Posted on 03/04/2002 5:01:27 AM PST by NativeNewYorker
Der Untergang des Abendlandes-Oswald Spengler
Yes, as I recall, we either withdrew our embassador from Austria or made some threats along those same lines. Austria did not seem concerned that the politically-correct were rattling sabres.
Also, IIRC, Austria's main immigration difficulties are with (drum roll, please)... Muslims! Much has changed since 1683...
Raising the Siege of Vienna
John III Sobieski, King of Poland
- A Letter From the King of Poland to His Queen. In Which is Incerted Many Particulars Relating to the Victories Obtained Against the Turks. Followed by a Prayer of the Turks against the Christians. (London: 1683).
The Immortal God, (to whom Honour and Glory be Ascribed for Ever) has Blest us with so Signal a Victory, as scarce the Memory of Man can Equal: The Enemy was not only content to Raise the Siege of Vienna, and Leave us Masters of the Field; But also of all their Cannon, and Tents, with Inestimable Treasure, and clim'd over Mountains of Carcasses made by their own Body's in the Flight. My Eyes were never Blest before with so delightful a Prospect as to see my Soldiers follow here a great Drove of their Sheep and Oxen, and there a much greater Herd of Turkish Captives; Nor my Ear's e're Charm'd with so pleasing Musick, as the Howlings and Dying Groans of these Miserable Wretches: So great was their Hast, that the Prime Visier almost alone and forsaken of all, was forc't without the Ceremony of his Turbant, to take his Flight; But yet he left me Heir to his Tent and Riches whith were shewn me by a Renegado of his own Retinue.
I have Presented the Turkish Standard to His Holyness, who was Instrumental no less by His Money, than His Prayers, to their Overthrow. The Prime Vizor's Horse with all his Trappings, I reserv'd for my self; And tho he was so Fortunate in his Flight to Escape us, yet his Caymecam, or Lieutenant-General, with some of the most Considerable Bassa's [Pashas] fell by our Swords; But the approaching Night put a Stop to our Pursuit, and their Slaughter. Those Janizaries which were left behind in the Mines and Trenches, we thought not worth the dulling of our Swords, therefore we made but one Funeral Pile for 'em all, and Burnt 'em.
In the Action there were about Thirty Thousand Turks kill'd; besides Tartars, and One Hundred Thousand Tents taken. Our Souldiers, and the Burghers of Vienna, were Two whole Nights, and One Day, in Rifling their Tents and Body's, and I believe a Week would scarce suffice to finish it.
The Rarities which were found in the Prime Vizor's Tent, were no less Numerous than Strange and Surprising, as very curious Parrots, and some Birds of Paradise, with all his Banios, and Fountains, and some Ostriches, which he Chose rather to Kill, than let 'em fall Alive into our Hands; Nay his Dispair and Jealousy transported him so far, as to Destroy his very Women for the same Reason.
The whole Army Attributes the Glory of this Victory to God, and Us, and all the Princes of the Empire, with the Great Officers, as the Dukes of Bavaria and Lorrain, Prince Waldek, etc. were so far transported with my Valour and Success, that their Thanks and Praises were more Numerous, than was their Fears before; and Count Staremberg the Governour, Saluted me with the Title of his Mighty Deliverer. The Common People in my going to and from the Churches, pay'd their Veneration even to my very Garments, and made their Cry's and Acclamations reach the Sky, of Long Live the King of Poland.
In the battle we Lost some of our Friends, as Prince Halicki, and the Treasurer of our Household. The Reverend Marinus Daviano, heapt on me his Pray'rs and Blessings, and told me he saw a White Dove fluttering o're the Army, which he look'd upon as an happy Augure of our Victory.
We are now on our March towards Hungary; taking the Advantage of their Distraction, to Defeat the Remainder of their scatter'd Troops, and Surprize Gran or Newheufell. I have all the Princes of the Empire my Companions in this Enterprise, who tell me they are ready to follow such a Leader not only into Hungary, but to the End of the World.
The Prime Vizor being unable to put a Stop to our Pursuit, told his Eldest Son Mahomet Han, That he must now bid Adieu to all his Greatness, and never expect to be in Safety, whilst their Lye's one Stone upon another in the Walls of Vienna, but withal bid him hasten to the Grand Seignor and Demand a Speedy Succour, to whom his Son Reply'd, That he knew him too well for that, and there was nothing for 'em now to Rely on but their Flight.
I am just now going to take Horse, and all my way for Two Hungarian Miles together, are so strew'd with the Carcasses of Men, Horses, and Camels, that the Stench of 'em would be insupportable to any but a Soldier.
I have sent several Dispatches to Forein Princes to give Notice of this Action, but the King of France was forgotten.
