Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:03:00 -0700
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Arden 53

Arden
by: dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)


53: The New And The Old

1319, 10th month, day 15:

Mommahad visited me this afternoon.  He is now well established in the
university's philosophy department.  He is studying the application of
mathematics to the value of goods and services or Economics.  He is looking
at the work of Aristotle and other Greek and Roman writers on the subject.
(TN: Economics as a discipline is relatively late, probably 18th Century.
In Arden's time it would be philosophers that mostly dealt with these
questions.  Some religious scholars or philosophers, like Thomas Acquires
also addressed the question.  Later the Scholastics developed schools of
thought.  Parga's, Arden's and Mohammed's work would be ground braking; by
combining philosophical thought and mathematics, to develop measurement
techniques and theories.  It would take many years before the inward
looking Scholastics and theological obsessed, would pay any attention to
advances like this.  The classic, "not thought of here" and the reluctance
of these scholars to consider disciplines like mathematics as real and
relevant, were the cause.)  He was interested in my ideas about measuring
production, productivity, value and so on.  I explained how I wanted to
apply some rational measurements to and analysis of making investment
direction decisions, for the state.  It is important to understand how
these differ or if they differ from those of citizens or guilds.  We
examined my efforts on tax reform as an incentive for export.  We also
talked about the influence of price and availability on consumption.

I thought it important to compare Aristotele's ideas of intrinsic value and
the Roman ideas of what ever the buyer is prepared to pay.  Mohammed
thought that by careful measurement these two ideas and others, could be
compared and understood.  I thought the measurements would also help in
striking the right balance between monopoly regulation and free market.

We also talked about the need for the state to make investments of
resources, where the only direct return is the good of the people. (TN: The
Public Good) Roads, education and water systems are examples of this.  That
is where the idea of intrinsic value becomes most important.

Mommahad thought that such investments not only had an intrinsic value but
that those investments allowed for or assisted other economic value and
that benefit and or cost could be measured.  He used the improvement of the
Koalhurst to Castle road, as an example.  Since it was improved the cost to
delivering koal per unit of weight, has gone down and the volume of Koal
increased, all using the same number of workers and animals.  That
investment of tax has given benefit to the koal producers, the koal users
and therefore the state.  That benefit, he argues, is a return on the
investment.  (TN: Arden and Mohammed are developing a refined idea of
capital here, all be it primitive by today's standards.  We must remember
that the concepts of public works for the public and or state good, are
very ancient, as is the idea of investment and profit or return.  They were
well understood by themselves and the ancients.  What was not well
understood, was how to measure these in terms of what we would call GDP, a
concept they have not yet mentioned.  Something they had no definition of
or way to measure.  In effect they had good ideas of micro economics.  They
seem to be developing some concepts or trying to at least, of macro
economics.

Earlier Arden told us that no citizen wanted for food or shelter.  He did
not tell us how this was accomplished or how it was financed.)

I was hoping his work would help me in establishing the appropriate price
of secure valuable storage.  After our discussion I am convinced of it.  My
officials have already estimated the investment cost.  We have a good idea
of the operating cost.  Mohammed will try and calculate the intrinsic value
and estimate the price users are prepared to pay.  If profitable we will
proceed, if not we will not.  Obviously Parga's investment in its' strong
military adds something to the value of the service.  It gives the client
confidence in our claim of security.  That is the heart of its intrinsic
value.  Ultimately that is what they will be paying for.

When my boys realized that my visitor was Mohammed they were all around us.
The concentration of naked boy was beginning to stimulate feeling in my
groin and Mohammed's too.  He may be stimulated by them, as any man would
be but he is truly not interested in sex with males.  I know they are still
trying to find William a mentor.  He will be 12 in a few months and Kastor
feels he should become a page.  The palace music director feels William
should continue to study music, specifically voice.  If he moves to the
page position, along with his foster brother and studies voice with the
singing master, Alexandros would make a good mentor for him.

That leaves me with finding a suitable mentor for Edward.  He will be
returned next week.  I have asked Kastor to also place him in the pages
program during the winter which will leave him free for the gardens in the
summer.  Kastor has agreed.  This will allow him to live close to us and
his brothers.  Perhaps Damao would like to mentor him, if that be the case,
then he would have two mentors for Heron can not be expected to simply
disappear.  It would also mean he would always have a friendly bed to sleep
in as one of them is almost always available.

