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May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

C. S. Lewis, his worlds, and his faith.

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May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby Stylteralmaldo » Aug 19, 2018 5:48 am

Reading the book of Daniel this morning, I read this tidbit and am wondering if Lewis got the idea of the Tisroc (May he live forever) from Daniel who spoke these words to Darius, king of the Medes:

Daniel 6:19-22

Then at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. When he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, sergeant of the living God, had your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king I have done no wrong.
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby coracle » Aug 19, 2018 7:00 am

I think the sort of flowery language in Calormen is based on classical tales from ancient Babylon.... are they also in the Arabian Nights stories?
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby Col Klink » Aug 21, 2018 6:31 am

I noticed that too. But I don't believe C.S. Lewis was specifically alluding to the book of Daniel. The reason that phrase appears there is because it was used in real life, possibly by multiple cultures.
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby Stylteralmaldo » Aug 25, 2018 11:18 am

What I find interesting about comparing the two situations (Narnia and Daniel), is that in the Narnian tales, it seems as though it is ludicrous to hope the Tisroc lives forever. I don’t get that same sense in account from Daniel, where it seems more an affection Daniel has for the king.
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby Col Klink » Aug 25, 2018 11:29 am

Well, Daniel and C.S. Lewis came from really different cultures. It's not surprising that one would find the other's greeting ridiculous.
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby coracle » Aug 26, 2018 1:13 am

On the other hand, Lewis had a classical education and will have know about formal greetings of ancient cultures.
I believe that the greeting to the King really indicates a wish for long life and good health - it's Hyperbole (exaggeration for effect on literature ).
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby SSBN_Dawn_Treader » Sep 29, 2018 6:54 am

If I'm not mistaken, the Calormen language and culture are based on a flurry of Oriental civilizations, ranging from the Islamic Arab world to ancient Babylon, including among other things Indian and Persian cultures.
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby hermit » Sep 29, 2018 8:05 am

In Nesbit's The Story of the Amulet, a group of Edwardian children use a magical amulet to travel back in time and visit ancient Babylon. The Babylonian king is called the Nisrock and on addressing him his subjects say 'may you live forever'!
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby Cleander » Jan 28, 2019 4:57 pm

In the same story, if I recall correctly, they accidentally bring back the Queen of Babylon to modern London. Sound familiar? :D (Nesbit was one of Lewis' favorite authors.)
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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby coracle » Apr 18, 2019 1:46 pm

Well, going even further off topic, in Nesbit's short story, The Aunt and Amabel, a girl goes on a train journey which teaches her some lessons. The way to the station is via a wardrobe (called something like Big Wardrobe in Spare Room). Yes, really!

Lewis wasn't claiming to have invented his ideas, but the way he used some familiar concepts was very interesting.
“Not all of us can choose what we give up. The things we love are taken or are never ours at all. If we’re lucky, life is defined not by what we let go, but what we let in: friendship and kind words, frailty and hope.”

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Re: May the Tisroc live forever....I mean Darius?

Postby Cleander » Apr 18, 2019 7:14 pm

YES! I've read that story! It was so weird! As soon as I saw the name of the train station, I was like WHAAA??....
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