In the Court of the Crimson King ~ Moonchild

CHAPTER THREE:
IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING

- chapter index -
pg. 1 - Epitaph | pg. 2 - The Iron Gates of Fate
pg. 3 - The Fate of All Mankind | pg. 4 - Moonchild
pg. 5 - The Court of the Crimson King | pg. 6 - The Purple Piper
pg. 7 - Averroes | pg. 8 - The Keeper of the City Keys
pg. 9 - The Pilgrim's Door | pg. 10 - The Return of the Fire Witch
pg. 11 - The Gardener Plants An Evergreen | pg. 12 - The Prism Ship
pg. 13 - The Grinding Wheel | pg. 14 - On Soft Gray Mornings
pg. 15 - Divining Signs | pg. 16 - The Yellow Jester
pg. 17 - Remember the Future | pg. 18 - The Return of the King
pg. 19 - The I Ching | pg. 20 - Octants

- page index -
The Dream The Illusion

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In Moonchild , the Crimson King is romantically intrigued by the moon but can only admire her from afar. Like the sun, the Crimson King in the cover painting seems to exist in outer space. On the cover, he is seen peering to his side with dread, watching with apprehension his negative compliment, the moon.

"The Emperor does not, like the Empress, flow with nature; his fiery spirit leads him to impose his will on nature and to force her to conform to his artificial standards of order. As a consequence he is fundamentally alienated from the dark titanic forces of nature, and therefore vulnerable to their attack."

- The Pythagorean Tarot by John Opsopaus

On the inner sleeve, the moon is portrayed with an innocent smile and fangs.

"In the female, the lunar psychology is conscious, and is predominantly represented by the light of the moon. In contrast to the sharp, discriminating light of the sun, the light of the moon merges and relates. This "lunatic" logic cloaks itself in half-darkness or the "shimmer of innocence" (Jung, MC 179, 181)."

- The Pythagorean Tarot by John Opsopaus

"Moon symbolizes the last trial before rebirth, the final plunge into the unconscious sea and confrontation with its monsters before the climactic journey into the new dawn. As a consequence, ambivalence between opportunity and danger pervades the scene."

- The Pythagorean Tarot by John Opsopaus

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The Dream, The Illusion

"The moon represents illusion, uncertainty, and hidden knowledge. It personifies the need to distinguish reality from fantasy, to see past the veil of illusion to the truths obscured, to discern the difference between insight and imagination."

- Lia Wolf-Gentry

Did Frederick II, in any way, relate himself to the sun?

"In the south of Italy stands one of the most beautiful and fascinating castles of the Middle Ages, commissioned by the brilliant Emperor Frederick II of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. Castel del Monte is unique in the history of art and architecture, and the mystery surrounding its function and meaning has inspired the most varied theories, most of which are based on speculation rather than solid analysis. Heinz Gotze presents an in-depth study of this enigmatic structure and explores its singularity in the history of art and architecture."

- Castel Del Monte: Geometric Marvel of the Middle Ages

"The geometry of this building, based on the obsessive repetition of the number eight, has been studied considering the shade cast by its components during the spring and summer solstices. It has been proved that the dimensions of this building are all derived from the movement of the sun, that is by the shades projected on the floor by the external walls during particular days and hours. Considering these theories, Castel del Monte has much more in common with a pagan, sophisticated temple than a simple example of military Architecture."

- Caste del Monte by Giovanni Succi

"Castel del Monte appears to be a clear metaphor for the man behind it and his power. Sacred places usually tend towards the Heaven and are located on high dominant positions; they are related to the image of the Sun and the point where it rises.
Christ is associated with the Sun and named sol invictus or sol occasum nasciens, churches are therefore "oriented" eastwards.
Now, how can one ignore the relation between Frederick and the sun, if after his death his son Manfred writes to his brother Conrad that the sun of the world has set (...), the sun of justice ?" How can one forget that Castel del Monte, beyond the connections with mathematics, astronomy, astrology and science, is really oriented eastwards, with the main entrance and the so-called Throne room oriented towards the sun's rise?"

- Altamura and Castel del Monte: the exception and the rule by Consorzio Idria

" Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams. "

As the sun is Frederick's symbol, this line takes on a confessional quality.
It is as if he is saying, "These weapons bear my emblem. When I look at them, I see my own hand in the carnage."

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