Casanova

Writing as an old man, Casanova is reflecting on his early youth when he was still hungering for his first full taste of girls and sex, and how it actually took some time for him to overcome his chaste morality and his nervousness.

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“A certain dread which today I can no longer trace in my nature, a sort of terror of the consequences which might have a blighting influence upon my future, prevented me from giving myself up to complete enjoyment. I do not know whether I have ever been a truly honest man, but I am fully aware that the feelings I fostered in my youth were by far more upright than those I have (as I lived on) forced myself to accept.”

-- Giacomo Casanova, the memoirs

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Internet

We lost our Internet connection for a good four hours, and soon after I put up a somewhat X-rated cartoon and PolitiCartoons. I was a little worried that I was in some trouble. However, back online, it was just another tumbleweed blowing across the moribund space of LiveJournal.

Grocery List

I didn't know that this is our grocery week, and I did not think to start the list. What really kills me is that I could have gotten a really big jump on it today, since our Internet connection was down all afternoon. Oh, well!

Spinoza

We have an interesting article on Spinoza. For his renunciation of all the supernatural beliefs of the Jewish religious tradition, he received this excommunication.

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The Senhores of the ma’amad [the congregation’s lay governing board] having long known of the evil opinions and acts of Baruch de Spinoza, have endeavored by various means and promises to turn him from his evil ways. However, having failed to make him mend his wicked ways, and, on the contrary, daily receiving more and more serious information about the abominable heresies which he practiced and taught and about his monstrous deeds, and having for this numerous trustworthy witnesses who have deposed and borne witness to this effect in the presence of the said Espinoza, they became convinced of the truth of this matter. After all of this has been investigated in the presence of the honorable hakhamim [“wise men,” or rabbis], they have decided, with the [rabbis’] consent, that the said Espinoza should be excommunicated and expelled from the people of Israel. By decree of the angels and by the command of the holy men, we excommunicate, expel, curse and damn Baruch de Espinoza, with the consent of God, Blessed be He, and with the consent of the entire holy congregation, and in front of these holy scrolls with the 613 precepts which are written therein; cursing him with the excommunication with which Joshua banned Jericho and with the curse which Elisha cursed the boys and with all the castigations which are written in the Book of the Law. Cursed be he by day and cursed be he by night; cursed be he when he lies down and cursed be he when he rises up. Cursed be he when he goes out and cursed be he when he comes in. The Lord will not spare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven. And the Lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law. But you that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.

-- Quoted by Steven Nadler at Humanities Magazine

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Apparently Spinoza had no deep need for the Jewish community of Portugal and could thrive well enough with the gentiles. He is reported have said, “All the better; they do not force me to do anything that I would not have done of my own accord if I did not dread scandal. But, since they want it that way, I enter gladly on the path this opened to me, with the consolation that my departure will be more innocent than was the exodus of the early Hebrews from Egypt.” Which I suppose could be translated as whatever.