holidays and tengwar

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Christmas. I myself had a lovely holiday, only yours truly left town without the text that she needed to finish transcribing! New Years is a day off work, though, so it will be transcribed then. Pictures of the latest addition/substitution text to TTP will follow soon there after along with my blurb about why the goddess Brigid and the saint Brigid are the same/connected.

Bonne Année!

"rose" is out and "air" is in, a mythological angle is discussed

After much internal debate it has been decided that the poem The Rose of the World simply does not fit with the other pieces I have chosen. It's replacement (looks like I'll be transcribing again over the Christmas weekend) is a piece of greater length called The Host of the Air. there are three things your should know about this piece 1) It is beautiful and 2) It has no ties to alchemical imagery that I can find 3) It has possible ties to Irish/Celtic mythology that I plan on exploiting for all they are worth.

1) He heard while he sang and dreamed/ the piper piping away,/and never was piping so sad,/ and never was piping so gay.
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The bread and the wine had a doom,/ for these were the host of the air;/ He sat and played in a dream/ Of her long Dim hair.
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O'Driscoll scattered the cards/ and out of his dream awoke:/ Old men and young men and young girls/ Were gone like the drifting smoke.

The imagery this poem evokes, took my breath away the first time I read it. It is quite possible that this has become my second favorite Yeats poem ever - nothing can usurp The Stolen Child.

2) Pretty self explanatory. There is apparently no alchemical symbolism in this poem. there is, of course, the possibility that a mere novice such as myself is simply not knowledgeable enough to decipher any that is buried in the text. However, for the sake of simplicity, this artist will operate on the assumption that none exits in the text until proven otherwise.

3) Here is where Host of the Air gets fascinating. Once breath was regained after the first read, the first thing that stuck out was that the main character (O'Driscoll) constantly refers to Bridget or Bridget his bride. While this could simply be a name, it bears noting that not only is Bridget (Brighid, Bridgit/etc) the Irish mythological equivalent of Minerva or Athena; but it is also the name of a much revered saint (Brigid of Kilgare) who is considered the second patron saint of Ireland. "Mere coincidence," you say. Perhaps, but this is where I'm going to claim artistic licence. I rarely use the "artistic licence" card, so I figure that it can be used this time without much remorse. With my mythological/Irish Saint angle in mind, look below to read some fo the notes I scribbled frantically last weekend over a chicken bruchetta sandwich at Applebees (highly recommended - just hold the pesto.) It's a good thing that the hostess ushered me to a four person table, because there were papers everywhere!

The Bride/Bridget connection

O'Driscoll consistantly calls Bridget "his bride." Another name for Bridget (whom I will call Brigid from now on) is "bride." In fact in Ireland, Imbolc/Candlemas (Brigid/St.Brigid's holiday/feast day) is sometimes called Lá Fhéile Bride, thus utilizing this form of the name. More on Imbolc and Candlemas later.

Brigid the goddess and Brigid the saint are connected how?

I started to post this information here but it ended up being far far too long. be looking for a new blog post that describes this in the very near future.

So the name Brigid appears constantly, how do you know it's not just a regular person and not a goddess at all? What is keeping Bridget his bride from really being just that - the bride/wife of O'Driscoll?

This is a very valid question, and for all intents and purposes there really is no reason to not believe that the poem's Bridget is who O'Driscoll says she is - his bride. Initially, however, I have a number of problems with this.

1) It is Yeats who wrote the poem. Very few poems that I've read by him actually say what they say, especially when there in any possible other meaning and mythology or the occult could be involved. [Note: occult is being used here in its original meaning beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or understanding; mysterious.]

2) A number of key words in the poem center around festivities (bread, wine, dance, piper). People both old and young are present and cards are being played while the piper plays on. While a couple of phrases support the idea that the celebration could be a wedding and Bridget was indeed "bride."

