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[leatherbounded]

Giving everything for a dream that you can hold is the only way to go on.

Madeleine Roux, from The Nine Eyes of Lucien

#madeleine roux #the nine eyes of lucien #tneol #critical role #book quotes #literature #p239

[quotesengage]

If I ever do get a hold of you, you won’t need to tell me, he said. I’ll know. But I’m not going to chase too much. I’ll just stay where I am and see if you come to me.

Yes, that’s what hunters do with deer, she said. Before they kill them.

from Beautiful World, Where are You by Sally Rooney

#quotes #book quotes #love #Beautiful World Where are You #Sally Rooney #p239 #complex #relationships

[craftholsters]

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#sig p239 #holsters for sig p239 #sig p239 holster

[amphibious-thing]

I would absolutely love to see examples of historical terminology? I feel like I've only scraped the surface.

So I'm going to focus mostly on 18th century English because that's what I read the most (we will dip a little into French but mostly from an English perspective). Even narrowing the focus there's still kind of a lot. Like I'm probably going to forget something cause there is so much to talk about.

Sexuality

The first thing that's important to understand is sexuality labels were action based not attraction based. This doesn't mean people didn't understand sexual attraction, they very much did, it's just that terminology was based on action not attraction. Terminology was essentially separated into men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women. It also important to remember that these terms were not exclusive to men who only had sex with men and women who only had sex with women but also applied to people who had sex with both men and women.

Men Who Had Sex With Men

Sodomy/Buggery

The terms most commonly used in formal/legal contexts were sodomite and bugger. Bugger comes from buggery and sodomite from sodomy, both of which broadly speaking referred to anal intercourse or bestiality regardless of sex/gender but was most commonly associated with sex between men. The legal definition of sodomy in English common law was as follows:

Sodomy is a carnal Knowledge of the Body of Man or Beast, against the Order of Nature; It way be committed by Man with Man, (which is the most common Crime) or Man with Woman; or by Man or Woman with a Brute Beast. Some Kind of Penetration and Emission is to be proved, to make this Crime, which is Felony both by the Common and Statute Law, in the Agent and all that a present, aiding and abetting; also in the Patient consenting, not being within the Age of Discretion.

~ The Student’s Companion or, the Reason of the Laws of England by Giles Jacob, 1734, p239

However colloquially it was generally used to describe sex between men without the focus on Penetration and Emission.

Related to sodomy were the words sodomitical, sodomitically and sodomiting, these terms were used to describe a person, action or place that was related to sodomy (esp. sex between men) but did not necessarily constitute legal sodomy. (for examples see Trial of Martin Mackintosh, 11 July 1726, A Treatise of Laws by Giles Jacob, 1721, p165 and Trial of Thomas Gordon, 5 July 1732 respectively)

From buggery we get the presumably derogatory term buggeranto. (for an example see The London Spy, part III, published 1703)

Molly

The preferred term used by the community was molly. Rictor Norton explains in Mother Clap’s Molly House:

The early church fathers stigmatised homosexuals as molls or sissies, and secular society called effeminate men molly-coddles and homosexuals mollies; having no other self-referring terms except the even less appealing Sodomite or Bugger, gay men transformed Molly into a term of positive self-identification, in exactly the same way that the modern subculture has transformed Gay (which derived originally from ‘gay girl’, meaning a female prostitute) into a term of pride and self-liberation.

Molly (plural mollies) was a noun:

Sukey Haws, being one Day in a pleasant Humour, inform’d Dalton of a Wedding (as they call it) some Time since, between Moll Irons, and another Molly,

~ James Dalton’s Narrative (1728)

Molly/mollied/mollying could also be a verb:

I was going down Fleet-Street, I was just come out of Jail. This Man, the Prosecutor, is as great a Villain as ever appear'd in the World. I was coming down Fleet-Street, so Molly says he; I said, I never mollied you. My Lord, I never laid my Hand upon him, nor touch'd him; I never touch'd the Man in my Life.

~ Trial of Richard Manning, (17 January 1746)

And mollying could be used as an adjective:

But they look'd a skew upon Mark Partridge, and call'd him a treacherous, blowing-up Mollying Bitch, and threatned that they'd Massacre any body that betray'd them.

~ Trial of Thomas Wright, (20 April 1726)

A molly house was house or tavern that catered to mollies. Molly houses would typically serve alcohol and often had music and dancing. Usually there was a room where mollies could have sex known as the chapel. (see Trial of Gabriel Lawrence, 20 April 1726 for an example of the term molly house in use, Trial of George Whytle, 20 April 1726 and Trial of Margaret Clap, 11 July 1726 for details on the chapel, and Trial of William Griffin, 20 April 1726 for molly houses taking lodgers.)

Mollies also had their own slang which I have a separate post on if you want to learn more about that.

Euphemisms

Euphemisms for men who had sex with other men included Back Gammon Player and Usher, or Gentleman of the Back Door. To navigate the windward passage was a euphemism for anal sex. (see The Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1785.)

References to the classics were also sometimes used as euphemisms. A common example is Zeus's male lover Ganymede. (for an example see Public Advertiser, 4 Sept 1781)

Anal Sex Roles

The roles in anal sex were known as pathic (sometimes spelt Pathick) or patient (bottom) and agent (top). I have a longer post about the cultural perception of roles in anal sex if you're interested in that sort of thing.

Other Terms for Men Who Had Sex With Men

Pederast: In the 18th century the word pederasty was used synonymously with sodomy and did not denote age simply sex. An Universal Etymological English Dictionary (1726) defines “A pederast” as “a Buggerer” and “Pederasty” as “Buggery”.

Catamite: In particular catamite often, but not always, denoted the younger partner in a male-male sexual relationship. It was sometimes used to specifically describe boys but it was sometimes used it to describe men. Cocker's English Dictionary (1704) defines catamite as "a boy hired to be used contrary to nature, for Sodomy" but The New Royal and Universal English Dictionary (1763) defines catamite simply as "a sodomite." Catamite was also sometimes used as synonym for pathic.

Gomorrean: Like sodomite this one comes from the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah. However it wasn't nearly as commonly used. (for an example see The London Chronicle, 4 - 6 Jan 1757)

Madge Cull: This one came about towards the end of the century. It comes from a combination of Madge a slang term for “the female genitals” and Cull slang for “a man, a fellow, a chap.” (see Green’s Dictionary of Slang)

Women Who Had Sex With Women

Sodomy

While English common law did not consider sex between women sodomy this was not true across Europe. (see Louis Crompton, The Myth of Lesbian Impunity Capital Laws from 1270 to 1791) Most English colonies followed English common law however this aspect of the law was not unanimously agreed upon.

