Wednesday, May 10, 2006

A word from Brother Don

Seeing the rules of the Pythagorean order laid out with such breathtaking clarity is as a clarion call to arms. It is possible that, among many lesser discoveries and the odd theorem, Pythagoras founded an early form of Uncomfortablism in his travels through the ancient world. Certainly strict adherence to the rules would result in much valuable confusion, if not actual discomfort.
It is our duty to formulate a set of rules for the Uncomfortablist Order.

-----Original Message-----
From: Brother Don

Good to see you reading Euclid in the original. Which one? Elements? Book ll to Book Vl? Keep copies under my pillow.... (really uncomfortable)

He's a god to architects you know.

But you must simultaneously read the Arabic 800 A.D version ( translated under Harun la Rashid) and the first Latin translation made from the Arabic by Adelard of Bath in A.D. 1120. you really start to appreciate the ironic dry humour that seems to be missing from the later english versions...

yes.... I have had a few quiet chuckles over those books


But he was only standing on the shoulders of Pythagoras you know.
and god how that guy could party!
even today I can recite by heart the rules of the Pythagorean order

to abstain from beans
not to pick up what has fallen
not to touch a white cock ........... no arguments from me
not to break bread
not to step over a crossbar
not to stir the fire with iron
not to eat from a whole loaf.......... had a thing about bread it seems
not to pick a garland
not to sit on a quart measure
not to eat the heart
not to walk on highways
not to let swallows share one's roof
when the pot is taken off the fire, not to leave the mark of it in the ashes, but to stir them together
do not look in a mirror beside a light
when you rise from the bedclothes roll them together and smooth out the impress of the body

yes they're hard to forget.. and all so so relevant today.

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