shanlung Posted November 3, 2015 (edited) I was reading Christian Cameron Alexander God of War last night and I came across this passage (heck! While I spend 3-4 hours daily on my Mandarin, I do read other books, and play 2-3 hours of chess in between drinking eating and fornicating) that showed Ashubanipal was clearly a Taoist. That book was written from the perspective of Ptolemy, companion and General of Alexander. Extract of that passage We went north from the road a stade or two, and there was this statue. It was magnificent and barbarous all at once, in black basalt. It depicted an acient king in a high crown, with his fingers raised on his right hand. Alexander made a face. "who is he?" he asked. Ariston spoke briefly to a Syrian cowering in the dirt. "He is the Great King Ashurbanipal" "What does the inscription say?" Alexandr asked. Ariston spoke to the cowering Syrian. He laughed, slapped his thigh and turned to the King. "According to this peasant, the inscrption says, " Eat! Drink! Fuck! And the rest is not worth this" I bow to Ashurbanipal as a true Taoist and his wisdom that I try to follow Taoistic Idiot waving palm leaves and singing hosannas to Great King Ashurbanipal Edited November 3, 2015 by shanlung 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted November 3, 2015 Hmmn, shades of Shelley's Ozymandias. For all our dreams of glory, all our supposed attainments, we pass and they are wiped away usually sooner then later. Living well, finding the sweet spots in life (however you define them) may be all we have. and perhaps one or two living legacies we pass on. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shanlung Posted November 4, 2015 Continuation of above passage. "What rest? Is not worth what? Foolish old man. Worthless!" Alexander shook his head. "there's no greatness here. A village bull might say the same." He looked at me, because I was sobbing with laughter. "lWhat's up with you Ptolemy?" I could not decide what was funnier - that Ashubanipal and raised a statue to proclaim this message (and the rest is not worth the snap of my fingers) or that Alexander didn't get it. Later , I thought that if only he'd mentioned war, the king would have found him worthy. Which confirmed what I had thought of Alexander. That he is not even a run of the mill dime a dozen Taoist whatever else he might be. Idiotic Taoist waving palm leaves and singing hosannas to Great King Ashurbanipal 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
