Claudinius Gayus...
The Roman Empire, Shakespeare and King Arthur got Involved
Names are words, words are spells. Youtuber Ryan Lombard once said, “When you ask for someone’s name, you’re asking what sort of noise to make to get their attention.”
Once upon a time, wondering what to name my child, the pretty Claudia arose so I looked up the meaning… and then backed away slowly. It was the feminine version of Claudius; lame Roman emperor (10BC-54AD), a generally well regarded and strong-willed fellow who restored order after Caligula’s budget effort. In English and Latin — Latin being the original language of western universities — all variants of Claudus, including Claudia, Claudette and of course our Claudine Gay, translated to l a m e .
As Harvard University president, the first problem for Claudine Gay was publicly suggesting that genocide of Jews was inappropriate only in certain contexts, thus even one who avoids mainstream news like the plague (me) still had to hear about Ms. Gay.
Meanwhile the overlooked ghost of Roman emperors past, the aforementioned T. Claudius Drusus Germanicus mooched about lamely, having also been at the centre of a Jewish scandal; Claudius went so far as to kick the Jews out of Rome. As Wiki notes however, the details were obscure, just like the context of Gay’s comment as Israeli bombs dropped willy-nilly on Palestinians: “Disputes between Jews and members of the Roman Christians had caused disturbances; it is generally accepted the emperor's aim was preservation of peace and not an act of hostility toward the Jews.” - Wiki.
The Bible’s definition was also lame of course, and in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Claudius was the lame Danish uncle; a wily, calculating, incestuous murderer king whose plans fell apart when Hamlet altered Claudius’ letters to avoid his own suspected death. Claudine Gay succumbed to plagiarism — the opposite of text alteration really — but misappropriation of another’s work remains (rather lame and) relevant in both cases.
Writing began on this piece three or four days ago. Returning to Shakespeare; King Hamlet was poisoned in his sleep by his brother Claudius. Claudius said his brother had died of a snakebite in the garden and was believed by everyone — so the only problem was Claudius’ conscience. I wondered if Gay’s conscience (or force) would affect her role, and then yesterday, January 3rd, 2024, news of her resignation came.
Define role: an actors part in a play, film or situation (early 17th century French), from role or roule (old French); the roll of paper the actor’s lines were written upon.
With Claudine Gay’s highly publicised faux pas and mythic equivalencies (with more to come) was Gay placed in her role of influence due to her politically-charged surname, race and gender? Seems obvious. So… Who lies behind our universities?
The modern university is a throwback to medieval Europe, dating to sixth century Catholic cathedral monastic schools, before being formally established as universities. While there are a number of reasons which lead one to suspect the sixth century dating is questionable it seems all universities stem from institutional religion.
Everything our ancestors built for us is being invaded, broken apart, reduced to ash. Black comes before the white: an Hermetic process which can be no other way.
“Through the light which shines in natural things one mounts up to the life which presides over them.” -Frances A. Yates, Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition
In the olden days universities taught exclusively in Latin, just as churches held mass in Latin — the ancient Roman and ecclesiastical language.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is the acronymic DEI, from deity, god; from ‘deus’ meaning divine and from Proto-Indo-European ‘deiwos’, celestial and shining.
(DEI is also likely to be a shifty stock hint for insider trading, knowledge depending).
Claudine Gay was a lodestone (a magnetic point of focus) and a touchstone (standard by which something is judged). If Jacinda Ardern’s gifted Harvard Law degree is any clue, is it mad to suggest the overseers are actively dismantling the university system as they are the medical establishment? Should court judges be trembling in their jocks yet?
What is the birds eye overview of the Claudine Gay fracas? Plagiarism? DEI-hiring? Anti-semitism? Racism? LGayBT? Normie-slapping? The hypocritical and heavily plagiarised cesspit of journalistic copycats? Rolling as many historic Claud-themed ideas into the one lodestone? Keep the natives from questioning any other reality?
Poking fun at writers who borrow ideas as if they’re the only original people in the world? (Guilty! There are three Claudine Gay-titled Substacks in my inbox as I write.)
Claudine was the son of lame Frankish King Claudas in the Arthurian legend — an opponent of noble knights Lancelot, Arthur and Bors (the Younger) — whose kingdom was called Terre Deserte, which translates to Land Laid Waste.
We’re getting there.
Next up is a health post on the criminally underrated mineral boron to keep the body and mind in fine form as things progress. Happy 2024 to All. :)
Great stuff, Aria.
In keeping with the theme of lame Claud'lings and dramatic roles, I'll add Hollywood actress and sex symbol Claudette Colbert. Two years after her breakout performance as thrice-married Empress Poppaea, she would cement her superstardom with the title role in DeMille's "Cleopatra" -- two women who used palace intrigues and their feminine wiles to ascend the ladder of power, only to meet their demise at its topmost rungs.
Though the smaller role, perhaps Poppaea was the most relevant. After all, she bore her third husband (and probable murderer) Nero only one child, Claudia Augusta, who died in her crib. Soon afterward, Nero would castrate and Gay-marry a boy named Sporus, the son of a freed slave. Nero would call this young "T" by his dead wife's name, and parade him around in extravagant women's clothing.
There is also the Jewish connection to consider. Josephus claimed that Poppaea was a secret Jewish convert, who used her influence to sway certain matter in their favor. On the other hand, she also named Gessius Florus as procurator of Judea, who through his acts of theft, juridical skullduggery, unjust imprisonment and political murder probably helped trigger the first Jewish-Roman war. I guess it all depends on the context.