Otharus, on 04 February 2012 - 04:26 PM, said:
I think the high relevance of my post about Ottema was missed.
If he wrote things like this to Over de Linden he may have talked like this too, in meetings of the Genootschap, informally, or who knows where and when.
It may have been a good thing to shut him up.
If only he would have listened to Cornelis and chosen a better translation of that little odd word in the creation myth...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I am happy with Alewyn's 2nd edition, but I must admit that I am disappointed that, despite my several posts here about it, he chose to copy the mistake from Ottema that was copied by Sandbach. It might seem to be a tiny detail, but it makes a huge difference.
Alewyn, can you explain?
Otharus,
I can possibly explain best by first referring to my
interpretation of the OLB’s creation myth rather than to my
translation.
To start with, I have no doubt that the old Fryans had their prejudices and political agendas like anybody else. Fasta, the first Folk Mother or Matriarch after the 2193 BC disaster, had her own agenda. She wanted to make sure that nobody questioned her position or that of the Burgh Maidens or, as I called them in my translation, the “matrons”. As with most politicians, she had to do a bit of “spin” to convince others that she was “the chosen one”.
The OLB tried to create the impression that these pious matrons always worked in the best interest of the nation and they always had all the right answers. In studying the OLB, one come to realize, however, that these women only worked in their own best interest for the most part and in accordance with their own political views and agendas. Most of the Fryans’ setbacks and eventual demise was caused by these women’s narrow-mindedness and self interest. The process was only temporarily halted when Friso arrived on the scene in ca 300 BC.
If you read between the lines, the so-called “divine sanction and fellowship” that Fasta enjoyed, as well as the creation myth was nothing other than her own concoction.
In my second edition on page 86, I tried to explain my view as follows:
"Fasta’s obviously strengthened her own hand by convincing the nation that she enjoyed divine sanction and fellowship:
Upon my servant Fasta I have placed my hopes. Therefore, you must accept her as your Honorary Mother. If you follow my advice, she will hereafter remain my servant as well as all pious matrons who succeed her. Then shall the lamp that I have lighted for you never be extinguished. Its light shall always illuminate your intellect, and you shall always remain as free from foreign domination as the sweet river-water from the salt water of the boundless sea.
She not only established or re-established a corpus of laws under the claimed guidance of Frya, but she also recreated their origins and ancient history:
This stands written on the walls of Fryasburgh in Texland. It also stands in Stavia and in Medeasblik:
“It was Frya’s day, and it was seven times seven years since Fasta was appointed as Folk Mother by Frya’s desire. The burgh of Medeasblik was ready, and a Burgh Matron was chosen. Fasta would light the new lamp and this was done in the presence of all the people, when Frya called from her watch-star so that every one could hear it:
“Fasta, take your stylus and write the things which I may not speak.’
Fasta did as she was told. Thus we, Frya’s children, discovered our earliest history”
You see, I believe that the OLB’s whole creation myth was nothing more than a figment of Fasta’s mind. Despite this “little white lie”, nevertheless, she and her successors always tried to project an image of purity and celibacy. To my mind, therefore, I find Ottema and Sandbach’s translation of the word “odd” to “hatred” or “hate” (“haat” in Afrikaans) to be correct and not the sexual connotation you put to it. (If my recollection of your argument is correct).
Having said all this, I did not loose any sleep over it as the creation myth is obviously not factual.
