Sunday 13 January 2019

'The Antinomy of Zeno'

No, not Zeno's Paradox, disproving the possibility of motion. This Zeno was a Byzantine emperor who lost big time at backgammon and later lost an empire. The antinomy of Zeno is, therefore, a superlatively lucky throw of the dice, an unparalleled stroke of fortune. 

Image result for emperor zeno backgammon

This story from Inner Europe concerns Thessarion, a writer in an unnamed Balkan city under an intolerant, 'modernising' regime. Thessarion decides to record his impressions of the quirky, interesting individuals of the city's old quarter while it, and they, still exist.

In a series of episodes he received mysterious tokens from marginalised figures - an old man who plays chess on a circular board, a singer with beautiful voice whose records have been smashed by bigots, a renegade priest who claims an extraordinary status. At the end the writer frees a remarkable young man from prison thanks to his 'research', and a new cycle of history begins - perhaps.

This is a mystifying tale - the shadow of Borges seems to lie across it, and perhaps that of Chesterton. I learned a lot from it, while not really understanding it. That happens a lot these days, but I don't mind. More of my reactions to this intriguing anthology soon.

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