Matthew
5:37
| 1 | For those who have an appreciation for Greek mythology, when considering the advent of Dionysus, one should probably ask, "Where's Ariadne?" For how can you overlook that which is so integral to the myth, as the bride? Or for that matter, how do you refer to the advent of the New Church, without mentioning the relationship between husband (God) and wife (The Church)? |
| 2 | This is an important distinction to make, for it coincides with the publication of this book on the Internet, in early 1997 (February). Indeed it can honestly be said, although more in a representative sense, this is the point at which Ariadne makes her approach. Whereas if I hadn't pursued it as such (for those who wish to scoff), it would never have unfolded the way it did, and there would be nothing to write about. |
| 3 | It began after I moved up to Portland, Oregon, and lived there a couple of years, and got another temporary job at one of the well known manufacturers (doing electronics assembly). I started work on January 6th, which is also the day the Christian Church celebrates the miracle of the wine I refer to in the beginning of the book; what I've also heard called Little Christmas. Which is strange, for a very similar festival used to be held on the same day in Dionysus' honor, to celebrate one of his famous epiphanies! |
| 4 | I had been there a couple of weeks when they hired another temporary, a young woman who I knew briefly from the other building (of the same company). An attractive young woman, she was originally from Laos, but had moved to the United States when she was very young, and had pretty much become Americanized. We only spoke briefly before, but I couldn't help but notice her, and I remember the one day she told someone she wanted to have a lot of children when she got married again. (She was divorced or separated and had a little girl.) And I began to think, "Man, I sure wish that was me!" Of course she left shortly thereafter and I didn't think much else of it. |
| 5 | Needless to say I was very surprised to see her again, and being one of the only people she knew at the new building, she began to rely on me for telling her what to do. Which was really all I could ask, as I sat on cloud nine for the next few days. But I soon realized I should try and cool it down, when she started getting friendly with some of the other employees, and I could see that this was all it was with me. Besides, there was our age difference, I had just turned 41 and she was only 23, and I couldn't bring myself to be so forward about it. |
| 6 | Soon afterwards I told her I was writing the book, that it was about religion and Greek mythology and I had just posted it on the Internet, and I encouraged her to look it up if she was interested. While she said she had a particular interest in Greek mythology in high school and intended to look it up that day. But it was at least a couple of weeks before she got back to me, and when she did she said she didn't understand what I was trying to do, that it didn't read like a book and it was hard to follow. (It was the first time she tried accessing the Internet and she didn't understand the format.) Indeed she was very adamant about it and I didn't see the point in trying to pursue it. |
| 7 | Yet over the next few months it became apparent how keenly interested she was in the Greek myths. She was totally captivated and extremely enthusiastic when we got on the Internet together and looked them up (on other sites). Which really surprised me but, I figured it was due to her culture from Laos, where the worship of several gods was probably not uncommon. (She may have said something to that effect.) |
| 8 | Then one day we were on the Internet and she was asking about Greek mythology names, for she was considering changing hers (when she became an American citizen). This went on for about fifteen minutes when I finally asked, "What do you think about the name Ari?" Which is basically the same as Ariadne, and means "of Aries," (The Ram), and indeed symbolized how I felt about her. But she was so caught up in her own ideas that she didn't hear me. (I said it at least twice.) Which was just as well, for I didn't want to make it sound like I was trying to unduly influence her. And although it sounded like a very suitable name, in spite of how I felt, it was something she had to decide. |
| 9 | This was also about the time I showed her the similarity between my mother's name and Semele's name, Dionysus' mother. That by changing the e at the end to i, you get Semeli, which is essentially the same. (I've seen it spelled both ways.) Then, by taking the first three letters, Sem, and shifting them to the right of the eli (by inserting the s between the l and i and adding a space between the e and m), you get Elsie M, which, happens to be my mother's name (her first name and middle initial). And I added you could only do this with the M, which stood for May, which, happened to be this young woman's name. Yet I later realized my mother's middle name was actually spelled Mae, which is just as well, for these were the worshippers of Dionysus! The Maenads! |
| 10 | I believe it was in May that the TV movie Odysseus was aired (by Francis Ford Coppola), and she couldn't stop talking about it for two weeks. While I said I'd seen the previews, and intended to watch it myself, but forgot by the time it came on. But she had video-taped it and seen it twice already, so I asked if I could borrow it. She said yes. She was supposed to bring it in the next day but didn't do so for about a week. In the meanwhile I brought in selected chapters of my book for her to read, saying it was more like an actual book, as opposed to her ideas of the Internet, and that chapter 11 was written specifically about Odysseus and, pertained to me. Indeed I was tempted to bring up the part in the movie where Athena turns Odysseus into an old man (even after she brought this up later), for it could easily have applied to me. |
