Heroes and Villains

Pride is the way to the fall, you must remember that. Christian values underly the tale of Grendel’s wrath. Life is fleeting... even for a king. Choose, Beowulf, the better of rewards. Do not give way to your pride! For a brief while, your strength in bloom, But it fades ever quickly. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight--a wound for dishonesty! Confirming your breech of shame, like a badge of blame. Sign of my fault... offense of failure. This knight whose country was unclear, Now seemed to them by sight. A prince without a peer, In fields where fierce men fight. Despair doth drive distrust, unto his thoughts. Confound passions with a quiet sleep. Christ did call the thief upon the cross. Then rest thee Faustus--quiet to conceit! “We deceive ourselves, and there’s no truth in us. Why then belike we must sin and so consequently die? Aye, we must die an everlasting death--what doctrine call you this? What will be? Divinity? Adieu! Aye, but the metaphysics of magicians and necromantic books... Those are heavenly.” I am a servant... to Lucifer! No more than he commands, Must we perform! You can always repent for your sins, if you read the fine print. Ignorance will cause your loss, if you’d just take the hint. “O, all thing faileth, save God alone. Beauty, strength and discretion... For whom death bloweth his blast, they all ran from him full fast.” You must learn to salvation, through good deeds in God’s creation. Everyman was a morality play--an allegory for those ancient days. Sing the songs of life! Allegory--the Faerie Queen represents Queen Elizabeth. Redcrosse represents individual Christian Knights. And Una, his companion, represents the only truth. Together, they must beat the Catholic’s false Christianity. If music be the food of love play on--play on! Give me excess of it all and die. You are not who you seem... A tale of identity. Where lie all my maiden weeds, By those who gently be. I was preserved to serve this noble count. The occurrence of my fortune. “Choose dear Beowulf! The better part--eternal rewards! Do not give way to pride! For a brief while your strength is in bloom... But it fades quickly! And soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water, or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. ...your piercing eye will dim and darken... and death will arrive, dear warrior... To sweep you away...”

Submitted by The Void — Apr 25, 2025