Twoidenticalstomach‐shapedvasesweredepictedsittingnexttothefigure,one oneitherside.Theoneontherighthadababyemergingfromitstop,beneathan angrysunface(exactlywheretheOmegasymbolhadbeensubstitutedinthe versioninfrontofus).Thevaseontheleftsidehadacrudely-drawnpenisand ballsdescendingintoitbeneathacrescentmoonwithasadface,inthesame spotwherethekillerhadplacedtheGreekAlphainhisdisgustinghomage.
IntheoriginallinedrawinginHammer‐Purgstall’sbook,thegenitalshadbeen omitted.Theywereonlyrestoredwhenthepicturewasreprintedafewdecades laterinThomasWright’sscandalousbook WorshipoftheGenerative Powers, abouttheallegedlywidespreadpenis‐worshipping“cultofPriapus”inearly ChristianEurope.Wrighthadbelievedthatallofthedisembodiedpenisvotives discoveredthroughoutthecontinentandBritishIsleswerepartofasecret
movementtoworshipavirilesatyrwithagiantschlongbyveneratingidolsof theschlongitself.Thissupposedundergroundreligionreportedlyengagedin wildorgies,bacchanaliasandwitchsabbatswheretheGoatGodofLustwas honoredastheDevil.
Allthispurportedvenerationofmalesexualityseemedtomesoincongruent withthepresentuseofthissymbolbyacultthatpracticedemasculation,asseen onthefilm EasterSundayAprilFool.(Iwasassuming,ofcourse,thattherewas someconnectionbetweenwhoeverproducedthatfilm andwhoevermurderedPindar.)But,asInotedtoChesterfield,ifsomeone believesthatthere’smagicinmen’sgenitals,thenitisn’tfarfetchedtoimagine themremovingsomeoneelse’sgenitalsinaritualtobeusedformagical purposes.
“Sofarwe’vegotasecretsocietythatdoesritesinvolvingthesymbolsofthe Templars,Cybele,Priapus…Whatelse?Itseemslikeahodgepodgeof nonsense,”saidChesterfield.Thephotographerflickedthelightbackonashe exiteddownthestairsbehindus.
“Well,EliphasLeviwrotethattheaimoftheTemplarshadbeentocreate
‘thesynthesisofallpersecutedbeliefs,’meaningacombinationofallheresies andpre‐Christianreligions,”Isaid.“PopePiusIXaccusedthemoftryingtostart anewreligion,inspiredbycabbalism,Gnosticism,andhereticalbeliefsabout JohntheBaptist.Hammer‐PurgstallbelievedthattheTemplarswereOphite Gnostics,orNaassenes.AndHippolytusdescribedtheNaassenesasacultof synthesisderivedfromthemysteryreligionsofRome,butmixedwithChristian heresy,includingblasphemousinversionsofChristiansymbolsandmyths.He saidtheypracticedhorriblesexrites.Letmefindthequote.”
IGoogledonmyphoneuntilIfoundwhatIneeded.ButitsaidmorethanIhad remembered.Ireaditoutloud:
Onaccountoftheseandsuchlikereasons,theseconstantlyattendthemysteries calledthoseoftheGreatMother,supposingespeciallythattheybeholdbymeans oftheceremoniesperformedtheretheentiremystery.
Thesuccinctnessofhisclaimstunnedme.Iactuallytookastepbackinawe.
“OhmyGod,”Isaid.“TheGreatMother.That’sCybele.Hesaidthatthe NaassenessecretlyworshipedCybele.ThatmeansHammer‐Purgstallbelieved thattheTemplarsdidaswell.Whichwouldexplainwhytheymighthave depictedMeteorBaphometonthecofferlookingmuchlikeCybele.Itwould alsoexplainthispictureofseveredgenitalsgoingintoavase.Andwhythe Templarswereburiedwiththeirlegscrossed.AndwhyEliphasLevi’sBaphomet ismissinghispenis.”
SuddenlyChesterfieldpipedupwithanamazingcontributionthatIdidn’t expect.
