Having disposed of most of the elements of the Rennes-le-Chateau
> story, particularly Plantard and his "club" Le Prieure de Sion, what did we
> have left?
>
> We had Cathars and Templars who were destroyed.
> We had Grail stories that emerged at the approximate same time...
> We had an icon that appeared on a beach in the Canary Islands,
> accompanied by lights and chanting processions...
> We had a pit dug at Oak Island and something buried that was NOT
> meant to be dug up.
>
> Meanwhile, we have this bunch of guys following all these false
> leads... Exerting themselves all over the place to find what is NOT hidden,
> though they think it is because their understanding is darkened.
>
> And we come back to Arcadia.
>
> There is NOTHING hidden in the picture. It is clear and plain.
>
> And what does it tell us?
>
> Well, let's think about Nicolas Poussin and recap what we know about
> him.
>
> What is important is this: Nicolas Poussin spent most of his
> adult life in Rome. Arriving there in 1624, he suffered a
> serious breakdown in 1629 either just after or just before
> painting the first version of the Arcadian Shepherds. One
> cannot help but wonder about this breakdown.
>
> He returned to Paris for little more than a year in 1640.
> But, what was he doing there?
>
> In regard to this, I was reading Josephson's paper on the theory of
> music, and he has an interesting idea there, though it is not new:
> Gurdjieff talked about "objective" music.
>
> So, I thought about this and decided that the "emotional" state
> evoked by art is a VERY important part of the message. Not that this
> is necessarily emotional in the usual sense of the word, but that it
> is an "exciting" of some essential nature. And, depending on the
> essential nature, the results of this excitation can be varied.
>
> For example, Mr. Mann sees the pregnant Shepherdess as representative
> of a "hidden fifth" element.
>
> The fifth house of the zodiac is the house of love and creativity and
> children and physical creation in general, including physical sex.
>
> So, I asked myself why he would perceive it this way?
>
> And why do I NOT perceive it this way? What is the difference?
>
> Well, perhaps it is because he sees it all as some power OUTSIDE of
> himself that must be sought and obtained and controlled.
>
> I see it as simply who and what I am.
>
> But, getting back to the painter of this picture.
>
> Anyway, his first few years in Rome coincided with a great
> deal of ancient site excavation activity that was going on.
>
> During this period of history, patronage of the arts on a lavish and
> international scale was quite common. This was the period of Rubens
> (who I like because his women look like ME!) and he painted in a rich
> and lavish style which transformed the lives of the royalty into
> dramatic Olympian statements! This, naturally, increased their egos
> so that they actually attempted to lead such lives, and led
> ultimately to the Revolution because of their excesses. They
> completely missed the point of the imagery and attempted to express
> all of it materially.
>
> Well, it seems that while Rubens was painting grandiose semi-mythical
> murals incorporating his royal patrons into the scenery, Poussin was
> working on minor decorations. He left for Rome. Why? Because there
> was something in the Parisian atmosphere that offended him, I expect.
>
> But, he had a solid reputation and a patron: Cardinal Richelieu. It
> was because of the Cardinal (notice the C+R) that Poussin came back
> to Paris to decorate the grand gallery of the Louvre. He received a
> shower of favors and the title "First Painter to the King." But, he
> was shortly made so miserable by the intrigues that grew up around
> him, that he left for Rome again. He became the "artistic
> ambassador" from France, and all the French artists were sent to him
> for supervision under government subsidy.
>
> He was a student of the classics, and needed the freedom to work out
> his own ideas and principles. His main themes were myth, religion,
> history and architecture. All of these are part of the "clues," so
> it seems that our Poussin may have been privy to certain "inside
> circles," even if only through inspiration, or "channeling," of an
> artistic sort.
>
> But, nevertheless, he had suffered a breakdown. WHY?
> During his illness he was nursed by, and then married, the
> daughter of Jean Dughet, the cook to the Cavaliere del Pozzo,
> who was in charge of the excavations.(!)
>
> Of this Dughet, it was recorded: "Near Capo di Bove was found buried
> a most curious treasure, including a room much decorated with silver;
> but by the intervention of a spy, those that found it gained little
> by it, for the great part of them were thrown into prison.
> Only the father-in-law of Monsieur Poussin was exempted, on
> account that he was cook to the senator."
>
> Now, I think that Capo di Bove means "head of the cow." So, we have
> a head and a cow. Remembering the cattle image and that the goddess
> Hera was often called "cow faced," and there were a lot of other cow
> images relating to creation and the goddess aspect.
>
> Anyway, what was dug up? What did they find? No one in this book on
> art history seems to know or care. Which is fine, because they are
> just talking about art and trying to interpret it aesthetically.
> But I sure wish somebody knew something about this mysterious episode.
>
> They say that Poussin spent a lot of time in the Roman museums,
> studying the figures there and modeling many of his figures on them.
