#Hudibras

[cjoatprehn]

Happy Escapril! I hope everyone’s having a good day so far. I’m dropping my 3rd poem this month with @adventurerswritingguild third Escapril prompt combined with an AWG specific prompt from their lists! Day 3 is “Eye Contact” with “hand / god / knife.” I shocked myself once more with my writing. There was such emotion this nearly became a short story than just a poem. I channeled several songs and a Rick and Morty quote for inspiration.

Songs and Episode Playing:

Dynasty by MIIA

VILLIAN by Neoni

Freaks by Jordan Clarke

Randy McNally (No Love Like Christian Hate) by TX2

Heaven Was Full (I'm Headed Straight to Hell) by TX2

Step Over a Body by TX2

Rick and Morty S03E06: Rest and Ricklaxation

Trigger Warnings

Religious Imagery

Death mention

Biblical Scripture

Familial Abuse

Christianity Indoctrination

Animal Death Euphemisms

Zombies mention

If There’s (a) God…

By CJOAT

Will update with spoken poetry video later today. 👍🏽

9:01 PM: Updated with a clearer stitched screenshot with Alt text. Dropping the spoken poetry video below:

[#escapril Spoken Poetry] If There’s (a) God… by CJOAT for @adventurerswritingguild’s Escapril

Please leave a like and/or comment on my videos—it helps knowing I’m not getting buried and some people enjoy them.

For my work to cause such a viscerally deep reaction in a relatable or impactful way is my whole drive for creating. When I was younger, it was just to create things that mashed folks smile, like Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night did for me. Now, since I’m aware of many difficult and often traumatizing concepts that folks go through but it kept being swept under the rug or shunned for any reason—I want my work to provide the space for discussion of the uncomfortable.

“Art disturbs the comfortable, and comforts the disturbed.”

That’s my main goal with my work. A driving force to not only comfort but build for better in society.

This deviated from the point of this update as it’s now 9:15PM; but I’m happy to have vocalized it. Today was rather turbulent, so I wanted to get it out.

[wellconstructedsentences]

With vollies of eternal babble.

Hudibras by Samuel Butler

[antiqueanimals]

The Turnspit "Canis vertagus" and the Pug "Le Doguin"

There are two breeds of the turnspit, the one having the forelegs straight, and the other with them crooked. Both are long-backed, short-legged, strange looking animals, and are now rarely kept except as curiosities. Formerly, however, the turnspit had the honour of turning the roast-beef of Old England j but since machinery has been substituted for his fore-paws, Othello’s occupation’s gone. He’s no longer.

"---- a dog that turns the spit,

Bestirs himself, and plies his feet

To climb the wheel; but all in vain,

His own weight brings him back again,

And still he's in the self-same place

Where, at his setting out, he was." (Hudibras)

The right-hand figure in the above engraving represents the pug, a common pet dog a few years ago, but now seldom seen.

Image and text from A Natural History of British and Foreign Quadrupeds. Written by James H. Fennell. 1843.

Internet Archive

[gaynglican]

"Spare the rod and spoil the child" isn't actually in the Bible. It's from a satirical poem called "Hudibras".

Proverbs 13:24 has a similar phrase. The "rod" is a reference to a shepherd's staff, and refers to guiding a child, NOT violence.

The actual quote--"Spare the rod and spoil the child."--first appears in the 17th century, in the satirical poem, Hudibras, written by Samuel Butler. (Hudibras is a satire of Puritanism and heroic poetry.)

In Hudibras Part 2, our "hero" is trying to defraud a rich widow out of her money by marrying her. She has caught onto his plot and wants him to whip himself to prove his love, or else she wants to erotically whip him herself.

She says, "Spare the rod or spoil the child" to him, because she wants to erotically spank him. The verse from Proverbs is satirically perverted here.

(In his 2006 paper, "Spare the rod: The figure of the dominatrix in the literary canon", Jeremy Hugh Baron makes a compelling case for this idea.)

[bobulousburntham]

the craziest thing honestly is that so many of us were beaten as kids because “to spare the rod is to spoil the child” was repeated so often in church, by pur grandparents passed to our parents and those pious fucking asshats were quoting Hudibras a poem in which theyre refering to spanking their lover in bed. Explains why so many of them were so damn weird about it.

There is no reason to have a paddle in the home for beatings that you force your victims to sign afterwards. Each. damn. time.

[wyrmfedgrave]

Pics:

1 & 2. Modern AI images which need a little more time rendering the Hoary Olde Scribbler.

