Selected texts & exhibits

                         watercolour by F. Somers-Victor, 1972

INTRODUCTION.  "I WAS NOT DECEIVED"

I. Petrarch and the Way

The Latin motto on Owen St. Victor's coat of arms is "NON DECEPTUS ERAM" meaning "I WAS NOT DECEIVED".  Although this is put in the first person it is not meant as an egoic boast like that of the Dutchman Geert Gerhards (1466-1536).  He conceded to the Latin fashion of the day and changed his name to Desiderius Erasmus and adopted the Latin motto, "CONCEDO NULLI" - "I  COMPROMISE FOR NOBODY".

St. Victor's motto finds its meaning in what Francesco Petrarch (1304-74) wrote in his "Secretum...", a book whose title and sub-title we may render freely in English as "Confidences" - ("Regarding My) Soul's Conflicts...").  The imaginary dialogues of this work begin with St. Augustine's conversation with the author whom he warns of "clinging to ...self-deception" - a most deadly (weakness) in (our) lives" and cause of much of our "miseries".

Petrarch, the father of Christian humanism - a "school" historians enroll the later Erasmus is also, both men having been great scholars and thinkers with an eye to Europe's classical past - has his spiritual patron St. Augustine tell him to overcome self-delusion about his worldly gifts and, indeed, to turn away from his literary pursuits, his poetic and romantic perception of the world, and his intellectual labours, "Augustine" exhorts Petrarch "to live a life of religious contemplation only, like a cloistered monk, and meditate on sin, death, and the "second death" or its alternative, salvation.

The poet declines, however, although thanking the Saint for being his model and mentor.  What Augustine wishes for him is too celestial as he (Petrarch) must live out his life on earth.  Petrarch effects a compromise: he will follow, on the one hand, what he must have regarded as almost his charismatic gift for Christian classical and humanistic "learning"; and on the other, he would still be inspired by many of Augustine's principles (and his Christian Platonic mysticism) and, above this even, by "Her - the Spirit of Truth" (See Wm. H. Draper's 1911 translation of Petrarch's "Secretum").

St. Victor's motto, "I Was Not Deceived", in the Petrarchian sense implies that he hoped he had freed himself completely on in large part from self-delusion.  This was a thing which Solomon "the Preacher" called the "vanity of vanities" that "all a man's labour which he taketh under the Sun" - even the "labour" to seek and search out... Wisdom", as well as the doing of "great works", could be "vexation of spirit (with) no profit..." (Eccl.1.2,13;2.4,11), if it was done with vanity and pride and not under the impulse of the Holy Spirit as Jesus himself taught (Jn.14.26;15.26;16.13).

"John" in the First Epistle , follows-up the "Gospel According to St. John" in its account of the Last Supper discourse where Jesus promises to "send the Spirit of Truth".  In the Epistle (we condense) the writer says, "(Christ) has given us (his) Spirit... the Spirit of Truth (and) of Prophecy".  Before this are these words: "We say that we do not deceive ourselves, and that the Truth, the Light, the Living Word, is in us".  It is two things more, making five in all; these two being the "Love of God in us" which is an energy that is "perfecting us"; and all this is an "Anointing from the Holy One (Christ)...".  And so the writer offers what may be taken as a conclusion - "We (each) shall be like him... born of God... and sons of God... (with) the promise of eternal life; victors; having overcome the world by faith (and righteousness)".

Thus we have seen what "John" of the Gospel and "John" of the Epistle have to say or report about deception.  "John" of the "Revelation" adds to this, in the words of Christ, speaking against "liars" (2.1), the unfaithful (2.10) and holders of "(false) doctrine" (2.14,15), that Christians who "overcome" these and other hindrances will "sit with (Christ) in (his) throne" (3.21) in "the City of God" (21.2;22.14).  Like the Psalmist (119.30) they can say, " I have chosen the Way of Truth" (Matt. 22.16; 2 Pl. 2,2;etc.)

      II. From " St. Balinus"

       i.e. Apollonios of Tyana                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       (Quoted in his "Life" by Philostratus)

1. "Pray as the sun rises... and converse with God"

2.  "Do not fear to go before God and pray for Him to give you what you deserve.  Only go with a good conscience."

3.  (The journey to the Maqi... requires one to ) " Know all the Cities along the Way."