> His "judicious use of opposites" is commented upon. And, it is
> further commented that Poussin had a "constant preoccupation with
> antique sculpture" which is shown by his clearly defined figures who
> look as though they have been chiseled out of stone, and that certain
> groups are DIRECTLY derived from some of these sculptures. In his
> "Rape of the Sabine Women," he clearly represents the Sabines in the
> poses of the statues of Gauls. His buildings are painted to exact
> descriptions by ancient writers. In his desire for accuracy of
> detail, he left nothing to chance.
>
> His "Et in Arcadia Ego," is described as a pastoral poem out of
> Vergil. They are described as being "pensive" and "melancholy" that
> it is a "meditative study."
>
> But, interestingly, the "art experts" also say that the Shepherdess
> is the continuation of the "vertical axis" of the tree while the
> shepherd on the left, with his resting arm, provides the horizontal
> axis, and that every gesture and line follows this initial "cross,"
> with "all the cool logic of a geometrical theorem."
>
> Well, I wonder if art critics REALLY see all this sort of thing in a
> painting, or if they just want to sound clever. I do notice that the
> shepherdess' head is right in the middle of a tree branch, almost as
> if it were a halo. But, I don't know what kind of tree it is.
>
> Well, nevertheless, the figure is pointing to the RhoChi of the
> Rosicrucians, shepherds are depicted, a woman as a type of a tree,
> and we get ARAIGNEE AT ICOD, out of the words also. And, this is
> most important, even if the hoaxers made the parchments and stone
> images, because of the spider image on the painting of Christ at the
> church of Rennes-les-Bains. There, the spider is depicted as the
> crown of thorns on Jesus head. And, we know that the Arachnea, the
> spinner, was transformed into a spider by a Jealous Hera, the "cow
> faced." But was THEN represented as the "menstruating Moon Goddess."
> And, Ariadne gave the clues to Theseus, but was THEN loved by
> Dionysus.
>
> Well, if the shepherdess in this painting is pregnant, then she is
> NOT menstruating!
>
> It goes on: "The current rumour in Rome was that some of the
> diggers were Goths, who had come from the north on the faith
> of ancient tradition to seek for treasure."
>
> Well, the only thing we know of these Gothic traditions is that I
> think they were what became the Grail stories.[^55788]
>
> But, the most interesting thing is where it is said:
> In 1656 Nicolas Fouquet, finance minister to Louis XIV, sent
> his brother, Louis, to Rome and suggested he see Poussin.
> Shortly after arriving, Fouquet wrote to his brother:
>
> > "I delivered to M. Poussin the letter that you did him the
> > honour to write to him; he evinced all the joy imaginable.
> > You would not believe, Monsieur, either the pains that he
> > takes in your service, or the affection with which he takes
> > them, nor the worth and integrity that he brings to all
> > things. He and I, we have planned certain matters that I
> > could, in a little undertake to the end for you, by which M.
> > Poussin could provide you with advantages that kings would
> > have great pains to get from him, and that, after him,
> > perhaps no one in the world could recover in the centuries to
> > come; and, what is more, this could be done without much
> > expense and could even turn to profit, and these are things
> > so hard to discover that no one, no matter who, upon this
> > earth today could have better fortune or even so much..."
>
> Well, we know that Poussin was supervising government subsidized
> artists, so this could be the "pains taken in your service." Rather
> simple and not at all mysterious! "Worth and integrity" are
> certainly important in regards to seeing that the government's money
> is not being wasted!!!
>
> But, the things that are "hard to discover," and would provide
> advantages that Kings would like to have, and which no one could
> recover for centuries????? What in the WORLD???
>
> But, it is OBVIOUSLY NOT alchemy, in the "metaphysical" sense, or
> "transmutation," nor can it be uncovered treasure! Because, it is
> mentioned that it would involve a little expense to DO it, and that
> it MIGHT turn to profit! So, it seems that Poussin has a little
> discovery that could be like an "invention." Something useful.
>
> And, I think that I have found what this is.
>
> > "It was a common practice among the early Egyptians, Greeks, and
> > Romans to seal lighted lamps in the sepulchers of their dead as
> > offerings. Later, as the custom became generally established, not
> > only actual lamps but miniatures of them in terra cotta were buried
> > with the dead. Some of the lamps were enclosed in circular vessels
> > for protection; and instances have been recorded where the original
> > oil was found in them, in a perfect state of preservation after more
> > than 2,000 years. There is ample proof that many of these lamps were
> > burning when the sepulchers were sealed, and it has been claimed that
> > they were STILL BURNING when the vaults were opened hundreds of years
> > later. The possibility of preparing a fuel which would renew itself
> > as rapidly as it was consumed has been a source of considerable
> > controversy among medieval authors. After due consideration of the
> > evidence at hand, it seems well within the range of possibility that
> > the ancient priest-chemists DID manufacture lamps that burned, if not
> > indefinitely, as least for a considerable period of time.
