aefenglommung (aefenglommung) wrote,
aefenglommung
aefenglommung

Ars gratia militaris

So, some people are apparently complaining that this military medal awarded to those participating in the campaign against ISIS shows a mailed fist, which in their view is a visual reference to Crusader knights, which plays into ISIS's narrative about the West, yada yada, yackety schmackety.

30b440d16

But look closely at the scorpion being impaled by the sword. To my mind, it recalls the crab, dynastic symbol of King Gorice XII of Witchland, in E.R. Eddison's 1922 fantasy, The Worm Ouroboros, which I read in my teens in the Ballantine paperback edition.

crab

So, we're not recalling Richard III and the Crusaders. Someone at the Pentagon is channeling Lord Brandoch Daha and the genteel warriors of Demonland. Brandoch Daha was the greatest swordsman of his generation, who killed King Gorice X in personal combat. As it said over the doors of his castle at Krothering,
Ye braggarts and a'
Be feared and awa'
Frae Brandoch Daha.
I can live with that.
Subscribe

  • Point of view in LOTR

    One of the achievements of The Lord of the Rings is its complicated narrative architecture. Stories are interlaced and we follow, now this sub-plot,…

  • Arthur contra mundum

    The consensus opinion among Tolkien critics -- including those who greatly admire his work -- is that The Lord of the Rings is slow to get going,…

  • Not all ancient institutions are good

    The institutions of the Roman Republic have cast a long shadow over western government. Even our Founders paid close attention to the Roman model,…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
    Help
  • 0 comments