A.K.A. The “Toxophilus”
The competitive archer has the intent to hit the bull’s eye (Boulesthai] and must do so by marrying himself/ herself to the ballistics which make the shot ‘true’. Ballistics are based on power, velocity, windage, trajectory, projectile weight, etc. “Ballistics” comes from the word, “Boule”.
The “boule” or “volley” has a deep and ancient connotation. The word “will” comes from this Ancient Greek word. It means, ‘the WILL of the gods’. It means the ‘toss’ or ‘volley’ or “VOLITION” of the gods. That is, the target or objective of desire for the Greek Pantheon of gods.
In archery’s ancient philosophical-linguistic numinous relations, the greatest expressions are between the gods and the archer.
That is, the Toxon, or, the glorified one (hence, “doxa”/“toxa”) shows their *obedience* to the “WILL” of the gods which preceded the shooter. When the shooter, or Toxon, makes the shot, the Toxon receives the “Glory”, i.e., the “Doxa”—-hence, “praise”.
To add, the “WILL” of the gods preceded the Toxon and drew a true line to the target’s boulesthai or bull’s eye. Therefore, the ‘shot’ is done. It already, was, is, will be. All one needed to do was to obey. To respect the WILL of the gods.
Beautiful poetic terms come to play within the nomenclature of Greek archery that apply to a Theological application. Terms such as “rous”, which means, ‘the flowing river” are implemented in this rich theological explanation of a poetic and scientific ART, i.e., the ART of archery. To get into the ‘rous’ meant to add the human element of the WILL (the ballistics) via “Poeisis” in order to imitate to conformity the WILL of the gods. Yes, “POEISIS”, is where we get the word, poetics. Poeisis means to ‘not step in the way of the flow but to act in accord with the fluid motion of the river by which the will or desired trajectory is going’. Such observant acts of OBEDIENCE are necessary to ‘do the WILL of the gods’. I hope you really catch this!
Therefore, the push to perfection ({Greek-‘teleos’}: fulfillment, completion, perfection) means the loss of the illusion of the senses of self will. To be FREE from the control of the animal or self (who controls who) and be bound to the WILL or BOULE of the gods. Remember, the Fates and the gods of antiquity preceded the acts of humankind in their destiny. Though this is a pagan story, it is definitely a mat
To further this beautiful ART, the “thumea” (the *will* to passion) is implemented by the true Toxon to ‘drive’ oneself to the WILL or the “BOULE” or ‘ballistics’ of the gods as identified to the gods. “Coming to be into the likeness of the gods through the WILL that already has been shot and demarcated to the Bullseye, or “Boulesthai”, i.e., —-‘ the sticking place {boule /will + ‘—-sthai /standing/ resting place). Is this NOT Romans 8:28-31!?!
The shot of the flesh:
In the etymological treatment for the archer found in Plato’s, Cratylus, we do find the ‘angst’ source for those who do the opposite of the TOXON.
We find that those who ‘shoot’ for their own will, self will, self desire, Eros,…do indeed ‘shoot’ into the field of harmeteia. This is the Christian term used quite often used for, “sin”.
Plato makes it clear that ‘the shot’ of self desire brings one into the field of ‘ananke’ or ‘angst’. It is defined as the ‘field of thorns and bramble’, but, for sure, applicable to broadly applied terms for ‘suffering’. The ‘field of suffering’. Sadly, the plethora of terms in the pagan sources gives us such a more detailed treatment for Christian doctrine. You heard me right.
Yet another aspect: Are you the god who shoots from, by, for yourself? Would this type of ideological archery not be the antithesis of Colossians 1:16,17 (paraphrase: ‘all things are made for, of and by Jesus Christ who preceded all things’)?
This type of ‘shooting’ defines EXACTLY the ONE who ‘hits the miss’ and wills for objective self desire—-that is, one who is motivated to traject by self will into the fields of pain, anxiety, objectivism, non-meaning.
In my website lectures (fomcm.com “The anatomy of the Will”) I speak of “the archer “ in the dialogues of Cratylus (by Plato) and the etymologies that are used in the “will, trajectory, art or poesis of the toxon (shooter) and the personal participation of the toxon called the “rous” which allows the shooter to obey ONLY the ONE thing that hits the bull’s eye or Boulesthai.
The Paideia (‘paideia’ – root for “foot”…as padua in Greek or ‘little ones’ ..pedos—-‘little one’) or classical aspect of education given to the early 1st century Christians did educate ((Latin: “e- prefix -“exit”/ ducare -‘darkness’) bring out of darkness) the Christian youth by teaching them the richness of etymologies and analogy. They were taught forensics (art of argumentation) and Logic (Reason/ mainly that of Plato and Aristotle’s works) and the classics, for sure, such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey (cf. Werner Yeager’s, “Early Christianity and Greek Paideia”). Such terms of the Toxon would have ‘met’ the Padua as they also would have understood the doctrines of Sovereignty written by Paul. The genius of the Jewish ideas fused with the European Greek sense by which Paul understood and wrote to in a Christian worldview, would have been brought to completion by the Holy Spirit who would and does teach all things to their completion.
To recap:
The archer (us, the believers in the WILL of God) MUST be given passionate intent (thumea: passionate mind, beyond the mundane, fervor, anger, beyond just rationale {i.e., outside of one’s mundane associations, actions, etc.—one must be fully wrapped in such a motion}) with the WILL (boule: ballistics, bullet, volley, volition, ball, etc) that has already been made. When the shot has been made, the test begins. If the arrow hits the mark, we know that the archer has applied the RULES and STIPULATIONS of every aspect to the Laws of trajectory by absolute conformity to the WILL. There should be no longer YOU involved with the shot. Rather, total submission to the rules, logic, LOGOS of Archery. You are becoming ( Greek: “sunmorphe” —‘coming to be’) an “ARCHER’’. The more “ARCHER” you are, the less imperfect you will become. BECOMING less of the “Missing” and more and more of the “hitting the mark”.
One last thing: how many misses will you have before you make that perfect shot? When will you consistently hit the bullseye? Many times. A lifetime of missing. So, how can there be judgement on the future TOXON when he or she is ‘coming to be’ in the likeness of the “WILL” of GOD? Where is judgement? Where is there accusation? Logically, shouldn’t “GRACE” be the word of choice throughout? I think yes.
Terms to cover:
Rous, Boulesthai, Boule, Toxon, Doxa, Sagittarius, Arche, Eye, Harmeteia, Ananke
[1] Cf Thorlief Boman’s, “Hebrew thought compared with Greek”
[2] Wesley J. Perschbacher; The New Analytical Greek Lexicon
[3]Cf. the revered George Ricker Berry’s, “The Classic Greek Dictionary”
