The Tudors

The Tudors

How would you differentiate facts from myths? More importantly, how would you identify the truth from fiction?

Confusing, huh? How can they not be if a fictional story is woven out of a historical truth? Take for example The Tudors, a television series based on the life of a royal dynasty that once powerfully reigned England.

When I was in college, I have studied various history subjects related to Catholicism. Even my other courses were discussed and taught in perspective of the Catholic Church belief system, greatly motivating me — until now — to be profoundly interested on the extent of the Papal authority during the Feudal and Middle Ages. Reading books, however, seems to have been insufficient to get the feel of the real power, to see the vast expanse, and to understand the actual stretch of the Pope’s influence. And to fulfill such inadequacy of learning source, I have no choice but to resort to television, one of the most powerful communication media today.

Let’s now turn on the TV, and watch the series The Tudors.

This new fictional boob tube program satisfies my yearning to at least increase my understanding of the Pope’s roles and powers during the Feudal Age in Europe. It shows me what the books really mean with the words “the Pope as the final and sovereign moral and political authority here on earth.” It clearly depicts a historical truth that whenever there were political disputes and problems among the royal family members, the final judgment could only be settled by the Pope. The anointment and recognition of a king or queen for an instance — or of any political figure for that matter — would only be valid and recognized by the people if approved and blessed by the Pope. Furthermore, not only was the Pope powerful enough to sanction countries or to excommunicate royal officers, he also had the ability to command them to do whatever was needed so long as it was for the benefit of the Church. This ability was recognized by almost all the superpower European countries (back then) including Spain, Portugal, France, and England.

The characters of The Tudors are patterned after the real-life historical figures who once dominated and ruled England, a European nation mainly populated by Catholics before the separation of the Anglican Church. What caught my attention the most is the power and dominion held by the Church during that time. The Pope was then the most powerful person in the whole continent, exercising vast secular and political powers not only among the common people but among the kings and queens as well. And not only was he the head of the Church, but was a king surrounded, protected, and followed by the generals and soldiers wearing habits and mitres. These officers might not have been as powerful as the Pope, but their authority couldn’t nevertheless be overemphasized.

Let’s take for example a glimpse of Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, a Catholic Church Officer during the time of Henry VIII. His personality, character, and roles have been vividly described in the annals of history. As an appointed Lord Chancellor by the King, he acted as a church and political officer, taking part in the kingdom’s most delicate political affairs and clandestine monarchial issues. It was for this reason that he was informally called the alter rex, meaning the other king.

(to be continued…)

On Coffee

Life is like our company coffee dispenser in the pantry — limited choices, different flavors — one coffee. Best of all, when you press any button, you’d never know what flavor you’d get. Sometimes, even after tasting what you have in your mug, you still wouldn’t know if it’s mocha or cappuccino. And only after drinking it all would you finally realize and settle down for an answer: none of the above.

Really? Not a chance…

Who would think that I’d become an instructor? Yeah, an instructor – teacher – heard how closely synonymous they are?

Is this a bad dream? I don’t think so. Such is an understatement — this is a nightmare. How could this have happened? Not even my subconscious mind can find the right answer until now. I’m still grasping for words that seem to have escaped my thin book of vocabulary. But after more than a month of standing in front of 4 different classes 4 days a week and dealing with around 200 students with roughly the same number of varying characters — not to mention that 75% of them are female — I have finally come to my senses: I’m now feeling…dizzy.

Quoting Barzun

I’d like to quote what De Quiros quoted on his column Decadence.

“But moral turpitude concealed a deeper trouble: the meaning of the roles had been lost. The priest, instead of being a teacher, was ignorant; the monk, instead of helping to save the world by his piety, was an idle profiteer; the bishop, instead of supervising the care of souls in his diocese, was a politician and businessman … Too often the bishop was a boy of twelve, his influential family having provided early for his future happiness. The system was rotten. This had been said over and over; yet the old hulk was immovable. When people accept futility and the absurd as normal, the culture is decadent. The term is not a slur; it is a technical label.”

Jacques Barzun

From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life

While Contemplating (2)

If a man becomes conceited because of the praises and compliments he received, he’d be badly hurt by them when failure comes.

Random Thoughts 1

Ei, kamusta ka na? has been one of the most difficult questions that ever existed for me. Fortunately, philosophers have thought of the best, simplest answer I could use: eto, ikaw?

–

Some of the many things I’ve learned about the corporate world are the following:

First, fairness is something very uncommon — if you’d look for it, there’d be a 99.9% chance that you’d be greatly disappointed. But, you can make a difference. Help! Make sure that the next person who would be seeking for fairness would only have 99.8% chance of not finding it. If we would all do our shares, we wouldn’t even notice that we already have it.

Second, never find your happiness in money. Greed for it kills, induces pain and terrible sufferings. It’s funny though, ‘coz when you don’t have it, you’ll experience the same things.

Third, and the last for now, compete only with yourself, and find happiness with learning. I just don’t exactly know how you’ll do them. Let me start by motivating you with these words, “If there’s a will, there’ll surely be a way.”

Intermission Number

A former classmate — a close friend and a brother to me — sent me a text message: a quote from an APO’s song. The message interested me so much it motivated me to search for the whole lyrics on the Net. I’m dedicating the song to all of you (Imagine, I’m singing better than APO).

–

Artist: Apo Hiking Society

Song Title: SAAN NA NAPUNTA ANG PANAHON

I

Nagsimula ang lahat sa iskuwela, nagsama-samang’ labingdalwa’.

Sa kalokohan at sa tuksuhan, hindi maawat sa isat-isa.

Madalas ang istambay sa capetirya. Isang barkada na kay’ saya.

laging may hawak-hawak na gitara, konting hudyut lamang kakanta na.

(refrain)

kay simple lamang ng buhay ‘non, walang mabibigat na suliranin.

prublema lamang laging kulang ang datung.

saan na napunta ang panahon.

(chorus)

Saan na nga ba, saan nanga ba?

saan na napunta ang panahon.

(2x)

II

Sa unang ligaw kayo’y magkasama, magkasabwat sa pambobola.

Walang sikreto kayong tinatago, O kaysarap ng samahang barkada.

nagkawatakan na sa kolehio, kanya-kanya na ang lakaran.

kahit minsanan na lang kung magkita, pagkaka-ibiga’y hindi nawala.

(refrain)

At kung saan na napadpad ang ilan,

sa dating iskwela’y meron’ ding naiwan.

Meron’ pa ngang mga ilang nawala na lang,

nakaka miss ang dating samahan.

(chorus)

saan na nga ba, saan na nga ba?

saan saan na nga bang’ barkada ngayon.

(2x)

III

Ilang taon din ang nakalipas, bawat isa sa ami’y tatay na.

nagsusumikap upang yumaman, at guminhawang kinabukasan.

Paminsan-minsan kami’y nagkikita, mga naiwan at natira.

At gaya nung araw namin sa iskwela, pag magkasama ay nagwawala.

(refrain)

Napakahirap malimutan, ang saya ng aming samahan.

Kahit lumipas na ang iilang taon, magkabarkada parin ngayon.

(chorus)

Magkaibigan, magkaibigan magkaibigan parin ngayon.

Magkaibigan, magkaibigan magkabarkada parin ngayon.

(repeat till faded)

–

Saan na nga ba ako napunta? I’ll think about it and be back with you later with an answer, just hope I can find it before my song ends.