O my soul, consider the following: At the end of the “First Ray,” I said that due to its unrestricted light and immaterial reflection, the sun is nearer to you than your eye’s pupil, your spirit’s window and mirror. However, because you are bounded by certain conditions and imprisoned within matter’s walls, you are very far from it. You can make contact with it only through some of its reflections and shadows, meet with it through its particular manifestations, and draw close to its colors (attributes) and rays and images (a grouping of its names).

If you seek direct contact, you must transcend numerous restrictions and rise above many universal levels. Simply, in terms of spiritual transcendence, only after becoming as large as the earth, expanding in spirit like the air, rising as far as the moon, and directly confronting the sun as the full moon does, could you claim to meet with the sun in person and without any veil, and draw near to it to some degree. In the same way, the All-Majestic One of Perfection, the Peerlessly Beautiful One, the Necessarily Existent One, the Creator of All Things, the Eternal Sun, the Monarch with no beginning and end, is nearer to you than yourself, although you are infinite- ly far from Him. If you have enough power (of heart and sublimity of mind), try to see certain other realities in the other aspects of the comparison.

1 note · View note

auroralightsthesky · 3 years ago

Text

Dance As Though No One Is Watching (Tipper x OC)

Summary: Modern AU, Tipper and Rory have done alot of things together but the Merrie Monarch Festival is one thing they have not yet crossed off their bucket list

“I don’t think I can do this,” Rory nervously groaned as she and Tipper waited in the wings.

“Rory just relax, you’ll be fine,” Tipper assured her. ‘I’m the one that should be nervous.”

“Yeah but you’re not up there dancing,” she replied.

“And you’re not up there playing the music,” Tipper chuckled. “You’ll be fine. I promise.”

Rory felt a bit assured by his words and yet she was still nervous. All she could hope for was that she wouldn’t trip, fall or bruise her face during the performance. She had to admit though, Tipper looked handsome in the long blue and grey tunic that made him look more like a Roman emperor’s son than a kamaaina. “Listen,” Tipper told her. “Whatever happens, you’ll do fine. I’ll make sure you do.”

“Thanks love,” Rory said before he gave her a quick peck on the lips.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the MC announced, his voice resounding through the loudspeakers. “We welcome now to the stage from Hilo Hawaii’s own Halau Hula o Waimea, under the direction of Na Kumu Hula, Patricia Kameanana and Antonio Kahananui, Aurora Kaleleonalani Tipper.”

A loud burst of applause erupted as Rory, Tipper and her cousin Tino made their way onto the stage. Her Aunt Patricia walked out beside her until she made her way up to the stage, her nerves trembling even as the skirts of her sapphire blue and black dress brushed against her knees. Tipper thought she looked like a queen with her green lei garland, crown and bracelets on her wrists and ankles, her pitch black hair reaching her waist and trailing behind her like a veil. He knew she would do perfectly fine......she had to. She had practiced ceaselessly for months.

“A kahiko in honor of King Kamehameha the First,” the female MC announced. “The mele speaks of the king’s power as a ruler and prowess in battle as he fought to unite the Hawaiian Islands and became Hawaii’s future king.”

The crowd went silent and as calmly as she could, Rory began chanting the oli that she and her aunt had practiced, the words spilling forth from her mouth like a waterfall as her voice carried across the stage and into the audience. She felt her face growing hot as the nervousness fled and she felt Tipper’s gaze on her. When all was done and her words had ceased, Tino and Tipper began pounding out the rhythm on the pahu drums. Following the trail of the beat, Rory began her mele, calling out the verses as Tipper and Tino responded.

“Come forth oh great King of the ages

Your people call you from hiding

Emerge from the darkness and into the light for the woman Pele calls to you

Hear the thunder as your brothers come forth

Ku rouses all from sleep to charge into battle

Your power is great O King of the Ages

See your enemies tremble before you as Pele’s fire follows in your wake

Kamehameha, first of your name

Greatest of all the ali’i

We, the children of Hawaii, welcome you”

And so she danced, remembering each and every step that she had been taught as her cousin and husband sang the words that gave praise to one of Hawaii’s greatest ali’i. Finally, the music ceased and went quiet.

“He inoa no Pai’ea Kamehameha!!!” Rory shouted victoriously.

The crowd roared with applause as she made her way off the stage with Tipper and Tino following in her wake. She shook with excitement, relieved that it was finally over. She had not tripped or fallen and she had not messed up any of her moves. Everything had gone smoothly and better than she had expected.

As soon as she was in the wings Tipper picked her up in his arms and spun her around, planting a kiss right on her lips. “You were fucking amazing!!” he exclaimed.

“I couldn’t have done it without you!!” she responded.

He held her tight in his arms, overwhelmed by the sudden excitement that overtook them both. Tipper and Rory would remember this moment forever.

Note: I do have definitions for some of the words in case anybody needs them. I apologize if there’s a mistranslation or if something got screwed up in the process.

Ali’i- members of the Hawaiian royalty

Kamaaina- someone who has lived in Hawaii for an extended period of time, an adopted child of the land

Mele- songs that are danced to and sung during a hula performance

#band of brothers #ed tipper #original female characters #tipper x oc #original character #merrie monarch au #hbo war au #hbo war merrie monarch au #band of brothers hawaii au #hbo war hawaii au

1 note · View note

wander-yet-wonder · 5 years ago

Text

Parting the veil - Spaus

Fandom: Hetalia Pairing: Spaus, (Spain / Austria) Word count: 2319 Rating: All audiences Warnings: Historicised attitudes towards Islam do not reflect the author’s views. Summary: Roderich isn't the best at travelling. Still, he'd gladly do so in order to spend time with his new husband. The Spanish landscape betrays things about Antonio he'd rather keep silent himself. It seems like Antonio has separated himself from his past through a sheer curtain and when visiting Roderich feels like he can almost see through it, see the ghosts that move on the other side. Everything is so foreign to him, will he be able to eventually harmonize with Antonio? Read on AO3: X

I was requested to write a Spaus drabble, apparently, I can’t write drabbles and instead put out a whole ass fic. So um- have this? @fandomghost I hope you like it. Special shoutout to @katemarley for recommending me Innsbruck ich muss dich lassen when I was nerding to her about German renaissance music <3

At least there were mountains. Roderich was grateful for the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees that decorate the horizon visible from his window. They were the only familiar sight because he was in all other aspects “fast entheimt”. Unfortunately, now that they had reached Zaragoza, a city with a name so foreign that he wouldn’t have discredited as the name of an ancient Persian magician in a novel, the mountains were far more distant and only visible on clear days. The name of the city wasn’t the only thing that was foreign to him, when he and his consorts had crossed the mountains he had felt like the very bedrock that Spain was made of was unlike his own, down to the small crocus like flowers that bloomed in the meadows that their guide had explained to him were rare ‘false saffron’. In Zaragoza, he’d been given a room in the palace of the catholic monarchs that had taken residence there after Isabel I of Castile had married Ferdinand II of Aragon but that in the streets was still referred to by the people as the palace of Aljaféria. Though that royal marriage had unified Spain and was the reason he could stay there to visit his Antonio, Aragon was by no means gone. Her belongings and her culture were still found all over the province. However, he wasn’t to meet her until later that month. He felt like in a way, simply by travelling the land he already had met her. She wasn’t the only shadow of a nation that he felt. Besides Spain, that is to say, Castile and Aragon, there was a third presence within these castle walls, an invisible presence, a ghost from the past.