3. The real Ani-maniac? I mean he's wielding the dark magic of the Mad Arab's dreaded Necronomicon!!

4 & 5. Covers to 2 collections of Love- craft's best stories & early short tales.

1914: Output.

Intro: "Ad Criticos" is a collection, taken from HPL's letters, of 4 satirical poems.

These had been sent to the Argosy magazine during the 'Jackson War', which started in 1913.

It's mostly good natured ribbing but, with Howard, you get a lot of history & name dropping!

Work: Right after mentioning Jackson, Lovecraft focuses on the "Ingenious Russell, I forgive (your) slur, since... such clever lines... occur with true Pierian¹ heat inflamed."

John Russell will be mentioned more than anybody else - always showing HPL's high opinion of this 'enemy' writer.

Now, Howard defends his use of old English words.

"My store of knowledge (I) might parade (yet) my words are not beyond reach."

Then, we dive into English history.

"In Charles the 2nd's² vulgar age, the gross Wycherley³ & Dryden⁴ soiled the stage."

Most of the 2nd 'Book' touches upon a lot of Greek mythology.

But, by its end, Lovecraft's favorite southern Civil War soldier⁵ is turned into a deathless martyr - or some- thing like that.

"Louder bawl the... Boeotian⁶ band, Acid quills, fresh... from Cupid's⁷ wing, At me the Myrmidons⁸ of Venus⁹ sling... Amazons¹⁰ in... fury charge!

Book 3 starts with 1 mythological mention, before dropping some poetic names!!

"Beat their wings in Heliconian¹¹ song."

Quickly followed by "Russell, like Butler¹²... schools the times." And, "Points with logic's art, At... Avon's Bard¹³."

HPL then mentions himself, twice - in roundabout ways.

"Were I the Hudibras¹⁴ of our age."

And, "(Oh!) Heavenly Muse¹⁵, your latest pupil see(s), Verse modeled after Pope's¹⁶ (& mine)!!"

This section ends with "Sense, like Browning's¹⁷... a bit obscure. Detested Lovecraft... fierce."

Book 4 starts with poetic nitpicking.

"In true trochaic¹⁸ rage the bard begins, When - Lo! - An odd iambus¹⁹ intervenes."

It all ends with the person who has a decision to make.

"(And) soon a dactyl²⁰ swells the shapeless swarm²¹... When scribes... contend, The Editor alone the fray can end."

Best John Russell mention, "Well turned lines, with... venom writ, counts my failings to display his wit."

Best Howard mention, "The crusty bachelor will rant no more..."

Criticism: Phillip Ellis stated, "(This) is (HPL's) 1st genuine example of his (poetic) ability... (Very few) of his earlier (attempts) have (much) merit."

"Ad Criticos" is of reasonable length... to more fully develop the satire in the (work's) subject... The 4 pieces... combine to create a (poem) that lessens the impact of "On Whitman" & "Providence in 2000 AD."

Sadly, "Ad Criticos" has received little other critical attention - mostly from S.T. Joshi.

Notes:

1. Pierian means of or pertaining to the Muses, Goddesses of Divine Inspiration.

The word comes from the Mt. Pierus area, in Macedonia - homeland of Alexander the Great!

The Muses were worshipped there, because of a spring that granted drinkers literary & artistic skills!

2. This "Merry Monarch" was King of Great Britain & Ireland. His political savvy guided his nation thru religious unrest, the Black Death & more.

His soldiers took New Amsterdam from the Dutch & called it NYC.

But, the Great Plague hit England, killing over 60,000 people.

It was Charles that granted Carolina & R.I. their colonial charters.

3. William Wycherley was a poet & playwright known for his comedies "Country Wife" & "Plain Dealer" which are full of wit, humor & good spirits.

"Wife" reflected aristocratic & anti- Puritan sentiments. It's also full of explicit sexual jokes!

"Dealer" was actually condemned for its obscenities!! But, poets John Dry- den & John Dennis praised it highly."

Wycherley had no title or wealth yet, he ended up sharing King Charles 2's mistresses!!

4. John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator & playwright.

He was England's 1st Poet Laureate & dominated satiric literature during the late 1600s.

5. This was "Stonewall" Jackson, who - in HPL's estimation - "died a hero²³ in (a) glorious cause²⁴."

A man who's "lost, but (is of a) death- less fame. (Such) that lesser men should (not) bear his name!"

6. Of or about the Greek region of Boeotia, whose capital was Thebes - now Thiva.

Thebes was politically strong but, had few good harbors. Still, they're 1 of the oldest inhabited cities on Earth!

