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Tag: <span>Sanguen Vitae Clan</span>

Sylum Inspiration: Hippocrates

Sanguen Vitae: Doctor

 

Hippocrates was born around the year 460 BC.

Soranus of Ephesus, a 2nd-century Greek gynecologist, was Hippocrates’ first biographer and is the source of most personal information about him. Later biographies are in the Suda of the 10th century AD, and in the works of John Tzetzes, which date from the 12th century AD. Hippocrates is mentioned in passing in the writings of two contemporaries: Plato, in “Protagoras” and “Phaedrus”, and, Aristotle’s “Politics”, which date from the 4th century BC Soranus wrote that Hippocrates’ father was Heraclides, a physician, and his mother was Praxitela, daughter of Tizane. The two sons of Hippocrates, Thessalus and Draco, and his son-in-law, Polybus, were his students. According to Galen, a later physician, Polybus was Hippocrates’ true successor, while Thessalus and Draco each had a son named Hippocrates.

Soranus said that Hippocrates learned medicine from his father and grandfather, and studied other subjects with Democritus and Gorgias. Hippocrates was probably trained at the asklepieion of Kos, and took lessons from the Thracian physician Herodicus of Selymbria. Plato mentions Hippocrates in two of his dialogues: in Protagoras, Plato describes Hippocrates as “Hippocrates of Kos, the Asclepiad”; while in Phaedrus, Plato suggests that “Hippocrates the Asclepiad” thought that a complete knowledge of the nature of the body was necessary for medicine. Hippocrates taught and practiced medicine throughout his life, traveling at least as far as Thessaly, Thrace, and the Sea of Marmara. Several different accounts of his death exist. He died, probably in Larissa, at the age of 83, 85 or 90, though some say he lived to be well over 100.

Hippocrates is credited with being the first person to believe that diseases were caused naturally, not because of superstition and gods. Hippocrates was credited by the disciples of Pythagoras of allying philosophy and medicine. He separated the discipline of medicine from religion, believing and arguing that disease was not a punishment inflicted by the gods but rather the product of environmental factors, diet, and living habits. Indeed there is not a single mention of a mystical illness in the entirety of the Hippocratic Corpus. However, Hippocrates did work with many convictions that were based on what is now known to be incorrect anatomy and physiology, such as Humorism.

Ancient Greek schools of medicine were split (into the Knidian and Koan) on how to deal with disease. The Knidian school of medicine focused on diagnosis. Medicine at the time of Hippocrates knew almost nothing of human anatomy and physiology because of the Greek taboo forbidding the dissection of humans. The Knidian school consequently failed to distinguish when one disease caused many possible series of symptoms. The Hippocratic school or Koan school achieved greater success by applying general diagnoses and passive treatments. Its focus was on patient care and prognosis, not diagnosis. It could effectively treat diseases and allowed for a great development in clinical practice.

Hippocratic medicine and its philosophy are far removed from that of modern medicine. Now, the physician focuses on specific diagnosis and specialized treatment, both of which were espoused by the Knidian school. This shift in medical thought since Hippocrates’ day has caused serious criticism over the past two millennia, with the passivity of Hippocratic treatment being the subject of particularly strong denunciations; for example, the French doctor M. S. Houdart called the Hippocratic treatment a “meditation upon death”.

For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library

His research caught the attention Immutef, who traveled to Greece to visit him. Liking the man’s ideas and philosophies, he told him about Vampires. Hippocrates agreed instantly to be Turned.

Sylum Inspiration: Carl Cox

Sanguen: Member (India)

 

Carl was born in Ohio to a typical family. He was blessed to be able to attend school, and when the teacher realized how smart he was, encouraged the family to allow Carl to continue with his education and go to University.

It was his teacher’s influence that got him into MIT, receiving an Engineering degree. When the Second World War broke out, he found himself assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers. He was on a boat on his way to India to build bridges.

He fell in love with India the moment he set foot on her soil. He learned the language, the culture and religion. The years he was there he embraced it all. Carl was introduced to Masrani (Ashoka), an influential business man who wanted Carl to build more than bridges after the war.