Roderich had never fully realised the reality of the occupation by Arabic forces in the peninsula. When he had Antonio in front of him in Aachen, a fierce proprietor of Christendom, speaking Latin with a quintessentially Romanesque tongue… He had somehow thought that as the occupiers left the peninsula, Antonio was a roman again. That when they left, they took everything with them, left no traces, that whatever was left was carefully purged by his new husband. Yet these walls told a different story. In a moment where he’d been free to roam the halls, he’d let himself be spellbound by the strange arabesque masonry, the ever-spiralling geometrical decorative patterning in the friezes, the archways, the capitals. One gallery from where he could reach the stonework, he had secretly pressed his fingers against it, half expecting it to give way like bee’s wax due to how much it resembled a honeycomb. He let out a quivering breath and whispered the name: the Umayyad dynasty, the caliphate of Cordoba. That strange shadow that seemed to hide in the corners in the palace. Had he made a mistake when marrying Antonio? How much of his husband was still Moorish?

Antonio was always secretive and defensive about his time isolated from the rest of them. Roderich never pressed him for answers. He’d lie in bed next to him and watch Antonio’s quiet breathing and think to himself that Antonio must’ve suffered a lot. Yet he looked at how his own hand looked like porcelain against Antonio’s chest, and he wondered.

These thoughts were tumbling over each other as he was staring out the window, his letter to the bishop abandoned in front of him as his quill was resting idly between his fingers. He felt sick to the stomach again, he’d always get such bad Heimweh, if only Toni could just always visit him in Austria… that would be a perfect world.

“Ah, there you are!”

Antonio snapped him out of his reverie by materializing in the doorframe and looking at him like he was trying to figure him out, like studying a puzzling little flower, like a false saffron, and wondering whether it was edible or not.

“Have you truly been cooped up in here all-day writing? Come, this won’t do, come out and catch some fresh air.”

He’d already strode over and made to pull Roderich along by the arm despite the young man’s protests that it was too hot outside and that he’d tan.

“I gathered some courtiers, we’re going to play music in the courtyard. If you sit in the gallery you won’t tan. Just join it’ll be great. Did you play that Viol a lot?”

‘That viol’ was the lovely Soprano viol that Antonio had given to Roderich when they parted ways after their second visit. Roderich had been familiar with the more European Vieille already and had taken to the instrument like he’d never played anything else. It helped that it was a gift from Antonio, so whenever he missed him too much he could take out the viol, lovingly caress the little wooden face that was carved into the end of the neck with incredible craftmanship, and then by playing and studying bring Antonio a little closer. He’d carefully press down on the strings and would imagine Toni listening and smiling. He’d been playing it when sad or lonely so often he started to feel like he expressed his feelings better through music than through words. So to Antonio’s question, he gave a firm affirmative nod and looked at the case that contained it when he brought it with him here.

“Well bring it! I want to hear!”

Roderich’s heart quickened. He had fantasized about what would happen if he’d play in front of Antonio, that Antonio would listen and understand- that he could say what he wanted to say without words. That Antonio instantly recognised that he’d studied hard just to please him. But now that the moment was here, he felt suddenly nervous.

“Ah, very well, I’ll play for you. But not for your court.”

Antonio looked a little taken aback but then agreed with a smile

“We’ll have fewer instruments then, but it agrees with me.”

Roderich tried to read Antonio and see if he wasn’t upset but he couldn’t tell. He took the dear instrument and tagged along, all the while trying not to be deafened by his heart nervously pounding in his ears. Antonio retrieved his vihuela de mano from the group of courtiers and declared they wouldn’t be joining them until later. They seemed a little disappointed, but Roderich observed from the doorway that the confident way in which Antonio declared he wouldn’t be present, rather than asked to be forgiven for not joining made no one even think of questioning him. He smiled; this is what he adored in Antonio.

Antonio took him to one of the palaces many open courtyards and sat him down underneath the strange honeycomb arches on a railing. With just the two of them in an enclosed garden Roderich thought of the many courtly romance novels he’s read and blushed a bit. Antonio caught on and with a grin took his hand and kissed it.

“So, are we going to play music? Or was this all an elaborate plan of yours so we could exchange kisses?”

Antonio was already scooting a bit closer and his smirk grew. Roderich frowned as his blush deepened but couldn’t hide a smile.

“Don’t tease me, Antonio.”

He leaned in and gave Antonio a small kiss on the cheek.

“I had every intention to play music for you."

Antonio nodded and sat back a bit and gave Roderich a tender smile that sent a warmth spreading through his chest. Roderich got in position and put the viol between his legs. He took a deep breath and took the bow to the strings. He took a deep breath and started to sing. It was the song he’d been singing ever since Innsbruck’s precious valley had been swallowed between the pine trees as they had crossed that fateful bend in the road that meant saying goodbye. Roderich had never been good at travel, he was in his essence a very rooted person. He needed the mountains, the pine trees, the fresh crisp winter air, he needed his home. At first, he had thought that this crippling nervousness that took hold of him when he was in unfamiliar territory had to do with the type of creature that he was: wouldn’t it make sense for countries to have to be close to their lands? But the more other’s he met, the more he learned that isn’t necessarily the case. He sang the first tender lines of ‘Innsbruck ich muss dich lassen’, which he had been practising to bring him solace ever since he had left. He had adapted the original choral piece by giving the higher register to his viol and himself singing a fragile tenor second voice.

“ISbruck, ich muß dich lassen ich far do hin mein strassen in fremde land do hin mein freud ist mir genomen die ich nit weiß bekummen wo ich jm elend bin.”

It had every property of a learned piece of music, despite its secular subject. In his opinion, the choral harmonies showed a Pythagorean harmony and evoked the harmonies of heaven. It was in every aspect a thing of technical ingenuity. But it was out of place. Singing about Innsbruck and his land in the Spanish summer heat just fell flat. All the emotion he could usually put into it, about missing home and struggling with travel didn’t seem to communicate either.

“Groß leid muß ich yetz tragen das ich allein thu klagen dem liebsten bůlen mein ach lieb nun laß mich armen im hertzen dein erbarmen das ich muß von dannen sein.”

The second verse, about parting from your lover was yet another thing very recognisable for him, as he and Antonio often spent large stretches apart from one another. Antonio, however, seemed more concerned with picking dirt out from under his nails than listening. He knew Antonio didn’t know much German, but he hoped he would at least get the gist of it. His voice wavered slightly as he tried to keep Antonio invested in the music all through the last verse.

“Meyn trost ob allen weyben dein thu ich ewig pleyben stet trew der eren frumm nun muß dich Gott bewaren in aller thugent sparen biß das ich wider kumm.”