> >
> > "While conclusions reached by different authors are at variance, a
> > majority admit the existence of these phenomenal lamps. Only a few
> > maintained that the lamps would burn forever, but many were willing
> > to concede that they might remain alight for several centuries.
> > [...]
> > "In a tomb on the Appian Way which was opened during the papacy of
> > Paul III[^88241] was found a burning lamp which had remained alight in a
> > hermetically sealed vault for nearly 1,600 years. According to an
> > account written by a contemporary, a body of a young and beautiful
> > girl with long golden hair was found floating in an unknown
> > transparent liquid as well preserved as though death had occurred but
> > a few hours before. Those entering the sepulcher said that the draft
> > caused by the opening of the door blew out the light and it could not
> > be relighted. Kircher reproduces the epitaph supposedly found in the
> > tomb: TULLIOLAE FILIAE MEAE, but Mountfaoucon says this never
> > existed. The body was believed to be that of Tulliola, the daughter
> > of Cicero.
> > [...]
> > "St. Augustine described a perpetual lamp, guarded in a temple in
> > Egypt sacred to Venus, which neither wind nor water could extinguish.
> > He believed it to be the work of the Devil. (Why are we NOT
> > surprised!)
> > [...]
> > "During the early Middle Ages, a lamp was found in England which had
> > burned since the third century after Christ. The monument containing
> > it was believed to be the tomb of the father of Constantine the Great.
> > [...]
> > "In England a curious tomb was found containing an automaton which
> > moved when certain stones in the floor of the vault were stepped upon
> > by an intruder. At that time the Rosicrucian controversy was at its
> > height, so it was decided that the tomb was that of a Rosicrucian
> > initiate. A peasant discovered the tomb and entering, found the
> > interior brilliantly lighted by a lamp hanging from the ceiling. As
> > he walked, his weight depressed some of the floor stones. At once a
> > seated figure in heavy armor began to move. Mechanically it rose to
> > its feet ans struck the lamp with an iron baton, completely
> > destroying it, and thus preventing the discovery of the secret
> > substance which maintained the flame.
> >
> > "It is now believed that the wicks of these perpetual lamps were made
> > of braided or woven asbestos, called by the alchemists 'salamandar's
> > wool,' and that the fuel was one of the products of alchemical
> > research."
>
> So, this is what I think that Poussin discovered - light.
> He was "illumened," as the C's said!!!
>
> But, the most curious thing about this is that there is a funny
> reference in the Canary book to "strange wicks," too!!!
> Our Friar Alonso, of the Order of Preachers writes:
>
> > "While the holy image of Candelaria was at Chinguaro, or in the small
> > cave near it, where it remained for many years, the native Guanches
> > often heard celestial sounds and saw many burning lights in form of a
> > procession. They were not so frequent at first as they became when
> > the holy image was removed to the cave of San Blas.
> > [...]
> > "The processions formed by the angels, as well on the beach where the
> > holy image was, as on that of Socorro where she first appeared,
> > became very frequent, both by night and day, with solemnity and
> > harmony, music from softest voices, a great company in perfect order
> > with lighted candles. So, they made their processions from the
> > hermitage they now call Santiago to the cave of San Blas, there being
> > a wide beach all the way. These processions were so frequent that
> > the natives ceased to be surprised. This is so perfectly true, that
> > now, in these times, persons who have seen it go to the beach and
> > find candles with the wax burnt out. They have even found some
> > lighted and fixed to rocks. ...great quantities of drops of wax are
> > found...
> > [...]
> > "I speak of what I have seen and heard, and keep the wax in my power.
> > I have heard the same from many others. The candles they find are
> > not very white, and it is not known of what the wicks consist. They
> > are not cotton nor tow, but look more like twisted white silk.
> > [...]
> > "There also appeared on this island, twenty years before it was
> > conquered, a great quantity of white wax in loaves, in an adjacent
> > port, which for this reason was called the Port of Wax. ... some of
> > the loaves of wax appeared to weigh ten or twelve pounds and even
> > fifteen to twenty pounds; in this present year, there appeared loaves
> > of 20 pounds and more. In this present year, at the time when the
> > said wax appeared, there were no candles for saying Mass, nor for the
> > Benediction on the day of the Purification of Our Lady. For in this
> > island, there are no bee-hives for the supply of wax, nor is it
> > brought from Gran Canaria.
> > [...]
> > "For this wax always appeared four or five days before the feast of
> > Candelaria, that these might be the means of making candles for its
> > celebration."
>
> So, we have connected some tombs in Italy to some tombs in England,
> to our Poussin and his funny tomb... to the Canaries!!! All by a
> thread, literally! A candle wick!!!
>
> So, this is a VERY funny thing. What did the C's say? "Look for the
> frequency of light."