Milton's Manly Angels

<p>The masculine nature of the angels in Paradise Lost, in conjunction with their sexuality as revealed in Book VIII, prompted C. S. Lewis to try and explain away, not entirely convincingly, any potential “homosexual promiscuity” in his Preface to the epic. But other critics are unconcerned about the angels’ sexuality, probably because, unlike Lewis, they see them as essentially immaterial beings. In what follows I argue that a complete understanding of the angels’ sexuality must rest on Milton’s gradual revelation of the angels’ morphic substance, critical to their sexuality and gender identity. Milton’s use of the conventions associated with classical pastoral in depicting the angels suggests a male homosocial model analogous with the learning institutions of Milton’s own historical context – helpful when it comes to establishing the type of society, and relationships, in the heaven of Paradise Lost. Similarly, an exploration of bi-erotic elements occurring elsewhere within the Miltonic canon helps contextualise the bisexual potential of angelic desire. With these things in mind, a comprehensive understanding of the angelic sexuality can be achieved through close study of instances of desire, and sexuality, in Paradise Lost. The strong parallel between the angels, and Adam and Eve infers the potential for their descendants to evolve into a similar state of intimacy free of “Of membrane, joynt, or limb, exclusive barrs”.</p>

Milton's Manly Angels

<p>The masculine nature of the angels in Paradise Lost, in conjunction with their sexuality as revealed in Book VIII, prompted C. S. Lewis to try and explain away, not entirely convincingly, any potential “homosexual promiscuity” in his Preface to the epic. But other critics are unconcerned about the angels’ sexuality, probably because, unlike Lewis, they see them as essentially immaterial beings. In what follows I argue that a complete understanding of the angels’ sexuality must rest on Milton’s gradual revelation of the angels’ morphic substance, critical to their sexuality and gender identity. Milton’s use of the conventions associated with classical pastoral in depicting the angels suggests a male homosocial model analogous with the learning institutions of Milton’s own historical context – helpful when it comes to establishing the type of society, and relationships, in the heaven of Paradise Lost. Similarly, an exploration of bi-erotic elements occurring elsewhere within the Miltonic canon helps contextualise the bisexual potential of angelic desire. With these things in mind, a comprehensive understanding of the angelic sexuality can be achieved through close study of instances of desire, and sexuality, in Paradise Lost. The strong parallel between the angels, and Adam and Eve infers the potential for their descendants to evolve into a similar state of intimacy free of “Of membrane, joynt, or limb, exclusive barrs”.</p>

READING SUGGESTION: THE REPUBLIC

Background: Does history really repeat itself? Is it possible that a book written by Plato around 375 BC could have any relation to the present? Aim: to verify the ideas of Plato and to reflect if there is any kind of correlation with the present. Methods: Reading and text interpretation. Reflection. Results and Discussion In a period of restriction of ideas, it is relevant that after reading this book, a reflection is made on the paths that civilization is rapidly taking. Book VIII discusses four unjust constitutions: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. It is argued that a society will decay and go through each successive government, eventually becoming a tyranny, the most unjust regime of all. Conclusions: Many societies decay, the downfall of a prosperous society takes place quickly.

On Frankincense-scented Soaps, Peelings and Cleansers or on Cosmetics and Commotics in Antiquity and Early Byzantium

Cosmetology (τέχνη κοσμητική), i.e. a resource of means aimed at maintaining natural beauty of a human, was not frowned upon by the pagans nor by the Christians. What they disapproved of was commotic (κομμωτικὴ τέχνη), defined (by Galen, Clement of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa and Theodoret of Cyrus ) as an art of changing the outward appearance to the detriment of nature and one’s health. The present study has been designed to discuss select information, extant in Book VIII of Iatricorum libri by Aëtius of Amida, on what preparations were at disposal of the people of the Mediterranean who cared for their physical cleanliness (as well as health), regardless of their religious proclivities. It is focused on a number of prescriptions for face and body cleansers, though the analysed inventory has been limited to the ones including frankincense. The research material has turned out to be ample enough to draw conclusions on the ingredients used in such agents, their effectiveness, the form of the preparations, their application mode as well as on the addressees of the recipes. It has been also suggested that the formulas were compiled from the body of medical knowledge akin to what was collected by Titus Statilius Crito in his work On cosmetics.

Ōta Gyūichi. “Shinchō-kō ki”. Book VIII (part 2)

The publication provides a commented translation into Russian of the book VIII of Shinchō ō ki chronicle. The article continues the series of translations of books of Shinchō ō ki, published by the author. Shinchō ō ki is a biography of the so called “unifier of Japan” Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582). This is one of the most important sources on the history of Japan in the end of the Middle Ages – beginning of the Early Modern period. This present redaction dates back most likely to the 16th – beginning of the 17th cent. The author of the chronicle is O̅ ta Gyu̅ ichi (1527–1613?) the vassal of Nobunaga. This part of the chronicle describes the campaign of Oda Nobunaga in 1575 in the province of Echizen, which had previously come under the control of the Ikko̅ -ikki forces. Having brutally dealt with Ikko̅ -ikki’s supporters, Nobunaga regained his power over Echizen. Scroll VIII contains the text of Nobunaga's instructions to his vassal Shibata Katsuie. Katsuie was to be guided by these instructions when governing Echizen province. In addition, in this part of his work, O:̅ta Gyu̅ iti narrates about other important events, in particular, the assignment to the “unifier of Japan” posts at the Imperial court, as well as the transfer by Nobunaga of the headship of the Oda house to his eldest son Nobutada. The first academic translation of Shinchō ō ki into Russian is accompanied by a detailed commentary. The present author offers there a comparison between the data found in the chronicle against other sources. In addition, in the commentary comprises the authors interpretation of the difficult passages from the Shinchō ō ki along the traditional views on their meaning as expressed in the modern scholarship.