God Emperor of Dune – Entry #3

Now here is a quote I had written down during my first reading of God Emperor of Dune.  Leto said it during the conversation with the two Bene Gesserit referred to in the previous entry.

“I point out to you, Marcus Clair Luyseyal, a lesson from past over-machined societies which you appear not to have learned.  The devices themselves condition the users to employ each other the way they employ machines.”

(God Emperor of Dune, p. 177)

This has become more and more obvious in our society as technology pervades our existence.  Not that I am opposed to technology.  I relish in technology.  I teach technology.  But we must always recognize and maintain our command of technology and our humanity, not tolerating the converse.

Shortly after this passage, Leto falls into a melancholy mood because of his surprising feelings of love for Hwi.  He seeks to alleviate the tumultuous feelings by having a “safari” back into his memory lives within.

      He imagined then describing such a safari to some awestruck visitor, a totally imaginary visitor because none would dare question him about such a holy matter.

     “I course backward down the flight of ancestors, hunting along the tributaries, darting into nooks and crannies.  Who has ever heard of Norma Cenva?  I have lived her!”

     “Lived her?” his imaginary visitor asked.

      “Of course. Why else would one keep one’s ancestors around?  You think a man designed the first Guild ship?  Your history books told you it was Aurelius Venport?  They lied.  It was his mistress, Norma.  She gave him the design, along with five children.  He thought his ego would take no less.  In the end, the knowledge that he had not really fulfilled his own image, that was what destroyed him.”

(God Emperor of Dune, p. 183)

Bless Frank Herbert for being able to envision a story outline spanning fifteen thousand years of future human history and to his son for taking up the parts of the outline his father ran out of time to expand.