In 1636 Rev. John Cotton proposed to the General Court of Massachusetts a body of laws that would define sodomy as "a carnal fellowship of man with man, or woman with woman". (Crompton, p19)

In a 1779 bill submitted to the Virginia Assembly on crime and punishment Thomas Jefferson explicitly includes sex between women. He quotes Henry Finch's Law, or, a Discourse Thereof; in Four Books which defines sodomy as "carnal copulation against nature, to wit, of man or woman in the same sex, or of either of them with beasts." Jefferson disagrees with Finch on including bestiality because it "can never make any progress" and "cannot therefore be injurious to society in any great degree". However he doesn't dispute the inclusion of sex between women. He proposes that the punishment for sodomy be "if a man, by castration, if a woman, by cutting thro’ the cartilage of her nose a hole of one half inch diameter at the least." (see A Bill for Proportioning Crimes and Punishments in Cases Heretofore Capital, 18 June 1779)

While there was some disagreement on the legal definition of sodomy, colloquially if someone was talking about sodomy they were probably talking about sex between men. A clarification would likely be added if they were talking about women e.g. female sodomite.

Tribade

Coming from French tribade was defined in The New Pocket Dictionary of the French and English Languages (1781) as a "female sodomite". Tribade was used in English at least as early as 1585. It originally comes from the ancient Greek word τρίβειν meaning "rub" and is a reference to tribadism. The word tribadism however did not come into use until the 19th century. (see OED)

Sappho was a famous Tribade; as appears by the Testimonies of all the old Poets, but particularly from that beautiful Ode (addressed to one of the Ladies, with whom she was in Love) which Longinus has preserved, and which has ever been so highly esteemed by all the Critics.

~ William King, The Toast (1732)

Sapphic

Sapphic (sometimes spelt sapphick) originally meant "relating to, characteristic of, or reminiscent of Sappho or her writings". (OED) It became a term for sexual activity and sexual desire between women in reference of course to the accent Greek poet Sappho's love poems addressed to women. In fact in 18th century England Sappho was often cited as being the first woman who had ever had sex with another women.

Sappho, as she was one of the wittiest Women that ever the World bred, so she though with Reason, it would be expected she should make some Additions to a Science in which Womankind had been so successful: What dose she do then? Not content with our Sex, begins Amours with her own, and teaches the Female World a new Sort of Sin, call’d the Flats, that was follow’d not only in Lucian’s Time, but is practis’d frequently in Turkey, as well as at Twickenham at this day.

~ Satan’s Harvest Home (1749)

Sapphic is an adjective:

Look on that mountain of delight, Where grace and beauty doth unite, Where wreathed smiles must thrive; While Strawberry-hill at once doth prove, Taste, elegance, and Sapphick love, In gentle Kitty *****.

~ A Sapphick Epistle (1778)

Sapphism is a noun for the act or desire:

it has a Greek name now & is call’d Sapphism, but I never did hear of it in Italy where the Ladies are today exactly what Juvenal described them in his Time – neither better nor worse as I can find. Mrs Siddons has told me that her Sister was in personal Danger once from a female Fiend of this Sort; & I have no Reason to disbelieve the Assertion. Bath is a Cage of these unclean Birds I have a Notion, and London is a Sink for every Sin.

~ Hester Thrale Piozzi, Thraliana, 9 Dec 1795

Sapphist is a noun for the person:

Nature does get strangely out of Fashion sure enough: One hears of Things now, fit for the Pens of Petronius only, or Juvenal to record and satyrize: The Queen of France is at the Head of a Set of Monsters call’d by each other Sapphists, who boast her Example; and deserve to be thrown with the He Demons that haunt each other likewise, into Mount Vesuvius.

~ Hester Thrale Piozzi, Thraliana, 1 April 1789

Lesbian

Originally meaning "a native or inhabitant of the Greek island of Lesbos" (OED) this is another reference to Sappho who was from Lesbos.

However, this little Woman gave Myra more Pleasure than all the rest of her Lovers and Mistresses. She was therefore dignified with the Title of Chief of the Tribades or Lesbians.

~ William King, The Toast (1732)

Tommy

Tommy (plural tommies) is a fairly uniquely 18th century term as it doesn't seen to have been used earlier and is rarely used later. Speculatively it may be etymologically linked to tomboy which dates back to 1656. (OED)

Women and Men, in these unnat'ral Times, Are guilty equal of unnat'ral crimes: Woman with Woman act the Many Part, And kiss and press each other to the heart. Unnat'ral Crimes like these my Satire vex; I know a thousand Tommies 'mongst the Sex: And if they don't relinquish such a Crime, I'll give their Names to be the scoff of Time.

~ The Adulteress (1773)

Euphemisms

The game of flats, game at flats or simply flats was a euphemism for sex between women. Rictor Norton explains it was “a reference to games with playing cards, called ‘flats’, and an allusion to the rubbing together of two ‘flat’ female pudenda.” (Mother Clap’s Molly House, p233)

I am credibly informed, in order to render the Scheme of Iniquity still more extensive amongst us, a new and most abominable Vice has got footing among the W—n of Q—–y, by some call’d the Game at Flats;

~ Satan’s Harvest Home (1749)

In a diary entry Hester Thrale Piozzi repots "’tis a Joke in London now to say such a one visits Mrs. Darner". This was in reference to the rumours of sapphism that surrounded the sculptor Anne Damer. Piozzi goes on to recored a poem concerning Anne Damer's relationship with actress Elizabeth Farren that was being passed around her social circle:

Her little Stock of private Fame Will fall a Wreck to public Clamour, If Farren herds with her whose Name Approaches very near to Damn her.

~ Hester Thrale Piozzi, Thraliana, 9 Dec 1795 (see ‘Random Shafts of Malice?': The Outings of Anne Damer by Emma Donoghue for more on the rumours surrounding Anne Damer)

Absence of Sexual Attraction

With 18th century sexuality labels being action based rather than attraction based we have no exact equivalent for the word asexual. Just as we have no exact equivalent for the word homosexual. There was of course words for people who had never had sex (virgin, maiden) and words for people who planned on never having sex (celibate).

However this doesn't mean 18th century people had no way of talking about a lack of sexual attraction. The Chevalière d'Eon in a letter to the Comte de Broglie talks of "the natural lack of passion in my temperament, which has prevented my engaging in amorous intrigues”. Her lack of sexual interest became part of her self-styling as La Pucelle de Tonnerre (The Maiden of Tonnerre) after Joan of Arc who was known a La Pucelle d'Orléans (The Maiden of Orleans). (see D’Eon to the Comte de Broglie, 7 May 1771. Translated by Alfred Rieu, D'Eon de Beaumont, His Life and Times, p141; also for examples of the English press calling her La Pucelle d'Orléans see the Public Advertiser, 4 May & 11 June 1792)

The Third Sex/Gender

In the 18th century intersex people were predominantly referred to as hermaphrodites (while it is now considered offensive I will use it in this post as I think there is educational value in understanding it's historical use). In The Mysteries of Conjugal Love Reveal'd Written in French Nicholas de Venette explains that intersex people were permitted to "chuse either of the two Sexes". However if they strayed from the chosen role of man or woman they could be "punished like a Sodomite". (p465)

In the 18th century the words sex and gender were used somewhat synonymously. The word hermaphrodite along with third sex and third gender were used to describe not only intersex people but also gender nonconforming endosex people. Your clothes, interests, speech patterns and the way you move were all considered part of your sex.

