Living in the past

Prompted by an interesting point by my friend Restitvtvs on Roman Army Talk about Christians and Martial Arts training, I looked out my copy of 'Prepare to Defend Yourself', Colin Opie 1987 and thought it might be useful to very briefly summarise the main points for anyone interested. If I have oversimplified or misunderstood, I can only apologise.

He wrote as a Christian who got into Aikido and who went on to promote and teach self defence amongst the Christian community and that is the audience of the book.

( Click for the details )

Thus I believe, as a Christian, we should avoid militaristic or obsessive preparation but should be sensible about taking crime prevention precautions and would be justified in using non aggressive self defence to protect ourselves or others from material harm, remembering that ultimately our physical safety is not in our own hands.

"Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men" (Psalm 59:1)

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12: 17-18)

I have my sword!

Not sealed in stone and not re-forged from pieces, but certainly re-made. I was able to give the blade John found for me to Stephen, who re-profiled the point and made a great Type I style wooden handle and scabbard, making it into a superb sword.

( Squee & pic under cut )

Great finish to a great week:

( Cut for rattling on )

There's a project on in York to build another replica longship.

I believe the group has permission to display one of the old Regia fibreglass boats from Naburn Marina at the Jorvik Festival this year to aid the fundraising etc. and should be at Kings Staith on Saturday. I'm hoping to meet up with them, as several members of my Roman group Comitatus are willing to get involved, probably largely as crew in Viking kit, as I understand the group are from the civic side rather than re-enactors / archaeological, but their aim is to make the replica authentic to the best standard.

Their web site is Jorvik Afloat

I'll post more details as I get them. I'll pass on any advice/experience anyone has.

Crossposted to viking_research uk_reenactors regia

Victor and I went out to "demonstrate" some kit in the snow: a hunting party with arcuballista and a light patrol building a shelter. Helena kindly took the photographs and didn't laugh at us at all:

Romans in Snow

My Favourites

Please note the Creative Commons License: not to be used without permission, or there'll be trouble. If anyone would like to use any, please reply on this journal entry, referring to the photo number as given on the album.

Play more: it's good for you.

Comitatus, Dateline 400A.D.

Our biggest event of the year, with cavalry & a record number of tents - thanks to Fortunatus & Fasta who turned my length of canvas & wonky sticks into a dog tent with a few waves of an axe.

( Details )

Picture Gallery:
Comitatus Gallery

My selection

Standouts: Marching out with two full files was great. It makes a fella proud to be a soldier ;-) There was a moment when, being hard pressed by two cavalrymen, I was defending purely on instinct and I realised I had a smile on my face :-)

( Kit Bit )

Comitatus, Dateline 400A.D.

Big filming event, with one show.

( Details )

Standouts: Throwing my kit on the ground & deserting - it makes you wonder at how believers suffered for their faith.

( Kit Bit )

In honour of the neverending rain, the second poem I ever memorised:

The wind blew out from Bergen from the dawning to the day,
There was a wreck of trees and fall of towers a score of miles away,
And drifted like a livid leaf I go before its tide,
Spewed out of house and stable, beggared of flag and bride.
The heavens are bowed about my head, shouting like seraph wars,
With rains that might put out the sun and clean the sky of stars,
Rains like the fall of ruined seas from secret worlds above,
The roaring of the rains of God none but the lonely love.
Feast in my hall, O foemen, and eat and drink and drain,
You never loved the sun in heaven as I have loved the rain.

The chance of battle changes -- so may all battle be;
I stole my lady bride from them, they stole her back from me.
I rent her from her red-roofed hall, I rode and saw arise,
More lovely than the living flowers the hatred in her eyes.
She never loved me, never bent, never was less divine;
The sunset never loved me, the wind was never mine.
Was it all nothing that she stood imperial in duresse?
Silence itself made softer with the sweeping of her dress.
O you who drain the cup of life, O you who wear the crown,
You never loved a woman's smile as I have loved her frown.

The wind blew out from Bergen to the dawning of the day,
They ride and run with fifty spears to break and bar my way,
I shall not die alone, alone, but kin to all the powers,
As merry as the ancient sun and fighting like the flowers.
How white their steel, how bright their eyes! I love each laughing knave,
Cry high and bid him welcome to the banquet of the brave.
Yea, I will bless them as they bend and love them where they lie,
When on their skulls the sword I swing falls shattering from the sky.
The hour when death is like a light and blood is like a rose, --
You never loved your friends, my friends, as I shall love my foes.

Know you what earth shall lose to-night, what rich uncounted loans,
What heavy gold of tales untold you bury with my bones?
My loves in deep dim meadows, my ships that rode at ease,
Ruffling the purple plumage of strange and secret seas.
To see this fair earth as it is to me alone was given,
The blow that breaks my brow to-night shall break the dome of heaven.
The skies I saw, the trees I saw after no eyes shall see,
To-night I die the death of God; the stars shall die with me;
One sound shall sunder all the spears and break the trumpet's breath:
You never laughed in all your life as I shall laugh in death.

The Last Hero, G.K.Chesterton

Melodramatic and over-worked, but most appealing to a teenaged fan of R.E. Howard upon the occasion of the death of the father of his sister's boyfriend. A few good lines for the re-enactor...

My best girl has just landed her PhD in student dropout from Further Education :-)

Result!

N.B. Essay I'd like to get my hands on:

Roman Military Instruments and the Lituus
Renato Meucci
The Galpin Society Journal, Vol. 42, Aug., 1989 (Aug., 1989), pp. 85-97
doi:10.2307/842625