Interim (1)

Chapter Two. AN INTERIM

Returning to Athens I continued my studies, only now we younger
students were invited to attend lectures presented at the Academy
and the Stoa. At this point we had enough background to make
sense of what was being taught at these higher levels. Anyway,
I dutifully sat through these presentations and, occasionally,
something would seep into my dull mind and stay put for a few
minutes.

Poor Quint! I think he was a little disappointed in me. But he was
ever forgiving. Finally we reached the beginning of spring weather,
after shivering and shaking through the winter. It was time to go
home. The plan was to return by the same route that brought us
here, only I would be going alone. At the port near Corinth, Quint
made arrangements with one of father's Greek shipper friends.
He owned the passenger ship that I would take for the major leg
of my return journey. As it turned out father had already negotiated
with this shipper, who assigned one of the sailors to take care of my
needs--including securing my food and water at various port stops.

Much to my surprise, father also had made financial arrangements
for Quint. Presumably out of gratitude over how Quint had served
me as both a tutor and companion, father granted him enough
money for his studies over a three-year period. I was so happy
for Quint. And years later my father's investment in Quint proved
fruitful for me. But now I sadly said farewell to my good teacher.

The return cruise was fortunately very relaxing. I decided that I
might take this leisurely time to think about what I might decide
to do with my life. Seemingly my "official" education had come
to an end. But, looking back, my "life" education was about to
begin!

Aboard the ship, I encountered an old Greek. He, too, was a
teacher--yet none like I had met in Athens. He called himself a
"metaphysical" teacher. He included both Platonism and
Stoicism within his teaching, but he also injected religious
imagery into his thinking as well. Mainly he was interested in
Reality in terms of cause, being, and knowing in relation to God.

Frankly I was a total novice when it came to the issue of God.
Back in Ostia we had several religious temples, one I believe to
Jove (or Zeus) and one to Mithras. But my family ignored these
religions, particularly the state-controlled rituals which could bore
one into paralysis. They simply did not connect with the outlook
of our family.

The old Greek laughed when I told him my situation. He noted
that, yes, at a more primitive level these religious cults provided
a certain religious sustenance to the rustics and the unsophisticated.
They were more inclined to take the legends and myths of the
pantheon of the gods more literally. However, metaphysical
teachers realized that behind these stories there was symbolic
imagery that perhaps sprang from humanity's deep intuition about
the nature of God.

For the old Greek this imagery reflected the different aspects of God.
An example might be Apollo, whose imagery stressed harmony
and unity. As for Pallas Athena, well she was the epitome of both
power and wisdom. I could understand, at least superficially, what
this Greek metaphysical teacher was telling me. He had inserted a
"seed" in my mind that I managed never to lose. Many years later
I would grow that seed into a tree.