kippurcritiquesbadbooks | the code drinks tea.

Tonight I think I'll be drinking tea cause I feel eww.

Sophie is driving like someone in those cops movies who are trying to avoid getting caught by the cops, while Langdon is wishing that he didn't decide to run. Then he recalls, wait Sophie made him do it. Perky Tits strike again. As he momentarily regains his senses and tries to figure out how to get out of this mess, Sophie senses that she's losing her hold on him and so gives him a shiny object to distract him. This is the Key to the women's locker room for the LA Lakers cheerleading team. With the sign of the Priory of Sion. Well, we don't know what the key belongs to, so until then, that's what it is. \~/ In any case, it's shiny enough to distract Langdon from remembering that he's just been kidnapped by a loony. He doesn't know what it opens, Sophie was hoping that he did.

So, they've reached a dead end. Sophie says that it looks Christian.

Langdon was not so sure about that. The head of this key was not the traditional long-stemmed Christian cross but rather was a square cross- with four arms of equal length- which predated Christianity by fifteen hundred years. This kind of cross carried none of the Christian connotations of crucifixion associated with the longer-stemmed Latin cross, originated by Romans as a torture device. Langdon was always surprised how few Christians who gazed upon the "the crucifix" realized their symbol's violent history was reflected in its very name: "cross" and "crucifix" came from the Latin verb Cruciare to torture.

According to Dictionary.com "Cross" originates from "Origin: bef. 1000; ME, late OE cros < ON kross < OIr cros (< British Celtic) < L crux; see crux]"

Wikipedia says, "The word cross was introduced to English in the 10th century as the term for the instrument of the torturous execution of Christ (gr. stauros', xy'lon), gradually replacing rood, ultimately from Latin crux, via Old Irish cros. Originally, both 'rood' and 'crux' referred simply to any "pole," the later shape associated with the term being based on church tradition, rather than etymology."

And on the origin of the cross:

It is not known when the first cross image was made; after circles, crosses are one of the first symbols drawn by children of all cultures. There are many cross-shaped incisions in European cult caves, dating back to the earliest stages of human cultural development in the stone age. Like other symbols from this period, their use continued in the Celtic cultures in Europe. For example, celtic coins minted many centuries before the Christian era may have an entire side showing this type of cross, sometimes with the five cardinal points marked by concave depressions in the same style as in stoneage carvings. Other coins may be showing the cross held by a rider on a horse and springing forth a fern leaf, sometimes identified as a Tree of Life symbol.

So, the cross just happened to be a very handy shape to torture people on, but wasn't "created" or able to be "predated" by anything as it's a very ancient symbol about as old as a circle. I'm sure they were using it in pictographs in ancient Sumaria. Before I add up our drink total, I must add this to the party:

"Sophie," he said, "all I can tell you is that equal armed crosses like this one are considered peaceful crosses. Their square configurations make them impractical for use in crucification, and their balanced vertical and horizontal elements convey a natural union of male and female, making them symbolically consistent with Priory philosophy."

This, is actually right. At least the part about it being peaceful and male/female bits. (Hehhehe...) the part about the crucification? While logical, is utter bubkiss because you can still crucify someone on it. It just looks like this "x". So, while he actually manages get something right. He also continues to fail. \~/, \~/, \~/, \~/.

They have no where to go. So they discuss Langdon's watch.

No really. They talk about what to do and then we get this digression about Langdon's Micky Mouse watch. He's had it since he was ten and he's never owned anyone since. Despite the fact that he still wears it everyday, it still functions. That's one damn amazing watch. It's vintage and a collector's edition. I wish my watches lasted that long. \~/

They go to the train station where Sophie gives a cabbie a lot of money before he drives off and she says that they're taking the next train out of Paris.

Only one chapter tonight, but it's been broken up by long vigils of staring out into space. Generally that means bed. So finish your six drinks and I'll hopefully will see you tomorrow. If I'm coherent.