The Enchiridion (ver. 0.893)

Enchiridion Militibus ad Insipientiam Humanitas Cavendum
-OR-
The Knight’s Handbook for Guarding Against the Folly of Humanity
By Sir Tristan Dolere Rho Aias

Through Harmony and Strife
I beseech thee
In hopeful address
I beseech thee
Shine thy light upon
My foolish wish
And lo, hear me
Listen to my foolish plea
That we may join
In harmony
In consonance of heart and soul
In defense of all that's dear
And in this, my twenty-third year
To these principles I would adhere
To my friend, exalted friend
I give you this

Although the time when the need for the Knights of old, for those who would stand in defense of the weak on fantastical journeys, has passed, there remains a need for those who would stand as paragons of human potential, of moral, intellectual, and spiritual strength, to realign humanity on its one true good and proper course; univia bonum. From this path, as with any other, may be any number of branches or deviations, and which you follow is your choice, but any good journey starts with first taking the right path. And so, to pinch a phrase from the Roman general Hannibal, “viam inveniam aut faciam;” “I shall either find a way or make one.”
The idea of the Knight fits this role perfectly, as the chivalric exemplars were chosen by merit, and held themselves to the highest standards. Of course, in reality this was not always the case. The powerful are often the corrupted, and act in way dishonorable to their station, but the idea, what they stood for, is important, because by setting our gaze upon their backs, we may follow in their example and strive to reach such an ideal.
What follows are the tenets by which I have decided to conduct my life, and I invite you to adopt, to live in such a way as to protect the parts of humanity that I find unique and beautiful, and in furtherance of the univia bonum.
In accordance with Nietzsche, should this life indeed be eternally recurring, I should like it to be one that I’d be proud of. Of course, however, if you should disagree in anything that I have said or anything that follows, and choose instead to follow your own path in opposition to my own, then I commend you entirely, because you are still, in some small way, acting in the spirit of the univia bonum, in that you’d applied your faculties of reason and morality to reach an answer of your own.
As I state later, I myself am imperfect. My mind and heart waver from time to time. I reason with myself, and reason against myself. I don’t know everything, in fact I feel as though I know too little, but I would like to know as much as I can, and help others, in any small way, to learn how to know alongside me. I give to you a few simple seeds to plant as you walk this path, and, to echo Nietzsche, “I wish for the seedling to become a tree. For a doctrine to become a tree, it has to be believed for a good while; for it to be believed, it has to be considered irrefutable. The tree needs storms, doubts, worms, and nastiness to reveal the nature and the strength of the seedling; let it break if it is not strong enough” (The Gay Science, § 106). Whether to nurture or annihilate, the choice is yours.










Itinerarium de Univia Bonum

Compassion -
“Upon my shield I balance the woes of the world”

A Knight’s duty is to others as much as themselves. To lend a hand, ear, or shoulder to
those in need is to share in their plight and ease their burden. Compassion, from the Latin
com- or cum-, meaning “with” or “together,” and pati, “to suffer,” is to suffer with
someone and to feel their sorrows as your own. The death of humanity quickly follows
the tyranny of apathy.

Justice -
“Upon the edge of my blade rests the line between good and evil”

A Knight understands better than any the responsibility that comes with power. The line
between the just and unjust is a thin one indeed, and must be navigated carefully. One
must stand in defense of what one believes to be just, and in opposition of what one
believes to be unjust. However, one must also allow oneself to adjust one’s view should
the scales of justice tip hither and thither. Tread carefully, for a thin line lay between
stubbornness and conviction.

Truth -
“Upon my every word thy faith can rest”

A Knight’s word is their law. Truth is the currency of a Knight, with which one might
purchase faith and trust in the sincerity of one’s words and actions. Truth, however, is
more precious than gold, and should be handled carefully so that it may retain its value.

Love -
“Upon my soul the world doth pull”

*Empedocles, Lucretius

Sweeping across the land
The wind blows formless sand

A Knight should come to know Love as one of the defining forces of the universe and all
that dwell within it. I enlarge the stage which we may give to Love, as it has particular
importance as a basis for the precepts of Knighthood. We must come to understand Love
as the Greek philosopher Empedocles did. As φιλότης (Philotes), Love was thought to be one of the governing forces of the universe alongside the counterforce of νεῖκος (Neikos), or Strife.

Honor -
“Upon my own heart I place the heaviest burden”

A Knight’s honor is that standard by which one would conduct oneself in all aspects of
their life. Within their honor is kept their loyalty, conviction, and character. Loyalty to
one’s word, to one’s friends, to oneself. Conviction in their actions, so as not to act disingenuously, and to take responsibility for that which they commit themselves to fully. Character, that which is how one acts as one’s own judge of deed. One’s adherence to the law, social, governmental and personal, shouldn’t be so far as only under threat and menace of retaliation would one act upright, but would, in view of all or none, act rightly and justly. Indeed, even if one could avoid any and all persecution for whatever action they please, whether it be by means of mystical ring or otherwise, they would even still abstain from such heinous actions that would then be possible, even if they were to one’s benefit, because in their heart they champion justice fully and truly. There be no wrong in acting in one’s self interest, in furtherance of their personal summum bonum, but so long as such pursuits do not harm or encroach, with known malice, upon the happiness of others. Yes, the ability to quell one’s appetitive self in adherence to moral law is inherently good.