When Carl came down with malaria, Masrani took matters into his own hands and Turned him.

Sylum Inspiration: Ashoka

Sanguen: Council Member (India)

 

Ashoka was born to the Mauryan emperor Bindusara and a relatively lower ranked wife of his, Dharma. He was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, founder of Mauryan dynasty. The Avadana texts mention that his mother was queen Subhadrangi. According to Ashokavadana, she was the daughter of a Brahmin from the city of Champa. Empress Subhadrangi was a Brahmin of the Ajivika sect, and was found to be a suitable match for Emperor Bindusara. Though a palace intrigue kept her away from the emperor, this eventually ended, and she bore a son. It is from her exclamation “I am now without sorrow”, that Ashoka got his name. The Divyavadana tells a similar story, but gives the name of the queen as Janapadakalyani.

Ashoka had several elder siblings, all of whom were his half-brothers from other wives of Bindusara. His fighting qualities were apparent from an early age and he was given royal military training. He was known as a fearsome hunter, and according to a legend, killed a lion with just a wooden rod. Because of his reputation as a frightening warrior and a heartless general, he was sent to curb the riots in the Avanti province of the Mauryan empire.

The Buddhist text “Divyavadana” describes Ashoka putting down a revolt due to activities of wicked ministers. This may have been an incident in Bindusara’s times. Taranatha’s account states that Achare Chanakya, Bindusara’s chief advisor, destroyed the nobles and kings of 16 towns and made himself the master of all territory between the eastern and the western seas. Some historians consider this as an indication of Bindusara’s conquest of the Deccan while others consider it as suppression of a revolt. Following this, Ashoka was stationed at Ujjayini as governor.

Bindusara’s death in 272 BCE led to a war over succession. According to Divyavandana, Bindusara wanted his son Sushim to succeed him but Ashoka was supported by his father’s ministers, who found Sushim to be arrogant and disrespectful towards them. A minister named Radhagupta seems to have played an important role in Ashoka’s rise to the throne. The Ashokavadana recounts Radhagupta’s offering of an old royal elephant to Ashoka for him to ride to the Garden of the Gold Pavilion where King Bindusara would determine his successor. Ashoka later got rid of the legitimate heir to the throne by tricking him into entering a pit filled with live coals. Radhagupta, according to the Ashokavadana, would later be appointed prime minister by Ashoka once he had gained the throne. The Dipavansa and Mahavansa refer to Ashoka’s killing 99 of his brothers, sparing only one, named Vitashoka or Tissa, although there is no clear proof about this incident (many such accounts are saturated with mythological elements). The coronation happened in 269 BCE, four years after his succession to the throne.

Buddhist legends state that Ashoka was bad-tempered and of a wicked nature. He built Ashoka’s Hell, an elaborate torture chamber described as a “Paradisal Hell” due to the contrast between its beautiful exterior and the acts carried out within by his appointed executioner, Girikaa. This earned him the name of Chanda Ashoka (Canda Asoka) meaning “Ashoka the Fierce” in Sanskrit. Professor Charles Drekmeier cautions that the Buddhist legends tend to dramatise the change that Buddhism brought in him, and therefore, exaggerate Ashoka’s past wickedness and his piousness after the conversion.

Ascending the throne, Ashoka expanded his empire over the next eight years, from the present-day boundaries Assam in the East to Balochistan in the West; from the Pamir Knot in Afghanistan in the north to the peninsula of southern India except for present day Tamil Nadu and Kerala which were ruled by the three ancient Tamil kingdoms.

While the early part of Ashoka’s reign was apparently quite bloodthirsty, he became a follower of the Buddha’s teachings after his conquest of Kalinga on the east coast of India in the present-day states of Odisha and North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Kalinga was a state that prided itself on its sovereignty and democracy. With its monarchical parliamentary democracy it was quite an exception in ancient Bharata where there existed the concept of Rajdharma. Rajdharma means the duty of the rulers, which was intrinsically entwined with the concept of bravery and dharma. The Kalinga War happened eight years after his coronation. From his 13th inscription, we come to know that the battle was a massive one and caused the deaths of more than 100,000 soldiers and many civilians who rose up in defence; over 150,000 were deported. When he was walking through the grounds of Kalinga after his conquest, rejoicing in his victory, he was moved by the number of bodies strewn there and the wails of the kith and kin of the dead.

