Ethel

An estate is very dear to every man,
if he can enjoy there in his house
whatever is right and proper in constant prosperity.

So says the Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem about the rune called in that language 'ethel,' which was the subject of some controversy at CPAC this weekend. There are several surviving rune poems, but that particular rune doesn't come up in every version of the runic languages. 

As the poem suggests the old rune was apparently associated with the homestead, wealth, peace, and prosperity. The controversy came from the fact that some SS units apparently used it as a unit insignia during the war. Germany is now wealthy, and peaceful, prosperous, and a stable home -- but not for them, who are gone from the world, unmissed and unmourned. 

There's a question about whether a symbol means just what you intend it to mean, or whether things like words carry a meaning that transcends what we want them to be. Tolkien used ancient word roots like warg and ent and orc, in something like their original intent. Was there a lingering power in the old symbol, the old sound, though living men had forgotten what it really meant for a very long time? I always wonder about that.

6 comments:

  1. I think the sound is the most important element. Tolkien had an advantage in being fluent not only in the ancient-sounding words of Old English, but the deeper roots of Gothic and Germanic. If nothing else, he had more possible words for giants or evil creatures to choose from.

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  2. I don't know this guy's background but found this via Sarah Hoyt at Instapundit.

    https://spinstrangenesscharm.wordpress.com/2021/03/01/loonbat-libel-of-the-week-cpac-edition/

    WRT to the Germans, the rune (without the 'feet' on the SS division flash) is *still* in use as a rank symbol in the Bundeswher.

    He also notes that it's very much like this much used symbol.

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  3. From your link, Christopher:

    "The actual meaning of the word “Odal” is something like ‘heritage’. There is even still a common law land ownership concept in Nordic countries called Odelsrett (right of odal), which also survives as Udal in the Shetland Islands, the Orkneys, and the Isle of Man. Freely, it refers to land that is publicly known to have been the property of a certain family for generations (but for which no written title or deed exists)."

    That's quite close to what the Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem gives for 'ethel.' Actually "ethel" is one of the old characters for writing Anglo-Saxon English, and survives in the ANSI set in both capital and lower-case.

    Œ,œ.

    It's the letter that used to go in words like "subpoena" and "fetus."

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  4. That does make for some interesting speculation on the ribbon logo, and 'tying a ribbon' as a sign of an anticipated homecoming.

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  5. Eric Blair1:41 PM

    Some people are going to see what they want to see.

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  6. So, it turns out the stage was designed by a firm with a 98% Democratic donation rate.

    https://twitter.com/breaking911/status/1367121725952057350?s=21

    Honest mistake, or a setup to plant “Nazi” imagery just to push this story in the press?

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