The Athenians called these folk "dull & stupid!" Yet, these major rivals ended teamed up against the invading Phillip the 2nd.

In the end, the father of Alexander the Great beat both nations. And, Phillip's son would later destroy Thebes...

7. Cupid was the Roman God of sexual love, affection & erotic desire. This cherubic boy was son of Mercury, messenger God & Venus, Goddess of love.

Anyone (even other Gods) who was shot by 1 of his arrows, would be filled with uncontrollable desire!!

8. Now, any "follower of a powerful person." Especially, an unscrupulous & unquestioning lackey.

They were descendants of Zeus, King of the Greek Gods & Eurymedusa, a seduced by Zeus - in the 'disguise' of an ant!!

They lived in Thessaly, Greece & their leader was Achilles, the great warrior of the Trojan War!

9. Venus, Roman Goddess of love. Also, the bringer of prosperity & good fortune.

She's an ancestor of the Romans, thru Aeneas, her Trojan son by Anchises.

Weird Shit: Venus was born of 'sea foam!' A 'substance' that originated from when Cronus castrated Uranus & threw his dad's penis into the sea!!

10. Amazons were a nation of fierce warrior women that supposedly lived Northeast of Greece, in the Black Sea area.

They were daughters of Ares, the Greek God of War & Harmonia, a demigoddess.

These ladies thought that marriage was a slave sentence! Yet, they mated once a year with the neighboring Gargareans.

Weird Bit: Then, their worst fear came true! The Amazons & Scythians inter- married, founding the Sauromations!!

11. Heliconian means of or pertaining to Mt. Helicon, Greece - which was home to Apollo & the Muses.

12. Samuel Butler was an English poet, critic & satirist who wrote the utopian novel of "Erewhon", "The Way of All Flesh" & "Hudibras", a long satirical poem.

"Hudibras's" story reminds readers of Edmund Spencer's "Faerie Queen" & is thought to be a deliberate imitation!

13. Avon's Bard - Come on folks, who can forget William Shakespeare's nick- name?!! Stratford-on-Aven was this poet/playwright's birthplace!

But, there's a "Bard of Avon" children's book for ages 7+. It contains words that Shakespeare made up!

Like: leap frog, tongue tied & laughing stock, etc...

In the U.K., Shakespeare is better known as "the Swan of Avon."

14. Hudibras is a 'vigorous' satiric poem, written in a mock heroic style.

Its simple plot has the knight named Hudibras being regularly defeated - by women.

So, he comes to the conclusion that women are superior to men...

This 'unique' name is taken straight out of Spencer's "Faerie Queen" - where it's spelled Huddibras.

15. A Muse is one out of nine Greek Goddesses of expressive inspiration.

They were daughters of Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory & Zeus, King of mack daddies!!

16. Alexander Pope was an English poet, satirist, translator & essayist.

Known for "Rape of the Lock", "The Dunciad" & "Essay on Criticism."

Supported himself with subscription fees for his translations of Homer's works.

17. Robert Browning was an English poet & playwright of the Victorian Era.

He created the Pied Piper but, is best known for his dramatic monologues & psychological 'portraits.'

Browning's best work is the 12-book series "The Ring & the Book", the story of a Roman murder trial.

This writer believed that all women should fight for their freedoms - even if they should die for them...

18. Ad Criticos is Latin for "To the Critics." In Spanish, they have the related meanings of "Abusers" or "Scoffers."

Heh.

19. Trochaic, in poetry, is a "falling" rhythm made up of 1 stressed syllable, followed by 1 unstressed sound that's cascading down.

20. Iambus, in poesy, is 1 weak sound followed by 1 strong syllable that's rising up in timbre.

21. Dactyl, in poetry, is 1 strong sound followed by 2 unstressed syllables.

The name is from the Greek Dactyloi, a male race (unholy Amazons?) that's associated with the Great Mother Earth.

22. This "shapeless swarm" wouldn't happen to be shoggoths - would they?!!

Probably not.

But, I find it interesting that these words will soon bear a newer, more Lovecraftian meaning...

23. I don't think so, dude.

"Stonewall" was shot by his own troops!!

He had his left arm amputated & it was buried separately from the rest of his body!

Then, eight days later, "Stonewall" died of a combination of three things: shock, a chest injury & pneumonia.

His last words were "Let's cross the river & rest under the trees..."

"Stonewall's" deathbed was a farm office some 30 miles from his own battlefield troops.

I'd hardly call that heroic...

24. To keep people in slavery is never any sort of 'glorious' cause. Otherwise, the whites wouldn't mind being slaves themselves...

And, the hogwash about "state's rights" is a later excuse.