| 11 | This is because I have a lot of gray hair, which makes me look several years older. And yet if I were to color it, I'd look considerably younger (my mid-thirties?). The main reason it's gray is due to this whole odyssey of stress I've had to endure—indeed, a price paid for wisdom. And having established a close affinity with Athena over the years, the goddess of wisdom (see chapter 11), one might conclude it was done at her bidding. Perhaps to disguise me from a potential mate? (even as Athena disguised Odysseus so he could see if Penelope was faithful and still loved him). |
| 12 | A charming and vivacious creature, May had an intoxicating aura, that sent my mind whirling with some of her proposals. Her enthusiasm was phenomenal. Her exuberance was wild. She was irresistible yes! Yet this is just who she was. Sound like your typical Maenad? Of course I would usually cool off by the next day. I'd have to! And I'd walk back into work as if nothing occurred. That is until she snuggled up to my leg again—like a cat—with some new proposal. Saying things like she trusted me and wanted to drive to California with me (she was leaving on the same day I was), asking me to go to the nightclub with her and some friends from work, offering to cut my hair in front of everyone, and telling everybody we're pals! Things like that. |
| 13 | In fact of all the people at work, she's the only one I really cared for. And everybody knew it! With so many people I wouldn't even give the time of day to (more because I like my privacy), you'd be blind not to see it. While like Odysseus, there were so many things going on that I didn't agree with, that I was better off holding my peace. Yet she had this way of creeping over the fence and getting into your backyard, and before long you'd begin to wonder why you would even ignore her? And there were times when we carried on—and we got along famously! |
| 14 | It had been over a month since I gave her my book to read, but she hadn't gotten past the first few paragraphs. This is when I realized I had a copy of The Gods of Greece, by Arianna Stassinopolous (now Arianna Huffington), possibly one of the best books written on the subject. And although one of my favorites, I thought it would serve well as an introduction for someone as special as May, and I had no problem parting with it. Besides it had been sitting on the shelf for so long that I almost forget it was there. While there's something about the author's name, Arianna, which has the same significance as Ariadne. (They're basically the same.) It too was on my mind when I gave it to her. |
| 15 | Thus when I handed it to her at work, the very first thing she did was turn around to her best friend and said, "Look, Arianna," which happened to be her granddaughter's name. And I said that's odd, because Arianna is the same as Ariadne, the wife of Dionysus. And I said I used to have "the hots" for Arianna Stassinopolus, before I knew she was married to the California congressman (Michael Huffington), and I had sent her part of my book to read a few years earlier. I then said Ariadne meant "of Aries," and it was strange how there were so many references to it. At which point she brought up her daughter's name, "Arielle." By now my mind was racing ahead, for this was the fourth reference to "Ari": the first being the day she talked about changing her name; the second being the author of the book; the third being the woman's granddaughter's name; and now the fourth, her daughter's name. Whereas the name Arielle suggests, "the daughter of Ari." So there it is! |
| 16 | And yet there was one other thing to be played out, and it concerns Ariadne's relationship with Theseus. It was in April or May that another temporary was hired, and he too was from Laos. And before long he, May and her best friend became chums. And almost immediately I wondered if he was Theseus. (In the myth, Ariadne runs away with Theseus, before he deserts her.) But all I had to go on was that both his name and Theseus' name started with a Th. I wasn't overly concerned about it but, my interest peaked when all three went out to the nightclub together. And although it didn't amount to much more than that, it continued to stay in the back of mind. |
| 17 | About a week after giving her the book, The Gods of Greece, I was doing a job requiring me to stand a lot and she kept asking if I wanted to trade. (She was sitting down and thought I might be getting tired.) Like so many times before, I kept saying no, that it wasn't necessary. But this time I actually was getting tired and finally suggested we switch after lunch, and she agreed. Anyway, we were getting ready to switch, when I said I first had to go down the hallway and turn my timecard in. And she said, "Oh, would you turn mine in for me too?" And I said okay. She then said—as if grabbing me by the arm—"Wait a second, let's go together!" and my heart began to pound. But then the other girl (her best friend) said, "Oh, going to turn your timecards in? Let me go with you!" and my heart plummeted. |
| 18 | In the meanwhile she had gotten the idea that I wasn't interested in switching jobs (which I couldn't understand), and said she was no longer interested, and started talking to the other girl. Now it seemed silly to have three people do what one could have done and I said, "I don't know what you guys are doing, but I'm going to turn my timecard in," and said, "Here," and set hers down on the bench. Which apparently was our cue, as we all walked down to turn our timecards in. But when we got there May turned around and asked where her timecard was. And I said I didn't have it, that I set it down on the bench. And the other girl, with her usual sarcastic flair said, "You see, that's just the kind of man you don't want, one that's forgetful!" |
