C O L L E C T I O N S | |
DUNE CHRONICLES |
Manual of Muad'Dib |
A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care
that the balances are correct. This every sister of the
Bene Gesserit knows. To begin your study of the life of
Muad'Dib, then, take care that you first place him in his
time: born in the 57th year of the Padishah Emperor,
Shaddam IV. And take the most special care that you locate
Muad'Dib in his place: the planet Arrakis. Do not be
deceived by the fact that he was born on Caladan and lived
his first fifteen years there. Arrakis, the planet known
as Dune, is forever his place. from "Manual of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan Dune
To attempt an understanding of Muad'Dib without understanding
his mortal enemies, the Harkonnens is to attempt seeing
Truth without knowing Falsehood. It is the attempt to see the
Light without knowing Darkness. It cannot be.
Over the exit of the Arrakeen landing field, crudely carved
as though with a poor instrument, there was an inscription
that Muad'Dib was to repeat many times. He saw it that first
night on Arrakis, having been brought to the ducal command
post to participate in his father's first full staff
conference. The words of the inscription were a plea to those
leaving Arrakis, but they fell with dark import on the eyes
of a boy who had just escaped a close brush with death. They
said: "O you who know what we suffer here, do not forget
us in your prayers."
On that first day when Muad'Dib robe through the streets of
Arrakeen with his family, some of the people along the way
recalled the legends and the prophecy and they ventured to
shout: "Mahdi!" But their shout was more a question than a
statement, for as yet they could only hope he was the one
foretold as the Lisan al-Gaib, the Voice from the Outer
World. Their attention was focused, too, on the mother,
because they had heard she was a Bene Gesserit and it was
obvious to them that she was like the other Lisan al-Gaib.
What do you despise? By this are you truly known.
The hands move, the lips move --
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