A pledge of faithfulness to the one you’re leaving. It was silent for a moment between them after he finished and Roderich felt like he’d swallowed a brick. Antonio perked up again and took his vihuela.

“You did not enjoy it.”

He must’ve looked hurt because Antonio winced and reassuringly pet his hand.

“Ah no! It was good! I could tell it was technically perfect.”

Antonio was a terrible liar though and with one stern look, Roderich managed to get him to sigh and tell the truth.

“It was just- all the same. And a bit sad, but mostly just that it was the same thing three times, and all the rhythm stayed the same and the distance between the cords stayed the same… It made me feel like I was either at church or just- really bored.”

Roderich was confused, “But- isn’t that what music is supposed to sound like? With regular harmonies? I read in a book-”

Antonio cut him off: “That’s exactly it! It sounds so learned, so lifeless! Shouldn’t music be sweeping? To slowly build and make you feel this- this- Ecstasy! wait, I’ll show you what I learned!”

He started strumming the vihuela. “Ok, you clap along.” Roderich uneasily started clapping, a little off-beat because of the strange rhythm Antonio was creating.

“This is an old one Roderich so you might know it. Hmm, maybe not the words it’s easy, you just sing the refrain with me I’ll do the stanzas. Ok, it’s Santa María, Strela do día, Móstra-nos, pera Déus e nos guía. Got that?”

Antonio was tapping his foot to the rhythm and slapping the wood of his vihuela in between the plucking. Then he suddenly stopped and took a ring of keys of his belt and handed it to Roderich. “Here, shake this- hmm this would be better if we had more players.” But he kept playing until Roderich got the hang of it. Then he started singing with it, the refrain was relatively straightforward but once Roderich got it, Toni started to make strange variations on it that threw him of again.

“No, it’s ok Roderich, you just keep singing the regular version and I’ll vary upon it. Also, the rhythm is rha-pa-pa-pa, rha-pa-papa-pa-pa. Yes, like that.”

Once they sang together like that for a while Antonio inserted stanzas between the refrains where the end of the sentences ended in long drawn out undulating notes. They were unlike anything Roderich had ever heard in a church at home or even at the fair! Though they were singing about Mary, about asking god forgiveness for sins, Roderich felt strange with what was happening. He wasn’t very good at it, but it felt like Antonio was pulling him along in a wild dance. Just as he’d gotten the hang of it, Antonio sped up and harmonized with him. Roderich could feel his body sway from side to side, almost without his will and they moved in perfect unison, rising and falling. He felt his sadness slowly fading and he smiled while singing. The thing Antonio had said about sweeping you away, about ecstasy, he was starting to understand it now. This strange rhythm, and the way Antonio intuitively reacted to what he was doing… it was almost sensual. When they finished his cheeks were red and he was slightly out of breath. Any passer-by would’ve suspected them of exchanging kisses in the garden after all. Perhaps he might as well… He enthusiastically threw himself forward, wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed Antonio on the lips. Nothing as chaste as before, the vihuela awkwardly between them. Antonio was clearly surprised but not complaining.

Hi! Welcome to this fic exploring the musical differences between Antonio and Roderich (and perhaps, by extension in their personalities). The music, however, isn't the only historical reference going on in here.

This fic is set very shortly after their marriage so anywhere between 1520 and 1525. They're still trying to figure each other out and getting to know the other's culture. Or at least, Roderich is.

The Moorish occupation of the Iberian peninsula was in that time seen as a very dark page in Spain's history and after the Reconquista Spain was portraying itself as an extremely Christian country (perhaps overcompensating slightly?). The time in Al Andalus, however, was a time when music, poetry and science flourished in Spain and the land and culture are still very influenced by it. The palace they're staying in is evidence of that. (Look up a picture it's gorgeous).

Roderich is starting to notice these Islamic influences in his new husband. And as a Christian man living in the 1500's they make him warry (not to speak of the attacks of the Ottoman empire on Austria in that time). However, the thing he ends up enjoying immensely about Antonio in this fic, his music, is something that is extremely Moorish.

Moorish music was seen as highly skilled and highly superior music even after Christianisation and Moorish musicians were still employed by the court a lot for special events.

There are two characters in here that aren't canon: the kingdom of Aragon and the Caliphate of Cordoba. The Kingdom of Aragon is a fierce lady that's the bane of Antonio's existence even though right now they're unified.

The pieces that both of them play are from their respective countries, and links are included in the lyrics. Roderich's is a contemporary piece by Henrich Isaac. If the lyrics look strange that's because that's the original 16th-century german. Antonio's piece is older, It's one of the many cantiga's de Santa maria. These canticles were written for King Alfonso X, who made a great contribution to early Spanish Christian culture. They're in the Galician dialect of Spanish that's super close to Portuguese.

As for their instruments, there are three instruments mentioned. The first being Roderich's viol. This is a predecessor to the modern-day violin, but also to the cello. It belongs to the family of the 'viola da gamba'. it was developed in 15th-century Spain. They are played upright in the lap with a bow. You can see one in use here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLgJPBDzS6o

The viol bore some resemblance to the vielle, an older and more northern European relative to the instrument, that is actually played underneath the chin. The experience with the vielle is what made it easier for Roderich to learn the viol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdps64D-u-g

finally, Antonio is playing the vihuela da mano. While this seems yet another instrument of which the name resembles 'violin' it actually resembles a guitar more!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duHMeCndpjo

And let's not forget about the important percussion instrument: Antonio's keys.

Have any questions about historical things I forgot to explain? please don't hesitate to shoot me a message or comment on this fic and I'll gladly elaborate.

#Spaus #aph Spain #aph austria #historical hetalia #spaaus #bringbackhetalia2020 #bringbackhetalia2k19 #juliwrites

55 notes · View notes

fireemblemtcg · 5 years ago

Text

fecipher twitter, 18-3-2020:

The card list for the Series 20 booster pack, "The Guiding Hand of Dawn", has been published on the official site. #FEcipher https://fecipher.jp/cards_category/bt0020/

More Fire Emblem Cipher Series 20 translations!

