Antony, 0 Hamlet, 700 Othello, 1400
Brutus, 100 Iago, 800 Pericles, 1500
Coriolanus, 200 Julius, 900 Quince, 1600
Duncan, 300 Kent, 1000 Romeo, 1700
Exeter, 400 Lear, 1100 Shylock, 1800
Falstaff, 500 Macbeth, 1200 Trolius, 1900
Guildenstern, 600 Northumberland, 1300 Ulysses, 2000
Listed are twenty men who lived to the ripe old age of 100, plus Ulysses, who is 11. All were born early on the mornings of January 1 in the years shown. The 100 year-olds span two millennia, the first twenty centuries after Jesus was born. Ulysses is thrown in too in case some quibbler wants to quibble about Christ’s birthday because quibbling doesn‘t get you anywhere here. Ulysses, you don’t see yet, is a member of Trolius’ extended household, which will mean something in a minute. Hopefully.
Thing is, when baby Brutus arrived early on the morning of Jan 1, 100, his household then included Antony, who died later, we don’t care when, and at the time Brutus passed away sometime after Jan 1, 200, his household then included baby Coriolanus, born before sunup that New Year’s morning. In the same way, Exeter’s household included both Duncan and Falstaff. And so on.
It’s important that you understand the “so on” here. Brutus’ extended household of three 100 year-old men lasted 300 years because, well, because they were all 100 year-old men, is what it was. And like that with the rest of them.
The 300 year Antony, Brutus, and Coriolanus extended household is Brutus’ for short because Brutus lived with both the others at some time in his life.
The 300 year Duncan, Exeter, and Falstaff extended household, is Exeter’s for short because Exeter did what Brutus did too, only with his guys and centuries later.
The 300 year Guildenstern, Hamlet, and Iago extended household is Hamlet‘s for short. Here’s where the “so on” starts to kick in.
The 300 year Julius, Kent, and Lear extended household is Kent‘s for short. Them as well.
The 300 year Macbeth, Northumberland, and Othello extended household is Northumberland‘s for short despite all those letters in Northumberland‘s name. More of the same.
The 300 year Pericles, Quince, and Romeo extended household is Quince‘s for short. And more and more.
The 300 year Shylock, Trolius, and Ulysses extended household is Trolius‘ for short. And more and more and more.
Now comes the hard part. Because Exeter’s extended household included a man who was alive at the same time as someone in Brutus’ extended household, if only for the morning of Jan 1, 300, those two being Coriolanus and Duncan, and because Hamlet’s extended household included a man alive at the same time as someone in Exeter’s, namely Falstaff and Guildenstern on New Year‘s morning in 600, and because Kent’s included a man alive at the same time as someone in Hamlet’s, Iago and Julius on Jan 1, 900, and because Northumberland’s included a man alive at the same time as someone in Kent’s, Lear and MacBeth on Jan 1, 1200, and because Quince’s included a man alive at the same time as someone in Northumberland’s, Othello and Pericles on Jan 1, 1500 and because Trolius’ included a man alive at the same time as someone in Quince’s, Romeo and Shylock on Jan 1, 1800 …
Therefore, the entire 2000 year span of history since the birth of Christianity was actually witnessed by the extended households of only 7 men, Brutus, Exeter, Hamlet, Kent, Northumberland, Quince, and Trolius. These individuals, together with people who lived with them at one time or another during their lives, saw the whole Christian epoch to date pass by with their own eyes. Okay, whole epoch to date except for time spent sleeping.
Forget time spent sleeping. That has nothing to do with it. What a ridiculous thing to bring up.
7 extended households, 7 men and some people they lived with, witnessed two millennia. So much for the typical take on evolution. Or progress. Time simply doesn’t pass quickly enough for much of what we think happens, to happen. “Modern” man can’t possibly be anything near modern. “Ancient” man has better toys to play with now, is all.
As for organized financial crime and bought and paid-for politics, face it, we’re screwed. Neanderthals are running the show.
Seems they never went away, is what's been going on with that.