“YouknowwhatelseHippolytussaid?HesaidthatSt.Paulwasaeunuch, becausehethoughtthatJesuswastoo.That’swhathesaidPaulthoughttheterm
‘eunuchsofheaven’meant.JustliketheguyintheHeaven’sGatecultyoutold meabout.Andherewearenow,rightnexttoSt.Paul’sCathedral,standing underneaththedeadbodyofamanquitepossiblymurderedbyacastrationcult.”
Iwasimpressedwithhiscommentary.IdidnotthinkthatChesterfieldwould knowanythingaboutHippolytus!
“IstudiedfortheseminarybeforeIbecameaspook,”hesaid,respondingtomy obviousbewilderment.“Andbytheway,thatsetofbeadswesawattheendof themovie?”
“Yeah?”Isaid,encouraginghimtogoon.
“They’reactuallycalled‘paternosters.’It’samonk’srosary,forrecitingthe paternoster150times,thesameasthenumberofchaptersin TheBookof Psalms.That’swhytherewere50beads.You’resupposedtogothroughtheset threetimesaday.”
“Anddon’tforgettheMithrasconnectiontoo,”saidavoicecomingfromthe staircasebelow.AgentPariswaswalkinguptojoinus.
“HowdidyouknowabouttheMithrasconnection?”Iasked.“Wejustfoundout aboutitrightbeforeweleftthetavern.SurelyChesterfieldhasn’thadachance totellyou.”
“Well,Iwasjustthinkingaboutthemagicsquareonthefloor,”heanswered.
“ThephotographercameoutandshowedmeaphotohetookwithaUV-sensitivecamera.TheSatorSquareisassociatedwithMithras,right?”
“Itis?”Isaid.Ihadn’tthoughtso.
IfI’dreadthatbefore,I’dforgottenit.ButPariscameoverandshowedmea websiteopenonhisphoneaddressingthetheorythatthetalismanhadoriginated withtheMithraiccult.
Apparently,the“Sator”(aLatinwordmeaning“ploughman,”“planter”and,by extension,“begetter,”“producer”or“father”)wasthoughttoreferinthis instancetoSaturn,theplanettowhichthehighestgradeofMithraismwas dedicated.Thelettersofthesquarecouldberearrangedtomaketheword
“Paternoster”twice,Latinfor“ourFather.”Thiswasthoughttobeareferenceto thetitleofthisgrade,“Pater.”Thetwo“Paternosters”couldthenbecombinedto formacross,withfourremainingletters—twolettersAandtwolettersO—to standfor“Alpha”and“Omega”oneachsideofthecross.Theresulting formationlookedlikethis:
AsIcontinuedtoreadthewebsiteonParis’phone,IlearnedthatintheMithraic taurtoctony(thetraditioncontainingtheirfamousbull‐slayingfable),Mithras apparentlyallowedthebeast’stesticlestobeseveredbythepinchersofa
scorpion.Thentheywereofferedasasacrificetothemoongoddess,whoused thebloodandspermwithinthetesticlestoengendernewformsoflifeonEarth.
Mithrasthenbegantoharvestandcultivatetheselifeforms,thusforminghis associationwithagriculture.
IrecalledthatChronos(a.k.a.theRomanSaturn)hadbeensaidbytheGreeks centuriesearliertobetheinventorofagriculture.ThismatchedupwithwhatI wasnowreadingaboutMithras,whowasseenasaformofSaturn.Ilearnedthat imagesofMithrasreapingcornstalksemergingfromtherectumofthe sacrificialbullhavebeendiscoveredinmorethanone mithraeum.
ThewebsitequotedanotherauthorclaimingthatinMithraicrites,abullwould besodomizedbythepriestandthenkilledassoonasthepriestclimaxed.
PointingoutthattheMithraictemplesforbadefemalemembers,thequote segmentstatedthatthecult’smisogynywasrepresentedintheircreationmyth.