Consider The Fribbleriad by David Garrick. Garrick was an actor known for playing fops. In the poem he portrays his critics as a group of effeminate men who were angry at him for they way he mocked them in his work:

In forty-eight— I well remember— Twelve years or more— the month November— May we no more such misery know! Since Garrick made OUR SEX a shew; And gave us up to such rude laughter, That few, ‘twas said, could hold their water: For He, that play'r, so mock’d our motions, Our dress, amusements, fancies, notions, So lisp’d our words and minc’d our steps, He made us pass for demi-reps. Tho’ wisely then we laugh’d it off, We’ll now return his wicked scoff.

"OUR SEX" is understood to be the sex of effeminate men. A sex distinct from that of acceptable manhood or womanhood which is defined by their "dress, amusements, fancies, notions" as well as the way they "lisp'd" their words and "minc’d" their steps.

John Bennett in his popular conduct book Letters to a Young Lady on a Variety of Useful and Interesting Subjects advises young women against wearing riding habits warning that they would "wholly unsex her". The Guardian reports that some people had "not injudiciously stiled" the riding Habit "Hermaphroditical". And The Spectator complains about riding Habits calling them an "Amphibious Dress" and describing women who wear them as "Hermaphrodites" and a "Mixture of two Sexes in one Person". (The Guardian, 1 September 1713, reprinted in The Guardian edited by John Calhoun Stephens, p 486; The Spectator 19 July, 1712)

The word amphibious is one that comes up a lot in the 18th century in regards to gender. A dictionary of the English language (1794) defines amphibious as "living in two elements". John Bennett describes effeminate men as "poor amphibious animals, that the best naturalists know not under what class to arrange."

Alexander Pope famously called Lord Hervey an "Amphibious Thing!" that acts "either Part". Lady Mary Wortley Montagu said that "this world consisted of men, women, and Herveys". And William Pulteney describes him as "delicate Hermaphodite", "a pretty, little, Master-Miss" and "a Lady Himself; or at least such a nice Composition of the two Sexes, that it is difficult to distinguish which is most predominant." (Alexander Pope, Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot; The Letters and Works of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu edited by Lord Wharncliffe, v1, p95; William Pulteney, A Proper Reply To a late Scurrilous Libel)

Macaroni, amazon, virago, fop, petit-maitre, coxcomb, amphibious, unsex, dandy, namby-pamby, he-she things, lady-fellow, master-miss, fribble, dubious gender. These were all terms to describe gender nonconforming people. Many of these terms were used in a derogatory way but not all of them were intended as such and some GNC people identified with some of these terms. For example a young Charles James Fox described himself as a petit-maitre in his 18 Oct, 1763 letter to his father. While at Eton, which he found "more disagreeable than I imagined", he laments "you may see the petit maître de Paris is converted into an Oxford Pedant."

Many of the people who were labeled as third sex/gender would not necessarily have identified as such. With even the smallest deviation from the norm giving rise to the label. Including one 1737 article which claimed that "Ugly Women" may "more properly be call'd a Third Sex, than a Part of the Fair one". (Common Sense, or The Englishman's Journal, 28, Feb)

Gender Presentation Through Gendered Language

While there is no real equivalent for the word transgender in 18th century English this doesn't mean people had no way of expressing their gender though language. People referred to themselves as being men, women, both or neither. Gendered names, titles and pronouns were also used to express one's gender.

The Chevalière d'Eon

D'Eon asserted her gender identity though gendered names, pronouns and titles. When she started openly living as a women she changed her first name to Charlotte making her full name Charlotte-Geneviève-Louise-Auguste-André-Timothée d’Eon de Beaumont. However she preferred the name Geneviève and would often write her name simply Geneviève d'Eon.

[Admission-ticket for Geneviéve d'Eon, with red seal; c.1793; via The British Museum (C,2.3)]

D'Eon used she/her pronouns. Here is an example of her using she/her pronouns for herself when writing in third person:

[Invitation from the Chevalière d’Eon to Lord Besborough; c.1791; via The British Museum (D,1.268-272)]

As she was French d'Eon used French titles even in English. She would sometimes use the title Mademoiselle (a title for unmarried women) but other times she used Chevalière. In 1763 she was awarded the Cross of Saint-Louis and with that came the masculine title Chevalier. When she started openly living as a women she switched from the masculine Chevalier to the feminine Chevalière. Perhaps the most fun example of her using the feminine Chevalière is the sword she gifted to George Keate which was inscribed: "Donné par la Chevalïere d’Eon à son ancïen Amï Geo: Keate Esquïre. 1777"

[The Chevalière d’Eon’s Sword, hilt: c.1700s, blade: c.mid-1600s, inscription: c.1777, photos via the Royal Armouries Museum (IX.2034A)]

Public Universal Friend

The Public Universal Friend claimed to be a genderless spirit sent by god resurrected in the body of Jemima Wilkinson after she had succumbed to a fever in 1776. The Public Universal Friend gained a small but devoted group of followers that understood and respected the Friend as a genderless being. When one traveler asked for directions to "Jemima Wilkinson's house" a women replied that "she knew no such person; "the friend" lived a little piece below." (A Ride to Niagara in 1809 by Cooper Thomas, p37)

For the most part followers of the Public Universal Friend avoided using gendered pronouns for the Friend*. However they did not use gender neutral pronouns (such as they/them) but instead avoided third person pronouns completely. You can see an example of the sort of gender neutral language used for the friend in this letter from Sarah Richards to Ruth Pritchard:

Dear Ruth This is to be a Messenger of my Love to thee. Hold out faith and patience. Thy letter was very welcome to me. I want Thee should make ready to come where the Friend is in this Town. The Friend has got land enough here for all that will be faithful & true. Dear Ruth, I will inform thee that Benedict has given the Friend a Deed of some land in the second Seventh in the Boston perhemption, which Deed contains five lotts and the Friend has made use of my name to hold it in trust for the Friend, and now I hope the Friends will have a home, and like wise for the poor friends and such as have no helper, here no intruding feet cant enter. Farewell form thy Affectionate Friend, Sarah Richards

~ Sarah Richards to Ruth Pritchard, March 1793 (printed in The Unquiet World by Frances Dumas, p166)

* In contrast to followers that avoided gendered pronouns completely ex-follower Abner Brownell claimed that some followers called the Friend "him." (see A Mighty Baptism edited by Susan Juster & Lisa MacFarlane, p28)

It's impossible to seperate the Friend's genderlessness from the claim that the Friend was a messenger sent by god resurrected in the body of Jemima Wilkinson. The followers of the Public Universal Friend used genderless language as a way to indicate their religious devotion. In "Indescribable Being" Theological Performances of Genderlessness in the Society of the Publick Universal Friend, 1776-1819 Scott Larson explains:

The language one chose to describe the Friend indicated whether one was part of the community of the saved or part of the "wicked world." Conversely, community members and followers used the name "the Friend" quite deliberately, and that use became a marker of belonging. This sense of belonging could last longer than the community itself did. Huldah Davis, who was a child when the Friend left time in 1819, shared her memories of the Friend in 1895. In her recollections, Davis refers to Jemima Wilkinson but is careful to note that her parents, followers of the Friend, always referred to "the Friend," and Davis uses the community's language through most of her account. Language choices could also mark points of entering and exiting the community, as the apostate and denouncer Abner Brownell refers to "The Friend" in diary entries written during the time of his membership in the Friend's community but then calls "her" "Jemima Wilkinson" in his later published denunciation, Enthusiastical Errors, Described and Decried.