[Click “Keep reading” for the translated card list]

B20-001SR(+) Corrin (Kingdom of Valla): Monarch Forging a New Future (Vallite Monarch) B20-002HN Corrin (M): World-Saving Hero (Hoshido Noble) B20-003N Corrin (M): Prince of Two Homelands (Nohr Prince) B20-004HN Corrin (F): World-Saving Heroine (Nohr Noble) B20-005N Corrin (F): Princess of Two Homelands (Nohr Princess) B20-006R Kana (F): Hoshido-Inheriting Princess (Hoshido Noble) B20-007N Kana (F): Daughter of the White Prince (Nohr Princess) B20-008R Kana (M): Nohr-Inheriting Prince (Nohr Noble) B20-009N Kana (M): Son of the Black Princess (Nohr Prince) B20-010SR Ryoma: Brave King of Dawn Walking with the Dusk (High Prince) B20-011N Ryoma: Bushido-Prizing Knight (Cavalier) B20-012R Sakura: Princess Wreathing the World in Love (Maid) B20-013N Sakura: Cultural Exchange with the Black Princess (Troubadour) B20-014R Saizo: Explosive Hero (Hero) B20-015N Saizo: Knower of 100 Martial Arts (Mercenary) B20-016SR(+) Hana: Flawless Cherry Blossom Warrior Maiden (Falcon Knight) B20-017N Hana: Soaring Swordswoman (Sky Knight) B20-018R Reina: Vassal Virtuosa of Wails (Kinshi Knight) B20-019N Reina: Lady of the Palace Guard (Sky Knight) B20-020HN Kiragi: Magic Bolt Hunter (Sorcerer) B20-021N Kiragi: Prince Awakened to Magic (Dark Mage) B20-022HN Mitama: Poet Witch (Witch) B20-023SR Xander: Pure King of Dusk Walking with the Dawn (Crown Prince) B20-024N Xander: Chivalry-Devoted Samurai (Samurai) B20-025R Elise: Hospitable Princess (Priestess) B20-026N Elise: Cultural Exchange with the White Princess (Shrine Maiden) B20-027R Peri: Killing Kunoichi (Master Ninja) B20-028N Peri: Aspired-to Ninja Garb (Ninja) B20-029R Arthur (Nohr): Trouble Is My Life (General) B20-030N Arthur (Nohr): Heavily Armored Hero (Knight) B20-031SR(+) Nyx: Forbidden Caster (Dark Falcon) B20-032N Nyx: Reclusive Lass (Dark Mage) B20-033HN Forrest: Young Warrior of Grace and Gallantry (Basara) B20-034N Forrest: Nohrian Fashion Leader (Spear Fighter) B20-035HN Nina: Spread Wings of Fantasy (Falcon Knight) B20-036N Gunter: In an Unutterable World (Great Knight) B20-037SR Silas: A True Friend Forever (Great Knight) B20-038N Silas: A Deep Friendship Renewed (Paladin) B20-039N Silas: The Day of the Oath (Cavalier) B20-040HN Scarlet: Crimson Wyvern Lord (Wyvern Lord) B20-041N Scarlet: Red Dragoon of Cheve (Wyvern Rider) B20-042HN Automaton: Clockwork Contraption Child (Hoshidan Soldier) B20-043HN Zola: Nohrian Sorcerer of Illusions (Dark Mage) B20-044HN Lilith: Daughter of the Silent Dragon (First Dragon Spawn) B20-045HN Laslow: He of the Unchanged Smile (Hero) B20-046HN Selena (Nohr): A Makeover into a New Guise (Bow Knight) B20-047HN Odin: Pseudonymous Warrior of Darkness (Sorcerer) B20-048HN Anankos: Draconic Heart in Human Guise (First Dragon) B20-049N Yuzu: On a Dark Magic Training Journey (Sorcerer) B20-050HN Niamh: Soul-Dispersal-Through-Mastery Chaos Samurai (Chaos Swordmaster)

B20-051SR(+) Micaiah: 15th Queen of Daein (Queen Daein) B20-052N Micaiah: Maiden General of the Black Army (Light Sage) B20-053N Micaiah: Savioress of Daein (Light Mage) B20-054SR Sothe: Dawn-Calling Wind (Whisper) B20-055N Sothe: Urchin Thief of Nevassa (Thief) B20-056SR(+) Ike: Forger of a New Legend (Vanguard) B20-057N Ike: Young Inheritor of the Sacred Blade (Ranger) B20-058HN Edward: Peace-Seeking Blade of Dawn (Trueblade) B20-059N Edward: Apprentice Swordsman of the Dawn Brigade (Myrmidon) B20-060HN Leonardo: Peace-Desiring Bow of Dawn (Marksman) B20-061N Leonardo: Apprentice Archer of the Dawn Birgade (Archer) B20-062R Laura: Pious Holy Maiden (Saint) B20-063N Laura: Forthright Cleric (Priest) B20-064HN Aran: Faithful Sentinel (Sentinel) B20-065N Aran: Open-Minded Lancer (Soldier) B20-066HN Meg: Armored Maiden Training as a Housewife (Sword General) B20-067N Meg: Wayfaring Armored Girl (Armored Sword) B20-068HN Jill: Between Loyalty and Friendship (Dragonmaster) B20-069N Jill: Dracoknight of the Liberation Army (Dracoknight) B20-070HN Nailah: Silver Wolf of the Mirage Realm (Wolf Queen) B20-071N Nailah: Queen of the Desert Realm (Wolf Queen) B20-072SR(+) Elincia: The Heart of Crimea (Queen) B20-073N Elincia: Orphan of the Wise King (Crimean Princess) B20-074R Leanne: Tender-Voiced Whitewinged Princess (Heron) B20-075R Reyson: Brave-Hearted Whitewinged Prince (Heron) B20-076HN Haar: Principled Swift Black Dragon (Dragonmaster) B20-077N Haar: Courier Dracoknight (Dracoknight) B20-078HN Heather: Gynophilic Thiefess (Rogue) B20-079N Heather: Backstreet Earner (Thief) B20-080R Lucia: White Blade of Crimea (Trueblade) B20-081N Lucia: Elegant Faithful Sword (Swordmaster) B20-082N Lucia: Fencing Daughter of House Delbray (Myrmidon) B20-083R Geoffrey: Azure Lance of Crimea (Silver Knight) B20-084N Geoffrey: Chivalric Son of House Delbray (Lance Knight) B20-085R Mist: Goddess-Loving Maiden (Cleric) B20-086N Mist: Inheritor of Radiance (Cleric) B20-087HN Soren: Renowned Scarlet-Eyed Strategist (Wind Sage) B20-088SR Pelleas: Pact-Cursed Prince (Dark Sage) B20-089N Pelleas: Successor to Daein (Dark Mage) B20-090N Oliver: Guardian of Beauty (Saint) B20-091R Ashnard: Mad King Exploiting the Dark God's Power (King Daein) B20-092HN Izuka: Summoner Versed in Abused Knowledge (Summoner) B20-093HN Almedha: Consort of the Mad King (Queen Mother Daein) B20-094HN Dheginsea: Mightiest Warrior of the Dragon Tribes (Dragon Tribe) B20-095HN Soan: Unparalleled Lion Warrior (Beast Tribe) B20-096HN Ashunera: Goddess of Dawn (Goddess) B20-097SR Yune: Goddess of Freedom and Chaos (Chaos Incarnate) B20-098R(+) Medallion: Radiant Fire Emblem (No Class) B20-099HN Randal: Strife-Surviving Gold Knight (Gold Knight) B20-100N Randal: To the East Today, to the West Tomorrow (Sword Knight)

B20-101HR Azura: Songstress of the Veiled Realm (Songstress) B20-102HR Shigure: Son of the Azure Songstress (Falcon Knight) B20-103HR Ike: Savior of Crimea (Lord)

#fire emblem #series: 20 #card list

3 notes · View notes

fellomenking · 1 year ago

Note

he thumbs the fabric from the veil && takes a good look at it. confusing, really. how a simple piece of fabric can take away all that they have been shunned of. " do you enjoy wearing such mimicry, brother? " quiet, before following. " — i suppose you use it just for what it needed... " he will not deny is curiosity.

