Chapter II. The government of Atlantis. Educational methods. Peopling and customs.

Selestor's Men of Atlantis, by Clara Iza von Ravn, [1937], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER II

The government of Atlantis. Educational methods. Peopling and customs.

The government was modeled from that of sons of Mars; at first a war-like monarchy whose head descended from the house of one lone shepherd, who rose from skin-clad people to a man of might in brain power; discerning in the sons of his loved land a war-like tribe to overthrow and bind unto them forces from the lands afar through centuries of toil. A course mapped out from sire to son from which none deviated.

And thus the government was shaped, and held for years, by one deft brain that builded as did the host of mortals on the planet ye call "Mars," and thus I swear.

How, ask ye, was the knowledge of those men to him conveyed? By that thought power all own, but not all rightly use. Yet he who was descended from the shepherd learned, through close communion with the laws of Nature, that all "space" was full of thought and listening, at an hour which held for him most leisure, he heard a voice from out the silence speaking to the sense which all men own. Secrets vast were told, unwittingly, for they who told deemed not that "space" hath ears, and thus he learned the lessen of a ruling mind, of power to wield the baton of the law, to quell sedition; justice to present and Peace to hold.

He builded from foundations pure and strong. Twelve trusted friends a council formed with him—the leader born and taught by soul to so direct

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and so to serve with will that all the others listened to his word.

And one grown old in wisdom of a kind that then prevailed—the making of much wealth in swords and vessels for the water gates—had charge of all the stores; and even he—crowned king—could of no substance give save he—the head—consulted with the twelve and spake the word of promise. King in name yet was his office tempered with the wisdom of his peers in age.

And thus the kingdom grew nor wasted gains in ill-spent revel or ambitious wars, but courted arts and planted, rearing high grand monuments that crumble ’neath the sea!

Wives were chosen not from alien lands for each wise ruler; but with beauty born, a daughter of the twelve who sat and judged, admonished and, perchance, reproved him who was lord of all. Nay, but one wife each knew, though when she passed to higher ether—soul instead of clay—another came to bless with tenderest love.

As centuries passed there reigned one monarch—him ye call Osiris—for such I swear was ancestor to that god-king of my land whom ye are taught to doubt as myth or mock, but who did live indeed and reign.

In this king's day the number of the statemen grew and many thronged the hall where justice held her sway, and kingdoms far learned well the power of him who sat upon Atlantis’ throne.

The years of the duration of the Atlantian government from the time of the formation are not numbered on the tablets, but we gather much from history of other lands and the signs denoting culture following crudest ignorance. Thus we speak: "Seven thousand years Atlantis throve in government." Yea, fully. More mayhap but it is scarcely true that

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one million years passed by without a change as has been asserted.

Seven thousand years are all I grasp, and still another may a different version give, for even in the histories writ so plain that men today read fully all there written, they differ strongly.

Ever so it was.

We march by epoch.

First the Shepherd King, then followed others of his line for full one thousand years. The stream was lost in other branches then, yet were they fit to govern. Men of that great council who had striven hard to bring to shame the line that mocked the Higher, and asserted that their reign began in gods who handed down to children god-fathered, born of maids, all the mighty line.

A break in line of reign there ne’er had been for centuries, for one, extolled by all, stepped forward and did claim the kingdom's lead and others willingly permitted.

Such kings as this were Ormandorth and Sestrom, Ohydid and old Polcythine with twenty sons who turned to lands afar and wonders wrought in this, thy land, ten thousand years agone, before the plague of fire from the sky ^*—a settling of the star directly over the land, and pebbles hot were cast from a volcanic mould.

The cities were destroyed where rivers now do flow, or forests spring. The rocky strata of a hundred hills bear witness what I speak is truth. And perished thus the line of Polcythine through wandering sons who ne’er returned.

And so the line was taken, when three thousand years of government flew by, by king a rover bold, a son of him who wore the cross of promise; one who

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stemmed the flood of bitter opposition to a war which nearly wrecked the navy—in that day a feeble line of galleys, later great and striking awe to every heart where sailed the wondrous fleet in southern sea.