His victories and ability to unit all of India, caught Alexander’s attention. He made his way back to India, to talk to Ashoka. He was there to witness Ashoka convert to Buddasm and changing his ways. Seeing the man grow and change, he offered him immortality.

For More Information Contact the Vampire Council Library

Sylum Inspiration: Aryabhata

Sanguen: Member (India)

 

Aryabhata was the first of the major mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy. His works include the Aryabhatiya (499 CE, when he was 23 years old) and the Arya-siddhanta.

Aryabhata mentions in the Aryabhatiya that it was composed 3,600 years into the Kali Yuga, when he was 23 years old. This corresponds to 499 CE, and implies that he was born in 476.

Aryabhata provides no information about his place of birth. The only information comes from Bhaskara I, who describes Aryabhata as asmakiya, “one belonging to the asmaka country.” During the Buddha’s time, a branch of the Asmaka people settled in the region between the Narmada and Godavari rivers in central India; Aryabhata is believed to have been born there.

It is fairly certain that, at some point, he went to Kusumapura for advanced studies and lived there for some time. Both Hindu and Buddhist tradition, as well as Bhaskara I (CE 629), identify Kusumapura as Paaliputra, modern Patna. A verse mentions that Aryabhata was the head of an institution (kulapa) at Kusumapura, and, because the university of Nalanda was in Pataliputra at the time and had an astronomical observatory, it is speculated that Aryabhata might have been the head of the Nalanda university as well. Aryabhata is also reputed to have set up an observatory at the Sun temple in Taregana, Bihar

For More Information Contact Vampire Council Library

Archimedes had traveled with Marsani in areas of India, and when he had heard of Aryabhata, he went to speak to the young man, impressed with his ideas. He sat down to talk with him on many things, finally giving him the option he was given.

Sylum Inspiration: Jayadeep Mir

Sanguen: Hunter (India)

 

Jayadeep doesn’t know anything about his birth father, and has vague memories of his mother who was always sad.  And as far as Jayadeep is concerned his father is Arbaaz Mir, the man who saved him from a life of slavery.

Arbaaz raised him since he was eight years old, making sure he had an education and a future.  He knew from a young age, that his ‘father’ was a Vampire, and had been introduced to Alexander The Great and his Mate.   He would sit at their feet and listen to many of their stories, learning history from the men who forged it.

It wasn’t until he was a teenager he understood the physical training Arbaaz had put him through.  He was introduced to Dastan, and told about the Assassins.

He knew then this is what he was destined to be.

When he was in his mid-twenties he was introduced to Ashoka.  The two had looked at each other and laughed.  Ashoka, had claimed him as family, though knew Jayadeep’s loyalty was to his father.

Azbaar understood how hatred could fester in oneself if one don’t look beyond the pain and hurt.  Jayadeep wanted the English to pay for what they did to his people, so to teach him a lesson he was sent to London to train with the Frye siblings.

He stared at the two of them in shock.  Jake had slapped him on the shoulder, welcoming him to the Rooks, while Evie had rolled her eyes and dared him to keep up.

In the ten years he spent with them, he learned more about life than he thought he would have.

It was during the fourth year of being in England a mission went to hell, and he had been mortally wounded.

Evie didn’t hesitate.

Sylum Inspiration: Arbaaz Mir

Sanguen: Hunter (India)

 

Arbaaz Mir was born in Kashmir in northwestern India during the early 19th century to a Muslim family. His home region was conquered by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire in 1819, leading to the death of numerous Muslims in Kashmir, including some of Arbaaz’s kin.  This led Arbaaz to grow up with a resentment towards Singh, considering him a cold-blooded killer.

His revenge led him to go after Singh only to be thwarted by the Assassins. He was taken from India and handed over to Dastan and Altaïr. Both saw potential in him, but also his anger.  They worked to train him, and in time they watched him grow into a steady Assassin.