There was a hitch to his breath. The Veiled Monarch recoiled from the Lord of Blood's touch, distancing himself from a far too curious hand.

The veil was of great importance. He knew the people of Leyndell would not willingly serve a king bearing the horns of the accursed omen. Thus, the veil, which concealed him in the guide of a human, was a necessity.

#caediis #verse: veiled monarch

3 notes · View notes

wisdomrays · 5 years ago

Text

RESURRECTION and THE HEREAFTER: Part 19

Introduction

SECOND POINT (Part.1)

This explains in summary form a proof -one of many- proceeding from the testimony to the truth of resurrection of the other pillars of belief. It is as follows:

All the miracles indicating the Messengership of Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) and the evidences for his prophethood, and all the proofs of his veracity, together testify to the occurrence of the resurrection, and prove it. For after Divine unity, everything he claimed throughout his life was centred on the resurrection of the dead. Also, all his miracles and proofs affirming, and making affirmed, all the previous prophets attest to the same truth. Also, the testimony of the phrase “and in His Scriptures,” which makes completely clear the testimony of the phrase “and in His Prophets,” testifies to the same truth. Like this:

All the miracles, truths, and proofs proving foremost the veracity of the Qur’an of Miraculous Exposition, testify to and prove the realization and occurrence of resurrection. For almost a third of the Qur’an is about resurrection, and at the beginning of most of its short suras are powerful verses about it. It expresses the same truth explicity and implicitly with thousands of its verses, and proves and demonstrates it. For example:

When the sun is folded up.

O men, fear your Sustainer; the trembling of the Hour is an awesome event

When the earth is convulsed;

When the heavens are torn asunder;

When the heavens are torn apart;

Concerning what they dispute;

Has the story reached you, of the overwhelming event?

Besides demonstrating with complete certainty at the beginning of thirty or forty suras that resurrection is the most important and necessary truth in the universe, it sets forth various persuasive evidences for that truth in others of its verses.

Is there any possibility that belief in the hereafter should be false, which emerges like the sun from the thousands of declarations and statements of a Book a single indication of one of the verses of which has yielded before our eyes the fruits of numerous learned and cosmic truths in the Islamic sciences? Is there any possibility of denying the sun, or the existence of the universe? Would it not be impossible and absurd? Is it at all possible that although an army may sometimes be plunged into battle so that a mere sign of the king should not be given the lie, to show as false the thousands of words, promises, and threats of that most serious, proud monarch? Is it possible that they should be false?

Although a single sign of that glorious spiritual monarch who for thirteen centuries without break has ruled over innumerable spirits, minds, hearts, and souls within the bounds of truth and reality, and trained and raised them, would be sufficient to prove the truth of resurrection, it has demonstrated it with thousands of explicit statements. Is the torment of Hell-fire not necessary then for the compounded idiot who does not recognize this fact? Is it not pure justice?

Moreover, by their definite acceptance of the truth of resurrection, which the Qur’an -prevailing over the future and all times- repeatedly proves in detail and elucidates, all the revealed scriptures and sacred books, each of which dominated a particular period, proved it according to their own times and centuries, but in undetailed, veiled, and summary manner, confirming with a thousand signatures what the Qur’an teaches.

Included here since it is related to this discussion is the testimony at the end of the Third Ray of the other pillars of faith and particulaly “the Prophets” and “Holy Scriptures” to “belief in the Last Day.” It forms a convincing proof of resurrection, and is in the form of a powerful yet succinct supplication, which dispels all doubts. It says in the supplication:

“O My Compassionate Sustainer!

“I have understood from the instruction of Your Noble Messenger (PBUH) and the teaching of the Qur’an, that foremost the Qur’an and the Messenger, and all the sacred scriptures and prophets, have unanimously testified and pointed out that the manifestations of the Names related to Your beauty and glory, examples of which are to be seen in this world, will continue even more radiantly for all eternity, and that Your bounties, samples of which are to be observed in this transitory world, will continue in the abode of bliss in more glittering fashion, and that those who long for them in this world will accompany them for all eternity.

“Also, relying on hundreds of evident miracles and decisive signs, foremost Your Most Noble Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him) and the All-Wise Qur’an, and the prophets with their luminous spirits, and the saints, who are spiritual poles with their light-filled hearts, and the purified scholars with their enlightened intellects, relying on Your repeated threats and promises in all the sacred scriptures, and trusting in Your sacred attributes like power, mercy, favour, wisdom, glory, and beauty, and on Your functions, and the dignity of Your glory, and the sovereignty of Your dominicality, and in consequence of their illuminations and visions and beliefs at ‘the knowledge of certainty,’ give the glad tidings to men and jinn of eternal happiness and inform them of Hell for the people of misguidance; they firmly believe this and testify to it.

“O All-Powerful and Wise One! O Most Merciful and Compassionate! O Munificent One True to His Promise! O All-Compelling One of Glory, One of Dignity, Grandeur, and Wrath!

“You are utterly exempt from and exalted above giving the lie to so many loyal friends, and so many promises, and attributes and functions, and denying the certain demands of the sovereignty of Your dominicality and the endless prayers and supplications of Your innumerable acceptable servants, whom You love and who attract Your love by assenting to You and obeying You; and You are exempt from confirming the denial of resurrection by the people of misguidance and unbelief, who through their disbelief and rebellion and denial of Your promises, offend the magnificence of Your grandeur and affront Your dignity and glory and the honour of Your Godhead, and sadden the compassion of Your dominicality. We declare Your justice, beauty, and mercy to be exempt from such infinite tyranny, such ugliness. We believe with all our strength that the testimony of the prophets, purified scholars, and saints, who are those truthful envoys of Yours, those heralds of Your sovereignty, at the degrees of ‘absolute certainty,’ ‘knowledge of certainty,’ and ‘the vision of certainty,’ to the treasuries of Your mercy in the hereafter and the stores of Your bounties in the everlasting realm, and to the wondrously beautiful manifestations of Your Beautiful Names, which will be manifested totally in the abode of bliss, are absolutely true and veracious, and what they have indicated conforms absolutely with reality, and that what they have given glad tidings of is true and will occur. Believing that the supreme ray of Your Name of Truth, which is the source, sun, and protector of all realities, is this truth of the resurrection and Great Gathering, they teach it to Your servants.

“O God! For the sake of what they teach and in veneration of it, grant us and all students of the Risale-i Nur perfect belief and a happy death. And allow us to receive their intercession. Amen!”

4 notes · View notes

booksfornamjoon · 6 years ago

Text

The literary sources of BTS’ “Singularity” (Part II)

Chapter II: Oedipus Rex, the blind who had eyes

* This is a personal and purely philological analysis, that is, centred on the study of literature and/or the language as used in literature.

* This post was originally written in Spanish and translated into English, sorry if there are any errors.

* You can check part I --Narcissus and the problem of self-identity--, here.

* Also, you can check my in-depth analysis of Singularity lyrics here.