Southerners knew they'd not make as much money without their unpayed workers...

As is usual, greed runs the world.

[profamer]

Handy Dictionary of Poetical Quotations: Gifts. #poetry #quotes #literature

Gifts. Saints themselves will sometimes be, Of gifts that cost them nothing, free. BUTLER: Hudibras, Pt. i., Canto i., Line 495. Thank you for visiting! Visit Project Gutenberg to find more stories like this!Contact us!+1 (615) 420-2040+55 (22) 99859-1905Send email

[bobdowling]

The Works of Hogarth.

With sixty-two illustrations.

Published by J. Dicks, 313, Strand.

Hudibras. Plate XII. The Skimmington.

[xollii]

"Next succeeded Bladud, [Hudibras'] son, and reigned twenty years. He built Kaerbadus, now Bath, and made hot baths in it for the benefit of the public, which he dedicated to the goddess Minerva; in whose temple he kept fires that never went out nor consumed to ashes, but as soon as they began to decay were turned into balls of stone. About this time [9th century BCE] the prophet Elias prayed that it might not rain upon earth; and it did not rain for three years and six months. This prince was a very ingenious man, and taught necromancy in his kingdom, nor did he leave off pursuing his magical operations, till he attempted to fly to the upper region of the air with wings which he had prepared, and fell upon the temple of Apollo, in the city of Trinovantum [London], where he was dashed to pieces."

-Historia Regum Britanniae by Geoffrey of Monmouth, trans. Aaron Thompson.

King Bladud was real he did all of that

[wikimediauncommons]

file: Hudibras, 1859 - Illustration - v1 p5.png

[frimleyblogger]

Slubberdegullion

Slubberdegullion - a word of invective, now sadly languishing in obscurity #words

Words come into fashion and fade into obscurity all the time in our wonderful language, some shining in the firmament longer than others. While its ability to absorb like a sponge and to loosen its grammatical structure are strengths of the language, English as she is spoken now has lost of its richness and inventiveness. Take invectives. We all use a few choice words from time to time, with the…

[othmeralia]

May 23- World Turtle Day

Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum, 1802

The scene, from an episode in Samuel Butler's mock-heroic epic, "Hudibras," shows the title character as he confronts the astrologer Sidrophel in a clandestine laboratory. Angry at the truths of his past which the astrologer has just revealed, Hudibras makes ready to draw his sword and attack. The scene is filled with details of the alchemical and occult works performed there: the astrologer's charts lie open across the table, joined by a globe, map, and tools of navigation and astronomical observation on the floor. At left, a small glass jar contains a miniature human figure—likely a homunculus, a form of 'artificial life' once considered possible. A stuffed crocodile, a swordfish, a turtle, and other creatures hang from the ceiling. To the upper left hangs a human skeleton with an owl on its shoulder, a reminder of the spectre of death.

Citation: Hogarth, William. “Hudibras Beats Sidrophel and His Man Whacum.” Wove paper. London, England: G. and J. Robinson (Paternoster Row, London, England), June 1, 1802. Science History Institute. Philadelphia. https://digital.sciencehistory.org/works/pk02cb292. 

[harrypotterhousequotes]

HUFFLEPUFF: “And still be doing, never done.” –Samuel Butler (Hudibras)

[un-paso-lejos]

You wound, like Parthians, while you fly,

And kill with a retreating eye.

— Samuel Butler, An Heroical Epistle of Hudibras to His Lady (1678)

زخم ميزنى بوقت گريز همچو پارتيان

و ميكُشى مرا با رميده چشمان

[finnish-art-gallery]

Hudibras Encounters the Skimmington Plate XII, Thomas Cook, 1802, Finnish National Gallery

http://kokoelmat.fng.fi/app?si=RAMSAY+504

[english-history-trip]

Did not a certain Lady whip Of late her husband’s own Lordship? And though a grandee of the House Claw’d him with Fundamental blows Ty’d him stark-naked to a bed-post And firk’d his hide as if sh’had rid-post And after in the Sessions Court Where Whippings Judg’d had honor for’t

This is the story of Elizabeth, Lady Monson, whose husband William, despite being one of Charles I’s judges, began to show favour to the Cavaliers.  To forestall any further punishment (allegedly), Elizabeth chose this way to “shew her disapprobation of her Lord’s naughty actions.” Whatever his leanings, William was imprisoned for life when the monarchy was restored, and Elizabeth got one heck of an epitaph in this line from Samuel Butler’s poem “Hudibras,” displayed under her portrait by Peter Lely in Aston Hall.