On Music:
*Internal rhythm, dionysian music, harmonies of the universe, infinite geometry, joy and pleasure, consonances and dissonances

“‘I am thirsting for a composer,’ said an innovator to his disciple, ‘who would learn my ideas from me and transpose them into his language; that way, I should reach men’s ears and hearts far better. With music one can seduce men to ever error and every truth: who could refute a tone?” (Nietzsche, The Gay Science, § 106).

Referring back to Empedocles, - Music and Love, bringing together tones and sounds, consonant sounds and Love, drawing people to it, discordant sounds and Strife, pushes people away


On Art:
*Sublime, Apolinian and Dionysian, Platonic Beauty - Hippias Major, [Symposium]

On the importance of language and its mastery, both written and spoken:
*effective communication of ideas, connection



On the Character of a Ruler
*Philosopher Kings - Plato

On Improvement of the Self:
One of the insidious traps laid out for the human race is its branding with the moniker, “human being.” From this bedrock of identity, the perception of the self is narrowed to the view of a single instant in time. A being exists as a static object, and its identity is defined as being as it is. A being’s preoccupation is with being, rather than becoming. Thus is bred a sense of complacency with mediocrity, with being as one is, rather than what one could become.
Ideally, as one traverses the seas of life, one should allow oneself to be eroded, erased, and reformed by its shifting tide. One’s identity should constantly be in a state of flux as they interact with the world and allow that world to interact with them in turn. That is, flux, as in a state of evolution, or furthering by adaptation of virtuous traits or characteristics. A Knight should strive to exist as a paragon of strength, knowledge, and wisdom, for there is no greater defense against the evils of ignorance.
One should take care of their health. A sound mind and soul can only exist in a sound vessel, so proper care and maintenance of the body is essential. To borrow a phrase from Juvenal, “orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano,” or “You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body.” Strength is also championed, so one can act as a bulwark against injustice in all of its forms.

On Gratitude:
Oh, how important it is to feel gratitude! Not to act out gratitude, but to feel gratitude. Your gratefulness is a sign that your ego has not hardened, that you see that not every wall that stands or crumbles owes itself to you, that arrogance has not claimed you. Pride in oneself is a virtue, but so is the humility that tempers that pride.
Acknowledge when you owe others, and how much. Show appreciation for the hands that reach out to you. They could easily look the other way, and be better off for it. The compulsion for generosity is rare indeed, and should be appreciated.

Musings on Guilt:

Musings on the Justness of Inaction:
Something that I’ve often grappled with is the question of whether or not my inaction is unjust. I feel as though inaction should be permissible, as it does not further any evil end or harbor any malice. I suppose then, defining inaction should come first, and inaction comes in many forms.
Inaction as a sort of passivity, I suppose, as far as not participating in society to any extent, would be unjust, as one would be doing nothing to improve the common condition, that is the state of society and all of its accouterments, which without upkeep would degrade and wither, and as such, passivity would inadvertently lend to this decay.
Of social passivity, where I may shirk personal responsibility to another person because I, say, have instead whiled my day away contemplating morality or some such, would be unjust, no? My inaction has caused trouble for someone else, has infringed on their ability to pursue personal happiness, and I’ve broken my word, or social contract.
Just as well, my electing to participate in a social context with other people has entangled me in a myriad of invisible and unspoken contractual threads. If I hope to have a friendship, and to reap the benefits of that friendship, that is, the happiness, companionship, and intimacy, I then, without having explicitly committed to them, am held to various expectations should I hope to maintain this friendship. I am expected to speak with this individual on a semi-regular basis, I am expected to observe all manner of holiday and celebration, including birthdays and other special occasions, and should I lapse in any of these commitments, I inspire in my friend anger, sadness, but ultimately, pain. My inaction regarding the upkeep of my friendship has resulted in pain and sorrow, and thus must be unjust.
Finally, there is perceived inaction, which is a variable species of inaction, as its existence follows the whims of subjectivity. For imagine that, instead of participating in society economically and amassing wealth, you are instead engrossed in an endeavor removed from society, perhaps creating art? Poetry? Writing a symphony? All pursuits that would ultimately contribute to the common condition and enrich the cultural landscape, but would such merit permit then the other form of inaction, which we have already deemed to be unjust? Or would both inaction, both overt and simply perceived, be faulty?

