unite humanity.
A sibyl was a seer and wise woman in classical Greek and Roman society, and regularly features in literature from this period; often, the sibyl would speak a seemingly innocent prophecy that would then come true in some horrific manner, despite the subject’s attempts to avoid it.
The Greeks also loved their irony, and many of the sibyls and prophets were blind, or their prophecies held some other loophole. Oedipus was prophesied to kill his own father and marry his mother. Adopted by a neighbouring family, Oedipus became aware of the prophecy and fled his adopted family – only to return to the city of his birth and there fulfil the prophecy.
Similarly, the prophetess Cassandra warned about the events of the Trojan War, but her predictions fell on deaf ears after she was cursed for spurning the advances of Apollo.
The global decline of empires and monarchy means that the prophecy of the Last Roman Emperor has become rather outdated and fallen out of fashion. But it is nonetheless combined with the Prophecy of the Popes – with the Pope also known as Emperor of Rome – and indicates that the final pope may indeed be considered as the Last Roman Emperor.
12
BRITAIN AND THE APOCALYPSE
Britain was in a unique position during the Age of Enlightenment: the British Empire was active in the world, with access to scholars and centres of learning across the globe. However, the heart of the empire was still removed from mainland Europe, unaffected by some of the political and cultural changes that swept across the continent.
Britain instead faced its own challenges, with the End of the World being viewed through the lens of the nation’s artistic, political and military exploits – in most cases, the British Empire was the victor and aggressor, the holder of power in most dealings. This vision persisted as the empire continued to grow, incorporating influences from within and further afield.
----
PRE-1600
----
Beowulf
While the stories of classical Greece and Rome were embraced by British Romantic poets for their chivalry and heroism, Beowulf is part of the same tradition – just coming from a little further north. One of the defining works of Norse mythology, the story of Beowulf came to our shores across the North Sea, bringing with it tales of savage Vikings and victory over monsters.
The epic poem details Beowulf’s struggle against the monsters threatening his village, first the monstrous Grendel and then Grendel’s mother. After Beowulf defeats them both, he returns home to rule his village for fifty successful years – until his village is threatened by a dragon. Beowulf slays this beast after a glorious battle, but the struggle leads to his own injury and death.
The presence of the dragon draws comparison with Revelations, with Beowulf appearing as a Messianic figure that ensures the safety of his people – in this case, his villagers. His fifty-year reign is even comparable to the rule of Jesus: both occur between two separate battles, and both signal a time of peace and prosperity.
There is no definite source or date for the poem, so it can only be guessed whether Beowulf was inspired by Christianity or developed separately. However, some other Old English poets and writers were no stranger to Christian imagery: The Dream of the Rood features a dream-like vision as the writer contemplates the cross upon which Jesus was killed. Like Jesus, the cross is subsequently resurrected and proceeds to reign as the greatest of all trees.
Domesday Book
Domesday Book – or Doomsday in modern English – was the result of a large-scale survey of the British Isles carried out in the eleventh century at the the command of William the Conqueror. Having taken the English throne, William was especially interested in the exact size of his new kingdom and the income he could assure by levying taxes.
Domesday Book consists of two separate works: an in-depth survey of Norfolk, Essex and Sussex; and a
A sibyl was a seer and wise woman in classical Greek and Roman society, and regularly features in literature from this period; often, the sibyl would speak a seemingly innocent prophecy that would then come true in some horrific manner, despite the subject’s attempts to avoid it.
The Greeks also loved their irony, and many of the sibyls and prophets were blind, or their prophecies held some other loophole. Oedipus was prophesied to kill his own father and marry his mother. Adopted by a neighbouring family, Oedipus became aware of the prophecy and fled his adopted family – only to return to the city of his birth and there fulfil the prophecy.
Similarly, the prophetess Cassandra warned about the events of the Trojan War, but her predictions fell on deaf ears after she was cursed for spurning the advances of Apollo.
The global decline of empires and monarchy means that the prophecy of the Last Roman Emperor has become rather outdated and fallen out of fashion. But it is nonetheless combined with the Prophecy of the Popes – with the Pope also known as Emperor of Rome – and indicates that the final pope may indeed be considered as the Last Roman Emperor.
12
BRITAIN AND THE APOCALYPSE
Britain was in a unique position during the Age of Enlightenment: the British Empire was active in the world, with access to scholars and centres of learning across the globe. However, the heart of the empire was still removed from mainland Europe, unaffected by some of the political and cultural changes that swept across the continent.
Britain instead faced its own challenges, with the End of the World being viewed through the lens of the nation’s artistic, political and military exploits – in most cases, the British Empire was the victor and aggressor, the holder of power in most dealings. This vision persisted as the empire continued to grow, incorporating influences from within and further afield.
----
PRE-1600
----
Beowulf
While the stories of classical Greece and Rome were embraced by British Romantic poets for their chivalry and heroism, Beowulf is part of the same tradition – just coming from a little further north. One of the defining works of Norse mythology, the story of Beowulf came to our shores across the North Sea, bringing with it tales of savage Vikings and victory over monsters.
The epic poem details Beowulf’s struggle against the monsters threatening his village, first the monstrous Grendel and then Grendel’s mother. After Beowulf defeats them both, he returns home to rule his village for fifty successful years – until his village is threatened by a dragon. Beowulf slays this beast after a glorious battle, but the struggle leads to his own injury and death.
The presence of the dragon draws comparison with Revelations, with Beowulf appearing as a Messianic figure that ensures the safety of his people – in this case, his villagers. His fifty-year reign is even comparable to the rule of Jesus: both occur between two separate battles, and both signal a time of peace and prosperity.
There is no definite source or date for the poem, so it can only be guessed whether Beowulf was inspired by Christianity or developed separately. However, some other Old English poets and writers were no stranger to Christian imagery: The Dream of the Rood features a dream-like vision as the writer contemplates the cross upon which Jesus was killed. Like Jesus, the cross is subsequently resurrected and proceeds to reign as the greatest of all trees.
Domesday Book
Domesday Book – or Doomsday in modern English – was the result of a large-scale survey of the British Isles carried out in the eleventh century at the the command of William the Conqueror. Having taken the English throne, William was especially interested in the exact size of his new kingdom and the income he could assure by levying taxes.
Domesday Book consists of two separate works: an in-depth survey of Norfolk, Essex and Sussex; and a
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