I Rejoice to see our Son Alexander of so Clear and Undanted a Courage who always stuck to me in my most iminent Dangers: and made the first onset on a Body of Turkish Spahn, with that Courage that he put 'em soon to flight, and Receiv'd the Applauses of the whole Army. He has Contracted a very Intimate Friendship with the young Duke of Bavaria with whom he equally devided the spoyl, This Prince has been very Assiduous in his Services to me; therefore I have presented him three of my Horses, the Bassa of Egypt's Tent and Standard, and ten Pieces of Cannon. To his Sister the Dauphiness, a Locket of Diamonds. Yet there Remains such heaps of their Colours and Symeters in our possession as are not to be numbred.
All my Countrey men March't with the same Bravery to the Relief of Vienna, as the Souldiers of Godfrey of Bullein did to the Holy Land, and the miraculous Cross that you presented me with (which was his companion in that Expedition) I Believe Contributed no less to our Victory.
Thanks be to Heaven, now the Half-Moon Triumphs no longer o're the Cross, And 'twas thrown down from St. Stephen's Steeple in Vienna (whom it had o'retopt so long) immediately on the Defeat: Neither have the Turks any occasion to upbraid us with their Blasphemous Mahometan Proverb. Ye Christians where is Your God?
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The Turks' Prayer against the Christians
Eternal God and creator of all things, and thou O Mahomet his sacred and divine prophet. We beseech thee let us not dread the Christians, who are so mean and silly to rely on a crucified god. By the power of thy right hand, so strengthen ours that we may surround this foolish people, on every side, and utterly destroy them. At length fulfill our prayers and put these miscreants into our hands, that we may establish thy throne for ever in Mecca, and sacrifice all those enemies of our most holy religion at thy tomb. Blow us with thy mighty breath like swarms of flies into their quarters, and let the eyes of these infidels bedazelled with the lustre of our moon. Consume them with thy fiery darts, and blind them with the dust which they themselves have raised. Destroy them all in thine anger. Break all their bones in pieces, and consume the flesh and blood of those who defile thy sacrifice, and hang the sacred light of circumcision on their cross. Wash them with showers of many waters, who are so stupid to worship gods they know not: and make their Christ a son to that God who ne're begot him. Hasten therefore their destruction we humbly entreat thee, and blot out their name and religion, which they glory so much in, from off the face of the earth, that they may be no more, who condemn and mock at thy law. Amen.
There is a Burger King in Reston Virginia where not a single employee speaks the English language. Mind you, this is in a moderately upscale suburban mall, in one of the country's wealthiest counties, and not in some Mexamerican barrio.
Somewhat ironically, it also is directly across the street from Sallie Mae, which administers all US student loans.
Who are the idiots, the people who move to a country and make no effort to learn the language and assimulate into the society, or the Austrians who seek to protect their heritage?
Actually, nothing. But it has all to do with people who expect an entire nation to cater to their wishes.
Probably, no one.
Certain areas of the country (and specially in California) knowing English only is not the greatest idea. Suffice to say that even in an environment where there are "official" translators at work, the translations are rife with errors.
Bueno hombre si quieres tranquilidad, debeis aprender Español si solamente para defensa propia.
Tourists wait for a green light/walk sign before stepping off the sidewalk. Tourists clutch their children as if they expected a devil wind to carry them away at any second. Tourists walk slowly, 4-across, regardless of sidewalk width or congestion.
Language is the last thing one uses to pick out tourists here. :)
No, you can tell your friend Paul McCartney that they aren't. (And if the events since last September haven't tought him this, nothing will.) This is an old piece of American folk wisdom/wishful thinking/utter nonsense that Paul must have picked up from that New York groupie he had married!
They do in New York? There is a small Indian section in a town I drive through. A few stores, restaurants, motels. More than once I have seen entire Indian families, kids, parents, grandparents, stepping off the sidewalk, disregarding the traffic, treating the traffic lights as if they didn't exist, and they're not even tourists (At least i don't think they are.) Must be some cultural habit. Weird.
All cultures come to a Civilization phase, an autumn when this breaks down. Mega-cities are characteristic of this time. Politics is motivated by money, and move through Imperialism and the Period of Contending States to Caesarism, a period of despots. Science no longer reaches certainties. People no longer accept common principles or goals, they fight all rules from the past. The arts, rather than working in ways that seem obvious to the artists and the people, follow fashions with constant changes of style. Later in this culture after a period of atheism, people turn to a religious renewal based on the religion developed in the spring of the culture.
Spengler sees our culture as having finished its summer in about 1800--1770 in literature and with Wagner in music. He views developments in all the arts as evidence of decadence. His advice to those living in the Civilization phase is to look for the direction of movement and contribute positively to it--the Civilization will move in the direction of its Destiny, regardless of our choices. We can choose to contribute or to have no impact.
Yes.My edition,(Alfred Knopf,Single Volume,1934)has the first editon published in 1918.This book is a very dificult read,but generally expounds on the familiar thesis of recurring cycles of history.He states that as one successful generation provides for it's posterity,that posterity loses the fight and discipline to replicate the achievements of it's forebears.(The lazy,spoiled children.Often,this takes 3 generations.The sons of the hard-working are imbued with this,but it fades as they have children,and soon you end up with the idle rich,not individually,but as a society.)Just type it into a good search engine.Or you may try:The Decline of the West.
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