_Die Schere_ by Ernst Juenger 56 (p. 43)
Die Chimaere ist ein Phaenomen der titanischen Welt. Sie erscheint in deren niederen Raengen, speziell im Gigantischen. Zwischen den Titanen und den Giganten besteht enge Verwandschaft; beide sind irdischen Ursprunges. Die Giganten entwuchsen dem Blut, das aus dem abgeschnittenen Glied des Uranus auf die Erde Troff, entstammen also dem ersten Vatermord. Sie sind sterblich, waehrend die Titanen als Regenten grosser Natur- kraefte unsterblich sind. Beide sind den Goettern feindlich und greifen sie an, doch nur mit fluechtigem Thriumph. Man koennte die Giganten als dienende Brueder betrachten, die sich zuweilen ungebuehrlich vor- draengen. Mit ihnen verliert die Groesse die geistigen Masse; sie wird teils ungeheur, teils bizarr. Der Untergang der 'Titanic' war das Menetekel unserer Zeit. Der Rekord war den Olympiern fremd - auch ihren Spielen, im Unterschied zu den unseren. Commentary The Chimaera (Chimäre) was spawned by Typhoeus and Echidna Chimaera had three heads - lion, goat, and snake. Its body was also mixed having the front part of a lion, middle of a goat, and snake for a tail. It breathed fire. It ravaged Lycia, killing cattle and setting fires until it was killed by Bellerophon. The Giants (Giganten) were generated from Uranus blood resulting from his castration by Cronus. They became powerful enough to try to unseat Zeus and the Olympians. When the gods won they imprisoned the Giants in Tartarus. The Titans and the Giants joined forces in the fight agains the Gods. The titans were the cleaver ones, the giants the serving brothers and sisters. In the 20th century the modern titans still use the giants and we have seen much of the gigantic and will probably see more. It is indeed notable that EJ mentioned 'Titanic' in this essay in _Die Schere_. 1997-98 a 'giant' film (the most expensive so far) is triumpant at the movie houses and will most likely win several Oscars this spring in Hollywood. The search for records in the Olympic Games and World Championships is also a sign of the titanic and the giantic. We have seen it at the world's most giantic winter Olympic Games in Nagano ending today. It might be interesting to speculate: who are the titans and who are the giants in today's world and in the world of tomorrow? And who is the chimaera with her lion front, goat's body and snake tail today and will be tomorrow? Greetings Bertil Haggman [email protected]