He bore her away in his arms/ the handsomest young man there

The dancers crowded round him/ and many a sweet thing said ... But Bridget drew him by the sleeve/away from the merry bands

However, there seems more possible that it was not a wedding celebration, with constant references being made to the macabre. Last I checked, sad and doom were not words associated with joyous nuptials. Secondly, I would have to do more research on the subjects, but it seems a bit odd that old men would be playing cards (gambling?) during a wedding party. Finally, the title The Host of the Air implies interaction with supernatural beings. Why would the poem be titled that, and then spend eleven stanza discussing O'Driscoll's dream about his wedding-which-was-not? It makes more sense to attribute the dream's festivities to something tied to a supernatural being - thus building a case for Brigid the goddess.

Ok, so let's pretend for a second that Yeats Bridget the bride is the same as Brigid the goddess, why her and not some other Celtic goddess/god.

You, my imaginary audience, ask very good questions. In my mind, the answer is very simple. Whether Brigid or St. Brigid be the object of scrutiny, their jurisdictions (for serious lack of a better word) are much the same. The Celtic goddess Brigid was described by Lady Augusta Gregory (Gods and Fighting Men, 1904) as a woman of poetry, and poets worshiped her, for her sway was very great and very noble. ... Considered by some to be the Celtic equivalent of Minerva or Athena, Brigid was well loved by the Celtic peoples and the Druids. Not only the protector of poets, she also oversaw the areas of blacksmithing and healing. She was celebrated during the festival of Imbolc (one of the four pinnacle festivals of the Irish calendar) which centers around fire and purification; and marks the transition from winter into spring. Some of the information I read said that the festival was perhaps the precursor to the American holiday of Groundhog Day. Therefore, we have a couple reasons this poem could be about the goddess. Not only was she the protector of poets (Yeats was a poet), but she was also a very well loved being of spiritual significance in her time, and had a significant holiday dedicated to her honor.

As for St. Brigid, like the goddess, she is also the patron of poets/scholars and blacksmiths. While she isn't the patron of any key healing professions, she is connected to children, babies, midwives, children of unmarried parents, and newborns. Since Spring is the season of new birth, it is possible that a connection to the previously mentioned festivities in that manner. St. Brigid's feast day is February1, which is otherwise known as Candlemas. Any research done on Imbolc or Candlemas will inevitably tie one to the other; the only chronological difference I could find was that Imbolc was traditionally celebrated on February 2, however, I was left with the impression that this date was not set in stone.

And, if you are looking for yet more proof that Brigid = Bride I give you a Scottish proverb about Imbolc, translated into English.

The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown Day of Bride
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground

So her feast celebration was Imbolc, great. I thought you said that Imbolc was about fire and purification. I don't see anything like that mentioned in the poem.

You caught me. This is the massive flaw in my thought process, and the very reason that I plead artistic license. While a reference to smoke is made once in Host of the Air I can find nothing that talks about fire, purification, badgers, or other key elements of the original Imbolc festival. Please pretend that this gape in logic does not exist.

Well that pretty much covers my Applebees notes. I did make a number of other notes that confirmed/justified the connection between Brigid the goddess and Brigid the saint and those will be following soon. And as a random side note, I have been trying to find out if the name O'Driscoll has any mythological significance, but have come up empty handed. At this moment, I'm operating under the assumption that it is a semi-common surname and is of no overall significance.

number of dragon's legs etc. update

In the post "the number of a dragon's legs, alchemy, and other misadventures" I referenced an alchemist who wrote under the pseudonym of Abraham Eleazar. If you will note, I was unable to provide much information on the source as the information I did have was in German. Well thanks to a former co-worker of mine, that text has been translated. The translation complete with Tom's notes are as follows:

The German description of the text (best as I can tell without a dictionary) says that it's an ancient chemical work, compiled by the author from sources in Latin, Arabic, Chaldean and Syrian, anonymously translated into German, now however with coppers, figures, containers, and designs(?) ("Kupfern, Figuren, Gefaessan, Desen" - something wrong here), a short introduction, a key to foreign words and rules on using the philosopher's stone (!) for all lovers of hermetic philosophy. In two parts from the public press of Julium Gervasium Schwartzburgicum

brainstorming #4 & #5 for "withering of the boughs" first initial

My papers and I braved the pizza parlor again yesterday for a little more planning. After the work that was done on Withering Boughs a weeks ago, it still seemed like something was missing. At that time, number of positive things were realized (the off center moon, the witches hat, the golden chain), but none of the end results were particularly satisfying. After much mulling over (and tasty alfredo sauce pizza with onions, bacon, and tomato) I realised that all the previous efforts needed simplifying. Overworked, behold thine poster child.