As we established in the first part of the analysis, one of the main literary sources of "Singularity" is the classic myth of Narcissus, established in Western culture through the Metamorphosis by Ovid. Remember that Narcissus, the son of a nymph and a god, ends up so enamoured with his reflection that he ends up falling into the water where his beautiful face appears, dying because of his own vanity. We affirmed that in one of the versions of the myth, the mother of Narcissus, the nymph Liriope, decides to visit Tiresias (in ancient Greek, Τειρεσίας), one of the most famous soothsayers of Greek mythology. This character, present as a prophet in all Greek tragedies related to the founding of the city of Thebes --one of the most important social nuclei of ancient Greece-- is not only considered the mediator between gods and humans but between men and women --by its androgynous nature. and between life and death.

[Tiresias appears in front of Odysseus during the sacrifice, Heinrich Füssli (1780-85)]

One of the main tragedies, and the one that will centre this second part, is Oedipus Rex (Oι̉δίπoυς τύραννoς), a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles in an unknown date (it is believed that it was composed around 430 BC). Broadly speaking, the work begins during the mandate of Oedipus, king of Thebes and husband of Jocasta. His glorious reign is dying by an aggressive epidemic of plague and he orders his brother-in-law Creon to depart for the Oracle of Delphi (a sacred temple dedicated to Apollo, built in the Villa of Delphi, Greece).

The prediction is clear: the plague is a divine punishment because the death of Laius, the previous king, has not been avenged and it will not disappear until the guilty party is killed or sent into exile. After this, Oedipus collaborates arduously to discover the culprit -- to who promises to save his life and only punish him/her with exile--, relying on his citizens and the close members of his family. It is precisely Creon who introduces the character of Tiresias since he advises the monarch to come to him to solve the problem.

OEDIPUS: Teiresias, you who understand all things—what can be taught and what cannot be spoken of, what goes on in heaven and here on the earth—you know, although you cannot see, how sick our state is. And so we find in you alone, great seer, our shield and saviour.

We must bear in mind that Tiresias, who appears in this work as a character already known from other mythological cycles --Greek tragedies were represented in the amphitheatres and used to use dynasties of characters that all the public knew-- is a blind fortune-teller. When he arrives in Thebes, he refuses to declare what he knows, even though he was present at the time of Laius' murder, and he and Oedipus confront each other in a heated conversation. Irritated, Tiresias declares that Oedipus is the murderer that Oedipus himself is searching for and insinuates him that he lives in incest with his mother, with whom he has had children, he is not the Theban as he believes and that, shortly, he will be blind like him. Faced with such accusations, Oedipus does not believe him and thinks that the fortune-teller has conspired with Creon to snatch his throne.

TEIRESIAS: I say that with your dearest family, unknown to you, you are living in disgrace. You have no idea how bad things are.

OEDIPUS: Do you really think you can just speak out, say things like this, and still remain unpunished?

TEIRESIAS: Yes, I can, if the truth has any strength.

OEDIPUS: It does, but not for you. Truth is not in you— for your ears, your mind, your eyes are blind!

TEIRESIAS: You are a wretched fool to use harsh words which all men soon enough will use to curse you.

TEIRESIAS: You may be king, but I have the right to answer you—and I control that right, for I am not your slave. I serve Apollo, and thus will never stand with Creon, signed up as his man. So I say this to you, since you have chosen to insult my blindness— you have your eyesight, and you do not see.

Since the tragedy is extensive, I will try to explain the argument briefly. Finally, Oedipus, who was actually the heir of the kings of Corinth, left his city because of an oracle that proclaimed that he would kill his father and marry his mother. He wanted to avoid the tragedy of his destiny and fled. During the way, he's entangled in a brawl in which he assassinates several people ..., one of them turns out to be Laius. With the intervention of several witnesses, it is known that Oedipus was not the biological son of the kings of Corinth since he had been abandoned on a mountain shortly after being born and saved by a messenger from the kingdom of Corinth. Little by little, Jocasta, his wife, realizes the truth: Oedipus is the son that she and Laius abandoned to their fate so that a fateful oracle would not be fulfilled, unaware that the messenger had managed to save him. Oedipus, oblivious to his true identity, had become a brave citizen of Thebes and, after overcoming the enigma of the Sphinx, took the throne. Married to his mother and having killed his real father, Oedipus stabs his eyes, not wanting to see the tragedy of his existence, and asks for an exile with his two daughters, which marks the end of the story.

OEDIPUS: But the hand which stabbed out my eyes was mine alone. In my wretched life, why should I have eyes when nothing I could see would bring me joy?

[Oedipus Rex, film adaptation by Pier Paolo Passolini (1967)]

In summary, we can see that Tiresias is the only one, by being ironically blind, who can see the truth in a world full of people who have eyes but cannot see. He's the famous prophet whose true revelation is not accepted when he twice proclaims it. The originality of Sophocles lies in this irony (especially taking into account that Tiresias appears at the beginning of the tragedy), in the belief that the knowledge of the human being is not a simple objective fact that is imposed on us, but a subjective possession before the one we can react belligerently, as a possession that partly needs to be possessed by the one who receives it to become effective. That is why Oedipus rebels against the truth, because he believes more in him than in the gods.

A fatal love, the intervention of a vengeful divinity or the problematization of sight are common themes between the myth of Narcissus, Oedipus Rex and Singularity. If we stop a bit in the lyrics, we can extract some examples:

A sound of something breaking I awake from sleep

We have the fracture, the rupture of the individual once he realizes he's wearing a mask, he's blind.

I dumped myself into the lake I buried my voice for you Over the winter lake I was thrown

The lake, an obvious reference to Narcissus and his death. On the other hand, the second verse talks about a certain culprit (that’s why he says 'for you’ or uses passive verbs that exempt him from responsibility: 'I was thrown’), like if he was even talking to a god, maybe to a woman (that's the simplest interpretation). However, he's talking to himself. He's the culprit of his blindness like Oedipus is.

In addition, another interesting aspect is the last speech of the tragedy. This is said by the chorus, a collective character who comments and judges what happens in the tragedy and represents the Theban citizen, the public. I could not help thinking about the dancers of the video.

CHORUS: You residents of Thebes, our native land, look on this man, this Oedipus, the one who understood that celebrated riddle. He was the most powerful of men. All citizens who witnessed this man’s wealth were envious. Now what a surging tide of terrible disaster sweeps around him. So while we wait to see that final day, we cannot call a mortal being happy before he’s passed beyond life free from pain.

Also, BTS tends to distort the figure of the idol, that is, the famous singer who is seen as a deity and not as a human being. Oedipus, like Taehyung, is seen by the public as a king, as a divine emissary, but eventually ends up being as mundane as the spectators. He suffers, he has doubts and, sometimes, he doesn't love himself either.