That cruel king died ere Osiris reigned; his father, stern and subtle of that line so cruel to his kind and kindred. The taint of cruel blood ran all adown the line like foulest taint of dread disease, to lift its head on some uncertain day, or like to serpent hid it lay beneath the smiling calm—beneath the kindly deed and kingly courtesy.

Broad subjects were discussed amidst the making of Atlantis’ laws, as the Creation—all the laws of growth enlarged upon—expelling of the water from the clouds and Spring and Harvest time were brought to mind.

Close observation of the stars’ poise was made so as to teach best state for permeating books, ye speak, we the tablets.

The hero was sent forth to war at certain periods marked by stars, and Government forbade that ships of commerce sail when stars portended loss. The tablets tell the tale—each moon—change marking destruction by madness or disease, or yet of safety and success with blessed health.

The laws were regulated by the Mars trend for the wars, and Mercury held the subject for the insect plague, and all were guarded from their ravages by the instructions of the Government whose laws fulfilled must be or punishment was meted out, nor stayed.

Ah, nay! The idea of the pyramid was born not in Atlantis. The pyramids were builded from model from afar, nor in Atlantis rose the shape; there round obtained in form, a pretext for much chiselling and caught the fancy of the builders there.

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From other land the pyramids; from "Yucatan" a land that rose and fell in government for centuries before Atlantis reared above the sea a mark of civilization.

This is truth.

Unto Atlantis came the sons of Yucatan—in truth as spoilers first, but later stayed to so convert—and did become the citizens who always caused much agitation; in the army, navy, all adown the line where ran their blood.

A fretful, soulful people; turned to war or prayer. To building quaintly, hugely, cornered structures. Angles were their theme and model patterned from a mind that followed rule, not lines of grace, and thus were born the pyramids in brain of one who had conceived a fortress strong, impregnable. A fortress set on mountain top, the blocks of stone raised by the law I mentioned ^* and the help of slaves, or captives, who were held by thousands in the parent land. (Yucatan)

Nor would Atlantis bear the structure-pyramid. Threatened exile to the one who contemplated building, but this one did carry into Egypt when the exodus of princes did proceed the water death. And when the day had come that, at command, a tomb was builded for a monarch old, rose he—the son of sons of him who from Atlantis came—and builded as desired through help of chosen ones who studied so complete the hints obtained from him—descendant of old Yucatan and foster child of lost Atlantis’ shore.

The object strength. No earthquake's shock could overthrow, no whirlwind topple to destruction, no foe could penetrate. In Yucatan—the land of mystery ye call, yet I, "the land of silent power"

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of speech to them who open wide their ears—that pyramid first builded was a home for hosts of warriors.

Tunneled in the hill on which it rose were chambers vast—a city—well ye call such labyrinth, and sealed to all intruders could it be; its streets, its groves, its parks, save for the opening in the pyramid, a handful guarded in the time of siege. For from the plains, now barren save for "farms" that dot them here and there, came swarms of men akin to brute in force and brain. The offspring of the steppes were they, where solitude breeds thoughts, yet grand or fierce or foul.

Their leaders, men of minds so well endowed they understood all arts and sciences. The rabble, creatures of the outcast-man in that young age when first the cities rose where serpents whirr in deadly stroke, and wolves howl long when night shuts down, and red men creep to labor or sun-warmth on sight of greatness that hath struck with awe the men of worlds now passed away. And this the land that gave Atlantis foes, or allies, when her navy grew so great it were defeat to seek her, warring, on the sea.

Atlantis made her boast that none might build her temples mighty. But in that far off isle was one who wrote on parchment all the mode of rearing and of hewing from the rock such pillars as were needed. His sons, too, learned the method. It was my father's ancestor who spake the way of reading poise. He left that sunken isle while yet it stood in glory.

