The sarissa’s song is a sad song
He pipes it soft and low.
“I would ply a gentler trade,” says he,
“But war is all I know.”
–The “Sarissa’s Song” from The Virtues of War
The sarissa was the fourteen- to eighteen-foot-long pike wielded two-handed by the “Foot Companions” of the Macedonian phalanx under Alexander and his father Philip before him. In battle, the blades of the first five ranks extended forward of the advancing phalanx. In other words, an enemy assaulting into the teeth of (or just holding its ground before) the phalanx had to face a solid front of wicked pike blades. This was a helluva fearsome weapon – the sarissa.
In The Virtues of War, about Alexander, I have a scene where these fourteen-foot pikes are stacked vertically, in a rack built for that purpose, beside one another in camp, as today we “stack arms” with rifles or as other armies used to stack spears and lances.
Have you ever heard the wind as it passes over parallel power lines or fence stakes? The passage of the air sets them to vibrating. They give off an almost-musical tone. And that tone is almost always in a minor key. It’s sad. It’s mournful. It can even be spooky, as it seems to emanate from nowhere … or from some occult dimension.
The stacked sarissas of Alexander’s army would “sing” too in the wind. Here are the words of their song, as I had the soldiers attribute to them.
The sarissa’s song is a sad song
He pipes it soft and low.
“I would ply a gentler trade,” says he,
“But war is all I know.”
What do I take that to mean?
It means to be stuck in the Warrior Archetype.
It means to be a warrior and not know how to move beyond that identity.
Surely Alexander’s soldiers felt this, as did the Romans and Carthaginians and warriors of every army in every land right up to our guys and gals today.
“I would ply a gentler trade,” says he,
“But war is all I know.”
Our character of Telamon, my own alter ego, finds himself in that same place. He has exhausted the warrior archetype. He has taken it as far as it can go.
We said in the previous episode (about the “Naked Wise Men”) that Telamon, like the true historical Alexander and his Macedonians, admired these yogis. He saw them as warriors of the Spirit.
Warriors of the inner world, who took up their posts in meditation and introspection like soldiers at watch upon the wall … and relinquished those posts for nothing.
I’m going to quote the final scene from The Virtues of War. It’s a scene between Telamon and Alexander, in which, for the second book of mine (and for the second time, unplanned by me) Telamon enacts and embodies and the final image of the tale. This passage is narrated by a young officer of Alexander’s, who was there to witness the event:
I close this document with an anecdote of India. On the river Hyphasis, when the army refuses to go on, Alexander erected twelve great altars to mark for the ages the farthest limit of his conquests. I attended among numerous officers at the dedication of these monuments. The day was bright and windy, as it often is in that country in the intervals between torrential downpours. As the party turned back toward camp, Telamon, the Arcadian mercenary, presented himself before the king. Apparently he and Alexander had an understanding of many years — that of all the army, Telamon alone might claim his discharge from service at any time, any place.
This, he now did.
Alexander reacted at first with surprise and regret, at the prospect of being deprived of his friend’s much-loved company. Yet he at once recovered, offering to load the man down with treasure. What did Telamon wish? Money, women, an escort at arms? With a smile, the Arcadian declared that he bore on his person all that he required. This, one could see, was nothing but a staff, some utensils, and a modest pack. Alexander, struck by this, asked the mercenary where he intended to go.
Telamon indicated the high road east, upon which a number of Indian pilgrims – the so-called Naked Wise Men – then trekked. “These fellows interest me.” He wished, he said, to make himself their student.
“To learn what?” Alexander inquired.
“What comes after being a soldier,” said Telamon.
Alexander smiled. He extended his right hand.
Telamon clasped it. “Come with me,” he said.
I stood directly to Alexander’s left, as close to him as a man is to his own arm. It seemed to me that for a moment the king truly considered this. Then he smiled. Of course he could not go. Already aides and chancellors were calling him apart to other business. The grooms brought the party’s horses. Something made me remain at Telamon’s side. As Alexander prepared to mount, a sad, sweet piping caught his ear. He turned toward the sound. There, where the Royal Lancers had made their temporary camp, a brace of cavalry sarissas stood upright, at the ready. The wind passing across their serried shafts produced the melancholy chord.