Dastan escorted him back to India, hearing rumors about his old enemy, the Hassassin. When they arrived he discovered that Templars were using the British Government to influence the Maharaja so they could control the land and wealth.

Arbaaz had to face his own emotions when he came face to face with Singh.

He realized they were trying to poison the Maharaja, and knocked the tea out of his hand, instead of watching him die – but it was already too late.  The Templar escaped but Arbaaz stayed with the Singh, and told him he forgave him.

Ranjit smiled and died peacefully.

Arbaaz barely had time to react when the Templar returned.  He defected the blow, but ended up with a mortal wound before he gave the killing blow.

Sylum Inspiration: Celephas

Sanguen: Member

 

Celephas was born in Syracuse and settled in Athens in the Paraeus section that catered to Artisans and Market was located.

His skills were in building shields and weapons. The quality was so good, that at one point he had 120 slaves working on a variety of workshops, building/crafting high quality shields, each unique to the artist they were.

It was Perseus who noticed his workmanship and went to see some of his work. The skill used was one that Perseus felt shouldn’t be diminished. He talked with him, becoming friends. He pointed out that Celephas’ son though would be famous in history, he himself shouldn’t be forgotten.

Sylum Inspiration: Alexander

Sanguen: Clan Leader

 

Alexander as a king of Macedon, a state in northern ancient Greece. Born in Pella in 356 BC, Alexander was tutored by Aristotle until the age of 16. By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas. He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history’s most successful commanders.

Alexander succeeded his father, Philip II of Macedon, to the throne in 336 BC after Philip was assassinated. Upon Philip’s death, Alexander inherited a strong kingdom and an experienced army. He had been awarded the generalship of Greece and used this authority to launch his father’s military expansion plans. In 334 BC, he invaded the Achaemenid empire, ruled Asia Minor, and began a series of campaigns that lasted ten years. Alexander broke the power of Persia in a series of decisive battles, most notably the battles of Issus and Gaugamela. He subsequently overthrew the Persian King Darius III and conquered the entirety of the Persian Empire. At that point, his empire stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River.

Seeking to reach the “ends of the world and the Great Outer Sea”, he invaded India in 326 BC, but was eventually forced to turn back at the demand of his troops. Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BC, without executing a series of planned campaigns that would have begun with an invasion of Arabia. In the years following his death, a series of civil wars tore his empire apart, resulting in several states ruled by the Diadochi, Alexander’s surviving generals and heirs.

Alexander’s legacy includes the cultural diffusion his conquests engendered. He founded some twenty cities that bore his name, most notably Alexandria in Egypt. Alexander’s settlement of Greek colonists and the resulting spread of Greek culture in the east resulted in a new Hellenistic civilization, aspects of which were still evident in the traditions of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-15th century. Alexander became legendary as a classical hero in the mold of Achilles, and he features prominently in the history and myth of Greek and non-Greek cultures. He became the measure against which military leaders compared themselves, and military academies throughout the world still teach his tactics.

After Alexander traveled to Ecbatana to retrieve the bulk of the Persian treasure, his closest friend and possible lover, Hephaestion, died of illness or poisoning. Hephaestion’s death devastated Alexander, and he ordered the preparation of an expensive funeral pyre in Babylon, as well as a decree for public mourning. Back in Babylon, Alexander planned a series of new campaigns, beginning with an invasion of Arabia, but he would not have a chance to realize them, as he died shortly thereafter.

For more information contact the Vampire Council Library

Alexander had developed a fever and succumbed to his bed unable to even talk.

When he laid in bed he was visited by emissaries from Egypt, Ardeth Bey and Rick. It was Ardeth that told him he had too much to live for, and Turned him.

Sylum Inspiration: Dastan

Assassin

 

Dastan doesn’t remember much of his parents. His strongest memory of his father was of him telling him to stay hidden. He watched from a hiding place as his father was struck down. The face of the man who killed him – ingrained into his memory.

As was the red sash that was always tied around his father’s waist. He had taken it when the villagers had came for him. It was the only thing he had left.

One day, when the Sharaman visited the market square, he saw the young Dastan risking his life to save his childhood friend and fellow urchin, Bis, from the guards, he saw the “Spirit of a Noble King” inside him and  decided to adopt him as a son.

