Had a terrible dream last night stimulated by a case study about a mega-wealthy family that devored itself over four generatins, and an article I had read about Carthage.
The leading Carthaginian families would bargain with the gods for favors. They pledged their own child as sacrifice, if the gods made good.
At the place of sacrifice stood Chronos, a statue with arms outstretched palms up, and leaning forward so the arms sloped downward, over a sunken fire pit. The child was placed on the outstretched arms and rolled into the pit. Ashes and bones of the child and a sacrificial animal were buried together in a pot in a special graveyard, tophet.
Leading families may even now sacrifice the children on the altar of success; while advisors fan the flames with a bellows. To relieve human suffering - why not start at the top with the 85 who own half the world's wealth? If we do relieve their suffering, perhaps they might assuage our own. That is my hope. But first I have to borrow a pair of pants. If I can help the the 85 who own half the world's wealth get the other half there may be a bottle of wine it it for me, or even a case. But without the pants, I will never get past the butler.
Comments