St. Hubert! Ever since I first read his story, I've been baffled that I have yet to read anyone who references him, even among nature writers. (Though that could be because he's the patron saint of the hunter and the hound, who have become persona and canis non grata in environmental circles.)
All this aside, the whole span of where this story managed to go is a delight.
This is truly wonderful - I should have written so days ago, when I read it - particularly as I now read today's lament that this piece seemed 'under-appreciated.' Now, I thought it was St Eustachius who was connected with the deer? I remember seeing the wonderful antlers above the church of Sant'Eustacio, round the corner from the Pantheon. But of course, if as this piece suggests the deer represent a type with special connection to the divine, having more than one saint connected with them should occasion no surprise.
I just read your lament in today's (April 6, 2025) post that this piece had not received nearly as much response as your throwaway comment about St. John's. I read the unicorn piece and while I enjoyed it (I read the French version, liking to practice that language, and admired your facility) I lamented the absence of reference to Nussbaum's seminal Head and horn in Indo-European; more worryingly, the great crested Grebe kept making me think of Charles Kinbote.
Among your very most moving pieces.
St. Hubert! Ever since I first read his story, I've been baffled that I have yet to read anyone who references him, even among nature writers. (Though that could be because he's the patron saint of the hunter and the hound, who have become persona and canis non grata in environmental circles.)
All this aside, the whole span of where this story managed to go is a delight.
This is truly wonderful - I should have written so days ago, when I read it - particularly as I now read today's lament that this piece seemed 'under-appreciated.' Now, I thought it was St Eustachius who was connected with the deer? I remember seeing the wonderful antlers above the church of Sant'Eustacio, round the corner from the Pantheon. But of course, if as this piece suggests the deer represent a type with special connection to the divine, having more than one saint connected with them should occasion no surprise.
Thank you so much Judith!
I just read your lament in today's (April 6, 2025) post that this piece had not received nearly as much response as your throwaway comment about St. John's. I read the unicorn piece and while I enjoyed it (I read the French version, liking to practice that language, and admired your facility) I lamented the absence of reference to Nussbaum's seminal Head and horn in Indo-European; more worryingly, the great crested Grebe kept making me think of Charles Kinbote.
Too bad those rich dudes hunting the unicorn didn’t have a VC in their party 😎