A Lost Valentine
 

No, this is not a reference to a currently popular American television show.

As Fea has reminded us , Valentines is older than St. Valentine.

What? you say! A festival devoted to flaying young women and sacrificing goats and warding off wolves! Is this something for Eomer's thread? Well, I wouldn't be surprised if something showed up there....

But, no, this is something completely lost. I've heard tales of its profound decadence and utter silliness. 'tis said to be one of the earlier signs of mirth here on the Downs, but is a thread lost, link broken, gone to where all good virtual writing goes, wh ich apparently is beyond the circles of electrical wiring.

I speak of Squatter's Lupercalia thread. And in honour of St. Valentine's Day I am sending out a general plea to all Downers, should anyone have a copy of it stashed away in the archives of their inboxes, or stored in Word, to resurrect the thread here.

You see, it started just before I joined the Downs and maybe even was closed by TPTB and then was lost in forum shuffles. And I am so very curious about it...

Can anyone help? Does anyone have a hatch wherein one may find old files? Share the love!

Oh dear. I've switched, like, two computers since then! :(

Well, if no one can resurrect that thread, here's a valentine for all the Downers in memory of it, a chocolate wolf:


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64...colatewolf.jpg

I feel so young... Is its a story reserved for you elder Wights, or can I beg a listen?

I'm sorry...hope it's not just me, but I prefer to have a massively commercialized holiday involving hearts and chocolate to one in which women line up to be whipped for fertility.

yeouch.

What's the big problem with Christians developing a tradition of worship on a traditionally pagan holiday? Just because the Romans thought they should dress up in skins and beat each other doesn't mean it was a good idea. There is no Roman Empire, and there is absolutely no evidence that the Romans were any better than anybody else.

My dear Fea, I am so pleased to see that something I have done has made a young college student feel even younger. Perhaps you could reciprocate for the benefit of all us old time Downers?

But alas, it lies not in my power to tell the tale, as I have only heard of it. I understand it was a very literary thread, augmented by the likes of many venerable Downers in the past, such as the departed Miriel and Maril and goldwine, possibly Lush and Mr. Underhill. Certainly the venerable Squatter--Downers whose wit and sense of humour often livened the occasion rather than bogged it down with heady analysis as the Books forum sometimes these days is wont to see.

I had thought, you see, since this is the forum for remembrances of things past, I would offer a valentine to a mythic thread now known only in oral tradition. A bit of a tease I guess. What is lost can only be recovered, I suppose, with speculation and theories.

Better late than never
 

Courtesy of The Wayback Machine I give you The Lupercalia thread, started back in February 2002.

I tried searching this massive archive when this thread was first posted, but it was only tonight, while talking about it on IRC, that I worked out what the engine needed to be fed. I'm afraid that page 3, in which Lush proposed marriage and I inadvertantly re-invented an Ingmar Bergman story, has been forever lost. Still, enjoy what's there. This one's for you, Beth.

Breatheless with adoration (get the reference?)
 

Aw, shucks. Just for lil ole me? :D (sorry, couldn't resist that)

Honestly, though, now that I've read it, I have second thoughts about it. Imagine the spectre of some of our most illustrious members being closed down for mirthful off topicness. Why, it would be enough to encourage the most susceptible newbie to boldly go where topics should not be gone and Esty has her hands full these days. :eek:

On third thought, some elvish wag could be tempted to re-sub-create out of that Void. Now, would that be Middle-earth sacrilege--I was tempted here to spell that sacriledge just for Thena's sake-- the closest we might come on the Downs to a homage to Eru's creation out of the Void? Well, I don't know. Given our ways and predilections here, parody might be closer to the mark than homage methinks.

Thought the fourth: what is wrong with parody?

And I'll take the fifth ... thought: What would a parody of the Lupercalian thread be like? Hmm, I don't know. Having boldly gone there, why return? Lush has found true love, Turmabar has found other forums, and etc etc. There are always new threads to be punned.

Still, it is a fun read. Thanks for finding it Squatter. :)