Posted by Joel Wright (205.188.208.10) on October 16, 2003 at 21:03:34:
In Reply to: metaphorical description of the workings of the wheel. posted by John Collins on October 13, 2003 at 06:38:16:
Hi John I noticed that this post says the children have broken clubs and then afterwards it says heavy clubs among the broken columns.Does it mean to read both clubs and columns are broken?Could you possibly clarify this.........thank you Joel Wright............................................: I noticed for the first time that Scott's version of the translation of the above passage from Apologia differed in small ways to mine and I thought it might be useful to post my own version. The chief differences as far as I can tell are the use of the word "jack" in place of "shotgun", and the words concerning the children in which I use the phrase "broken clubs". I'm not saying that my version is more or less accurate, just different in some small ways.
: Those who are keen to ask questions should ask them of this little book. My work will not be revealed prematurely. Should anyone wish to speculate about the truth, let him just ponder on the rich pageantry of words which I now cause to shower down upon him! Let a Gartner be no breaker of fences, even if a Wagner leaves ruts in the road..
: For greed is an evil plant. An anvil receives many blows. A driver drives. A runner runs. The seer sees. The buyer buys. The rain drips down. Snow falls. The shotgun shoots. The bow twangs. A great fat herd of fat, lazy, plump horses wanders aimlessly. The flail would rather be with the thresher than with the scholar. Children play with heavy clubs among the broken columns. Acrobats and shadow-boxers are as fleet and nimble as the wind. The cunning cat slinks silently along and snatches nice juicy mice. The dog creeps out of his kennel just as far as his chain will stretch. He knows how to please by playing with his little toys and knick-knacks. He wags his tail, creeps through the hoop and is rewarded with pats on his paws by the stiff fops who watch him. A wheel appears on the scene - is it really a wheel, for it does not have the normal type of rim. It revolves, but without other wheels inside or outside, and without weights, wind, or springs. Seen sideways or full-face it is as resplendent as a peacock's tail. It turns to the right and to the left; it spins around in any possible direction, whether laden or empty.
: All things belong to one of the three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, matter) and - you have the physical evidence in front of you. Without such things as sulphur, salt and mercury all things will soon come to a standstill - the qualities of the elements are necessary to keep things going. Saturn, Mars and Jupiter are ready to join in any battle. Even the things we eat do not lose their elemental influence - for it spreads itself through every limb and sinew of our bodies. A crab crawls from side to side. It is sound, for it is designed thus. Poltergeists often wander freely through locked doors. But softly! - speak softly of all the marvels, lest the enemy grows wise! He will drench me with his spittle so that I will lose my temper and, in a sudden fit, cast aside the mantle that conceals my wheel! But he shall be thwarted in his desires! His snapping will not bring me to that point! Let that be brought home to him, for rather, I shall now magnanimously set down in my book the following specific questions which have in recent days been sent to me in the hand of One who is of high rank.