Do Not Disavow

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Do Not Disavow By: Rick Davis   When Charlemagne established law Salic in barb’rous land, The gospel flourished, and he saw Christ’s praise on every hand.   (“Do you approve his methods now?”) I do not disavow.   King Godfrey took Jerusalem From bloody paynim hands And brought a halt to Musselmen Invading Christian lands.   (“He did some mean things anyhow!”) I do not disavow.   King Richard with his scarlet shield And passant lions ‘bossed Rode forth again unto the field To regain what was lost.   (“His deeds at Acre you allow?”) I do not disavow.   Unto the Germans Luther brought The gospel full restored, And Calvin at Geneva taught The glory of the Lord.   (“The Jews? Servetus? Holy cow!”) I do not disavow.   Stonewall and Lee like knights of old Fought for their native soil, The true and lovely to uphold Against the tyrant’s spoil.   (“Those vile racists ...
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Words That Can Break Your Heart

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Rereading some Homer today. I am convinced that there is no more moving scene in all of literature than the one between Achilles and Priam in the last book of the Iliad. Every time I read this scene, I start to tear up when I think of these two great men on opposite sides of a bitter conflict. This is Book XXIV lines 503-512.

'Honour then the gods, Achilleus, and take pity upon me
remembering your father, yet I am still more pitiful;
I have gone through what no other mortal on earth has gone through;
I put my lips to the hands of the man who has killed my children.'

So he spoke, and stirred in the other a passion of grieving,
for his own father. He took the old man’s hand and pushed him
gently away, and the two remembered, as Priam sat huddled
at the feet of Achilleus and wept close for manslaughtering Hektor
and Achilleus wept now for his own father, now again
for Patroklos. The sound of their mourning moved in the house…

Comments

Erica said…
The reader for the audiobook I listened to did a great job with this part. He wasn't overly emotional but you could hear his voice start quavering a bit.
14 August, 2013 10:26
Rose said…
oh my.

Antigone does this to me as well...
15 August, 2013 16:43
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