Page 9 - Martin Downs Bulletin - December '20

Martin Downs, Page 9

Book Review from page 8 director, a Homer scholar named Zenodotus. seems to – often in terribly cruel ways at the hands of the church
have invented: the system was alphabetical order.” It is – are touched upon here in several examples that attest to
Many a determined humanist was to die a terrible death considered even today to have been perhaps the greatest the impressive research invested in this book by author
at the hands of the church, and the ongoing efforts by storehouse of knowledge ever assembled in one place. Stephen Greenblatt. Although scholarly in scope, it is
the Catholic church to protect its position described by And in the city itself, pagans, Jews and Christians lived thoroughly fascinating and richly rewarding. Greenblatt
author Stephen Greenblatt in The Swerve, are engrossing harmoniously for more than six centuries, just as their is also the author of Will in the World: How Shakespeare
and impressive in their historical detail, clearly the cultures lived in their documents side by side on the Became Shakespeare, another book I very much enjoyed
result of enormous research. But once the movement had library shelves. and have reviewed.
begun it was not to be stopped. The Renaissance and the Then, in A.D. 300, Emperor Constantine decided There is another great man who, when asked his
Reformation were born, and the world would never again to adopt the fast-growing Christianity as the official philosophy of life, replied, “I am an Epicurean.” Evidence
be the same. religion of Rome. Almost a century later, in A.D. 391, his of that is reflected in a passage in one of his many
To be sure, the church’s battle to control the minds of successor began to take a harder line approach to religious writings: “…Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
its “faithful” had started long before Poggio’s discovery affairs, an attitude which inspired others to do the same. We remember it from our Declaration of Independence.
in 1417. For me, one of the most powerful sections in the His spiritual representative in Alexandria decided The man was Thomas Jefferson, who owned five copies
book covers an event about which I had learned nothing in to turn against those in the city’s population who of Lucretius’s On the Nature of Things.
all my years of schooling, including college. It occurred at worshipped their pagan gods. When the pagans objected, Another of our nation’s documents, the Constitution,
the close of the fourth century. But first, the background: the Christians took violent action, turning to slaughter reflects the Founding Fathers’ understanding of at least
“Starting as early as 300 B.C., the Ptolemaic Kings who and then destroying the magnificent museum and library one aspect of Epicureanism in its commitment “to
ruled Alexandria (the capital of Egypt) had the inspired that was the very pride of the city, their purpose being to the clear separation of Church and State … a lesson
idea of luring leading scholars, scientists, and poets to their eradicate books – and education itself – and to demand that some, even in today’s American society – and in
city by offering them life appointments at the Museum with instead blind devotion to the church’s sacred dogma. our highest court – seem not to have learned in the
handsome salaries, tax exemptions, fine food and lodging, When they had succeeded in ridding the city of considering of forcing one group’s beliefs on others.”
and the almost limitless resources of the library. pagans, they next turned against the Jews, to expel them Finally, it is ironic that perhaps the institution that
“The recipients of this largesse established remarkable from the city. At this, one of Alexandria’s most highly benefited most from the reintroduction by Lucretius’s
high standards. Euclid developed his geometry in respected and admired citizens, a legendarily beautiful grand poem of the Epicurean philosophy was the Catholic
Alexandria. Archimedes discovered pi and laid the woman named Hypatia – world-renowned at the time church itself, which, after more than 16 centuries of
foundation for calculus. Eratosthenes posited that the for her attainments in astronomy, music, mathematics dominance through fear, has grown to serve a laity
earth was round and calculated its circumference to within and philosophy – stepped forward and objected to this more vast than it could ever have dreamed – not by
one percent; Galen revolutionized medicine. Alexandrian unwarranted attack on the Jews. The Christians dragged embracing by any means the full Epicurean principles
astronomers postulated a heliocentric universe; her from her chariot, stripped off her clothing, her skin (most especially its rejection of an afterlife), but by
geometers deduced that the length of a year was 365-1/4 was flayed off with broken bits of pottery, and her corpse turning instead to a focus on love ... and, in the case of
days and proposed adding a ‘leap day’ every fourth year; was burned. the current Pope, an apparent acceptance of love’s wider
geographers speculated that it would be possible to reach The destruction of the great library and museum of manifestations.
India by sailing west from Spain; engineers developed Alexandria was the beginning of the end of the education
hydraulics and pneumatics; anatomists first understood of the masses throughout Christendom. Libraries were
clearly that the brain and the nervous system were a unit, shut down, and books became less popular or ignored –
studied the function of the heart and the digestive system, until “the world changed,” sparked by the discovery of
and conducted experiments in nutrition. The level of Lucretius’s homage to Epicureanism.
achievement was staggering.” Alexandria’s museum and Poggio was one of that philosophy’s strongest
its library housed “most of the intellectual inheritance of advocates. In the decades and centuries to come,
Greek, Latin, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Jewish cultures its followers included many of history’s most noted
ever assembled; at least a half-million papyrus rolls achievers. In the works of Shakespeare, Montaigne,
were carefully and systematically organized, labeled and Galileo and others can be seen their interest in its
shelved according to a clever new system that its first principles, but the stories of others who gave their lives

