[DFT] Fw: [ChivalryToday] The Two-Edged Sword

[Seanan mac Tighearnain]

The Two-Edged Sword
By Scott Farrell
©2003 Shining Armor Enterprises
www.ChivalryToday.com

Medieval culture was rich with symbolism - which isn't surprising, when
you realize that few people in those days could read or write more than
just a few words. Symbolism was used in nearly every aspect of medieval
life as a means of establishing and reinforcing valuable customs and
concepts in the minds of men and women who weren't able to take notes
or read instructions, including medieval knights.

In order to help a knight understand the meaning of chivalry, nearly
every piece of equipment was given a symbolic meaning of some kind -
the shield, the spurs, the belt and even the shirt a knight wore
beneath his armor. But perhaps no single item held quite as much
knightly symbolism as the sword.

Unlike your average cutting knife, a knight's sword was sharpened along
both edges, and ceremonies and writings from the Middle Ages stress the
symbolic meaning of this double-edged design. When a knight was dubbed,
the sword's two edges were said to represent the qualities of justice
and mercy. In Arthurian legend, the double-edged sword became a
reminder of a knight's obligation to display both courage and loyalty
simultaneously.

Today, the sword is still a powerful symbol of the Seven Knightly
Virtues. A two-edged sword is a perfect representation of the balancing
act that takes place within the Code of Chivalry: strength must be
tempered with compassion, optimism is always tied to practicality,
charity should never overwhelm responsibility. The sword is a reminder
that the Knightly Virtues are strongest when they are used in concert,
and that no single virtue should ever eclipse the others.

In addition, for a medieval knight the sword was the ultimate symbol of
justice; it was, after all, the tool which the knight used to enforce
the laws of the land. And there's a reason the sword's two edges were
meaningful in this regard - a reason which is just as valid today as in
the Middle Ages. Whenever a knight held his sword, he saw that half of
its dreadful cutting edge was always aimed backward, pointed at the
user. In this way, it symbolized the knight's responsibility to hold
himself to the same standard of justice which he expected others to
measure up to.

In the 21st century, knights in shining armor don't wield swords any
longer - they're more likely to use a brief case or a keyboard or a
soccer ball in pursuit of the Knightly Virtues. But the sword of the
knights of old can (and should) still symbolize of depth, complexity
and necessity of the Code of Chivalry in today's world.

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Our call for Knightly Mottos brought an overwhelming response. Some of
the best mottos are now available at the Chivalry Today website -
others are still to come! You can read a selection by clicking the
"Knightly Mottos" link in the left-hand navigation bar at
www.ChivalryToday.com.
Other recent additions include:
- A page for educators, with class projects and resource links
- New quotes and thoughts in "Chivalry in Other Words"
- Several new real-life stories of modern knights in shining armor

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Shining Armor Enterprises. Visit our website at www.ChivalryToday.com .