Geisler, H., 1973: Ein Adelsgrab auf dem germanischen Urnengräbergeld bei Kemnitz, Kr. Potsdam-Land, Zeitschrift für Archäologie 7, 279-298.

"The loss of Samuel Harvey's Victoria Cross in the 1920s are variously believed to be: swapped for beer in a pub; lost in a wood near Ipswich whilst returning home from a pub; or possibly Harvey sold his Victoria Cross privately. There have been no sightings of the VC since."

1. It would be our welcoming ceremony for new Grove members
2. It would also do more inner work (trance and potentially ecstatic work) and help create a stronger Grove identity

You inspire me.
I remember you.
I know your story.
Sleep in blessed rest.
Your duty is done.

I stood on the burial mound where two hundred and ninety-eight Spartans (and many other Greeks, forgotten in time and multi-million dollar films) lie buried, surveying the landscape.

A lot has changed in 2,500 years: the sea is now over a mile from the Hot Gates, and a road runs a bare 30 meters from the edge of the wall that once ended in the Aegean.

But the topography is unmistakable.

The mountains to the left are obviously impassable, and it is obvious why the God-King Xerxes himself felt so powerless against them that he did not force his army to march over them before the traitor revealed the trail.

Looking out across the same view the Greeks must have seen, it is easy to understand why this pass seemed like an ideal place to meet the Persians (and years later the Romans and the Germans). To men as tough as the Spartans, trained from age 7 (or before), this was obviously the best place to kill the troops of the Eastern God-Emperor: there was nowhere for the enemy to hide.


View from the burial mound
to the north and west along the coast
The modern site does not have many maps: initially, we could find none. From the top of the Greek burial-mound, though, there was a trail. Hoping to find the old wall, I started down it with zylch.

While we could no wall (only a flower truly caught my eye), we did get a startling view of the mountains as they must have looked so many years ago: the road and the roofs of houses were gone from our sight, and even the sound of traffic was dampened.

We later discovered that we had traveled for a short time on the traitorous goat path, left ingloriously undefended by the Phoicans.

When we returned to the burial mound, I was disappointed to have not found the wall. Still, I look some time to offer and pray to the dead buried beneath me.

And on my descent, there it was.

In what appeared to be a construction site, 100 meters from the base of the mound, I saw the wall. As I wondered how I could possibly have walked by it, I pointed it out with excitement to zylch, and convinced her to come with me.

I came up to it, stood on it, and looked around it. The wall is obviously reconstructed, but its position is obviously correct, as are its formation and size.

Here stood the men who I have held in awe and reverence for twelve years. Here they brushed out their long hair, singing as they were surrounded by certain death. Here, they fought over the body of a king descended from Herakles, fated to die that Sparta may live. Here, at this wall, Western warfare was defined.

Here, the Spartans were obedient to their laws.

And now, we had to go. Next stop: the oracle that doomed either a city or one of her kings. Delphi.

The Phocian Wall

"People of Sparta, either your city is destroyed by the Persians or it is not, and Lakedaimon will mourn a dead king of the Haraklid line. For the might of bulls and lions will not stay the enemy in battle; he has Zeus' might. And I say that he will not stop until he has destroyed one of these two." -Q152, Oracle of Delphi to the Spartans, regarding the Persian invasion (481/480 BC) [Herodotus, 7.220.3-4]

"Do not stay; fly to the ends of the earth, leaving your houses and city. For the whole body is unsound; nothing is left. Fire and war destroy it. Many fortresses will be destroyed, not yours alone. Many temples will burn, and blood drips upon their roofs, presaging inevitable evil. Leave the adyton and be ready for woes." -Q146, Oracle of Delphi to the Athenians, regarding the Persian invasion of the Hellas (481/480 BC)

"Pallas cannot appease Zeus with her many prayers. But I shall tell you this immovable decree: all Attica will be taken, but Zeus grants Athena a wooden wall that shall alone be untaken and will help you and your children. Do not await the onset of cavalry and infantry from the continent at your ease, but turn about and leave. You will face them sometime again. O divine Salamis, you will lose many children of men either at sowing time or at harvest." -Q147, Oracle of Delphi to the Athenians, regarding Oracle Q146 (481/480 BC)¹

"Come, come to my house," reads one section in the Semitic language that is supposed to be the snake's mother speaking, trying to lure him out of the tomb. In another passage, the snake is addressed as if he is a lover with "Turn aside, O my beloved."

1. Saw Pirates twice, despite not being so happy with it the first time.
2. Received a picture from a very hot girl with "chronarchy" written across her chest (I think I finally made it big in the Internet world).
3. Found and transcribed two commentaries on Lucan's Pharsalia.
4. Found (but didn't transcribe yet) the Adnotationes super Lucanum.
5. Began translations and putting said commentaries online as a public service (and because it's nice to have 'em handy).
6. Had a conversation with Eris that hasn't been transcribed yet.
7. Made a joke about cornering the market on paisley socks.
8. Had my cell phone refuse to dial, drop connections, and generally act like a bitch about 30% of the time.
9. Emailed an author about a corrected citation.
10. Slept in a bed that was not my own (twice).
11. Slept in my own bed (twice).
12. Slept on various couches (every other night).
13. Sang in the shower.

"certain drawings of perverse demons, barbaric names and harmful, presumptuous commands replete with arrogance and quite fit for demons; certain of the incantations were attributed to Zoroaster the magus, others to Ostanes the magician, others yet to Manetho.

The books taught the following spells:

• How one can set cities in turmoil, making the populace rise up and array fathers against their sons and grandsons.
• By what means one might break up legitimate marriages and cohabitations.
• How one might win over a woman who wishes to live in chastity to illicit love.
• How one might attempt adultery and murder.
• How one might commit theft.
• In what manner one can compel judges to deliver a sentence of acquittal."

-Zachary, Life of Severus.