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Earning One's Spurs
North Miami Beach, FL July 19, 2001 Aaron H.
Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcome.
EARNING ONE'S SPURS, SO TO SPEAK
Why do we still say that - earning ones spurs? I have used it on occasion
when speaking to neophyte teachers suffering in classrooms as "student
teachers." It is a passage through fire. It is also likened to a trial by
challenges - going out to slay dragons and save fair maidens. There is the
adolescent need to go on quests, to go on pilgrimages, to seek grails. You
needed to earn those spurs so you could manage a horse - to become a
chevalier, a man on horseback. That is where you need those spurs. And
then, you had to be chivalrous - honorable towards one's enemy and
knowledgeable about the needs of modesty and shyness of all maidens.
Going out on my bicycle in the Florida heat - even before the sun is up is
made more acceptable because of this interesting tape course I listen to.
We have left King Arthur behind and take up the tale of how horsemanship,
handling swords, wearing armor and taking one's place on a rung of the
ladder leading to nobility came about. We have the same thing today, you
know. We make lowly soldiers "gentlemen" on the field of battle by awarding
the silver bars of lieutenancy to them because of gallantry in battle. We
make a difference between "Sarge", "Loot", and "Cap". The first is
non-commissioned and stays with the dogfaces, grunts and varlets. The
others join the brotherhood of the anointed ones - squires and thence up to
nobility.
I was struck by the notion of "dubbing." The medieval knight was touched
on the shoulders with the flat part of a sword as recognition of his
elevation. He was also slapped across the face, hard, as part of the
ceremony. It has a name I can't remember whilst I write this. If you think
only a little about this ritual you will note that the sword has a hilt
fashioned as a cross. Yes, you are rite. The sword as a cross is part of
the religious indoctrination of young knights to be. Be true to your sword
and be a soldier of the cross. Think about it a little more. It is easy to
perceive that the sword of the Saracen warrior, who was a knight in his own
culture, wielded a sword with a curved blade - a scimitar - that resembles
the Arabic half moon part of the star and sliver that are featured on
Islamic flags.
I find these lectures fascinating, don't you? Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of
10.
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