Mithrashadbeenbornfromarockinsteadofawoman.Furthermore,italso said:Toeliminatethefemaleprinciplefromtheircreationmyth,Mithraists replacedtheMotherofAllLivingintheprimalgardenofparadise(Pairdaeza) withthebullnamedSole‐Created.InsteadofEve,thisbullwasthepartnerofthe firstman.(Itdoesn'ttakemuchimaginationtofigureoutwhathappened betweenManandBull.
ManengagedinbestialitybyrapingBullandthenkilledBulloutofrepugnance, fearandguilt.AndthensoughtoutotherBullssohecoulddoitallover again….)[sp.]
Ihadtoadmit,Ididn’treallyknowenoughaboutMithraism,andthiswasa surprisetome.Asmyheadspunwithathousandnewtheories,Igavemy companionstheCliffNotesversionofwhatIhadjustread,thenhandedParis’
phonebacktohim.
“Oh,whycan’twebemorelikeourancientancestors,”saidChesterfield sarcastically
totheceiling.“Theyweresomuchmoreintouchwith nature.
Ugh!”
Parishadwrinkledhisnosedindisgust.“Yeah,wellthat’snotall.Turnsout there’samagicsquarejustlikethisinachurchinEngland.Andguesswhere.”
Hepressedthe“back”buttononhisphone’sinternetbrowser,andbroughtup anotherpage.Itwasanarticlefrom TheTelegraphtitled“UniqueSator‐Rotas SquareDiscovered.”Itsaidthelocationwasasixteenth‐centuryAnglican churchdedicatedtoSt.BarnabasinnoneotherthanAlphamstone,thelocationof LeopoldBlack’sfakebarony.Therewasapictureofawhitefemalepriest,older withshortgreyhair,wearingglasses,andstandingnexttoaninscriptionofthe magicsquareonamedieval‐lookingwall.
“Unbelievable,”Isaid.“Thisisamazing.”
Iwonderedtomyselfiftheword“Alphamstone”containedahiddenreferenceto
“Alpha”and“Omega,”giventheconnectionbetweenthechurchandtheSator Square,aswellasthefactthatthesetwoGreekletterswerewrittennexttothe versionnowonthefloorinfrontofus.Ialsorecalledonceseeingaterriblelow-budgetmoviefromthe1970scalled CurseoftheAlphaStone.Itwas aboutaprofessorwhodiscoveredanalchemicalsubstancethatmademen sexuallyviolent,andeventurnedgayguysstraight.
“SowhatwasitaboutMithrasthatyouandmypartnerfoundoutwhileyouwere attheOldeCockTavern?”Parisasked.Istruggledtoremember.Wehadbeen drinking,andsomanyshockingthingshadhappenedthatnightalready.
“HerfriendsatthefakeButchers’Societysaidthatsomeguysomewherein LondonwasdoingsomethingnefariousataTempleofMithras,”answered Chesterfield.“ThenourwaitresstoldusthattherewasaTempleofMithrasin LondonthathadjustbeenmovedbacktoitsoriginallocationonWalbrook,a stone’sthrowfromSt.Paul’s.Shesaidthattomorrowthey’reopeningthenew buildingthatit’sin.”
“Yeah,that’satRosenbergPlazarightdownthere,”saidthepunk‐hairedlady cop.Ihadalreadynoticedthatshe’dbeeneavesdroppingonme,Parisand Chesterfieldasmuchaspossible.
“They’rehavingaping‐pongtournamenttheretomorrowaspartofthe festivities,”shecontinued.“I’mononeoftheteamsthat’splaying.”
“Aping‐pongtournament?”Iasked.“TocelebrateatempletoMithras opening?”Icouldn’tseetheconnection.
“Wellit’snotjustthetemple,”shereplied.“That’sjustpartofit.There’stherest ofthePlazatoo.It’shuge.Twobuildings,oneofthemthemostmassivein Londonreally.Notthetallest,butthebiggestinbulk.Andtherearegoingtobe severalrestaurantsinthelobby,includingapizzaparlorwithpingpongtables, whereI’llbeplayingonthesameteamasmysonDennis.”