Below are two simplified efforts. The first is decent but is perhaps too simplified, and is far to stiff. The second, however, is likely quite close to what will become the final product.

the number of a dragon's legs, alchemy, and other misadventures

A little over a week ago I was confronted with a seemingly minor problem - an illuminated letter that I loved featured a serpent like dragon with two legs. Visually it looks complete but anatomically I was afraid it was glaringly erroneous in nature. The artist on my left shoulder said "leave it ... call it artistic licence" and the horrified academic on my right shoulder pleaded that I see sense and at least do a little bit of research first. After much squabbling the two temperaments reached a consensus. Digits might be added at the tip of the dragon's wings in lieu of a third and fourth appendage. Angels sang, the sun shone bright, and finally there was peace in the land ... until last night. The subject was reopened at the prompting of a friend and I was left to wonder why on Earth a dragon would have digits at the end of supposedly massive wings. What function could they possibly serve? Not only would they be too awkward to use for grasping anything; but due to their position , they would most likely be too fragile to support any significant amount weight. What's the point?

Here is where a great literary weakness must be admitted. No matter how infatuated with European and Celtic mythology I might be, very little time has been spent exploring myths of other cultures - especially that of the Orient. As a result, the dragons with which I am most familiar have four legs (the front pair sometimes smaller than the back) and that is that. Matt suggested that perhaps Chinese myth featured a two legged dragon, and even found such a specimen in Aztecan imagery. Thus began a search. Try Googling "dragon's legs" sometime. It returns a virtual plethora of subjects - diviantART, ill-advised leg tattoos, RuneScape armor, Chinese music CDs, Crayola Model Magic ideas, art how-to tutorials - but nothing that is terribly useful. "Dragon leg numbers" results are pretty much the same. A spur-of-the-moment search for "wyverns", however, returned numerous heraldic examples of two-legged serpentine creatures.

According to Merriam-Webster, wyvern (an altercation of the Middle English word for "viper") is "a mythical animal usually represented as a 2-legged winged creature resembling a dragon." the keyword here would be "resemble." Not an actual dragon, but close enough in appearance that I would be able to get away with using it represent one. Further digging through The Alchemy Website (which I highly recommend for a fun filled afternoon) revealed a number of engravings from a volume by Abraham Eleazar that I believe is from 1735. I don't read German, so maybe you can figure it out. Alchemically, the dragon was a very powerful allegorical symbol as it represents a dual natured mercurius in the first stage of creating the philosopher's stone. Chaucer approached the subject very poetically ([Hermes] seith, how the dragoun doutless,/ Ne deyeth nay, but-if that he be slayne,/ With his brother; and that is for sayn,/ By the dragoun, Mercurie and noon other/ He understood) but leaves me scratching my head going "huh?" Thankfully good ole' Nicholas Flamel comes to our rescue in his work Hermetic Museum with his disciption if the dragon's symbolism. Looke well upon these two Dragons, for they are the true principles of beginnings of this Phylosophy ... The first is called Sulphur, or heat an driness, and the latter Argent-vive, or cold, and moisture. These are the Sunne and Moone of the Mercurial source." Flamel later reveals that the winged dragon represents Argent-vive (the female aspect of Mercurial) because it is borne away through the air ... because in a certain degree it flies away or evaporates. One should also note that the magical mercurial waters produced in this process were called dragon's blood. I have a number of thoughts concerning the alchemical role of the dragon in Yeats' Elemental Powers, but they need to be clarified just a little bit more before posting.

This blog certainly ended up in a completely different place than it started, but it has presented me with a new symbol to investigate. All that is to say, both the artistic and academic me are presently quite happy with the two-legged dragon.

Image 1: Illuminated letter "the" from The Poet Pleads with the Elemental Powers - 2008, Hilary Lindler. all rights reserved

Image 2: 142x94mm engraving from pg. 8 from Abraham Eleazar's book