Mollies and Maiden Names

Gendered language could be used to express queer identity without necessarily expressing a transgender identity. Mollies took on feminine sobriquets known as maiden names. A maiden name was a typically made up of a combination of either a feminine title or name (molly and variations being the most popular) and often a reference to something notable about the individual. It could be a reference to their profession for example Orange Mary was an orange merchant, Dip-Candle Mary was a tallow chandler and Old Fish Hannah a fisherman. It could be a reference to where they were from for example Mrs. Girl of Redriff was presumably from Redriff. Some maiden names were somewhat suggestive like Miss Sweet Lips or Molly Soft-buttocks.

(Sources for maiden names: Orange Mary, Dip-Candle Mary, Old Fish Hannah, and Mrs. Girl of Redriff are mentioned in James Dalton's Narrative; Miss Sweet Lips is mentioned in The Phoenix of Sodom by Robert Holloway; Molly Soft-buttocks is mentioned in Account of the Life and Actions of Joseph Powis)

While mollies took on these feminine names, they more often than not still lived as men. Most mollies wore men's clothes, used he/him pronouns and referred to their partners as their husbands not their wives. (for the use of husband in the molly subculture see the trial of Martin Mackintosh, 11 July 1726 and the trial of George Whytle, 20 April 1726)

However some mollies did wear women's clothes and used (at least some of the time) feminine pronouns. Take for example Princess Seraphina who during the trial of Thomas Gordon (5 July 1732) is described by Mary Poplet as follows:

I have known her Highness a pretty while, she us’d to come to my House from Mr. Tull, to enquire after some Gentlemen of no very good Character; I have seen her several times in Women’s Cloaths, she commonly us’d to wear a white Gown, and a scarlet Cloak, with her Hair frizzled and curl’d all round her Forehead; and then she would so flutter her Fan, and make such fine Curties, that you would not have known her from a Woman: She takes great Delight in Balls and Masquerades, and always chuses to appear at them in a Female Dress, that she may have the Satisfaction of dancing with fine Gentlemen. Her Highness lives with Mr. Tull in Eagle-Court in the Strand, and calls him her Master, because she was Nurse to him and his Wife when they were both in a Salivation; but the Princess is rather Mr. Tull’s Friend, than his domestick Servant. I never heard that she had any other Name than the Princess Sraphina.

On a final note I would also recommend looking up many of these terms in the Oxford English Dictionary (you might be able to access this for free through your library) and Green's Dictionary of Slang both of which include multiple examples in use.

#sorry this took so long I couldn't resist making it far too long #if you want me to talk your ear off just ask me about 18th century queer language its my favourite topic #queer history

[petsincollections]

Teddy Bear Christmas Program, Richland County Normal, Richland Center, Wisconsin, ca. 1956

Front Picture Description: Black & white photograph shows 8 women holding stuffed bears in front of a Christmas tree with Santa Claus sitting on a chair near them. They are all on a raised stage. Back Print: “County Room, Brewer Library”. Back Writing: “P239-13”, “County Normal”, “A similar picture was featured in a news article from the Richland Democrat, 7 Jun 1956.”

p000239-13a

Richland County Digital History Room

#teddy bears #chriistmas #richland county normal #richland center #wisconsin #richland county digital history room #reddy is that you?????

[gcldfanged]

I would normally have my OC packing a Beretta 92F, but he’s got smaller hands and is a spy, so I’d give him a SigSauer P239: smaller and lighter, combat-ready/worthy, great for concealed carry. It’s a compact gun that shoots like (arguably even BETTER than) a service-sized pistol.

#◈ HEADCANON #◈ META

[ahlulbaytnetworks]

When the verse 3:61{Mubahala}was revealed,The Prophet صلي الله عليه واله وسلم called Ali,Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husain and said "O LORD!these are my family.

Amir b. Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that Muawiya b. Abi Sufyan appointed Sa'd as the Governor and said:

What prevents you from abusing Abu Turab (Hadrat 'Ali), whereupon be said: It is because of three things which I remember Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said about him that I would not abuse him and even if I find one of those three things for me, it would be more dear to me than the red camels. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say about 'Ali as he left him behind in one of his campaigns (that was Tabuk). 'Ali said to him: Allah's Messenger, you leave me behind along with women and children. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there is no prophethood after me. And I (also) heard him say on the Day of Khaibar: I would certainly give this standard to a person who loves Allah and his Messenger, and Allah and his Messenger love him too. He (the narrator) said: We had been anxiously waiting for it, when he (the Holy Prophet) said: Call 'Ali. He was called and his eyes were inflamed. He applied saliva to his eyes and handed over the standard to him, and Allah gave him victory. (The third occasion is this) when the (following) verse was revealed: "Let us summon our children and your children." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called 'Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain and said: O Allah, they are my family.

Sunni source:Sahih Muslim,Hadith 2404d

https://sunnah.com/muslim:2404d

The point, here, is that the Messenger of Allah (S) did not bring any of his wives to the field of "Mubahala", and according to above tradition, he used the word "Ahl”(family) ONLY for the above-mentioned individuals (i.e., Imam ‘Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, and al-Husain).

Note that in the verse 3:61 of Qur’an Allah uses plural form "women”by saying "Let us bring our women", but the Prophet only brought his daughter Fatima (sa). If there were more than one woman in Ahlul-Bayt, the Prophet was required by this verse to bring them, but since there was not any other woman among his Ahlul-Bayt, he brought Fatima (sa) only.

Again, in that incident, the Prophet explicitly mentioned who Ahlul-Bayt are, and named them one by one, and Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, al-Hakim, and many other Sunni scholars recorded that and all confirmed its authenticity. There was no mention of his wives in any of these reports.

Some Sunni scholars have narrated that on the day of consultation for appointing the ruler after the death of Umar, Imam ‘Ali (as) argued with the members of Shura reminding them his rights to the Caliphate, and one of his reasons was the incident of Mubahala:

On the day of consultation, ‘Ali argued with the committee members saying: "I adjure you in the name of Allah, is there anyone amongst you closer in relationship to the Messenger of Allah than me? Is there any other man whom the Prophet made him ‘his (own) soul’ (Nafs), and that he made his children ‘his (own) children’, and his women ‘his (own) women’?”They replied: "No, by God!"

