As many of you may know, I truly hate to do this sort of post here that is not a “theological question,” but I think the gravity of the situation somewhat demands it. One could say these are all calendrical matters, and two of them certainly are…
First off, today is the 1944th Dies Natalis of Divus Publius Aelius Hadrianus Augustus, our own beloved Emperor Hadrian.. As he was born in the same numerical year (minus 1900!) that I was, I feel this is an important thing to mark…and as this blog re-started around this time last year, that’s also a noteworthy thing. So, from here on out, this blog will share its Dies Natalis with our great Emperor!
Second, tomorrow is Robert Burns Day–also his Dies Natalis in 1756–which is being celebrated all over the place. We had an event to this effect yesterday at my college, and it was wonderful–we had vegan haggis (honestly the best haggis I’ve yet had, and I’ve had the “real” kind, haggis Chinese dumplings, and vegetarian haggis previously!), and the traditional tatties and neeps but mixed together (which is called “clapshot” in some places), which was also extremely tasty. Depending on logistics, I may attend a formal Burns supper next weekend as well which was postponed due to bad weather last week. I have been a bit sick lately, but still managed to sing six songs and read two poems at our celebration yesterday! And now I have a few images of Burns, one of which will probably be the first of hopefully many in my Poet’s Shrine (or, failing that, one in the Scottish section of my Celtic Shrine…divination pending in either case).
And finally, on a sad (and further Insular Celtic, as it concerns one of the most famous sons of Wales) note, I was very upset to hear yesterday that Terry Jones of Monty Python fame had died earlier in the week on January 21st.
The above photo, from one of the segues in the Monty Python’s Flying Circus episode “Full Frontal Nudity,” has been one of my favorite brief bits of the show for a while because of the way Jones looks at Chapman in that moment before the above happens…you are a very lucky person if you find someone who looks at you in that way! Graham Chapman happens to be the only other of the original Pythons who has died, and in fact he was been a Sanctus in my Antinoan practice for some time. I’m not sure if Jones will be as well, but in any case, the two of them are probably having quite a laugh wherever they are now.
I note this here not only because I’m sure many of you share my grief on this matter, but also because Jones is the only one of the Pythons thus far that I’ve met in person. This was at the International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI, where he spoke at one of the sessions in 2008. I went over an hour early to the event to see if I could catch him as he came into the building, and was able to do just that. I waved at him when he came into the building, and he nodded at me with a smile on his face as he surveyed his surroundings. He went off toward the restroom (as he had just come from the airport), and then on his way back to the lecture hall, I asked him for an autograph and spoke with him for a moment. He was warm, friendly, very funny, and very self-effacing, but also immediately respectful of me and my knowledge simply on his sight of me (which has particular reasons behind it that I won’t get into now!), but given his own scholarly accomplishments and skills, this was superlatively flattering!
I know he was suffering from a particular form of aphasia that prevented him from being able to speak for the last several years, and this must have been absolutely torturous to him since he was a gifted communicator. But no matter what, I wish him every blessing on his onward journey, much peace and strength to his bereaved family and friends, and that all of the Deities of Wales and the many other places that he honored with his attention will support him in his next phases, and may he be remembered and honored upon the Earth forever!
P. SUFENAS VIRIUS LUPUS 