I am soon to be a father again.  All three of the ladies Euthalia arranged
for me are now with child.  This has made mother very happy along with
other like events.  It appears that all of the available young palace
ladies between 15 and 17 are now with child or are nursing babies.  She is
also most pleased, that except for Iason, all of the fathers have
recognized their children and are involved in their care.

Eudoxia will return to work as will Alexandros next week.  Kastor wants her
to train a replacement page for her role as chief female page.  This
assistant chief will take over when her expected pregnancy moves into the
7th month.  Since we have not seen Iason as yet, we do not know his plan or
Sophia's.  It is not like we have a shortage of princes here.  He is missed
greatly, however he is not greatly needed, except by me in our bed.  Father
seems to realize this.  He has said nothing but both he and Uncle seem to
be much more attentive to me then is normally the situation.  Nikias and
the other are ever at the ready, so I am not left wanting, except for that
which no other can provide, the kisses originating from the lips of my
beloved.

Tertius has whispered in my ear that it was him who slept with Karyakos
during those times, when the then Crown Prince was otherwise occupied.
"They took me to their bed when I was a new page.  I never felt anything
but love from them both.  That was a place I kept until I married and move
to my estate.  We three were inseparable for eight years as I was 20 before
I married."


1319, 10th month, day 18:

On the 16th day I sat in my court to hear civil proceedings.  These are not
criminal cases but mostly disputes between citizens.  As I listened the the
arguments, it became clear that in few of these case were any laws broken.
What the litigants need was not a judicial ruling but mediation.  Even in
those situations where terms of a contract were breached, the remedy was
little more than the state requiring the terms be honored.

I do not mind being an arbitrator.  If all that is required is arbitration,
would it not be more useful and less costly, to do just that and not
involve the court, unless some impasse or legal question need be ruled on.
I asked Poly and Kas for their advice.  It did not take us long to realize
what we should do.  It was the how that required some discussion.

We presented our ideas to Father and Uncle.  They liked the concept but
cautioned us, organizing such things would take much political discussion.
They told us that during and before the time of Hector the 9th, Iason the
1st. father; Parga had quasi judicial courts run by the heads of the large
families.  Iason 1 disbanded them as they had become fractious and more
self serving than fair.  Kastor suggested we create a mediation or
arbitration service that had no judicial power.  I thought this would help
to solve a good portion of the disputes and those that could not be
resolved could then move on to my court.  Uncle suggested a two step
process with mediation and if that failed arbitration and if that failed
court.  The court would have benefit of the arbitrators recommendations but
that would not be binding.

Polydeukus suggested, if the mediator identified a point of law that need
rule and was unable to resolve difference, the arbitration should be
skipped and the dispute sent by him to the court.  Kastor thought if we
involved the heads of the families the process would gain political
support.  Father added that to avoid the earlier problems the mediator and
arbitrator should not be from either family in the dispute and it should be
a panel with both men and women on it.  The men and women should be older,
experienced people, who are well thought of in the community.

When we proposed this to the council they were in support but thought the
parties should not be forced to this.  One Knight thought it should only be
suggested, another thought encouraged.  Another wondered if we are not
taking away the ancient right of families to resolve their own differences.

I told them that method must have failed, otherwise I would not be seeing
such things so often in my court.  Often I simply ask both parties what
they thought a fair solution would be.  Often they both say the same thing,
I order it so.

The council agreed with our approach and asked us to present a detailed
plan that covers the recruitment, selection and operational details.

Yesterday we met with the General and Raffaele, to up date them on our
situation with Bejaia.  Both were more than pleased that the stealth prank
was successful.  He told us that the plan we had outlined, from a military
view was sound and incorporated all of the advice he and others had given
us.  "it is never wrong to have made a well thought through plan or to be
prepared.  You young men did well and should be proud of the fact.