| 19 | At this point I was pretty demoralized and just wanted to get back, whereas May walked back with me to get her timecard. While it just so happened I was working with the guy I thought was Theseus and another girl, and when I got back they both knew something was wrong. They already knew I was tired, but now I wasn't speaking to them. This went on for about 45 minutes until I glanced up at one of the computer screens (required by the job), and there it was, his last name—which, began with "Ari!" Here was the fifth Ari! Suggesting like Theseus, he was related to Ariadne. And I began to think, "Oh man, there really is something to this whole maze of trouble I've been put through," as the pressure began to subside—i.e., a Labyrinth? This occurred on Friday, August 1st. |
| 20 | The following week I drew I up a representation of all this, beginning with my suggestion of the name Ari, and then showing the five Ari's in succession, as well as the relationship between my mother's name, Semele's name and May's name, while adding the part about how the first and only real girlfriend I had (in grade school) was named Arlene: where the first two letters, Ar, and last two letters, ne, were the same as in Ariadne. Thus when I handed it to her I asked if she remembered the day she was talking about changing her name, and we began to talk. It took a few minutes before it sank in, and then I confessed I'd be a liar if I had no interest in her. At which point she said she was flattered that I or anyone else would fantasize about her. |
| 21 | She was pretty intrigued, but kept wondering what it had to do with this other guy. This was all right before lunch, and just before she left she said, "By the way, I think I've chosen a name for myself, Thian. Tell me what you can do with that?" Which for some reason I mistook for "Tean" (both sound like "Tee Ann"), and after lunch I went right to work. I got my clue from the other guy's name, for although it began with Th, the h is silent and it's pronounced like T. So I decided to drop the h in Theseus, and take only the first consonant, Te, and add to it the an from Arianna (by dropping the Ari and na), which gives you Tean. Which was pretty close. But it was especially intriguing when she told me the actual spelling, "Thian." And went on to say the full spelling was "Thianna." And indeed there it was! Th (eseus/Ar) ianna. |
| 22 | Afterwards, I had to get back to her about one thing, that Theseus was the son of Poseidon, the ruler of the sea, and that the sea signified the natural world (in the spiritual sense). And being Ariadne's lover, Theseus represents her natural or mortal side (before he deserts her). I then said the name Thianna suggests Ariadne is still caught up with her mortal side (be it Theseus, this other guy or partying too much) and hasn't yet recognized her true husband. Which is what Dionysus represents (her spiritual husband). And she said "Oh, are we getting married?" I don't recall what I said, but she said she'd probably still be single when the book got published. She seemed to be more concerned about the money, which is understandable considering her financial difficulties. |
| 23 | We then began talking about what she did after she left her husband. She fell in love with someone else, a very handsome man, who dumped her. And guess what? His name was "Thi!" Here we are again! (I believe she got Thianna from this and the other girl's granddaughter.) To take things further, something had occurred in ancient Alexandria, where Antony had the audacity to portray himself as Dionysus at one of his processions. Hence as Ariadne and Dionysus were lovers before she ran away with Theseus, it seems only fitting that May's ex-husband's name be Tony! |
| 24 | May was so intrigued by all of this that she read the whole book that night, and proceeded to tell me about it the next day. This is when I said she could keep it but, she was more concerned about the cost, saying the paper looked very expensive. At which point I estimated it to be about 150 pages, using double-sided sheets (75 sheets), which wasn't much more than a dollar. While it's funny that when we spoke again later, she spoke of the dream she had that night, about winning $150,000 in the lottery! Which I suggested could of have been about the book (without realizing what I said about the 150 pages earlier). For at least to me, it represents the value of the book, which not only belongs to me, but, to whomever it is that I marry. |
| 25 | While it remained to be seen if anything would come out of this, May and I were still smiling and talking with each other at the time I wrote this. In fact she was thoroughly delighted to read it, and even exclaimed how optimistic I was about the whole thing, which I took to be a sign of encouragement. In fact on the following Monday (this occurred on Friday), she and her best friend were talking about relationships with older men and what it would be like to be married. And while her friend seemed dead set against it, May was very positive and open minded about it. This went on for at least an hour, and I could only assume it was done for my benefit, for I was standing right there (kitting up parts). While throughout the day, I experienced the most profound sense of nobility about the prospect that lay ahead. |