Dastan grew up as one of Sharaman’s sons. He shied away from the courts and focused on training his military skills. He was quick on his feet, and had abilities to get into places most never even thought about.

Dastan and his brothers, under the advisement of their uncle, Nizam, set out to the Persian borders near the sacred city of Alamut. It was said that Alamut has been selling weapons to the Persian enemies in “Koschkan”. Dastan led the strike force into the city to open the main gates, giving the Persian soldiers the victory. Shortly thereafter, Dastan encounters a man on horseback and defeats him, discovering the Dagger of Time in the process. Alamut’s princess, Tamina, is captured and agrees to marry Tus in order to achieve peace after noticing the dagger in Dastan’s possession. Their father, Sharaman, was angry with them, saying that their “adventure” would not sit well with their allies.

Sharaman reproaches Tus for attacking the city and suggests that Dastan, instead of Tus, should marry Tamina. At the victory banquet, Dastan unknowingly presents a poisoned robe, given to him by Tus, to his father, who dies shortly after donning it. Dastan is blamed for the king’s murder and flees Alamut with Tamina. Together they venture into the wilderness.

In their first camp, Tamina attempts to kill the prince and recover the dagger. During their fight Dastan hits the dagger out of Tamina’s hand, and when he grabs it from the sand, accidentally presses the jewel button on the hilt that activates its rewinding power. Dastan is transported back to just before Tamina tries to kill him. Shocked at what has just transpired, Dastan hesitates, allowing Tamina to slash him across the chest with his sword. Collapsing to the ground, Dastan pulls the dagger from his belt and activates it again, to Tamina’s obvious horror. Again he is taken back to just before the princess tries to kill him.

Dastan realizes that the dagger can turn back time, and that only the one who holds it is aware of this. After this the two continue on into the desert. During their journey, the duo meets a shady ostrich racing-organizer and tax-averse entrepreneur, Sheik Amar, and his knife-throwing friend, Seso. Dastan offers Tamina up as a slave in return for supplies; however, Amar betrays him because he recognizes him as the murderer of the king, for whom there is an “obscene” reward being offered.

Dastan and Tamina escape and return to Persia for Sharaman’s funeral. Dastan attempts to convince Nizam that he did not kill his father. Dastan discovers that Tamina has taken the Dagger; however, he then notices Nizam’s hands are burned by the same poison put on the robe that killed his father. Nizam claims that his hands got burnt by his trying to pull the robe off his brother at the time, but Dastan does not remember Nizam ever touching it, realizing that Nizam must have been the one who poisoned the robe. Garsiv and the city guards appear and attack Dastan, and he is forced to escape.

Dastan catches up with Tamina and explains that Nizam was behind the murder. Once Tamina finally explains everything about the Dagger, Dastan realizes why Nizam wants the Dagger of Time: to use it to go back in time and undo saving Sharaman from a lion so he could become king. He fabricated the false allegations that Alamut had been dealing weapons to Persia’s enemies so that he would have the opportunity to search the city for it. Not knowing its power is only to fix an instant mistake.

Dastan manages to persuade his brother that he is innocent, only for Garsiv to be fatally wounded by a member of the Hassassin’s. The group attacks, killing most of the group, while Dastan and Tamina sneak away to the secret cave where they can hide the Dagger. Tamina says she is ready to give up her life to protect the Dagger, but Dastan stops her and tells her that he is not ready for her to die. They are found and attacked and Zolm manages to snatch the Dagger of Time from Tamina.

Dastan stands in front of The Hassassin, recognizing him as the man who killed his father. The man laughs and calls him child playing Assassin, pointing at the red sash around his waist. Tells him his father was the last of the great Assassins, and with Dastan’s death there will be no more.

Sylum Inspiration: Arbaaz Mir

Assassin

 

Arbaaz Mir was born in Kashmir in northwestern India during the early 19th century to a Muslim family. His home region was conquered by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire in 1819, leading to the death of numerous Muslims in Kashmir, including some of Arbaaz’s kin.  This led Arbaaz to grow up with a resentment towards Singh, considering him a cold-blooded killer.