“The sarissas are singing, Telamon,” said Alexander. “Tell me, will you miss their song?”
The king and mercenary exchanged a valedictory glance; then one of Alexander’s Pages boosted him onto his horse’s back.
I half-recalled the tale of the sarissas’ song, but could not bring back the full story. “What was it?” I asked Telamon. The Arcadian was about to answer when Alexander, overhearing, turned back, in the saddle, and responded himself.
The sarissa’s song is a sad song.
He pipes it soft and low.
“I would ply a gentler trade,” says he,
“But war is all I know.”
The wind rose in that moment, lifting the corner of Alexander’s cloak. I saw his heel tap his mount’s flank. He reined about and started for the camp, surrounded by his officers.
This moment between Alexander and Telamon is another moment between archetypes. In this case, the Warrior archetype (and the King archetype) … and the archetype of the Seeker, the Pilgrim.
Again, what’s interesting to me as a writer, is that I didn’t plan this moment. It just happened, on that day, in that instant.
For the second time, in two books out of three, the character of Telamon inhabits the final image. Each time he is heading off to other adventures – the first time, in Tides of War, to another campaign-at-arms. This time, with Alexander, toward some future beyond the warrior archetype … or at least in pursuit of what might lie there.
It is interesting to think–if I see where this may be going–to learn that Telamon is a better model for living than Alexander. ‘War is all I know’ is so apt these days, only combat has moved from the Middle East to our culture and politics.
The extremes of the MAGA demonstrated their lust for war 2 weeks ago, and now Biden stokes the flames with announcing COVID relief will be determined by color of one’s skin. I wasn’t alive during the Civil Rights fight in the 60s, but I do not remember MLK saying, “I have a dream that men and women of color will conduct revenge porn on whitey until bloodlust is satiated.”
If it were not so serious and scary, it seems like we are living in a poorly made satire. I just realized the hyperbole in my own thinking and writing. Is it serious? Yes. Is it scary? Maybe. Sad and disappointing more than scary. Outside the wire is scary. Indirect and direct fire are scary.
Does it make me stop loving my wife and walking my dogs? No. Will my cats behave better with a big fat COVID check? No, they’re pretty much gonna do what they always do. Does this stop me from reading this blog, producing my art, connecting with my friends and loved ones? Of course not, and the lights are on and my house is warm.
What is truly scary, is my ability to forget what matters, and get sucked into the pervasive narratives. My willingness to go to war is ever present, just a thin veneer of civility keeps me from raging at someone on the highway, grumbling about with 20 items in the 15 item checkout line, or wishing hateful things at politicians (and those who support them) for whom I oppose philosophically.
I think Andrew mentioned this in a previous episode, but it appears that the transition from Warrior to Sage–or any of the other more developed archetypes, is without instruction and is a solo journey. It is a journey inside. What can guide us? Feelings are poor guides as they are driven mostly by my nefarious, selfish, sophomoric thoughts.
I think, in the end, it is only values. Values that are declared internally, decided upon in a cool moment. As we move through archetypes, our values must be updated. Loyalty to our tribe, team, squad must grow to include the enemy. Kindness and compassion must evolve beyond tit for tat reciprocity to simply becoming the operating source code no matter the circumstance or person.
Oh, and willfully exposing ourselves to pain and difficulty. That also helps.
bsn
I do love this site. Keeps me thinking all the time.
So–I think the path is to inculcate habits that support, strengthen, and defend these new values. I’m not sure one simply has a singular ‘come to Jesus’ moment. The old neural pathways are ossified. New pathways must be constructed.
bsn
Brian – agree on this site; exposure to different idea – plus the ability to express our thoughts on them, is training for our minds!!
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Perhaps one can be a ‘warrior of the mind’ as opposed to a ‘warrior at arms?”
