[Milton-L] RE: The two-handed engine yet one more once

[FLANNAGAN, ROY]

As the proud owner of a hand-made Northumbrian sheep-hook and as the former manager of a small herd of Corriedales (the dumbest sheep that I have ever met; for what they look like, see http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/corriedale/index.htm ), I agree with Caroline, that your average sheep-hook would only be used as a smiting weapon if you were really incensed at a stupid Corriedale.  
 
And bishops still carry the crozier: the un-aggressive Bishop of South Carolina's Episcopalians, who recites Milton and Herbert in sermons, is not inclined to hit anyone with his crozier.  Check the picture above for his pacific stance.
 
Roy Flannagan

 
________________________________

From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu on behalf of Hunt, Caroline C
Sent: Sat 11/22/2008 6:32 PM
To: John Milton Discussion List
Subject: RE: [Milton-L] RE: The two-handed engine yet one more once



Under the head of trivia: 

Not only does one generally not smite anything with a sheep-hook, but even metaphorically it seems wrong (unlike scales, etc.) In fact, the implement is very benevolent in its imagery and uses -- giving direction, lifting a sheep that's in trouble, etc. -- a very different set of connotations from smiting. Further, you don't normally use two hands. I've sometimes wondered whether M's snarky comment elsewhere in the poem about the bad shepherds not knowing how to hold the sheep-hook might refer to the way a bishop's crosier (=sheep-hook) is carried before him in procession -- most unlike the real thing!

Caroline Hunt in Charleston, SC 
. . . who has herded sheep, though only for one weekend, and has the photos to prove it. . . 

_________________________________________________________________________ 
If we consider the most common meaning of "smite," it seems like the engine 
ought to be capable of striking a blow, which keys, scales, shears, and 
sheep-hooks would not be much good for. (It is true, though, that the Deity 
smites in various ways only metaphorically connected to striking blows.) 


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