syzygy (ˈsɪzɪdʒɪ)On Saturdays at None we recite Psalm 85. Once upon a time, I read or heard that the second half (verses 8-13) were adapted from a Babylonian hymn, and incorporates Babylonian astronomy. I wish I could remember the source. But for example, the verse "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace will kiss each other." (Psalm 85:10; Common Worship) could originally have described two conjunctions between stars or planets called "mercy", "truth", "righteousness" and "peace". If one of those was the Babylonians name for the sun, we have a syzygy!
1. Astronomy. an alignment of three celestial objects, such as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet: Syzygy in the sun-earth-moon system occurs at the time of full moon and new moon. 2. Classical Prosody . a group or combination of two feet, sometimes restricted to a combination of two feet of different kinds. 3. any two related things, either alike or opposite. 4. Biology . the aggregation in a mass of certain protozoans, esp when occurring before sexual reproduction.
Origin 1650-60 from Late Latin syzygia, from Greek syzygos yoked together, from syn- + zugon a yoke.
Between September 2010 and September 2011, I lived alongside an Anglican Benedictine community of monks and nuns. In November 2010, we moved from Broad Marston Manor near Evesham to Mucknell Abbey, a new eco-monastery near Worcester. This blog was about things that I observed and things that interested me. I have now stopped writing it. Thank you to all who were also interested.
Saturday 19 February 2011
Word of the day: Syzygy
Today's word is beloved of crossword setters. What could possibly fit _ y _ y _ y?
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That's a new one on me.
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