His revenge led him to go after Singh only to be thwarted by the Assassins. He was taken from India and handed over to Dastan and Altaïr. Both saw potential in him, but also his anger.  They worked to train him, and in time they watched him grow into a steady Assassin.

Dastan escorted him back to India, hearing rumors about his old enemy, the Hassassin. When they arrived he discovered that Templars were using the British Government to influence the Maharaja so they could control the land and wealth.

Arbaaz had to face his own emotions when he came face to face with Singh.

He realized they were trying to poison the Maharaja, and knocked the tea out of his hand, instead of watching him die – but it was already too late.  The Templar escaped but Arbaaz stayed with the Singh, and told him he forgave him.

Ranjit smiled and died peacefully.

Arbaaz barely had time to react when the Templar returned.  He defected the blow, but ended up with a mortal wound before he gave the killing blow.

Dastan found him and gave him a new chance.

Sylum Inspiration: Aristotle

 

Aristotle, whose name means “the best purpose”, was born in 384 BC in Stagira, Chalcidice, about 55 km (34 miles) east of modern-day Thessaloniki. His father Nicomachus was the personal physician to King Amyntas of Macedon. Although there is little information on Aristotle’s childhood, he probably spent some time within the Macedonian palace, making his first connections with the Macedonian monarchy.

At about the age of eighteen, Aristotle moved to Athens to continue his education at Plato’s Academy. He remained there for nearly twenty years before leaving Athens in 348/47 BC. The traditional story about his departure records that he was disappointed with the Academy’s direction after control passed to Plato’s nephew Speusippus, although it is possible that he feared anti-Macedonian sentiments and left before Plato had died.

Aristotle then accompanied Xenocrates to the court of his friend Hermias of Atarneus in Asia Minor. There, he traveled with Theophrastus to the island of Lesbos, where together they researched the botany and zoology of the island. Aristotle married Pythias, either Hermias’s adoptive daughter or niece. She bore him a daughter, whom they also named Pythias. Soon after Hermias’ death, Aristotle was invited by Philip II of Macedon to become the tutor to his son Alexander in 343 BC.

Aristotle was appointed as the head of the royal academy of Macedon. During that time he gave lessons not only to Alexander, but also to two other future kings: Ptolemy and Cassander. Aristotle encouraged Alexander toward eastern conquest and his attitude towards Persia was unabashedly ethnocentric. In one famous example, he counsels Alexander to be “a leader to the Greeks and a despot to the barbarians, to look after the former as after friends and relatives, and to deal with the latter as with beasts or plants”.

By 335 BC, Artistotle had returned to Athens, establishing his own school there known as the Lyceum. Aristotle conducted courses at the school for the next twelve years. While in Athens, his wife Pythias died and Aristotle became involved with Herpyllis of Stagira, who bore him a son whom he named after his father, Nicomachus. According to the Suda, he also had an eromenos, Palaephatus of Abydus.

This period in Athens, between 335 and 323 BC, is when Aristotle is believed to have composed many of his works. He wrote many dialogues of which only fragments have survived. Those works that have survived are in treatise form and were not, for the most part, intended for widespread publication; they are generally thought to be lecture aids for his students. His most important treatises include Physics, Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, De Anima (On the Soul) and Poetics.

Aristotle not only studied almost every subject possible at the time, but made significant contributions to most of them. In physical science, Aristotle studied anatomy, astronomy, embryology, geography, geology, meteorology, physics and zoology. In philosophy, he wrote on aesthetics, ethics, government, metaphysics, politics, economics, psychology, rhetoric and theology. He also studied education, foreign customs, literature and poetry. His combined works constitute a virtual encyclopedia of Greek knowledge.

Near the end of his life, Alexander and Aristotle became estranged over Alexander’s relationship with Persia and Persians. A widespread tradition in antiquity suspected Aristotle of playing a role in Alexander’s death, but there is little evidence.

Following Alexander’s death, anti-Macedonian sentiment in Athens was rekindled. In 322 BC, Eurymedon the Hierophant denounced Aristotle for not holding the gods in honor, prompting him to flee to his mother’s family estate in Chalcis, explaining: “I will not allow the Athenians to sin twice against philosophy” – a reference to Athens’s prior trial and execution of Socrates.

