Reply #9: Two syntactic maps of the psychic juncture between the presence and

[saltpoint]

absence of worship, both from Peter Shaffer's EQUUS:

(Dr. Dysart yearning for connection with unfathomable truths he perceives were contained in the ancient world):

"I wish there was one person in my life I could show. One instinctive, absolutely unbrisk person I could take to Greece, and stand in front of certain shrines and sacred streams and say, 'Look! Life is only comprehensible through a thousand local Gods. And not just the old dead ones with names like Zeus -- no, but living Geniuses of Place and Person! And not just Greece but modern England! Spirits of certain trees, certain curves of brick wall, certain chip shops, if you liek, and slate roofs -- just as of certain frowns in people and slouches.' I'd say to them -- 'Worship as many as you can see -- and more will appear!'"


and


(Dysart and his patient, Alan, with Dysart again in yearning mode, his young patient incredulous):

Dysart: I've been (here) too long.
Alan: Where would you go?
Dysart: Somewhere.
Alan: Secret?
Dysart? Yes. There's a sea - a great sea -I love. It's where the Gods used to go to bathe.
Alan: What Gods?
Dysart: The old ones. Before they died.
Alan: Gods don't die.
Dysart: Yes, they do, Alan. Yes, they do.


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