Ilookedatherwithmymouthslightlyajar.Imusthavelookedstupid.BothMI5
agentseyedmecuriously.Ipulledthembothclosetomeandwhispered,very faintlythistime,sinceIknewtheladycopwastryingtocatcheveryword.
“DoyourememberascandalcalledPizzagate?FromrightbeforetheUS
Presidentialelectiontwoyearsago?”
“Um,no,that’sanEnglishfootballscandal”saidChesterfield.Hewasreferring tosomethingelsethatwentbythesamename.
“Yes,Iremember,butIthoughtitwasbullshit,”whisperedParis.“Fakenews?
Russianpropaganda?”
“Kidssupposedlygettingrapedanddismemberedbycultists,”Isaidthrough barely‐partedlips.“JustlikeyousawontheEasterfilm,right?”
Chesterfieldstrokedhischinandthought.AgentParis’phonerangagainandhe wentofftothecornertoanswerit.Iaskedtheladycopwhattimetheopening ceremonieswereatthe mithraeum.
“Ibelievetheybeginatnoontomorrow,”shesaid.“That’swhentheycutthe ribbonwithgiantscissors.Theresthappensshortlyafterthat.”
“Wellthatsoundslikesomethingtoogoodtobemissed,”saidParis,whohad endedhiscallquicklyreturnedalready.“NowIthinkweshouldleavethisdreary sceneinthecapablehandstheMet.Asforus,we’vegottobegoing.Come alongfriends.”
HenoddedatmeandChesterfieldwhilebeckoningtowardsthestairwaywithhis righthand.Wetookthehintandfollowedhimimmediately,tellingtheladycop,
whointroducedherselfas“Drexella,”thatithadbeenpleasantmeetingher.I toldhermynamewas“AmandaStyles.”Imadeituponthespot.
“Theonly‘Drexella’I’veeverknownisthewifeofanAmericanTV
preacher,”Isaidtotheothertwoaswedescendedthestairs.
“Quiet.”whisperedParis.WeremainedmuteuntilwegotoutoftheTempleBar andafewfeetawayfromthepolicecordon.Pariswalkedusovertothepylon withthegoldenflameontopinthemiddleofthesquare.ThenChesterfieldandI huddlednexttohimtohearwhathecouldn’tsayinfrontofthecops.
“SoMissEquitone’ssecretaryjustcalled.Shewantsmetomeetwithherand somepeoplefromScotlandYardtomorrow.Itriedtogethertopushit‘tilnoon, sayingitsbeenalongnight.Butthelatestshewouldacceptwas10a.m.Sowe’d bettergetsomeplacewherewecansafelysleepanddoourresearchasmuchas possiblebeforethen.”
“Whataboutme?”saidChesterfield.“Shouldn’tshewanttotalktomeaswell?I handledtheWeircasewithyou.”
“Yes,Ithoughtthatsoundedoddtoo,perhapsominousofaninternal investigationofyou.Sowe’dbettergetourshittogethertonightandtomorrow morning.Whoknowswhat’sabouttogetdroppedonus.”
“Sure,”saidChesterfield.“SodoyouknowwherethisTempleofMithrasis goingtoopentomorrow?Drexellasaiditwasclose.”
“Justoverthere,”Parissaid,pointingwest.“WhereCannonStreetandQueen Victoriameet.
“Isn’tthataboutwheretheLondonStoneusedtobedisplayedattheCannon Tapps?”Chesterfieldsaidtohispartner.“Rememberreadingthatlastnight?”
“Ahyes,”Parisanswered.“Wellisn’tthatinteresting.”
Ashespoke,Iwalkedaroundthecolumnlookingforsymbolism.Ifounda plaquestatingthatthepylon—calledthe“FlamingOrbMonument”—hadbeen installedin1996,whichexplaineditsmodern,boringappearance.Theplaque alsosaidthatthemonumentactedasaventilationshaftforanunderground
serviceroad.