4.  "Begin by knowing yourself and you will come to know everything else."

5.  " A (spiritual being) sent to men by Wisdom will (appear as) a man who will seek to encourage, (discipline and rational) order in others' souls" (He himself will be) formed (internally) in the Divine Image of the Good in the Godhead which is also the Essence and Source of the Creation" (VIII,7.7).

6.  One, by being "self-controlled and just" and by practicing a certain kind of silence", (said this spiritual master) can "follow the same Way I have chosen, freely and in the footsteps of others.  I am not deceived that I have attained what a lover of Wisdom should attain and that I have received all that Wisdom said She would give me.  I have founded my philosophy on (true, human,) Being and its Source in one's own immortal Soul.  Such is (the Wisdom of) Divine Science."

  III. PARMENIDES "WAY OF TRUTH"

(Parmenides' narration-)

P.1

"DEEP IN DEVOTION," AND WHILST PRAYING IN MY DARKENED CITY, I FOLLOWED MY (MIND) ON ITS WAY TO THE LIGHT.  THIS WAS TO BE THE ATTAINMENT OF MY DESIRE.

P.2

I HEARD, THEN, THE COMING OF MY VEHICLE: THE CHARIOT OF UNDERSTANDING, WITH ITS CONDUCTORS.  THESE, I NOW SAW, WERE THE THREE SISTERS (WHOM I LATER LEARNED WERE "HORAE" - OVER TIMES AND SEASONS AND CONDITIONS).  THEY INVITED ME TO BOARD THEIR CAR.

P.3

SOON AGAIN, THE WHEELS HUMMED AND EVEN WHILST THEIR HUBS FLASHED WITH FIRE, I WAS CONVEYED THROUGH EVERY OTHER CITY, AND THROUGH THE DARKNESS ON THE WAY OF TRUTH.

P.4

AT THE END OF MY JOURNEY I CAME TO THE GATE OF (TRUE) DAY , IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE OF THEMIS : QUEEN OF ZEUS; SEVEN-FOLD MOTHER OF THESE GOOD SISTERS; OF THE FATES; AND OF BRIGHT ASTRAEA.

P.5

WHEN WE HAD APPROACHED, DIKE (JUSTICE), WHO ALSO IS CALLED ASTRAEA, HAD OPENED THE GATE.  WE ENTERED, I DESCENDED, AND I WAS GREETED BY THE (QUEEN OF HEAVEN) WHO SPOKE:

(P-6:THEMIS' SPEECH, T-1-4)

T-1

"WELCOME TO YOU WHOM I MAY NOW CALL SON.  YOU HAVE BEEN WELL-GUIDED BY MY DAUGHTERS, THE VIRTUES OF TRUE WORD (OATH), ACCORD, AND ACCOMODATION  (OF OTHERS); FOR OURS' IS THE HOUSE OF RIGHT; RIGHT ORDER, RIGHT JUSTICE AND RIGHT UNDERSTANDING.

T-2

NOT FOR YOU WAS A LIFE DRIVEN AND COMPELLED (IN TIME) SOLELY BY CIRCUMSTANCES OF BIRTH, UP-BRINGING AND EVENTS - AND, AS THE MOIRAE DEAL-OUT DESTINIES; BUT YOU ALSO CHOSE (IN TIME).  THE SEASONS (HORAE) OF OPPORTUNITY, AND FREEDOM, AND UNDERSTANDING, TO FOLLOW A WAY: A ROAD OF REASON; NOT OF MEN'S OPINIONS.

T-3

KNOW, NOW, THE WAY OF TRUTH.  IT BEGINS WITH ONE WORD: "E"; THAT IS, "BEING".  IT ALWAYS IS AND NEVER WAS BORN....  IT IS TRUTH, BEING, MIND, THOUGHT AND WORD (LOGOS); CHANGELESS AND ETERNAL.

T-4

ITS HOME IS HERE WITHIN OUR DOMAIN FAR AWAY FROM MEN: BUT THOUGH FAR.  IT ALSO IS PRESENT TO MEN'S MINDS.  IT IS THE LIGHT.  LOOK ALWAYS TO THIS.  IT IS THE ALL."

***

(Translated; Correcting and Amplifying the Pre-Socratic philosopher).