It is always best if your political goals can be met through political
means.  "Military affairs, wars and battles are not unlike the gambling
games, you boys play with those things called cards."  (TN: Cards and their
games did not appear in Italy and France until about 1370.  They were in
the Eastern Roman Empire before that, having come from China, probably
along the Silk Road and were in use by the Ottomans and other by the late
1200's.)  "Unlike chess, in your card games one can bluff, since the card
you hold are not seen by your opposition.  Gambling, until the introduction
of your cards, was mostly some form of dice.  It is more ancient than our
history.

In some ways war is a gamble.  For chance plays a large part in it.  That
is probably why military men are so fond of gambling.  I think too fond at
times.  The political is also a gamble.  The stakes can be as high,
although usually much less dangerous and chance often plays a smaller part.
Your little prank was a gamble of sorts.  You gambled that you could
accomplish your objectives with few losses.  You were successful.  Greatly
so, since you never needed reveal the remainder of your clutch." (TN: Arden
used the word clutch, as to grasp and hold.  A group of cards held in one's
hand is called a hand in English.  Arden's clutch is a good descriptive
term in either language, just less meaningful to modern English speakers
than hand.)

Today, after our sports we were relaxing in our quarters.  Odo came and
read us some of his new poems.  This is always a delight for us and Odo is
highly prolific.  He wrote one about receiving a hug from your lover while
sleeping.  Part of it is here.  I don't think he intended to stir my
deepest privet feelings but I miss my Iason so.  This poem was like Iason's
hand moving over my arm or back.

I dozed, I slept.  My sleep broke on a hug, Suddenly, from behind, In which
the full lengths of our bodies pressed: Your instep to my heel, My
shoulder-blades against your chest.

It was not sex, but I could feel The whole strength of your body set, Or
braced, to mine, And locking me to you As if we were still twelve When our
grand passion had not yet Become comfortable.  [Thom Gunn (1929 -- 2004), a
part of his poem The Hug, with a few words modified.  Your Author could do
no better himself.  He believes the feelings and emotions expressed are
consistent with Arden and the story plot.  He feels lovers in 1319 would
have thought, felt and even expressed these same emotions, in about the
same terms.]

Odo told us that he was working on four new ship's anthems, for the
Princess Class.  He was hoping to have one or two of the female musicians
assist him with the music.  Me thinks my boy is interested in more than
musical collaboration.  He is growing to be a very handsome young man.  He
may be slightly built and girlish in appearance but like Ikaros, he is all
male under the mask.


1319, 10th month, day 19:

The tempered glass experiments have been highly successful.  We were all
given new sun spectacles and those that need them, reading or seeing
spectacles.  New and larger kilns are being designed.  The small kiln now
being used can only make 24 lenses at a time and 4 batches a day.  The
additional cost of tempering is small on a per lens basis; if kilns, large
enough to handle 48 or 64 lenses at a time can be built, almost none.  I
will get Mohammed to look at this and try out his calculations.  Perhaps he
can predict the optimum kiln size taking account of fuel, investment and
other costs.  Since most of the sun spectacles are flat and little grinding
is required the price of these tempered lenses may be less then untempered.

The Timers are now being produced and by year end, every coach in Parga
that needs one should have it.  It will take two more years to produce all
that have been requested.  As I predicted, many will be in the university
and other schools.  The military wants a goodly number.  Once they are in
use many changes and improvements will result.  The ingegneres assure me
that many existing clocks can be refitted to become timers.

This was not possible on the ship's clocks.  Since they are fewer in
numbers it is less a cost.  The ship's clocks that are being replaced, have
found homes in other parts of the military.  I know Iason is interested in
having military units practice coordinated efforts, war games, based on
appointed times, agreed well in advance.  Accurate to the minute may be all
the better they require.  Many want smaller, highly portable, if less
accurate clocks for this and other purposes.

Edward arrived last week and is now making himself at home here.  He and
Philon have begun to form a friendship and I am sure they will grow to like
each other.  I have looked over Edward's journals and find them most
fascinating.  He not only began working with the breading of plants but
with the effects, application of different substances to the soil, have.

Every farmer knows that rotted animal dung and stable waste, when mixed
with the soil, helps grow better crops.  We also know that moving a crop
and replacing it with a different one annually, also keep fertility higher.
Edward carefully measured the rotted dung and found how much is best for
several different plants.

