Apollonian:

Spengler’s title for the Greco-Roman culture, whose Prime Symbol is the sensuously, present individual body, as manifest in the nude statue

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Faustian:

Spengler’s title for Western Culture, born 10th Century AD concurrently with Romanesque style, its birthplace on the plain between Elbe & Tagus; (see map for birthplace) and whose Prime Symbol is manifest in the art of the Fugue

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Romanesque: * see Endnote 1

architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches; considered to have emerged in the 10-11th centuries, by the 12th century it developed into the Gothic style (marked by pointed arches).  It can be identified across Europe, despite regional characteristics & different materials.  It was the first pan-European architectural style since Imperial Roman architecture.  In England it is traditionally referred to as Norman architecture.

see Chapter II: The Meaning of Numbers, page 58 Endnote 8

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art of the Fugue: * see Endnote 2  

the Faustian analogy to the Greek nude; an incomplete work of unspecified instrumentation by Bach (1685–1750), written in the 1740s, the culmination of his experimentation with monothematic instrumental works.  It consists of 15 fugues & 4 canons in D minor, each using a variation on a single principal subject, ordered in increasing complexity.  His aimed to explore all the contrapuntal possibilities inherent in a single musical subject.

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mechanical statics:

aka Statics, branch of mechanics dealing with the analysis of loads (force & torque) acting on physical systems that do not experience an acceleration (a=0), but rather, are in static equilibrium.  Newton was the father of Statics when he unified the 3 laws of motion (the law of inertia, his 2nd law & the law of action & reaction) & proved these laws govern earthly & celestial objects.  He also developed the calculus necessary to perform the mathematical calculations involved in classical mechanics.  Euler extended Newton's laws of motion from particles to rigid bodies with 2 additional laws.  Progressive re-formulations allowed solutions to more problems.  The first was by Lagrange (in 1788), an Italian-French mathematician, his solution uses the path of least action & follows the calculus of variations.  Hamilton re-formulated Lagrangian mechanics (1833); his framework allowed a more in-depth look at the underlying principles.

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Galilean dynamics:

Galileo (1564–1642) performed theoretical & experimental studies on the motions of bodies, a precursor to later classical mechanics.  He conducted experiments with pendulums, observing the swings of the bronze chandelier in the cathedral of Pisa, using his pulse as a timer.  He claimed that a simple pendulum is isochronous (its swings always take the same amount of time, independently of the amplitude).  He also found the square of the period varies directly with the pendulum length. He carried out experiments by rolling balls on an inclined plane, from which he derived his theory of accelerated motion.  He found that a body dropped vertically hits the ground at the same time as a body projected horizontally, so Earth rotating uniformly will still have objects falling to the ground under gravity.  He asserted that uniform motion is indistinguishable from rest.

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cult of the Olympian Gods:

In Greek Classical religion the 12 Olympians were the major deities of the Greek pantheon. They gained their supremacy in a 10-year-long war of the gods where Zeus led his siblings to victory over the previous generation of gods, the Titans.  Five of these Olympians were the offspring of the Titans Cronus & Rhea (Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter & Hestia).  Excepting Hades, they resided on Mount Olympus.  Hades was a major Greek god, brother of the first generation of Olympians, he resided in the underworld, far from Olympus & is not usually considered to be one of the Olympians.  Besides these 12 there were many other cultic groupings of gods.

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Catholic versus Protestant dogma:

specific doctrines (ideas) authoritatively laid down by a church.  Christianity is defined by a set of core beliefs shared by virtually all Christians.  When formally communicated by the organization, these are referred to as dogma.  The organization's formal religious positions, its dogma, may be taught to new members or simply communicated to those who choose to become members.

see Chapter II: The Meaning of Numbers, page 66 for theology of Reformation, and theology of Counter Reformation.

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independent city states of Greece:  * see Endnote 3

The main period for the Greek city states acting as indecent entities, was from 499 BC through 338 BC when virtually all of them fell under the domination of Philip II of Macedon.  During this 161 year period the chief characteristic is intercity rivalry & conflict.  However, as no sinlge polis was ever able to establish complete domination, the conflicts were indecisive and represent a series of self-inflicted wounds.