Sunni reference:

• al-Darqunti, as per:

• al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p239

It is also narrated that:

The Prophet (S) said: "Verily, Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, has placed the progeny of each prophet into his backbone (Sulb), and He, Exalted, has placed my progeny into the backbone of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib."

Sunni references:

• al-Tabarani

• Abul-Khair al-Haakimi, on the authority of al-Abbas

• al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p239

• al-Kunooz al-Mataalib

[brynberrycomic]

p239

#Gloria being extremely relatable about not wanting to take on more work than necessary ... quit sucking up #CONSTANT #brynberry comic #brynberry #cowboys #horror #western #yeehaw

[theworldofmakebelieve]

ur drawing got me to read tpoh (currently on p239, hoofers) and let me just say JBVFCDK O45GGIUUH POGHHUGH H OGOUG4HGH HG23OGU HEFDK834HKFDGHHHGH ER TRHGH F6KHJG RHERHTKKJDSFN 4TU4IRET5RJ /POS

ITS SO GOOD I LOVE TPOH SO BAD

#WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DIAL :) #inbox.beetroot-merchant #dialogue.txt

[inkandguns]

I have wanted a .40 S&W for about a year now.. it’s the caliber of gangsters and law enforcement gunslingers alike. I’ve got it narrowed down to Walther PPQ or Sig P239 (if it’s still in the gun case at the store back home in CO). I also wouldn’t mind an HK USP.

#guns

[biboocat]

Currently reading The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot. I am in the early stages but I’m already admiring her eloquent prose and perceptive observations.

Chapter 8, Mr. Tulliver’s Shows His Weaker Side is a marvelous rendering of empathy.❤️

Maggie Tulliver, “the little wench”, “spitfire “, is one of the most adorable and admirable girl/young woman protagonists I’ve encountered in literature. Her moral courage is especially impressive given the secondary status of women in Victorian times.

Some memorable excerpts:

“I wouldn’t make a downright lawyer o’ the lad - I should be sorry for him to be a raskill – but a sort of engineer, or a surveyor, or an auctioneer and vallyer, like Riley…” 😂

“Go, go! said Mr. Tulliver preemptorily, beginning to feel rather uncomfortable at these free remarks on the personal appearance of a being (the devil) powerful enough to create lawyers.”😂

“These bitter sorrows of childhood – when sorrow is all new and strange, when hope has not yet got wings to fly beyond the days and weeks, and the space from summer to summer seems measureless.” ❤️

“It is a wonderful subduer, this need of love – this hunger of the heart – as preemptory as that other hunger by which nature forces us to submit to the yoke and change the face of the world.”

“What novelty is worth that sweet monotony where everything is known, and loved because it is known?….These familiar flowers, these well remembered bird notes, the sky with its fitful brightness, these furrowed and grassy fields, each with a sort of personality given to it by the precious hedgerows– such things as these are the mother tongue of our imagination, the language that is laden with all the subtle inextricable associations the fleeting hours of our childhood left behind them. Our delight in the sunshine on the deep bladed grass today might be no more than the faint perception of wearied souls if it were not for the sunshine in the grass in the floor of years which still live in us and transform our perception into love.” ❤️

“In books there were people who are always agreeable or tender, and delighted to do things that made one happy, and did not show their kindness by finding fault. The world outside the books was not a happy one, Maggie felt; it seemed to be a world where people behave the best to those they did not pretend to love and that did not belong to them… there is no hopelessness so sad as that of early youth, when the soul is made up of wants and has no long memories, no superadded life in the life of others; though we who look on think lightly of such premature despair as if our vision of the future lightened the blind sufferer’s present.… Maggie was a creature full of eager, passionate longings for all that was beautiful and glad; thirsty for all knowledge; with an ear straining after dreaming music that died away and would not come near to her; with a blind, unconscious yearning for something that would link together the wonderful impressions of this mysterious life and give her soul a sense of home in it.”p239

“Hev a dog , Miss! They’re better friends nor (than) any Christian, said Bob…” p288. 🤣

“ Saints and martyrs had never interested Maggie so much as sages and poets.”

#george eliot #english literature

[wimpydave]

Under-rated Carry Gun: SIG Sauer P239!... Semi-Auto Handguns Pt.2

#youtube

[saffordscellar]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: J Jill Blazer S Ponte Knit Gray Open Front Notched Pockets Long Career Casual.

[tahlsfakeblogforuni]

We, the fly.

‘You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.’ Any good snare provides a bait; an allure enticing enough for a victim to enter the jaws of danger enabling the malevolence to spring; be it the juicy carrot under a deadfall cage, the sweet nectar resting in the bottom of a surface-slicked flower or the handsome countenance of a would-be paedophile.

‘Humble’ Humbert incessantly goes on about his “exceptionally handsome… [and] seductive demeanour,” his “striking if somewhat brutal good looks” (p25) and the “sending effect” they have on women of all ages. Charlotte falls in love with him, Jean Fowler develops a girly crush, and his apparently striking resemblance to one of Dolores’ favourite singers causes her, also, to swoon. After Dolores and Humbert’s first consummation takes place, the trap begins to close as he gradually sheds pretences of kindness and manipulates Dolores further and further into his miasma of control, before she can finally wriggle free towards the end of the novel. 

Being that we, as readers, lack Dolores’ advantage of diegetic vision, Nabokov provides us with an alternate, extradiegetic means of discerning Humbert’s aesthetic charm – the beauty of his language. Literature Professor Amy Hungerford, in a lecture delivered at Yale notes the subtle compulsion to “feel [Lolita] in our bodies… in that very sensuous way… and [to] feel something bodily that he wants you to feel… [drawing] us into that ‘special experience’” (20:46). Humbert says the name ‘Lolita,’ describes “the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap at three, on the teeth,” before marrying that to a slow repetition of the name; “Lo. Lee. Ta” (p3). We cannot help but follow.

Moving further, he continues dazzles us with literary charm, and the exhortations become less subtle and more direct as the reader subconsciously obeys each one. “I would have the reader imagine…” (p15), “Please, reader…” (p146), “the reader must now…” (p246), “I warn the reader not to mock me…” (p239). There’s a consistency here with his treatment of Dolores. He charms us, as he does her, and progressively increases the strength of his commands – the abuser’s usual modus operandi.

Humbert interestingly refers to us in the same way as he does Dolores: “Oh Lolita” (p120), “O, reader!” (p170, p187), “Oh Lolita!” (p269).

The picture I’m drawing is in contention to the idea I have sometimes seen of Humbert’s imprisonment showing remorse. Following the end of his personal story of abusing Dolores, he employs highly analogous tactics of manipulation and compulsion in his very retelling of that story in an attempt to snare us.