He also made a potash solution from wood or koal ash and water.  This is
needed for soap production but when diluted and the water used, he found
some plants respond better than others.  Hemp was one that responds well to
several waterings a season with this potash water.  Several common
vegetables and melons also responded well.  Peas responded well to this but
that was also dependent on the soil.

Philon told me his father always made sure the same vegetable was not
planted in the same place two season following each other.  I remember
Abrith telling me to mix the fire place and other ashes with the stable
waste, which he allowed to rot for two seasons before using it.  Edward
agreed that was good but some plants appear to like the ash better then the
rot, others the reverse and some both equally.

Edward brought many seeds with him.  These were seeds from his breading.
Each group of seeds were described, so the resulting plants will have a
known history.  With our new irrigation system, now in place, the amount of
water will be the same for all the plants.  The castle garden soils are
relatively uniform, at least to my eye.  That will give the boys control
over several potential variables for next year's experiments.

Father and Uncle are hiding something from us.  We think it has to do with
mother's health.  So far we have not be able to confirm this.  Uncle and
mother have forbid anyone from talking about it.  Those who know, out of
respect for them, are saying nothing.

Edward quickly reestablished himself as one of the most desirable of young
men in our company.  He will begin his page duties next week.  Both he and
Philon will attend classes with professors who study living things.  I
noticed on his last visit, that my brother and brother in law had done well
by him.  He left here skilled and came back much more practiced and with an
even greater desire.  I think Philon needs spend some time in Koalhurst as
do I.  I think I shall have a modest home built near my parents, where my
young children can learn of the rural life and get to know their cousins
Philon will need take the triplets and his mother to his home village as
well.  Perhaps they need a third member of their team.

Damao thought mentoring him would be a good thing for both of them.  Their
interests are so different that they have a great amount to learn from each
other.  I think Poly wanted Captain Darkon or Silas to mentor Edward but
they both have eromenoses interested in the military arts.


1319, 10th month, day 21:

Yesterday Justus and Joulous came to my office with several of the senior
Argoanuts.  They brought me a material budget and work plan, to install the
lamps in the plaza by the soloists.  These lamps would be different from
the ones now illuminating the statue.  They would be large glass globes on
tall poles, with copper hats.  The water and Koallime would be placed in a
box that was lit and slid up the pole.  The flame burning inside the glass
globe caused it to glow and the hat reflected the light down.  The hats are
parabolas like the signaling devices only larger.  They told me each charge
would produce light for 4 hours.  (TN: Koallime is a term Arden or someone
else must have invented.  He is talking about carbide as pointed out
before.  This is the first time he has used the term.  It is descriptive.)

The Argoanuts would be responsible for all construction and for charging
the lamps each day and lighting them.  They were requesting money for 10.
At a cost of 50 drachmae each.  I cut them to six for now.  The estimated
cost of the fuel would be 65 drachmae a year but I knew other costs,
replacement ropes, glass globes and so on would amount to something.  I
also thought they should visit the mayor and seek his agreement before
proceeding.  He has always been supportive of the Argoanuts and their
efforts at making the plaza a place that citizens were proud of and wanted
to spend time in.  He is most cooperative when his budget is not effected.

I sent them off to Kastor as dealing with the mayor and municipal affairs
in general are part of his duties.

During our evening meal the conversation came around to the subject of
lamps in the plaza.  Uncle though it a good idea.  He suggested we try and
find a way to distribute these gases as we do water.  That would mean the
number gas production boxes could be minimized and the lamps in an area
increased.

I thought this a good task for the ingegneres at the Prince Helladios
Academia.  Polydeukus suggested we look at replacing our candles and oil
lamps with these lights in the castle.  He reasoned, if one or two of these
new lamps could replace ten or twenty candles or oil lamps, that should
save money and free those materials for other uses.  Not only that but he
pointed out, it now takes a staff of 20, a full day to service all the
candles and lamps in the public and working areas of the castle.  That did
not include the torches we used outside or all the candle and lamp
maintenance required in privet areas, like our apartments.

We summoned Darkon who listened to our discussion.  He quickly brought over
two of his young apprentices.  I suggested we meet again in the afternoon
with Mohammed.  I also needed to find out who designed the system the
Argoanuts were proposing as well as the manufacturer.  I also needed to
know if the Lime Producers Guild could produce enough of this Koallime.