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dynasties (of the Baroque age):

The principle dynasties of this age (1600-1750) were in France the Bourbons (1589-1792) notably Louis XIV; in Spain the Habsburgs notably Charles V and Philip II; in England the Stuarts (1603-1714).  The Austrian Habsburgs (Holy Roman Emperors) also played a role.

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Cabinet diplomacy of Barque age: * see EndNote 4

Diplomacy in the period 1600-1750 moved decisively away from personal relations between crowns (eg Cloth of the Field of Gold) towards more long range efficacy, and gradually away for dynastic principles towards national principles & interests.  This is the aspect which Spengler is highlighting here- long range government, impersonal & not based on the ruler’s body (i.e. Classical concepts)

 

Oedipus:

see Chapter 4 page 129

 

Leer:

see Chapter 4 page 129

 

phallus symbol:

In Greek mythology, Hermes, god of boundaries & exchange, the messenger god is a phallic deity by association with representations of him on herms (pillars) featuring a phallus.  Pan, son of Hermes, was often depicted as having an exaggerated erect phallus. Priapus is a Greek god of fertility whose symbol was an exaggerated phallus. The son of Aphrodite and either Dionysus or Adonis, he is the protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens, and male genitalia. His name is the origin of the medical term priapism.

 

In Rome the phallus was ubiquitous, particularly in the form of the fascinum, a phallic charm. The ruins of Pompeii produced bronze wind chimes that featured the phallus, often in multiples, to ward off the evil eye and other malevolent influences. Statues of Priapus similarly guarded gardens. Roman boys wore the bulla, an amulet that contained a phallic charm, until they formally came of age.  The phallic deity Mutunus Tutunus promoted marital sex. A sacred phallus was among the objects considered vital to the security of the Roman state which were in the keeping of the Vestal Virgins. Sexuality in ancient Rome has been characterized as "phallocentric".

and see Chapter III History(1), page 111 The Dionysian movement*

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Madonna ideal:

Madonna refers to “Our Lady” or The Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.  In the Western Catholic Church she occupies a role more prominent than in any other major Christian group.  The Roman Catholics have more theological doctrines & teachings relating to Mary, as well as more festivals, prayers, devotional & venerative practices than any other group.  The Catechism states: "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship."  Spengler gives 2 illustrations of this ideal.  First in Dante’s Divine Comedy Beatrice leads him to the beatific vision, the ultimate direct self-communication of God to the individual.  A person possessing the beatific vision reaches, as a member of the redeemed, salvation in its entirety- heaven.  Vision stresses the intellectual component of salvation as well as the whole of human experience of joy & happiness from seeing God face to face not imperfectly through faith.  Secondly in the last scene of Faust II, the soul of Doctor Faustus is damned, but then saved by Gretchen & a host of other women to include the Virgin Mary.  This caring role Goethe alludes to in the mystical writing of the final lines of Faust II, speaking of an unknown, undefined element, he calls this the eternal feminism.

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Beatrice (of Dante):

Beatrice is the woman who serves as Dante’s guide in the Divine Comedy (La Divina Commedia) in the last book, Paradiso, and in the last 4 cantos of Purgatorio.  She takes over from Virgil who as a pagan cannot enter Paradise.  She is the incarnation of beatific love & leds dAnte to the Beatific vision.  She has been identified as Beatrice "Bice" di Folco Portinari (1265-1290), an Italian.  She served as Dante’s inspiration for both the Divine Comedy as well as his Vita Nuova.  The daughter of the banker Folco Portinari, she married to another banker, Simone dei Bardi.  Dante claims to have met a "Beatrice" only twice but was so affected that he carried his love for her throughout his life.