“Imagine me! I shall not exist if you do not imagine me…" (p146). Is it then, our fault that this story takes place? For it would not if we did not read it…

************

References:

Nabokov V (1959/1995) Lolita, Penguin Books, London UK

Hungerford A (2008) Lecture 5 – Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita [video], Open Yale Courses, New Haven CT

#lolita #nabokov #pitcher plant

[lemon2sang]

(사진 출처 : https://www.amazon.com/Country-Old-Men-Cormac-McCarthy/dp/0375406778 )

예이츠 <비잔티움으로의 항해>

흔히들 눈은 마음의 창이라고 한다. 그러나 그게 무엇을 내다보는 창인지 나는 모른다. 굳이 알고 싶지도 않다. 그런데 세상에 대한 또 다른 시각, 세상을 보는 다른 눈이 있으니 이 모든 소동이 벌어지는 곳이 바로 그런 세상이다. 덕분에 나는 평생 생각도 못해 본 일을 겪고 말았다. 저기 어딘가에는 살아 있는 진정한 파괴의 예언자가 있다. 다시는 그 자와 마주치고 싶지 않다. 나는 알고 있다. 그가 진짜라는 것을, 나는 그가 한 일을 보았다. 한때 나는 그 자의 눈앞에서 걸어 다녔다. 다시는 그러고 싶지 않다. 두 번 다시는 내 운명을 걸고 그 자를 만나러 가지 않겠다. 그리 오래 전 일도 아니다. 그랬길 바라지만. 누구라도 감히 그러고 싶지는 않으리라. 내가 언제나 알았듯이 이 일을 하려면 기꺼이 목숨까지도 걸어야 하니 말이다. 그것이 언제나 진실이었다. 영광 따위는 바랄 수도 없지만 그렇게 목숨을 걸어야 한다. 당신이 목숨을 걸지 않으면 그들도 안다. 눈 깜박할 사이에 알아차린다. 어쩌면 당신은 차라리 그 편이 낫다고 생각할지도 모르겠다. 그러나 나는 모름지기 인간이라면 영혼을 모험에 내맡길 줄도 알아야 한다고 생각한다. 하지만 나 자신은 그러지 않을 테다. 이제 다시는 그러지 않으리라. (p12-13)

가방 안에는 100달러짜리 지폐가 가득했다. 10,000달러 소인이 찍힌 묶음 띠지로 고정된 돈 다발이었다. 모두 합해서 얼마나 되는지 감이 오진 않았지만, 그에게 멋진 생각이 떠올랐다. 가만히 앉아서 돈 다발을 바라보다가 뚜껑을 닫고는 고개를 숙였다. 그의 인��� 전체가 바로 눈앞에 있었다. 그가 죽을 때까지 이어질 매일매일이, 새벽부터 밤까지의 매일매일이 눈앞에 떠올랐다. 이 모든 것이 가방 안의 40파운드 짜리 종이 더미에 담겨 있었다. (p28)

48

꽤 많은 사람들이 이 사실을 믿지 않았다. 사형수 감방에서 일하는 사람들도 말이다. 놀랄 일이다. 적어도 일부는 한 번쯤은 이런 경험을 했을 것이다. 몇 년간 매일 보던 사람을 어느 날 복도로 데리고 나와 죽음의 공간으로 밀어 넣는 일. (p74-75)

선령한 주민들을 다스리는 데는 힘쓸 일이 거의 없다. 정말 거의 없다. 그리고 나쁜 인간들을 다스리기가 아예 불가능하다. 아니면 다스릴 수 있었다는 얘기를 내가 들어본 적이 없거나. (p76)

벌써부터 그는 자신의 인생이 다시는 안전할 수 없으리라는 생각이 떠올랐고 다만 그런 것이 자신에게 익숙했던 삶인지가 궁금했다. 과연 그랬던가? (p123)

138

이제 더 이상 젊은 사람들은 어른이 되면서 어려운 일을 겪지 않는 것 같다. 이유는 모르겠다. 단지 기대만큼 빨리 성장하지 않는 것인지도 모른다. (p178)

부모들이 자식들을 키우지 않으려 했다. 우리는 그 문제를 이야기했다. 우리는 이런 생각을 했다. 다음 세대가 자라나 어른이 되고 아이들을 키우려들지 않을 때는 누가 그런 일을 한단 말인가? (p179)

전쟁에 대해서도 별로 할 말이 없다. 나는 결국 전쟁영웅이 되었지만 분대원을 모두 잃었다. 그때 일로 훈장을 받았다. 그들은 죽었고 나는 훈장을 받았다. 이런 일에 대해 사람들이 어떤 생각을 할지 알 필요도 없다. 그 일을 기억하지 않는 날이 하루도 없다. 내가 알던 몇몇 병사들은 돌아와서 제대군인 원호법에 따라 오스틴의 학교에 갔는데 거기서 말 못할 일을 많이 겪었다. 흔히들 그들을 백인 떨거지니 뭐니 하는 말로 불렀고 그들의 정치적 견해를 싫어했다. 이 나라에서 두 세대는 긴 시간이다. 초창기 개척민 이야기도 많이들 한다. 사람들에게 나는 아내와 자식들이 살해당해서 머릿가죽이 벗겨지고 물고기처럼 창자가 갈리는 지독한 일을 당하면 흥분하기 십상이라고 말하곤 했지만 그들은 내가 무슨 말을 하는지 알아듣지 못했다. 60년대는 그들 중 일부를 정신차리게 했다. 아니 그랬기를 바란다. 얼마 전에는 여기 신문에서 몇몇 교사들이 30년대에 전국의 여러 학교에 보낸 설문지를 우연히 발견했다는 기사를 읽었다. 설문지 문항은 학교 교육에서 부딪히는 어려운 문제가 무엇이냐는 것이었다. 교사들이 발견한 설문지는 답안이 채워져서 전국 각지에서 돌아온 것이었는데 가장 큰 문제로 거론된 것은 수업 중 떠들기나 복도에서 뛰어다니기 같은 문제였다. 껌을 씹거나 숙제를 베끼는 일도. 뭐 그런 따위였다. 교사들은 답이 비어 있는 설문지를 찾아서 그것을 무수하게 복사해 똑같은 학교에 다시 보냈다. 40년 후에 말이다. 그리고 이제 답지들이 도착했다. 강간, 방화, 살인, 마약, 자살. 나는 이 일에 대해 생각해 보았다. 나는 세상이 점점 망해가고 있다고 오래 전부터 말하곤 했지만 사람들은 그저 미소를 지으며 내가 나이가 들었을 뿐이라고 말했다. 이런 것도 하나의 징후다. 하지만 강간하고 살인하는 일을 껌 씹는 일과 구별 할 수 없는 사람은 나보다 훨씬 더 큰 문제를 안고 있다는 것이 내 느낌이다. 40년은 그리 긴 시간이 아니다. 아마도 다음 40년 동안은 난데없이 아주 괴상한 것이 등장할지 모른다. 너무 늦은 게 아니기를 바랄 뿐이다. (p216-217)