Pet Matters

by Pat Deshong, President of Furry Friends commitment to animals. The award has historically been
Adoption, Clinic & Ranch, December 2020 presented at the Gimme Shelter Gala in February, but due
to Covid-19, Furry Friends was forced to postpone their
“ For the Love of annual fundraiser.
Animals” features real Pictured is Herme de Wyman Miro with her most recent
stories happening at Furry adoption from Furry Friends, “Tiny,” the Yorkie.
Friends in Jupiter. We are “Animals can transform people’s lives and the people
The Humane Society of we honor with this award do the same. This award is a
Greater Jupiter/Tequesta chance for our community to see the selfless acts Herme
and the only no-kill shelter de Wyman Miro has done to help save rescue animals in
open to the public in northern our area, including her most recent adoption of one of our Lynx is 14 years old and will Lois came to Furry Friends with
Palm Beach County. We’ve come around to you in time. She her five babies and was an amazing
been rescuing, rehabilitating, rescue Yorkies,” said Pat Deshong. does require a trip to the vet each Momma to them all. This girl is
and re-homing the homeless When considering adding a furry family member to month to get an injection. She sweet, silly and promises to be loyal
animals in our community your family, please visit our Palm City Ranch at 4841 S.W. has been with Furry Friends for and loving for all her days to come.
for more than 30 years. Zarrella Street or our new Jupiter Adoption Center at 100 awhile and needs a home to call Lois is a great companion and loves
Our not for profit 501c3 Capital Street in the Jupiter Commerce Park. PLEASE her own. Please consider adopting to be close to you (ok she insists) and
organization consists of our CALL 561-747-5311 PRIOR TO VISITING EITHER a senior cat. She deserves a leans in for some love.
Jupiter based adoption center, veterinary clinic (open to the LOCATION DUE TO COVID19. special home filled with love She loves dancing to your
public), thrift boutique, and Palm City Ranch. Blessings to you for your support and faith in us… all and patience. Please contact the favorite tunes, car rides to Starbucks.
ranch at 561-972-1194 to make She is good with dogs of similar
for the LOVE of animals! an appointment to meet Lynx. energy and mindsets and of her
choosing. Thanks to our wonderful
board members, Lois’s adoption fee
has been sponsored. She will also go
Patricia Deshong, President home with a Conair goodie bag!
Ways to donate (tax ID #59-2111273):
1. Mail a check made payable to Furry Friends to 100 Capital
Street, Jupiter, FL 33458.
2. Visit www.furryfriendsadoption.org
3. Call us with your credit card information at 561.747.5311
ext. 3
“Your donation creates the possibilities to make miracles
happen for our Furry Friends”

On November 16, 2020 our President, Pat Deshong,
awarded The Queen of Palm Beach Herme De Wyman Miro
with the prestigious CIGO award.
Furry Friends created the CIGO award to honor people
who best exemplify the nonprofit’s mission: to rescue,
rehabilitate, and re-home abused and abandoned dogs
and cats. The CIGO award was named after the Palm
Beach County Sheriff’s Office K-9 killed in the line of
duty on Christmas Eve in 2018. The CIGO Award stands
for Courage, Integrity, Genuine, and an Outstanding Paid Advertisement