Think of the difference between ‘warrior’ and ‘brute’, perhaps Steve’s moving scene of Telamon and Alexander is part of an individual’s spiritual evolution. Being a brute is easy; lift weights, lots of time at the rifle range, and adrenaline. But a warrior is different; yes you have those same physical skills, but now you realize that kicking a soccer ball around with a kid in Ramadi or Nawa is more effective peacekeeping than shooting his older brother – that’s a warrior. Like Gen Mattis said, “Engage your brain before you engage your weapon.”
But back to Telaman & Alexander: there comes a point when we know we can’t do what we used to do -and more important – we no longer really want to endure the sort of training that life requires. But we’ve got experience, and the smarts to use it. And equally important-we now have the smarts to observe before we charge forward, and at that point I think it’s possible to be a hard-charger of the mind, instead of the body.
Do I miss running marathons? Yes, when I see one on the TV. Do I miss training 60-70 miles/week? Absolutely not – and more important, I’ve finally realized that I’m not a wuss for feeling that way. For me, that’s a huge step.
How cool if this blog is training for my next campaign-at-arms, to whereever and whatever my muse puts in my path.
These philosophical insights into the warrior archetype and how they transform into other archetypes have been inspiring.
The Sarissa’s Song…I know it well.
pg 109 American Spartan…
Thank you Steve. Thank You.
Jim
I like how she opens it:
***
Night was falling on the valley. Beneath the Hindu Kush, the terraced fields, and the rock-strewn grazing lands, an isolated band of American soldiers and Afghans returned from patrol, navigating the rugged terrain. They wore night vision goggles to see in the darkness, and passed without a whisper through mud-brick farming villages clustered along Afghanistan’s Konar River.
***
Kinda sets the hook, don’t she?
Allow me. From pg 80 of Virtues of War. Alexander summons the cook Admetus, who has lost all spirit after witnessing a recent slaughter:
***
Before I [Alexander] can speak, a groan of dispair breaks from his breast. “What is that sound?” he wails. “By heaven’s tears, what is that horrible cry?”
I hear nothing.
“There, lord. Surely you must hear it.”
Now I do. Outside the tent: a musical chord, sorrowfully keening.
The entire company rises, Pages and Bodyguards together, and crosses to the portal to look outside. There, before the Guardsmen’s square, stands a brace of stacked arms. Twenty-four sarissas arrayed in upright order for the night.
The wind piping across their shafts produces the mournful chord.
The cook Admetus stands transfixed. We all do. It seems this melancholy keening will be the blow that cracks his heart.
Observing this, one of the grooms, a lad we call “Underfoot,” approaches the cook and addresses him in the tenderest tone.
“The sarissas are singing,” he declares.
Yes. Sarissas do, in fact, sing. It is a song where one can hear the sound of the ‘inner war’. The ‘war’ before and the ‘war’ after the war itself. Thanks Joe.
Jim
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This is the highlight of this interesting and brilliant series. Looking forward to A Man at Arms.
Steve, I just read the excerpt from “A Man at Arms” and it is terrific. I’m sure you’re aware of the legendary soldier Longinus, but have you also come across the pulp fiction novels centred around “Casca: The Eternal Soldier”? There is definitely some cross over with Telamon, and it’s interesting to think of how similar concepts are developed by different authors to express different ideas.
Alexander is a great example of the Warrior archetype. Warriors are driven to succeed and accomplish their goals, but they tend to be less concerned about what happens after victory is achieved. They can become entangled in relationships and circumstances that are difficult to extricate themselves from, and have trouble finding meaning after the achievement of their goals. I want to achieve my goals with hrm dissertation help in my education so that I can have high rank in my college as well as in competitive exams.
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The warrior archetype is often associated with qualities such as strength, courage, and conquest. It represents the heroic character participating in battles and quests. There comes a point where Elastic Man‘s pursuit of conquest has reached its limits, prompting a change or exploration beyond the traditional archetype.
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