To: Quintus Fabius Maximus, in the presence of our fellow-citizens:
Salve, Quinte Fabi:
You ask: how have you wronged me? You haven't, but you did disturb me with
all that stuff about religious differences. You may have noticed that it is
something I am very sensitive about :-).
Seriously, there is a nasty tendency in world politics of people using their
religion as a political platform, the implications of which worry me a great
deal. I believed you were contemplating something similar in running for
praetor, so I thought I would spell out the implications of this for the
electors, and ask you to state unequivocally where you stood on this
question.
This you have done, and I thank you for reassuring me that you entertain no
aspirations toward becoming Nova Roma's first Diocletian (who of course was
an excellent man in many respects, though rather weak in the Inter-Faith
Dialogue department). Therefore, let there be peace between us.
You also ask: why am I acting as Audens' hatchet man? (which evokes
impossibly hyperbolical visions of kindly Audens' clientes and slaves
running around the streets of Rome terrorising Fabius' supporters with
axes!). Well, as I saidthe other week, I am NOT a client of Audens (they
don't exist in NR, thank the gods), and I use my axe only for chopping
firewood, shaving, trimming my nails etc. However, I did promise to do what
I could to help Audens get elected Praetor.
Believe me, if there were anything about Audens' intentions or beliefs that
gave me cause for concern, I would have taken issue with him about it as I
did with you. Indeed, if I had not thought Audens' character irreproachable
(and the reasons he brielfly left NR where wholly honourable), then I would
not have offered him my assistance.
So - you haven't wronged me, and I'm not out to get you. We now have it on
record thatyou will not, if elected to this or higher office, seek to alter
the Constitution to the detriment of any citizen on grounds of his or her
religious belief. Therefore, let there be peace between us.
The noble Ericius has said that he had hoped this thread would go away: I
take that as a gentle admonition from a man I respect greatly, and so I
hereby for my part offer an apology if my words on this subject have given
distress or offence to anyone.
Let me end with something Audens said about the Golden Gate Bridge recently,
seeing that you, Quinte Fabi, and probably others, are confused as to what
he meant. I worked for the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors for a hile, and
some of their enthusiasm for engineering may have rubbed off on me...
A bridge, like the Golden Gate, is one of the most sublime examples of human
ingenuity and creativity, combining practical function with beauty of form.
Even though you may not be a civil engineer, you can't help but admire the
thing - and, in admiring it, also admire those whose vision, inventiveness,
dedication and hard work made it possible.
Makes you think, too, of the first proto-human who was first inspired by the
sight of a tree fallen over a river he couldn't cross before, or the first
one ever to greet the dawn or the full moon, and think a thought beyond his
immediate bodily concerns.
Audens is into Naval engineering, so his work is different in function but
similar in kind. The fact of his being an engineer however, gives him an
appreciation of the work of other engineers on different projects.
As with bridges, so with religions: a religion is a bridge between worlds
(thus, I believe, pontifex = bridge-maker). Similarly, one man dedicated to
the work of his faith may admire, and be inspired by, the work of another -
because they are related. Religion and engineering are about making the
world a better place. Building bridges... making connections.
As the old senator Symmachus saod when an intolerant Christian majority
wished to remove the Altar of Victory from the senate building: "not by one
path alone do we arrive at so great a mystery."
It is evident to me that Audens understands this truth, and I fear that is
one big difference between the two of you. Even so, let there be peace
between us. Here's my hand on it (look - no axe!).
Vale bene in pace deorum,
N. Moravius Vado.
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