When I told the three terrors about the meeting and discussion, they
volunteered to give up their sports to be included.

I was most surprised at the attendance of the meeting this afternoon.  I
too had given up my sports for it and with such a large group assembled,
quickly realized it was not a great sacrifice.  Even Helo was present and
that surprised me.

The ingegneres quickly explained why we could not make these gas generators
to large and why we could not have many lamps from one source, unless they
were only a very short distance apart.  They pointed out a large generator
would make pressures that would be to difficult to properly and safely
contain and that we had no way of making tubes to cary the gas further than
a couple of feet.  It was decided to put effort into addressing these
questions.  For now it was best to keep this small.

I was impressed that everyone shared their information and ideas.  Helo was
the only one who said nothing.  He seemed to be drawing with a stick of
charcoal on some paper.

The palace lamp maker, who was to build the lamps for the plaza, explained
his design and the limitations on size.  He had even brought a couple of
smaller lamps for us to inspect.  Mohammed quickly calculated the amounts
of koallime that would be needed for different numbers of flames of
different sizes.  We estimated the number of lamps the palace would need.
The lime guild told us they could only supple half of what would be needed
with present production facilities.  He told us it would take six months to
build the needed kilns to meet what we were suggesting.  One Ingegnere from
the Academia suggested that if the generator's internal design were
altered, that the same time of gas generation could be had from less fuel,
as a more complete reaction with the water would be possible.  He did not
know yet how much koallime would be save by this.

Just as we were about to finish and send everyone off to do their
calculations and experiments, Helo spoke.  He show us his drawing.  What he
had done was taken the example of the lamps and developed ideas for design
changes and created a picture of a lamp that could be placed on any wall.

It had a large reflector, the flame that came from the center.  The
generator and fuel chamber hung below and was behind the reflector.  It was
about a foot tall.  The bottom half of the generator cylinder came off for
easy recharge and the top half was the water chamber.  A small tube ran
from the generator up the side to the reflector and came out of its center.
The water control valve was actuated by a lever on the side.  It could sit
on a table or hung from a wall or existing chandler.  He showed the
reflector and its' flame could be made to point in any direction while the
generator always remained upright.  That was one of the requirements
everyone recognized.

As the drawing was passed around everyone praised his cleverness.  I asked
the lamp maker if he could build such a thing.  He quickly agreed it could
and should be so.  The Ingegnere suggested his chamber modifications would
easily fit inside of the lower half.  Darkon suggested it could be built in
different sizes, depending on the amount of light needed.  Helo thought the
size of the reflector should be related to the size of the flame or opening
and that size to the length ratio was related to diameter of the cylinder.

The Ingegnere agreed as did the lamp maker.  The amount of fuel needed
depends on the number of hours it was to be used and the size of the flame.
Darkon's apprentices would work out the number of lamps of different sizes
that would be required and the amount of fuel needed.  The lime guild
thought this a good idea.  The castle metal workers would collaborate with
the lamp maker and the Ingegnere to develop the best and most efficent
production techniques.  If the parts are essentially all identical, like
the gears and other parts of clocks, then production could be done in many
shops at once.

Joulous thought this lamp should be called a Helo Lamp in honor of its
designer.  Much to my boy's delight everyone agreed.  We also agreed to
meet again in one week.  I know Helo has artistic abilities but I had no
idea he was as accomplished as he is.  He took a prototype idea and some
suggestions about function and created a new thing.  He visualized it from
top, front and side, made drawings that were clear and almost to scale.
His design is graceful, functional and simple.  I was so proud of him.

He will work with Darkon's apprentices and make both size and shape
variations based on requirements for the next meeting.

The lamp maker was even more impressed than I.  He joined Helo, the twins
and myself for tea and some discussion.  He was most interested in learning
how Helo had created such a thing with no training in the lamp makers arts.
Helo lacking the training but knowing what lamps are supposed to do and
having seen from his sample, how they would work; he thought in the
reverse.  "I thought to light a dark area that these elements would be
needed and I just put them together with no thought of exactly how it would
be done, just what the thing might look like to do it," Helo commented.