He was of that band who did betake to boats in young Osiris’ reign, for reign did he in all the state his sire had kept when Egypt's shore was reached. And thus was Karnak builded. Karnak grand, whose

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pillar’d arches touched the vault of blue in man's imagination.

Yea, Karnak hath a measure all its own. A measure born of greatness of the mind that delved and brought to light from atom's realm the thoughts which soared in beauty, solid worth, and made a city where the night looks down through roofless palace, temple, tomb! A work that man hath wrought, but Fate in stern decree, so linked to the Ages that as one are they, mowed from the earth; its grandeur lost to eye save where a broken arch or pillar speaks in tongue of ruin, potent.

Yet the mood of them who builded lingers still about the arch that crumbles where the stars look down and Moon glints with new glory—glory vast but mocking. Such is ruin—but reminder of a day now passed forever. Yet it holdeth tantalizing mood; for like the gauds which hide not yet entrance, it rests where eye may linger and be held yet meaneth naught save that man's builded greatness is a mock.

It warmeth not the heart, but gnaws its way through all remembrance of another age that may not rest beneath the selfsame sky that once looked on its greatness. Old Karnak stood as warrior-shield on heart-defying hordes that looked with greedy eye, well knowing that within those temples vast lay treasures—"emeralds."

Aye, emeralds the men had brought even from Atlantis; globes whose worth meant fortunes for each owner journeying, but so sacred they that none dared barter for the gold each saw yet dared not gain at risk of ruined life. For such the story, that he who bartered one, if gift it was, brought untold sorrow to the latest of his line. And thus there resteth one within the breast where beat the heart attuned to mine in other age!

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Alas! that day has fled and yet another dawns upon my sight. Within these temple cells lie buried, pillar’d o’er, such sheets of metal as had known the fire of old Atlantis’ smiths, who beat so thin the weight was naught, a scroll that tooth of Time eats. not, and characters and lines mark history of the land beneath the waves.

And on one sheet is marked instructions plain to read the colors of the rainbow, Moon and clouds and blossoms; tone of birds, aye, all that star-men taught. And there lies wisdom held from higher planets where the journeying soul resided for a space to learn the tongue, the song or story.

________

Yea, O Mine Own, the early races of old Yucatan—"Mayans" ye call—had there dwelt long ere peopled was Atlantis, and from the "Orient" came they—subtle souls who knew of "Ur" and "Babylon"—in later day and came unto the wilds of Yucatan through stress of famine not but stress of war. In that young day no jungle growth prevailed in Yucatan; thus was it writ: (hieroglyphics) in alphabet of other age.

Long years have made the tangle; serpents vicious, poisonous, dwelt not there in that young age, but out of "India" came the serpent mass, a treasured "curiosity" for one vicious priest to torture with wild fright his rebel followers in time of war, and thus they multiplied as forests grew, became a menace and ye see today results of one man's vicious mood …

Yea, those Mayans from the heights of India came, and fled one company from king's oppression and remained to people wilds, yet not the tangle of the jungle waste unknown in that first age of Yucatan.

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[paragraph continues] Those mighty builders methods used as they did who raised the pyramids in Egypt later and subject they to man's achievement—the poise of stone and currents of the air as I have written on an earlier page.

Behold, O Soul of mine, I bring thee proof that Mayan industries throve through knowledge gleaned from other land in that dim past, for not upon the soil now clogged with rooted trees had they been born, but upon heights with snow besprinkled, or vast plains where they were once inhabitants, but fleeing from oppression set their feet—a generous band of "experts," on the soil of Yucatan.

They grew as nations grow and held throughout the years the knowledge of the past when structures rose through patient toil like to those other ones in land afar, and every man was disciplined to learn the method and to build those piles which crumble ’neath the ravage of the wild and mock the modern trend of minds which vaunt themselves as master builders; thus they grew apace to mock the builded cities of the western land to which they drifted in those later days when population, hunger weakened, war encroached, did set them forth to lands afar or "homeward" unto India; set them forth to perish, some of stern fatigue, of famine reft of life, or on the ocean sailing, sunk by storms.