 

last lines of Faust II:

The final scene is a wilderness inhabited by holy anchorites.  Beautiful mountain-gorges, forests, rock, desert- beautiful nature, being a harbinger of divine love.  The angels bearing Faust's soul appear in heaven.  After the enraptured Doctor Marianus extols the Eternal Feminine, the virgin Mary, appears & 3 biblical holy women plead for Faust's soul, while Una Paenitentium (previously Gretchen), also pleads for him, offers to lead the reborn Faust into the higher spheres of heaven.  The Virgin Mary grants her wish.  We then have the final Chorus Mysticus ending the drama.

see Chapter V: Makrokosmos(1) page 168

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Polygnotus fresco (defines body with contours):

see Chapter III. History(1), page 112, Polygnotus contemporary to Rembrandt

 

Rembrandt (forms space with light & shade):

see  Chapter I, Introduction, page 23, Rembrandt

see  Chapter II, Number, page 81, Rembrandt, infinity of

see  Chapter III, Rembrandts’ self-portraits, page101, head, page 103; contemporary to Polygnotus, page 112

 

Magian Culture:

a culture born at time of Augustus (63 BC- 14 AD) and between Nile & Tigress, between Black sea and S Arabia.  The Number associated with this Culture is algebra. 

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astrology:

a religious of characteristic of Magian Culture

see Chapter II, Number page 63 Chaldean circle division

see Chapter IV, History(2) page 132

 

alchemy:

a characteristic of Magian Culture; origins of Western alchemy traced to ancient & Hellenistic Egypt, especially Alexandria, a centre of alchemical knowledge, preeminent throughout Classical period.  Elements of technology, religion, mythology & Hellenistic philosophy, each with their own much longer histories, combined to form the earliest records.  Zosimos of Panopolis wrote first books on alchemy, while Mary the Jewess was the first non-fictitious Western alchemist.  Both wrote in Greek & lived in Egypt under Roman rule.  Alexandria was a melting pot for philosophies of Platonism Pythagoreanism, Stoicism & Gnosticism which formed the origin of alchemy's character.

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mosaics:

medium for artistic expression characteristic of Magian Culture Spring & Summer

see Chapter II, Number,  page 71 

see Chapter III, History(1), page 110

 

arabesque:

a characteristic art style of the Magian Culture

see Chapter II, Numbers, page 72

 

caliphate:

political characteristic of Magian Culture Summer period

see Chapter II, Numbers, page 72

 

mosque:

religious architecture of  late Summer Magian Culture

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Persian religion’s sacraments & scriptures: * see Endnote 5

Zoroastrianism (aka Mazdayasna) was a religion of the early Magian Culture (Spring).  Based on the teachings of the Iranian prophet Zoroaster, it exalts, Ahura, The Lord Creator, and Mazda, Supremely Wise as the Supreme Being.  Its theology includes: a messianic character, judgment after death, heaven & hell, free will.  These features would influence many later religions.  First recorded in the 5th-century BC; it became the state religion of the Persian empires from 600 BC to 650 AD.  Following the Muslim conquest of Persia of 633–654 it was suppressed.  It’s most important texts are the Avesta, which includes the writings of Zoroaster (the Gathas, enigmatic poems defining the religion's precepts) and the Yasna, the scripture. 

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Jewish religion’s sacraments & scriptures: * see EndNote 6

one of many religions of the Magian Culture, Spring time; particularly notable for its Talmud.  This was the text of Rabbinic Judaism, primary source of Jewish religious law & theology, the centre piece of Jewish cultural life & foundation of all Jewish thought & aspirations, a guide to daily life.  It refers to the collection of writings named specifically the Babylonian Talmud & consists of 63 tractates (over 6,200 pages) written in Tannaitic Hebrew & Jewish Babylonian Aramaic.  It contains the teachings & opinions of thousands of rabbis (dating from BC and to the 5th century AD) on many subjects, including (law), Jewish ethics, philosophy, customs, history, lore & other topics.  In Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down from generation to generation until 70 AD when its contents were committed to writing.

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Christian religion’s sacraments & scriptures: * see Endnote 7

Spengler identifies the Primitive Church as one of the many Magian religions of that Culture’s Spring time.  It is particularly notable for its Gospels & Apocalyptic nature.

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post-Classical religion’s sacraments & scriptures: * see Endndote 8

Spengler lists several religions & movements as post-Classical: Marcion, Gnosis, Syncretism (Mithras, Baal) & Mandaeans.  He classifies all of these as Magian religions, born in the Spring time of that Culture.  The term “post Classical” reflects his assertion that the Classical Culture/Civilization was dead & had been replaced with the Magian in its infancy.

see Chapter II, Numbers, page 72, for Mandaeans

 

Manichean sacraments & scriptures:

one of the many Magian religions born in the Spring time of that Culture.

see Chapter II, Numbers, page 72