In Memoriam

So you were David's father,
And he was your only son,
And the new-cut peats are rotting
And the work is left undone,
Because of an old man weeping,
Just an old man in pain,
For David, his son David,
That will not come again.

Oh, the letters he wrote you,
And I can see them still,
Not a word of the fighting,
But just the sheep on the hill
And how you should get the crops in
Ere the year get stormier,
And the Bosches have got his body,
And I was his officer.

You were only David's father,
But I had fifty sons
When we went up in the evening
Under the arch of the guns,
And we came back at twilight -
O God! I heard them call
To me for help and pity
That could not help at all.

Oh, never will I forget you,
My men that trusted me,
More my sons than your fathers',
For they could only see
The little helpless babies
And the young men in their pride.
They could not see you dying,
And hold you while you died.

Happy and young and gallant,
They saw their first-born go,
But not the strong limbs broken
And the beautiful men brought low,
The piteous writhing bodies,
They screamed 'Don't leave me, sir',
For they were only your fathers
But I was your officer.

[E.A. Mackintosh]

Image of An Emperor: Augustus

"In person he was well favoured and charming, and these qualities marked him at all stages of his life. Yet he was negligent in his dress, and so careless about the grooming of his hair, that he usually had it done in great haste, by several barbers at a time, such as might be available,it mattered not whom; and one clipped, while another shaved his beard, during which time he either read or wrote and attended not at all on ceremony. ... He also had very clear and shining eye, wherein (as he was willing to have men believe) there shone a kind of divine vigour; and he was much pleased when he looked steadfastly at people, if they dropped their lids, as if from the brightness of the sun. But in his old age he could not see very well from the left eye. His teeth were thin set, small and scaly, his hair somewhat curled, and of a light yellow colour. His eyebrows came together, his ears were small and his nose aquiline. His complexion was between brown and fair; and his stature was said to have been short ..."

[Suetonius, Augustus, 79]

Augustus and the Pax Romana

"He never made war upon any people without just and necessary cause; and so far was he from desire of enlarging the empire, or advancing his own military glory, that he compelled certain princes of the barbarians to take an oath in the Temple of Mars the Revenger, that they would faithfully continue in their allegiance and not violate the peace which they had implored"

[Suetonius, Augustus, 21]

Lake Como

[A Sleepy Mountian Lane. Lake Como, Italy]

River Dance

Its amazing how bored you can get at work - I received this video from my crazy brother. I really love the fleeting look of pride and satisfaction that fills his face just after the dance. I think its brilliant. His future's bright ...

A Haunting Statue

I came across this haunting figure of sadness in the park at Linlithgow.

(enlarge the pic and look into the eyes)

Something in the way he had oxidised and weathered - particularly around the eyes - lent a great tragedy to this noble figure.

A Windy Day on the Forth

Today we took an afternoon walk down to one of our favourite beaches at Gullane.

The wind was most fierce and I enjoyed watching the Kite Surfers skiting at speed across the Forth estuary.

I have always loved the power and drama of windy days. As a child on such occasions, I was often warned by Mum "... to watch out for falling chimney pots". That good advice has stayed with me and I can honestly say that I have not been hit by a chimney to date :-).

At School we boys used to upturn our jackets above our heads and use them as human sails to propel ourselves at otherwise unachievable speeds across the playground.

A previous windy day at St Abb's Head on the East coast had reminded me of this exhilarating feeling. It was all I could do, just to stand up!