1, 2년 전에 나와 로레타는 코퍼스크리스티의 어느 모임에 참석했다. 나는 누군가의 부인 옆에 자리를 잡고 앉았는데, 그녀는 내게 줄곧 우익이니 뭐니 하는 소리를 늘어놓았다. 나는 그녀가 무슨 말을 하는지 몰랐다. 내가 아는 사람들은 대개 평범한 이들이다. 흔히 하는 말로 먼지처럼 평범한 이들이다. 나는 그녀에게 그렇게 말했고 그녀는 나를 별나다는 듯이 쳐다보았다. 그녀는 내가 그들을 험담한다고 생각했지만, 내가 속한 세계에서 그 말은 최고의 칭찬이다. 그녀는 끊임없이 말을 했다. 그러다가 마침내는 이 나라가 나아가는 방향이 싫다고 말했다. 자기 손녀가 낙태를 할 수 있었으면 좋겠다는 것이다. 그래서 나는 이렇게 말했다. 부인은 이 나라가 가는 방향에 대해 걱정할 필요가 없습니다. 세상이 돌아가는 꼴을 보니 부인의 손녀는 틀림없이 낙태를 할 수 있을 겁니다. 낙태를 할 수 있는 것은 물론이고 부인을 영원히 잠들게 할 수도 있겠지요. 이렇게 말하자 대화가 끝나고 말았다. (p218)

지난 몇 년 동안 많은 친구를 잃었다. 다 나보다 나이가 많은 건 아니다. 나이 들어감에 대해 한 가지 깨달은 게 있다. 모든 사람이 함께 나이 들어가는 건 아니라는 사실. (p237)

당신이 악마라면, 그리고 인간을 굴복 시킬 수 있는 게 무엇인지 곰곰이 생각한다면, 결국 마약이라는 결론을 내릴 것이다. (p239)

"총싸움이 벌어지면 무장을 하겠니, 그냥 법을 지키겠니?" (p242)

"네가 어디에 있는지 알고 모르고의 문제가 아냐. 네가 그곳에 가면서 아무것도 가져가지 않겠다는 생각이 요점이지. 처음부터 다시 시작하겠다는 너의 생각. 아니 누구의 생각이든. 그렇게 처음부터 다시 시작하는 건 없어. 내가 말하려는 게 이거야. 너의 발자국은 영원히 남아. 그걸 없앨 수는 없지. 단 하나도. 무슨 말인지 이해하겠어? 아직 이해 못하는 것 같으니 한 마디 더 하마. 너는 어제 몇 시에 일어났는지 별로 중요하지 않다고 생각할 거야. 하지만 중요한 건 어제야. 다른 건 중요치 않아. 그런 하루하루가 모여서 너의 인생이 되지. 그밖엔 아무것도 없어. 너는 도망가서 이름만 바꾸면 된다고 생각할지 몰라. 다시 시작하겠다고. 하지만 그렇게 살다 보면 어느 날 아침 잠에서 깨어 천장을 바라보며 여기 누워 있는 사람은 도대체 누구지, 하고 묻게 돼." (p249-250)

아버지는 언제나 최선의 길을 선택하고 진실을 숨김 없이 말하라고 말씀하셨다. 아침에 일어나서 내가 누구인지 결정할 필요가 없는 것 만큼 마음 편한 일은 없다고 하셨다. 잘못을 저질렀으면 곧바로 이야기하고 미안하다고 사과해서 자기 잘못을 껴안고 가야 한다. 질질 끌어서는 안 된다. 지금은 꽤 간단하게 들리는 말이다. 나에게도 그렇다. 그러니 오히려 생각해 볼 이유가 더 많은 셈이다. 아버지는 말씀이 많지 않았기 때문에 나는 그가 한 말을 잘 기억하는 편이다. 그리고 그는 두 번씩 말씀을 하실 만큼 인내심이 많지 않았기 때문에 처음부터 귀를 기울여들었다. 나는 아마도 젊은 시절에 벌써 아버지의 말씀에서 벗어났을 것이지만 다시 그 길로 돌아와서는 다시는 그 말을 버리지 않겠다는 결심이 섰고 정말로 그렇게 했다. 진리는 언제나 단순하다. 단순해야 한다. 어린이도 이해할 수 있을 만큼 단순할 필요가 있다. 그렇지 않으면 너무 늦게 된다. 그것을 이해할 때는 벌써 늦은 것이다. (p272)

"당신은 지금 동전에 책임을 미루고 있어요. 하지만 모든 걸 결정하는 것은 당신이에요." "뒷면이 나올 수도 있었지." "동전은 결정권이 없어요. 결정은 당신이 하는 거예요." "그럴지도 모르지. 하지만 내 견해는 달라. 내가 여기 온 것도 동전 던지기와 같은 거야. 목적지가 같으면 거기에 가는 길도 같아. 언제나 쉽게 알 수 있는 건 아니지만. 하지만 분명히 그래." (p282)

"나에겐 결정권이 없어. 인생은 매순간이 갈림길이고 선택이지. 어느 순간 당신은 선택을 했어. 다 거기서 초래된 일이지. 결산은 꼼꼼하고 조금의 빈틈도 없어. 그림은 그려졌고 당신은 거기에서 선 하나도 지울 수 없어. 당신 뜻대로 동전을 움직일 수는 없지. 절대로. 인생의 길은 쉽게 바뀌지 않아. 급격하게 바뀌는 일은 더구나 없지. 당신이 가야 할 길은 처음부터 정해졌어." (p283)

"당신은 지금 내 마음을 약하게 하려고 하지만 나는 절대 거기에 굴복하지 않아. 내가 살아가는 유일한 방법이지. 특별 대우는 없어. 동전 던지기도 마찬가지야. 이 경우엔 별 의미도 없었지. 사람들은 대개 이런 사람이 있다는 것을 믿지 않아. 그들의 문제가 무엇인지 이제 당신은 똑똑히 알게 된 거야. 당신이 존재 자체를 인정하지 않으려는 사람을 어떻게 이길 수 있을까. 내 말 알아듣겠어? 내가 당신 인생에 끼어들었을 때 이미 당신 인생은 끝난 셈이었어. 시작과 중간과 끝이 있어. 지금은 끝이야. 당신은 꼭 이대로 끝나지 않을 수도 있었다고 말하고 싶겠지. 그래 다른 길도 있을 수 있었어. 하지만 그게 무슨 의미가 있을까? 다른 길은 없어. 이 길뿐이야. 당신은 그저 내가 말을 바꾸기 바라고 있을 뿐이야." (p283-284)

"나이가 들면 자기가 행복해지고 싶은 만큼 행복한 법이야. 좋은 날도 있고 나쁜 날도 있지만, 결국 예전에 행복했던 만큼 행복한 거야. 아니면 그만큼 불행하든가. 이걸 전혀 모르는 사람들도 있지." (p289)