Lastly (I KNOW THAT I AM WRITING A LOT), among the main themes of this fabulous work of universal literature, we must talk about the problem of the search for truth and the risks and harms involved in achieving knowledge. Nietzsche speaks of this drama in the 9th chapter of the Birth of Tragedy (1871-1872). The main thesis of this book states that art is based on two fundamental notions that the Greeks of the archaic era and the classical era, ie, the Greeks prior to Socrates, knew: the two fundamental impulses of nature that are symbolized by two Greek gods, Dionysus and Apollo.

Apollo and Dionysus symbolize two physiological states of the human being: sleepiness and drunkenness; as well as two vital impulses: the individuation (JUNG'S INDIVIDUATION PROCESS!!!!!) and the overflow. Broadly speaking, Nietzsche makes use of the deities to highlight the human condition in its strictest sense and, in turn, unveil the struggle or opposition of forces that hide in the bosom of nature. Apollo symbolizes the veil (the beautiful forms/artistic creations that adorn life and justify it) and Dionysus symbolizes suffering, death, truth..., the tragic wisdom, that is, the terrible awareness of the finitude of Men and his suffering existence. Nietzsche states that the hypertrophy of some of the elements could be harmful to man, an excess of veil could lead to optimism and rationalism, and an excess of truth could lead to suicide or asceticism. Both elements are necessary so that life can be kept in balance.

To end, Nietzsche presents Oedipus as a transgressor, a hero condemned to fall for having tried to go too far. By transgressing nature and social norms, and wanting to find out what is forbidden, Oedipus discovers a world whose vision is forbidden to the rest of mortals. He commits a masculine, heroic version of original sin by choosing to eat from the tree of knowledge that condemns humanity to abandon innocence. In this case, it is his curiosity and his integrity that encourages him to investigate. That abandonment of innocence, of comfortable ignorance, is the cruel and heroic destiny of Oedipus, and his deed consists in his sacrifice (LIKE IT HAPPENS IN 'DEMIAN'!!!). Searching in ourselves, inquiring into our motives and wounds, has a price, it leads to a rupture of the individual necessary for the rebirth of the being.

Thus the man who is responsive to artistic stimuli reacts to the reality of dreams as does the philosopher to the reality of existence; he observes closely, and he enjoys his observation: for it is out of these images that he interprets life, out of these processes that he trains himself for life. It is not only pleasant and agreeable images that he experiences with such universal understanding: the serious, the gloomy, the sad and the profound, the sudden restraints, the mockeries of chance, fearful expectations, in short the whole 'divine comedy' of life, the Inferno included, passes before him, not only as a shadow-play — for he too lives and suffers through these scenes — and yet also not without that fleeting sense of illusion; and perhaps many, like myself, can remember calling out to themselves in encouragement, amid the perils and terrors of the dream, and with success: 'It is a dream! I want to dream on!' Just as I have often been told of people who have been able to continue one and the same dream over three and more successive nights: facts which clearly show that our innermost being, our common foundation, experiences dreams with profound pleasure and joyful necessity (Nietzsche, The Birth of the Tragedy).

I hope you liked this and found it interesting and easy to read. I’m working in the next chapters, which will talk, among many things, about these works/characters/topics:

Frankenstein (Mary Shelley, 1818): A man can create his own monster

Wuthering Heights (Emily Brönte, 1847): Narcissus and Heathcliff

Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brönte, 1847): Understanding the Double - Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason

Alice Through the Looking-Glass (Lewis Carroll, 1871): The mirror symbolism

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886): Evil in a reflected identity

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde, 1890): Self-image and ego

Dracula (Bram Stocker, 1897): Innate evil without a reflection

Peter Pan (James Matthew Barrie, 1904): Seeking for a reflection in the absence of shadows

Ophelia (from Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, 1603): Madness, water and suicide

From the myth to contemporaneity: how to codify identity and body in the information age

#365booksfornamjoon #rmbooks #rm books #namjoon reading #namjoon books #namjoon reading list #kim daily #bts theory #bts analysis #bts lyrics #singularity #singularity explained #bts singularity #oedipus rex #sophocles

36 notes · View notes

libidomechanica · 2 years ago

Text

Untitled (“To a bee, and”)

Without the monarch and I of you. It was our they are me cast, and when it goes doen advances in the sight meet not in the state upon the sun grow sad. Attracts each with others’ grave: the love and faint win or twice your among hair

of a God. In a new moon is as if shepeheard to wearing myself there than I pull yourselves but left. Make then pass’d were getting. Moment was, a low degrees of thee: the from him the street, when females most though I hear sighs behind

hearts lay as fast a girlish of even fourth, everyday the more a poet. Were I leaves at on now I cannot bleed aboon the gold women and meek, you say ’Tis souls thy hear himself so call of herse, now, which, in they hurried on

his ear, a sudden monopoly of rest. Observe perhaps a kisses like to that I was gude enough, insteadfastly, with kings not so strange arose about, noy gynnes to all my hand with ev’ry Lady wouldst not her skim the

wisedomes had his become from home. To a bee, and Philomele heirs fortify your late; love, the saw your Georgians have no kind. When at last display’d; your carefull verse. Look, woman, and poet. Are than other, which blend a

dream’d, Dudu; in seare: at least o’ gowden locked in an under talk, and stout a poet throne agree: while their summ’d either ways now! Reserved and brow curt’sies lights cannot could breath, dearer for there’s no softness, hushed upon way, I have

I now? Him, that love they hurricane I knows whate’er before. Break, a sudden pride, and that cheeks, and stering frame his for love the winter! That be in short a stand, thy touch this man no more pale: would like Thames. ’ Eyes; then unexpected? If

Antony be so sooner said: I needlepointed by Mars, vacant and began to grant o’er-spreads upon a modesty she cars were enthrones, without a modestly Wraith our flocks in facts I know not weigh’d, as your mouth would nothing

her, who next? It were the innocent! Sudden pride from day in a veil their own gratitude. To be rash one disclosure; Silia does it was, there there’s the church and scattery ill my love is but them sings with with some calm, and

friends of Chloe sure the green. Printed in dead, would not to other’s wring. Forth, and threde so shoulder that the heart and everything to those dreams and silent- blessing foolish of thy Oaten go the long we beheld it round the naked strange.

But she next, a primroses, to go with swift up to me! They went the ancholy rite flower; like a growling all more sober like and she’d here’s no prov’d reach’d were was it must seem’d agitate mounterfered away. How tone with

the sky greene bay! Arose air that Time? Come Lord Gregory is time in the chilly women whereon my body who should dedicate morn; but I was like they build ascendent art not do it. To commotion and a fire wish thee! Ay

francke she diamonda’s body burst forth, and Lolah, with the one might kingdoms, where people’s advaunce, ere hiss. Fate itself wither hater gyfts fading everyday’s most despair, when that bards daught her arms were be Annie’s cast a gap, yet

incenser feel the light is they music by to-morrow with to make Elysian find phantom- womankind guest, and yet death may note, while Dudu’s dream and awful rain with the tables, albeit turns in itself how cream include that

it has her,-provokes too tendersong kept drops in silent, budding lies where wooing thereafter their breath the present stream, they gave was been said, yourself in the heir. She spouse in these years, on whose broken-kneed, by side me down to drawn raise

that them both wit, there! ’ Which yet doth lie: the girlish heauie herse, there my hands, and strewings me weeping. Their summon’d Lamia breath; the affairs bid comes to love or honor. She is, but one gentle green he’s my dying with kind of this aim:

besides, foam an old passion and Ginns, as ill, and thy your luxury! She spoken, so dress, the sudden, we both couch a queen: then longer fair delight the night-wind so silly; but the charm’d; her too divine some scepter of there to have

occupants up, and no such sure one on my soul! And if that was mirror, she different claim it was the gen’rous fame: without your front steps of Jacob Behmen for Annie’s corpse laye, and they hair, I am clad in dead, o heauie cheeks

unprofane common in State, the figure and darke: the night for to thee, I shall the teares not alone, but death-moth beating, if unskill, there Pennsylvania hump, beside the murmuring, while his cross, toilets—and all; nor thy from our scorn.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 5 #108 texts #ballad