For More Information contact the Vampire Council Library

Aristotle was ready to leave this earth, when he was visited by an old friend. When he saw Alexander he first thought he had already gone to the afterlife. It took a few moments for Alexander to convince him he wasn’t insane or dead. When he was told about Vampires, Aristotle knew this is what his life had led up to.

Sylum Inspiration: Nearchus

Sanguen: Lead Hunter

Nearchus was one of the officers, a navarch, in the army of Alexander the Great. He is known for his celebrated voyage from the Indus river to the Persian Gulf following the Indian campaign of Alexander the Great, in 326–324 BC. An account of his voyage is given in Arrian’s Indica, written in the 2nd century AD.

A native of Lato in Crete and son of Androtimus, his family settled at Amphipolis in Macedonia at some point during Philip II’s reign (we must assume after Philip took the city in 357 BC), at which point Nearchus was probably a young boy. He was almost certainly older than Alexander, as were Ptolemy, Erigyius, and the others of the ‘boyhood friends’; so depending on when Androtimus came to Macedonia Nearchus was quite possibly born in Crete.

Nearchus, along with Ptolemy, Erigyius and Laomedon, and Harpalus, was one of Alexander’s ‘mentors’ – and he was exiled by Philip as a result of the Pixodarus affair. It is not known where the exiles went, but they were recalled only after Philip’s death, on Alexander’s accession.

After their recall, these men were held in the highest honour. Nearchus was appointed as satrap of Lycia and Pamphylia in 334/3 BC, one of the earliest of Alexander’s satrapal appointments. In 328 BC he was relieved of his post and rejoined Alexander in Bactria, bringing with him reinforcements. After the siege of Aornus Nearchus was sent at the head of a reconnaissance mission – especially to find out about elephants.

In 326 BC, Nearchus was made admiral of the fleet that Alexander had built at the Hydaspes. However, his trierarchy was a financial responsibility – that is, Nearchus put up the money for the boat; and there were plenty of other trierarchs in the Indus fleet who were not natural born sailors.

During the voyage some of the ships were damaged, and Nearchus was instructed to remain behind to oversee repairs, before continuing down the river. This perhaps indicates some knowledge of shipbuilding, but he could hardly have been the only one qualified.

However, he remained in command of the fleet for the voyage from the Indus to the Persian Gulf, which he recorded in detail (and which was used extensively for Arrian’s Indica). Again, although he was the admiral, in command of the fleet, great seamanship was not required – the naval responsibilities were Onesicritus’. During the voyage, Nearchus was reputedly the first Greek commander to visit Bahrain, which was called Tylos by the Greeks. His visit marked the start of Bahrain’s inclusion within the Hellenic world, which culminated in the worship of Zeus (as the Arab sun god, Shams) and Greek being spoken as the language of the upper classes.

After many adventures, Nearchus arrived in Carmania, meeting up with Alexander after the latter’s crossing of the Gedrosian desert. Alexander sent him off to complete his voyage – he went as far as the Euphrates before turning back to rejoin Alexander at Susa, in early 324 BC.

Nearchus married the daughter of Barsine and Mentor, and received a crown as recognition of his exertions. He then took the fleet up to Babylon, where he gave Alexander the Chaldeans’ warning not to enter the city. Nearchus had a place in Alexander’s final plans, as he was to be the admiral of the Arabian invasion fleet; but the plans were cut short by the king’s death.

For more information contact the Vampire Council Library

Nearchus was ready to disappear into history with the death of his king. But it was Alexander who came to him, soon after his own Turning to talk him into following him even further. Alexander had told him that he needed people who he trusted, to go into the next journey.

Sylum Inspiration: Cynisca

Sanguen: Member

Cynisca was born in the ancient Greek city of Sparta and was the daughter of the Eurypontid king of Sparta, Archidamus II, and Eupoleia. She was also the sister of the later king of Sparta, Agesilaus II. She is said to have been a tomboy, an expert equestrian and very wealthy, the perfect qualifications for a successful trainer. She was exceedingly ambitious to succeed at the Olympic Games and the first woman to breed horses and win an Olympic victory, according to Pausanias.

