Tuesday 12 November 2013

The Life Of A Poul Anderson Blogger

Today, I read, in the original Latin, the historian Livy's account of Hannibal's trek through the Alps with elephants. I prepared a passage at home in the morning, then joined a class to read through it again in the afternoon. The Friends' Meeting House where we hold the class is just below the Castle (see image).

The passage we read began with Publius Cornelius Scipio leaving Rome. We had to break off just as the Carthaginians were about to be ambushed by barbarians in a narrow pass. Readers of The King Of Ys and of the Time Patrol series know of the importance of Carthage. Readers of the latter also know of the importance of the Scipios.

I learned that, although the Duchy of Lancaster has closed the Castle as a prison and opened it to the public with tours and a cafe, its future as presently constituted may be financially unviable so that alternative arrangements might have to be made. The Duke of Lancaster is the Queen of England.

Not having got to gym today, I walked for exercise and visited a friend. Returning home, I meditated, ate, posted about Heinlein on the Science Fiction blog and am now posting this. The rest of the evening will be spent reading, although with a break from Anderson, and maybe watching the television news.

9 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

Yes, I'm certainly aware of the impotance of Carthage in Poul Anderson's works from reading "Delenda est" and THE KING OF YS.

Yes, and I'm also aware of the peculiar status of the Duchy of Lancaster within the United Kingdom. I think the Loyal Toast in the Duchy is "To our sovereign lady the Duke"?

Why not simply again use Lancaster Castle as a prison? Or would it be too costly to modernize it as a prison?

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
I am not sure about the wording of the toast.
I am glad our Castle is no longer a prison although, of course, it just means the prisoners are elsewhere. The Duchy, apparently, wants the Castle to pay for itself so it might become a hotel or more student accomadation, I am told!
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

What caught my eye about the toast used in Lancaster was referring to the Queen as the "duke," instead of "duchess."

I just hope Lancaster Castle is well preserved and maitained, however it is reused.

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
Yes, a Duke ranks higher than a Duchess so the Queen, being Sovereign, has to have the higher title.
Another anomaly is that the Established Church of England is Anglican whereas in Scotland it is Presbyterian.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

Hmmm, I hadn't known that "duke" ranks slightly higher than "duchess." I thought they were equal in rank!

Oh, I knew the Calvinist Presbyterian church in Scotland is the "established" religion. That doesn't necessarily have to mean all Anglicans would disagree with it. My impression is that low church Anglicans are pretty Calvinist themselves.

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
Yes, the C of E uniquely claims to have both a "Catholic" and a "Protestant" wing and some people in between!
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

And I, being a Catholic favoring Aristotelian logic, thought it baffling and contradictory that the Anglican church tolerated DIAMETRICALLY opposed beliefs and views. This sort of intellectual muddle has been very irritating and frustrating for Catholics who have tried to have debates or discussions with Anglicans. Because they got the impression Anglicans did not know what they believed.

Yes, I'm aware of low, high, and "broad" church Anglicans. Very confusing for simple minded Catholics like me! (Smiles)

Sean

Jim Baerg said...

Regarding what you can do with an ex-prison.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_Jail_Hostel
I visited there frequently for about the last year I was living in Ottawa since the Hostel Outdoor Group used it as the meeting point for people to carpool to a hike, ski, or canoe trip.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Jim!

Yes, I can see some former prisons being repurposed as hostels or hotels if the guests don't mind the accommodations being rather spartan.

Ad astra! Sean