Musings on Loyalty:
To what extent does loyalty to another overtake all other action and judgment? What is its priority? One should be truthful, but does one not have an obligation to one’s comrades to help them in furtherance of their happiness? So then, should one lie to protect one’s friend?
I believe that, in such a situation that one to whom one is loyal has committed such an act so dastardly that they need protection from its consequence, that one has a higher obligation to truth, and should, say, provide information to authorities that. The reason for this is multifold. Firstly, I believe that one’s loyalty to another does not necessarily extend from that person as they are in any possible given state. You have decided to give this person special preference because of some virtuousness that they possess, presumably virtues that you yourself share with them. Your loyalty, in a sense, lies within the virtues themselves, and you are loyal to this person because they show a propensity for exhibition of these virtues. Thus, should this person begin to act in such a way as to go against such virtues, your obligation of loyalty begins to fall away, as this person has become different than the one to whom you originally dedicated your loyalty. Secondly, one’s highest duty is to the protection and propagation of the virtues that one holds dear, and if one’s friend were to act in a way that would oppose these ideals, then one would show more loyalty to their friend by holding them accountable in hopes that they might see their error and could return to the univia bonum.

Musings on Greatness:
Why is it that those who wish to improve their minds are looked upon with such disdain? With suspicion of an attitude of arrogance and pretension? Or, if one were to try to voice their thoughts and compile them into a document such as the one you now hold, they would be met with ridicule, as if to say, “What gall! Such haughtiness to think yourself so important that you may be the voice of reason, to say that which needs to be said but others have failed to do so before you.”
Well, clearly all that needs to be said has not been said, and all that needs to be done has not been done, as this world in which we live is far from perfection.
Any great deed or undertaking began with the identification of a problem or deficiency, and then a bending of every effort toward rectifying it. Yes, with such a thing would come a slight air of self-importance of action, but as it should! Would any action taken without some recognition of self-importance of action really be all that important? If you, of all people, would be the first to fail to see the importance in your word or deed, then it wouldn’t be very important at all, would it? Or that any guilt of feeling one’s importance of deed would keep one paralyzed, then the only things that would ever be done would be unimportant ones! Would you have it be that we shy away from such grandiose undertakings in fear that we may inflate our own egos by any considerable degree? I suppose, then, that you would rather have any great achievement come about by the aimless wanderings of those compelled to do only the most modest of deeds?

Musings on Meditation:
I find that my mind is never allowed to digest its food properly, so to say, as it sits as a passive observer as my body bumbles about life hither and thither. It must constantly juggle the intangible stresses and provocations, while also gorging itself to choking on the slew of sensory gruel being forced upon it.
At any given moment, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the skin, the tongue, are all simultaneously gluttonously imbibing the intoxicating mess that is the physical world, whilst the mind is left to assign meanings and associations to each experience.
When one thinks of meditation, they often think of “clearing one’s mind” and “ridding oneself of all distractions.” I, however, find meditation to be a practice in achieving balance. When I close my eyes, and have my mind concentrate on something such as my breathing, I do not experience a clearing storm, rather I feel my mind steadying itself. My body follows suit, leveling and re acclimating to its natural rhythms, following the leading of the lungs and heart. The anxious trembling of my hands calms down, and the nervous spike that once pierced my stomach has been pulled free.
I must make sure to allow more time to my mind to have its contemplation. I spend so much time as it is hurling things on top of it, it's no wonder that it would have trouble finding steady footing.

Expectorations:

From myself, I learned the story of the man who was so afraid of never accomplishing anything, that he never did.

From my father:
Be fair and just in all your dealings. Never take a cent more than you are owed, and repay debts with interest.

“The pen is mightier than the sword,” so they say, but the stroke of the sword that follows the stroke of the pen is even mightier still. The two in concert are the mark of a Knight.

The world had been conquered for the final time long ago. We looked on, dumbfounded, not knowing we were looking at the razed ravaged carcass of civilization. We now live in the exasperated sigh of the world's agonizingly prolonged death.


Why do such a thing?
Of course, it would be only natural to be suspicious of the intentions behind the philosophies of such a grand magnitude. In truth, my motivations are almost entirely selfish in nature. I don’t know the pleasure of the stagnant mind, the euthymic plane. Tranquility hurls heavy rocks at my head as I come near. Thus, my business in the long hours of the night and longer hours of the day yield theories and problems and analyses; the natural company of the restless.
I am sick. I don’t know what a body is, but in mine I feel erosion and wasting make their home. I
don’t know what a mind is, but in mine I feel enfeeblement clawing at the ramparts. I do not
know what a soul is, but I feel mine wretch and recoil at the prospect of each and every day. I
thought that only by the reconciliation of all the centuries of human history, of all the
philosophical, epistemological, and theological debate, that only after the curing of the sicknesses
of the entire world could my own ills be remedied.

Such a black and bleak 'morrow
Awaits us when
Our eyes cast inward
Ignore brother's sorrow

"A thousand of the strongest warriors are naught but as many toddling children under the banner of a feckless commander."