Let's PLay Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup - Unrecommended Runs - Procrustes the Jinxer (2)

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• published: 10 Mar 2015
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Procrustes grows in both power and cunning. Spinning webs of deceit he turns his enemies against each other, while smiting them down with his mighty staff. THE LOGIC OF TO-DAY - Ragnar Redbeard Might was right when Caesar bled upon the stones of Rome, Might was right when Joshua led his hordes o'er Jordan's foam, And Might was right when German troops poured down through Paris gay; It's the Gospel of the Ancient World and the Logic of To-Day. Behind all Kings and Presidents — all Government and Law, Are army-corps and cannoneers — to hold the world in awe. And sword-strong races own the earth and ride the Conqueror's Car— And Liberty has ne'er been won, except by deeds of war. What are the lords of hoarded gold — the silent Semite rings? What are the plunder-patriots — high-pontiffs, priests and kings What are they but bold master-minds, best fitted for the fray Who comprehend and vanquish by — the Logic of To-Day. Cain's knotted club is scepter still — the "Rights of Man" is fraud; Christ's Ethics are for creeping things — true manhood smiles at "God." For Might is Right when empires sick in storms of steel and flame; And it is right when weakling breeds — are hunted down like game. Then what's the use of dreaming dreams — that "each shall get his own" By forceless votes of meek-eyed thralls, who blindly sweat and moan? No! a curse is on their cankered brains — their very bones decay; Go! trace your fate in the Iron Game, is the Logic of To-Day. The Strong must ever rule the Weak, is grim Primordial Law On earth's broad racial threshing floor, the Meek are beaten straw Then ride to Power o'er foemen's neck let nothing bar your way; If you are fit you'll rule and reign, is the Logic of To-Day. You must prove your Right by deeds of Might — of splendour and renown. If need-be march through flames of hell, to dash opponents down. If need-be die on scaffold high — in the mornings misty gray For "Liberty or Death" is still the Logic of To-Day. Might was Right when Gideon led, the "chosen" tribes of old, And it was right when Titus burnt, their Temple roofed with gold; And Might was Right from Bunkers Hill, to far Manila Bay, By land and flood it's wrote in blood — the Gospel of To-Day. "Put not your trust in princes" is a saying old and true, "Put not your hope in Governments" translated! it anew. All 'Books of Law' and 'Golden Rules' are fashioned to betray 'The Survival of the Strongest' is the Gospel of To-Day. Might was Right when Carthage flames lit up the Punic foam And when the naked steel of Gaul weighed down the spoil of Rome; And Might was Right when Richmond fell — and at Thermopalye It's the Logic of the Ancient World and the Gospel of To-Day. Where pendant suns in millions swing, around this whirling earth, It's Might, it's Force that holds the brakes, and steers through life and death; Force governs all organic life, inspires Right and Wrong. It's Natures plan to weed-out man, and test who are the Strong. Music: J.S. Bach, Lute Suites played by After a long break we're finally back with Procrustes the Jinxer! Procrustes was a host who adjusted his guests to their bed. Procrustes, whose name means "he who stretches", was arguably the most interesting of Theseus's challenges on the way to becoming a hero. He kept a house by the side of the road where he offered hospitality to passing strangers, who were invited in for a pleasant meal and a night's rest in his very special bed. Procrustes described it as having the unique property that its length exactly matched whomsoever lay down upon it. What Procrustes didn't volunteer was the method by which this "one-size-fits-all" was achieved, namely as soon as the guest lay down Procrustes went to work upon him, stretching him on the rack if he was too short for the bed and chopping off his legs if he was too long. Theseus turned the tables on Procrustes, fatally adjusting him to fit his own bed. Music: J.S. Bach Lute Suites played by Konrad Junghanel