It was his lack of training and experience that allowed him to see what was
possible.  He knew the function and from his view the form should follow
it.  No one had yet told him Plato thought all things had an ideal form.
He did not have any notion of how these lamps worked, only that they did.
He knew from experience how limited a candle or lamp flame was.  He knew
that putting a reflector on one side could help illuminate his room better.
From the discussion he realized the flame of his new lamp would be hotter
than oil or candle and from our signaling system the purpose of the
parabola to focus light.  Being hotter it must be kept away from flesh and
flammable things or shielded by glass.

For him combining these things was just normal and natural.  Helo while
pleased that this new design would be call a Helo Lamp was puzzled that no
one else had thought of it before.  To me, creativity is, in essence taking
that which we have and combining it in some way differently than what
existed before.

I could see the lamp maker was himself creative and as we talked he and
Helo seemed to inspire more new ideas between them.  Justus suggested that
the diameter and curvature of the reflecting parabola could be calculated
in advance.  Joulous added the idea that light should be thought of as
parallel lines and that the curvature of the parabola should be related to
the area to be illuminated and the distance of source to object.  Joulous
also pointed out that Aristotle showed light traveled as waves but for our
purposes parallel lines would offer simpler geometry and had not Alhazen
not shown light travels in straight lines be it a wave or not.  He thought
to spread the light to a wider area an arched surface would be best.  I see
he has been paying attention in geometry class.

The lamp maker suggested the amount of light falling on the object was also
related to the brightness and size of the flame. I gave them some
suggestions on how to organize themselves.  Joulous thought the lamp maker
should be the primary coordinator.  His name is Androkles.  Justus thought
Androkles should be given an appointment to the Academia for this purpose.
He wanted to think about it, which only makes sense.

I could see the twins and Helo were all very satisfied with themselves.
They should be, they all did very well.  On reflection I should not have
been so surprised at Helladios' creativity as I was.  He has always
displayed that.  He is also more interested in math than art, although he
does have some talent their.  I suspect he will excel in some form of
ingenereing.  He is also much advanced, as Iason and I were, for his age.
He will be twelve soon and I think seeking much more than the three terrors
did at that age.

It is now only two months to the soloists.  I do hope Iason is returned to
us soon.  I can not think of organizing the Prince's Ballizien without him.
Not that we are not capable, we are that but Iason is just so theatrical, a
talent we seem to lack.


1319, 10th month, day 23:

Yesterday, Kleitos, Polydeukus and I sat to plan for our equine needs.
With the coming new year new plans and new budgets are required.  Kleitos'
health has been much improved since he moved back to our apartments.  The
priests at Apollo's Temple have given him some herbs to take on a daily
basis and they too seem to ease his suffering.  He told me that spending
time in the mountains during the hottest and driest part of the summer has
also helped his breathing.

Having so many live with us, it is often difficult to keep our business to
our offices and not allow it into our privet time.  Kleitos is one of the
most disciplined of us and he almost never talks of business in the
apartment.  We often talk of horses and training but not of operating
business.  For that I am most grateful.  His self discipline is most
inspiring to all, mostly myself.

Today almost everyone in our apartments were sick, including me.  It was
the most terrible thing.  Not only did we feel weak but we were all
suffering from fevers and all voided from every portal.  At one point my
eyes tired as if to cry.  Ikaros and Solon were the only ones not effected.
He told me even the King and Father, as well Dysme and their two Ganymedes
were huddled in the King's bed, not able to move.

The physicians brought us a bitter drink made from the still waters of
Apollo's Tempe and the extract of Willow bark. (TN: the Egyptians used
Myrtle and the Durids Meadowsweet. The Greeks, English and others Willow,
including the North American Aboriginal.  Salicyic acid was not know to any
of them but the effects were.  Just when us moderns figure we are so smart
and advanced I learn about something like this from Arden.  I looked it up
and find our ancient ancestors knew a lot more than we give them credit
for.)  I did not like the taste, so Ikaros mixed in the juice of oranges
which helped to mask it.  I must admit that this drink did help greatly in
cooling myself and the others.  Some how it moderated the fever, making us
more comfortable and reduced the feeling of having just been in a battle
with some Titan or another.