ThenInoticedasmallmetaldoorafewfeetaroundtotheright.Itwasslightly ajar.Ireachedforthehandleandpulledit.Sureenough,itopenedrightuptoa darkcaverninside,andasubterraneanspiralmetalstairwayleadingdowninto theunknowndepthsbelow.
“Doyousupposetheycouldhavegottenoutofthesewersthroughhere?”Isaid.
ChesterfieldandPariswerestaringinstupefaction.
“Well,we’llfindout,”saidParis,grabbingmyhandandremovingitfromthe doorhandle.“I’msuretheCCTVfootageisbackbynow.Let’sgotellthecops whatwefound.Thenlet’sgetoutofhere.”
WeallwalkedbrisklybacktothepolicecordonareaaroundTempleBarand stoppedattheedgeofthetapeline.Parissteppedoverthetapeandtalkedtoan olderwhitemaninablacktrenchcoatwithsaltandpepperhair.Hemusthave toldhimaboutthestairwaybeneaththepylon,astheybothpointedandlooked atit.ThenthemantoldParissomethingthatmadehimshoutout.
“Christonacrutch!WhatthebloodyHell?!”Hewasenraged.Theman shruggedandshookhisheadsideways.Parisspatonthegroundandthen marchedbackovertous.
“Wellguesswhat.Thepoweronthewholeblockwasblackedoutforaboutten minutes,inexplicably.Noneofthecamerasrecordedtheaction.Imaginethat.”
ThisgaveChesterfieldgreatfear.Clearlyadeep‐levelplotwasafoot.
“Weneedtogorightnow,”hesaid.“Beforesomebodykillsus.”
Chapter16:TowerHouse
…Participantsarefreetousetheinformationreceived,butneithertheidentity northeaffiliationofthes
peaker(s),northatofanyotherparticipant,maybe revealed.
—ChathamHouseRule,RoyalInstituteofInternationalAffairs WedroveinsombersilencetoChesterfield’scozylittleone‐bedroomflatin
“TowerHouse.”Thiswasagigantic120‐year‐oldformer“Rowtonhouse”(a typeofworker’shostel)inWhitechapel,ThefirstthingInoticedwasawhite marblebustofPallasAthena,yetanotherwisdomgoddess,placedabovethe insideofhisfrontdoor.
“YoumustbeahugefanofEdgarAllanPoe,”Isaid.
“Nevermore!”saidChesterfieldjokingly.“Iwasmostlyintohimincollege, whenIinstalledthatthing,andI’veactuallylivedinthesameflatsincethen.
Justalonelybachelor.ButIkeepittheretoremindmeofmymother,whose namewasLenore.Andthat’salsothenameofmycat.”Hepickedupthefat graykitty,whohadcometorubonhisleg.
“Oh,hasyourmotherpassed?”Isaid.“I’msorry.”Isatinoneofthetwobrown leatherarmchairssetinfrontofthefireplaceandfacingthelargeflat-screen televisionmountedonthewall.Paristooktheother.Thefireplacewasgas-poweredwithceramiclogs.Chesterfieldturneditonstraightaway.Upagainst anotherwall,perpendiculartothearmchairsandtelevision,wasablueandred plaid‐patternedtweed‐coveredsofa,wherehebeganpilingourcoatsandbagson therightside.
“SheandDadboth,”hesaid.“Longago.”
Hepointedtoalovelyoldframedblack‐and‐whitephotographofayoungwhite couplestandingwithababybeforeanAnglicanpriest.
“HeretheyarehavingmechristenedatSt.Martin’s,rightnexttoSt.Paul’s.
They’rebothChristopherWren‐designedchurches.Myparentsnamedme Martinafterthechurch.CareforaLaphroaig?”
Hesteppedintotheadjoiningkitchenandbeganpouringthreescotchesonice withoutwaitingforareply.Thenhecarriedthemovertouswithoutspillinga drop,justlikeapro.AftersittingdownonthecouchnexttoAgentPariswithhis catandadrinkofhisown,Chesterfieldflippedonthetelly.
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