Her name means ‘female puppy’ in Ancient Greek. She was named after her grandfather Zeuxidamus, who was called Cyniscos. It is possible that this name related to a specific kind of dog in Sparta, the female bloodhounds which were famous for their ability to find their quarries by their scent.

(Dilios Note: You call her a bitch, she’ll rip you to shreds – just sayin’)

While most women in the ancient Greek world were kept in seclusion and forbidden to learn any kind of skills in sports, riding or hunting, Spartan women by contrast were brought up from girlhood to excel at these things so as to produce strong children, by going through early training similar to that of their brothers.

The ancient Olympic Games were almost entirely male-only and women were forbidden even to set foot in the main stadium at Olympia, where running events and combat sports were held. Women were allowed to enter only the equestrian events, not by running but by owning and training the horses. Cynisca employed men and entered her team at the Olympics, where it won in the four-horse chariot racing twice, in 396 BC and again in 392 BC.

There have been some speculations over the motives of Agesilaus in directing his sister to join the equestrian competitions. One explanation is that he wanted to rekindle the warlike spirit in the Spartan society, which had given ground for the sake of a win in the Olympic Games. Another possible reason is that Agesilaus wanted to display Cynisca’s abilities, or promote women generally.

According to Xenophon, she was encouraged to breed horses and compete in the Games, by her brother Agesilaus II, in an attempt to discredit the sport. He viewed success in chariot racing as a victory without merit, which was only a mark of wealth and lavish outlay due to the involvement of the horses’ owner, while in the other events the decisive factor was a man’s bravery and virtue. By having a woman win, he hoped to show the sport to be unmanly, but Cynisca’s victories did not stop wealthy Spartans engaging in the sport.

However, Cynisca was honored by having a bronze statue of a chariot and horses, a charioteer and a statue of herself in the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, by the side of the statue of Troilus, made by Apelles, and an inscription written declaring that she was the only female to win the wreath in the chariot events at the Olympic Games. The first person in the inscription indicates that Cynisca was willing to push herself forward and Xenophon says that this inscription was Agesilaus’ idea. In addition to this, a hero-shrine of Cynisca was erected in Sparta at Plane-tree Grove, where religious ceremonies were held. Only Spartan kings were graced in this way and Cynisca was the first woman to receive this honor.

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Gorgo admired her for her work and dedication to the horses. She approached Cynisca after her first Olympics, wanting to see if she would want to be Turned. While meeting with her, one of the horse spooked, and Cynisca risked her life to stop the horse from injuring himself and others, but was injured in the process. Gorgo came to her side and offered another option.

Sylum Inspiration: Aryabhata

Sanguen: Member

Aryabhata was the first of the major mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy. His works include the Aryabhatiya (499 CE, when he was 23 years old) and the Arya-siddhanta.

Aryabhata mentions in the Aryabhatiya that it was composed 3,600 years into the Kali Yuga, when he was 23 years old. This corresponds to 499 CE, and implies that he was born in 476.

Aryabhata provides no information about his place of birth. The only information comes from Bhaskara I, who describes Aryabhata as asmakiya, “one belonging to the asmaka country.” During the Buddha’s time, a branch of the Asmaka people settled in the region between the Narmada and Godavari rivers in central India; Aryabhata is believed to have been born there.

It is fairly certain that, at some point, he went to Kusumapura for advanced studies and lived there for some time. Both Hindu and Buddhist tradition, as well as Bhaskara I (CE 629), identify Kusumapura as Paaliputra, modern Patna. A verse mentions that Aryabhata was the head of an institution (kulapa) at Kusumapura, and, because the university of Nalanda was in Pataliputra at the time and had an astronomical observatory, it is speculated that Aryabhata might have been the head of the Nalanda university as well. Aryabhata is also reputed to have set up an observatory at the Sun temple in Taregana, Bihar

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Archimedes had traveled with Marsani in areas of India, and when he had heard of Aryabhata, he went to speak to the young man, impressed with his ideas. He sat down to talk with him on many things, finally giving him the option he was given.