Yea, wolves did howl among the temples vast where serpents multiplied and warred on weakened man, and many died by poison fangs.

Those ancient Mayans, O mine own, a people were who ravaged not as nations throve beside, but peaceful bode amidst their palaces, grew wise with age and sedulously they worshipped gods who throve on their credulity, for not the image only did they worship, but the living man who represented Deity, grew wise and bold as followers did endow

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with attributes of wisdom and of power that quelled the storms and caused the gentle rain to fall.

Yea, I give thee origin of human sacrifice as thou hast asked. It rose from subtle motives, power, held by them who would dictate life or death and followers caught the thought, and thus, behold, the lovely virgins hurled to pits or slaughtered on the altar, bathed in blood creating frenzy in the multitudes.

They reasoned, they those priests so arrogant, that subject to their will became the virtuous maids cast at their feet by parents less than brutes, to whom the suffering of their young is agony of self.

They bought them power, those parents vile, by "casting to the gods," the fairest maids, and thus the habit grew and fouled the land by such indulgence. Knowledge in the brain, or mind ye speak, creates not tenderness or pity in the heart, and there was one, called wise, so cruel that the other priests shrank from his proud presence, who did conceive a viler sacrifice than instant death.

"The serpent sacrifice" ’twas called, and in a pit were nurtured poisonous snakes by thousands, and upon a "platform" in that sullied pit was placed the victim and the serpents twined and struck at one who shrank and shrieked for aid and prayed to heedless gods who represented wanton cruelty.

The years passed by and serpents grew and multiplied, but at the last the Mayan "gods" did weary of that mode of sacrifice and lost the habit; yet until the last a sacrifice of man and virgin fair was made to satisfy a senseless thirst for lust and power.

Nay, mine own, Atlantis was not peopled when the monuments to greatness first rose on soil of Yucatan, vast mansions first builded in the mind of them who years before had watched the growth of other palaces, and so designed to build still greater

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far those habitations and made a mock of greatness borne in minds long passed from bodies.

Yea as one hath said, their tools were simple, yet the toil performed was equal and more lasting than that which implements of modern men do fashion, and exact the poise of stone which, formed by a law they understood full well, that built the pyramids in later age. Yea, from the hills of India came the tribes, sent forth by sore oppression, from a race who once had conquered and who on the plains had dwelt, and also builded from designs of their proud ancestors.

They were men of mind endowed with reason; calculation and that sentiment which yearns to reproduce the works of God, ye call, in marble, stone of certain value bent to methods man designed; stone which caught electric currents; thus the secret note of poise which lifted with aid of men by thousands brought, perchance, from other climes. Men of intellect not yet conversant with the secret law of builders in that age.

Disease did fell that nation-smitten without warning; plague in grimmest form assailed. Yea, records be where men may one day find, that tell of disease encroaching hand which none could stay; of wolves and crawling things which battened on the scattered dead in seasons dark when from a distant isle came men with plague infested, and disease and death unto those early Mayans brought.

No leech of skill had they to warn them, thus many died and others fled from that "accursed spot," and foul became the cities vast and temples spoiled by one invader fell. But ere one temple was destroyed, in hidden crypt the blocks of stone inscribed with name of that disease, disaster, were safe hid from the despoilers who came once yearly to engage the men of that reft land in war.

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And thus the people dwindled, fled from that disease-infested spot, and wars and great invasions rid it of the remnant of that race which once dwelt there in great magnificence.

"Accursed spot," ’twas called, with all its grandeurs did it perish as a spot of great fertility, and wondrous structures built from moods of minds attuned to lofty models, and to patient fashioning of structures so designed they stand through centuries.

Thine eyes shall read the writing classified with other ancient tablets’ mysteries, and all, at last, revealed be the mystery of that land.

Footnotes

20:* Perhaps the dragon of the Norse sagas.

22:* The law of poise.