Cain and Abel

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I was hoping this thread were about the meaning and origin of the legend, which actually is quite interesting.

My theory is it is an analogy about early man and the trouble that comes between farmers and cattlemen when land starts to become scarce. It seems to have happened in the history of every culture everywhere. Cattle destroy farmland and farmers take grazing land. A fight breaks out. In the long run the cowboys loose and are forced to change or go to worse lands to raise their cattle.

[bobbin]

In the long run the cowboys loose and are forced to change or go to worse lands to raise their cattle.

And become nomads!

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

My theory is it is an analogy about early man and the trouble that comes between farmers and cattlemen when land starts to become scarce. It seems to have happened in the history of every culture everywhere. Cattle destroy farmland and farmers take grazing land. A fight breaks out. In the long run the cowboys loose and are forced to change or go to worse lands to raise their cattle.

It's also arguably about the corruption of civilisation, Cain represents progress, but because God does not favour him he commits the first ever murder and fratricide, yet his decendants build the first cities.

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

Yep that fits well with the common peasant conception that cities are immoral dens of prostitution, corruption and disgrace. It happens all the time: either with diatribes vs. Babylon or the contempt for St. Petersburg found among Russian writers, at least those with less contacts with the Court and therefore less westernised (e.g. Dostoyevski).

[cmacq]

Alright now...

[Line 104]
Wæs se grimma gæst Grendel haten, mære mearc-stapa, se þe moras heold, fen ond fæsten; fifel-cynnes eard wonsæli wer weardode hwile, siþðan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde in Caines cynne þone cwealm gewræc ece Drihten, þæs þe he Abel slog; ne gefeah he þære fæhðe, ac he hine feor forwræc, metod for þy mane, man-cynne fram.

Rendering
Was as grim spirit Grendel called, an infamous out-stalker, as he held the moor, fen, and fast; homeland of monster-kind where this ill-favored-person dwelt, To here everafter the Lord-Creator, sentenced Cain's kin for Abel's death; nor did they rejoice in feud, as for this crime, God drove them far from human-kind.


...and yes tomorrow we'll go to the zoo.



CmacQ