아저씨는 내가 자신에게 너무 엄격하다고 말했다. 그런 것은 노년의 특징이라고도 했다. 잘못을 바로잡으려는 고집 말이다. 어느 정도 맞는 말이라고 생각한다. 하지만 전부 맞는 말은 아니다. 나는 노년에 좋은 점만 있는 것은 아니라는 그의 말에 동의했고 그는 그 중 한 가지를 안다고 했다. 내가 그게 뭐냐고 묻자 그는 오래 지속되지 않는다는 점이라고 대답했다. 나는 그가 빙그레 웃기를 기다렸지만 그는 웃지 않았다. 나는 그건 꽤 차가운 말이라고 했다. 그는 사실 자체보다 더 차가운 말은 아니라고 대답했다. (p307)

내가 깊이 생각한 적은 없었지만 줄곧 내 마음 속에 있던 일이 또 있는데, 왜냐하면 그것이 내 문제와 아주 무관한 일은 아닌데다 인생에서 무슨 일을 했건 그 일은 결국 우리 자신에게 되돌아온다고 나는 믿기 때문이다. 정말로 너무 일찍 죽지만 않는다면 그것은 결국 되돌아오게 마련이다. (p308)

나는 부관들에게 고칠 수 있는 일은 고치고 나머지는 그냥 놔두라고 한 번 이상 말했다. 손을 놓고 가만히 있을 수밖에 없는 문제는 더 이상 문제가 아니다. 그건 단지 짜증거리에 불과하다. (p310)

나도 그래요. 하지만 그들은 거기서 무슨 일을 했건 금방 떠났어야 옳았어요. 그런 식의 전쟁은 듣도 보도 못한 거였소. 히피 두어 명을 흠씬 두들겨 팬 적도 있지요. 아들에게 침을 뱉고 아들을 베이비킬러라고 불렀어요. 무사히 돌아온 많은 젊은이들도 아직 많은 문제를 안고 살아요. 그들 뒤에 나라가 없었기 때문이라고 생각해요. 아니 그보다 더 나쁜 점은 이 나라는 조각조각 갈라져 있었다는 거죠. 지금도 그렇지만 말요. 물론 히피들 잘못은 아니었소. 그곳에 간 젊은이들 잘못도 아니었소. 기껏해야 열여덟, 열아홉 살 먹은 애들이었잖소. 노인은 고개를 돌려 나를 보았다. 나는 그가 많이 늙어 보인다고 생각했다. 눈이 늙어 보였다. 그가 말을 이었다. 흔히들 베트남이 이 나라를 굴복시켰다고 합니다. 나는 결코 그리 생각하지 않아요. 그 전부터 이미 글러먹은 나라였소. 베트남은 거기에 결정타를 먹인 셈이오. 우리는 그들에게 아무것도 쥐어주지 않고서 거길 점령하라고 했던거요. 총도 없이 그들을 보냈다면 잘은 모르겠지만 사태가 더 나빠지지 않았겠소. 그런 식으로 전쟁을 하는 법은 없어요. 하느님 없이 전쟁을 하는 법은 없어요. 다음 전쟁 때는 어떤 일이 벌어질지 나는 모르겠어요. 짐작도 못하겠소. ( p323)

324-5 329

나는 우리가 어디를 향해 가는지 안다. 우리는 우리 자신의 돈에 팔린 존재이다. 단지 마약 문제가 아니다. 아무도 알지 못할 만큼 엄청난 부가 쌓이고 있다. 그 돈으로 무엇을 할 수 있을까? 모든 나라를 살 수 있을 만한 돈. 아니 벌써 온 나라를 사고 말았는지도. 이 나라도 살 수 있을까? 설마, 라고 생각한다. 하지만 돈은 우리를 같이 있어서는 안 될 사람들과 한 침대에 밀어넣을게다. 그것은 법 집행의 문제도 아니다. 언제는 그랬는가. 마약은 언제나 있었다. 하지만 사람들이 일어 나자마자 아무 이유도 없이 약에 취한 적은 없다. 수백만 명이 말이다. 내가 무슨 대답을 알고 있는 건 아니다. 특히 내가 용기를 얻을 수 있는 대답은 알지 못한다. 얼마 전에 나는 젊고 예쁜 한 기자에게 이런 말을 했다. 그녀는 단지 기자처럼 굴고 싶어했다. 그녀가 말했다. 어떻게 보안관님의 담당 군에서 범죄가 그렇게 만연하게 되었을까요? 정당한 질문처럼 들렸다. 꽤 정당한 질문일 것이다. 아무튼 나는 이렇게 대답했다. 무례를 용납하게 될 때 모든 게 시작됩니다. 더 이상 존칭과 경어를 듣지 못하는 순간 눈앞에 종말이 보이는 거지요. 나는 계속 말 했다. 이런 풍조는 모든 계층에 스며들었어요. 당신도 들어본 적이 있지요? 모든 계층이요? 그러다 보면 마침내 상업 윤리가 무너지고 사람을 죽여 차에 집어넣고 사막에 버려 두는 일이 벌어지는 겁니다. 그때는 모든 게 너무 늦게 됩니다. (p333-334)

또 한 가지는 노인들에 관한 이야기다. 나는 줄곧 그들에 대해 생각하게 된다. 나를 보는 노인들의 시선을 생각하면 언제나 의문이 생긴다. 예전에는 어떠했는지 기억이 나지 않는다. 내가 보안관이 된 50년대에는 어땠는지 기억이 나지 않는다. 노인들은 별로 혼란스러워 보이지 않는다. 차라리 그들은 실성한 사람처럼 보인다. 이런 점이 나를 괴롭혔다. 그들은 마치 잠에서 방금 깨어 왜 그곳에 있는지 모르는 사람 같았다. 말하자면 그렇다는 얘기다. (p335)

<옮긴이의 말>

이 소설을 휘감고 있는 분위기는 묵시록적이다. 스릴러의 외관을 취하고 있는데도 단순한 스릴러가 아니라는 느낌은 거기서 나온다. 소설 첫머리부터 피비린내 나는 살인이 벌어지고 마지막까지 살인 행각이 이어지며 피 냄새가 가시지 않지만, 평범한 스릴러에서 느낄 수 없는 텁텁한 긴장감이 전편에 서려 있다. 그 긴장감은 쫓기는 자와 쫓는 자의 생사를 건 대결에서만 나오지는 않는다. 범인이 누구인지 알아맞히는 추리적 요소에서 나오는 것도 아니다(우리는 범인이 누구인지 처음부터 알고 있다). 그것은 장식적 수사를 억제한 냉담한 문장, '그리고(and) 문체'라 부르고 싶을 정도로 빈번하게 등장하는 '~하고~하고'의 연속, 서술과 설명이 배제된 묘사 일변도의 장면 제시, 감정이 응고된 건조한 대화로 사정없이 끌고 가는 플롯 전개의 속도감에서 나온다. (p340)

- 코맥 매카시 , ' 노인을 위한 나라는 없다 ' 중에서

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SIG Sauer P239-University of Michigan Issue

40 cal; 1 of only 20.