Road trip
When I came out of the university's Music building late this afternoon, the crescent Moon hung in the sky, veiled by a high, thin layer of cloud. I blew her a kiss, which they say is an old Craft custom, and which I always do the first time I see the New Moon each month.
A legend says that when the philosopher Proclus (412-485 C.E.) arrived in Athens at age 19 to study philosphy (Athens being still a seat of Pagan learning in an officially Christian Roman Empire), he called on his teacher, Syrianus, who allowed him only a brief visit, because it was the New Moon, and the professor had private ritual worship to perform.
But looking out the window after his new student departed, the older man saw Proclus "take off his shoes and do obeisance to the crescent moon in the open street." Proclus' willingness to thus proclaim his Pagan allegience openly won the teacher's respect. (C. Bigg, Neoplatonism, 1895)
What did Proclus do? Kneel and lower his head like a Muslim at prayer? (Considering the connection between Allah and the earlier Arabic Moon God, maybe so.) Perhaps some rogue Classicist can tell me.
Speaking of that, I am adding Rogue Classicism to the blog list.
I will be on the road and/or at a conference for the next week. Time and Internet access permitting, I will post something here.
Finally, a word from M., spoken after picking her way through the canines snoozing around the wood stove: "Who spilled dogs in the living room?"
When I came out of the university's Music building late this afternoon, the crescent Moon hung in the sky, veiled by a high, thin layer of cloud. I blew her a kiss, which they say is an old Craft custom, and which I always do the first time I see the New Moon each month.
A legend says that when the philosopher Proclus (412-485 C.E.) arrived in Athens at age 19 to study philosphy (Athens being still a seat of Pagan learning in an officially Christian Roman Empire), he called on his teacher, Syrianus, who allowed him only a brief visit, because it was the New Moon, and the professor had private ritual worship to perform.
But looking out the window after his new student departed, the older man saw Proclus "take off his shoes and do obeisance to the crescent moon in the open street." Proclus' willingness to thus proclaim his Pagan allegience openly won the teacher's respect. (C. Bigg, Neoplatonism, 1895)
What did Proclus do? Kneel and lower his head like a Muslim at prayer? (Considering the connection between Allah and the earlier Arabic Moon God, maybe so.) Perhaps some rogue Classicist can tell me.
Speaking of that, I am adding Rogue Classicism to the blog list.
I will be on the road and/or at a conference for the next week. Time and Internet access permitting, I will post something here.
Finally, a word from M., spoken after picking her way through the canines snoozing around the wood stove: "Who spilled dogs in the living room?"
posted by Chas S. Clifton at 9:20 PM Permalink
1 Comments:
... all I can figure is that Proclus took part in some sort of traditional Noumenia observance. I'm not sure that we even know what officially happened at each noumenia ...
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