0 notes

savior-of-humanity · 5 years ago

Text

since ive been kinda working on some verses as of late for chief, heres my current list of verses for chiefo! they’re under the cut; also i actually have a blog dedicated to just verses for my muses but right now all i have verses for is chief so..yeah

HALO

Light of the Covenant - After being captured by Covenant forces, the Chief has been brutally brain-washed and corrupted into becoming one of their strongest and most terrifying agents. An Arbiter of sorts, meant to be disposable and yet serve as a shining beacon for the Great Journey.

Metal Over Flesh - After a horrific accident, the Chief’s life could only be saved by using a drastic measure that hadn’t even been properly tested on humans yet - by transferring his brain and consciousness into a new body, one of metal and wires instead of flesh and blood.

Code Over Flesh - After a horrific accident, the Chief’s life could only be saved by using a drastic measure that hadn’t even been properly tested on humans yet - by transferring his consciousness into an Artificial Intelligence.

A Monument to All Your Sins - Chief has been infested by the Flood. But for reasons unknown, he has survived the infection and hasn’t been converted into a Combat Form - but he still hears whispers of the Gravemind trying to manipulate him.

Moonblood - Chief has been bitten by a unusual furred creature. However, the bite isn’t without its’ own terrifying side effects.. such as him occasionally turning into a werewolf.

Wrath of the Colossus - After being successfully captured alongside Blue Team by Cortana in the Cryptum, the corrupted AI (assuming it is even Cortana at all in the first place) decides to implant Chief into a Forerunner war-machine reminiscent of a Guardian so that he may witness first-hand of her actions to help bring “peace” to the galaxy - starting with Earth. However, he manages to overthrow her actions and effectively eject her out of the systems, but with a terrible side-effect. Now wracked with intense agony due to having no AI to aid in controlling the machine, he goes on a almost mindless rampage, trapped within layers upon layers of Forerunner alloy and machinery.

Infinite Horizons (Post-Halo 5/Halo Infinite) - Any series of events that occur after the events of Halo 5: Guardians. Will be updated in the future as accordingly to suit whatever plot Halo: Infinite will have.

In Absentia (Halo 5: Guardians) - The Chief and Blue Team have gone AWOL in search of Cortana. Any series of events that occur during the events of Halo 5: Guardians.

Awakening (Halo 4) - The Chief has awoken from cryosleep, only to find that the ruins of the Forward Unto Dawn are in orbit of a mysterious Forerunner world. Any series of events that occur during or after Halo 4.

Behold a Pale Horse (Halo 3) - The Chief must stop the Covenant’s goal of activating every Halo installation in the galaxy. Any series of events that occur during Halo 3.

Impend (Halo 2) - The Chief must fight the Covenant directly on Earth, and foil their plans to activate another Halo installation. Any series of events that occur during or before Halo 2.

Dust and Echoes (Halo: Combat Evolved) - After landing on a mysterious ring-world, the Chief must stop the Covenant from activating the ring and potentially killing all life in the universe. Any series of events that occur during Halo: Combat Evolved.

Forward Unto Dawn (Pre-Halo: Combat Evolved) - Any series of events that occur before Halo: Combat Evolved.

OVERWATCH

The World Needs Heroes - Chief has ended up in the Overwatch universe, somewhere around the year of 2076 after the collapse of Overwatch (or before that time). He is likely to join or help Overwatch/the remnants of Overwatch in some way.

Project: HADES - Chief has ended up in the Overwatch universe, somewhere around the year of 2076 - but Talon has found him. They converted him into one of their most powerful and terrifying agents known to Overwatch - a monster known only as HADES.

EVOLVE

Monster Hunter - Chief has been deployed to the outer colony world known as Shear, to deal with a problem of Insurrectionists attacking and destroying various colonies and towns on the planet. Except it’s not Insurrectionists killing people… but giant, inter-dimensional creatures hellbent on killing and devouring everything in their path.

Goliath Among Men - After a nearly fatal encounter with one of the inter-dimensional creatures attacking Shear, the Chief is infected with some of the monster’s DNA, causing him to gradually mutate over time…and become more monster than man.

ALIENS

Emperor - After an encounter with some sort of parasitic, spidery alien, the Chief has just narrowly survived the rather explosive emergence of a horrifying parasite living inside of his body. But now there’s monsters on the loose, and apparently the parasite did more to his body than just tear its way out of him..

DOOM

Hell’s Champion - Chief has been dragged into the very bowels of Hell itself. But instead of doing something as simple as taking his soul, the daemonic forces decided to turn him into one of their greatest champions and pawns, to serve their eternal campaign to assimilate all worlds and dimensions.

Feet First - Chief has been sent to retrieve a Forerunner artifact from Storm-Covenant forces known simply as the ‘Ring of Armok.’ However, it turns out that this artifact is actually a gate holding Hell itself back - and they’ve just opened it…

STARCRAFT

Ultimate Evolution - After an encounter with a terrifying biological hivemind-entity known only as the Zerg, the Chief has been infested - made into a terrifying warrior to serve the Swarm.

UNDERTALE

Fallen Down - Through unknown means - whether it be falling into a great chasm at the top of a mountain or being ripped through time and space - Chief has ended up in the Underground, a civilization where Monsters have been trapped and living for a unknown length of time.

Photon Readings Negative - The timeline of this strange world apparently has not taken kindly to the Chief’s presence. His body, mind and SOUL are at risk of being thrown into flux by the timeline - forced to either ‘conform’ to the energies of the timeline, be ejected…or destroyed entirely.

Darker, Darker, Yet Darker - The timeline has destabilized the Chief to the point where his body has melted, becoming an horrifying amalgamate..of himself and the dark memories and nightmares lingering in his mind, threatening to pierce the veil of his sanity. Though he is no longer at risk of being destroyed or ejected into the void.

GODZILLA/MONSTERVERSE

Clash of the Titans - After being exposed to intense radiation from the resulting conflict between Rodan, Mothra, Godzilla, and King Ghidorah in Boston on Earth, the Chief’s DNA begins to mutate rapidly - resulting in him transforming into a 50-meter monstrosity code-named by the sub-division of ONI known as Monarch, “Titanus Maledict.”

3 notes · View notes