The physicians also ordered us to eat as much food: fruit, vegetables and
soup, as we were able.  At first I could not keep the food in but vomited
almost as soon as eaten.  By this evening I am feeling somewhat better and
can keep simple fruits down.  I am still very hot and sweating profusely.
(TN: After all this time Arden's sweet can still be seen on the pages, as
brown stains where they dropped from his brow and smudges from his fingers.
He did not finish this entry, the period is mine.  Willow bark is rich in
salicylic acid, the core compound in aspirin, as we would call it.  Willow
bark is also rich in certain plant hormones that promote root growth.
These compounds are benign to humans.  You had no idea your translator was
so well rounded in his knowledge did you?  Anyway it is obvious the
ancients knew about the powers of salicylic acid.  This knowledge came to
them from people they would call ancients.  They had no name for ASA and it
had not been isolated from the thousands of other chemicals that make up
tree bark.  Although Arden does not say it, your translator suspects, the
drink he was given had some honey added to moderate the bitterness as well
as oranges and lemons.)


1319, 10th month, day 25:

I could not continue and Ikaros assisted me to lay down.  I did sleep, as
did we all, for much time.  Solon would often wake us and give us more to
drink and eat.  Some of the young pages were so weak they need assistance
to use the toilet.  I awoke close to noon today and all was normal with me.
My fever was gone, I did not feel overly weak or become dizzy when I stood.
I do still feel weak in comparison to my usual self and have no desire to
run or even walk very far.

By our evening meal, most but not all were feeling better.  So much so that
we joined in the baths.  I think I smelled, I know my brothers did.  That
is when I learned that over half of the palace had or has this same fever.
Others seem not to have been touched by it.  Umar and Euthalia were, the
babies not.  The babies are often mildly sick and mother and older brother
not.  I find this all very strange.

What ever is the cause of this sickness, must some how move from one to the
next.  If the Atomists are to be believed, all things are made up of small
particles.  Perhaps it is some of these particles that have escaped from
its larger body, that are the cause.  If we take the Atomists' ideas
further; smells and some vapors must be made of particles to small for us
to see.  We know the pollen of some plants is so small, that unless in
large mass, is very difficult to see without a double convex lens.  Then if
some particles can cause the smell why not make us sick?  It is obvious
that the bark extract, a liquid I am told, when mixed with water, helped us
with the fever.  I believe it did for me.  Did those small particles of the
Willow bark get into the water we drank? (TN: Arden must be feeling much
better, as he said, for he wrote several more pages of atomistic
speculation which I have edited out.)  I am more comfortable with this idea
then spells, talismans or magic powers.


1319, 10th month, day 27:

Many of the knights were also ill, as are a goodly number in the city.  I
was surprised to learn that a number of deaths over the last several days
is increased and the speed with which it spread.  I guess if a person is
close, something like this is all that is necessary to push them over.  The
number of small children was almost as great as the very old.  The castle
children so far have been spared but several of the very old scrummed.

Thoren has been telling the children and anyone else who wished to listen,
the tails of Odysseus.  As he spoke I could but imagine this blind poet was
the original.  I was reminded how powerful a story this, made more so by
its poetic or narrative nature.  It also struck me how powerful a tool for
teaching as well.  I like the Iliad better.  I think it a better poem.  The
Odyssey perhaps a better adventure.  Perhaps I am drawn to its' story as I
too, am a handsome prince with heroic characteristics, lost, trying to
navigate a "wine dark sea".  (TN: The quotation marks are mine.)  Like
Odysseus I do not seek adventure, something that seems to find me as it did
him.  Now that printed copies of both are widely available and inexpensive,
every boy in Parga can read them for himself.

The poet's most important task is reflecting ourselves, our struggles and
our values, back upon us.  Their words are the mirror that reflect us to
ourselves.  Plato I think, was not quite correct, as he treated the poets
harshly.  He believed we should use reason and reason alone to examine
ourselves and our relationships with our gods and between us.  I understand
his point and do not disagree with it.  What he forgot or chose to ignore,
was the power of the story.  If other men are like me and I would imagine
most are, they are like Iarus, not looking in two directions at once but
they have to sides or faces, the rational and the emotional.  We men need
both in our lives, with a balance between.