| 26 | It was short-lived though, for there are lots of things that go on in the work place that has little or nothing to do with work. Indeed there were a lot of young people there, with nothing better to do than brag, spread rumors, maintain one-upmanship and exhibit a general disregard for other people's feelings. And while much of it was vulgar, the thing that was particularly disturbing was when sexual references were made, specifically towards May. And being young and attractive, and desiring to be the center of attention, May had a tendency to encourage it: where every young "stud" thinks he has an erection. In fact she saw the majority of it. Sound like Odysseus' problem with the suitors? |
| 27 | Some of this had happened on Monday, when she kept asking one of the noisier "lads" when he was going to take her out to dinner, but it got particularly bad the last couple of hours on Tuesday, when the sexual innuendo really got thick, and she was reveling in it! And in lieu of everything that had just transpired, I was very distraught, and by the time I got home all I could think about was ending my life. (Something similar to this happened shortly after I drew up the representation with the names.) Needless to say I couldn't sleep that night, and about 4:00 in the morning I got up and laid on the couch. I lay there for about an hour in a sea of emotions, when suddenly this wonderful calm came over me, and I realized it was time to write her a letter. Indeed a very eloquent letter, which captures the depth of my concern and the spirit that came over me at that moment. The letter is transcribed below. |
| 28 |
|
| 31 | We went back and forth with this for about an hour, with her saying things like there were lots of other women in the world, that she wasn't the woman for me, she was outgoing and I was very private, that in fact she wasn't a very nice person and only had loyalties to herself, while adding she was a real heartbreaker and tended to have this effect on a lot of people. Sound a bit like Aphrodite? For indeed this is how Ariadne is portrayed, as an earthly Aphrodite. |
| 34 | So basically she turned her back on me, by not acknowledging my true intentions. Which is precisely what's required in the myth. For Ariadne is already Dionysus' beloved before she betrays him, only to have Theseus abandon her at the first opportunity, where she finds herself alone and stranded. And in the midst of her despair, she cries out to death as her savior, only to have Dionysus appear, and she sees in him the true lover who was always there. And the two are married and ascend to heaven. |
| 35 | As much time and effort that I put into this, and as much joy and sorrow that I felt, it just wasn't meant to be, and I was really perplexed about why this lovely creature wouldn't respond. I will say that the week before I gave notice, the guy that I thought was Theseus quit his job (without notice), and met May out in the parking lot later that night. She invited him into her car, and the last thing she expected was him to make a pass at her, which he did, and she told him to get the hell out of her car and she never wanted to see him again. And although they didn't really have an affair, it clearly alludes to this (his intentions), and demonstrates a sign of his desertion. She later said she treated him with nothing but respect, and was extremely disappointed that it happened, and indeed, she was affected the most by his leaving. Yet I can't say I blame him, for I could see the same feelings (of frustration?) cropping up in me, for this is the kind of effect she has on people. In the meantime, I'll just have to settle for what it represents. |
| 36 | Of course I should say there's more to it than this, for after extending the Ari theme further to fourteen (there's something about that number), and drafting an additional thirty pages, I had it delivered to May in early November. And yet, as it only reaffirms what's already been said, I don't feel it's necessary to include it here. It was written more to convey my sense of loss (after continued feelings of alienation and quitting my job in late September), in the hopes that May would understand. |
| 37 | But, I would still like to mention the sixth Ari, which occurred the Saturday following the day I gave her the letter. And I drew up a note which said, "It's winter now, as love has grown cold. All I can do is hibernate, and await the spring thaw ... as Aries makes her approach." And I began to think, here was the sixth Ari, and I wrote, "Or would that be Virgo, The Bride to Be" (i.e., the sixth sign). Which is funny because when I looked it up five minutes later, there it was, Virgo began on this very day—August 23rd! And I said look it up in chapter 6, where I refer to Ariadne's bridal chaplet and the crown of twelve stars, where Virgo and the number 6 are written on her breast. And I said, "The signs are in the heavens May, won't you please accept your crown!" |
| 38 | One final thing I would like to say, which prompts
me to write about it one year later—on August 23rd—is that this
reflects something that actually happened. In fact it's happened the way
I say it has or it hasn't. And while the idea has since faded, and holds
little personal interest, it clearly alludes to that which has manifested
itself from above (heaven). Indeed this one thing can be said, and it's
the reason I'm including it in the book. Whereas for those wishing
to question my motives, or suggest anything different, they'd seriously
be in error, although I will own up to acting a bit like a teenager. And yet the burden of proof has always been mine, which can only
be reaffirmed, by saying "yea or nay." Matthew
5:37
|
| 39 | "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,
the Lion of the tribe of Judah,
the Root of David, hath prevailed
to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." Revelation
5:5
|