Comments on: The Pope with the Robotic Head

The Pope with the Robotic Head

Iridic — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:16:11 -0800

Gerbert D'Aurillac: mathemetician and engineer, Pope, ghost, and meddler with dark forces.

The superstitious and rather insulting assumption that Gerbert's intellectual achievements could only be supernatural in nature has survived to the present day. More modern mythmakers have outed him as a disciple of The Nine, the enigmatic circle of savants and scholars who have custody over science's more dangerous secrets. Apparently they were the ones who gave him his robotic brass head.

By: freebird

freebird — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:26:16 -0800

This is a really wonderful Post, thank you.

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:43:47 -0800

AKA Pope Sylvester II (c. 950-1003) - beyond the curious legends, he is most important as the one to introduce Arabic learning in arithmetic, astronomy and astrology to Europe (and he was the first French Pope). Basically he was a cornerstone in the Cathedral School's which led to the "Renaissance" of learning in the 11th and 12th centuries (see Southern, The Making of the Middle Ages).

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:47:52 -0800

We have so much to thank Count Wilfred the Hairy for! Fantastic post, thank you.

By: nixerman

nixerman — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:48:28 -0800

Great post. The Church may be the only institution that can draw on a thousand years of organizational experience but, damn, they just don't make Popes like they used to.

By: francesca too

francesca too — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:06:12 -0800

Great post. Thank you

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:26:38 -0800

I'm really amazed at how many people favorited this post. I'll have to start making some "curious medieval people" posts. Keeping with the "occult sciences" theme, the most likely candidate would be Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II.

By: nasreddin

nasreddin — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:29:59 -0800

By: katillathehun

katillathehun — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:32:33 -0800

I'm really amazed at how many people favorited this post. 13th!!!1!

By: batgrlHG

batgrlHG — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:54:58 -0800

"I'm really amazed at how many people favorited this post." Also guilty! I've only read bits about this person in other works - and can't wait to read more links. Because I never read the bit about the robot head business. Randomly now I'm wondering if all the Cephalophoric saints that walked around after beheading actually were part of some kind of robotic head clan...

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:07:06 -0800

I'm really amazed at how many people favorited this post. I just do what the brass head tells me to.

By: webnrrd2k

webnrrd2k — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:01:01 -0800

Is it just me, or would Cephalophoric Saints would make a great band name?

By: batgrlHG

batgrlHG — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:04:49 -0800

webnrrd2k, I probably would buy the cd for the name alone. Meanwhile on page 5 of the link to William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England - aaaa! The hand behind the scanner! ...Needs to reapply nail polish too.

By: voltairemodern

voltairemodern — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:09:09 -0800

This was great. I'd also love a nice long post on Raymond Lull.

By: lalochezia

lalochezia — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:09:24 -0800

By: Quietgal

Quietgal — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:18:50 -0800

Am I the only person who's disappointed that the robotic head wasn't actually attached to the Pope's shoulders? yeah, thought so

By: fcummins

fcummins — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:35:41 -0800

Treasure trove. Well researched!

By: scalefree

scalefree — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:19:19 -0800

So this is what Heroes is all about. OK.