Today I was summoned to convene my court.  When I arrived in the room I was
quite surprised to find the room quite full.  The sheriff and 5 Argoanuts
were standing behind 14 boys.  The boys all looked like they had been in
some kind of fight, bruises and cuts were common and most had tunics in
desperate need of repair.  Many citizens were in attendance.  I took many
of them to be the parents.  They appeared to be in two groups, so I took
this to be some kind of dispute.

The Sheriff told me these boys were here for having breached the public
peace.  "These boys were fighting with fists, sticks and stones.  It was
only with the help of these Argoanuts that I was able to put a stop to it."
The Argoanuts did not look any worst for their part, so I assumed the boys
had not resisted, either ending the battle or coming to my court.  The
sheriff told me what he had seen and done.  The Argoanuts told what they
had seen and done.  It was not clear to me why the boys were fighting or
why they were attempting to hurt each other, instead of holding some kind
of nonviolent contest.

I began questioning the boys one at a time but they all seemed reluctant to
give me satisfactory answers as to reasons.  It was clear they all told the
same general story about what had happened.  It was clear they formed to
different groups.  The school master was called and he told me these boys
all attended his school and had been in class this mroning.  He could or
would offer little else.

I was not satisfied and on surveying the spectators again realized none
wished to speak freely before their parents and the others.

I went down the line again asking each if they had been fighting and
braking the public peace as the sheriff and Argoanuts suggested.  Each
answered they had been.  I did not let them go on, just yes or no.  Then
you are all guilty of this infraction.  I do not think that you boys have
been completely forthright as to the cause of this.  Without knowing the
cause I do not believe a reoccurrence can or will be avoided.  I looked up
at the audience.  Now I felt like Iason on my stage.  I was suddenly very
uncomfortable.

I take it most of you are parents or guardians of these boys.  Many nodded.
I am sure some of you would condemn and others agree with the reasons for
this but we know them not.  I am also sure no responsible loving parent
wish harm to his or anyone else's child.  I am also sure, some are not
loving and probably do wish harm to those who are different or do not share
their philosophy.  I did not say this, I just thought it.

We have established that the peace has been broken and that the braking was
result of actions by these 14 boys.  Your guilt in this is accepted by you?
Each one answered it was.  Punishment or atonement?  Now the answers were
different, half for punishment and half for atonement.  The division was
clear and grouped to show me who was attacked and who was defending.
Attackers for atonement and defenders punishment.

I asked the parents for their opinions, it was clear those who had been
attacked were for punishment of the attackers.  Atonement was not an
option.  One parent even said so, his son was defending himself.  Another
said he backed his son's actions.  That is when I realized this was not a
dispute between the boys but between the parents.

You all realize that what ever is metered out will be the same for all.
The murmuring started.  None thought that fair.  I said, it is clear that
none of the reasons for this have been completely given.  None of the
reasons present here are sufficient to justify doing harm to another on any
rational standard.  No reason short of defending ones life would be
acceptable to Prince Arden.  Since I am here in the role of judge, my
personal philosophy must be set aside.  When asked, none volunteered they
had been attacked or that attack was provoked.  I can only assume this
breach of the peace was planed.  Is that the case?  None answered.  I did
notice several men in the back becoming quite animated and thought this
must have something to do with the situation.

I asked Volos and Heron to bring those men forward.  They did so.  I know
that this court is often short of formality and long on fairness.  I do not
appreciate spectators that wish to hold parallel proceedings in the same
room.  Were your discussions germane to this affair or some non related
side issue?  "Not germane Sir", one replied.  I could see these men were
related to three of the boys.  Then please join your fellow citizens and
give indulgence to them and this court.

I am still not satisfied that I have all the facts before me and the day is
growing to a close.  The court will adjourn until the 11th hour tomorrow.
Since the defendants have been found guilty of breaching the peace, they
can not be released.  Since they are children and not adults, they can not
stay in the dungeon.  They will stay in the Argonaut Dormitory, these
Argoanuts will escort you there.  I pointed and out they went.  No one was
happy with this.  I thought that good.

............................

http://www.sciencetimeline.net/prehistory.htm

I know that many readers will, as you should, question much of the science
and technology Arden seams to know about. This time line will assist should
you wish to check some of my facts for yourself.  It is a good but
incomplete listing.